Review: ROM Friday Night Live (#FNLROM): Afro Fête celebrates Black History Month (Friday February 3, 2017)

New year and new jams at #FNLROM!  On Friday February 3, 2017 we celebrated Afro Fête as part of Black History Month with a jam-packed night of vibrant music, food and activations.  The evening featured live entertainment, DJs and special performances in the Museum’s stunning galleries.

The #FNLROM Afro Fête Performances did not disappoint with the likes of Exco Levi & High Priest.  Jamaican/Canadian musician Exco Levi paid tribute to the founders of reggae music with a modern twist of poetry and sound. This four-time Juno award winner has performed in multiple tours and reggae festivals around the world.

We also enjoyed Ammoye.  Rooted in the reggae music of her native Jamaica, Ammoye effortlessly glided from reggae and dancehall to gospel, soul and R&B. Over the years, Ammoye has been performing at events and festivals around the globe, and has shared the stage with Ziggy Marley, Freddie McGregor, Romain Virgo and Beenie Man.

The Afro Lounge was off the hook!  We ordered some West African street eats, grabbed a drink, and played a game of Ludo. Complete with a dressing room in the back, showcasing exclusive pieces from the Chinedesign summer collection inspired by the Museum’s current Art, Honour, and Ridicule: Asafo Flags from Southern Ghana exhibition.

Who Killed Colin Roach? We also explored the interconnections between race, justice and the state in this film by Isaac Julien.  Well worth a visit!

See you in the spring!

#FNLROM:

Afro Fête Tickets: $5 for ROM Members, $15 for Adults, and $13 for Students.

#FNLROM is a specially ticketed event for adults 19+.

For information and future tickets, visit rom.on.ca.

Review: The Sony Centre Partner Neighborhood Restaurant – Real Mo-Mo’s

Before or after a performance at The Sony Centre check out Real Mo-Mo’s. It can be found across the street from the Sony Centre for Performing Arts – think European, relaxed and delicious. Be sure to grab a special discount off your food/drink receipt when you show your Sony Centre for Performing Arts ticket before or after your show! A perfect way to stretch your dollar, feed you and your guests and keep the good energy flowing!

Monique and her team do the most gorgeous High Tea. It is probably the best deal in the city.  Offered daily between 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. for $30 (for two people) you will be fed Speculaas, Dutch stroop wafel, selection of cakes and a scone with fruit compote and butter, Cucumber and tzatziki sandwich, Dutch chicken curry salad sandwich, smoked salmon & goat cheese brioche and Dutch bitterballen.  Make it a Cream High Tea (add two glasses of Pink Prosecco).

We swooned over the Dutch chicken curry salad sandwich which was fresh, tasty and fragrant. It was filling and not too strong that it took over the flavours from the other goodies on the tier tray.  I wish I could eat a bowl of this as a midnight snack some nights.

The smoked salmon & goat cheese brioche was just as exquisite. It even came with a bit of attitude and flair in presentation with an onion cutting waving us a hello upon entering our mouths.  The smoked salmon was luscious and clean.  The goat cheese brioche just melted in one bite.  The sizing in the portions was grand and not typical for High Tea fare.

The most decadent savoury item was the Dutch bitterballen with mustard. Who knew such a tasty little item the size of a ping pong ball would be so flavourful and curious.  How did the meat stay so lush in the deep fried ball, we wondered?

For our tea choice, we went for the traditional Earl Grey leaves to linger upon and enjoy with our casual conversation. We loved the glassware tea service.  It was modern and very Dutch in its clean lines.  Throughout the meal we would stare up at the crown moulding ceiling, lavender walls, comfy furniture and natural wood.

For some quick additions to the High Tea we ordered Mo-Mo’s Tibetan Dumplings which were crispy vegetable dumplings with mango chutney. Think lil packages stuffed with mushroom, ginger and cabbage.  We loved the mango chutney which had touches of tamarind in each bite.

Moving on, we tried out the Down Under Sliders which consisted of (wait for it) grilled kangaroo, caramelized onions, granny smith apple, creamy brie, homemade beetroot jam on buttery brioche buns. Talk about a surprise and indeed something different.  We were told by Monique, the owner, that the kangaroo is ordered in advance from the butcher and is certainly unique in flavour.  We were not disappointed.  It was certainly a rich experience.  The beetroot jam would be a perfect ally for a Sunday in bed with tea and toast.

Another win was the Bison Burger. Think Goat cheese, pickled red onions, mustard aioli, tomatoes served on a warm soft pretzel bun.  The Zucchini Spears were the perfect addition.  The batter was crisp, not oily and awesome to crunch on in between sips of tea and laughter.  The hot cross bun styles made us smile and hugged the burger.  The Bison Burger was satisfying, tender but pretty heavy for a High Tea addition.

As we carried on with the sweets portion of the meal we tucked into the Speculaas, Dutch stroop wafel, scone with fruit compote and butter with ease. Light, fairy like and decadent.

As Monique says, ‘ The hospitality at Real Mo-Mo’s is not profit-driven, but rather, focussed on establishing meaningful relationships with our clients. With this, and additional luxury of delicious brunches, lunches and dinners carefully prepared for them, I am certain that my guests will feel right at home at Real Mo-Mo’s.’

Don’t forget to visit Real Mo-Mo’s during Winterlicious in Toronto from January 27 – February 9, 2017.

Bonne Appetite!

http://realmomos.com/

http://www.sonycentre.ca/plan-your-visit/restaurants

Toronto Symphony Orchestra Dining Partner: ‘Azure Restaurant & Bar’ at the InterContinental Toronto Centre

Featuring contemporary Canadian cuisine, the Azure Restaurant & Bar restaurant in downtown Toronto offers an innovative dining experience. Showcasing the city’s diverse culinary influences in a pleasing modern environment, Azure Restaurant & Bar offers a distinct selection of dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Chef de Cuisine Grace DiFede creates a tempting culinary journey, using the ingredients to take your taste buds off the beaten path. Stylish private dining rooms provide intimate spaces for parties and private dining, and Azure Lounge offers the ultimate space to unwind. For a delectable buffet breakfast, inspiring business lunch or lingering dinner and drinks, Azure is a sophisticated and inviting option loved by locals and travelers alike.

