CPO thunders the rafters with Tchaikovsky and The Rite of Spring
Tchaikovsky, the beloved Russian composer and considered one of the greatest musicians of his time, was an extremely troubled man.
“Pray the Devil Back to Hell”: Movie under the Stars
Go see a FREE OUTDOOR FILM screening on the rooftop of the Alexander Calhoun Library! Raging human atrocities and massacres ravaged the African country of Liberia. This savage civil war knew no boundaries- villages were pillaged by child soldiers, innocent civilians were targeted by the rebels and government alike and terror trapped many fearful persons…
How to have your fundraiser become an unexpected success
First of all, the soul of any fundraiser is that it’s all about the heart. A fundraiser has to be from the heart and to the heart for it to work. Having pulled off my own, out-of-the-blue fundraiser raising the awareness of children affected by war for the Canadian Red Cross, many months of predicted…
Care for a stroll in a cemetery in Montreal?
In the Cimetiere Mont Royal It has been my great luck to be able to practice some of my French with fellow blogger, WeiJia, in a trip to Montreal, and one of the first landmarks that we explored in Montreal was the Cimetiere Mont Royal. This cemetery is interestingly segregated by domination, with people of the Catholic,…
Speaking at the Canadian Red Cross Regional Annual Meeting
It was on a small pin that I intently focused my churning emotions of joy: the powerful and uplifting emblem of the Red Cross.
Regarding Heroes of our Time at the Glenbow Museum
Book at least half a day off, or better yet, the whole day, when you plan to visit the Glenbow Museum. Five hours inside the wonderfully captivating and compelling Glenbow Museum was not enough for this history buff.
James Ehnes, on the Myth of the Stradivarius
James Ehnes is a violinist of extraordinary dynamism, serene lyricism and astonishing virtuosity. He has performed in over 30 countries on five continents, a guest of many of the world’s renowned orchestras and conductors, including, amongst others, the London Symphony, New York, BBC Philharmonic, and the DS Berlin Orchestras. An exciting and award winning discography,…
Pure exhilaration in Video Games LIVE
Let’s begin with a poem… Roses are #FF0000, violets are #0000FF, and all your base are belong to us. (In a concert hall full of fellow nerds, geeks, and gamers alike, I wasn’t at all embarrassed to find this phrase funny.) What Video Games Live is all about Two words: PURE EPICNESS. Myself being an…
Enchantment Theatre presents a captivating One Thousand and One Nights
Enchantment Theatre and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra wonderfully weave together Scheherazade dramatically and musically. One Thousand and One Nights is a perfect combination of grand orchestral music and expressive masks, puppet, movement and magic. This was the last Symphony Sunday for Kids for the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) 2010/2011 season and I was interested in…
Aida, a riveting performance by Calgary Opera
Step back into the mysterious and exotic time of the Ancient Egyptians, at the height of their reign, when Pharaohs commanded full authority over the vast expanse of Egypt, inheriting considerable power, riches, and enemies. It is the royal palace at Memphis, Egypt, in the great classic, Aida, created by the Giuseppe Verdi, which waits.…
Under the Skin delivers a breathtaking performance of modern dance
Highlighting two cultures, China and Canada, and two fantastic dance companies, Wen Wei Dance and The Beijing Modern Dance Company, Under the Skin brings dancers from Canada and China to explore the questions of personal identity, culture, and gender roles. Through the invigorating and abstract movements of dance, the powerful and expressive dancers reveal that…
Classical Masters: Beethoven and Ehnes, an enthralling concert with virtuoso fireworks
“When James Ehnes played an A in rehearsal on his Stradivarius, he was louder than the whole orchestra while tuning…” James Ehnes, the guest artist for this concert, plays a very special instrument: the “ex-Marsick” Stradivarius of 1715. The Stradivarius is a household name among violinist, and these violins are renowned for their unsurpassed sound…
Soul Surfer is an amazing rendition of inspiration, hope and endless possibilities
One of the best adaptations of a true story, Soul Surfer is based off the 2004 non-fiction book Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family and Figthing to Get Bakc on the Board by Bethany Hamilition. Portrayed as the very same character in the movie, Benthany Hamiliton’s left arm was bitten off by a shark when…
Bach, Beethoven and Brahms are magnificently revived through the mastery of the CPO
“Is it true that the greatest composers of music all had names that started with the letter B ?” [youtube vlkiKhWQsAg&feature=related] Of course, these classical giants that Andeas Delfs, guest conductor, and Michael Hope, one of the bassoonists in the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra smilingly refered to in the pre-concert chat were none other than Bach, Beethoven…