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Volume 13 - Issue 7- April 2008

Focus on Operacontinued

Focus on Operacontinued ...Kite to over 20,000 students, and from April7-25, it will be embarking on a three-weektour that will visit schools in the GT A, Hamilton,Lindsay and Barrie before heading toNorthern Ontario to perform for studentsfrom Blind River to Kapuskasing. For informationon how to book a performance ofEl ijah's Kite, contact Tapestry's Outreach &Education Manager Amber Ebert at 416-537-6066 x224 or e-mailambere@tapestrynewopera. corn.2008: Emily, The Way You Are. This finalentry is the world premiere of a one-womanopera exploring the life and work of EmilyCarr (1871-1945) composed by Jana Skareckyto a libretto by Di Brandt. The single performancetakes place on Sunday, April 20,2008 at 1 :30 p.m. at the McMichael Galleryin Kleinburg. The performance will featuremezzo-soprano Ramona Carmelly and theTalisker Chamber Players with conductorGary Kulesha. Presenting Emily Carr's storyat the McMichael Gallery, which has longbeen home to some of her art work, highlightsthe connection between her achievementsas a visual artist, her writings and theinner drama of her life. The free concert,part of the Canadian Music Centre's "NewMusic in New Places" program, will alsoinclude other music by Jana Skarecky featuringpianist Joseph Ferretti, as well as poetryand prose by Di Brandt and Emily Carr.www. mcmichael. cornTwo more operas that had been annquncedfor April include TrypTych' s production ofthe 1988 Canadian opera Boiler Room Suiteby Quenten Doolittle, which was to haveplayed April 25-26 but has been rescheduledfor next season, and Opera Ontario's stagingof Puccini's MadamaButterfly in HamiltonApril 24 and 26 and in Kitchener May 2 and4. Information regarding Madama Butterflyhas been removed from the company's websiteand from the schedules for HamiltonPlace and Kitchener's Centre in the Square.There is still no news yet about whether thecompany's emergency fundraising drive hasbeen successful or if the company will continueto exist. To lose what had been Canada'sfourth-largest opera company and a primeshowcase for Canadian talent would be asignificant blow to opera in this country. Itsdisappearance would come at an unusual timewhen opera elsewhere in Ontario is flourishing.Our opera coveragecontinues on pages 24-28;and pages 58-60.JAZZ FEATUREVerve & nerve:Jon HendricksBY ORJ DAGANJon Hendricks is worth a thousand pictures ifnot a million words. A genius who has stoodthe test of time, he has already enjoyed acareer most artists only dare to dream of.Miraculously, at 86, he is still active -- performer,lyricist and educator: internationallytreasured ambassador of jazz.Jazz fans in Toronto can thank Art of Jazz(www.artofjazz.org) for forging a fruitfulrelationship between Hendricks and this city.Honoured with the 2007 Ao] LifetimeAchievement Award, this yearhe's already been back on the local stage,with more in store.If you happened to be at his sold out showat Hugh 's Room on March 5, odds are youwalked out smil ing. Forget the li vingjazzlegend bit. Jon Hendricks is still one hell ofan Jon Hendricks performs at a recent concenentertainer. Backed by the Art of Jazz All-at Hugh 's Room in Toronto.Stars including Jane Bunnett on flute andsoprano saxophone, Hendricks was consistently in fine form, sounding as good as he looked inhis dazzling cherry red suit. Also on the bandstand were Larry Cramer on trumpet and flugelhorn,Dave Restivo on piano, Jim Vivian on bass and Terry Clarke on drums. It only took twonumbers into the first set for the infectiously joyous Hendricks to let the audience know "I amhappy, happy, so happy to be here in Toronto!"The standing-room-only gig at Hugh 's was actually a promotional appearance for a muchmore ambitious show - one that falls right in with the Art of Jazz mandate to build a home forjazz in Toronto by provide jazz education and mentorship to audiences of all ages. Thursday,April 24, at Roy Thomson Hall, Jon will be joined by daughter Aria Hendricks, tap dancer Edward"Rocky" Mendes, a stellar list of Canadian all-stars, the Juno Award-winning TorontoMass Choir, and most significantly, the Art of Jazz Community Voices: a 250-voice choir comprisedof children from the Toronto District School Board's Jane-Finch elementary and middleschools.(Some of these kids may not know how lucky they are to take part in this concert, just assome WholeNote readers may confuse Jon with Jim i. So for everyone's benefit, here is somebackground iriforn1ation about one of jazz music's greatest living icons.)Born in Toledo, Ohio in 1921, Hendricks has been called "the number one jazz singer in theworld" by Melody Maker and "the greatest lyricist in the world" by the late Carmen McRae;Al Jarreau dubbed him "pound-for-pound the best jazz singer on the planet- maybe that's everbeen" and Thelonious Monk said he's "the only one I want to lyricize my music." LeonardFeather crowned him "The Poet Laureate of Jazz" and Time Magazine answered with " TheJames Joyce of Jive". Aside from being the most prolific writer ofVocalese (in jazz vernacularthis is the setting of words to instrumental solos) he is also one of the world's top-drawer scatsingers.Music was not this man's primary career choice, but thankfully fate stepped in. After servingas an Army clerk during WWil, Hendricks prepared to enter graduate law at the University ofToledo. When his G. I. benefits ran out, he recognized the road he had to take, and followedCharlie Parker's advice to move to New York City. There he met Dave Lambert and AnnieRoss, with whom he formed the highly influential vocal group Lambert, Hendricks & Ross in1957. After the trio disbanded in 1962, Hendricks went on to record ten of his own recordingsand five with the Manhattan Transfer, including Vocalese which garnered seven Gram myAwards.His career also boasts numerous triumphs in other media. He wrote the script, music andlyrics to "The Evolution of the Blues", a musical drama wh ich was performed continuously from1974 to 1980 in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washingon, D.C. His television documentary"Somewhere to Lay My Weary Head/Down at the Dunbar" ( 1975) won Emmy, Peabodyand Iris Awards.He also gives one hell ofan interview, full of funny anecdotes and philosophical musings.What follows is a condensed version of a conversation we had by phone.10WWW. THEWHOLENOTE.COM A PRI L 1 - M AY 7 2008

Wed April 9 at ?pmThurs - Sat April 1 0 - 1 2 at 8pmSun April 1 3 at 3:30pmLove f Betrayal:Handel Opera Ariaswith Daniel Taylor+ Carolyn SampsonDIRECTED BY JEANNE LAMONTafelmusik is delighted to welcome worldrenownedCanadian countertenor DanielTaylor and English soprano Carolyn Sampsonfor Love+ Betrayal: Handel Opera Arias. Beprepared for a musical display of jealousy,love and glory, as they sing dramatic scenesfrom some of Handel's greatest operasincluding Julius Caesar and Rinaldo.8 Lufthansa HSBC IDHSBC SecmitiesMem ber C IPF.

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