BetterMost Community Blogs > My "Great White North"
The English Canadian Olympics
Monika:
--- Quote from: Sheriff Roland on February 15, 2010, 12:18:28 pm ---
k d lang definitively took the show with what I've often said has been the best english 'new song' of the past quater century.
--- End quote ---
I agree! Several people I´ve talked to over the last few days have said the same thing, even though many of them hadn´t heard of her before.
I had a k.d Lang evening last night, watching a dozen or so interviews. She is gorgeous and what a voice.
Monika:
--- Quote from: jmmgallagher on February 15, 2010, 11:51:43 am ---
--- End quote ---
Love this poster!
Aloysius J. Gleek:
--- Quote from: Sheriff Roland on February 15, 2010, 12:18:28 pm ---k d lang definitively took the show with what I've often said has been the best english 'new song' of the past quater century.
--- End quote ---
--- Quote from: Buffymon on February 15, 2010, 12:48:10 pm --- I agree! Several people Ive talked to over the last few days have said the same thing, even though many of them hadn't heard of her before.
I had a k.d Lang evening last night, watching a dozen or so interviews. She is gorgeous and what a voice.
--- End quote ---
Juno Awards, Winnipeg, 2005
k.d. Lang sings Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah
[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_NpxTWbovE&feature[/youtube]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallelujah_(Leonard_Cohen_song)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Cohen
oilgun:
--- Quote from: Sheriff Roland on February 15, 2010, 12:02:09 pm ---I've just seen the entire opening ceremonies @ http://www.ctvolympics.ca/video/collections/collectionid=40427/index.html
(live feed on Saturday night sucked big time - only got to watch about half the show)
And I have these additional comments about the English Canadian Olympics.
In spite of the inclusiveness of intent, the truth is in the tasting. There was even less french 'speach' than I had imagined.
First, the Aboriginal introduction: did they have to tag along a simple 'bienvenue' after having spoken in their native language and in english? Couldn't at least one of the four nations have made their welcome in their native tongue and french with a simple 'welcome' instead? (BTW, looking at the faces, I fully believe that those were original Natives, Métis and Inuits - in their most attractive and representative garbs and dance mouvements)
The president of the Vancouver Games used three occasions to speak in French, never using more than 3 words each time and never adding anything new in terms of ideas, unlike Rogue, who actually added some additional 'message' when speaking en français.
As for Garou, (whom the english announcer couldn't even pronouce correctly), he's many rungs bellow Céline Dion's celebrity status (though he was a good fit for the show). One does not adequately compensate for the other. They needed to at least have a cast of francophone celebrities if they were to limit french to a single song - which I still can't accept as being adequate. I liked Garou's interpretation, but did they have to have the text of his song translated in both languages on all screens? Did they do that for any of the English songs? - Tokenism at it's worse.
I'm not done, but I'll continue in another post.
--- End quote ---
I like Garou and I don't consider him several rungs below the wailing Celine, lol! He may not be as well-known internatinally as she is, but then, who is?
This is pretty pathetic, VANOC is so arrogant and clueless (I was right about the Celine Dion thing, LOL!)
Source: http://www.ctvolympics.ca/news-centre/newsid=41449.html#vanoc+defends+french+content+opening+ceremony
VANOC defends French content of opening ceremony
The Globe and Mail
By Rod Mickleburgh, The Globe and Mail Posted Sunday, February 14, 2010 4:28 PM ET
VANCOUVER - Olympic organizers rushed Sunday to defend the francophone content of Friday's opening ceremonies, after strong criticism by Heritage Minister James Moore, who said bluntly that there should have been more French in the three-hour show.
Official Languages Commissioner Graham Fraser joined in the criticism, saying he had the impression he was watching a performance, despite its stunning visual impact, "that was conceived, developed and presented in English, with a French song at the end."
But VANOC spokeswoman Renée Smith-Valade said the organization had made "a very deliberate focus and effort to ensure a strong celebration of Quebec culture and language."
Producers of the spectacular, multimillion-dollar extravaganza had also tried to increase the French share of the show by asking Quebec's celebrated Céline Dion to participate, but Ms. Dion declined, Ms. Smith-Valade disclosed.
The world-famous singer was in hospital at the time of the ceremonies, for treatments to help her conceive a second child.
"Céline Dion was thrilled to be asked, and she was disappointed not to be able to come, and we would have loved to have her," Ms. Smith-Valade said.
Two other top-flight Quebec artists, whom she refused to identify, also turned VANOC down, citing scheduling difficulties, she added.
But three of the eight Olympic flag bearers were from Quebec, stunning acrobatics during the ceremonies were performed by École national de cirque from Montreal, two of the show's chief producers were Québécois, and the final spotlight before the arrival of the Olympic torch went to Quebec singer Garou, she pointed out.
Ms. Smith-Valade acknowledged that perhaps VANOC had not done a good enough job communicating with the federal government about the elements in the gala production that highlighted the French culture and language.
In an interview with the CBC, Mr. Moore said he was proud of the spectacular production "with this one caveat. ... There should have been more French. Full stop. Period. ... I was disappointed there wasn't as much French as we were expecting, and as we were told there would be."
The minister added the government has made it clear to VANOC that they expect better at the ceremonies to close the Olympics, Feb. 28.
Mr. Moore declined to elaborate on his comments to CBC, but spokeswoman Deirdra McCracken said: "We voiced our concerns directly to VANOC. We did so immediately."
Mr. Fraser echoed Mr. Moore's disappointment, particularly given the steps VANOC had taken to ensure signage, volunteers and all announcements are bilingual at the Games. "French could be seen at the ceremonies, but it wasn't what I expected after all the work we've done [with VANOC]."
He noted that even a quotation from 19th-century Québécois poet François-Xavier Garneau was read out in translated English, rather than its original French.
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, interviewed while taking in an Olympic speed skating event, said he wondered at the lack of French content during the ceremonies, as well. "I think the francophone culture was short. It was a little bit of a letdown."
Asked about the same issue moments after the ceremony concluded, executive producer David Atkins referred to the long segment of Acadian fiddling and the song, Un peu plus haut, un peu plus loin, performed by Garou "at the penultimate moment of the ceremony ... Should one be ruled by quota or significance?"
Ms. Smith-Valade also reminded reporters that Mr. Atkins had felt the overall atmosphere created during the ceremonies was more French than English, because it was more intimate [making it more French].
Sheriff Roland:
An English (Québecois) newspaper's response to Canada and, in particular, the offensive opening ceremonies ...
http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/arrogant+nationalism+were+sport+Canada+would+gold/2568915/story.html
If arrogant nationalism were a sport, Canada would win gold
Although the organizers bent over backward to give an appropriate place to Canada's native people, their blind spot in regard to French Canada was staggeringly disrespectful. You'd almost think a sovereignist mole had staged the whole ceremony to stoke Quebec's resentment.
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