Allison Crowe Concert Tour Launch: National Holiday in Germany

It’s "Tag der Deutschen Einheit" - Day of German Unity – today and Allison Crowe, one of the great performing artists of our time, or any time, launches her newest concert tour in Frankfurt amidst a wave of national celebration. As well as being present to mark the fall of the Berlin Wall and the re-union of West and East Germany in 1990 – Axel Dollheiser, Crowe’s European Road Manager, reports this visit to the continent will include a few pints at Oktoberfest in Munich.

Concert performances this month by the Canadian singer-songwriter, vocalist-pianist, Allison Crowe and special guest musician, and photographer, Billie Woods, include:

03.10.2012 – Frankfurt, Germany @ Jazzlokal Mampf
05.10.2012 – Berlin, Germany @ Evangelische Osterkirche
10.10.2012 – Mons, Belgium @ SHAPE Club
13.10.2012 - Inning Am Ammersee, Germany @ Inninger Spectacel
17.10.2012 – Florence, Italy @ Teatro del Sale
19.10.2012 – Quedlinburg, Germany @ Palais Salfeldt

We're ready!!" says Christine Geyer, who posts this foto from Mampf, Frankfurt

Before embarking on this tour, for the past year Crowe’s been extremely active in North America where she’s served as Music Director of Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador’s “Newfoundland Vinyl,” a rollicking hit at this Summer’s Gros Morne Theatre Festival. As well, she’s super-busy off-stage with movie projects, including a “Tidings Live” documentary, directed by film-maker Peter Buckle, set to premiere in December 2012.

On-stage, Crowe’s performed “Hallelujah” for the World Premiere run of “The Doorway: Scenes from Leonard Cohen” – the Royal Winnipeg Ballet's thrilling, new, Cohen-inspired ballet. This November, she rejoins the RWB as the dance, choreographed by Jorden Morris (“Moulin Rouge”), delights audiences again - and she'll perform "Hallelujah" solo as well as duet on "Bird on a Wire" with Cris Williamson, the legendary American singer-songwriter, activist, and independent music trail-blazer.

Fuller details upcoming @ allisoncrowe.com

RWB Steps Out - "The Doorway" to Tour Canada's Maritimes

In this part of the Northern Hemisphere, there's no wish for those lazy, hazy days of Summer to pass... still, in a sign of great things to come, Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet posts the next dates for "The Doorway" - the resonantly rewarding ballet choreographed by Jorden Morris and set to the words and music of Leonard Cohen. (These Maritime Canada tour dates are presented in several of those same venues which launched Cohen's triumphant return to the concert arena in 2008.)

For these Autumnal dates, Allison Crowe reprises her role performing "Hallelujah". Cris Williamson, whose live recording of "Sisters of Mercy" capped the premiere runs, joins the RWB company to perform the song live on-stage.

Full details tba

Maritime Tour:

Halifax, NS - November 7-8, 2012 - In Tandem, The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, The Doorway, and Pas D’Action - Rebecca Cohn Theatre

Fredericton, NB - November 9, 2012 - In Tandem, The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, The Doorway, and Pas D’Action - The Playhouse

Charlottetown, PE - November 10, 2012 - In Tandem, The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, The Doorway, and Pas D’Action - Confederation Centre of the Arts

Saint John, NB - November 12, 2012 - In Tandem, The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude, The Doorway, and Pas D’Action - Imperial Theatre

http://www.rwb.org/tours

RWB's Leonard Cohen Ballet Success Rolls North in New Program

"Leonard Cohen's music comes to life at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet", CBC News reports earlier this month. After profoundly moving audiences during its world premiere run at Manitoba's Centennial Concert Hall, this weekend "The Doorway - Scenes from Leonard Cohen" rolls into Northern Manitoba for performances in: The Pas, May 25; Flin Flon, May 26; and Thompson, MB, May 27. In these communities, the Jorden Morris-choreographed "Doorway" is on a program with Peter Quanz's "In Tandem" and Brian Macdonald's "Pas D'Action".

In 1959, it was Brian Macdonald's "Les Whoops-De-Doo" that the RWB premiered in Flin Flon. And, it's another Macdonald creation, 1970's "The Shining People of Leonard Cohen", which premiered in Paris, France, that marked the first time a professional theatre or dance company produced the works of Canada's iconic songsmith on stage.