Located in the open lobby of the luxurious InterContinental Toronto Centre, the Azure Restaurant & Bar is a modern urban escape. Soaring floor-to-ceiling windows meet a gorgeous glass canopy, letting diners look out onto the cityscape. Enjoy the ambiance of outdoor dining all year long, and experience superior service from a knowledgeable, attentive staff. Stunning blue glass artwork from Stuart Reid floats above the bar, which serves signature martinis, organic local beer and thoughtful wine selections. Pamper your senses and indulge your hunger for serene, contemporary dining at Azure Restaurant & Bar.

Review:

Upon entering the modern and relaxing space we were guided to our seats which overlooked the Azure Restaurant & Bar. The hanging sconces and dim lights were romantic but at the same time offered us comfort. The city lights shone into the window and the music playing was gentle to the ears.  We viewed fellow guests enjoying intimate conversations with one another, a few were quietly eating their meals on their own with a glass of wine and some were just taking in the moment.

Glancing at the Cocktail List at the Azure Restaurant & Bar is a sight to behold. We sipped our Azure Blue cocktails which had flavours of coconut and pineapple (white rum + malibu + pineapple juice + lime juice + blue curacao) and Apple Ginger Punch which was laden with ginger, spice and everything nice (bacardi black + galliano + angostura bitters + thyme syrup + apple cider + ginger beer) quietly.  They were beautifully hand crafted and potent in the first sip.

To begin we ordered the Crisp Pork Belly & Chive Blini which consisted of red cabbage slaw, sour cream and fig marmalade. The pork belly was beautifully cooked. Although solid in placement, when consumed it was fluffy and buttery.  Almost cloud like.  The crust was nicely baked and tender.  The sour cream and fig marmalade indeed took a back seat to the pork belly but illuminated its flavour once it hit the palate.

The Quinoa & Endive Salad was zesty and humorous. The granny smith apple, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds were laced elegantly with pomegranate yogurt.  The Quinoa & Endive Salad was a wonderful introduction to the meal.  Light, airy and yet brimming with delight in its crispiness and subtle flavours.

If you are stopping in for a quick bite or before a performance at The Toronto Symphony Orchestra, order the Charcuterie Board. It consists of cured meats, pickled vegetables, olives, mustard and crostini. Think rustic and ‘oh so’ Italy meets Canadiana on a piece of slate.  Put a slice of salami on the crostini with a dash of the spicy mustard.  It was divine, powerful and must be had with a wine or beer from the bar.  The Mezze Platter or the Cheese Board will also make great first dates for the evening.  Wonderful additions if you are looking to prolong your evening with good company.

For the mains, the Pomegranate Glazed Duck Breast came to the table sat politely on an island of beetroot mash, squash, brussel sprouts and drizzled with cherry jus. The Pomegranate Glazed Duck Breast was majestic, rich and generous.  Filling but not to the point of exhaustion.  The beetroot mash could easily been eaten on its own sat in a reclining chair looking out at your back garden in the summer.  This dish was picturesque.  The mini brussel sprouts were cheeky and plumped up the plate.  The Pomegranate Glazed Duck Breast can be dwelled upon over conversation or satiated even further with a glass from Organized Crime’s ‘Break In’ (Pinot Noir).

If seafood is your fancy, the Grain Mustard Coated Salmon requires a gentle introduction. The salmon was beautifully cooked and was a substantial size as it said hello on a freshly made bed of couscous, fennel, radicchio and blood orange nage.  Truly ceremonial.  Flavourful, tantalizing and romantic.  This plate was all glamour but subtle.  It definitely stayed in its own lane.  Pair the Grain Mustard Coated Salmon with Cantina Rauscedo’s (Pinot Grigio).

For the steak lover in your life, the Striploin Steak and Fries had the best fanfare. Think Wellington County Beef drizzled with jus, caramelized onions, double smoked bacon, bbq aioli and corn bread.  This plate immediately transported us to a back country smokehouse with all the trimmings.  Woody, aromatic and yet no nonsense.   From the beauty of the meat – simple and uncomplicated.  To the dancing caramelized onions and double smoked bacon – this dish popped.  The bbq aioli was quietly noticeable.  The Colores Del Sol ‘Malbec’s’ was the perfect pairing with the Striploin Steak and Fries.

Dessert was just as verbose and refined at Azure Restaurant & Bar. The Lemon Cheesecake consisted of graham crust, candied lemon, citrus segment salad and toasted sesame seeds.  The Lemon Cheesecake was the perfect end to a rich, tantalizing adventure in modern Canadian cuisine at Azure Restaurant & Bar.

Grab a reservation with Azure Restaurant & Bar over Winterlicious in the weeks ahead. You will be guaranteed a beautifully curated meal and an authentic foodie experience before you trot off for a date at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

Azure Restaurant & Bar

225 Front Street West

416.597.8142

https://www.tso.ca/concerts/plan-your-visit/restaurants

http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=e0e8a417e9dd2410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

Review: The Sony Centre Neighborhood Partner Restaurant: Marché Mövenpick Brookfield Place Street Level

Marché is a marketplace-style restaurant located inside Brookfield place in downtown Toronto with a dedication to freshness, home-made recipes, and “on the spot” preparation of seasonal and regional products – an experience for all of your senses.

Featuring 8 unique food stations, including Italian, Asian, Grill, Seafood, Green Island, Fruit Island, Beverage Bar, and a Café, there is something to please everyone.

Review:

Before the Batsheva performance at The Sony Centre tonight, hang out for a delicious and nutritious meal at Marché Mövenpick Brookfield Place Street Level.  Found across the street from Union Station (literally a two minute walk)! The vibe is chill, family friendly and relaxed.  Most importantly, grab a special discount off your food/drink receipt when you show your Batsheva ticket this afternoon!  A perfect way to stretch your dollar, feed you and your guests and keep the good energy a glow for the day!

As you enter Marché Mövenpick Brookfield, you will be greeted by a greeter who will provide you with a reloadable swipe card that you can use to ‘swipe’ your purchases for the day.  Easy peasy.   I loved that I was able to take my time with my guest and soak in the international flair and foods.  No pressure, the experience right from the get go felt sweet.

First stop, we checked out the ‘Find Your Tasty Treat’ board and thought about what we fancied.  Sushi?  Stir fry?  Hot tea?  Desserts?  Seafood?  There was a lot to pick from and for all dietary types –we were covered.  Forget the use of a menu, use your eyes.

