How
the West was Won
Alberta Scene brings the best of the west to the city by Melanie
Scott
Music,
dance, opera, theatre, comedy, literature, visual art, and cuisine—Alberta
style. It can only mean one thing: Alberta Scene. A celebration
of what makes the Big A such a hotbed of talent is taking over
the city from April 28 to May 10. On the menu are performances
and events created and hosted by those who have already gained
fame and, more to the point, those whose names are not yet known
outside the province. The festival will deliver close to 100
happenings involving 600 artists at venues all over town, from
the National Arts Centre to The Ottawa Art Gallery, from D’Arcy
McGee’s Pub to the Black Sheep Inn. Picking among the
offerings is a challenge. We’ve selected just a few that
are bound to be stand-outs, but we urge visitors to scan through
the schedule to find their own groove.
Opening
Alberta Scene is Filumena, produced by The Banff Centre. Based
on the tragic life of Filumena Lassandro, who arrived in Canada
from Italy in the 1920s, the opera follows the central character
as she gets wrapped up in the bootlegging trade, and ends up
paying the ultimate price for her crimes—she was the last
woman to be hanged in Alberta. Filumena is on the National Arts
Centre stage on April 28 and 30. Heating things up at Centrepointe
Theatre is Bulla: A Loud Cuban Jazz Experiment. Its title does
not lie—Bulla blends music and dance to create an aural
and visual experience like no other. Performed by musicians
from Canada and Cuba and dancers from Decidedly Jazz Danceworks,
Bulla happens on April 30. On April 28 at the Canadian Museum
of Civilization, the Brian Webb Dance Company presents the multi-disciplinary
I Am Standing Here Before You, which combines contemporary dance
with spoken word and video imagery. Webb, in concert with video
artist Tim Folkmann, explores a touchy subject in this work—ageing.
Accompanying the piece is a live performance of Alfred Schnittke’s
Piano Quintet.
Native
actors Glen Gould and Lorne Cardinal (the latter has, by now,
a gazillion fans for his amazing work on television’s
Corner Gas), perform in the play Time Stands Still, a moving
and often hilarious portrayal of life behind bars. Gould and
Cardinal play Carl and Mark, two life-long friends who are serving
time for robbery. Their forced time together causes them to
reflect on how they have spent their lives, and how they both
ended up on the wrong side of the law. May 4, 5, and 6, at the
National Arts Centre’s Fourth Stage. Oscar Lopez may be
a Calgarian, but his Chilean roots are in evidence in spades
when he performs. His style isn’t limited to Latin—call
it, rather, a world blend of jazz, blues, and pop. His 2000
cd, Armando’s Fire, won a Juno as Best Instrumental Album.
No wonder: his skill as a guitarist and his artistry as a performer
shine. Lopez plays at the Library and Archives Auditorium on
May 3. World beat reaches a whole new level with Los Morenos,
whose sound crosses cultural barriers to create rhythms that
just won’t quit. Think rumba meets flamenco, and takes
a side trip to contemporary pop on the way. They play The Roxy
on May 5.
Those
looking to laugh out loud can catch the Alberta Beef Comedy
Tour at Yuk Yuk’s from April 28 to May 8. Headliner Andrew
Grose—ordinary life really is that funny—is joined
by Paul Myerhaug and Howie Miller for a no-holds-barred night
of the funny stuff. At D’Arcy McGee’s Pub, Oh Susanna!,
hosted by Susanna Patchouli (aka Mark Meer,) is joined on stage
by Eros, the God of Love (aka Jeff Haslam.) The duo needs only
to stand at the front of the room and wax eloquent (pun intended)
on whatever grabs its fancy to make a night of it. Cocktails
are extra, and necessary. May 5, 6, and 7. For the tots, an
amazing experience can be had when they take part in The Incredible
Adventures of Mary Jane Mosquito: actress Julie Golosky has
created a wonderful tale—told in English, French, and
Cree—that recounts the story of a mosquito born without
wings. But mosquitoes are, if nothing else, persistent, as the
story proves. April 30 and May 1, at the National Arts Centre
Studio. A real treat for lovers of the classics can be had at
the National Arts Centre on April 29: the Edmonton Symphony
Orchestra will perform an all-Alberta program, including works
by Allan Gordon Bell, John Estacio, Malcolm Forsyth (who won
a Juno for Atayoskewin, which is on the program,) Allan Gilliland,
and Jeffrey McCune. Of note: clarinetist James Campbell, who
played with the Boston Pops earlier in the year, is the featured
solo artist for Gilliland’s Dreaming of the Masters. Also
on April 29: the Orchestra will play a matinée just for
the youngsters. On the program: Estacio’s The Twins and
the Monster. On the blues front, slide guitarist par excellence
Ellen McIlwaine performs with her trio at The Rainbow on May
6. Nobody can match her when it comes to fret skills, and her
rendition of tunes such as Take Me to the River sound like they
were written just for her. Joining her for the gig is guitarist
Gaye Delorme.
