Festivals

This year’s Ottawa Jazz Festival will be a virtual event from August 19 to 22. Organizers say they could also introduce pop-up concerts throughout the city, if permitted closer to the time.

As one of the biggest and best-known animation festivals worldwide, the OIAF’s 2021 event is expected to draw a virtual audience of industry, students and fans from across North America and around the world.

This week in the Future of Ottawa series, we’re taking a deep dive into four of Ottawa’s most unique music communities—what they’re like now and where things are heading. Read on for a guest post from Carissa Klopoushak on the future of classical music in Ottawa.

Carissa Klopoushak was recently appointed Artistic Director of Ottawa Chamberfest. She became interim Artistic Director after Roman Borys stepped down and has now taken on the role permanently.

Founded by the Fabienne Colas Foundation and supported by Canadian Heritage, the first Ottawa Black Film Festival just announced its official online program and events lineup, which runs from March 25–28, 2021, and includes 30 films and a variety of panels.

Broadway Friends Forever: “Through laughs and raps No More Mr. Rice Guy is able to delve into issues of race and what it’s like to manoeuvre through a world where you never quite feel accepted. More than finding himself as a rapper, Rice Guy starts to discover who he wants to be as a human being.”

Livia Belcea: “The full-length world premiere of No More Mr. Rice Guy integrates all the ingredients that worked so well for its shorter format: the humorous references to Asian culture are innocent, the dialogue is original and quirky, and Franco is as skilled and exceptional as ever in his performance, even from what is presumably his bedroom in Richmond Hill.”

This week in the Future of Ottawa, we are shining a light on film. Read on for Tom McSorley’s take on the present and future of film festivals. Tom McSorley is the Executive Director of the Canadian Film Institute and teaches film studies at Carleton University.

Broadway Friends Forever: “Without reading the synopsis, it may take you a while to actually catch on to what the show is about, even though you’ll enjoy the songs and journey it takes you on.”

Barb Popel: “This polished production, particularly because of the quality of its music, deserves an audience.”

Amanda Armstrong: “This is the first piece of live(stream) theatre I have seen during the pandemic and I have to say, I was impressed. The performance captures your focus.”

Ron Sexsmith is performing live tonight as part of the Ottawa Winter Jazzfest. His concert, taped behind closed doors at Arts Court Theatre, will be broadcast via YouTube on Saturday, March 6 at 8:30pm.

Kirk MacDonald’s Generations Quartet is performing live tonight as part of the Ottawa Winter Jazzfest. The concert, taped behind closed doors at Arts Court Theatre, will be broadcast via YouTube on Saturday, March 6 at 6pm.