RWB’s Leonard Cohen Ballet Success Rolls North in New Program
“Leonard Cohen’s music comes to life at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet”, CBC News reports earlier this month. After profoundly moving audiences during its world premiere run at Manitoba’s Centennial Concert Hall, this weekend “The Doorway - Scenes from Leonard Cohen” rolls into Northern Manitoba for performances in: The Pas, May 25; Flin Flon, May 26; and Thompson, MB, May 27. In these communities, the Jorden Morris-choreographed “Doorway” is on a program with Peter Quanz’s “In Tandem” and Brian Macdonald’s “Pas D’Action”.
In 1959, it was Brian Macdonald’s “Les Whoops-De-Doo” that the RWB premiered in Flin Flon. And, it’s another Macdonald creation, 1970’s “The Shining People of Leonard Cohen”, which premiered in Paris, France, that marked the first time a professional theatre or dance company produced the works of Canada’s iconic songsmith on stage.
Of the “Shining People” production, cultural commentator Max Wyman notes: “That was absolutely in tune with the zeitgeist. But it was intriguing stuff as well. People loved it.” (More from Wyman, and many more people on the inspiring story of the “constant phoenix” that is the RWB can be enjoyed in the award-winning documentary “40 Years of One Night Stands: The Story of Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet”.)
Of the newest ballet to the words and music of Cohen, Alison Mayes of The Winnipeg Free Press recounts: “Last year, Winnipeg’s Jorden Morris was asked to choreograph a pas de deux to Leonard Cohen’s soulful ‘Dance Me to the End of Love’ for the nationally televised Genie Awards. It was so well received that the Royal Winnipeg Ballet commissioned Morris to create a longer work to songs by the legendary Cohen. The 44-year-old dancemaker, who teaches at the RWB School and created the company’s hits Peter Pan and Moulin Rouge” now is opening “The Doorway”.
In it, Corps de Ballet member Sophia Lee, (paired with Jaime Vargas for the Genies sensation), dances “Hallelujah” - to the voice and piano of Allison Crowe. On opening, Crowe spoke with CBC Manitoba Scene Producer Andrea Ratuski: “I feel so humbled and so grateful to be a part of this. This is such an amazing company to be able to work with and I’m just so excited. It’s so beautiful to be able to watch Sophia dance — and all the other dancers, too — all the songs. They translate so beautifully. You can kind of see the lyrics within the dance. It’s gorgeous.”
RWB’s Sophia Lee dances to Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” w. Allison Crowe onstage (CBC News - screen-cap)
Feelings shared by the audience. “Spine-tingling” That’s how Holly Harris, dance reviewer for the Winnipeg Free Press, describes the ballet performance of “Hallelujah”. Dan Aysan, owner of Winnipeg’s renowned Selim’s Antiques, and RWB season ticket-holder for much of 26 years posts: “Well… the Royal Winnipeg Ballet surprised me last night. Everything I had ever wanted them to do was done! They focused on the dance and not overwhelming production… and it captivated. The lighting and sound production were fantastic… but rarely did they overshadow the dancers themselves. ‘Luminous’ was astonishing and EXACTLY the type of work I hope the RWB considers doing more of. ‘The Doorway’ was a wild mix of dance, live music and spoken word that surprised me with it’s depth and simplicity (how often do you get dancers’ movements, Leonard Cohen’s words & music with a smattering of Peter Gzowski’s voice mashed up on stage ?!?)”
CHVI Radio’s Adrienne Daniels attended the opening, and comments: “the triumph of this performance was Mr. Cohen himself. He wasn’t there, but the RWB used audio from interviews he did regarding the songs being danced to and it gave such an incredible insight into the performance that it took it to that magical level. Where spirit and art connect and you FEEL the music. You feel it in your soul, its tangible with your hands and you can literally taste it.
“I was witness to one of the most moving spectacles of human expression that I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing. My soul took flight for over 2 hours as I watched the poetic nature of the human form in motion; dancing, swaying, fighting, loving, understanding and confusing all at once.”