We grabbed a quick cocktail in the Muv Bar and took in the ambiance of the space.  The Muv Bar is sleek, sophisticated and sexy.  A perfect before a night out drink spot, catch a game, meet friends or after work chill spot.  The hanging liquor bottles on hooks provided for a great conversation piece.  The icicle chandeliers and plush seating provided comfort and a respite after winter’s chill.

Marché Mövenpick Brookfield Place is the best kept secret in the downtown core.  It is a perfect eatery for families, visitors, a girl’s night out or guys wanting to catch a game (show your ACC/Rogers Centre ticket and get a sports meal for $11.99 and one free beverage on the day of the game).  The free wifi can be your date if you are sat alone and need to get some work done while having a quick meal.  The pressure is off when you have your appetite in your hands to stroll around at your leisure.

As we continued to walk through the space we took our time having a custom made salad prepared for us.   The Cajun Shrimp Salad was robust with Cajun shrimp, arugula, corn salsa, sliced red cabbage, mango coleslaw with a lemon lime vinaigrette.  It was crisp and fresh.  A perfect starter.

The rotisserie station was a buzz – with the fragrant aromas of roast beef and chicken hitting the air.    For the ‘meat and potatoes’ guests with your group – this is a perfect stop.  We sampled the roast beef which was tender, almost sweet and delicate.

A quick stop for a custom made sangria.  We opted for red sangria which was subtle in taste and laden with the sweetest orange slices and berries.  We instantly felt like were in Europe walking within a market while taking in more food options for our day.

There are many different rooms you can dine in while visiting Marché Mövenpick Brookfield Place.  The French bistro styled room and Swiss cottage were our favourites.  True enclaves within the space, one can slip into the French bistro for a quick drink or tuck into the Swiss cottage for a rousing roast party with your after work colleagues.  The rooms are beautifully curated.  The French bistro styled room has white floors, black short bistro styled tables, white walls and linen style curtains.  Whereas, the Swiss cottage is reminiscent of Heidi on the mountain top, skis, winter gear, wooden furniture with hearts engraved into them.  Ambience is at its best inside Marché Mövenpick Brookfield Place.  That said, if take out is more your fancy – Marché Mövenpick Brookfield Place is happy to pack up your meal for your commute home.

If you are looking for options for you’re after work week and don’t have time to cook – pick up a roast chicken that could easily feed four, grilled veggies and some potato rosti’s to go.  Forget the competition, Marché Mövenpick Brookfield Place roast chickens are to die for.  Succulent, beautifully seasoned and hearty.  If you choose to eat it in the restaurant with your friends before a show at The Sony Centre, the staff will be happy to carve it up for you and your guests to enjoy hot and in the moment.

The seafood bar albeit small is heaping with choice for you and your fish friendly mates.  We loved the shrimp stir fry and fish tacos.  The plates were heaping with colourful delights!  Get your vitamin D at this station in one shot.

The dessert bar is a space to be reckoned with.  Heaps of brownies, butter tarts, slices of cakes, gelato, pies and macarons.  Similar to the Marché Mövenpick Brookfield Place’s ideals – there is truly a dessert for everyone, even if you don’t have a sweet tooth.  We loved the double chocolate cookies, blueberry and cranberry scones from the tea/coffee station.  They are a perfect go to for an early morning treat or evening ‘After 8’.  Be sure to grab a latte or cranberry purifier tea on your way out.

A gentle head’s up, Marché Mövenpick Brookfield Place’s food pricing does not go by weight instead goes by size of your order.  Feel free to go with what your eyes and belly feel like in the moment – you will not be disappointed.

If you need to drop your kids off in the Kids Play Area – feel free.  The tea and coffee will brew as the kids have fun away from restaurant guests but still close enough so you can see your kids in action. Kids eat for $9.90.  On Saturday and Sunday between 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. kids eat for free!  Marché Mövenpick Brookfield is also happy to host your Kids Birthday Parties.

Marché Mövenpick Brookfield Place also hosts Corporate Events for you and your co-workers.  If you are keen on a Paint Night with your girlfriends, Marché Mövenpick Brookfield Place can host for a nominal fee.  Paint a canvas, have a drink and have some delicious eats.  Foodies and artisans unite!

Upon paying for your meals, give the cashier your reloadable Marche Toronto card which swiped all of your food/drink purchases during your visit. It’s quick and easy! Make sure you also get your Loyalty meal card stamped. For every $15 meal you purchase, you get a loyalty stamp. Once you hit 10 loyalty stamps, your next $15 meal is on Marche Toronto.

Bonne Appetite!

Marché International is a global company with Swiss roots that develops innovative culinary solutions and provides catering services characterized by maximum freshness, quality and taste. Marché International operates restaurant businesses in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Norway, Hungary, Croatia, Singapore, Indonesia and Canada under the established brand names Marché®, Marché Mövenpick, Mövenpick Restaurants, Cindy’s Diner and Palavrion Grill. Part of the Mövenpick Group, Marché International is a leading restaurant operator on motorways, in airports and in selected urban locations. It generated sales of CHF 230 million in 2015 and employs around 2,800 members of staff. Headquarters are in Kemptthal, Switzerland.

Marché Mövenpick Brookfield Place Street Level

181 Bay Street

Toronto, Ontario, M5J 2T3

Tel: +1 647 350 6999 ext.4

Fax: +1 647 350 7999

brookfieldplace@marche-restaurants.com

Business hours

Sunday – Thursday

7.30 am – 11.00 pm

Friday – Saturday

7.30 am – 01.00 am

http://www.marche-restaurants.com

http://www.sonycentre.ca/plan-your-visit/restaurants

Holiday Stocking Stuffer: The Twelve Days of Christmas with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra – December 9 & 11, 2016

The malls maybe busy and we maybe run off our feet on our weekends – what better time is it to carve out some much needed early family and friends time before the holiday rush kicks in?

I encourage you to pick up tickets to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’. It is truly an event for the whole family.

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me…a festive family concert! Sing along with your favourite carols and songs as part of The Twelve Days of Christmas—a hilarious live-action pageant, narrated by Canadian actor and improv comedian Colin Mochrie, that will have you rolling on the floor with laughter. If it isn’t already, the TSO’s annual family Christmas concert is sure to become your new holiday tradition!

These concerts feature the Toronto Symphony Orchestra under the direction of conductor Earl Lee, with the Highland Creek Pipe Band, Resonance Youth Choir and Tha Spot Holiday Dancers.