Of the "Shining People" production, cultural commentator Max Wyman notes: "That was absolutely in tune with the zeitgeist. But it was intriguing stuff as well. People loved it." (More from Wyman, and many more people on the inspiring story of the "constant phoenix" that is the RWB can be enjoyed in the award-winning documentary "40 Years of One Night Stands: The Story of Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet".)

Of the newest ballet to the words and music of Cohen, Alison Mayes of The Winnipeg Free Press recounts: "Last year, Winnipeg's Jorden Morris was asked to choreograph a pas de deux to Leonard Cohen's soulful 'Dance Me to the End of Love' for the nationally televised Genie Awards. It was so well received that the Royal Winnipeg Ballet commissioned Morris to create a longer work to songs by the legendary Cohen. The 44-year-old dancemaker, who teaches at the RWB School and created the company's hits Peter Pan and Moulin Rouge" now is opening "The Doorway".

In it, Corps de Ballet member Sophia Lee, (paired with Jaime Vargas for the Genies sensation), dances "Hallelujah" - to the voice and piano of Allison Crowe. On opening, Crowe spoke with CBC Manitoba Scene Producer Andrea Ratuski: "I feel so humbled and so grateful to be a part of this. This is such an amazing company to be able to work with and I'm just so excited. It's so beautiful to be able to watch Sophia dance -- and all the other dancers, too -- all the songs. They translate so beautifully. You can kind of see the lyrics within the dance. It's gorgeous."

RWB's Sophia Lee dances to Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" w. Allison Crowe onstage (CBC News - screen-cap)

Feelings shared by the audience. "Spine-tingling" That's how Holly Harris, dance reviewer for the Winnipeg Free Press, describes the ballet performance of "Hallelujah". Dan Aysan, owner of Winnipeg's renowned Selim's Antiques, and RWB season ticket-holder for much of 26 years posts: "Well... the Royal Winnipeg Ballet surprised me last night. Everything I had ever wanted them to do was done! They focused on the dance and not overwhelming production... and it captivated. The lighting and sound production were fantastic... but rarely did they overshadow the dancers themselves. 'Luminous' was astonishing and EXACTLY the type of work I hope the RWB considers doing more of. 'The Doorway' was a wild mix of dance, live music and spoken word that surprised me with it's depth and simplicity (how often do you get dancers' movements, Leonard Cohen's words & music with a smattering of Peter Gzowski's voice mashed up on stage ?!?)"

CHVN Radio's Adrienne Daniels attended the opening, and comments: "the triumph of this performance was Mr. Cohen himself. He wasn't there, but the RWB used audio from interviews he did regarding the songs being danced to and it gave such an incredible insight into the performance that it took it to that magical level. Where spirit and art connect and you FEEL the music. You feel it in your soul, its tangible with your hands and you can literally taste it.

"I was witness to one of the most moving spectacles of human expression that I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. My soul took flight for over 2 hours as I watched the poetic nature of the human form in motion; dancing, swaying, fighting, loving, understanding and confusing all at once."

Details of "The Doorway", "In Tandem" and "Pas D'Action" performances this weekend, (to recorded music), can be found on the RWB's site @ http://www.rwb.org/

Royal Winnipeg Ballet Presents Open Rehearsal of "The Doorway - Scenes from Leonard Cohen"

Allison Crowe flies to Winnipeg, Manitoba this week to join in rehearsals with dancers and musicians - readying for the World Premiere of "The Doorway - Scenes from Leonard Cohen". This contemporary ballet, choreographed by Jorden Morris, together with Carmina Burana and Luminous forms the RWB's season finale - a mixed-repertoire program, "Pure Ballet" - from May 9 - 13, 2012.

Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet is hosting an open, free, rehearsal - on Friday, May 4 at 7 pm. This preview of "The Doorway" will include a performance of Cohen's "Hallelujah". Sophia Lee is dancer, and Allison Crowe sings and performs the song on piano.

This special event takes place in the Founder's Studio of the RWB building at 380 Graham Street. To reserve your seat, please call 204-956-2792 or 1-800-667-4792.