Winnipeg's Winter Cultural Highlights

Winnipeggers, justifiably proud of  the cultural offerings of the city,  are  not surprised that the city was  named the Cultural Capital of Canada for 2011. During a recent visit to winnipeg to visit family and friends, I attended two events: a Manitoba Chamber Orchestra concert and a Royal Winnipeg Ballet performance of The Nutcracker.

Attending The Nutcracker, a holiday tradition for many, became a highlight of my stay in Winnipeg. My two nieces and my sister-in-law organized the evening to recapture some of the activities we had enjoyed together when I lived there. The Winnipeg production of  Nutcracker preserves much of the Russian balletic tradition while adapting the choreography to incorporate aspects of Winnipeg winters--ice hockey played on the street outside a stately mansion is but one example of how the choreographers transformed the original work from Russia, 1892 , to Canada. The sets were stunning and the dancing was superb.

Westminster United Church, home to the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, was the location of an outstandingly beautiful string trio concert in December, 2010. The Ehnes, Armstrong, DeMaire Trio performed Ravel's Piano Trio in A minor and Tchaikovsky's Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 50. Both Ravel and Tchaikovsky usually focused on large orchestral palettes or probed the colours of the piano. These two piano trios demonstrate the composers' ability to weave beautiful melodic strands that reveal each instruments' unique tonal properties while combining the voices to ensure balance among the registers.

All three musicians, James Ehnes, Andrew Armstrong, and Robert deMaine, are outstanding players with dazzling technique, passionate musical expression, and beautiful tone in all registers and dynamic levels of their instruments. Their reading of the two works allowed the audience to vicariously experience sparkling spiccato, sombre pathos, and joyful dances.

The Manitoba Chamber Orchestra and Royal Winnipeg Ballet are but two examples of the rich and varied cultural life of the city. The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra,  Manitoba Theatre Centre, The Warehouse, Manitoba Theatre for Young People, Prairie Theatre Exchange are also excellent cultural institutions that produce timely and sound performances for their audiences. The Winnipeg Art Gallery, The Planetarium, Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature provide interesting permanent exhibitions as well as host exhibitions from other institutions.

In addition to the professional institutions, there are a host of cooperative galleries and regional exhibits that contribute to the exciting cultural life of the city.