Details of “The Doorway”, “In Tandem” and “Pas D’Action” performances this weekend, (to recorded music), can be found on the RWB’s site @ http://www.rwb.org/
Hallelujah ballet
“Spine-tingling.”
That’s how Holly Harris, dance reviewer for the Winnipeg Free Press, describes this performance of “Hallelujah”.
Corps de Ballet member Sophia Lee, fresh from a lead role as “First” in the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s production of Mark Godden’s “Svengali”, here dances Leonard Cohen’s modern song classic. Allison Crowe sings and plays piano on-stage with Lee in the world premiere of “The Doorway”, choreographed by Jorden Morris. RWB Soloist Jo-Ann Gudilin (nee Sundermeier), “Mother” in “Svengali”, dons the blue dress to perform “Hallelujah” with Crowe on alternate dates.
(CBC News - screen-caps)
Allison Crowe Alights with Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet - World Premiere of “The Doorway - Scenes from Leonard Cohen”
“Graceful, moving, achingly honest, the series of dance vignettes are set to Cohen’s songs and poems, exploring the emotional journey across the threshold to love and longing,” says the RWB of this new piece from Morris, creator of the tremendously successful and celebrated “Peter Pan” (2006 premiere) and “Moulin Rouge - The Ballet” (2009 premiere) for the company. For the live national broadcast of the 2011 Genie Awards, Morris created a sensuous pas de deux - embracing Cohen’s song “Dance Me to the End of Love” - performed by Corps de Ballet member Sophia Lee and former RWB Principal Dancer, and current Ballet Master, Jaime Vargas with music from Montréal rock band Karkwa.
“Working with the RWB is going to be such an awesome experience - even to just watch these amazing people dance is gift enough,” Allison Crowe says. “I am humbled to be able to be a part of such a beautiful project, in tribute to such a wonderfully talented and brilliant man, Leonard Cohen.”
Growing up in Westmount, on the Island of Montreal, Cohen entered the fringes of a life in music as a Buckskin Boy. Though “born with the gift of a golden voice”, and building a sterling reputation as a writer - author, poet and songsmith - in the ’60s , ’70s and on, he’s endured stranger times to test his mettle. This century has witnessed a renaissance in appreciation of his work and Leonard Cohen reach his most cherished state as an artist. Emblematic of this status, in May 2012, as the RWB presents this new creation based on his art, Leonard Cohen will be feted for a lifetime of achievement in music and poetry - receiving the Glenn Gould Prize at Toronto’s Massey Hall. One of the world’s top concert draws, Cohen’s newest album, “Old Ideas”, charted #1 in countries ‘round the globe.
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet, based in the culturally-vibrant city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, is Canada’s oldest, and North America’s longest continually operating, ballet company. Founded in 1939, it’s the first ballet company in the world to be granted the Royal title - bestowed by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. And, it’s the first organization anywhere to present a theatrical or dance production of Leonard Cohen’s work. During the RWB tenure of Artistic Director Arnold Spohr (1958 - 1988), in Summer 1970, Brian Macdonald choreographed “The Shining People of Leonard Cohen” which debuted in Paris. Later, that July, it’s staged at Canada’s National Arts Centre in Ottawa - with eclectic band Lighthouse, and a pair of bats from the belfry, opening the show.
Today, André Lewis, named RWB Artistic Director in 1996, (he began his association as a dancer with Royal Winnipeg Ballet School in 1975), oversees the launch of this newest creation, “The Doorway - Scenes from Leonard Cohen”. Jeff Herd, native Winnipegger, after a decade as company manager for Cirque du Soleil ‘s “O” at the Bellagio, in Las Vegas, and some years overseas, is back home helping further the RWB’s legacy in motion as Executive Director. Bob Stewart serves as Production Director. Tad Biernacki, is RWB Music Director and Conductor and, in this circumstance, kindly, match-maker. With costume design by Anne Armit and lighting design from Hugh Conacher, Jorden Morris’ piece is partnered with RWB alumnus Peter Quanz’s “Luminous”, and audience favourite Mauricio Wainrot’s “Carmina Burana” for an evening, (and one Sunday matinee), of classical and contemporary ballet that runs May 9 - 13, 2012 at Winnipeg’s Centennial Concert Hall. It’s a mixed program united as “Pure Ballet”.
