Edmonton Opera: “H.M.S. Pinafore”

I had heard about Edmonton Opera‘s Explorers’ Club a few years ago, but it didn’t seem economical to join until I read about their 2007/2008 lineup. The venerable Stewart Lemoine would be rewriting Gilbert & Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore, and thus, even if I didn’t use my membership to purchase tickets for the other shows that season, it would still be worthwhile.

As the play neared, it was released that Jeff Haslam would be among the cast members. At the time, I thought his involvement was more of a token gesture; a thoughtful inclusion of a longtime Teatro associate. Little did I know that he would play a leading role, if not one that upstaged the rest of the cast all together.

While this was my first opera, it wasn’t my first experience at the opera. I had volunteered during the earlier run of Carmen, so I knew that many, if not most of the patrons dressed to the nines (yes, cocktail dresses and four-inch heels in the dead of winter). The majority of the audience was not surprisingly comprised of the older set, though I do think the Explorers’ Club is doing a fine job of trying to foster appreciation of this art form with younger professionals.

I convinced Mack that the Opera Talk prior to curtain was a good way to orient ourselves to the history, plotline and characters of Pinafore, so we arrived earlier enough to join a modest crowd in the Kasaa lobby. I didn’t understand all of Dr. David Cook’s jokes, but the overview of the story would be helpful to my appreciation of the show later on. Mack and I both thought that he seemed a little too keen on Jeff Haslam, however.

I don’t know Gilbert & Sullivan well enough (well, at all, really) to recognize how Lemoine “improved” the script, but in the end, Pinafore really didn’t seem like that much of a leap for him – farce is his specialty, romance his standard, and unusual settings his forte. This opera could be considered typical Lemoine…with musical interludes. I will admit that it was no small joy on being able to hear “He is an Englishman” sung live, as it was used in one of my favorite episodes of West Wing (“It’s from Penzance!” “No, it was from Pinafore!”). And Haslam? He was tailor-made for the role of flamboyant, self-centered Sir Joseph Porter, so much so that I can’t help but think that Lemoine must have specifically requested his participation, as the part was undoubtedly written with him in mind. He was hilarious in his mannerisms, delivery, and even his uproarious laughter (because no one has a cackle as distinctive as his).

As for the production itself, I had a few nitpicks. The lighting was odd throughout, bordering on distracting, actually (was the blue, spinning, simulation of the waves really necessary?). It also seemed that the costume designers should have given Ralph Rackstraw’s character some kind of distinctive piece to wear; otherwise, he too easily blended in with the rest of the ship’s crew. The symmetrical set was functional and allowed for great visuals and movement during the chorus numbers, but I couldn’t see how it was as “special” as continuously touted in the program and in the show’s introduction by Artistic Director Brian Deedrick.

As a member of the Explorers’ Club, Mack and I were able to partake in a pizza and beer reception during intermission. Getting to and from the second balcony to the basement of the Jubilee Auditorium in twenty minutes was a slight challenge though.

Opera really isn’t my area of expertise, but all I hear is how expensive it is to produce, and how ticket prices barely cover the costs (Deedrick offered the statistic that only 42% is reimbursed through ticket sales, while the rest is supported by government donations and private sponsorship). If that’s the case, isn’t it possible to offer more than three shows, given what must be a very large overhead to construct sets and costume from scratch, on top of rehearsals and expenses that I can’t even begin to know? Perhaps there isn’t enough demand (or people who can afford to see it) in Edmonton, but it just seems an extraordinary waste of resources to only offer three opportunities to see a very good local production.

I’d like to attend Falstaff in the spring (my last chance to get “cheap” tickets this year), and I do think that will be a more genuine litmus test as to whether or not I truly enjoy opera. Pinafore was a treat, there being just a slim chance that I wouldn’t find it entertaining – it was in English (making the availability of supertitles less of an issue), penned by Lemoine, featuring Haslam, and more light hearted than what I’d expect from more traditional operas. This was “opera-lite”, so after Falstaff, I will reassess my feeling about the medium then.

