July, 2005 - Nr. 7
KW & Beyond
by Irena Syrokomla
Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Orchestra
The Russians Are Coming
This concert, the last for 2004-05 season, was devoted to Russian composers and, what’s more, featured the Russian-born pianist Alexander Tselyakov. The concert was presented in Maureen Forrester Recital Hall at Wilfrid Laurier University to a full house. Music Director Graham Coles, in his introductory remarks, was particularly proud of his selection: finally presenting an all Russian concert after 20 years of conducting this orchestra.
The concert called appropriately The Russians Are Coming featured Modest Mussorgsky, Mikhail Glinka, Anatol Liadov and piano concerto No.4 Anton Rubinstein. With a 32-member orchestra (it always amazes me that chamber music is played by such a large group), some pieces were somewhat uneven, possibly because of not enough rehearsal time; however, most of them came out smoothly and with passion. Russian music, after all, is very passionate: you can hear it in the flowing melodies so characteristically moody, reflecting the space and landscape of the country and the psychology of the people. Tselyakov delivered Rubinstein’s concerto in a masterful fashion, we were very fortunate to have him come to Waterloo for this single concert. The piano was clear and precise, Eastern European character so transparent and so distinctly different from the German and French repertoire of the 19th century era most often filling this hall. The audience reacted with a prolonged ovation.
The programs for the fall are available and we can look
forward to a six concert series of more Bach, Telemann, Faure, Honegger,
Mozart and Sibelius. Mr. Graham Coles is doing very well, and the orchestra
has acquired an excellent 1st Violin Julia McFarlane, who came
over a year ago from Saskatchewan to Toronto and will be leading the violin
section with K-W Chamber Orchestra in the fall. The tradition of chamber
music continues.
The Brothers Karamazov
- at Stratford FestivalHaving been under the Russian influence, albeit not too often in my life – I attended The Brothers Karamazov and got the full benefit of late 19th century Russian atmosphere, Russian mentality and Russian soul. There was also some Russian background music (or singing) – altogether, how more Russian could it be? I expected dialogues with a Russian accent, but it came through only in one character.
The play was written by a Canadian Jason Sherman on the basis of Dostoyevsky’s novel, which is full of family conflict, love, hate, pain, secrets and finally murder. The novel is long and gloomy; the stage adaptation made an attempt to condense it into 2 acts and focus on the personalities of four brothers (one of them illegitimate, this fact being important) and their father, whose murder is being investigated in court. It is not clear who murdered Fyodor Karamazov. The family issues, complex personalities and incidental love plots make it difficult to decipher where it is leading. Well, it is not a detective story, nor a simple weekend entertainment, but a very complex Russian drama with all the heavy background coming with it.
The acting is impressive: Ron Kennell as illegitimate son Smerdyakov, Jonathan Goad, Shane Carty and Peter van Gestel as three brothers Karamazov, and Scott Wentworth as Fyodor Karamazov, their father. Direction by Richard Rose, is rich and multi-layered, leading not only the main characters but also the background crowd of Russian town folks and soldiers who never leave the stage – like a Greek chorus – singing in muted voices, moving the stage décor,-- this proves him to be a mature and experienced director. The costumes in sepia colours resembling an old photograph together with a simple stage décor add to the atmosphere from old Mother Russia. Stratford at its best, just one has to be prepared for it.
The Brother Karamazov continues
in Tom Patterson Theatre till September 24th.
Grand River Baroque Festival
The Festival took place on the weekend before Canada Day weekend, which was a very good idea. The program focused on Bach, Vivaldi ("The Seasons") and De Boismortier and featured many of the same artists, with the voices of the performers as impressive as ever. One should watch particulary for Joseph Schnrr and Pascal Charbonneau, both young and very promising. Of course Daniel Lichti and Laura Pudwell had their impressive moments, and so did the others. It would be a long list to note the names of the ensemble, most of them well-known and very comfortable in the barn environment: Jukie Baumgartel, Farran James, Linda Melsted. Michael Jarvis – to name just a few.
It is always a pleasure to visit the Buehlow barm and admire
their perennial garden, as beautiful as ever. Our thanks, again, to the
Festival Directors, James Mason and Julie Baumgartel, artists, volunteers
and the Buehlow family. We will all meet again next year.
Uptown Waterloo Jazz Festival
From Thursday, July 7th – to Sunday July 10, the Jazz Festival is taking place in Waterloo. The location is - as usual - the Regina Street parking lot, behind the City Hall and you should bring your own lounge chair. The venue is free; except for the gala performance on Thursday night (with Kevin Clark) tickets $35. On Friday night there will be an opportunity to listen to Dee Daniels with her fabulous voice, on Saturday the recommended performances are David Braid and Mike Murley in the afternoon and Michael Kaesh in the evening at 9:00.
The full schedule is available on internet www.uptownwaterloojazz.ca
Some artists are better known than others; however, on the basis of the past years I recommend that you go and listen to this fabulous jazz, get excited.
It is worth it!
