Category Archives: Arts & Entertainment

Still Great Listening After All These Years

A Brief One from Doug Draper, Niagara At Large

December 28^th, 2015

Fifty years ago this December 2015, I did what we all sometimes do around Christmas time.

I went out and bought a gift for myself that I knew my parents wouldn’t get for me because it was a record by a rock group. And to them, all that rock groups produced was electronic noise and a fear in their hearts that I might spend less time doing school work and more time with a guitar, making some electronic noise of my own.

The group was The Beatles and the album was Rubber Soul which to this day, alongside handful of other albums like Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited, released the same year with Like a Rolling Stone as its first track, remains one of the most influential pop records of all time.
Continue reading →

See It Again On CBC TV This Coming Christmas Day

And Come See It For Free This December 17th At The Niagara Artist Centre In St. Catharines

Niagara At Large congratulates Vickie Fagan of Niagara, Ontario for her successful role in producing and writing The Curse Of Clara – A Holiday Tale.

Now here are the details on this production and when and where you can see it.

Toronto, Ontario, December 2015 – Smiley Guy Studios is decking the halls with THE CURSE OF CLARA: A HOLIDAY TALE, a new original animated special airing on CBC-TV as part of its holiday programming lineup. A young dancer’s dreams come true when ballet, hockey and the holidays converge.

Inspired by the autobiographical short story “The Curse of Clara or My Big Fat Disappointment” by Vickie Fagan, the 30-minute special is set against the backdrop of The National Ballet of Canada’s The Nutcracker and the 1972 Summit Series, a Canada-USSR showdown that shaped hockey history. Continue reading →

“I’ll be seeing you in ev’ry lovely summer’s day, In everything that’s light and gay, I’ll always think of you that way, I’ll find you in the morning sun and when the night is new, I’ll be looking at the moon, but I’ll be seeing you.”

• Lyrics from one of Frank Sinatra’s earliest hits.

From Doug Draper, Niagara At Large

By September of 1941, most of Europe was under Nazi occupation and then-British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was pressing U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon MacKenzie King for more supplies and military support as his country braced for itself for a possible invasion of his country’s shores.

Frank Sinatra during those golden years at Capitol, with Nelson Riddle in the 1950s.

On a lighter note, baseball fans everywhere were tuned into radio sportscasts as the Brooklyn Dodgers were on their way to winning the National League pennant and facing World Series showdown against their arch rivals, the New York Yankees and their star slugger Joe DiMaggio.

Yet for a few hours on September 19^th of that year, war and baseball were far from the minds of thousands of bobby soxers – the term used for teeny boppers in those days – as they packed main floor and balcony of Buffalo, New York’s grand old Shea’s Theatre to see one of the most popular bands of the era and a young singer who was becoming an international sensation.

The band, featuring one of the all-time great drummers, Buddy Rich, was led by jazz trombonist and composer Tommy Dorsey and the singer was Frank Sinatra, and my mother, then 15, was in the audience that day when this first of a brand new breed of pop singers took the stage to fans who let out screams every time he performed one of his hits, just as later generations would during an Elvis Presley or Beatles performance. Continue reading →

A Brief Remembrance of John Lennon by Doug Draper, Niagara At Large

December 8^th, 2015

On a crisp Thursday night in Buffalo, New York, 35 years ago this past December 4^th, I was climbing up to my seat in the blue section of the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium – more warmly known to locals as “the Aud” – for one of the most anticipated rock concerts of the year.

John Lennon

On that night in 1980, Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band took the stage in front of more than 15,000 cheering fans for another show in their now-legendary “River Tour” and Bruce counted “one, two, three, four” and ripped right into one of his anthems, “Born To Run,” to cheers that were ear-piercing before he finished singing the first line.

The energy and wealth of great sounds from “the boss,” his powerful sax man Clarence Clemons and other band mates, rolled on for two hours before the lights dimmed and the performers left the stage to every fan in the place clapping and shouting for more. Continue reading →

 News from Ontario’s Niagara Parks Commission

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, December 2015 – The Niagara Parks Commission (NPC) invites everyone to take a step back in time and experience the holiday traditions of years past, with a visit to one of Niagara’s oldest and most significant heritage sites, the McFarland House.

