Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Brott Firebird Project: An Outstanding and Creative Evening

Legends:- Prometheus, Coyote, Swan Lake & Firebird


Review by Danny Gaisin
Aug. 15th ‘10

The muse and I attend between 160 & 220 concerts or theatre events a year; Each December we list our TOP TEN most memorable; educational, or entertaining. As memories oftimes fail, we directly record candidates on a whiteboard. Last evening’s incredible N.A.O./Brott Festival offering was immediately added to the list. Titled ‘Famous Firebird & Other Legends’, this was one outstanding & creative evening. Stating that we and the McIntyre Theatre audience were impressed would be an understatement.

Beethoven’s ‘Creatures of Prometheus’ is a compositional phenomenon. Looking at the repetitional score, then hearing the exquisite melodic ballet music seems almost oxymoronic. Introduced and elucidated by the incomparable Veronica Tennant, the three selected movements gave us a pastiche of the mythological character that angered Zeus in order to obtain gifts for mankind. Brott’s interpretation of the adagio permitted unbridled flexibility for Skazinetsky’s violin solo & Goodman’s enchantingly resonant harp.

The melody introduced by the cello was acknowledged by the conductor’s appreciative facial countenance. The finale, more familiar as the theme from the composer’s ‘Eroica’ was performed technically faultless and emotionally charged.

Then an inspiring and emotional premiere:- renowned Canadian composer Malcolm Forsyth was commissioned by Tara-Louise Montour to create a musical interpretation of the First Nations legends surrounding the coyote. His four movements were accompanied by construal projected-animation by David Paseika featuring the art of Maxine Noel. Between listening to Ms. Montour’s violin & the NAO musicians, and being visually impacted by the creative artwork, senses were overwhelmed. The twenty minute piece seemed to pass in mere moments. This is a magical work.

Post-interval, Geneviève Leclair took the podium for Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. Again, Ms. Tennant elucidated the plot, coupled with delightful personal asides from her performing days. Her devotion to the music as well as her insight into both the Siegfried and Odile/Odette roles brought a potent visuality to Leclair’s interpretation. An impacting opening scène was followed by a superb pas de Deux that again demonstrated the expertise of Skazinetsky & Goodman. There was a noticeable tight-reining during the second of the dances, but each of the others received spontaneous applause.

The highpoint of the evening undoubtedly was the Stravinsky ‘Firebird’. Not presented as a suite but rather as an in-concert format of the ballet. Ottawa’s School of Dance & choreographer Merrilee Hodgins visually presented the story of a Russian prince saved from a neighbouring tyrant by the feather given from a captured & released firebird. Conquering the tyrant’s minions & rescuing his beloved princess was enacted by a terpsichorially-talented octet that mesmerized the audience as they danced or acrobatically struggled across the stage. This was a magnificent interpretation, and certainly something theatrically memorable. Post-concert for a brief photo-op, I had the chutzpah to ask maestro Brott how his NAO could afford to stage such a creative but certainly extremely expensive opus. I too, read through the list of sponsors, but this performance seemed a definite financial envelope-pusher. His brief response:- “Thank God for the Canada Council for the Arts!”

On behalf of all of us cultural types, our thanks too! It’s certainly monies well-invested, well-contributed and definitely well-spent.