We have in our community a vast many likes and
preferences and all of them find expression in many different
ways. They are all anchored in traditions the immigrants brought
from their homeland. A love for classical music is one of those
and finds its way even into a clubhouse for those that do not
frequent the formal visitations of full opera or operetta
productions in a theatre. Having a gala ball is also still much
liked as a get-together with friends in a luxurious setting,
especially among mature people. Here is the report on two such
occasions.
Hansa goes Classic
Members and friends of the German Canadian Club Hansa
have come to expect an annual dose of light classics in their
club house on Highway 10, right on the cusp between Brampton and
Mississauga.
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The audience |
 Walter Kornelson once again presented a nice variety of musical
offerings with educational commentary to enhance the single
arias sung by a variety of artists, some of which we are by now
familiar with.
Wendy Dobson Smith has been performing at these concerts several
times already and is capable of many different song styles,
especially since her voice is variable enough to accommodate
arias for high soprano and lower mezzo parts. She also has an
ability to enhance the performance with some acting skills -
dramatic and comical, which is always helpful when a famous aria
is sung out of context without a set or
 appropriate costumes.
Thus she is also an easy partner for duets of all sorts,
something she mastered with every performer during that concert.
She sang with mezzo soprano Vanessa Grant the famous and
fabulous flower duet from Delibe’s “Lakme”, always a crowd
pleaser, with Brenna Robins, a lovely 16 year old, “Abends wenn
ich schlafen geh”, with the very engaging Douglas Tranquada “Im
Feuerstrom der Reben” from “Die Fledermaus”, and with talented
James Ciantar from Verdi’s La Traviata “Parigi o Cara”. She in
fact carried the concert with 11 performances out of 25, either
solo or in a duet or ensemble style.
| Wendy Dobson and Douglas
Tranquada |
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The crowd loved it all and applauded wildly when tenor James
Ciantar let his voice soar in songs l ike “Wien, Stadt meiner
Träume” or “Vesta La Giubba” from Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci”. His
singing style in truly Italian tradition is his forte and rouses
the audience always to extra admiration, as it did with his 5
performances during this concert.
| Douglas Tranquada, bariton |
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Douglas Tranquada’s warm and wonderful baritone, his easy manner
on the stage or while wandering in the audience, his acting
ability and personality is engaging and resting on
 profound
professionalism, and that when he is not even a full time
performer. What a pity! He delighted with “Ein Mädchen oder
Weibchen” from Mozart’s “Zauberflöte”, a classic of a different
style “La Paloma” and a few more arias, altogether 7 times
including the last offering, which was an ensemble effort of
“Bella Figlia Dell Amore” from Verdi’s “Rigoletto”.
| Douglas Tranquada and Wendy
Dobson |
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| Vanessa Grant,
mezzo soprano |
Mezzo soprano Vanessa Grant made the audience happy with arias
like “Chacun a son gout” from Strauss’ “Fledermaus”, an aria
from Webber’s “Cats” and 4 other selection, including the
Ensemble song at the end.
Walter
Kornelson &
William Shookhoff, piano |
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All were accompanied by the
incomparable William Shookhoff.
The more earthly delights were looked after by the Hansa kitchen
and bar and made this truly a completely pleasant experience for
everyone.
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| Farewell to
another Hansa goes Classic |
Austrian Gala Ball celebrates Salzburg
This year’s annual gala ball of the Canadian Austrian
Society found its way back to the Delta Chelsea Inn in downtown
Toronto, where festively dressed patrons arrived in style to a
champagne reception, before a fabulous dinner. Christine Meyer,
President of the Society, was seen everywhere making sure all
guests had what they needed and were well taken care of. She
created once again with a team of helpful volunteers an amazing
evening of exquisite food and great entertainment.
 When it was time to leave the foyer and enter the Churchill
Ballroom the patrons found a beautifully decorated room ready to
receive them. Without much ado MC Herbert Wolf welcomed everyone
 and introduced the head table which included Christine Meyer,
Dr. Robert Luck, Consul and Trade Commissioner of Austria, with
Ms.
 Devi Kantha, Mr. Don McWilliam, Manager Austrian Airlines
Canada and his wife, Mrs. Irene Orasjaervi-Neumann from the
Austrian Embassy Ottawa, and Mrs. Veronica Wolf, Manager of
Product Development EW Tours.