Haslam in H.M.S. Pinafore

Lunar New Year Extravaganza 2008

Unbeknownst to me, a Chinese rite of passage in Edmonton is attending the annual Edmonton Chinatown Multi-cultural Centre Lunar New Year Extravaganza. While I participated in the festivities as a child, I haven’t done so in recent memory.

My family and I had to be at the Northlands Agricom for Felicia’s cheerleading competition anyway on Saturday, so we decided to pop down to the grounds earlier to allow us some free time to check out the sights.

Turns out there wasn’t much to see. We were clearly there much too early (around noon), and it is my understanding that the crowds didn’t start to build until the late afternoon, but for my purposes anyway, it demonstrated to me that I wasn’t missing much.

Amanda in an empty hall

The booths, dispensing a predictable variety of trinkets, decorative items, jewelry and the like, were bland, although my parents (also predictably) were drawn to the DVD vendor immediately.

Poor little girl forced to play dress up

Dried goods

Lots of earrings

With a qi pao

My parents raid the DVD vendor

My sister and I tried to get some fried noodles to take with us to the next hall, but they were unfortunately out for our half an hour window. I ended up with a green onion cake ($3), while Amanda’s two spring rolls were really not worth the $3 she paid.

If I do partake in next year’s “Extravaganza”, I’ll be sure to time it so there are performances taking place during my visit, and a crowd so a festive atmosphere is possible.

MacEwan Theatre Arts: “Good News!”

After dinner, Dickson and I headed to the John L. Haar Theatre for the latest Grant MacEwan Theatre Arts production, Good News! From the website:

“At Tait College, football is the big game and star player, Tom Marlowe (Matt Van Boeyen), is a prime catch. While most students will drop everything to watch him practice, one girl seems oblivious to the football-mania – Connie Lane (Kim Bunka). An intensely studious woman, she is recruited to help when Marlowe fails an exam he needs to pass in order to play in the big game. Soon the football star and the tutor fall for each other. Inevitably though, their love can only survive if the team wins the big game.”

I had high hopes for a musical set in the roaring twenties – likely to be fun, flamboyant, and filled with flirtatious flapper fashions, I was expecting a great follow up to fall’s Little Women, which I enjoyed for the most part. While not a complete disappointment, Good News! didn’t live up to its potential.

Some of my issues with the play were unavoidable because the production ultimately must fulfill the needs of the theatre program. The cast, first of all, felt bloated – too many unnecessary coeds. Secondly (and Dickson disagrees with me), the set changes after every scene were excessive and distracting; the director attempted to pull the audience’s attention to the characters at the forefront of the stage while stagehands rolled away set pieces behind them, but to me, this created an amateur busyness that should have been avoided. Moreover, the oddly painted mishmash of a backdrop (really only utilized for the electric “stars” in the night sequences) should have been more versatile, hence eliminating the need for so many individual sets.

That said, Good News! itself isn’t that great of a play. There were no memorable songs, and the storyline doesn’t flow – scene transitions between character groups were jarring. Of course, it is true that great acting in some instances can save a play – here, the only notable standout was a supporting character. Dickson and I were in agreement that Alissa Keogh (our favorite in Little Women), stole the show again as the forward flapper Babe O’Day. Honorable mentions go out to Candice Fiorentino, who portrayed the mature and headstrong Professor Kenyon with a believable grace and Bunka as the ignored and very sympathetic bookworm Connie. The weakest link was Van Boeyen as the campus football star, as he didn’t have the charisma or the physical stature to carry off the role.

It was difficult to relate to the fervor surrounding college football (being the hockey mad country that we are), but the countdown to the big game did allow for the most hilarious sequence of the play – a slow-motion enactment of the game’s winning touchdown, complete with play-by-play commentary.

Good News! finished its run this weekend, but you can catch MacEwan’s last production of the season, Hot Mikado, in March.