A McFarland Christmas – Open House and Annual Rotary Holiday House Tour

When – December 4^th to 6^th from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and December 12^th  to 13th from 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Where – 15927 Niagara Parkway, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.

In partnership with the Garden Club of Niagara and the Rotary Club of Niagara-on-the-Lake, the public is invited to experience a Victorian Christmas at the historic McFarland House.

Niagara Park’s historic McFarland House in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

Continue reading →

News from Chorus Niagara

St. Catharines, Ontario, November 2015 – Chorus Niagara celebrates the holiday season in Partridge Hall at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre with NOËL! Saturday, December 12th, 7:30pm.

Join us for this fun, festive and very merry musical extravaganza.

Experience favourite carols and holiday songs in a festive family Christmas experience with Chorus Niagara – the Power of 100.

Chorus Niagara in performance. File photo courtesy of Chorus Niagara

Three of Canada’s most debonair baritones – the Bravura Baritones are our special guests. Bravura Baritones includes St. Catharines’ own George Masswohl! Masswohl performs internationally and has graced the stage of most of Canada’s major theatre companies including Soulpepper, Stratford and the Shaw Festival. Continue reading →

• ‘See It This Coming Monday, November 30^th At Niagara College’s Welland, Ontario Campus

An Invite from Niagara College

November 2015 – A student-created documentary that focuses on missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls will soon be in the spotlight at Niagara College.

The College’s Centre for Student Engagement and Leadership (CSEL), and First Nations Inuit and Metis Student Services (FNIMSS) are hosting a special public screening of the documentary, Our Sisters in Spirit.

The screening, to be held at the College’s Welland Campus on Nov. 30, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., will be followed by a question and answer period with the student filmmaker. Continue reading →

See A Free Screening Of Moon River Crossing – An Award-Winning Film On The Nightmare Of Residential Schools In Canada

News from Brock University’s Aboriginal Education Council and Aboriginal Student Services

St. Catharines, Ontario, November 2015 – Moose River Crossing, the award-winning film by Shirley Cheechoo, will be screened during a special performance at Brock University.

• Moose River Crossing  will be screened in Brock University’s Sean O’Sullivan Theatre at the St. Catharines campus above the Niagara Escarpment on Thursday, November 26^th at 7 p.m.

Cheechoo, who was installed as Brock’s Chancellor last month, will be on hand for the screening, and will host a question and answer discussion with audience members at the end of the film. Moose River Crossing is a 90-minute feature film released in 2013.

Scenes from the film

It examines the Aboriginal residential schools through the eyes of six fictional former students who meet at a train station to head to a reunion. They flash back to the troubling times they experienced at the residential school and aim to answer the question of whether or not… time heals all wounds.

Cheechoo wrote the movie based on her own experience growing up in residential schools. Admission is free and no advance tickets are required.

The event is sponsored by the Aboriginal Education Council, Aboriginal Student Services, Tecumseh Centre and Brock University’s Office of the President.

Check out the trailer for Moose River Crossing. https://youtu.be/yg591ZgteoU

Moose River Crossing Website: http://mooserivercrossingthemovie.com/

Documentary Film Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/MooseRiverCrossing/

Cinema Politica Brock Website: http://www.cinemapolitica.org/opirgbrock

Cinema Politica Brock Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/cinemapoliticabrock

Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary for and from the greater bi-national Niagara region.

(NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.)

A Note from Pamela Minns, Heritage Thorold LACAC

Thorold has recently launched a new tourism web site, as follows: http://www.thoroldtourism.com/home

As you scroll down the pages, at the bottom, you will see  older posts as there are 3 pages worth of things to do.

Thorold’s downtown, featuring numerous locally owned businesses. has undergone an impressive facelift in recent years – one that has retained the best of its century-old character. This photo from the new Thorold Tourism website.

