Saturday of the opening weekend was given over to the annual fundraising gala dinner/concert, this year with a "Roaring 20s" theme. I've never been much for playing dress-up except when I was acting in the theatre, but plenty of people did dig out appropriate hats, dresses, ties, jewellery, and fascinators for the occasion -- which gave the whole event a distinctly light-hearted and fun vibe.
The pre-dinner cash bar was accompanied by a generous spread of cheese, crackers, and fresh berries. Some people lingered in the lobby area, while others sauntered out onto the broad deck to sit admiring the view of the Big Sound (always my choice).
Shortly before 6:30 the doors of the hall opened, and we began to be seated. The Charles W. Stockey centre was designed so that all the theatre seating on the main floor could be folded or moved away, along with the supporting structure, leaving behind a flat-floored hall which can then be set with tables and chairs.
The meal began with a generous salad, moved on to chicken a la king with vegetables and mashed potatoes, and ended with a mixed berry shortcake with a rich caramel sauce, and coffee or tea.
Unlike previous years, the entire meal was served before the performance began.
The concert carried through the fun vibe of the party. The programme was made up mainly of works first performed in between 1918 and 1930, right through the years known to many as the "Jazz Age." Much of the music we heard was either overtly classifiable as jazz, or at least influenced by the sounds and rhythms of jazz.
Composers represented ranged from Stravinsky, Martinu, and Ravel to Ellington, Gilliland, and Gershwin.
The eleven performers mixed and matched in all kinds of combinations, with a different ensemble for almost every piece on the programme. It would be almost impossible to detail the special beauties and qualities of all the works, and I won't try.
But I will say that, unlike some previous special events, there was no overlap from programmes of the regular concerts. I've sometimes felt annoyed in the past when I laid out extra dollars for one of these "specials" only to hear much of the same music that I will hear or have heard in other events.
This was, all in all, a delightful programme with much of the music well-judged to set toes tapping and put a smile on your face.
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