'Chinese Spectacular' Draws Host of VIPs in Ottawa

By Joan Delaney Epoch Times Staff

Jan 14, 2008

Canadian Environment Minister John Baird (The Epoch Times)

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The Canadian debut of the 2008 Chinese New Year Spectacular world tour wowed a 2,100-strong audience at Ottawa's National Arts Centre on Sunday night.

The first of 20 shows in Canada, the Spectacular has been billed as a renaissance of the true Chinese culture that had all but disappeared under decades of communist rule.

This is spurring something of a resurgence of traditional culture in the Chinese art community and is drawing the attention and admiration of audiences around the world.

The show, which drew a standing ovation and rave reviews from an impressed audience, was attended by some of Ottawa's finest, including government officials and representatives as well as leaders from the city's business, artistic, university, and Chinese communities.

Canadian Environment Minister John Baird addressed a pre-show VIP reception, joined by about 100 distinguished guests. Baird said that the Spectacular presents "a very different perspective of China and the values that are at the root of a lot of Chinese civilization, which is exciting culturally and intellectually."

After a second show in Ottawa tonight, theSpectacular will move to Montreal and Toronto before continuing its global tour, which includes an 11-day run at New York's famed Radio City Music Hall. It will return to Canada in the spring to play Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.

The following are photos of some of the prominent attendees at the National Arts Centre Sunday night.

Canadian Environment Minister John Baird (The Epoch Times)	Mary Jo Lynch, Director of Carleton International, Carleton University. (The Epoch Times)
Ontario Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod. (Ivan Ning/The Epoch Times)	Ontario Liberal MPP Madeleine Meilleur. (Ivan Ning/The Epoch Times)
Daniel Bouchard, news anchor with French CBC in Ottawa-Gatineau. (The Epoch Times)	Member of Parliament Pierre Poilievre. (The Epoch Times)
Prominent human rights lawyer David Matas (The Epoch Times)	Glenn Hodgins, Executive Director of the Ottawa Chamber Music Society (The Epoch Times)
Dr. Allan Ryan, New Sun Chair in Aboriginal Art and Culture, Carleton University. (The Epoch Times)	Brian McAdam, a 30-year career Canadian diplomat who served at the Canadian mission in Hong Kong. (The Epoch Times)
Genevieve Mareschal and David Staines, Professor, Department of English Chair, Department of Music at the University of Ottawa. (The Epoch Times)	Audrey Churgin, acclaimed Ottawa artist. (The Epoch Times)
Kevin Orr and wife Stephanie Turple. Orr is Associate Professor, Department of Theatre at the University of Ottawa. (The Epoch Times)	David Gibbons of the Ottawa Mayor's office and wife Mandy Hair (C). (The Epoch Times)
Amanda Forsyth [R] and her mother Lesley Forsyth. Amanda is the principal cellist in the NAC orchestra. (The Epoch Times)	Rosemarie Kinnis [L] and Cyril Dabydeen [R]. Dabydeen is a writer, poet, and a professor at the University of Ottawa.
Carleton University Professor Barclay Johnson (The Epoch Times)	Laura Kilgour, wife of former MP and Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific David Kilgour. (The Epoch Times)
Ottawa City Councilor Jacques Legendre (The Epoch Times)	Theresa, an assistant in Hon. Madeleine Meilleur's office. (The Epoch Times)
VIP reception, NAC (The Epoch Times)	VIP reception, NAC (The Epoch Times)