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charlene · 05-07-2017, 10:40 AM

Act 2

Something Very Special - a party scene with dancers in couples. All but The Old Man, Gord, at the back of the stage. He is dancing with two young women…
Canadian Railroad Trilogy - 8 men, the navvies, dance all but the last section, swinging large hammers in unison as the screen shows scenes of moving tracks and footage of railway construction. The timing of the dancers was impressive. In the last section (The Song of the Future…”) we revert to a modern train station as a family waits for and boards a VIA train, followed by The Old Man. One has to be careful interpreting a classic but the whole thing worked well and had the most extended applause of the evening.
Sequed directly into

Boss Man - 12 women dancing in a foggy underground of a mine with miners lamps on, the discordant strains working well with the choreography and the rhythm - for the first time I noticed that the discordant orchestral strains that precede the final verse sound a lot like the ascending orchestral chords at the end of the Beatles’ “A Day in the Life”. Not sure which album came first: “Sgt. Pepper” or “Did She Mention My Name”?

Whispers of the North - pleasant surprise and worked well. One dancer, a painter in front of an easel with a canoe projected overhead and various Arctic scenes moving around him as he paints Lawren Harris stylings on a large canvas. Barb says that, in spite of a 28 year diet of Gord, she does not recall this song. Hmm. I only have “Salute” on vinyl - and though I still have a good turntable, I usually revert to CDs. Must finish my collection on CD.

Peaceful Waters - danced in front of a series of Group of Seven images.

The Way I Feel - Done to the original version (my preference). Seven dancers in white clothes that look like First Nations stylings. The piece begins with lush forests and ends with dead and burnt forests and the dancers exits blocked by closed doors - a take on our treatment of First Nations?

Knotty Pine - never one of my favourite Gord songs but danced well by a soloist in forest green First Nations garb.

If You Could Read My Mind - this was a confusing arrangement - well danced by a couple but too upbeat with smiling and playful dancers when, to me, the power of the song is in its gothic mansions and ghosts. I always liked the drug store paperback novel reference.
Too Late For Praying - this was the closing piece and powerful - my sister said she was moved to tears - it says so much about the worldly troubles we witness these days - mostly from the safer confines of Canada. Twelve children from the Alberta Ballet School (the children of today) made a powerful counterpoint dancing around the rest of the ensemble.

So, overall, a thoroughly memorable and powerful evening, with over 90 dancers. Great costumes. I had to remind myself that it was also intended as a celebration of Canada - which explains so much of the projected imagery, though I saw it as a celebration of the great music of Gord that I have loved since the opening bars of “Rich Man’s Spiritual” on Side 1 of his first album which my older brother brought home in 1966.

So I would go to see it again in an instant - but can I? It plays once more in Calgary tonight and next weekend in Edmonton. There are apparently agents from other cities coming to the Edmonton shows and any touring will depend on their reactions - I can’t see how they would not take this across the country. Last night’s show was a sell out and standing ovation - it is our 150th birthday and we need to celebrate this great music with this fine production. So power to the Alberta ballet, take it on tour and, while you are at it - put it on DVD.

05-07-2017, 10:40 AM	#11
charlene Moderator Join Date: May 2000 Posts: 16,004	Re: Alberta Ballet Act 2 Something Very Special - a party scene with dancers in couples. All but The Old Man, Gord, at the back of the stage. He is dancing with two young women… Canadian Railroad Trilogy - 8 men, the navvies, dance all but the last section, swinging large hammers in unison as the screen shows scenes of moving tracks and footage of railway construction. The timing of the dancers was impressive. In the last section (The Song of the Future…”) we revert to a modern train station as a family waits for and boards a VIA train, followed by The Old Man. One has to be careful interpreting a classic but the whole thing worked well and had the most extended applause of the evening. Sequed directly into Boss Man - 12 women dancing in a foggy underground of a mine with miners lamps on, the discordant strains working well with the choreography and the rhythm - for the first time I noticed that the discordant orchestral strains that precede the final verse sound a lot like the ascending orchestral chords at the end of the Beatles’ “A Day in the Life”. Not sure which album came first: “Sgt. Pepper” or “Did She Mention My Name”? Whispers of the North - pleasant surprise and worked well. One dancer, a painter in front of an easel with a canoe projected overhead and various Arctic scenes moving around him as he paints Lawren Harris stylings on a large canvas. Barb says that, in spite of a 28 year diet of Gord, she does not recall this song. Hmm. I only have “Salute” on vinyl - and though I still have a good turntable, I usually revert to CDs. Must finish my collection on CD. Peaceful Waters - danced in front of a series of Group of Seven images. The Way I Feel - Done to the original version (my preference). Seven dancers in white clothes that look like First Nations stylings. The piece begins with lush forests and ends with dead and burnt forests and the dancers exits blocked by closed doors - a take on our treatment of First Nations? Knotty Pine - never one of my favourite Gord songs but danced well by a soloist in forest green First Nations garb. If You Could Read My Mind - this was a confusing arrangement - well danced by a couple but too upbeat with smiling and playful dancers when, to me, the power of the song is in its gothic mansions and ghosts. I always liked the drug store paperback novel reference. Too Late For Praying - this was the closing piece and powerful - my sister said she was moved to tears - it says so much about the worldly troubles we witness these days - mostly from the safer confines of Canada. Twelve children from the Alberta Ballet School (the children of today) made a powerful counterpoint dancing around the rest of the ensemble. So, overall, a thoroughly memorable and powerful evening, with over 90 dancers. Great costumes. I had to remind myself that it was also intended as a celebration of Canada - which explains so much of the projected imagery, though I saw it as a celebration of the great music of Gord that I have loved since the opening bars of “Rich Man’s Spiritual” on Side 1 of his first album which my older brother brought home in 1966. So I would go to see it again in an instant - but can I? It plays once more in Calgary tonight and next weekend in Edmonton. There are apparently agents from other cities coming to the Edmonton shows and any touring will depend on their reactions - I can’t see how they would not take this across the country. Last night’s show was a sell out and standing ovation - it is our 150th birthday and we need to celebrate this great music with this fine production. So power to the Alberta ballet, take it on tour and, while you are at it - put it on DVD.