Sunday 31 May 2015

Passion Burlesque and Viva Diverse Productions present: Sultry Cabaret 2! – A one-of-a-kind spectacle







Passion Burlesque et Viva Diverse Productions présente: Sultry Cabaret 2!
Un spectacle unique en son genre.

One show only – 9pm Saturday May 30th 2015 @ Cafe Cleopatra, 1230 Boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montréal, H2X 1K4, Saint-Laurent metro.
Un spectacle seulement – 21h00 Samedi 30 Mai 2015 @ Café Cléopâtre, 1230, boulevard Saint-Laurent, Montréal, H2X 1K4, métro Saint-Laurent.

The show was hosted by Montreal drag king ‘Nat King Pole’ who delivered her introductions with brash comedic irreverence including plenty of double entendres, in both French and English.  Performances, by some of the most irresistible burlesque stars in Montreal, included Lolita Blanca, Mikki Michele (from Australia), Black Mamba, Devine Medusa, Coré Dorofté and Ruby Rhapsody.   Lolita sang a stirring rendition of James Brown’s “”, strengthening my conviction that this song has a more powerful effect when sung by a woman. The stand out performance of the evening (taking nothing away from the others) was Ruby’s who clearly showed her ten years of ballroom dance experience. With her impeccable timing and her overwhelmingly breathtaking presence, she definitely commanded the whole stage. With her costume she created an aura of mystery; a climactic end to a thoroughly exciting and enjoyable evening. 

Nat King Pole
Lolita Blanca


Mikki Michele

Black Mamba

Le spectacle a été animé par le drag king Montréalais 'Nat King Pole' qui a livré ses introductions avec une humeur irrévérent et effronté  y compris beaucoup de doubles sens, à la fois en Français et en Anglais. Les performances, par certains les étoiles burlesques les plus irrésistibles de Montréal, incluant Lolita Blanca, Mikki Michele (d’Australie), Black Mamba, Devine Medusa, Coré Dorofté et Ruby Rhapsody. Lolita a chanté une interprétation émouvante de « This is a Man’s World » de James Brown,  en renforçant ma conviction que cette chanson a un effet plus puissant lorsqu'il est chanté par une femme. La performance ressortant de la soirée (ceci n’enlève rien des autres) était Ruby qui a clairement montré ses dix années d'expérience de la danse de salon. Avec son timing impeccable et sa présence écrasante à couper le souffle, elle commandait certainement toute la scène. Avec son costume, elle a créé une aura de mystère; une fin culminant à une soirée bien agréable et passionnant.

The music was handled by DJ Frank (Francis).  He set the mood before with an enticing mix of jive, swing blues, disco and house which he continued during the break and afterwards as well. Many in the audience were enticed to dance; one couple actually did so.  
La musique a été assurée par DJ Frank (Francis). Il a mis l'ambiance avant avec un mélange alléchant de jive, le swing de blues, une discothèque et maison qu'il a continué pendant la pause et après aussi. Beaucoup dans le public ont été attirés à la danse; un couple l’a effectivement fait

Saturday 23 May 2015

Trio Fibonacci “Made in Canada”





Friday, May 22 at 19 h 30 at the / Vendredi, 22 Mai à 19 h 30 à la:
Chapelle Historique du Bon-Pasteur  

Full review by Nancy Snipper follows / Commentaire complet par Nancy Snipper suit

Members / Membres 
Julie-Anne Derome : violin / violon
Gabriel Prynn: cello / violoncelliste 
Wonny Song: piano / piano




The Trio Fibonacci’s 16th season (2014-2015) ends with a celebration of today’s Canadian music – four composers each with a unique vision originating from a different region.
La 16e saison (2014-2015) du Trio Fibonacci se termine avec une célébration de la musique Canadienne d’aujourd’hui – quatre compositeurs chacune avec une vision unique provenant d'une région différente.

Program / Programme 


Jeffrey Ryan
 Jeffrey Ryan (Vancouver; born in / né en 1962) – Elemental for / pour trio (2014)
A four-part cycle evoking the basic elements – Earth, Water, Air and Fire – of life.
Un cycle de quatre parties évoquant les éléments de base – terre, eau, air et le feu de la vie.