Then Christine Meyer explained that to honour her hometown of
Salzburg was a particular pleasure for her. With its rich
history and culture it has a lot to offer to any visitor, which
was demonstrated later with an ongoing video projection and an
interesting entertainment part by Doug Zimmerman and a young
singer named Janna Polson, who was in the original cast of Ed
Mirvishe’s production of the Sound of Music.
| Doug Zimmermann &
Janna Polson |
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e shared some of
the life shaping moments as a child in this production with us
and sang some of the loveliest songs, including “Edelweiss” for
the audience, which was extremely enchanted.She shared some of
the life shaping moments as a child in this production with us
and sang some of the loveliest songs, including “Edelweiss” for
the audience, which was extremely enchanted.
But first a fabulous dinner was served. It started with a wild
mushroom truffle soup and most people, asked for a second
serving and wanted more for desert. The salad was refreshing and
readied the pallet for an amazingly tender Filet Mingon, after
which followed the sweet renditions of “The Sound of Music” and
a chocolate and berry desert that was out of this world.
 When dancing commenced to the sounds of Matt Lebar and his band
the mood in the room was animated and happy. This ball, despite
its formal format is warm and friendly, even casual at times,
which some bantering at the draw of the door prize demonstrated.
We definitely were told to pay attention and be there or else we
could not win the just upgraded to business class set of tickets
to Salzburg by Air Austria, with overnight stays in a fancy
hotel. There was much laughter and then the winners came
forward: Mr. and Mrs. Vanek. The draw was taken by the lovely
representative of the Austrian Embassy Mrs. Irene
Orasjaervi-Neumann and announced by the airline’s manager Mr.
McWilliam.
Chances to win one of the many other prizes were great this
year, as there were not quite as many patrons attending this
year as last year. As usual the table decorations were also up
for taking home and at each table the person with a birthday
closest to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was the lucky recipient.
The evening was an amazing success, harmonious and delightful.
The organizers are to be congratulated. Hopefully we can all get
together again next year at this perhaps last venue of this
sort. The other Germanic gala appears to have taken a different
format.
Classic Film Hero
An opportunity to review a true classic hero of Germany
came along. The film the Red Baron about the life of Baron
Manfred von Richthofen and his exploits during WWI shed light on
the mystery that surrounded him.
An excellent cast illuminated the way he fought the war, what he
stood for and how he died honourably at the hand of Canadian
Pilot Captain Brown, who he had befriended when they both were
downed in the same field. There is of course a love story and at
the end of the story a wreath reading “To our friend and enemy”
from the Royal Flying Corps at his grave.
The cast, Matthias Schweighofer as von Richthofen, Til Schweiger
as fellow pilot Werner Voss, Joseph Fiennes of “Shakespeare in
Love” fame as the Canadian Captain Brown, as well as the rest of
the cast are well chosen and deliver fine performances that
demonstrate the sense of honour and duty and their differences
with politics that were the order of the day. But we remember
most that war is hell.
The movie will run at the MC at Young and Dundas starting Friday
March12, 2010 and is well worth seeing.
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Walter Kornelson once again presented a nice variety of musical
offerings with educational commentary to enhance the single
arias sung by a variety of artists, some of which we are by now
familiar with.
appropriate costumes.
Thus she is also an easy partner for duets of all sorts,
something she mastered with every performer during that concert.
She sang with mezzo soprano Vanessa Grant the famous and
fabulous flower duet from Delibe’s “Lakme”, always a crowd
pleaser, with Brenna Robins, a lovely 16 year old, “Abends wenn
ich schlafen geh”, with the very engaging Douglas Tranquada “Im
Feuerstrom der Reben” from “Die Fledermaus”, and with talented
James Ciantar from Verdi’s La Traviata “Parigi o Cara”. She in
fact carried the concert with 11 performances out of 25, either
solo or in a duet or ensemble style.
ike “Wien, Stadt meiner
Träume” or “Vesta La Giubba” from Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci”. His
singing style in truly Italian tradition is his forte and rouses
the audience always to extra admiration, as it did with his 5
performances during this concert.
profound
professionalism, and that when he is not even a full time
performer. What a pity! He delighted with “Ein Mädchen oder
Weibchen” from Mozart’s “Zauberflöte”, a classic of a different
style “La Paloma” and a few more arias, altogether 7 times
including the last offering, which was an ensemble effort of
“Bella Figlia Dell Amore” from Verdi’s “Rigoletto”.