A pure talent and communicator in song, Allison Crowe, is invited to perform her piano and vocal version of “Hallelujah”, a modern classic. First recorded by Crowe in 2003 for her CD “Tidings”, this Leonard Cohen song has been covered more than 200 times - in a wide range of styles. Iconoclastically, free of mainstream ties and marketing, Crowe’s version has steadily emerged among the most-enjoyed worldwide. A YouTube video of Allison Crowe performing “Hallelujah” live-in-the-studio has an audience of more than eight million people - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIMOdVXAPJ0 Acclaimed Hollywood director Zack Snyder tags it “beautiful”, “sexy” and “romantic”. The bi-coastal singer-songwriter, born in Nanaimo, BC, and now home in Corner Brook, NL, is honoured to deliver her passion for the song live to the RWB’s lovers of “visible music”.
Crowe enters fine musical company with those whose performances will also illuminate “The Doorway”. Whether criss-crossing the country to visit hundreds of schools and inspire children, or expressing their humanitarian nature performing in Kenya and Dubai, dynamic Winnipeg duo “Keith and Reneé” (http://www.keithandrenee.com) shine. The veteran pair make music of many genres, folk and country among them, that reach people via radio, tv, film and commercials. They penned “Good Year”, theme of Manitoba’s Homecoming 2010 and, fresh off a dream tour with entertainer Jann Arden, “KnR” bring to the Centennial’s live stage their heartland take on “Bird on a Wire”.
Alongside these performers, and recorded words and music of Leonard Cohen, the program includes an incandescent “Sisters of Mercy” as captured live on “Circle of Friends”, a 1991 album by South Dakota-born, US prairie-raised musician, activist and pioneer Cris Williamson (http://criswilliamson.com). This was the 15th anniversary concert recording of Willamson’s “The Changer and the Changed”, an epochal album which went gold, (sales over 500,000), and is to indie and women’s music what Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” was to general pop in its day.
Info on “Pure Ballet: Fluid Motion Virtuosic Dance”, location, ticket details and more is found @ http://www.rwb.org/pureballet
Allison Crowe follows up this exciting RWB engagement with a rare off-stage role - serving as Music Director for “Newfoundland Vinyl” - a rollicking spin through popular music’s coming of age on “the rock” - presented in this Summer’s Gros Morne Theatre Festival by Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador. A “Tidings Live” album and video documentary is in the works with film-maker Peter Buckle. These North American activities precede Allison Crowe’s next European tour - featuring a concert return to Germany, Italy, England, Scotland+
Fuller details will be posted @ http://www.allisoncrowe.com
Allison Crowe Brings Tidings 2011 from St. John’s to Victoria
It’s coming on the season to celebrate with one of the great voices in popular music.
Expect plenty of rocking holiday cheer, laced with overtones of Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, The Beatles and more when Allison Crowe delivers “Tidings”. The 2011 edition of Crowe’s annual holiday favourite begins in St. John’s, NL, the eastern terminus of the Trans-Canada Highway, and wraps in Victoria, BC, the western terminus.
The internationally-acclaimed musician, born on Vancouver Island, and home in Newfoundland for years now, stirs together traditional Christmas carols and holiday favourites with an organic blend of rock, jazz, folk, gospel and soul. “Be prepared to be amazed,” chimes ChristmasReviews.com Longtime NPR broadcaster Ross Hocker calls Allison Crowe’s show, “The most honest, heartfelt, and directly intimate concert in my entire life.”
Italian radio calls Allison Crowe “Una voce incredibile per una forza della natura.”
As a performing artist, Crowe is akin, in ways, to the late, great, Swedish power-house soprano, Birgit Nilsson, about whom it’s said “No record or CD could quite prepare a listener for the real thing, live in the opera house”.
