The Maple Leaf
The 2019 edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championship opens today in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia. Team Canada is the defending Champions and are looking to retain the title on home ice.
The team plays four round robin games: Continue reading
I just want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.
May you spend your Christmas with family and friends and have a wonderful and enjoyable Christmas.
The year is coming to a close and I would also like to thank everyone who has read my Blog this year for all the support as it is very appreciated. Thank you. Continue reading
On December 1st, 2018 the southern Etobicoke communities of New Toronto and Long Branch welcomed Santa Claus to their community with the 28th Annual Etobicoke-Lakeshore Santa Claus Parade.
Here are some highlights of the parade: Continue reading
On November 11th, 2018 I attended the Remembrance Day service at Royal Canadian Legion #101.
The service was moving as usual and a way of remembering those who sacrificed their lives for the freedoms we enjoy today.
Here are some pictures from the service and at the Long Branch Cenotaph: Continue reading
Today, November 11th 2018, we mark Remembrance Day in Canada and the sacrifices made by our military during the many conflicts Canada has been involved in.
Today also marks the 100th Anniversary of the end of World War I. The first world war marked Canada’s entry on the world stage. Canada begin the war as a little country that had made little contribution to the world. By the end of the war, with Canadians showed how valiantly they could fight and earned the respect of the rest of the world. Canada would never look back.
Canadians have a long tradition of joining its allies in conflicts when required and to successfully fight in many difficult situations in order that we all may enjoy the freedoms that we enjoy today.
So, if you are grateful for the freedoms we enjoy in Canada, please thank a veteran.
As an appropriate remembrance for all the sacrifices, here is “In Flanders Fields“, the poem written by Canadian Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae: Continue reading
Today, October 23rd 2018, is the 25th anniversary of the most important homerun in Toronto Blue Jays history: Joe Carter’s walk-off homerun to win the 1993 World Series for the Toronto Blue Jays, and potentially in the history of the World Series. This also happens to be the day when 2018 edition of the World Series starts.
On October 23rd 1993, the Blue Jays were playing in game 6 of the World Series. The Blue Jays held a 3 to 2 over the Philadelphia Phillies and could win the World Series that night. The Blue Jays took an early 5-1 lead before giving up 5 unanswered runs to trail 6-5. Continue reading
The 114th edition of the World Series is set to start between the National League (NL) Pennant winners the Los Angeles Dodgers and the American League (AL) Pennant winners the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox have home field advantage.
The Dodgers went 92-71 during the regular season and beat the Colorado Rockies in a one game tie breaker for the NL West Title before defeating the Atlanta Braves three games to one in the divisional series before beating the Milwaukee Brewers four games to three in the NLCS.
The Red Sox won the AL East Title and beat their arch-rivals the New York Yankees in four games before beating the defending World Series Champions the Houston Astros in five games in the ALCS. Continue reading
Gerry Hyman has another article for the Toronto Star.
I want to discuss one of the questions raised:
The Metropolitan Opera (‘The Met’) opened their 2018-2019 Live in HD broadcast series with a performance of Guiseppe Verdi’s Aida. The production has been in their repertoire for a number of years now, but is still visually stunning, and was well sung.
The cast was led by Anna Netrebko (Aida), Aleksandrs Antonenko (Radamès), Anita Rachvelishvili (Amneris), Ryan Speedo Green (The Egyptian King), Quinn Kelsey (Amonasro), and Dmitry Belosselskiy (Ramfis). The Met’s Orchestra was led by Maestro Nicola Luisotti. The production was originally directed by Sonja Frisell, with Stephen Pickover acting as revival director. The sets were by Gianni Quaranta, with lighting by Gil Wechsler. Continue reading
The Four Seasons Centre.
I attended the second performance of the Canadian Opera Company’s (COC) production of Eugene Onegin at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on October 4th, 2018. And it was worth every minute.
The production is new for the COC, although it debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in 1997. The director is Robert Carsen, with sets and costumes by Michael Levine. The COC Orchestra was conducted by Music Director Johannes Debus.
The performance starred Gordon Bintner (Eugene Onegin), Joyce El-Khoury (Tatiana), Varduhi Abrahamyan (Olga), Joseph Kaiser (Lensky), and Oleg Tsibulko (Prince Gremin). Continue reading
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