This site is still a work in progress, but all of us feel that it is an excellent start to a comprehensive look at the City of Thorold and all that it has to offer.

Our focus has been on the Welland Canal, cycling and heritage.  We have a lot to offer our residents as well as visitors and tourists to our City.

We invite you to explore this site and let us have your comments. http://www.thoroldtourism.com/home Continue reading →

News from Ontario’s Niagara Parks Commission

Niagara Falls, Ontario, November 25^th, 2015 – The Niagara Parks Commission is pleased to present “Hoot for the Holidays,” a new family-friendly educational exhibit, featuring a variety of Owls and other birds of prey along with its own stunning Owl Butterflies, at its Butterfly Conservatory this holiday season.

A wonderful way to celebrate these gifts of nature, and of the great outdoors, the exhibit will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., each Saturday, from November 28^th to January 2^nd.

Join local conservationists David and Kim Gibson as they introduce these beautiful Sky-Hunters or birds of prey and educate us all about their habits, unique abilities and the importance of habitat conservation. Visitors will then have an opportunity to experience and learn more about the Owl Butterflies that call the Conservatory their home and learn how they got their special name. Continue reading →

• A tradition at The Buffalo History Museum enjoyed for over 20 years

News from the Buffalo History Museum

Buffalo, New York, November 2015 –  The Buffalo History Museum’s annual family event, “Train Day,” is a popular museum family day festivity that

Bring the family to Train Day at the Buffalo History Museum overlooking scenic Delaware Park

includes a tour of the 1900s replica model trains, artifact scavenger hunts, and train-themed crafts.”  Live music by Rail Barons Band is also featured.

The impressive train display includes 1900s replica model trains running on more than 200 feet of track, as well as a scale Erie Canal lock, and 100 miniature buildings portraying 19th century Buffalo and Western New York. Continue reading →

December 1^st Event Coincide With Global Climate Summit In Paris, France

News from the Buffalo, New York area Hallways Contemporary Arts Centre and Rise Up For Climate Justice

– A reading of short plays, poems, and songs on the theme of climate change by some of today’s most exciting writers.

WHEN: Tuesday, December 1, 2015 – 7:00pm-8:30pm

WHERE: Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave., Buffalo

Buffalo, New York – As part of Climate Change Theatre Action and in partnership with Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center and Rise Up for Climate Justice, director Matthew Clinton Sekellick presents a semi-staged reading of 18 short plays, poems and songs by national and international playwrights on the subject of climate change.

This action is in support of the United Nations 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21) taking place November 30-December 13, 2015 Ranging from comedy to drama, this diverse group of texts by some of today’s most exciting playwrights presents a global perspective on issues related to climate change, from community gardens to refugees, climate deniers to drought. Continue reading →

An Open Invitation from Brock University’s Environmental Sustainability Research Centre

When:  November 23, 2015 – 7:00pm – 8:30pm

Where: at the Mahtay Café, 241 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines, Ontario

Join the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre (ESRC) as we discuss food sustainability in the Niagara Region.

This Science Café will include presentations, and time to chat with organizations and groups working towards food sustainability in Niagara.

This event will feature guest speakers:

• Dr. Mary Thornbush, Brock University. Author of Urban agriculture in the transition to low carbon cities through urban greening
• Renee Delaney, Niagara Farm Project
• Linda Crago, Tree and Twig Heirloom Vegetable Farm
• and more

Other organizations that will be in attendance:

• Niagara Sustainability Initiative
• Sustainability Science and Society Graduate Program, Brock University
• and more

**Register online, space is limited: http://bit.ly/1kJEmin** Continue reading →

– University of Buffalo Student Jazz Bands “Gig” Off Campus For M&T Third Friday In November   

News from The Buffalo History Museum in the City’s scenic Delaware Park area

Buffalo, New York – This coming November 20^th, 2015, M&T Third Friday at The Buffalo History Museum, a special concert will be presented by the University at Buffalo Student Jazz Ensemble, conducted by jazz professor and Grammy-Award winning musician, George Caldwell.