Not for the Frugal at Heart: Cafe de Ville

Dickson and I had originally intended on sampling Cafe de Ville (10137 124 Street) in December, but an unfortunate series of circumstances kept us from the restaurant. We finally rebooked our trial engagement for Friday.

On a very chilly weekend, we bustled into the small, dimly lit dining room, already about half full. Intimate and cozy, the restaurant had a mostly mature clientele who seemed to fit in well amongst the aged (or is it classic?) decor.

My main reason for wanting to give Cafe de Ville a whirl was due to an Entertainment Book 2-for-1 coupon I had. As such, it seemed most economical for us to order full entrees to take advantage of such an offer and make the most of our first experience there. The Chilean Sea Bass special ($30) sounded good to me, served with a basil-saffron risotto and steamed vegetables. Dickson decided upon the Chicken stuffed with wild boar bacon, sun-dried romas, feta, roasted garlic, spinach, amaretto, tomato cream ($26). He was intent on comparing their chicken with Sorrentino’s version.

While waiting for our plates, we received a small basket of warmed cheese croissants to tide us over, a lovely treat that tasted great without the normally requisite pat of butter. Our entrees arrived shortly after, and thankfully for Dickson, the portion was noticably larger than what Sorrentino’s had offered last week (the inclusion of two sides helped with this immensely). More than that however, the chicken itself was moist, and the accompanying tomato cream sauce was richly satisfying. As for my fish, it was fork tender, as it should have been, flavored with a subtle white wine glaze. Paired with a perfectly prepared plump and savoury serving of risotto, I was comfortably full at the end of it.

Dickson would like to blame me for “making him fat” over the course of our restaurant experimentations, but he didn’t struggle too much this time around when I suggested we give their desserts a try. With an on-site pastry chef, I figured Cafe de Ville should have above-par sweets. Like Manor Cafe, they had their daily selections out for display on a platter for visual consumption, and though I was tempted by the delicate handmade sugar cage atop the Coconut Tart, I ultimately chose the Molten Chocolate Cake, while Dickson ordered the Mandarin Creme Brulee.

After the fifteen minutes that was required to finish preparing my dessert lapsed, we were presented with two elegantly presented dishes. Unfortunately, Dickson’s Creme Brulee was pre-made, and hence cold to the touch. We both preferred a custard slightly warmed by freshly torched caramelized sugar, so that prevented thorough enjoyment of his selection. The Chocolate Cake, on the other hand, was great – I was greeted with a warm, melted chocolate centre dabbed with white chocolate chips that while rich, wasn’t sickly sweet.

Our waitress had been friendly throughout the entire evening, so it surprised me that when we handed her our coupon before she went on to tally the bill, she suddenly became quite brisk with us. When we asked for a clarification on the discount (they had taken off $12 instead of the value of the lesser-priced entree), she pointed to the receipt as if that was enough to clear up our confusion. I found out later, after leaving the restaurant, that the coupon itself was misleading, as it wasn’t a true 2-for-1 deal; there was actually a maximum amount allotted for subtraction. Regardless, we still gave her a good-sized tip, because she probably thought we were cheap enough, but I am of the opinion that she really didn’t deserve it, as we ended the evening on such a soured note.

So while the food ultimately stands up to allow for a recommendation if your parents or grandparents are looking for a quiet place for a meal, for the younger set, Cafe de Ville is too stuffy without the fine dining credentials to encourage frequent returns.

Stuffed Chicken

Chilean Sea Bass

Molten Chocolate Cake and Mandarin Creme Brulee

Fringe Opinions: Fringe Festival Town Hall

I seriously considered abandoning Anna on Monday night. With the choice to either return home on a frigid evening or brave the cold and head to the Arts Barns in Old Strathcona, the former was without a doubt the more inviting option. Still, I didn’t want to go back on my word, so I bundled up after work and headed to the Town Hall Meeting organized by the Board and staff of Fringe Theatre Adventures. Advertised as a means to gather comments and suggestions from artists, volunteers and patrons, among other stakeholders, Anna and I were banking on some intense drama to arise from the perceived “us versus them” mentality between the Administration and the “Other”.

