Volume 26 Issue 1 - September 2020

FOR OPENERS | DAVID PERLMAN
CONVERSATIONS
PRICELESS!
Eagle-eyed readers will have already noticed that the word
PRICELESS! is back in its time-honoured spot at the top right of
our front cover, where a price would usually be.
It was supplanted this time last year in favour of a year-long
25th Season! shoutout. Before that it graced every cover for six seasons,
commencing September 2013.
Before that, FREE was the word, all the way back to Vol 1 No 1 in
September 1995. Although it must be said that in the first year we
were somewhat inconsistent about including it. Everyone understood
that, along with such timeless institutions as NOW magazine that’s
what controlled circulation publications were.
So from “free”, to “priceless”, to a year of celebrating silver linings,
and now back to priceless again. But for how long? And what comes
next? Those are the questions.
Looking back, at kiosk.thewholenote.com (come on you can do it!)
at the very first “priceless” cover in September 2013 makes me smile,
not completely wryly. It’s a gorgeous cover photo of Tafelmusik’s
Jeanne Lamon, hard hat in hand, standing in the under-reconstruction
balcony at Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church and Centre for
Faith, Justice and the Arts, Tafelmusik’s home from day one. She is
smiling too.
WORK IN PROGRESS! the story title shouts from that cover.
Which, from today’s vantage point – an entire world of faith, justice
and the arts stood on its head – might just as well be taken as a sign
of better things to come.
As to why we chose to go from “free” to “priceless” at that very
moment in 2013, let’s just say, it was waving a flag: cocky, jaunty,
danger ahead. Take your pick.
For now the priceless flag is back. But, as the signs say, “Watch This
Space”. Because whatever it’s going to be, it won’t say “Free” again.
At what price The WholeNote? And who should pay? The answers
to that are also a work in progress. No instant answers needed, but
please, dear readers, give it some thought, and drop me a line.
In the meanwhile, please enjoy our “While you’re waiting” stroll
through 25 years of WholeNote covers. And a bumper crop of stories
bursting with ideas.
And look at “FOUR OF A KIND” on page 59. You could help keep
the PRICELESS flag waving a little longer than it otherwise might.
publisher@thewholenote.com
OPERA SQUARED
Anna Theodosakis
On Brott Opera’s
Don Giovanni
DAVID PERLMAN
It was a phone call from Hamilton, from Boris
Brott, that put me on the trail of this story. Brott is
indefatigable: between May 2 and August 13 the Brott
Music Festival offered up 18 online productions, none more
intriguing than their virtual Don Giovanni which aired, on
Facebook, on July 30 and remains available at brottmusic.
com. “You should watch it,” Brott said, so I did. Half way
through I was hooked and called him back with questions.
“You should talk to Anna [Theodosakis],” he said. So I did.
What follows is a highly condensed version of a half-hour telephone
chat.
WHOLENOTE: I haven’t finished watching all the way through, life
gets in the way when you don’t have to dress up. I have reached the
party scene though! A lot of the virtual stuff being generated right now
that tries to be a “reasonable facsimile” of live, leaves me cold. What
struck me about this is you have made the medium a huge asset.
Upcoming Dates & Deadlines for our October 2020 edition
Free Event Listings Deadline
Midnight, Tuesday, September 15
Display Ad Reservations Deadline
6pm Tuesday, September 15
Advertising Materials Due
6pm Thursday, September 17
Classifieds Deadline
6pm Saturday September 26
Publication Date
Tuesday September 29 (online)
Thursday October 1 (print)
Volume 26 No 2 “OCTOBER 2020”
will list events
October 1 to November 7, 2020
and launch
The 21st Annual BLUE PAGES
for info: members@thewholenote.com
WholeNote Media Inc. accepts
no responsibility or liability for
claims made for any product or
service reported on or advertised
in this issue.
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JULY 2020
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ISSN 14888-8785 WHOLENOTE
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