The Buffalo History Museum commands high ground in the city’s historic Delaware Park area

Inspired by Buffalo’s jazz era, the Museum’s grand auditorium will be converted into a night club for casual listening. Three bands – a nineteen piece big band and two ensembles will be featured.

Some familiar standards and classic tunes selected for the recital including: Shiny Stockings (Frank Foster), Mr. Fone Bone (Bob Mintzer), So Near, So Far (Bobby LaVell), Sophisticated Lady (Duke Ellington), Angel Eyes, and Afro Centric (Joe Henderson). Continue reading →

From Unitarian Congregation of Niagara

Saturday, Nov. 28, 7:30 pm. at the UCN at 223 Church Street in the Niagara, Ontario City of St. Catharines. You are invited to a Pete Seeger songfest with singer-songwriter Jim Scott – suggested donation $15 at the door.

Folk singer Jim Scott offering up a songest to the legendary Pete Seeger in Niagara, Ontario

Composer/guitarist Jim Scott, who knew Pete well and collaborated on many projects with the folk legend, will lead the audience singing many of his well-loved songs such as If I Had a Hammer, Turn, Turn, Turn, Where Have All the Flowers Gone and many others.

Along with some history from Jim, we’ll raise our voices for the causes Pete championed and remember the great contributions to our American heritage Pete made in his 94 years of life. We have lost an icon, but not his legacy of poetry and song to guide and inspire us. Continue reading →

• Share The journey In Concert November 8^th

News from Joanne McDonald for the Momentum Choir

When a small group of eight people living with a disability and a big dream to sing came together with an artistic director who never doubted their ability, it marked the genesis of Momentum Choir, now 55 members strong, and ready to share their music and personal journeys in a special concert ‘A Year in the Life’ Sunday, Nov. 8, 3 p.m. at Bethany Community Church in St. Catharines.

Momentum Choir soloist Jeremy Goode rocks Cab Calloway’s ‘Minnie the Moocher’ during rehearsals for the upcoming concert ‘A Year in the Life’ Sunday, Nov. 8, 3 p.m. at Bethany Community Church in St. Catharines. Photo/Joanne McDonald

“The whole concept of Momentum is not only to produce musicians but to nurture people to be more confident and feel like they have a deeper sense of belonging in this community,” said Executive and Artistic Director Mendelt Hoekstra.

Now launching its ninth season, Momentum continues to inspire audiences as a powerful and professional platform with its talented and fun-loving singers who change hearts and lives every time they perform. Continue reading →

News from Ontario’s Niagara Parks Commission

Fort Erie, Ontario, November, 2015 – As part of its Old Fort Erie Speakers Series, The Niagara Parks Commission is pleased to announce that on Sunday, November 8, at 2:00 p.m., it will be hosting speaker Andy Réti, a holocaust survivor from the Second World War, who will be sharing his family’s experiences growing up in Nazi occupied Hungary.

Old Fort Erie across the upper Niagara River from Buffalo, New York in Fort Erie, Ontario

Mr. Réti was born in Budapest, in 1942. He survived in the Budapest Ghetto together with his mother and paternal grandparents. His father was killed in a forced labour camp. Andy and his remaining family were liberated in January 1945. In October 1956, during the Hungarian Revolution, he and his mother were able to escape and immigrate to Canada to begin a new life. Continue reading →

News from Hockey Canada

Calgary, Alberta, October 28^th, 2015 – Excitement for the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship is mounting, with just over two months until the first official puck drop at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ontario.

Adding to the buzz surrounding the event are two prominent signs of its impending arrival – new decals for the Meridian Centre, and the official release of the tournament schedule.

“This event has been months in the making, and to have the schedule available and in-hand makes it much more real. The Meridian Centre is all decked out, we are rallying our staff and volunteers, and when the teams arrive in January, we will be ready to greet them with the best of what St. Catharines has to offer,” said Bill Fenwick, event chair of the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship. “We’re committed to deliver on our promise to make this year’s championship a memorable one for the teams and their fans, and to the businesses and residents of St. Catharines.” Continue reading →

News from Ontario’s Niagara Parks Commission

Fort Erie, Ontario, October 21^st, 2015 – Experience the traditions of Halloween, 1812-style, brought to life through the ghosts of Canada’s bloodiest battlefield.