Uriel Vanchestein


Uriel Vanchestein (Montreal / Montréal; born 1984  / né en 1984) – Trio (2015) - Creation / Création
Centered on a single motif of four notes appearing throughout the piece composed in sonata form – experimental and cerebral.
Centré sur un seul motif de quatre notes qui apparaissent tout au long de la pièce composée en forme sonate - expérimentale et cérébrale.
Intermission / Entracte









David Eagle
David Eagle (Montreal / Montréal; born in / né en 1955) - On the Wake of the Wind for violin, cello and computer / pour violon, violoncelle et ordinateur (2008)
Poetic and musical interpretation of the unpredictable nature of the wind.
Interprétation poétique et musical de la nature imprévisible du vent.










François-Hugues Leclair (Montreal / Montréal; born in / né en 1962) - Hymnen an die Nacht (Hymnes à la Nuit) for / pour trio (2014) - Creation / Création
A slow progression into night as the final moments of the light of day disappears. The most evocative and melodious piece of the evening – final movement had a lulling beauty that evoked the tranquility of night.

François-Hugues Leclair
Une lente progression dans la nuit que les derniers moments de la lumière du jour disparaît. La pièce la plus évocatrice et mélodieuse de la soirée le mouvement final a une beauté berçant qui évoque la tranquillité de la nuit.
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Trio Fibonacci Premiers Great Canadian Composers

by Nancy Snipper

It was an evening of unabashed contemporary-style compositions by four daring creators, two of which were commissioned by Trio Fibonacci. This evening’s works fell into two lines of thought regarding contemporary music; it can either be conceptual in image input or completely cerebral in form. The first piece – Elemental was written in 2014 by Jeffrey Ryan. Its four sections – Earth, Water, Air and Fire offered astounding burst of crescendos and dramatic contrasts in use of the instrumental application and expression. To my mind, this fell into the image category. Piano strings were played inside the piano itself; I was hearing and seeing the naissance of the Big Bang, and as it exploded, and then the aftermath -what ensued: the creation of the four vital elements. I loved the rain-drop type lightness of water and its subsequent flow. The music evoked eruptive moments in our planet which from the beginning introduced the sostenuto of the violin and cello on a single note. This piece for me was conceptual in composition, and image visualizations were born via the music we heard.
 The second work by Uriel Vanchestein was commissioned by the Trio and premiered in this concert. Cerebral in approach, the composer told me he had no feeling no sentiment behind the piece. It was really an intricate play of notes in the sonata – rondo form of four basic notes: F, E, D# and C# used in a motif in three parts. The piece was called Création, and compared to the first piece, it was not nearly as interesting for me, despite the grand variety of instrumental application. It would be a marvellous piece put to a ballet of some sort as Stravinsky did in The Rite of Spring.
The third work performed was titled On the wake of the wind for violin, and the composer David Eagle definitely succeeded in conjuring up images of the wind on water and the transformative mutations of turbulence. Inspired by the poem written by Daniel David Moses. I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that the computer was subtly used to create an echoing sound at the beginning or the tail end of phrases. It was as if the wind was dying out and new gusts came into the air. The electronic aspect of this work was masterfully planned, and the effect was wonderful.
Finally, my favourite work of three continuous parts was composed by the genius, François-Hugues Leclair. Titled, Hymnen an de Nacht (Hymn at Night), this astounding work – commissioned by Trio Fibonacci – was positively inspirational. I could feel night coming on, and then I was led into its mysterious qualities of its magical darkness. The piece opened with the strings inside the piano being brushed. Here the bows of the artists were set down to create the dying down of light as night begins to ascend. The piano was muted several times so the inside strings when ‘brushed” would create their own tonal lines. It was so ethereal. Ever-so quiet slides up and down the string instruments then came into play as the artists returned to their instruments; good thing violinist, Julie-Anne Derome  had taken off her high-heel shoes to avoid any sound as she returned to her violin.
Nighttime held me in its grip. The ending part of the piece which offered moving harmony in ascension was god-like.
Trio Fibionacci pulled off a remarkable feat playing this highly interesting and challenging program. Their timing and virtuoso attack perfectly conveyed the excitement and ever-changing contrasts that marked each work. This composition fittingly marked the finality to the Trio’s programming season
Bravo!

Trio Fibonacci’s 2015-2016 season will take place on October 13th inside Bourgie Hall, Montreal. The program will feature the music of Robert and Clara Schuman, and that of Johannes Brahms. I can hardly wait!
For more information, visit: www.triofibonacci.com