Festival Updates and News
News about Ottawa Festivals and our Member festivals, special events and fairs.
Appreciate Rideau, says festival director
Tracey Tong, Metro Ottawa
Michel Gauthier adds a padlock to artist Monique Martin’s interactive Love Locks art installation outside the Bytown Museum, which allows festival goers to express their love for the canal. (Photgraph by Tracey Tong)
In the summer, we run, cycle and walk alongside it. In the winter, we bring out the skates and go for a spin on its frozen surface.
But for the most part, people take the Rideau Canal for granted, said the executive director and founder of the Rideau Canal Festival.
While there is “a lot of love out there for the canal,” said Michel Gauthier, “People don’t understand that the Rideau Canal is in the same club as the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids of Egypt. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site.”
Read more: Appreciate Rideau, says festival director
New fiddle, 300-year-old sound
Exact copy of a 1693 Stradivari violin made in Ottawa debuts tonight
By Steven Mazey, The Ottawa Citizen
Gatineau violinist Christian Vachon’s new violin, a copy of one made by famed Italian violinmaker Antonio Stradivari in 1693. Vachon’s instrument was made in Ottawa by Guy Harrison.
Photograph by: Bruno Schlumbeger, The Ottawa Citizen
OTTAWA — Christian Vachon grins as he gently holds up his new violin, a burnished, richly grained fiddle that he says comes as close as a new instrument probably could to the sound and look of the 300-year-old Italian violin of his dreams.
The varnished wood gleams as the violinist holds it up to the sunlight in his Gatineau home. He starts to play one of the tangos he’ll perform tonight at the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival with the group Norteno in the violin’s debut, and a sumptuous sound fills the living room, from lusciously dark lower notes to bright, sweetly penetrating high notes.
Read more: New fiddle, 300-year-old sound
Two venues, two stunning performances
Afiara Sting Quartet’s intonation beyond reproach
By Richard Todd, The Ottawa Citizen
Afiara String quartet
Photograph by: Handout photo
OTTAWA — As everyone must know by now, 2010 marks the bicentenary of the births of Schumann and Chopin. If you don’t care for the music of these composers, you might want to consider moving to Antarctica for the remainder of the year, or at least a cabin in the woods.
It would be a special ordeal for you at the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, as there is a considerable amount of music by these composers to be heard. The 7 p.m. concert at Dominion-Chalmers was entitled Schumann, Poet of the Night. Pianist Hinrich Alpers played the Nachtstücke, op. 23 and the Humoresque, op. 20. Even Schumann-haters must have been taken aback by the beauty and elegance of the playing, but also by its power. Of course, it’s unlikely that any Schumann-haters would come to a concert of this description, but if any did they probably left with a revised opinion.
Read more: Two venues, two stunning performances
Von Stade a memorable opener for 2010 chamberfest
By smazey, Classical Ottawa
(Frederica von Stade. Photo by Robert Millard)
It was a bittersweet opening night to the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival July 24: American mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade, who at 65 is winding down her singing career, sang a goodbye to Ottawa audiences as part of her farewell recital tour.
A large audience turned out to hear von Stade in recital with pianist and composer Jake Heggie at Dominion-Chalmers Church. For her goodbye, Von Stade put together a special recital of songs and arias as a kind of musical autobiography, choosing pieces with strong personal connections to her life and career. She also told stories between selections to introduce the pieces, mixing effortlessly between English and French in her comments.
I have fond memories of hearing von Stade in recital in Toronto in the 1990s, at Roy Thomson Hall and at the intimate recital hall in North York. This is an opera singer who shines at the intimate art form of the recital, with an endearing warmth and down-to-Earth manner that creates an immediate bond with her listeners.
Read more: Von Stade a memorable opener for 2010 chamberfest
A contemporary troubadour
Indie star Kristmanson joins string quartet for pop/classical collaboration
By Steven Mazey, The Ottawa Citizen
Kyrie Kristmasnon, seen here on her research trip in France, will join the Afiara Quartet at Chamberfest Tuesday.
Photograph by: Julie Oliver, Ottawa Citizen
OTTAWA — There are not many musicians who can boast of having played Ottawa’s blues, jazz and chamber music festivals, but fast-rising Ottawa singer-songwriter Kyrie Kristmanson will be able to add that accomplishment to her résumé Tuesday at Saint Brigid’s Centre, when she joins the Afiara String Quartet for the premiere of a new song cycle at the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival.