Niagara Parks Commission staff (NPC) at Old Fort Erie are busily preparing the final details for these memorable tours, which will take place on October 23, and 24, as well as October 30 and All Hallow’s Eve October 31, beginning at 7:30 p.m., each evening.

Old Fort Erie across the upper Niagara River from Buffalo, New York in Fort Erie, Ontario

Be prepared for a fun and frightening evening, ending with refreshments and the annual burning of the Guy Fawkes effigy at 8:30 p.m. Walking these historic and hallowed grounds, you will view the Old Fort from the perspective of the spirits who still make their presence felt within its walls. The past truly does come to life through the story-telling and ancient traditions of Halloween celebrated within the Fort. Continue reading →

A Special Invitation from Chorus Niagara Artistic Director Robert Cooper Dear Friends What an exhilarating time to be a lover of the arts in Niagara! Artistic Director Robert Cooper After years of waiting and anticipation, Chorus Niagara is ‘movin on up’ to the new FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre to perform in the acoustically resplendent Partridge Hall. YOU will not want to miss out on attending this FIRST concert in Partridge Hall. I am so eager and excited to hear those first sounds reverberate throughout this new sonically refined space! CELEBRATE! showcases the full spectrum of big and bold choral and orchestral splendour. The joy of music, the fervour of choral passion, the transformational experience of live performance and exuberance of celebration are the big themes for the evening. The singers love our showstoppers, Bruckner’s thrilling Te Deum, Finzi’s grandiose Ode for St Cecilia and Handel’s majestic coronation anthem Zadok the Priest. I am also thrilled to present the premiere of Canadian composer Allan Bevan’s Bow of Sound, a magnificent new work commissioned specially by Chorus Niagara for the opening of Partridge Hall. With over 170 singers, the full Niagara Symphony Orchestra and a stellar cast of magnificent Canadian soloists, you will be blown away by the power of over 220 performing artists. CELEBRATE! with Chorus Niagara this new beginning for the arts in St Catharines and beyond. I guarantee you this is an event not to be missed! Robert Cooper, CM Artistic Director PURCHASE TICKETS TODAY PHONE: (905) 688-0722 or Toll Free 1-855-515-0722 ONLINE: FirstOntarioPAC.ca/Online/Article/ChorusNiagara IN PERSON: 250 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines Visit Chorus Niagara’s website at – http://www.chorusniagara.ca/ .

Visit Niagara At Large at www.niagaraatlarge.com for more news and commentary for and from the greater bi-national Niagara region.

(NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.)

News from Chorus Niagara

St. Catharines, Ontario, October, 2015 – Chorus Niagara begins its inaugural season in Partridge Hall in the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre with CELEBRATE! Saturday, November 7th, 7:30pm. Make history with us as the first ever performers on the Partridge Hall stage!

Chorus Niagara in concert. File photo

The ‘Power of 100’ performs along with guests, the award winning McMaster University Choir, conducted by St. Catharines resident Dr.Rachel Resink-Hoff; local treasure Niagara Symphony Orchestra, one of today’s most sought after lyric baritones (and Niagara native) Brett Polegato, as well as incredibly talented performers soprano Leslie Ann Bradley mezzo-soprano Maria Soulis, and tenor Adam Luther. Continue reading →

– Final lecture by Erie County Historian and curator Doug Kohler, Wednesday, October 7^th 

News from the Buffalo History Museum  in Buffalo, New York

October 2015 – The Buffalo History Museum announces the closing of By Fire & Sword: War in the Niagara Theatre 1812-1814 exhibit on Friday, October 16^th. Since the War of 1812 exhibit opening in September 13, 2013, over 85,000 visited the Museum.