Program:

JAMES STEPHENSON: Holiday Overture

MOZART/arr. Aubrey Winter: Allegro from Toy Symphony in C major

STEVEN REINEKE: “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”

LUCAS RICHMAN: Hannukah Festival Overture

KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ: Music from Frozen

JOHN RUTTER: Candlelight Carol

TRADITIONAL/arr. Mitch Clarke: Frosty the Snowman

TCHAIKOVSKY: “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” from The Nutcracker

TCHAIKOVSKY: Trépak from The Nutcracker

ANDERSON: Sleigh Ride

DELVYN CASE: Rocket Sleigh

RICHARD HAYMAN: The Twelve Days of Christmas

FINNEGAN, PLOYHAR, LUCK: Rudolph’s Christmas Medley

Tickets can still be purchased and they are reasonably priced at $26! True stocking stuffer pricing that will keep your wallet happy as well as you and your loved ones.

https://www.tso.ca/concert/twelve-days-christmas

Review: Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in Concert’

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Original Score composed by Howard Shore Composer Howard Shore brings J.R.R. Tolkien’s literary imagination to vivid life with his Academy® and GRAMMY® Award–winning score to The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.  By the way, Howard Shore is Canadian!

Shore’s music expresses Peter Jackson’s film as an immense symphonic work—a uniquely developed vision drawn from centuries of stylistic tendencies. The music of The Lord of the Rings is counted among film music’s most complex and comprehensive works. This unique performance sets the score to the film, but allows the music to bear the narrative weight, creating a wholly new and dramatic live concert experience.

Shore’s score not only captures Fellowship’s sweeping emotion, thrilling vistas, and grand journeys, but also echoes the very construction of Tolkien’s Middle-earth.    Styles, instruments, and performers collected from around the world provide each of Tolkien’s cultures with a unique musical imprint. The rural and simple hobbits are rooted in a dulcet weave of Celtic tones.  The mystical Elves merit ethereal Eastern colours.

The Dwarves, Tolkien’s abrasive stonecutters, receive columns of parallel harmonies and a rough, guttural male chorus. The industrialized hordes of Orcs claim Shore’s most violent and percussive sounds, including Japanese taiko drums, metal bell plates and chains beaten upon piano wires, while the world of Men, flawed yet noble heirs of Middle-earth, is introduced with stern and searching brass figures. In operatic fashion, these musical worlds commingle, sometimes combining forces for a culminated power, other times violently clashing…and always bending to the will of the One Ring and its own ominous family of themes.

The music’s vast scope calls for symphony orchestra, mixed chorus, children’s chorus, and instrumental and vocal soloists singing in the Tolkien-crafted languages Quenya, Sindarin, Khuzdul, Adûnaic, Black Speech, as well as English. Original folk songs stand alongside diatonic hymns, knots of polyphony, complex tone clusters, and seething, dissonant aleatoric passages. It is purposeful, knowing writing, as contained in execution as it is far-reaching in influence; for within this broad framework resides a remarkably concise musical vision.

Shore’s writing assumes an earthy, grounded tone built on sturdy orchestral structures and a sense of line that is at once fluid yet stripped of frivolous ornamentation.

Says Howard Shore, “This is the first time that the complete score to The Fellowship of the Ring will be performed live to projection in Toronto. My first score for The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring, was the beginning of my journey into the world of Tolkien and I will always hold a special fondness for the music and the experience.”

—Doug Adams is a Chicago-based musician and writer. He is the author of the book The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films.

Review:

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

It was pretty fitting that we took in the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in Concert’ last night as the end of the year creeps towards us. The 3 night sold out performance captured Howard Shore Academy Award ®– Winning Score at its essence and perfectly ‘lit’ the Roy Thomson Hall space with a musical respite from the damp weather outside.

There was a definite excited energy in the air as we took our seats above Roy Thomson Hall. We had a perfect view.  The space was filled and there were a few die heard fans in full Arwen gear in front of us.  We made sure to pick up our cocktails and popcorn prior to the performance.   It’s great that the Toronto Symphony Orchestra encourages guests to indulge on treats from the concession stand for evening performances.  It is a truly cultural experience watching a film and having the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s musical wares wash over you.

The nuances that Conductor, Ludwig Wicki, brought to the table last night amplified every note that may have gotten lost as we watched ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ on the big screen in the past.  From the lovely Kaitlyn Lusk’s soprano solos and the Canadian Children Opera Company’s subtle but eloquent odes to the landscapes and intimate scenes between characters – the emotion was at its height last night.  There were tears, laughter, sighs of relief and ‘yes!’ in unison but the audience members.   We were in union last night.  Alastair Thorburn-Vitols the boy soprano was gentle in his intent with his performance but he was sure to provide the goose bump texture for the evening.   The evening was rich, diverse and beautifully curated.

The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir’s deep bass made us cringe at numerous points throughout the performance. In those moments we constantly were made aware that the collective group of musicians, conductor and singers are true athletes.  A three hour performance with one intermission – we felt emotionally and physically raw.  Sure, these musicians are professionals – but how do they do it?  Not only were they able to evoke, provoke and keep up with a consistent momentum and still ‘slay’ us – they did it with joy, verve and it was gobsmackingly good.  The audience repaid the musicians with an epic prolonged standing ovation which was well deserved.

Music from the soundtrack that we visited in our travels together with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra in the Shire and abroad included of:

PART I

Prologue: One Ring To Rule Them All

The Shire

Bag End

Very Old Friends

Farewell Dear Bilbo

Keep It Secret, Keep It Safe

A Conspiracy Unmasked

Three is Company

Saruman the White

A Shortcut to Mushrooms

Strider

The Nazgûl

Weathertop

The Caverns of Isengard

Give Up the Halfling

Orthanc

Rivendell

The Sword That Was Broken

The Council of Elrond Assembles

The Great Eye

Intermission

PART II

The Pass of Caradhras

The Doors of Durin

Moria

Gollum

Balin’s Tomb

Khazad-dûm

Caras Galadhon

The Mirror of Galadriel

The Fighting Uruk-hai

Parth Galen

The Departure of Boromir

The Road Goes Ever On…

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra is definitely on to something here.   Last night was an excellent example of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra not only illuminating the beauty of Howard Shore’s score but also raising the bar on entertainment in the city of Toronto.  The audience lay in awe as we left Roy Thomson Hall last night and brimming with gratitude for an art that is hardly fading thanks to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s efforts and gracious talent.

https://www.tso.ca/

Review – The Canadian Opera Company: ‘Norma’ (October 16 – November 5, 2016)

Searing drama and epic lyricism open the Canadian Opera Company’s 2016/2017 season with a new production of Bellini’s Norma. This bel canto masterpiece is a remarkable showcase for the rare soprano who can handle the demands of this title role and the COC production boasts the return of two of today’s most sought-after divas to its stage: Canadian-American Sondra Radvanovsky and South African Elza van den Heever star as the high priestess Norma. Norma was last performed by the COC in 2006 and returns for eight performances on October 6, 15, 18, 21, 23, 26, 28 and November 5, 2016.

