The first romantic film I ever saw was Moonstruck, starring Cher and Nicolas Cage. One of my all-time favourite scenes in that film is when Cage’s character takes Cher’s character to her first operatic experience, La Bohème, at the glorious Metropolitan Opera and how Cage’s hand inches toward Cher’s, while a woman sings heartbreakingly, and how a single tear runs down Cher’s cheek.

I’ve since seen Moonstruck probably a dozen of times it’s become clear that it’s the love story within the love story that is the ultimate romantic viewing experience. So when I found out that La Bohème was the Vancouver Opera’s season opener, I was more than just a little excited.

Photo credit: Tim Matheson for Vancouver Opera

All the performances were spot-on with tenor Jason Slaydon (Rodolfo) and Marianne Fiset (Mimi), both making their Vancouver Opera debut, driving the show with deep understandings of their characters and expressing it through their phenomenal voices. I also adored mezza-soprano Krisxtina Szabo who was a lot of fun to watch as the gold-digging flirt, Musetta)

The set was spectacular and multi-dimensional. Act Two began with an impressionist painting of a crowded Parisian street being projected onto a see-through screen, with actors slightly replicating that painting just behind it. The result was a beautifully-layered tableau. I also really loved how video of snow falling was used on the same see-through screen in the third act

The greatest love stories are tragic, and this tragedy is what primarily drives the appeal for this story of Mimi and Rodolfo. But what really makes La Bohème so popular here (this is probably the most frequently mounted opera at the VO) and everywhere, is that’s it’s relatable. Qe each have been in Mimi and Rodolfo’s shoes or have felt what they have, and have come to understand that love isn’t what we thought it was. As expressed by Ronny Cammareri in Moonstruck,

“…love don’t make things nice – it ruins everything. It breaks your heart. It makes things a mess. We aren’t here to make things perfect. The snowflakes are perfect. The stars are perfect. Not us. Not us! We are here to ruin ourselves and to break our hearts and love the wrong people and die.”

Vancouver Opera presents La Bohème this Thursday October 25th, Saturday October 27th, and Sunday October 28th at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Follow Vancouver Opera on Twitter and Facebook to learn more about their shows this season.

The Vancouver Christmas Market will be returning to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza on November 24th. Now in its third year, the German-style market showcases traditional crafts, food, and entertainment.

Smell the authentic aromas of Gluehwein (mulled wine) and pine trees perfuming the air. Taste specialty foods including German Bratwurst, Swiss Raclette, Brataepfel (stuffed baked apples), Schupfnudeln (German noodles), Bavarian Leberkaes (meatloaf), and much more.

This year they will have 10 more vendors, 55 wooden booths, and a children’s carousel. The main stage will also host the X-mas Factor Christmas singing competition, sponsored in conjunction with Warren Dean Flandez’s Studio Cloud 30.

Admission deals include a season’s pass with the purchase of one regular admission, which means you pay once and you’re in free the rest of the season. They are also offering a 2-for-1 lunch admission with friends and colleagues. During the week admission is $2 between 11:00am and 4:00pm from Monday to Friday.

The Vancouver Christmas Market will open for the 2012 season on November 24th and run until December 24th, open daily from 11:00am to 9:00pm.

Follow the Vancouver Christmas Market on Twitter and Facebook to learn more about what’s in store this season.

Blueprint Events and Live Nation have announced CONTACT, Western Canada’s largest electronic concert ever to play BC Place this Boxing Day.

Powered by Rogers, CONTACT will feature giant electronic artists like headliner deadmau5 Unhooked. This will be the first electronic dance music event ever held at BC Place and will be the largest to happen in Western Canada.

“This show is going to be incredible – the size, scope, venue, artists and partners we have chosen will make for the largest and most exciting dance event Vancouver and Western Canada has ever seen.

It was important to us that in taking on an event larger than anything we have ever produced that we chose a unique venue and an amazing Canadian artist. We are so proud to be bringing this event to the fans and to the city.” – Alvaro Prol, Founder and CEO of Blueprint Events [Source: Press Release]

3-time Juno Award winner deadmau5 will be joined by Nero, Alesso, Chris Lake and Lazy Rich. Tickets are currently on sale ranging from $65 to $100 for all ages with VIP areas for attendees 19 and over. Get tickets online through Live Nation, by phone 1-855-985-5000 or through the Rogers Wireless Box Office. Rogers Wireless Box Office ticket holders will also receive early entry access to the show with their mobile ticket.

If you would like to win your way in to CONTACT powered by Rogers on Wednesday, December 26, 2012 I have a pair of tickets up for grabs thanks to the Rogers Wireless Box Office. Here’s how you can enter to win:

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I will draw one winner at random on Thursday, November 1, 2012 at 12:00pm. Update The winner is Yvette!

Last week I flew to Toronto to meet up with the Canadian Red Cross. I have been a member of their Social Media Team for over a year and have signed on with others to assist them in geting the word out about disaster management, news, and alerts through my networks. I met with other members of the team first at a Tweetup in downtown Toronto and then at Red Cross headquarters for a quick tour.

