And Another Thing - Every One Always Dies in the End

Three More Operas in the 2006/2007 Season From Vancouver Opera

VANCOUVER, BC - The Vancouver Opera is using the supernatural creatures of Coast Salish mythology of the Pacific Coast for the setting in their new production of Mozart's The Magic Flute.

"The Magic Flute will be an exciting exploration of the intersection of two rich cultures - the musical and theatrical traditions of 18th century Europe, beautifully performed, and the ancient mythology of indigenous people of the Canadian west coast, beautifully depicted."


A New Production of Mozart's The Magic Flute
Dates are:

January 27, 30

February 1, 3, 6, 8 2007
All Performances at 7:30PM

Conducted by Derrick Inouye
Directed by Robert McQueen
Performances at The Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Click here for parking information.

Click here for Vancouver Opera's web site.

Richard Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos is next with performances in March, 2007.

And then Vancouver Opera rivives a classic production of Puccini's much loved Tosca in April/May, 2007.

Of course you can make it to at least one of these and probably all three. I have confidence in you.

xoxo

M

What More Can a Girl Ask For? Hmmm.

How about asking for a bottle of Baby Duck and a $10 All-You-Can-Eat-Buffet?

On the one hand I'm not sure if I'll go to see The Arts Club Theatre Company's production of The Optimist (too busy). On the other hand playwright Morwyn Brebner has a reputation and I think I like chicks with reputations. (Hmm, she wrote the book for the musical Little Mercy's First Murder - that's what I mean by rep - just to be clear.)

Check out the press release below:

Arts Club Theatre Company presents

THE OPTIMISTS

By Morwyn Brebner
February 8 – March 3, 2007
Previews: February 8–13

Granville Island Stage

VANCOUVER, BC—The Arts Club Theatre Company is pleased to present the Vancouver premiere of The Optimists, a wry and invigorating observation of life by award-winning playwright Morwyn Brebner. From a first date at Swiss Chalet to a quickie wedding in Vegas—what more could a girl ask for? Sin City provides the unlikely setting for a recovering gambler (John Murphy) and his young fiancée (Anastasia Phillips) to jump-start their life together. Just hours before exchanging vows, however, they are joined by two old friends from Toronto (Scott Bellis and Jillian Fargey) who have a picture-perfect marriage. As the drinks begin to flow, the quartet of Canadians bare regrets and lay their hopes on the table: “Although we’re Canadian, let’s be optimistic, for just a day.”

Morwyn Brebner, a graduate of the National Theatre School, wrote the book and lyrics for Little Mercy’s First Murder, the “musical-noir” that has captivated audiences across Canada.

Director: Rachel Ditor. Starring: Scott Bellis, Jillian Fargey, John Murphy, Anastasia Phillips.

Design Team: Ted Roberts (set), Marsha Sibthorpe (lights), Rebekka Sorensen (costumes), Andy Horka (sound). Stage Management: Caryn Fehr, Ronaye Haynes

IN BRIEF: The Arts Club Theatre Company presents The Optimists by Morywn Brebner at the Granville Island Stage (1585 Johnston Street) from February 8 to March 3, 2007 (PREVIEWS: FEBRUARY 8–13).

Monday at 8 pm
Tuesday at 7:30 pm
Wednesday–Saturday at 8 pm
and Wednesday & Saturday at 2 pm.
Tickets are $25–$36.50, with discounts for students, seniors, and groups.
Call Ticketmaster 604.280.3311 or the Arts Club Box Office 604.687.1644, or visit artsclub.com

SPECIAL PERFORMANCES
Community Matinee – Wed, Feb 14, 2 pm. All tickets just $25!
Monday Mix Lecture – Feb 19, 8 pm. Join us at 7 pm for a free pre-show talk.
Talk Back Tuesday – Feb 27, 7:30 pm. Post-show chat with the cast and crew.

xoxo

MVL

My Gentle Readers have the patience of Saints but finally enough is enough.

"Back to your blogging you lazy bastard," they say (all two of them).

VANCOUVER, BC - Work has been pretty hectic and life even more so. Over the winter holidays I spent several days with the amber flu (I blame all my visiting cousins) and then a genuine flu. Some inherent physical and moral weaknesses of mine were exposed these last seven weeks, brought on by excessive workloads and too much Red Bull, which may give you wings as advertised but what they don't say is that it also makes you twitchy after too many weeks drinking the stuff.

I did see BC Ballet’s and Alberta Ballet’s co-presentation of The Nutcracker thanks to an invitation from My Girl Friday. At the performance she recalled a version she had seen as a child in which the setting had been changed from Christmas to a more universally appealing birthday party for Clara. Click here for the Royal Winnepeg Ballet’s explanation of John Neumeier’s alternate birthday version of the Nutcracker. Click here for the Christmas version of the story.

This year I was positive the Evil Mouse King and his mice were going to triumph and all would be changed. Thankfully in the make-believe world good still has the upper hand.

Jerry Lee Lewis has a new CD (and here we all thought he was dead) and vocally he weighs in at his usual welterweight and he still has the wallopping left hand on the piano. I'll get a review of his new stuff shortly.

A DVD arrived in the mail showing Elvis Presley's three appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1956 and 1957. After Sullivan Presleymania went national. I'll get a review of it to you soon. I watched the first disc last night.

The Vancouver's PuSH Festival is around the corner and I've got Vede Hille on my mind as well as some marionettes.

Reveiws of a couple of Lenny Bruce CDs, some Firesign Theatre releases, a novel or two (and completely unrelated to this blog a series of articles to write on food issues and sustainability).

So, yes, I am back to work on my blog.

xoxo

M