Capital Critics Circle, Author at Capital Critics' Circle / Le cercle des critiques de la capitale

Under the patronage of the Embassy of Italy, Pellegrini Opera presents Verdi’s Rigoletto

By Capital Critics Circle | April 11, 2016

The Capital’s only full-production opera company, Pellegrini Opera, brings its version of “Game of Thrones” to Dominion-Chalmers United Church on Saturday, April 16 at 7:30 pm with its one-time performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto.

The production, under the stellar creative direction of Vincent Thomas, stars internationally acclaimed baritone Jeffrey Carl as Rigoletto, local soprano Susan Elizabeth Brown as Gilda and Gatineau’s Andrzej Stec as the Duke of Mantua. Kyle McDonald as Sparafucile, the cut throat, and Cassandra Warner as Maddalena, his sister, complete the main cast. Maestro Vito Lo Re, who is based in Milan, Italy, has returned to Ottawa to conduct the Pellegrini Opera Orchestra for the occasion.

This live and fully-costumed production with super titles in both English and French, features all the characteristics of a well-spun story of passion, revenge, espionage and murder where the innocent love of a court jester’s daughter is taken advantage of by the ruthless duke. The jester (Rigoletto) seeks payback but tragedy results in a setting where curses have the ultimate power. Such is the dark world that is Verdi’s masterpiece set further in mystery by Thomas with his intriguing tarot theme.

Advance tickets are available at both Compact Music locations, The Leading Note, Books on Beechwood, and through pellegriniopera.net. and range in price from $20 to $40. Children 12 years of age and under are free. Tickets are also available at the door. Website: http://www.pellegriniopera.net/

Paul Rainville’s performance elevates “Virginia Woolf”

By Capital Critics Circle | April 10, 2016

Photo:Andrew Alexander. Paul Rainville (left), Ian Farthing (right)

If you’ve never seen the stage version of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” Edward Albee’s acerbic portrait of a dysfunctional marriage, here’s your opportunity. Although perhaps not as shocking today as in the early 60s, the relationships between the characters and Albee’s wonderful word-play and cynical humor are not the least bit dated. The difference perhaps, is that today a young couple either witnessing or becoming the brunt of such vicious verbal attacks would excuse themselves, leave and call social services.

The characters of George and Martha have become part of the cultural landscape as symbols of destructive battling spouses. In spite of their fierce sniping, the play is basically a love story – a love story of co-dependents. We can see the seeds of a similar relationship in the young couple as well. The play examines the fundamental question of what is truth and what is illusion; more importantly, what illusions are necessary in order to live.

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VERNISSAGE OF THE MULTIMEDIA EXHIBITION “ÉCHOS – ANDRÉ BRASSARD” AT THE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE, APRIL 12, 1h30.

By Capital Critics Circle | April 9, 2016

Photo. Ivanoh Demers, Mars 2010, La Presse

OTTAWA – Legendary stage director André Brassard will make a rare appearance at the vernissage of the multimedia exhibition Échos –André Brassard, Tuesday, April 12 at 1:30 p.m. at the National Arts Centre (NAC). The former artistic director of NAC French Theatre (1982–90) will be joined by the current artistic director, Brigitte Haentjens, and two other former artistic directors, Robert Lepage (1990–93) and Jean‑Claude Marcus (1993–2000).

The free exhibition will be displayed from April 12 to May 28, 2016, in the NAC Theatre Foyer.

WHAT: Vernissage of the multimedia exhibition Échos – André Brassard

WHEN: Tuesday, April 12, 2016, at 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: Theatre Foyer
National Arts Centre, 53 Elgin, Ottawa

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XV Europe Theatre Prize and XIII Europe Prize Theatrical Realities

By Capital Critics Circle | March 30, 2016

Photo: Dave Morgan

Juliet and Romeo, Mat Ecks

Press release from the XVth edition of the Europe Theatre prize taking place in Craiova Romania (April 23 to 26).

Yana Meerzon will be attending the event from Ottawa and will give us a full description of the conferences and theatre productions.

The events of the XV edition of Europe Theatre Prize and of the XIII Europe Prize Theatrical Realities – the most prestigious European award in the field of drama – will take place in Romania, in Craiova from 23^rd to 26^th April 2016. The Prize events will take place under the Patronage and the financing of the City of Craiova (“Candidate City – Craiova Cultural Capital of Europe 2021”) and in cooperation with the Shakespeare Foundation of Craiova and the “Marin Sorescu” National Theatre of Craiova, which also commit themselves to host and organize the events of Europe Theatre Prize in Craiova, with the contribution too of the Romanian Cultural Institute.

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World Theatre Day 2016 Canadian Message by Sky Gilbert in English

By Capital Critics Circle | March 24, 2016

You’re sitting at home, in your favourite chair – with your

favourite animal in your lap (cat? dog? lizard?). You’re

surfing the web. You like it because your favourite movies

and games and TV shows are at your fingertips. But you also

like it because it tells you

who you are

. You discover all sorts of

things about yourself when you’re online. If you buy something online you get a

cheery message saying “I know what you like…why don’t you try this too?”

