The Banff Centre: Communications

The Globe and Mail — October 20, 2005.   A Banff research station operated by five western Canadian universities will receive $3.6-million from the U.S. and Mexican governments over the next five years. The Banff International Research Station has been involved in breakthroughs in fuel cell technology and mathematical models of the spread of SARS, said Ivar Ekeland, the director of the UBC-based Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences, which oversees the station. It’s the first time for $550,000 in Mexican funding, and the American funding has never been in the form of a direct grant, he said. [BIRS is located on the Banff Centre campus]

The Globe and Mail — October 18, 2005.   Review of the premiere of Alberta Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet in Calgary.

The ballet is a co-production with the Banff Centre, which built Guillaume Lord’s large-scale set and constructed Martine Bertrand’s 100-plus costumes. Big, however, does not necessarily mean better.

Grand-Maître’s choreography could rise above the design flaws, but it has a split personality. Thank goodness for the taut second act, which has vibrancy and life, but the first act, except for the fight scenes, borders on blancmange. The choreographer has time on his side, and let’s hope he sharpens the first act to enhance the dramatic moments.