Songs, Steps and Stage Sights

By Susan Phelan

Music Medley
Heading into the winter and year-end holiday season, the concert scene in Edmonton during this chilly time is flat-out hot, not to mention, exceptionally diverse.

Those with a penchant for period pieces will enjoy a trip back to another century with the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir. Now in its 27th season, this Canadian-based orchestra consists of 18 core musicians - each of whom are specialists in historical performance practice that perform on original instruments or modern replicas faithful in design and construction to the originals. Similarly, the 20-plus singers that comprise the accompanying chamber choir have developed a sound and style appropriate to the repertoire they perform. Distinguished Canadian actor R. H. Thomson joins Tafelmusik to present spoken tales from Ovid's Metamorphoses and some of the glorious music it inspired, November 2 at the Winspear Centre.

If you fancy flamenco, then you won't want to miss Pavlo when he paso dobles into town. Not many artists in the nouveau flamenco field play the guitar behind their back or jump into the audience. Combine a passionate invigorating performance with the guitarist's smouldering good looks, and you're guaranteed to leave shouting "Ole!" November 3 at the Winspear Centre.

Speaking of good looks, the world's most notorious lover, Don Giovanni has all that, and then some. With charm, persistence and an absolute refusal to conform to the society around him, this historical heartthrob will stop at nothing in his quest to add names to his ever-growing list of conquests. But all good things come to an end and such is the case when our hotsy hero meets his match. Hailed as one of the greatest operas ever written, Edmonton Opera's production of this Mozart classic is a great way to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the irrepressible composer's birth. November 4, 7 & 9 at the Winspear Centre.

Got a hankerin' for a touch of country? Then you're in luck 'cause you have your pick. To get a contemporary spin on a traditional sound, take in the Dixie Chicks show when they stop in at Rexall Place on November 4th. This Texan trio, whose style manages to merge folk, country and a wee touch of pop rock, has seen a few changes since their 1998 beginnings, but through it all the girls continue to make great music that tops charts. And on that note (pardon the pun), Paul Brandt has amassed an impressive array of achievements in a period of only six years such as nine CCMA awards and five JUNO awards, including Male Vocalist of the Year in the overall category for 1998. Check out this Canadian country superstar when he teams up with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, November 8 at the Winspear Centre.

Now if moving to the music is your thing, you absolutely must experience the rich, rousing rhythms of traditional Cuban music with the Afro-Cuban All Stars. This multi-generational ensemble from Havana that features some of Cuba's most talented instrumentalists, presents a full spectrum of Latin dance music from mamba, cha cha, salsa and rumba to Afro-Cuban jazz. November 9 at the Arden Theatre. Next up, Pleasantville-it back to the '50s and spend a night with the King of Rock 'n Roll in A Tribute to Elvis. This unforgettable and entertaining performance will have you All Shook Up as you listen to such favorites as Jailhouse Rock, That's Alright Mama, and Don't Be Cruel by one of the best Elvis impersonators in North America, Roy Leblanc - the 2003 Elvis Extravaganza Contest Winner, Las Vegas, NV. November 18 at the Dow Centennial Centre, Fort Saskatchewan. Throwing a li'l blues-tinged jazz your way, guitarist Jeff Healey picked up his first guitar when he was three, played his first gig when he was six and the rest, as they say, is history. Blind since birth, Healey's talent would not be denied and his first album See the Light that spawned the massive single Angel Eyes, released in 1988, would be the beginning of a long, diverse and rewarding career that has included rock, jazz and blues. Along the way, Healey also became an accomplished trumpet player, modeling himself on his all-time musical hero, Louis Armstrong. For a real treat, check out Jeff Healey and the Jazz Wizards when they play the Winspear Centre on November 25.

Then, for a fun-filled stretch of your imagination… what if you had three wishes and they could all come true? Surely one of them would be to see Canadian wrestling superstar and King of the Smackdown Bret 'Hitman' Hart as the Genie in a spectacular production of the family musical Aladdin. Departing somewhat from the original storyline, this quirky version of the fairytale takes place in a hip-hop land where a poor young sk8er-boi falls in love with a fresh princess, takes a magic carpet ride, and meets a wise-cracking wizard with some nasty plans. With lots of help from the audience, Aladdin embarks on a riotous adventure full of merry mischief and hilarious antics. November 14 - 19 at the Jubilee Auditorium. Following that, "how do you solve a problem like Maria?" Find out December 20 - January 6 when the Von Trapp's motherless brood discovers The Sound of Music thanks to the loveable nun-novice-turned-governess that comes into their lives. My Favourite Things, Edelweiss, Sixteen Going on Seventeen, Climb Ev'ry Mountain, and The Sound of Music are put a few of the classic songs from this beloved family favourite, playing at Festival Place, Sherwood Park.

Footloose Follies
Fresh from the green hills of Ireland returns the world-famous Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance. This exhilarating and dynamic, precision-based dance extravaganza, that introduced the masses to Celtic dance in the mid-90s through a series of spectacular productions, continues to garner praise and accolades from audiences around the world. December 8 at the Jubilee Auditorium. For a somewhat more introspective experience, explore the thought-provoking world of contemporary dance with the Brian Webb Dance Company when they introduce new Canadian talent Wen Wei Wang and his production Unbound, November 17 & 18 at the John L. Haar Theatre. Strongly influenced by his training and culture in China, Wang fuses this rich background with a provocative contemporary perspective.

Theatre Treats
With recent productions in London, Paris and New York, newly re-discovered 18th century French playwright Marivaux is out of the blue en vogue. Jumping on the bandwagon, Studio Theatre takes a fresh, stylish look at one of Marivaux's works La Double Inconstance. The Double Inconstancy, as it is translated, is a romantic comedy of intrigue, teeming with frothy, flirtatious banter and sparkling wordplay. A prince smitten with a peasant girl who is betrothed to another, dons the guise of a servant in an effort to create the desired outcome with his heart's desire, even employing the aid of a lady of the court to pursue the girl's betrothed. Think Dangerous Liasions with laughs. November 2 - 11 at the Timms Centre for the Arts.

From there, the wonderful world of fantasy comes alive when the Arden Theatre and St. Albert Children's Theatre presents Narnia. Based on the popular child's book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: The Tales of Narnia, this fantastic tale about the whole 'nuther world found by entering into an armoire is an exciting journey for kids of all ages. November 23 thru December 3 at the Arden Theatre.

Fans of the '80s/'90s sitcom, The Jerry Seinfeld Show, will get a charge out of The Gerry Steinfeld Show at Jubilations Dinner Theatre. In this fun-filled spoof, Gerry has been away from the comedy game for a few years and has decided to launch a comeback. Somehow he has allowed his group of wacky friends to talk him into opening his own comedy and dinner club The Snack and Giggle. On this night we look in on Gerry and the gang as they cope with running a club, creating comedy bits for the show and hardest of all, dealing with each other! Through January 20.

Then, going back even further, the music of the '50s and early '60s makes a comeback when The Golden Age Rocks On resurrects the personalities and hits of this terrific time. November 10 - February 10 at the Mayfield Dinner Theatre.