Olympics and culture

Elizabeth May

I had a wonderful dose of both this evening.  First, I went to one of the best local pubs, the Prairie Inn (an institution founded in 1859), with lots of large screen TVs (not since 1859).

It was the perfect spot for the spectacle of watching the opening ceremonies.  Of course, I am sure people who were actually there felt their spot was better, but they did not get to watch Team Canada marching in while eating local oysters!

Around the time Nelly Furtado and Bryan Adams finished their number, I headed off for another much anticipated event. 

I have several friends involved in a choir called “Voces Intimae.”  This community choir performs to a highly professional standard, specializing in a capella pieces. Tonight was the debut of their extraordinary Rachmaninov’s “Vespers.” Rachmaninov wrote this  liturgical 15 movement choral work composed for a sunset service in 1915. I had never heard of it.  My friend Heather who is in the choir had told me that as they practiced, she found the piece brought her to tears.  Weeks ago, I put the opening night in my calendar, forgetting it was the opening night of the Olympics.  The concert did not disappoint. I was transported and deeply moved.  It was the most extraordinary music.  Heavenly.

As I was reading the choir director’s notes in the programme, I started down the line of thought that led to this blog.

Tony Booker wrote:

“….when planning this particular concert I was not aware that it coincided with the opening of the Games, so I am really grateful to our audience members who have decided that it is more important to get out and support local community arts events than to stay home glued to the ‘box.’…When you listen to the ‘Vespers’ I am sure you will agree that performing this work is as challenging as performing in an Olympic event.  It requires

  1. dedication;
  2. years of training and coaching;
  3. enormous courage and physical endurance (and nerves of steel); and
  4. exceptional intelligence (in this case the ability to read both music and Russian).”

While I agree, no doubt, others may dispute that an a capella choir can compare with an Olympic event. The Olympics celebrate youth and physical skill.  The arts can celebrate young and old, wisdom, experience and deep spiritual awakening.  

I have been fortunate to know a number of wonderful young women in the Canadian heavyweight women’s Rowing Team.  Some have won Gold and Silver.  That I have friends who won Olympic medals may not have been the most logically intuitive connection, but I got involved with an effort to address the water pollution problems in the artificial lake where they practice near London.  I know how much they juggle school and practice, touring and competitions with other obligations, their family and studies.  How they struggle financially, all to excel in their sport.  People dedicated to their sport at the level of Olympic performance are inspiring.

But so too are our musicians and dancers, poets and community choirs.  In all this Olympic fever, it is worth asking whether we need a Cultural Olympics.  My grandmother was from Wales, where the national cultural festival, the Eisteddfod, has the national stature we give the Olympics.  The awarding of the chair for poetry and for prose conveys on the winner the aura of national hero.   (I grew up with enormous pride that my great-grandfather was twice chaired as bard at the Eisteddfod). 

I got home late and watched more of the opening ceremonies on tape.  An astonishing transformation of ice floes, to magical whales swimming across an open ocean to salmon to forest.  Sarah McLachlan singing of ordinary miracles. A celebration of fiddling and step dancers, with a rousing crescendo from Cape Breton’s Ashley MacIsaac. Donald Sutherland’s voice, quotes from Canadian literary giants.  KD Lang singing Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.    Measha Brueggergosman and the Olympic hymn. Stunning as spectacle and profiling some of our most talented and successful artists.       

That was culture, wasn’t it?  And if the Olympics can deliver such a breath-taking show as David Atkins and Ignatius Jones put on tonight, then is it churlish to say we need more? 

No.  Now is the right time to say we need more arts support.  More chances for singers to be supported before they win Grammies.  For poets to be celebrated even if they aren’t Leonard Cohen.  Even if they are young, unheard of performers of spoken word poetry, of young violinists and ballet dancers, let’s support their training and coaching. Let’s start dreaming of the world cultural Olympics. 

It is not a choice between athletics and the arts.  We don’t choose between our lungs and our heart.  A healthy society needs both.  We can choose both.