Bellini’s opera tells of all-consuming passion and devastating betrayal when the Druid high priestess Norma finds her life in turmoil with the discovery that she’s been cast aside by her Roman lover for a fellow priestess. American director Kevin Newbury makes his COC debut with this new staging, co-produced by the COC, San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago and Gran Teatre del Liceu. One of the finest directors working in opera today, Newbury sets the action of Norma in a mythic, Game of Thrones-inspired milieu, brought to life through his creative team that includes recent Tony Award-nominee set designer David Korins, rising star costume designer Jessica Jahn and internationally acclaimed lighting designer Duane Schuler.

American maestro Stephen Lord has made a specialty of bel canto operas and conducts the graceful melodies and musical fireworks that distinguish the florid magnificence that is Bellini’s Norma, presented by this all-star cast with the acclaimed COC Orchestra and Chorus. Chosen by Opera News as one of the “25 Most Powerful Names in U.S. Opera” (one of four conductors), Lord returns to the COC after past productions of A Masked Ball and Lucia di Lammermoor.

The title role of Norma demands a true diva to convincingly convey the character’s emotional range while effortlessly delivering some of the most vocally challenging music ever composed. Globally celebrated artist Sondra Radvanovsky, acclaimed in past COC productions of Roberto Devereux and Aida, now brings her “dramatically and vocally arresting” (New York Times) Norma to Toronto. Elza van den Heever mesmerized audiences in the COC’s Il Trovatore with her “plush, dramatic voice capable of formidable power and dazzling high notes” (Associated Press) and delivers triumphant performances with premier opera companies around the world, including a Norma where she is “breathtaking throughout … with her controlled virtuosity, [has] the audience anxiously awaiting every note” (Bachtrack).

American mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard is acclaimed by critics for her passionate intensity and vocal beauty. She returns to the COC after a much-admired performance in La clemenza di Tito to make her role debut as Adalgisa, Pollione’s new lover, a character that demands supreme dramatic and vocal sensitivity and authority in order to harmonize with Norma and deliver the duets that make up some of the opera’s greatest musical moments.

American Russell Thomas is one of the most exciting vocal and dramatic talents on the international opera and concert scene. His “gorgeous, warm tenor” (Globe and Mail) makes a swift return to the COC, after his recent Dora Award-nominated turn as Don José in Carmen last spring, to sing Pollione, Norma’s Roman lover. Russian bass Dimitry Ivashchenko, last heard as “a menacing, vocally chilling Hunding” (New York Times) in the COC’s recent Die Walküre, is Oroveso, Norma’s father.

Recent COC Ensemble Studio graduate soprano Aviva Fortunata is Clotilde, Norma’s maid. Ensemble Studio tenor Charles Sy is Flavio, Pollione’s friend.

Norma is Bellini’s best-known opera and was the composer’s personal favourite. Bellini claimed that, were he shipwrecked, it was the score to Norma that he would try to save.

Norma is sung in Italian with English SURTITLESTM.

TICKET INFORMATION

Single tickets for Norma range from $35 – $235 and box seats, when available, are $350. Tickets are now on sale, available online at coc.ca, by calling 416-363-8231, or in person at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts Box Office (145 Queen St. W.). For more information on specially priced tickets available to young people under the age of 15, standing room, Opera Under 30 presented by TD Bank Group, student groups and rush seating, visit coc.ca.

Review:

It is rare to find an opera that will re-awaken all of your senses in one sitting. The Canadian Opera Company’s production of Bellini’s ‘Norma’ is beautifully curated but also littered with a deep symbolic spirituality rarely (and yet authentically) brought to stage with such intensity of heart, soul and mind.

“Casta Diva” from ‘Norma’ as sung by the great, Elza van den Heever is transformational. You will appreciate every note like it is a fine wine early on in the performance.  Take a moment to close your eyes and meditate on its essence.

The ‘coloratura’ is an appropriate word in defining the ‘decorative singing’ as seen in “Casta Diva”. The audience will be immersed in it when breathing in ‘Norma’. The opera is ornate, full blossomed and aromatic in its delivery.  The libretti are illuminated as it is colored in with broad strokes.  Don’t be afraid as you are assaulted with every flower, leaf and root as it comes flying at you in musically noted symbolism and text throughout ‘Norma’.

The Druid’s religion of sacrifice, rituals, human and animal sacrifice are central to the Druid ethos and seen on stage through the images of Ritual of Oak, Mistletoe, bulls, sacred forests and burning effigies. These pieces provided the audience with a gorgeous texture throughout the performance. The audience is transported not only to a specific place and time but also a culture not all that different from our own in the present.  Themes of community versus exclusion, monogamy vs. adultery, the religious right vs. atheism and expensive love triangles.

The actors and actresses oozed a Games of Thornes meets Medea aesthetic in their luxe costuming, knotted hair and metallic tattoos. The exquisite visual stage décor specifically outfitted with totem bullheads on the walls and Norma’s children’s miniature elements of war reflect sacrifices and conflict.

As per Kevin Newbury’s Director’s Notes, ‘Norma’s moments with her children are deeply moving to me, especially in the hands of two gifted singing actresses: Sondra Radvanovsky and Elza van den Heever. Her rumination about whether or not to kill her own children envisions both a Medea-like act of revenge and an act of protection from the violent world she knows awaits them (as in Toni Morrison’s classic novel Beloved). In our production, Norma breaks the cycles of violence as she turns the war machine into an effigy and the instrument of her ultimate sacrifice.’

Elza van den Heever has set the bar high in her performance as ‘Norma’. Toronto audiences will be hard-pressed to not want to tear up when we encounter Bellini’s work in our future thanks to her dynamic performace.  Alongside Isabel Leonard, as ‘Adalgisa’, both women take us on a rollercoaster of emotions while also demonstrating to us the sheer complexity of girl drama at its finest.  Giggles, tears and a melodramatically drawn out, duh duh duh, will be experienced sequentially in this performance.