After checking in, Anna and I joined about 40 other people seated in the Westbury Theatre. A brief welcome and introductions of the Board quickly led to a description of the meeting format. Al Parsons, Vice President of the Board, would recognize up to four people per round of speakers, each entitled to a three minute comment. The pre-selected topics included: 1) Ticket process and procedure; 2) Grounds and site; 3) Volunteer issues; and 4) Other (the catch-all basin).

I suppose I shouldn’t really comment on the lack of attendance by certain parties who had heavily criticized the new ticketing procedure in the media, as I really wasn’t there to do anything more than passively observe the proceedings, but I was still expecting a larger presence from Edmonton’s artistic heavyweights. That said, there was quite the breadth of representation in the group, from past and current volunteers, patrons, vendors, media (Liz Nicholls and Colin McLean) and a handful of artists (including Fringe favorite Kenneth Brown).

Over the course of the evening, a theme emerged from a majority of the comments – artists and volunteers felt that the Fringe had stopped being about them. These two groups felt ignored, undervalued, and couldn’t see themselves represented in Board leadership. From the jilted ex-volunteer Team Lead who claimed he repeated the same ideas of improvement year after year with no results, to the artists who resented not only the inability to usher in last-minute ticket sales at the door, but also having the opportunity to market through posters and handbilling patrons at the beer tents withdrawn.

Some less obvious effects of top-down decisions were made clear by the green onion cake and mini doughnut vendors, and provided a perspective I had never before considered. When the busker circles were moved away from their stands, they noticed a significant difference in their profits. When they approached staff about the changes to the site layout, they were confused with the response that “vendors had requested that their areas remain congestion free.” The vendors had already met amongst themselves and decided unanimously that more traffic ultimately meant more business potential.

Along with the very vocal opinions were several good suggestions from the audience. While everyone expressed that the online ticketing system was a plus, changes had to be made. For example, setting up two lines at the advance ticketing booths (one for express pick up and the other for general purchases). As well, a percentage of tickets should be held at the door (10-25%), or, at a set time before the show, all unsold tickets should be returned to the door (a tactic that would make better use of otherwise drifting Front of House volunteers).

Ken Brown, the penultimate speaker, really stayed with me, and not just because of his status in the Edmonton theatre community. He had been involved since the first Festival, he said, and in the last 25 years, last year’s Fringe was the worst in his entire experience. He even essentially offered a thinly veiled threat that if something drastic wasn’t done, he would be taking his “gems” elsewhere.

At the end of the meeting, the Board President actually read from a prepared statement, but did end it with an improvised note that the Board would take the issues expressed into consideration, and as standard for such an administration, would produce a report in a few months with recommendations.

For the sake of the Festival, one that has grown to such prosperity and currently maintains a worldwide reputation for great theatre, an inclusive philosophy, and an atmosphere unrivalled in North America, it would be a shame if last year’s changing of the guard results in a continued downward spiral.

At any rate, I will be eagerly looking forward to The Big Kahuna, and not just for the plays.

Ice on Whyte 2008

While on a brief shopping excursion on Whyte Ave today, I made a detour to the Ice on Whyte Festival taking place at Adventure Park.

I didn’t stay that long, because while it wasn’t as cold as last year, it was quickly getting there.

Quick pictures I snapped:

Sculpture that won first prize

Another sculpture

A much larger castle than last year

Ice screen for movies (a “cold-in”?)

Slide of death (so named because of my “incident” last year)

I don’t really have much to say, as I didn’t stick around long enough to really explore the activities, but for those interested, the Festival runs until Sunday.

Citadel Theatre: “Beauty and the Beast”

I’d like to think I’m a bit of a reverse snob when it comes to theatre – I overlook the Citadel in favour of community companies like Shadow and Teatro la Quindicina. Of course, the fact that I am an admitted cheapskate when it comes to ticket prices also has something to do with this, and the only reason I have even set foot in the theatre (to see A Christmas Carol), was actually because the tickets were purchased by my friends. So when Dickson invited me to see Beauty and the Beast with tickets he had bid for in a charity auction at work, I jumped at the chance to “see what I was missing.”

