Elizabeth Bishop Legacy Recording Fund-raiser in Toronto a Success – plus an update about two other Bishop projects

The performance space at the Canadian Music Centre was full and buzzing early Friday evening, 30 November, as people gathered for the Elizabeth Bishop Legacy Recording fund-raiser, organized by Suzie LeBlanc, with the help of Debra Chandler. Suzie was joined by very special guests: Tom Allan, popular CBC Radio host, who acted as emcee; Dinuk Wijeratne, a composer, musician and conductor, who conducted the recording sessions and performed for the assembled; Christos Hatzis, the composer of four of the Bishop poem settings, who spoke about his involvement with this project; Eleanor Wachtel, renowned CBC Radio broadcaster and Bishop fan, who read Bishop’s poems; and Alfred Villeneuve, Ontario painter, who had donated one of his works for the event (see a post below for more about his contribution). Suzie reports, “The event was wonderful” and “people seemed to have a lovely time.” We will be posting more information about this successful event this coming week.

 

For now, I want to alert you to two interesting EB developments. First, composer John Plant, whose settings of “Sandpiper” and “Sunday 4 A.M.” are featured on the Elizabeth Bishop Legacy CD, informs that his “Sandpiper” will be performed  at Trinity St. Paul’s Centre in Toronto by the Talisker Players in a concert called “On the Wing,” on 7 and 8 May 2012. For more details see: http://www.taliskerplayers.ca/onTheWing.html

Film-maker John Scott also informs that his short “First Death in Nova Scotia,” based on Bishop’s poem, has been receiving good reviews and a lot of attention. Check out the website for his production company, Magpie Productions, to find out the exciting details: http://www.magpieproductions.com/ John will be shooting another short based on Bishop’s poem “In the Waiting Room,” in Nova Scotia in January 2013.

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Again, stay tuned for an update about the Toronto fund-raiser for the Elizabeth Bishop Legacy recording.

We still need your help with this project.

You can find out how to donate at:
www.eb100legacyrecording.blogspot.ca