Russell Thomas can do no wrong as ‘Pollione’. Russell’s quiet yet powerfully serene presence fills the space with so much ambiance and intent that one can’t help but dwell upon each word sung from the deep crevices of his pained heart.

The three artists collide with such force and prove to be a wonderful reminder of the athletic artistry exhibited by Maestro Stephen Lord and his artists and musicians. They collectively, beautifully shape together The Canadian Opera Company’s production of Bellini’s ‘Norma’.

The audience was on their feet before the curtains closed and there was a joyful yet heroic mood felt in the Four Season of Performing Arts air. The audience was sure to let the cast and crew know of their sincere gratitude.  The cast’s emotional faces demonstrated that they accepted it.

There are only a few performances left – I encourage you to check out ‘Norma’ before she is gone.

http://www.coc.ca/

Art Gallery of Ontario: “Mystical Landscapes: Masterpieces from Monet, van Gogh & more” (October 22 – January 29, 2017)

This fall, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) invites visitors to accompany some of the greatest artists of the 19th and 20th centuries on a spiritual journey of self-discovery. Organized in partnership with the renowned Musée d’Orsay in Paris, Mystical Landscapes: Masterpieces from Monet, van Gogh and more breaks new ground by exploring the mystical experiences of 36 artists from 15 countries, including Emily Carr, Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Vassily Kandinsky, Piet Mondrian, Claude Monet, Edvard Munch, Georgia O‘Keeffe and James McNeill Whistler. This major exhibition, which features close to 90 extraordinary paintings and 20 works on paper, debuts on Oct. 22, 2016 and runs to Jan. 29, 2017, before opening at the Musée d‘Orsay in the spring of 2017.

The years between 1880 and 1930 were marked by rampant materialism and rapid urbanization. Disillusioned with traditional religious institutions, many artists across Europe and North America searched for an unmediated spiritual path through mystical experiences. They conveyed their feelings of unity with nature and the cosmos in some of the most famous landscape paintings ever created. Gauguin found inspiration in the faith of peasants in rural Brittany; Monet sought solace from the First World War through hours of contemplation beside his waterlily pond at Giverny; and van Gogh looked for consolation in the starry skies over Arles.

Mystical Landscapes was conceived and developed by Katharine Lochnan, the AGO‘s senior curator of international exhibitions, together with guest curators Roald Nasgaard and Bogomila Welsh-Ovcharov, in addition to Guy Cogeval and Isabelle Morin Loutrel of the Musée d‘Orsay.

Over the five years it has taken to develop the exhibition, the AGO has been assisted by a multi-disciplinary advisory group drawn largely from senior faculty at the University of Toronto. Leading experts in the fields of theology, history, astrophysics, medicine and psychology have looked at nature mysticism and art through different lenses.

“These masterpieces convey experiences that cannot be put into words”, says Lochnan. The feeling of connecting with a deeper reality—a power much greater than ourselves—is a mystical experience. These experiences may reach any of us through the contemplation of nature and the cosmos. We are moved by the beauty of sunrise and sunset, the stars in the night sky, the reflections of the moon on lakes, the power of the ocean waves and the vision of snow-capped mountains. These paintings convey the artists “mystical experiences of something greater than themselves. It is primarily through the contemplation of nature that they have seen with greater clarity.”

Mystical Landscapes will take visitors on a journey through Europe, Scandinavia and North America, beginning on a path through the woods and ending with a view of outer space from a mountain top.

Highlights of the exhibition include:

Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night over the Rhone at Arles from 1888, which prompted him to write about feeling ―a tremendous need of —shall I say the word—religion…so I go outside at night to paint the stars‖;

Paul Gauguin’s vivid Vision after the Sermon (Jacob Wrestling with the Angel) from 1888, painted during his sojourn in rural Brittany;

Claude Monet’s Water Lilies (Nymphéas) from 1907, which he painted after hours of Zen-like meditation beside his Japanese water garden;

Edvard Munch’s The Sun, created to inspire students in the wake of his well-publicized nervous breakdown between 1910-1913;

Georgia O’Keeffe’s Series I – from the Plains from 1919, showing the terrifying power of an approaching thunderstorm in Texas;

A series of mystical lithographs by the recently rediscovered French artist Charles-Marie Dulac, which illustrates St. Francis of Assisi‘s Canticle of Creation.

“We have been given extraordinary support for this project from institutions around the world,” says Lochnan. “Many of the loans are ‘magnets’ in their home museums and are very seldom lent. This unprecedented level of generosity reflects the very genuine excitement and commitment to the ideas explored in this exhibition which have never been fully addressed through art historical research.”

Lenders include the Musée d‘Orsay; Tate Britain; National Gallery of Canada; National Gallery of Scotland; National Museum, Stockholm; National Gallery, Oslo; National Gallery, Prague; Leopold Museum, Vienna; Museum of Modern Art, New York; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Art Institute of Chicago; and many other institutions worldwide.

After stepping through its doors, visitors to the exhibition will feel an immediate sense of escape from the world outside. While designing the in-gallery experience, AGO Senior Interpretive Planner David Wistow has carefully considered ways to help audiences draw their own emotional connections to the art works. “We welcome people to contemplate the role of spirituality in their own lives, and their connection to a deeper reality,” says Wistow.   The artists’ mystical journeys prompt us to ask our own questions of, ‘Who are we, and why are we here?'”.

An illustrated catalogue will accompany this exhibition—one of the most ambitious publications in the AGO‘s history—and will be available in English and French. Featuring essays by 19 scholars and curators from across Europe and North America, including those who served in an advisory capacity, it will be for sale in shopAGO.

AGO members receive free admission to this time-ticketed exhibition. More information on the benefits of AGO membership can be found at http://www.ago.net/general-membership.

Mystical Landscapes: Masterpieces from Monet, van Gogh and more is organized by the Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto and the Etablissement public du musée d‘Orsay et du musée de l‘Orangerie, Paris.

http://www.ago.net

Review – The Canadian Opera Company: ‘Ariodante’ (October 16 – November 4, 2016)

The work of George Frideric Handel, a supreme artist of the Baroque era, returns to the Canadian Opera Company stage this fall in the long awaited company premiere of Ariodante. This new COC co-production is staged by celebrated theatre and opera director Richard Jones with a cast led by two opera stars: British mezzosoprano Alice Coote and Canadian soprano Jane Archibald. COC Music Director Johannes Debus conducts the piece heralded as Baroque opera at its best. Ariodante runs for seven performances on October 16, 19, 22, 25, 27, 29 and November 4, 2016.