Tidings is Allison Crowe’s melding of the sacred and secular in “songs of the season” and spirit. Some of the music is familiar repertoire, delivered in singular style. Some is not like anything customarily heard in a holiday-time concert.
Tidings viscerally surveys a musical terrain of carols - It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, In the Bleak Midwinter, What Child Is This, First Noel, Silent Night, O Holy Night - performed with rare artistry and passion, and emotive arrangements, alongside the modern canon of Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Lennon/McCartney+, and Allison Crowe’s original songs, (including the just-composed “Arthur”, and the epic “Disease”), that draw on themes of faith, hope, sorrow, joy, redemption, transcendence and more from life’s well.
First staged in 2003, Tidings is an exciting experience shared by music-lovers around the world. This holiday season, Allison Crowe, with some very special musical guests, brings Tidings to:
St. John’s, NL - D.F. Cook Recital Hall - November 25
Corner Brook, NL - First United Church - December 2
Nanaimo, BC - St. Andrew’s United Church - December 10 - Featuring: Christopher Wood; Raymond Salgado; Kiana Smith; Kaleigh Hargrove; Taylor Manns; Emily Blake & Guests to aid The Mind’s Eye + Woodlands SS Band and Basketball programs
Vancouver, BC - St. Jame’s Hall - December 11 - Featuring guest artist: Juniper Watters
Campbell River, BC - St. Peter’s Anglican Church - Dec. 15 - Featuring: The Campbell River Childrens Choir with Director Barbara Prowse to aid Campbell River Hospice Society & CR Food Bank
Victoria, BC - Fairfield United Church - Dec. 17 (NB a shift from original date of Dec. 9) - Featuring guest artists: Haley Walker; & Billie Woods to aid Artemis Place, (girls’ educational and life-skills), and HepCBC
On Thursday, December 22, you can join Allison Crowe in her birth-place of Nanaimo, B.C. for the “Light Up a Life” Sing-along - part of the campaign for Haven Society organized by the Old City Quarter Merchants.
Full details of the “Tidings” concerts and sing-along will be posted @ allisoncrowe.com
Playing her vintage upright-grand piano, at home in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Canada, Allison Crowe sings of love weighed through life and time.
”Arthur”, the newest recording from musician Allison Crowe, is one-half of a double-A-side single release - along with “Up to the Mountain (MLK Song)” - a guitar version of the Patty Griffin tune.
Rubenesque Records Ltd., Canada’s most independently successful music label, celebrates its 10th anniversary with this characteristically passionate performance pairing.
http://music.allisoncrowe.com/track/arthur
Already a lover of American singer-songwriter Patty Griffin, Allison Crowe was introduced to Griffin’s “Up to the Mountain” by Canadian rock and soul musician Bob Benvenuti when they performed at a Christmas “Tidings” concert together.
Here she performs the song live-in-the-studio - “Out of the Fog” in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada.
Warmest thanks to the team behind this popular news and arts magazine - Michael Fisher, Television Producer, Bruce Lane, Camera - and all the OotF crew at Rogers television.
”Up to the Mountain (MLK Song)”, a guitar version of the Patty Griffin song, and the newest recording from Allison Crowe, is one-half of a double-A-side single release - along with “Arthur”.
Rubenesque Records Ltd., Canada’s most independently successful music label, celebrates its 10th anniversary with this characteristically passionate performance pairing.
http://music.allisoncrowe.com/track/up-to-the-mountain-mlk-song
Arthur / Up to the Mountain - Double-A-Side from Allison Crowe
Allison Crowe releases a double-A-side single - two new song recordings available world-wide for enjoyment in audio and video formats.
In the terrestrial sphere, “Arthur” has its world premiere on CBC Radio’s “On the Go” program. Show Host Ted Blades promises to carry things “Up to the Mountain” next.