War of 1812 artifacts. Image from Buffalo History Museum photo gallery

Among that number, many history enthusiasts delighted in the exploration of the anniversary exhibit that focused on the Niagara Frontier’s role in one of our nation’s most formative military engagements. Continue reading →

 – “With an eye to the future I decided to photograph the everyday mundane things to look back and see the changes for the people of the future to see and appreciate.” – Jerome Greenberg, Buffalo News (9/25/15)

News from the Buffalo History Museum overlooking Delaware Park in Buffalo, New York

Photograph by Jerome Greenberg. Courtesy of Buffalo History Museum

September 29^th, 2015 – The Buffalo History Museum will reprise the photography of Jerome Greenberg in its Community Gallery.  In November 2014, the photos were on view at Betty’s Restaurant in Buffalo, NY. Continue reading →

News from Buffalo, New York’s History Museum

(A brief foreword note from Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper – The Pan American Exposition – held in Buffalo, New York in 1901 – was one of the first major expos ever held on the North American continent. At that time, believe it or not, Buffalo, New York was one of the major urban economic forces on the continent and had more millionaires per capita than any other city on the continent to prove it.

Buffalo, New York’s history museum, one of the remaining buildings still standing from the Pan Am Expo of 1901.

Buffalo, at that time, was also dubbed the ‘City of Lights’ as some of the first hydro power generated in North America lit the city at night and it was featured, in full force, at this classic exposition. Come revisit it at one of Buffalo’s great architectural venues – a Buffalo History Museum housed in one oof the remaining buildings, and a beautiful one, erected for that expo.)

 Buffalo, NY, April 21, 2015 – At its 459 Forest Avenue location, in the Resource Center, The Buffalo History Museum celebrates the 114^th Anniversary of the Pan American Exposition. The 1901 World’s Fair occupied 350 acres of land in Buffalo, N.Y. on the western edge of what is now Delaware Park, extending from Delaware Avenue to Elmwood Avenue and northward to Great Arrow Avenue from May 1 through November 2. Continue reading →

News from Brock University 

(A Brief Note from Niagara At Large – Given the many great performers, among them some of the most iconic artists of the past 40 years or more in the world, that so many people across this Niagara, Ontario region and beyond had the pleasure to see here, the closing of this theatre is a cultural milestone in the regon.)

The out-going Sean ‘Sullivan Theatre at Brock University was a venue for some of the most iconic performers of the last 50 years. Thanks for all the great entertainment. File photo courtesy of Brock University

 After 45 years, 1,450 shows and hundreds of thousands of entertained guests, Brock’s Centre for the Arts is ready for its finale.

Since 1969, the storied venue has hosted legends such as Bob Geldoff, Dizzy Gillespie, Anne Murray, Darlene Love, Stompin’ Tom Connors, Dianna Krall, Phyllis Diller, Matthew Good, and even Mr. Dress-Up. But on Thursday, April 23, the Sean O’ Sullivan Theatre will host the final HOT TICKET Centre for the Arts performance. Continue reading →

News from Ontario’s Niagara Parks Commission

Fort Erie, Ontario, February, 2015 – The Niagara Parks Commission (NPC) and its Heritage Department are pleased to be presenting Friday Night Flicks, an entertaining and family friendly programming series to be held at NPC’s Old Fort Erie, beginning on Friday, February 20, 2015.

Featuring award winning classics, charming family favourites and culturally important recent releases, these films will be shown within NPC’s storied Old Fort Erie visitor centre theatre.

The modern theatre has ample seating, surround sound and a large projector screen to showcase many of today’s finest films. Enjoy the historic surroundings while taking in great films on select Fridays throughout 2015, including special matinee shows during the March Break. Each month, movies selected will reflect a specific theme, with Black History Month being celebrated in February. Continue reading →

News from the Buffalo History Museum

Buffalo, New York- February 20th, 2015 – The Buffalo History Museum will be closed from February 23 until April 16 for exhibit viewing and tours.

The Buffalo History Museum, one of the architectural jewel’s in Buffalo’s Delaware Park area.

The ongoing electrical updates and technology improvements necessitates exhibit closings as the project enters the final phase of completion. 

