Arts & Culture

Tune in every day at 1:00 this week as we feature the delightful and charming wind concertos of Severio Mercadante, in honor of his 229th birthday.   

Saverio Mercadante was born in Altamura in 1795 and was a pupil at the Naples Conservatory between 1808 and 1819. There he studied violin, cello, bassoon, clarinet and flute, and composition. His composition teachers included Giovanni Furno, Giacomo Tritto and Nicola Zingarelli. 

The adored quintet Canadian Brass have added another Canadian back onto their roster: Winnipegger Keith Dyrda.  

“I'm so excited,” says Dyrda. "It's obviously a massive honour to be included in this ensemble and to be able to do it twice in my life feels really, really special.” 

His previous stint came between 2010 and 2011, when Dyrda was a 21-year-old student completing his undergraduate degree at Montreal’s McGill University.  

On Sunday, September 22nd at 2;30pm at Young United Church, The Royal Canadian College of Organists, Winnipeg Chapter will be presenting a remarkable concert that features Canadian music written for piano and organ duo. 

Musical Sustenance: GroundSwell opens 2024-25 season with new works for violin 

This Sunday, September 15th at 7:30pm at St. Andrews River Heights United Church, Winnipeg’s GroundSwell is kicking off their 2024-25 season with a concert called Sustenance. 

When he's not teaching high school students science, Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute's Andrew S. Hiebert can be found making art, some of which is on display right now to view free of charge in St. Boniface. 

Hiebert says that his love for art started when he was young, and became a therapy as he got older. "When I was in church, I would be drawing pictures of tractors. I was the school cartoonist and my dream was to become an artist."

Innovative Journeys: GroundSwell explores the Canadian musical soundscape with their 2024-25 Season 

This summer is almost over, and things are beginning to rev up again for the fall. Students and teachers will be heading back to school, people will soon be closing their cottages for the season, and the days of soaking up the sun will soon be over. 

Like many arts organizations in the city, the venerable Royal Winnipeg Ballet dance company has been supported by a strong cast of volunteers over the course of their lauded history.   

75 years ago, in 1949, a committee was struck to aid in fundraising efforts for the then-burgeoning dance ensemble and, 8 years later, a volunteer-run, non-profit called “Things in Support of RWB” launched.  

This Saturday, September 14, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra will be kicking off their 2024-25 season. They will be welcoming to the stage violinist and violist James Ehnes. Ehnes will be performing two huge works on the program, Brahms magnificent D major violin concerto, and Berlioz’s Harold in Italy for Orchestra with viola obbligato. Ehnes will bring his outstanding musicianship and flawless technical ability to these two works in what is sure to be a spellbinding performance.

On now, and going until January 12, 2025, the Wag-Qaumajuq is presenting a fantastic exhibit that features the work of the Dakota, Anishinaabe and Metis Artist Lita Fontaine. 

Called Winyan; (wee-yahn) which is the Dakota word for women, this vibrant and colorful exhibit explores the beauty of Indigenous femininity. The celebration of women in Fontaine’s art is used as a form of resistance against assimilation and gender-discriminatory policies experienced by Indigenous women.  

The highly anticipated Desautels Concert Hall has officially opened its doors at the University of Manitoba's Fort Garry campus, marking a significant milestone for the province's arts community.

The state-of-the-art venue, designed with "acoustic perfection and versatility in mind," is set to become a cornerstone of Manitoba’s cultural life.

The concert hall opened on Sept. 5 at a special grand opening event hosted by Classic 107's Simeon Rusnak. It featured a number of special guests and performances, headlined by UM alum William Prince.