Network: CBC Television Network
Broadcast Run: 1966 to 1967
Broadcast Medium: Television
Broadcast Wednesday nights at 9:30 PM from October 1966 to May 1967
This program was a special series of 8 one-hour shows broadcast monthly during the course of the television season. Some the shows were in colour, seen for the first time on Canadian television.
Episode titles: Prelude to Expo; Percy Faith: Off the Record’ Gala Performance [opera highlights]; Ceremony of Joy [Beethoven’s Ninth] w/ Ozawa, TSO, Lois Marshall, Maureen Forrester and the members of the Toronto Mendelsohn Choir; And The Music We Wrote, produced by Norman Campbell [light opera and dance]; The Thirties, hosted by Patrick Watson; and Hello Delhi! [a celebration of world music] with Gordie Tapp.
The first program was at the unfinished site of Expo 67 in Montreal. It featured the Oscar Peterson Trio, Miriam Makeba, Gordon Lightfoot, Jean Pierre Ferland, Pauline Julien, Marcel Carignan, Aldor Morin, dancer Vincent Warren, and the Jimmy Dale Orchestra. The show was produced and directed by Paddy Sampson and written by Barry Callaghan.
The rest of the series featured some of the most important contributors to the Canadian mainstream music scene, including Percy Faith, Shirley Harmer, Robert Savioe, Louis La Traverse, Claude Corbeil, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra with conductor Seiji Ozawa, Lois Marshall, Maureen Forrester, dancers Veronica Tennant and Jeremy Blanton etc. Just about every leading Canadian musician, singer or dancer made an appearance on the show during its run.
In 1985, the show title returned with a similar format and presentation.
Written by John Corcelli – May, 2005