All programs, events, rentals, staff offices, visitor services and the Museum Gift Shop will remain open during regular hours from Tuesday- Friday.  The Research Library will remain open during regular weekday hours and will be closed on Saturday.      

“Visitor safety is our number one priority,” said Melissa Brown, executive director of The Buffalo History Museum. “Closing exhibits during the final phase of construction will expedite the work toward an earlier completion date.” Continue reading →

News from  Niagara, Ontario’s Chorus Niagara

Chorus Niagara, Niagara’s premiere symphonic chorus, with Artistic Director Robert Cooper, present The World Remembers on Saturday November 8th, 7:30pm at Calvary Church, 89 Scott Street in St. Catharines.

A Canadian war poster for World War One. Multi-thousands of them never came back alive, and for what and for why?

The World Remembers features veteran Shaw Festival actors Benedict Campbell and Fiona Byrne presenting a variety of riveting local historical accounts of World War 1. The readings, curated by Adrian Petry, Public Programmer at the St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre, include first person reflections from a variety of local characters, providing the audience with a glimpse of life on the front lines and the home front.

“WWI was a turning point for Canada, transitioning from a British colony to nationhood. We want our audience to feel that emotional experience with a greater appreciation of Canada’s impact in the First World War, through the medium that we so value – choral music”, says artistic director Robert Cooper. A musical salute to the pride, passion and pathos of ‘the war to end all wars’, the heartfelt spoken word and captivating musical selections are illuminated by a visual tapestry of touching images curated by film and popular culture historian Joan Nicks. Continue reading →

News from the RiverBrink Art Musem in Niagara, Ontario

QUEENSTON (NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, Ontario) – On Sunday October 26 at 2 pm, Sonya de Lazzer will give a talk on “Niagara & the Sublime: from Folklore to Film.”

RiverBrink speakder Sonya Marie de Lazzer

Sonya Marie de Lazzer is a PhD student at Brock University in the Interdisciplinary Humanities program with a specialization in culture and aesthetics. 

Her research explores the philosophical underpinnings of the Sublime with an in-depth exploration of regional histories, identities and places. Her work focuses on iconic sites and landscapes, particularly the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara. She received her BA in Visual Studies (2009) at Brock University and an MA in Art History and Visual Culture (2013) at University at Buffalo, SUNY. Continue reading →

News from the Buffalo History Museum

Buffalo, New York- Sept 23, 2014 – The Buffalo History Museum (TBHM) is pleased to announce the grand opening of Inside Tim Russert’s Office: If it’s Sunday, it’s “Meet the Press” on M&T Third Friday, October 17 at 6 p.m.  Congressional correspondent for NBC News, Luke Russert, Tim Russert’s son, will be in attendance and the opening’s honored guest.

The classic Buffalo History Museum off Delaware Park.

 “On behalf of The Buffalo History Museum Board of Managers, I extend an enthusiastic thank you to the Russert family, Congressman Brian Higgins, Executive Director Melissa Brown and staff for realizing this extraordinary gift to the community,” stated TBHM Board of Managers President, Steven P. McCarville, adding, “In keeping with the Museum’s mission and promise to its patrons, this exhibit marks our endeavors to cultivate, share, and safeguard our community’s rich history. Continue reading →

News from RiverBrink Art Museum

QUEENSTON (NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE), Ontario – August 7^th, 2014 – RiverBrink Art Museum is pleased to announce the opening of a new exhibition  It Takes Two: Artists and Models in the RiverBrink Collection curated by Diane Pellicone on Saturday, August 16.

Augustus John, Portrait of “Poppet”, the artist’s daughter, 1935

This exhibition showcases selections from the permanent collection and will remain open until March 28, 2015.

It Takes Two considers the collaborative nature of portraiture. It explores how a relationship established between artist and model can not only affect the stylistic execution of a work of art, but also render a visibly compelling character study. Selected from the permanent collection of RiverBrink, the exhibition includes images of friends, family members, and acquaintances of several artists, all of whom convey strong personalities and an assertive presence. Continue reading →