Blogger “Muruch” is helping Allison Crowe celebrate the music release, and 10th anniversary of Rubenesque Records Ltd. - with the online premiere of Allison’s two newest song recordings. And, as a treat for the next couple of weeks, the music is a gift from Muruch
Over at “1 Heck of a Guy” the two song videos make their debut along with this explanation: “Allison Crowe has often been featured on this site, in part for her gorgeous voice and in part for her exquisite songwriting.”
Both of those elements, DrHeck, says, are on display in this new release:
”Arthur” - Playing her vintage upright-grand piano, at home in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, Canada, Allison Crowe sings of love weighed through life and time.
”Up to the Mountain (MLK Song)” - Already a lover of American singer-songwriter Patty Griffin, Allison Crowe’s introduction to this Griffin tune came from Canadian rock and soul musician Bob Benvenuti when the two Canucks performed at a Christmas “Tidings” concert together. Crowe brings it on home with guitar and vocals - performing as her own Jordanaires for back-up.
Rubenesque Records Ltd., Canada’s most independently successful music label, celebrates its tenth anniversary with this characteristically passionate performance pairing.
Music everywhere… Yes, your Blueness
Exciting times - even in the rain! We aim to have Allison Crowe’s double-A-side single available digitally before the end of this month. More news on this two song recording - “Arthur” / “Up to the Mountain (MLK Song)” coming in the next few days. Here’s a look at the single cover art - photo by Allison!
Next month, August 23, marks the tenth anniversary of Allison’s label, Rubenesque Records Ltd. Along with virtual cake and balloons, we’ll make it a special celebration together :)
Allison Crowe’s New Double-A-Side-Single, and Album Plans
Acclaimed musician is ready with new recordings and fresh direction
Musician Allison Crowe, one of the world’s great songwriters and live performers, releases a double-A side digital single this Summer featuring a piano-based original song “Arthur” and an interpretation of Patty Griffin’s “Up to the Mountain (MLK Song)” on guitar.
The bicoastal Canadian artist is in pre-production of her eighth album - advancing a series of critically and commercially successful recordings. Her label, Rubenesque Records Ltd., is celebrating ten years of establishment-free creation.
In a recent interview with Helen Jayne Reid of CornerBrooker.com Crowe reveals some of the creative impetus to her next full-length release. She cites the heavier, industrial, production sound heard in “from the choirgirl hotel”-era Tori Amos, and the recordings of Nine Inch Nails. NIN’s Trent Reznor is also exemplary as a creator not bound by the corporate calculation of popular music today.
Recognizing the truth of John Lennon’s lyric, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans”, Allison Crowe is giving a window of 12 – 18 months to solve intricate production puzzles with the current album collection of ten songs and a poem, ‘Snow”.
While in pre-production this Summer, Crowe performs a single live show – as part of TNL’s Gros Morne Theatre Festival concert series in Cow Head, near her Atlantic home of Corner Brook, Newfoundland.
Allison Crowe’s double-A-side single, “Arthur” and “Up to the Mountain” is set for release next month (July, 2011 – on iTunes et al).
Had Allison Crowe been born in a different era, she’d have set her piano alight at Monterey (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOzhbj1BVOU), or, maybe, added her colander to the Crazy World of Arthur Brown (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOErZuzZpS8).
Here’s “Fire”, which bridges Allison’s rock/grunge band roots and her solo singer-songwriter mystic.
This song is on Allison Crowe’s double-album set, “Live at Wood Hall”:
http://music.allisoncrowe.com/album/live-at-wood-hall
Two concerts on consecutive nights at the Conservatory of Music in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada to aid Artemis Place (alternative schooling and life skills for at-risk girls). Music captured by Larry Anschell of Turtle Recording mobile (Pearl Jam, Sarah McLachlan, k-os). Album photos by Allison, Billie Woods, and graphic arts and design by Alix Whitmire.
On Allison Crowe’s Artist page on facebook @ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Allison-Crowe/23720081675 each of the songs from her seven album/CDs is being featured - one every day-or-so for your enjoyment.
About me
Allison Crowe, musician
