Around Easter time musical offerings abound, especially with sacred music. However, other music is welcome too. The German tradition of singing Lieder came to Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall in its finest artistic form with a concert by Michael Schade, Tenor, and Russel Brown, Baritone. As was pointed out by the narrator, a CBC announcer, this combination made us especially proud because these two friends are our own, they hail from here and are famous the singing world over.

They presented a wonderful program of familiar songs as duets and solo offerings from Mendelssohn-Bartoldy, Franz Schubert, and Tchaikovsky, as well as a few Ukrainian songs by Stetsenko and Lisenko, which Russel Brown was in the process of recording. These songs introduced us to the Russian soul with all its deep shades of tragedy and pride in the first half of the concert. After the intermission Albert Lortzing, Robert Schumann and Hugo Wolf warmed the audience up to a popular group of compositions by Siercsinski with "Wien, Wien nur Du allein", Pick’s "Fiakerlied", Robert Stolz’s "Im Prater blühn wieder die Blumen" and "Das Hobellied" by Kreutzer, all arranged especially for the two singers by John Greer.

And that was the end of a glorious concert, or was it? Certainly not! An encore was well received but it was not enough and the performers were called out again after having been presented with bouquets of lovely flowers and finally performed what everyone wants to hear again and again, the duet from "The Perlfisher". The ovations got pretty vivacious and Russel Brown commented that we were waking up their children. Thus the two, who were accompanied all along by Russell Browns wife Carolyn Maule, a fabulous piano player, sang a final selection a capella: Der Mond ist aufgegangen…die gold‘nen Sternlein prangen…am Himmel hell und klar….Der Wald steht Schwarz und schweigend… und aus den Wiesen steigen….die grauen Nebel wunderbar…

Aaahhhh…what a fitting way to end the evening. The gods had sent us all to bed with a lovely lullaby. The audience left feeling that they got to know these two artist a little bit more, because they give so much of themselves, the feelings become communal. It made this experience very personal for everyone, simply with a very German tradition, that of Lieder.

Opera York’s Jewels of the Opera

After 10 years we can also speak of a tradition. In this case it is the annual fundraising gala of Opera York, a very suitable choice for affordable opera when one does not want to track downtown for such fare.

This year the honorary Patron was the Hon. Judy Sgro, well remembered as Minister of immigration and loved by her constituents. As we learned Richmond Hill is about to open in the fall of 2008 its own performing theatre, built by the same folks that built the Four Seasons Centre. This should guarantee exquisite acoustics in a more intimate setting.

This was truly exciting news imparted by founders Joan Sax and Phillip Trow, as they introduced the Gala committee and volunteers that help make this company such a success.

The Gala committee

The West River Centre was a change of venue for the opera company, but the fair was still Italian, even though a little different. The hall was decorated magnificently with a theme for the upcoming opera "Carmen". Goeffrey Butler introduced the plot and presented the singers, most of them will also perform in the fall production. A fast paced auction was held as well as a silent auction with dozens of desirable items. After that part of the program was concluded there was dancing until one am.

Adriana Albu & Andrew Tees	Romuldo & Giovanna Carina

Hopefully a lot of money was raised by the amazing fundraising committee to support this incredible little company that is responsible for creating a real feeling of community in the Vaughan region through the arts. Stay tuned for future announcements.