Musically speaking, Alberta is to country what Jamaica is to
reggae, and the list of must-see concerts seems endless. If
one has to pick just one event, it would probably have to be
The Gift: A Tribute to the Music of Ian Tyson. Alberta’s
favourite balladeer has taken the guise of many musical personae—folkie,
country rocker, pure country—and this show celebrates
his range and artistry as a songwriter. Stewart MacDougall,
who has toured with Tyson in the past, directs Corb Lund, Shuyler
Jansen, members of The McDades, and a 10-piece band for the
gig. May 3 at Centrepointe Theatre. Okay, let’s face it.
You can’t pick just one. For a real taste of what’s
hot in Alberta country, Country Superstars (May 9 and 10, at
the National Arts Centre in Southam Hall) feature the best of
contemporary western. It’s said that George Canyon was
born with a guitar in his hands—he has played on the same
bill as such superstars as Tim McGraw, Brooks and Dunn, and
Loretta Lynn; Grande Prairie native Carolyn Dawn Johnson is
known equally for her talents as a pianist and songwriter; and
Emerson Drive, who snagged a major recording deal as a result
of a Nashville show in 2001, toured last year with country diva
Shania Twain. They all perform on May 9. On May 10, Terri Clark
picks up the mic for a solo show. This sweetheart of the badlands
has worked with some of country’s best, including Vince
Gill and Reba McEntire, and was voted Canadian Country Music’s
“Entertainer of the Year” four times by her fans.
As for the rest, there are concerts by folkies, rock ‘n’
rollers, gospel choirs, hip hoppers, punks, jazzmen—and
everything in between. Some of our top picks include: Painting
Daisies, whose raw, honest rock has earned them many accolades,
including being named “Entertainers of the Year”
at the Prairie Music Awards (April 29, The Roxy); Métis
fiddling sensation Calvin Vollrath (April 29, The Black Sheep
Inn); Rae Spoon, who could have come from the deep south in
the 1920s, who is on a double bill with singer/songwriter Lorrie
Matheson (May 5, Fourth Stage); P.J. Perry, one of contemporary
Jazz’s most accomplished saxophonists, who plays with
Chris Andrew Trio (May 1, Library and Archives Auditorium);
John Stetch, who is a magician with the ivories and has two
Junos to prove it (May 10, Library and Archives Auditorium);
punk masters Chixdiggit (April 29, Capital Music Hall) and Kiros,
who share the bill with Choke and Wednesday Night Heroes (May
7, Barrymore’s Music Hall); and the very soulful Ann Vriend,
whose voice is something akin to addictive—she plays two
double bills, one with Rae Spoon (May 6, Black Sheep Inn) and
another with roots master Wil (May 8, Great Canadian Theatre
Company). The Scene has dozens more happenings in addition to
these, including art and literary events —for a complete
line-up, contact the National Arts Centre: 613-947-7000. Additional
information, including ticket prices and outlets, is posted
on the festival web site: www.albertascene.ca
WHERE
Ottawa is distributed to hotels throughout the region—get
your copy on arrival in your hotel room, or ask your hotel concierge
