Arts & Culture

The Manitoba Band Association is a non-profit charitable organization which fosters, promotes and encourages the establishment, growth and development of bands and band activity in the province. 

And they are doing it under the guidance of a new executive director.  

Brent Johnson officially stepped into the role on Monday, April 15 and began his day with an interview on Winnipeg’s Classic 107.  

“I haven’t even logged into my email yet,” says Johnson with a laugh when asked how the job has been going thus far.  

On November 17 2023, The Divine Art Recording label released a fabulous double CD that features the renowned German pianist Burkard Schliessmann. Called Live and Encores, this recording features the music of Bach, Mendelssohn, Schumann and Chopin and showcases Schliesshmann’s wonderful interpretations of this music ranging from the baroque to high romanticism.

On Friday, April 19th, the American pianist Murray Perahia will celebrate his 77th birthday.

Widely considered to be one of the greatest living pianists in world today, Murray (Moshe) Perahia was born in the Bronx in 1947 to Sephardic-Jewish parents who originally came from Greece.

Perahia would go on to study at Mannes College in New York, with his mentor Mieczyslaw Horoszowski. Perahia would also end up studying at the Marlboro Festival in the summers. It’s there where he would meet and perform along the likes of Rudolf Serkin and Pablo Casals.

From April 9 to the 21st, Prairie Theatre Exchange is presenting a one-woman play that is a beautifully meditative tale of loss, and our own mortality.

Based on The American Novelist Joan Didion’s Pulitzer nominated autobiographical book The Year of Magical Thinking. This play of the same name is Joan Didion’s adaptation of her book. The play also draws on themes to come from her final memoir “Blue Nights.”

On opening night of the Winnipeg Baroque Festival, the all-male liturgical choir All the Kings Men present 17th Century English music in the resonant acoustic of College Chapel of St. John the Evangelist at the University of Manitoba. 

This weekend, the Winnipeg Baroque Festival launches their third instalment.  

The weeklong celebration of early music and the arts presents its largest offering yet, with nine concerts taking place around the city.  

“So many people here (in Winnipeg) love early music,” says Dead of Winter (DoW) conductor Mel Braun.  

For 130 years The Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg (WMC) has been bringing the best in classical music to Winnipeggers. They have invited internationally renowned artists to their concerts stage, such as Glenn Gould Teresa Stratus, Anton Kuerti, and even Sergei Rachmaninov.

In addition to their various concert series they have supported and promoted Manitoba artists such as, David Moroz, Mel Braun, Valdine Anderson, and Tracy Dahl and the list goes on and on.

This Friday, April 12th at the 7:00pm at the Crescent Arts Centre, there will be a show happening that pays tribute to one of the major composers of the great American songbook.

Called “You’re the Top” the show on Friday will put the songs of Cole Porter front and centre. With more than 300 songs in the Porter catalogue, there is a deep well of Porter tunes to choose from….some of his best known ones being I get a Kick out of You, I’ve Got you under my Skin, My heart Belong to Daddy, Begin the Beguine and of course You’re the Top.

Carmen – the George Bizet masterpiece – is one of the most frequently performed and popular operas of all time. And for good reason!  

Iconic tunes. Seductive plotlines. Convincing characters. 

Presented by Manitoba Opera, this production comes with its own bit of added drama.  

The Manitoba Band Association Family of Festivals returns for their last gathering of the season: April 17 through 19.