What to do in Ottawa July 27 to Aug.2: Enjoy theatre under the stars, a feast with fireworks or Christmas in July

Published Jul 26, 2023 • 3 minute read

The a cappella group Cantus is to play the 2023 Ottawa Chamberfest. Photo by Handout

CHAMBER MUSIC

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When the a cappella group Cantus makes its Chamberfest debut next Tuesday, Aug. 1, it will embrace a broad, modern approach to repertoire. The Minneapolis-based all-male ensemble will tackle everything from music by Sibelius and Dvorak to the piece El Manisero, a song that jazz fans may know as The Peanut Vendor, plus a special commission by Melissa Dunphy inspired by the challenges that foreign-born people face when becoming U.S. citizens. Beyond the specifics of the material, riveting harmonies and soaring solos will impress. Tickets for the concert on Chamberfest’s penultimate night at Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre (355 Cooper St.) are $35 at chamberfest.com.

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THEATRE

Odyssey Theatre returns to Strathcona Park with a contemporary adaptation of the Molière comedy, The Miser, set in modern-day Ottawa. Adapted by Lib Spry and Odyssey artistic director Laurie Steven, the play chronicles the antics of Harpagon, a greedy miser, illustrating themes of greed and corruption with a modern twist and delivering them with a healthy dose of satire, along with the elaborate masks, costumes and skilful set design of every Odyssey show. It also marks a reunion for the award-winning team of director Andy Massingham and actor Jesse Buck, who stars as Harpagon, and features a talented and diverse cast. The open-air play runs nightly Tuesdays to Sundays until Aug. 20, with pay-what-you-can matinees on Sunday afternoons. Half-price tickets are available for opening weekend, July 27-30, at odysseytheatre.ca.

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ROCK

Ottawa’s Lloyd Smiley usually spends his summers on a remote lake in the wilds of Quebec, but he’s back in town this weekend to celebrate the release of his first solo album, Moonlight Streetlight. The singer-songwriter-guitarist creates a mix of soulful rock and blues that he calls “cottage rawk,” and is backed by a band that includes several familiar faces on the scene, including guitarist Jamieson Mackay, drummer Brian Wallin and Jon Brownlee on bass. The party happens Friday at the Rainbow Bistro (76 Murray St.), where he works tending bar when it’s not cottage season. Advance tickets are $12.50, available at therainbow.ca. Doors open at 8 p.m. Admission is likely to be a bit more at the door.

FOOD

When Les Grands Feux du Casino Lac-Leamy starts next Wednesday, Aug. 2, some of the fireworks will be of a culinary kind, leaping off barbecue-themed plates created by some of the Outaouais’s top chefs. The high-powered brigade, which will include 2019 Canadian Culinary Champion Yannick La Salle, will operate L’Incandescent, a pop-up on the grounds of the Canadian Museum of History. On the menu will be shrimp takos, chicken souvlaki, grilled mushrooms, smoked and shredded lamb burger, grilled Korean short ribs, vegetarian skewers, smoked tofu and more. The pop-up will be taking place from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday, from Aug. 2-19. Tickets and information are at feux.qc.ca.

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JAZZ

The Music Quintet’s name is a little generic, and its 2022 album, entitled Plays Music, also skimps on description. That said, the freewheeling jazz played by these alumni and students of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio has a lot going for it. The group is committed to making unfettered, surging, probing music, spun from the rugged influences of Ornette Coleman, Charles Mingus and Don Cherry, that rewards listeners willing to meet it halfway. The group, which released an album on Bandcamp last year, plays sets on Friday at 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. at Montgomery Scotch Lounge (750 Gladstone Ave.). Admission at the door is $15.

FAMILY

Christmas may be the last thing on your mind at this time of the year, but it’s a good reason for a family party at Andrew’s Church (82 Kent St.). Activities for kids 12 and under will include reindeer face-painting, a scavenger hunt, Christmas crafts and cookies, and music and outdoor activities in the courtyard. The event runs from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and admission is free, although participants are asked to register for tickets at eventbrite.ca.

lsaxberg@postmedia.com and phum@postmedia.com