Ariodante is unique from Handel’s other compositions, standing out as a simple, romantic and sincere work that expresses a love story free of artifice. Director Richard Jones, who staged the critically acclaimed The Queen of Spades for the COC in 2002, delivers a production that “gets to the heart of this opera’s distinctive melancholia” (The Telegraph) in his telling of Handel’s tale about the conflict between love and duty as Ariodante and his love Ginevra are brutally separated by the lies of a jealous rival.

Jones envisions a more modern setting for Ariodante that plays with the formality of work’s 18th-century origins. He sets the melodrama against the backdrop of a remote island village creating the look and feel of a closed-off community that honours the attitudes and social hierarchy of the source material’s storyline of Scottish royalty. Sets and costumes are by Olivier Award-winning designer ULTZ with the production’s striking use of puppetry created by puppetry director/designer Finn Caldwell and puppetry designer Nick Barnes. Ariodante is lit by award-winning opera and theatre lighting designer Mimi Jordan Sherin with choreography by Lucy Burge.

Handel’s operas are distinguished by magnificent musical virtuosity that powerfully and genuinely captures the emotional core of its characters. The COC’s Johannes Debus makes his Handel debut conducting Ariodante, one of the composer’s most radiantly beautiful scores, leading a dream cast and the acclaimed COC Orchestra and Chorus.

British mezzo-soprano Alice Coote, after delivering stunning turns in the COC’s Ariadne auf Naxos (2011) and Hercules (2014), returns in the trouser role of Ariodante. The wide-ranging expressive music of the hero role is a stirring showcase for the world renowned mezzo’s artistry, whose performances are described as “breathtaking in [their] sheer conviction and subtlety of perception” (The Times) and her voice as “beautiful, to be sure, but, more importantly, it thrills you to the marrow” (The Daily Telegraph).

The equally incomparable Canadian soprano Jane Archibald makes her role debut as Ginevra, Ariodante’s wronged fiancé. Archibald once again brings her “unbelievable mastery of singing, controlled with apparent ease… combined with a remarkable dramatic presence” (Le Figaro, FR) to the COC stage after successive performances delivered to critical and popular acclaim in Ariadne auf Naxos (2011), Semele (2012), Don Giovanni (2015), Semele at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (2015), and The Marriage of Figaro (2016).

Armenian mezzo-soprano Varduhi Abrahamyan has been called a “revelation” by the New York Times and makes her Canadian debut in the trouser role of Polinesso, the jealous rival of Ariodante. Rising Canadian coloratura soprano, and COC Ensemble Studio graduate, Ambur Braid is Dalinda, Ginevra’s maid and Polinesso’s unwitting accomplice. Norwegian baritone Johannes Weisser makes his COC debut as the King of Scotland, Ginevra’s father.

Fellow Ensemble Studio graduate, Canadian tenor Owen McCausland is Ariodante’s vengeful brother, Lurcanio. Ensemble Studio tenor Aaron Sheppard is the courtier Odoardo.  The unattributed libretto for Ariodante is based on Antonio Salvi’s libretto for the opera Ginevra, principessa di Scozia, which drew inspiration from sections of the epic Italian romance poem Orlando furioso by Ludovico Ariosto and, in turn, was the inspiration for Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. Ariodante premiered in London on January 8, 1735. While initially successful, Ariodante fell into obscurity for almost 200 years until revived in the 1970s and subsequently came to be considered one of Handel’s finest operas.

This new production of Ariodante is a COC co-production with Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Dutch National Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago. Ariodante is sung in Italian with English SURTITLESTM. The COC performs Ariodante at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. The COC’s 2016/2017 marks the 10th anniversary of the Four Seasons Centre, Canada’s first purpose-built opera house, which opened in fall 2006 and has been hailed internationally as one of the finest in the world.

TICKET INFORMATION

Single tickets for Ariodante range from $35 – $235 and box seats, when available, are $350. Tickets are now on sale, available online at coc.ca, by calling 416-363-8231, or in person at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts Box Office (145 Queen St. W.). For more information on specially priced tickets available to young people under the age of 15, standing room, Opera Under 30 presented by TD Bank Group, student groups and rush seating, visit coc.ca.

Review:

The leaves are falling, the air is damp and how the rain must drizzle and make us cringe as a gentle reminder that winter is on its way. It is only fitting to watch the Canadian Opera’s Company rendition of Handel’s ‘Ariodante’ and feel like we are on the east coast of Canada experiencing gale force winds as a drama unfolds behind closed doors.

The Canadian Opera’s Company rendition of Handel’s ‘Ariodante’ is epic, breathless, outstanding and full of a psychological depth that carries us through the 4 hour opera.

We are immediately taken into the womb of a Maritime town full of quilts, fabric hearts, banting, woolen sweaters and a chill in the air that keep us on edge for what is to come. Ginevra in her pretty frocks, auburn locks and crimson cheeks provides a contrast to the hum drum nature of the male-centric cast.  Ariodante is swashbuckling in his intent but takes a quieter lead to his lady.

The puppeteering added a wonderful dreamscape texture during the Canadian Opera’s Company’s ‘Ariodante’. It provided the viewer a reprieve to see the characters at their most vulnerable experiencing grief, excitement and success in free form.

The Canadian Opera Company yet again, out does itself with a grandiose and daunting staging that the viewer is compelled to want to take a seat at the welcome table, lie in Ginevra’s comfortable bed and perhaps peer out the bay windows into the Scottish Island landscape in all its maritime glory. The staging is transformative and speaks to Handel’s work in equal measure.

Polinesso’s evil roots implant itself in the production and makes the viewer instantly cringe whenever he takes centre stage. His baiting of Ginevra and taking advantage of her father’s psychological slump after the death of his wife aches pain, suffering and a direct polar opposite of the warmth being exuded by the community and it’s dwellers on stage.  The stage works with the actors in creating a Calvinism feel and a strong moral compass.

Although the opera is named for ‘Ariodante’, this is an opera about Ginevra’s love who is sincere, sensitive and noble hearted. Ginevra is indeed our heroine.  We see her in her darkest days of oppression by a male dominated society.  We see her ‘girl power’ dreams and fantasies being squashed and belittled at its core. The viewer comes to know behind the scenes the trials and tribulations of Lurcanio (Ariodante’s brother) driven by his sense of justice, encourages the King to act out violently.  We, the viewer, witness Dalinda at her worst when she works out her raw desires with the likes of Polinesso.