Known for its international aid work, it was interesting to see the community programs the Red Cross was running in Toronto. They have a medical supply rental facility (walkers, wheelchairs) and a food hamper program that feeds about 600 individuals twice a month, in partnership with Tim Burrows, Joallore Alon, and Sandra Brunner. There we met up with other team members Ann Douglas, Ann-Marie Burton, and Jorges Rosales.

There were a few dozen delegates at the Emergency Response Unit (“ERU”) acting out a disaster relief simulation. When these doctors and nurses arrived they were briefed as though they were meeting in Ottawa to be deployed. They were told the name of a (fictional) country, the setting, and key elements such as the local customs.

We learned that before the Red Cross enters a country they first of all have to be invited — they don’t deploy without being asked to help. Then they need to establish where they will setup, working with local political and religious figures to make sure they are being respectful, will be safe, and will have access to 3 key elements: water, fuel, and staff. The goal is to bring in the ERU and work with local volunteers and professionals to assist them in being self-sufficient. The entire ERU can be setup within 48 hours and is usually run by the Red Cross for 3 months. At the end of the term (except in extreme cases) the Red Cross leaves the entire ERU for the locals so that they can continue their efforts.

As in a real situation, the delegates at the ERU scenario help set up camp, establish a water source, unload, and get the operation up and running. “Everyone has to grab a hammer and get those tents up,” Karen Snider, Media Manager, told us. During our visit she introduced us to Jean-Pierre Taschereau, Senior Manager, Emergency Response for International Operations and Hossam Elsharkawi, Director of Emergencies and Recovery who each had powerful messages to convey, in particular about their tours in Haiti.

Our group walked around as though we were invisible to the delegates, they were on a mission after all, however our role turned from spectator to participant later in the night when organizers popped a “mass casualty” exercise on the ERU. Unaware of when this would take place, about 30 volunteers (including our group) were assigned various inflictions as though we had just been involved in an accident. Sirens rang out around the camp after dark and the delegates sprang into action. This surprise training exercise lasted about 30 minutes then the entire group met in a nearby lodge for a full rundown and wrap-up to discuss the event. Our group returned to Toronto, running high on what I would imagine was only a fraction of the adrenaline the delegates has pumping during the exercice.

During our visit I also learned that this ERU setup would not be deployed on our own soil in Canada as provincial and local governments have their own emergency plans in place. However, Hossam and the Red Cross had been working with the Province of British Columbia to make an exception in the event that the “big one” struck. Today, it was announced that the partnership has been approved:

BC has signed a formal agreement with the agency that ensures its Canadian arm is regularly involved in planning for a natural disaster. The partnership will include ensuring Red Cross Emergency Response Units, which are trained personnel and equipment that can be deployed within two days, will be ready to assist BC in the event of a major catastrophe.

The Canadian Red Cross’ John Byrne says up to 200 people from Canada could be called on first if a large quake hits, then teams from the US and abroad would be called upon. He says his organization has great confidence in the emergency response plans the province currently has in place. Attorney General Shirley Bond says the partnership will not cost more, but lays out protocol and ensures there is backup resources to help local teams if necessary. [News 1130]

It was fascinating to get just a small glimpse of the Red Cross’ processes in just a very short period of time. If you would like to learn more about their work globally and locally, follow @RedCrossCanada and @RedCrossTalks on Twitter. To support the Canadian Red Cross, visit them online.

A big thanks to WestJet for flying me out to be a part of this experience and supporting the Canadian Red Cross.

VanDusen Botanical Garden is celebrating the first anniversary of its award-winning Visitor Centre that is self-sufficient, carbon neutral, and has LEED Platinum certification. The Visitor Centre has meeting space, the garden’s gift shop, and Truffles Cafe. It’s your first stop on your self-guided tour of the 55 acre garden that has over 50 points of interest.

Perennials, oaks, beeches, the Korean Pavilion, Canadian Heritage Garden, Meditation Garden, the maze, Sino-Himalayan Garden, fern dell, conifers, Japanese Maples, bamboos, yews, the rock garden, Livingston Lake, Heron Lake, and Shaughnessy Lake are all attractions.

Since VanDusen is one of my favourite places to photograph and enjoy fall colours in Vancouver, I’m giving away a 4-pack of admission tickets to one lucky reader. Here’s how you can enter to win:

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VanDusen is open every day from 10:00am to 5:00pm in October, and 10:00am to 4:00pm in November and December. They host themed events year-round such as the Great A-Mazing Egg Hunt, Sakura Day Japan Fair, Little Spooks and Friendly Ghosts, and the very popular Festival of Lights in December.

I will draw one winner next Tuesday, October 30, 2012 at 12:00pm. Tickets are valid until the end of 2012 but are not valid during the Festival of Lights.

Update The winner is Zaelia Blue!