The NAC Orchestra presents a special Christmas Family Fantasy featuring Platypus Theatre for children of all ages on Dec. 19
December 10, 2002 -
Ottawa, Canada -- The National Arts Centre Orchestra presents a
special variation on its annual holiday concert on Thursday, December
19 at 19:00 in Southam Hall. Christmas Family Fantasy led by
Apprentice Conductor Jean-Philippe Tremblay includes both music and a
fully bilingual narrated tale featuring Platypus Theatre for children
and the Cantata Singers of Ottawa.
The evening opens with the traditional seasonal concert that has
become popular at the NAC this time of year featuring the orchestra
and choir, and including carol sing-alongs. The second half of the
concert is Platypus Theatre's A Flicker of Light on a
Christmas Night, a heartwarming holiday tale. Three
schoolchildren - Nina, Jeremy, and Anika - can't
agree on what the winter holidays are all about. A mysterious
stranger appears and takes them on a fantastic journey through
seasonal traditions around the world, all explored through glorious
musical favourites. This theatrical symphony concert explores the
origins of some of the best-loved holiday traditions from Christmas
trees to driedles, Santa Claus to Scrooge, and includes the audience
in sing-alongs.
Since 1989 Platypus Theatre has performed more than 250 times with
over 50 orchestras including the Montreal Symphony, Toronto Symphony,
Houston Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony, Malaysian
Philharmonic, Milwaukee Symphony, Utah Symphony, and Vancouver
Symphony. With the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Platypus has
presented How the Gimquat Found Her Song and Rhythm in Your
Rubbish, the latter an original work commissioned by the NAC. In
February Platypus returns for student matinees of Emily Saves the
Orchestra. Co-founded by writer, actor and Artistic Director
Peter Duschenes, who plays the mysterious stranger in this
production, Platypus Theatre has been lauded for its immensely
creative productions and its unique ability to educate young
audiences about classical music in an intelligent, entertaining and
participatory way.
Jean-Philippe Tremblay, a graduate of the NAC Conductors
Programme, is in his second season as Apprentice Conductor of the
National Arts Centre Orchestra funded in part by the Canada Council
for the Arts' Conductor-in-Residence Programme, and in part through
the generous support and leadership of William and Phyllis Waters,
James and Margaret Fleck, and Sandra Simpson. Last month at the 2002
Dmitris Mitropoulos International Competition for Orchestral
Conducting he received the Orchestra's Preference Award as well
as receiving an Honorable Mention for Excellence from the jury. In
July 2002, he became the first winner of the $10,000 Joyce Conger
Award for the Arts.
The Christmas Family Fantasy will be presented at the
National Arts Centre on December 19 at 19:00. Tickets are on sale now
from $25.00 to $63.00 for adults, and $13.25 to $32.25 for children
(GST and Facility Fee included) at the NAC Box Office (Monday to
Saturday from 10:00 to 21:00), and through Ticketmaster
(with surcharges) at 613-755-1111. Ticketmaster may also be accessed
through the NAC's web-site at www.nac-cna.ca.