While waiting for the show to begin, I did a bit of local celebrity spotting. It seemed to be media night, as the Journal’s Liz Nicholls, the Sun/CBC’s Colin McLean, Global’s Lorraine Mansbridge and Edmonton Opera’s Artistic Director were all on hand (my question – did Nicholls’ mid-centre seats represent her relative review power? McLean was seated to the far left of the stage, quite the snub, in my opinion). The house was filled with a fair number of children – and after seeing the show (ignoring the expense), I could see why – it is a great way to expose young children to the spectacle and possibilities of theatre.

I loved the cartoon-tinged set, and was amazed at what they were able to do with such a small space. The costumes were impressive for the most part (the gold and silver theme was rich, eye-catching, and coupled with a reliance on yellow lighting tones, gave the scenes a necessary mystical quality about them), with my favorite of the household items being the functional wardrobe and the napkins. I had to wonder, however, about the choice to dress Belle in an oval-shaped hoop dress as opposed to a more flowing ensemble in the last half. I would have preferred a gown that moved with her and the Beast while they danced – another mainstay of fairytale romance sequences.

The songs were catchy (I wanted to run home and listen to whatever version of “Beauty and the Beast” I could get my hands on), and while I agree that the Citadel should be lauded for the incredible feat of “Be Our Guest”, I was actually most drawn to “Gaston”, if not only because I was absolutely craving a dance number by then. The Beast’s solo, “If I Can’t Love Her” was a weak way to end the first act, but plot-wise, it did make sense. And while I understand the constraints of time (especially with a children’s production), the jump to an immediate love connection in “Something There” in the opening of Act 2 was much too sudden.

The cast as a whole had excellent comic timing, but more than that, they seemed to have a great time with the play. Standouts: Kharytia Bilash as Belle (fabulous voice and spunk to boot!), John Ullyatt as a hilariously sexual Lumiere, Sean Hauk as a hyperbolized Gaston, and last but not least, the very agile and acrobatic Colin Heath as LeFou.

Beyond the ticket prices, going to a show is more than a stand alone experience for me. I really do enjoy following the theatre community in Edmonton: knowing which playwrights are up-and-coming, getting a feel for the flavour of a theatre company, and most of all, having the privilege to see the same consistent talents on stage. The majority of the Citadel’s Mainstage cast are brought in from other cities, and while I understand the need to do this, I don’t think I could ever build a “rapport” with the Citadel if the faces and names are revolving on a continuous basis.

So while I enjoyed the show, unless someone extends a free invitation to me again, I doubt I will be back at the Citadel in the near future.

Nothing Special: Sorrentino’s

For a pre-show dinner within walking distance of the theatre, Dickson and I met up at Sorrentino’s (10162 100 Street) on Thursday night. I had visited this location many years ago in my university days, but don’t recall anything of note from that experience. That said, I knew that of all the locations, this was the swankiest, something reflected in the prices.

Upon entry, my coat was taken by the host (that’s post-New York number three), and I was led to a table in the back corner, along a glass wall that separated a private dining room from the main seating area. When Dickson arrived, we found out just how inconvenient this spot was, as his chair was knocked about more than a few times from patrons streaming into the private room. As the restaurant was chock full of empty tables and cozy booths at that time, we probably should have been proactive and requested a seat change, but it was curious as to why they chose to seat us in a spot seemingly earmarked for those deemed unworthy.

Menus at each location differ slightly for one another (in both selection and price), but the range of pastas, fish and meat entrees would appease any palette. I had read on Chowhound that Downtown’s Bison Cannelloni (as opposed to the more traditional veal-based filling) was worth a try, so it wasn’t hard for me to make a decision. Dickson was tempted by the fish special, but ended up choosing the Roasted Guinea Hen Portofino, stuffed with shrimp, prosciutto, provolone, mustard seed, and served in a vermouth cream reduction (for the record, he thought briefly about asking for lobster in place of shrimp).

