The magicial tale of Scheherazade, and the collection of her stories from One Thousand and One Nights, captures the exotic and mysterious aura of the Middle East and South Asia. The story goes that the Sultan Shakriar, fearfully distrustful of the inconstancy of women, had sworn to execute every single one of his wives after the first…
One of the most beloved composers and masters in Russia is Peter Tchaikovsky, or Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. He has composed beautiful masterpieces in many areas during the Romantic era, including ballet, symphonies, operas and chamber music. He has also written some of most familiar and popular concert music, among them the ballets Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, and…
Where acrobatics, bodies, skills, strength and lights diffuse into a overlapping and continuous whole, C!rca comes from Brisbane, Australia, a celebration of the limitless possibilities of the human imagination fused with the innovative expression of the human body pushed to the extreme. A vigorous and challenging art form, these performers captivate audiences through a stunning, delightful, and…
A magnificent jewel that can be found in the heart of the vibrant community of Calgary is Calgary Opera, a company that enriches the lives of many Calgarians through their amazing productions of timeless classics and modern performances. Calgary Opera is committed to showcasing and developing great Canadian talent and new opera works. The evening’s…
The Glenbow Museum is simply one of the best places to visit in Calgary, and I’m not saying this just because I’m currently pursuing a History degree or because I am an amateur artist, but because there is always something amazing for everyone in one of the many exhibits at the Glenbow Museum. The Glenbow…
George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer of exponential talent, composing many operas, oratorios and concertos. Handel’s works are most famously attributed to his use of word painting, a technique used in music to have the melody mimic the literal meaning of the lyrics. Handel’s Messiah interprets the Christian view of the Messiah, or…
WeiJia and I will be able to have the great chance to see the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus and several soloists perform Handel’s Messiah in the Jack Singer Concert Hall. To ignite some Christmas spirit with song, here’s a uplifting video featuring the Chorus Niagara performing Handel’s Messiah, random flash mob style, in a food court with an…
WeiJia, fellow blogger and I had the extraordinary chance to meet and interview Jan Lisiecki at the Wonder of Chopin concert playing in the Jack Singer Concert Hall. When do you have the chance to meet a 15 year old piano prodigy? Not everyday, at least for me, but perhaps for his friends at Western Canada…
This well-known portrait of Mozart isn’t what Mozart actually looked like, due to the fact that his portrait was painted only after his death and using details given by his wife. Prior to a Mozart celebration concert by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO), Kenneth Delong, music critic, and the Calgary Philharmonic Chorus gave a brief introduction…
It’s a blissful life for a writer… or is it really? Yann Martel with his novel “Life of Pi”, image credit: Jonathan Evan WordFest WordFest, in its 15thyear, is an international writer’s festival that brought many great and interactive events between writers and readers! Over 65 events occurred, such as reading, poetry and spoken word…
The Last Dog of War The Last Dog of War is the personal narrative of a relationship between a woman and her father as they venture together to her father’s last squad reunion dating back to World War II. WeiJia (my usual partner in blog) and I had the most spectacular chance to watch this…
“For me, it’s being the complete musician.” – Georgy Tchaizde, on what makes a good pianist. On Saturday, Sept. 25, we celebrated the Epcor Centre 25th anniversary. The Epcor Centre is often called the “cultural beacon” and “heartbeat” of Calgary. What aspect of Calgary appealed most to the Tchaidze? According to the pianist, “It’s very quiet here.…