Images from Jean Sibelius biography site.

Canadian Friends of Finland, Vancouver Chapter, presents:
SIBELIUS…..THE LAST SWAN
A stage play performed by Western Gold Theatre
Saturday October 29, 2005, 2 – 3.30 pm
Scandinavian Community Centre, 6540 Thomas St., Burnaby, B.C.
The one-hour play will be followed by a discussion of the subject.
Admission $ 10, refreshments included

A highly original piece by Don Mowatt and Harri Virtanen, Sibelius….the Last Swan is a documentary play with music about the creative and physical problems overcome by love and courage in the great Finnish composer’s last years.

Don Mowatt was Radio Arts Producer for thirty-four years at CBC, producing over a thousand radio plays and documentaries as well as writing and producing for Ideas, In Performance and The Arts Tonight. He is the recipient of several awards, including two George F. Peabody Medals, the highest broadcast award available. He is one of three co-artistic directors of Western Gold Theatre.

Western Gold Theatre was founded in 1994 by the distinguished Canadian actor and director, Joy Coghill, to establish a community of accomplished senior performing artists. The company aims to produce and present outstanding professional theatre that expands horizons and enriches the lives of mature artists and their audiences. The theatres seminal production was a creative exploration entitled The Dream Project which was the subject of a CBC documentary, The Courage to Dream. The company takes dramatic readings out into the community on a regular basis throughout the year, and has produced and commissioned four major stage plays in recent years for the Vancouver Playhouse, The Arts Club Theatre and the Belfry Theatre in Victoria.

The cast : Lee Taylor – Sibelius, Doris Chilcott – Aino, Christine Anton – Eva, Don Mowatt – Kajanus

SIDENOTE: This announcement came in an email notice that goes out to members, like myself, of the Vancouver chapter of Canadian Friends of Finland, one of many Nordic organizations that are based at the Scandinavian Community Centre. The Canadian Friends of Finland, Ottawa branch has a good site explaining its mandate and programs.

We saw this play a few years ago at the Centre, found it very moving, enjoyed it tremendously and highly recommend it!