Quality entertainment can be had here at home
I write this on Sunday evening, after a day that illustrates what a remarkable community we live in.
In the afternoon, there was a rehearsal for Messiah, the every-two-years presentation of Handel’s masterwork, with a choir of some 70 singers. We are rehearsing for presentations of this huge work in December, and we’ll be accompanied by a professional orchestra.
Then in the evening, we attended a Remembrance Day concert presented by Music at St. Paul’s (the Anglican church), featuring a 30-piece orchestra (of remarkable quality) playing one of the greatest orchestral works ever written: the famous “Emperor” concerto of Beethoven, with an astonishingly accomplished pianist named David Murrell (who was unknown to me). An added bonus was a presentation by Tish MacDonald recognizing some of the local heroes from World War I.
The evening concert, under the direction of Stu Beaudoin, the music director of St. Paul’s, was a remarkable performance, worthy of presentation at Massey Hall (and at one-third of the price, without the pain of driving into Toronto). A shame that the church was only half-full. (Hint: old people dislike going out at night - an afternoon performance would probably have packed the hall).
Conclusion: we live in a remarkable community, with treasures to offer . . . we need to be encouraged to take advantage of these treasures.
Wynn Walters, Uxbridge
***************************************************
Protests against columnist popping off about poppy displays
I am the organizer of the Port Perry Poppy Project writing in response to Roger Varley’s column last week (Am I wrong?, Nov. 5 edition). I want to provide some clarity regarding the project's intention and the response it has generated.
This project was inspired by similar displays across the country and in the United Kingdom, all of which seek to draw attention not to themselves, but to Remembrance Day. There has been much discussion over the years about fewer people wearing a poppy and declining attendance at Remembrance Day services. Not everyone in Canada is familiar with the poppy or with Remembrance Day. By creating a display using the most recognizable symbol of remembrance, this project endeavours to generate conversation about what the poppy represents and encourage broader reflection about Remembrance Day.
Numerous community groups, including members of the Port Perry Legion, participated in attaching the handmade poppies to the display; this activity brought people together and facilitated discussion about remembrance. The individuals who knitted or crocheted the poppies - many of whom have direct connections to those who served historically and those who continue to serve today - felt they were contributing to a unique act of remembrance.
Roger and others are free to critique such displays and are entitled to their opinions, though it is worth noting the overwhelmingly positive response this project has received. People have commented about how moved they are by the image and how it serves as a reminder about Remembrance Day itself. To me, helping to make the poppy more visible around Remembrance Day is a worthwhile endeavour.
Sharon Runnalls, Port Perry Poppy Project
***************************************************
Oh, Roger, you're rushing the season - the Grinch doesn't traditionally make an appearance until Christmas.
Sometimes a thing of beauty is a tribute, not a decoration. The individuals and organizations creating the poppies for cenotaphs across Canada and around the world deserve to be thanked for the time and talent they've invested in these generous offerings.
If our Armed Forces members and their families - especially those who are bereaved - would approve, that is the ultimate sign of the true spirit of these efforts.
K. Gebhardt, Leaskdale