Before our entrees arrived, our waitress (who was obviously new and very keen) offered us slices of warm bread and a chili and salt-infused olive oil for dipping. Dickson wasn’t impressed, and preferred the salted baguette offered at the southside location.

The wild mushroom reduction on my Cannelloni was creamy goodness, but the spiced ground bison was out of place; it probably would have been more suited for lasagna…or a taco. Dickson’s chicken was a bit on the dry side, though he did enjoy the rather peculiar addition of seafood to the dish.

For an Edmonton stalwart, I have yet to be blown away by Sorrentino’s. Dare I say it is encroaching Earl’s territory, being both overhyped and unexceptional?

Nearly-empty interior

Bison Canneloni

Roasted Guinea Hen Portofino

Tidbits: Notes from Edmonton’s Epicurean Scene

With the void of local food reporting left by Judy Schultz (the Journal’s Liane Faulder will be taking on the post later this year; in the meantime, they have been gleaning material from other CanWest affiliates), I will be relying on City Palate (in addition to Vue Weekly and See Magazine) for updates on Edmonton’s food scene.

An ad in the January/February edition of City Palate indicates that the Lazia Group‘s Wildflower Grill (plagued by construction delays) is set to open in February. After so many start-stops, I will believe it when I see it.

There’s a new Mexican restaurant in town: Mexico Lindo (16604 109 Avenue) is now open in Mayfield Plaza.

Along the lines of Tokyo Express, the new Asian Rice Bowl Express (8924 149 Street) offers quick, “healthy” meal options.

My coworker Sharon asked me if I knew anything about a new restaurant in the LeMarchand Mansion, and I didn’t at the time. Then I read about the Tazzi Cafe (111, 11523 100 Avenue). City Palate notes to “expect casual eastern Mediterranean flavours with a Greek and Arabic accent.” Only open until 5pm at the moment, they are planning for a dinner menu in the near future.

As reported in Avenue Magazine, it seems Fat Franks has moved indoors to occupy a permanent space inside the Commerce Place food court. I haven’t been down there in ages – anyone else?

Lukewarm Reception: Violino

On the heels of our great meal at Violino (10133 125 Street) two weeks ago, Annie decided that she wanted to hold her birthday celebration there this year. Though she had called too late to book the private room upstairs, our party of 7 were comfortably seated at a quiet table on the main floor. Violino was notably busier than our last visit, with a Sienna Collins-hosted fundraiser taking place on the second floor, and the University of Alberta President Indira Samarasekera having dinner just a few tables away.

The menu had changed slightly (they eliminated the Carbonara from their pasta section and added a 24K gold leaf cake to their dessert list), but Annie and I were both happy to see that the Risotto con Funghi was still on the menu.

We also ordered wine that evening, settling on a Chilean Merlot. That was the start of rather curt service from our waitress, who was impatient from the get-go, returning much too frequently for our drink orders as individual guests arrived, and not offering even the semblance of a smile or friendliness in our interaction. When we asked her to exchange our teapots of lukewarm water for water more conducive for tea, she was abrupt and rather rude about what was clearly her mistake. It would be a shame if Violino lost return customers due to her less-than-warm demeanor.

As for the food – Annie thought the risotto was better this time around, but I thought it was comparable with our last meal. Mack enjoyed his Tiger Striped Agnulotti with Lobster (served with a really generous amount of seafood, and was the best value at $26), while Dickson didn’t think very highly of his Ziti Al Forno.

The very friendly host brought out Annie’s candle-topped cake (leading us in a “rousing” rendition of “Happy Birthday”), and helped serve slices of the cake to everyone at the table. We did linger for quite a while (despite telling glances from our steely-eyed waitress), and though we may have overstayed our welcome slightly, it was nice to chat in a dining room that had nearly emptied out by 10.

While I won’t let this experience color my overall positive impression of Violino, I would be interested to see what a third visit would bring. In any case, it was a lovely dinner, Annie – happy birthday!