Artistic directors Stephen Ralls and Bruce Ubukata are in countdown for the 6th annual Festival of Song, staged at Bayfield Town Hall.
Come join the team of Ontario Travel Divas as they trip about Huron County and beyond, relaying their adventures along the way. If you want to take a vacation, have a beach day, explore the best food and agriculture around or even just wine and dine they’ll discover a spot for you to do just that on Ontario’s West Coast, your countryside and coastline.
Join bloggers Jenna Ujiye, Maegan Reinhart, Kaylie Ginn, Lisa MacDonald and others here or on their website, Ontario Travel Divas.
Ontario Travel Divas – Cindy Fisher and Laurel Armstrong – A Couple of Coasters
The Bayfield Festival of Song is a wonderful experience, even if you’re just dipping your toe in the water of live classical music – piano and song.
Laurel grew up listening to opera, a passion of her mother’s. With CBC radio at full blast, she would sit under the legs of her mother’s ironing board, while her mother explained the story of that day’s featured opera. Opera became the backdrop for a lifetime appreciation of classical music and songs – she can almost smell the scent of freshly ironed laundry while enjoying the Tunes in June in Bayfield
As a newcomer to classical song, Cindy’s attendance at her first opera was in New York City (in the ‘70s!) with a family friend who adored opera – she discovered that sharing someone’s passion for opera is the best way to experience the drama and amazing music. Her first Bayfield Festival of Song experience a few years ago felt the same way – seeing Bruce and Stephen share their passion with the audience and the performers is so accessible and welcoming to everyone.
The June setting, the songs and the sense of pleasure all make for a special personal treat. The intimate Bayfield Hall is a friendly spot filled with people expecting to be well entertained by eager professionals who are passionate. Our expectations are met and exceeded each year we’ve attended the performances.
Enjoy the coffee concerts – relaxed and fun, with commentary from Bruce and Stephen, who create this wonderful brief season of celebration. The song’s the thing and the singers are young, skilled and filled with such great energy you’ll be as captivated as the rest of the audience.
So go ahead and join the audience. You’ll be joining the standing ovations too!
The Festival runs from June 2 to 10, 2012. Canada’s leading operatic soprano, Adrianne Pieczonka, will sing on Friday evening, June 8; she will be singing a dazzling, varied program with her partner, the fine mezzo-soprano Laura Tucker. On Thursday afternoon, June 7, a group of young singing students will have the tremendous experience of being coached by Adrianne in a master class, which is also open to the public.
On Saturday, June 2. Upstairs/Downstairs will take a journey from 1900 through the Great War and into the Roaring Twenties, contrasting the art-songs and ballads performed in an English drawing-room with the rollicking entertainment of music-hall and ragtime, which found favour below stairs.
On Saturday, June 9, baritone Alexander Dobson performs in Recital. This versatile young baritone has appeared in operatic roles ranging from Wozzeck and Marcello in La bohème to Don Giovanni and Papageno.
Experience the Saturday morning Coffee Concerts, and also a special program in honour of the Royal Jubilee. On each Sunday afternoon, June 3 and June 10, four exceptionally talented young singers will perform Diamonds for a Queen, celebrating 60 years of the present reign, which is soon to rival Queen Victoria’s in length.
THE ALDEBURGH CONNECTION
Artistic Directors:
STEPHEN RALLS and BRUCE UBUKATA
presents the sixth annual
Honorary Patron: ALICE MUNRO
Town Hall, Bayfield, Ontario June 2 – 10, 2012