But wait. What if you were to leave the house?

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LE CENTRE NATIONAL DES ARTS DÉVOILE SON PLAN STRATÉGIQUE 2015-2020

By Capital Critics Circle | March 24, 2016

Accent sur la création et naissance d’un volet de théâtre autochtone parmi les grands objectifs du document, intitulé Le Canada en scène

Le 24 mars 2016 — OTTAWA (Canada) — Poursuivant sur la lancée de son Projet de renouvellement architectural déjà solidement enclenché, le Centre national des Arts (CNA) a dévoilé aujourd’hui son Plan stratégique pour les cinq prochaines années. Intitulé Le Canada en scène, le Plan stratégique 2015-2020 prévoit la mise sur pied d’un nouveau département de Théâtre autochtone, une orientation déterminante en faveur de la création canadienne en vue d’aider les artistes et les organisations artistiques de partout au pays à réaliser de nouvelles œuvres ambitieuses, et une démarche ciblée visant à faire du CNA une organisation ayant une portée tout aussi nationale chez les francophones que chez les anglophones.

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Exquisite 2016-17 Dance Programme Coming Next Season: Cathy Levy Brings the Best in International and National Dance to the National Arts Centre.

By Capital Critics Circle | March 22, 2016

Photo: Penguin.JPG Virginie Brunelle.

Cathy Levy established an NAC Associate Dance Artists program in 2007, with the goal of creating a community of artists and giving them an opportunity to meet and explore ideas with each other and with some of the greatest dance artists from around the world. Three of these eleven Associate Dance Artists will be featured on a special evening entitled The Associates in March of 2017. Work by Marie Chouinard, Crystal Pite, and Christopher House, will no doubt delight audiences.

NAC Dance is also proud to present Les Grands Ballet Canadiens de Montréal and The National Ballet of Canada as well as co-produce new work by Montreal’s Virginie Brunelle. We also have the chance to celebrate Canadians working abroad with Germany’s Gauthier Dance, founded by Canadian Dancer Eric Gauthier.

Photo: Regine Brocke, Gauthier Dance.

RETURN VISITS

Highlights include return visits by international superstar Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and his company Eastman, NAC Associate Dance Artists Crystal Pite, Marie Chouinard and Christopher House; Montreal’s Virginie Brunelle, America’s dazzling Hubbard Street Dance Chicago; and Israel’s incomparable Batsheva. Shanghai Ballet returns after a long absence, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo returns with their unique flare as well Albert Ballet with their festive special The Nutcracker; and The National Ballet of Canada makes their annual visit with Onegin, an exquisite romantic classic.

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Upcoming performances at THE GLADSTONE

By Capital Critics Circle | March 9, 2016

Tuesdays with Morrie by Jeffrey Hatcher and Mitch Albom, from the best selling memoir by Mitch Albom March 10-19

Will Somers new solo show written and performed by Pierre Brault, March 24-April 2

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf legendary drama by Edward Albee, April 7-16

Staff Room award-winning Canadian play by Joan Burrows, April 21-30 My Fair Zombie live staging of local musical feature film by Brett Kelly and Trevor Payer

The Marvelous Wonderettes award-winning jukebox musical by Roger Bean, May 11-14

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, award-sweeping Broadway megahit
by Christopher Durang, May 20-28

Shows coming to The Gladstone: Love Letters and Romantic Poetry

By Capital Critics Circle | January 13, 2016

Love Letters
by A.R. Gurney
directed by Teri Loretto-Valentik
starring Pierre Brault and Lucy van Oldenbarneveld
January 29 to February 6, 2016 (Preview January 28)
Tuesday-Saturday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m.

Melissa Gardner and Andrew Makepeace Ladd III are childhood friends who begin a correspondence that will last 50 years. As their lives take very different paths, they share with each other their hopes and dreams, ambitions and disappointments, victories and defeats through their notes, cards and letters.

"A.R. Gurney’s deceptively simple 1988 epistolary two-hander, Love Letters, is that rare work whose emotional richness requires no embellishment in order to become a full-bodied theatrical experience." —The Hollywood Reporter

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Undercurrents complete programme. Dates and times later…

By Capital Critics Circle | January 10, 2016

Undercurrents: theatre below the mainstream (February 10–20. 2016)
& Arts Court Theatre / www.artscourt.ca

Programme:

A MAN WALKS INTO A BAR
by Rachel Blair (dir. David Matheson)
– Patrons’ Pick and Best of Fest at The Toronto Fringe Festival
FORSTNER & FILLISTER PRESENT: FORSTNER & FILLISTER IN: FORSTNER & FILLISTER
by Will Somers & David Benedict Brown (dir. Melanie Karin Brown)
– Premiered at Fresh Meat: DIY Theatre Festival (2014)
GETTING TO ROOM TEMPERATURE
by Arthur Milner (and directed by A. Milner)
– A world premiere

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