The Canadian Opera’s Company rendition of Handel’s ‘Ariodante’ will move you with its personal confessions, brimming with unrequited love and the move to turn inwards with one’s own emotions, fears and sense of well-being.

http://www.coc.ca/

Review: Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Luzia’ (Jul 28 2016 – Oct 16 2016)

A WAKING DREAM OF MEXICO

LUZIA takes you to an imaginary Mexico, like in a waking dream, where light quenches the spirit and rain soothes the soul.

Freely inspired by Mexico, LUZIA is a poetic and acrobatic ode to the rich, vibrant culture of a country whose wealth stems from an extraordinary mix of influences and creative collisions – a land that inspires awe with its breathtaking landscapes and architectural wonders, buoyed by the indomitable spirit of its people.

The tableaux of LUZIA weave an intricate, contemporary mosaic that awakens your senses and transports you to a place suspended between dreams and reality.

LUZIA

The name LUZIA fuses the sound of “luz” (light in Spanish) and “lluvia” (rain), two elements at the core of the show’s creation.

AN IDEA OF MEXICO

There is not one, but many Mexicos – Mexico is an ever-evolving country as complex as it is diversified. It is the result of an extraordinary mix of influences from abroad over the course of many centuries.

Instead of representing Mexico in a realistic fashion, the creative team of LUZIA decided to create an evocation of this monumental country. They imagined a dream woven from memories, experiences and encounters, laden with inspirations deeply rooted in Mexican identity.

Even this invented Mexico is complex and multifaceted, hence the idea of a journey – in both the literal and figurative sense – through a series of fragments, all highly meaningful and evocative. “A fragment is like a pebble you slip in your pocket, keep close to your heart and safeguard like a cherished memory”, explains show director Daniel Finzi Pasca.

Water as a source of inspiration – Integrating the element of water to a Big Top show is a first at Cirque du Soleil. The idea of placing a water basin under the stage floor and creating a rain curtain paid huge dividends on the acrobatic front.

The element of water enabled the creators to take the Cyr Wheel out of its usual context. Two artists perform on the apparatus on water and in the rain, which is, at first glance, unthinkable. In order to solve the adhesion issue, a bicycle tire was mounted on the wheel rim. Great ideas look simple… after the fact.

Breaking down barriers – LUZIA explores the combination of hoop diving – a traditional circus discipline from China – and two giant treadmills to generate speed and expand the discipline’s acrobatic vocabulary. The two treadmills can operate in the same direction or in opposite directions. Sometimes artists use the treadmill as a launching pad to perform daring leaps through the hoops; when placed on the rolling treadmills the hoops suddenly become moving targets for the divers.

THE MAIN THEMES OF LUZIA

Through its set design, costumes, acrobatic performance and music, LUZIA explores various themes linked to the culture, history and mythology of Mexico, some of which may not seem connected at first glance. Thus, the show is based on themes such as speed, monumentality, rain in all its manifestations, surreal animal life, and a poetic vision of reality.

Monumentality – Visitors to Mexico may experience a certain light-headedness when faced with the staggering beauty of the country’s landscapes, forests and nature, but also with the richness of its culture and the splendor of its architectural wonders.

Speed – It is natural to associate Mexico with the idea of speed. One needs only call to mind the uncanny ability of certain people in Mexico, such as the Tarahumaras, who make seemingly superhuman efforts on a daily basis, deriving great strength from their deeply spiritual perspective of life.

Rain in all shapes and forms – In Mexico, there are as many types of rain as there are clouds that produce it – from the refreshing showers of Coyoacán, an iconic neighborhood at the heart of Mexico City, to the torrential rains that sweep across Baja California, to the plentiful autumn rains, as violent as they are sudden. In the diversified geography of Mexico, rain is part of the collective consciousness and has a narrative force all its own.

Surreal menagerie and poetic vision of reality – The fascination of the Mexican people for the animal world is as evident in the country’s traditions and mythology as it is in its traditional arts and crafts. This special connection with nature and animal life stems from a poetic – and even magical – vision of reality. This is apparent in the Mesoamerican concept of the nagual according to which the spirit of an animal lives in every human being from birth; this spirit protects and guides the individual throughout their life.

REVIEW:

Cirque Du Soleil’s “Luzia” (theatrical run July 28, 2016 – October 16, 2016) is a feast for the senses. Explosions of colour, acrobatic feats, glorious vocal arrangements and story lines emblematic of what can only best be found in traditional Mexican lore is yours for the taking in one sitting at “Luzia”.

As the imaginary ‘flight director’ states at the beginning of the night, “Hold On Tight”. It was indeed an accurate request.  “Luzia” draws you in to the climate, ambiance and history of Mexico.  We experience the theatrical fabric of the country, fiesta paper lanterns and green landscape on a grandiose circus stage under a blanketed white tent that is friendly, comforting and provides for a wonderful goodbye to the summer as we enter the autumn.

The motifs of rain and water throughout the performance was transformative, relaxing and offered a respite between scenes. In a sense, the water that fell from the roof of the tent acted as a make shift waterfall symbolic of those found in Mexico.  In one segment, the water produced images of dancing fish, blooming flowers and ornate Mexican motifs.  Truly mesmerizing!

The treadmill that sits on the “Luzia” stage is robust and ornate. The acrobatic artistes jump, leap and dance on the treadmill with ease.  A running fairy is chased by a metal horse to the amazement of the audience.  These scenes make Cirque Du Soleil great!  The fairy’s wings stretch out to reveal gorgeous butterfly wings within the first five minutes of the show.  A collective excited sigh was heard from the audience anticipating what more is to come.

Dancing sisters take on large hoola hoops and keep us entranced as an acrobat dances above them. Children laugh as the clown ushers the audience between scenes and gently teases members with his cheekiness.  A contortionist steals the show with skills reserved for solo moments meant only for a candle’s flame and an empty stage.

As the Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) approaches it maybe worth checking out Luzia” before it closes on October 16, 2016.   “Luzia” is enticing and exciting for a family night out and yet sensuous and sophisticated for a date night with friends or loved ones.  You will truly feel awakened to all Mexico has to offer after taking in “Luzia”.

https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/luzia