|
|
|
Click on images to enlarge, and on
underlined links to navigate.
 My
article was erroneously published in the October edition of Laurentian
Sun, (page 19)
with another writer's name!
Cammac's Inauguration
Raymond Sealey, Executive Director of
Camp Cammac, and Claire Gaudet, Director of Communications and Marketing
made the Cammac Lodge official inauguration ceremonies a triumph.
To mark the successful completion of the
project, the audience was invited to a Monarch butterfly release which
delighted everybody. The butterflies flew out of their envelopes and
landed on peoples’ heads and shoulders. It was a spellbinding
experience.
Following this fascinating treat, the audience was invited to a benefit
concert by the Diva Nathalie Choquette, who made a grand entrance, and
proceeded to recount the condition of women in the opera, who are always
sick, dying or committing suicide. She sang beautifully without a
microphone, and has shown that she is a great comedian to boot. Her
interpretations of music by Mozart, Vivaldi, Puccini, Schuman and
Gershwin and others, were done wearing striking costumes such as a nun’s
habit topped with a swan, a tube dress that required constant
stretching, and a huge napkin for spaghetti lifting. She spoke in
amazing authentic accents and musically emitted sounds even while
gurgling with wine. She recruited men from the audience as partners for
romantic arias or as props, and taught them hand kissing. It was a
remarkable performance that received a standing ovation!
The concert was followed by a sumptuous wine and cheese serving in the
new dining room.
The new Main Lodge at CAMMAC Music Centre is now open throughout the
year and available for rentals: 819-687-3938 or 1-888-622-8755.
Claire Gaudet, Director of
Communications and Marketing and Raymond Sealey, Executive
Director of Cammac.
Claire opens the ceremonies. |
The reception hall is full on both
sides, up to the stairway.
 |
Raymond Sealey. |
President of the Board of Directors,
Lucy Stumpf
Stanley Aléong, opened his speech
saying "I am not Gregory Charles!" |
Stanley explained what it means to
stay at Cammac. The three main questions asked: What
instrument do you play? Do you want to play with me?
Is it your first time at Cammac?
Cammac is place where magic happens. It is magic that
is accessible not only to the elite privileged listening to
dead music. These are people committed to supporting
the arts, the environment, looking for a better society.
These are good people for politicians! |
Claire Gaudet and others listen
attentively. |
Ellen Lakoff, Mayor of Harrington. |
Ronald Tittlit, Prefect of MRC
Argenteuil. |
David Whissell, Liberal deputy,
National Assembly. Said that the Cammac project was
the first file on his desk when he was elected in 1998.
Revealing plaque with Raymond Sealey. |
Sylvie Boucher.
|
Mme Boucher, helps Raymond Sealey to
unveil the Federal Government plaque. |
Raymond Sealey presents Mario
Laframboise, Federal PQ deputy.
Just before the concert started, Raymond Sealey also took
the opportunity to thank all the people who supported him in
the project, including Marc Carrière, Director of MRC
Argenteuil. |
Everybody ready with camera for the
Monarch butterflies release. |
Claire Gaudet distributes the 100
envelopes containing butterflies. |
Raymond Sealey releases his butterfly. |
 |
The photographer worked hard. |
The butterfly on Mary Ernould's
shoulder. |
Mary (my Wwoof guest) |
 |
Some butterflies lingered on the
grass, on windows, on peoples shoulders, legs, heads.
One lady refrained from moving because she had three
butterflies resting on her.
And some stayed within their
envelope to enchant us. |
Madeleine Little, one of the founders
of Camp Cammac receives a standing ovation. |
La Diva, Natalie Choquette made a
grand entrance. She recounted the condition of women
in the opera, who are always either sick and dying or
committing suicide. She sang beautifully without a
microphone, and shown that she is a great comedian to boot.
|
 |
|
Program: Quando m'envo, La
Bohème, Puccini; OZittre Nicht, Die Zauberflöte, Mozart; Im
Chambre Séparée, Der Operanball, Heuberger; Rondo alla Turca,
Mozart; When you Wish Upon a Star, Washington, Harline; My
Man's Gone Now, Porgy and Bess, Gershwin; Alleluia, Mozart;
Laudamus te, Gloria, Vivaldi; Vidmung, Schumann; Ti me
chiamano mimi, La Bohème; Nessun Dorma, Turnandot, Puccini.
|
Another costume...
A man from the audience is invited
to join her for an aria. |
The hand-kissing...
When you Wish Upon a Star. sang by
Eléonore Lagacé, Natalie Choquette's daughter. |
Scott Badford doned a funny hat to
play, while Natalie Choquette changes costumes. |
A nun with a swan-shaped hood for
Halleluiah. |
Another man selected from the
audience. |
Another one served as easel.
The painter in a smock. |
 |
Another hand-kissing lesson and to
the floor for another kind of kiss... |
Eating Spaghetti - the Parisian accent
was perfect and the dress stretched and pulled to keep us in
stitches. |
Musical wine gurgling. |
flowers for the performers, and a
standing ovation. As an encore, Natalie Choquette and
her daughters Eléonore and Ariane Lagacé, sung "Les
chemises de la duchesse..." |
Claire Gaudet and Natalie Choquette
after the performance. |
 |
Here is a Monarch. It symbolizes
the success of the Cammac project and was used as the logo
of Cammac Festival 2006. |
 Betty Daigle-Duyer of Côte St-Luc, with her spoons at Cammac 20th August 2006 last
brunch concert of the season.
Colours
and dimensions artwork may be slightly different from the original.
|
