It’s a tale of two cities and the contrasting fortunes of two political leaders. While Stephen Harper was playing Beatles covers in Ottawa at the National Arts Centre on Saturday night, backed by an up-and-coming cellist called Yo-Yo Ma, Michael Ignatieff was in Quebec City preparing to wrestle the renegade Quebec wing of his Liberal Party to the ground.
While the Prime Minister was in the process of winning over his toughest critics – the wealthy elites who attend black tie galas, he so memorably disparaged during the last election – Mr. Ignatieff was cleaning up the fall-out from the Denis Coderre affair.
The consensus in Ottawa last night at the National Arts Centre, including among some Liberal MPs, was that Mr. Harper’s surprise appearance at the annual NAC gala was a political masterstroke. In the event it wasn’t a complete surprise – someone had tipped CTV to the possibility, so at least one network had live footage – but even minutes before the black tie event began, Laureen Harper, the Prime Minister’s wife and the gala’s honourary chair, could be heard downplaying the rumour, saying as far as she knew her husband was home watching Hockey Night in Canada.
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Mr. Ignatieff and his advisors must have watched the coverage, head in hands, through gaps in their fingers, and wondered what else can possibly go wrong for them.
Updates:
Up and coming cellist Yo-Yo Ma? Tongue in cheek much??
Re: #1 — Must be. Never heard of him until today but then I don’t get out much.
Yo-Yo Ma is the most celebrated cellist of this century and the latter part of the last century.
Here’s a video of Ma playing Beethoven’s “Quartet for Two Honkers, Dinger and Cello” at a rather famous venue… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89sFEuEuTYM
What a great performance, not because it was musically great, but because it absolutely destroys the notion that the Parliamentary Press Gallery and National media hacks have been meticulously building for the last few years that Harper is some sort of cold, rigid, mean spirited, heartless autonomaton.
After hitting it out of the park, Harper even looks a bit humble and sheepish at the end.
Ivison cant ever be bothered to give Harper a tip of the hat and say well done. Maybe thats just as well, because it certainly exposes Ivisons pettiness.
Yo-Yo Ma is a musical genius. His performances with Herbie Hancock are timeless works of art. How did Harper get performance time with him?
Well, Cynapse, I would guess that the PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA graciously accepted
the invitation.
Or perhaps Yo Yo Ma got one of Arpers famous ‘bail-outs’
Cynapse and I agree on something! Mark it on the calendar!!
I should have guess Cynapse was a jazz fan but I thought he was into rap…?
@Lee – World renowned musical icons are usually above political PR stunts, if for no other reason the risk of upstaging the politician. Times must be tough in the classical world. He’d already done Obama’s inaugration, which was pushing it a bit.
@ Mac – … and blues and classical and drum n bass and techno and older R&B. Got trained/tested with the Conservatory and am probably going to go back for more Music Theory training. I like sound. If money were no object, that’s be my job.
Calendar marked.
My trip to Memphis in July was a highlight. There were kids on the street corners making better music than I’ve seen/heard headlining here in the medium venues in Vancouver. Inside the clubs and restaurants, things were even better.
I gave him 2 thumbs up for the performance, I’m not sure whether this is a contrived performance as part of a make over to a kinder more gentle Harper that the voting public can better identify with, or whether he really did let his hair down a bit to show us a different side… I may end up leaning towards the latter given a comment nastyboy left regarding the post.
Contrive or otherwise, it takes some serious cojones to walk out on stage in front of a crowd, let alone sing or play an instrument… even more to do both… and Harper did so with aplomb.
Perhaps, just perhaps, Harper will surprise us even more in the coming days?
I hope the PM practises “Ring of Fire” (Johnny Cash) and graces us again with an impromtu performance. heh, he’s Canada’s ‘man in black.’ Chic black dress, PM.
Also, the articlist should correct that in the text where he says YoYo Ma is up-and-coming cellist to world-renouned cellist. Just sayin.
Meanwhile, I’m beginning to see Ignatieff and Bob Rae as the Howells on Gilligan’s Island. All ‘champagne promises and caviar dreams.’ Yep, that’s their profile on the Canadian scene — THE HOWELLS COUPLE. Who can do a cartoon of that??
To Harper’s credit, he’s effectively burying the Liberals’ chancees of accomplishing any gains during the next election. The extent of their platform is still “Harper is Scary”. Harper singing the Beatles = not scary.
Harper playing with Yo Yo Ma = Not Scary (and a side tip to the lucrative Asian vote)
Harper is also visibly 3 years ahead of Ignatieff in cultivating a smile. The “scariness” is on the Liberal side, if for no other reason their lack of organization.
Contrived or not, this move was smart.
@ Mac - That is an experience I’d like to have at some point. I did learn quite a bit about sound and timbre during the Trinidad Carnival and a little bit during a brief visits to New York and Georgia. Music is an the language you can master and expand without a formal education – the opportunities are limitless.
@Cynapse: You are, IMO, right about how this will impact Liberal chances in the next election, to reprint a comment I just made over at my shop
Do the parties get 1.95/vote in by-elections or just general elections.
Why has no one mentioned iffys statement re Bill 101 that it should be mandated all across Canada. That will get a lot of votes here in the west.
Why was Codere absent, sick father they say.
Today he says he will appoint a Quebec boss, another flip-flop, what will he say tomorrow.
Paulstuff left a priceless comment at BLY, iffy is disappearing so fast he will soon be on milk cartons.
He did a commendable job, and then threw it all down the drain right at the end by biting the head off a bat. How could he ever have thought that would be a good idea?
It’s not a big deal that Jack didn’t hear about Yo-Yo Ma. If you asked me to name one basketball player in the NBA, forget it. It’s all based on what you’re exposed to.
NBA? What’s that??
NHL – whats that?? Oh, I know, something the Americans control.
New Home Loans?
National Healthy Legislation?
Nosepicking Hamster Lovers?