February, 2005 - Nr. 2
Discovering past and present
The winter cannot be over without a few major dances and at least one
important ball, in this case the annual Austrian Ball, this year declared to
be a Salute
to
Graz, and certainly under the distinguished patronage of His Excellency the
Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Austria Dr. Otto Ditz. It will take
place in Toronto in what we all know as the Royal York Hotel on Saturday,
February 26, and will start at 6:30pm with an elegant champagne reception,
to be followed by good food and wine, music, dancing to 2 bands, laughter
and animated conversation. Host is the Canadian-Austrian Society with
Christine Meyer as President.
The over 1000 year old city of Graz has been a recognized UNESCO World Heritage place since 1999 and chosen to be Europe’s Cultural Capital in the year 2003. The invitation tells us about the second oldest Austrian University being there and that Friedrich III and Ferdinand II ruled their Empire from Graz. The city was also a stronghold against the dreaded Turkish hordes of their time. Stories of "Prinz Eugen, der edle Ritter" appear in my memory as leftovers from a high school curriculum, otherwise largely forgotten…as well as the poetic saga of Holy Wars and horsemen falling in halves of their steeds.
Please book your attendance with Herta Goodyear at 416-928-1400 Ext. 240.It is an event not to be missed!
On the Sunday just before that, February 20, I will have the wonderful pleasure to revisit a bit of my past. Orchestra Toronto is offering a most wonderful winterlude in the form of a hot jazz concert with one of my all time favourite piano players.
When I attended the Chick Corea concert Chick said at the beginning that Toronto is one of his favourite cities, not only because we have two of the world’s best and his most favourite two Piano players: Oscar Peterson and John Arpin.
Well, I have known John Arpin since my early modelling and performing days, which now dates back over 30 years. But as life plays sometimes, we lost sight of each other. We both aged, he very gracefully, and we are both a lot wiser and have lots of stories to tell.
I can hardly wait to hear him play in the fantastic acoustics of the Toronto Centre for the Arts, 5040 Yonge Street, (let us not forget - this is the longest street in the world with one name!) Sunday, February 20, 2005, 3pm. This concert is in honour of the orchestra’s 50th anniversary and in the after concert reception there will be an all out alumni partying in celebration.
Imagine works of Bernstein and Gershwin and all-time Ragtime showstoppers played by John Arpin. There is no one who can do it better…he won every award imaginable for his outstanding ragtime performances from all over North America.
I shall be hard pressed not to jump out of my seat, I know. Maybe they allow dancing in the aisles?
For tickets to the concert (between 10 and 30 dollars) call 416-467-7142 and for more info, and the reception go to www.orchestratoronto.ca.
See you there!
There is one more important thing I need to mention. Every community has its heroes and often they live quietly in our midst and we never know about them, until someone draws attention to them. Some of them have lived extraordinary lives. One of these hidden treasures walks among us in Kitchener and is known as Paul Tuerr.
Author of an intriguing biography about the rich tapestry of Paul Tuerr’s life is Dr. Ulrich Frisse, Professor for European History at the University of Nipissing in North Bay.
"Der Weg zum Erfolg. Paul Tuerr - eine deutschkanadische Lebenssgeschichte" comes to us from Transatlantic Publishing and the cost is $44.95 plus Taxes. You can order under transatlanticpublishing@sympatico.ca or via Transatlantic Publishing, 18-6 Westwood Drive, Kitchener, ON, N2M 2K4
No doubt this will make for a most interesting read.
Until next time
Sybille Forster-Rentmeister
Comments to: sfr@echoworld.com