It’s one of several collaborations at this year’s festival between the classical and pop worlds. Others include a performance July 30 by the Art of Time Ensemble, in which the musicians will perform a piece by Korngold and singer-songwriters who include Danny Michel will perform tunes inspired by Korngold’s music.
Read more: A contemporary troubadour
A scoop of Chopin, a scoop of mixed quartets — all delicious
By Richard Todd, Citizen Special
Pianist Alexander Tselyakov rehearses prior to his performance at the Chamber Music Festival , July 27, 2001.
Photograph by: Wayne Hiebert, The Ottawa Citizen
Spending your evening at the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival is a little like having a double-scoop ice-cream cone with two flavours. One scoop might be a Chopin recital and, the other, the music of a string quartet.
At least that’s how it worked out for this listener on Sunday.
First came Alexander Tselyakov’s program of Chopin’s Opus 10 and Opus 25 études along with a nocturne, a barcarole and a scherzo. The Nocturnes are among Chopin’s most popular pieces, and the C-sharp Minor was one of the most appealing of Sunday’s renditions.
Read more: A scoop of Chopin, a scoop of mixed quartets — all delicious
As beautiful as ever
Frederica von Stade delights as always
By Richard Todd, The Ottawa Citizen
Frederica von Stade, shown here at an event for the 75th annual Metropolitan Opera Guild in April, 2010 in New York City, performed Saturday night at the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival.
Photograph by: Astrid Stawiarz, Getty Images
Although the name Frederica von Stade sounds as German as German can be, the famous mezzo-soprano was born in New Jersey, and that all by itself makes her as American as American can be.
Along with her accompanist, pianist Jake Heggie, she gave the opening night concert of the 17th Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival. It was part of her Farewell Tour; she is 65 and knows when to quit.
The audience at Dominion-Chalmers was large, though short of capacity
Read more: As beautiful as ever
It’s time to get your Turkey on!
by Apartment613
Photo courtesy Britt Novakowski.
by Britt Novakowski, Turkish expert extraordinaire
Ottawa’s annual celebration of the many wonders of Turkey takes place this weekend – and no, it has nothing to do with the bird. Rather, the Ottawa Turkish Festival will turn Confederation Park into a Grand Bazaar of Turkish culture, complete with traditional music, dance and food. Mmmm, baklava.
But don’t stop there! Baklava is just the beginning. Swap your morning Starbucks for a strongly brewed, tooth-rottingly sweet Turkish coffee and you’ll be buzzing for the rest of the day. Make sure to round off breakfast by grabbing a few simit – large bagely-type-things the size of your face, covered in sesame seeds and guaranteed to kill a low-carb diet in a single bite – and then go dance it off!
Read more: It’s time to get your Turkey on!
Big weekend for Ottawa festivals
By AEDAN HELMER, QMI Agency
Okay, music lovers of the nation’s capital. You’ve had a good five days now to rest up, give your ear drums a break, sleep off that hangover and soothe that sunburn.
Between the Jazz Festival, HOPE Summerfest, Music and Beyond, and Bluesfest, it’s been a solid month of nightly live music, but there’s no rest for the weary in Ottawa’s festival season.
Country music lovers will soon get their day in the sun with Carleton Place’s Riverside Jam (July 30 to Aug. 1). The inaugural Capital Hoedown (Aug. 5 to 7) just over the horizon and the countdown is on for family-favourite Folk Festival (Aug. 13 to 15), but in the meantime, the weekend has plenty to offer on a crowded festival calendar.
Classical music lovers, from the casual to the aficionado, will delight in a double helping of orchestral and chamber music, with Saturday’s launch of the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival and with Orchestras in the Park already in full swing at Lebreton Flats.
Read more: Big weekend for Ottawa festivals
Music will fill the chambers
Violinist Isabelle Faust is making her Chamberfest debut with pianist Alexander Melnikov Aug. 4 at 7 p.m. at the Dominion-Chalmers United Church.
TRACEY TONG, METRO OTTAWA
Ottawa’s classical music festival has just wrapped up, but the executive director of the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival isn’t worried about what that will mean for his festival.
“People are saying to me that you can never have too much good music,” said Glenn Hodgins.
“I think people have an appetite for great artists and the great masters of our time.”
In its 17th year, Chamberfest, which begins Saturday and runs through Aug. 7, is the biggest festival of its kind in the world, said Hodgins.
Read more: Music will fill the chambers
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