Beautiful Feet

September 26 & 27 at 8pm, and September 28 at 3pm, Tapestry presents its annual season opener, a string of 5-minute rough cut gems, fresh from the Composer-Librettist Laboratory. Many of the works, created in less than 24 hours in the LibLab, have astounding power, humour, pathos, and skill. Our accessible short operas continue to be seen and heard in a number of unusual places and these forays into non-traditional, non-operatic spaces, are an effective way to showcase our company, our methods and the talents of all of our collaborators: Writers: David Brock Spy Denomme-Welch Ken Gass Andrew Moodie Composers: J. Scott Brubacher Theresa Connors Jack Perla Justine F. Chen Director: Tom Diamond Music Directors: Christopher Foley Jennifer Tung and Singers: Scott Belluz Carla Huhtanen Keith Klassen Lauren Phillips Justin Welsh TICKET PRICES: $10 students & arts workers / $20 adults / $25 door VENUE: The Ernest Balmer Studio at Tapestry, Distillery District, 55 Mill St. Bldg. 58, St...

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photography - Paul Thuysbaert Brit Jason Carter plays the harp guitar--click here to see a cool video if you don't know what I mean. Imago is hosting an evening of his performance along with actor Daniel Jones as the opener on Friday October 3rd, 7:30 pm in Toronto. Tickets are $10 at the door of 21 Shaftsbury Ave but seating is limited. For more info, email imago@rogers.com .

Artist friend Phil Irish's website has some news about a studio tour for the next two weekends, Sept 27/28 and Oct 4/5. Why not combine the trip with the quintessential and requisite Canadian pastime, going for a drive to see the fall foliage?

My friends at Geez magazine have a wicked part time position available. Click here for the details.

Monday night's cd release party was eponymously successful! The evening at the Gladstone began with a screening of I Furiosi's video Piangero from Handel's Julius Caesar, which I love more and more with every viewing. The fab 4 played two sets, the second starting with one of my favourite pieces they perform, Sonata Decima a Tre by Dario Castello (c.1590-1644). The Vivaldi was engrossing, too. Signing on with Dorian-Sono Luminus was a very smart move: they are obviously very committed to I Furiosi, and I'm convinced this label will catapult the ensemble into the proverbial household nomenclature. A great way to launch their 10th anniversary. Normally I eschew celebrity and aggrandizement, but if I sound like a swooning fan, I'm pretty damn close. Probably because this group of musicians, for all their leather shtick, strikes me as being fiercely true to their artistic vision and not selling out to gain increased sales. I think Dorian is working with their brand...

CD Launch Party for CRAZY by I FURIOSI Baroque Ensemble Gabrielle McLaughlin, soprano Aisslinn Nosky, violin Julia Wedman, violin Felix Deak, violoncello the disc features guests: Lucas Harris, lute and theorbo James Johnstone, harpsichord Stephanie Martin, organ Monday, September 15th, 2008 Gladstone Hotel Ballroom 1214 Queen Street West Toronto, Ontario Doors open 7:30pm Live performance 8:30 Admission: $17/$10 at door $25 admission plus CD at door CDs $15 Advance tickets available at Dorian.com Come celebrate the launch of this superb new disc with the ensemble, food, alcohol and recording executives! CHECK OUT THE NEW VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRiLJWs9k0w and the facebook page

I saw an excellent film the other day: Household Saints (Nancy Savoca, 1993) with the dishy Vincent d'Onofrio and Tracey Ullman, who surprised me with her performance (I had previously only regarded her, perhaps erroneously, as a comic actress). Here is yet another film that totally missed my radar, and I suspect it was because it dealt with faith and, more specifically, religion. Looking at the promo still, I wonder if it also suffered misleading coverage because the photo and bi-line (coupled with Tracey Ullman's name) suggest that it is a comedy, which it most certainly is not. I would put it in the Ordet camp. While it had its light moments, the story became very intense and the climax was a bit of a shock. If you are into movies about the role and power of faith, check this out. I was very glad to have found it.

Just a few reminders about events on my facebook Beautiful Feet group calendar (click at the bottom of it to enlarge the view) about stuff going on at my church this coming week. [A caveat: thanks to the New Facebook (argh), there have been glitches on the group page, so if you go there and it's pretty much blank, click refresh and you should actually get some info!!]. Wednesday is our first Faith and Film night of the season at 7pm with Cry the Beloved Country, with Mr. Velvet Voice, James Earl Jones (yay) . Sunday the 21st we have Jazz Vespers again, starting at 4:30pm, this week with Lorne Lofsky & Rob Piltch on guitars. As our webiste says: This evening service of music has a reflective reading, prayers for our city and the world, and a jazzy congregational hymn! It is one of our most popular services - with wonderful music, and with some of the finest jazz artists in Canada, coming to CCDP. The next night, Monday September 22nd, is our second gathering of Beautiful Feet...

"When the woes of life o'ertake me, hopes deceive and fears annoy, Never shall the cross forsake me...... towering o'er the wrecks of time". ~John Bowring 1792-1872