The Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium has a new General Manager. After an extensive search, the Board of Governors of the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium is happy to announce the hiring of Kaitlyn Mitchell as their new General Manager. “We are very excited to move forward with Kaitlyn at the helm of the WMCA. As Brandon’s premiere entertainment venue, it was important for our Board to find the right fit for the organization. With the hiring of Kaitlyn Mitchell to assume this role, I feel we did just that” said Shaun Cameron, Chairperson of the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium Board of Governors. Mitchell joins the organization at a pivotal time in its existence as the partners in the facility continue to move through sustainability work that will see the venue through the decades to come. Although not unfamiliar to the organization serving as a contracted bookkeeper and former events staff member for a number of years, Mitchell is eager to get going. “I am thrilled to accept this position. The historical grandeur, lasting legacy and performance potential of the WMCA are cornerstones of the Westman arts and culture community. I know the long-standing relationships will flourish for years to come alongside new and exciting possibilities. No stranger to the administration here, or the stage for that matter, I look forward to working with the community once again from a new perspective,” said Mitchell. Mitchell is taking over the reigns from General Manager Tom Crook who announced his retirement in 2022. “I’ve worked with Kaitlyn in a number of capacities over the years. I look forward to watching her career progress and the WMCA continue to grow their reach and impact in the community” said Crook. Mitchell officially assumes the role this month, with Crook’s retirement expected following the transition.

A highly accomplished and internationally renowned School of Music alumna is returning to Brandon University (BU) this month for a performance and a weeklong residency as a guest lecturer. Swedish soprano Elin Rombo’s unique voice and intelligent interpretations have won acclaim in Europe’s great opera houses. A 1998 BU graduate, Rombo will be in Brandon from February 7 to 13, with a pro series concert and a series of workshops for aspiring performers that are open to the public. Rombo has sung numerous roles with the Royal Swedish Opera as well as with the Paris Opera, the Berlin State Opera and the Netherlands Opera. She has also performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and toured China, Japan and Singapore with the renowned Swedish choir Orphei Drängar. Following her time at BU, she went on to graduate from the University College of Opera in Stockholm. She received the prestigious Birgit Nilsson Scholarship in 2009 and has been honoured by the King of Sweden, by being named Court Singer in 2016 and by being awarded the medal Litteris et Artibus in 2016 for her contribution to Swedish culture. The pro series concert, on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m., in the Lorne Watson Recital Hall, will reunite Rombo with pianist, singer and educator Sharon Rogers, renewing a musical friendship they began as BU students 29 years ago. While studying at BU, they collaborated on a series of concerts in Sweden over three summers. They reunited in 2019 for Brandon’s Augustfest concert series, and again 2022 for a performance at the Villa San Michele in Capri, Italy. “To be able to reunite with Elin for this concert is very fulfilling for me, especially in the Lorne Watson Recital Hall, where we first performed 29 years ago!” said Rogers, who studied piano and voice at BU, earning bachelor and master’s degrees, and is now a faculty member in voice. “We’re also very pleased and excited that one of our mentors, Professor Robert Richardson, Sr., will join us onstage at the piano this time. I think it’s a lovely illustration of the close-knit community that BU fosters, creating personal and professional connections that last a lifetime.” Sharon Rogers (Photo by Capri Photo) Saturday’s concert will feature art songs by four female composers of the 19th and early 20th centuries, alongside operatic duets and arias in Italian by Mozart and Monteverdi. Works by Nordic composers Elfrida Andrée of Sweden and Agathe Backer Grøndahl of Norway will be followed by selections in French and German by Lili Boulanger and Clara Schumann. “The songs Elin and I have chosen explore a diversity of human experiences and emotions, embracing euphoria, nostalgia, love, and loss,” Rogers said. “Throughout, the theme of nature as a mirror for human emotion, or as a haven for peace and solace, features prominently.” Rombo will also collaborate with BU Assistant Professor of Voice Sarah Hall as lecturer-in-residence, sharing her perspectives and expertise. Rombo will give private lessons to BU voice students and provide insights of a dynamic performer with a busy operatic and concert career through a question-and-answer session, masterclasses, workshops and a lecture that are open to the public. “Elin is an incredible artist and a wonderful ambassador for the School of Music,” said Greg Gatien, Dean of Music at BU. “We’ve followed her international success with great pride, and we’re thrilled to welcome her back to share her stunning voice and her insightful experiences with our students and our community.” The School of Music gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the pro series by the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Manitoba Arts Council. Please note that seating in the Lorne Watson Recital Hall is limited and that programs are subject to change. For an up-to-date listing of pro series and student performances, please visit Events.BrandonU.ca/Events/Category/Music. Please contact the School of Music at Music@BrandonU.ca with any accessibility considerations. Schedule of Events: February 7      4—5:15 p.m.   Welcome Session and Q&A with Elin Rombo (Music Building, Room 2-02) February 9      5:15—7 p.m.   Masterclass: Acting the Aria (Lorne Watson Recital Hall) February 9        7:30—9 p.m.  Opera Workshop: Working with Text and Movement (Music Building, Room 1-20) February 11    7:30 p.m.       Pro Series Recital with Sharon Rogers, piano (Lorne Watson Recital Hall) February 12    1:30—4 p.m.   Masterclass/Workshop: Making an Art Song into a Play (Lorne Watson Recital Hall) February 13    1:40—2:30 p.m. Lecture: Performing Under Pressure (Music Building, Room 2-02) (BU News Release)

The new jackpot for the February 8th Brandon Seniors for Seniors Smack the Jack draw now sits at a whopping $48,890. Tickets (1 for $5, 3 for $10, 8 for $20) are back on sale this week, with 43 numbers left to select from. The tickets can be purchased at the following establishments: Richmond Co-op Marketplace on Thursday 9-7 Corral Centre Safeway on Friday 9-7 Sobeys South on Saturday and Sunday 9-7 Regular hours at Seniors for Seniors (311 Park Ave E) on Thursday, Friday, Monday and till noon on Tuesday. **until allotted tickets are sold out Round 2 of the Smack the Jack fundraiser for the Brandon Seniors for Seniors Co-Op Inc started in late October of 2022. The first person who found the Jack of Spades in Round 1 took home $9,580.00. The Smack The Jack draw is conducted live weekly on WCG-TV (Channel 12) Wednesday's at 1pm.

Following a 2-year hiatus, Dakota Nation Winterfest returned to Keystone Brandon this past weekend and Jeremy Champagne of Scramble Studio was on-hand to capture the following images for bdnmb.ca. Dakota Nation Winterfest returns to the Keystone Centre January 25-29, 2024.  

The Manitoba government will once again offer free park entry for the entire month of February so Manitobans and visitors can take advantage of the many winter activities available in provincial parks, Environment, Climate and Parks Minister Jeff Wharton announced today. “In Manitoba’s provincial parks, winter is a season worth celebrating,” said Wharton. “Our government is pleased to make it easier for Manitobans to participate in invigorating, enjoyable winter experiences surrounded by our province’s natural beauty.” Vehicle permits are not required in any provincial park in February, but Snopasses are still required for snowmobiles using trails. Entrance fees still apply in national parks. Provincial parks have groomed trails for a variety of activities including cross-country skiing, fat biking, snowshoeing and hiking. Paint Lake, Spruce Woods and Turtle Mountain provincial parks also offer outdoor skating areas, hockey rinks and toboggan hills. Hecla/Grindstone Provincial Park has ice-fishing shelters on Lake Winnipeg that are free to use. Manitobans are encouraged to check trail conditions before visiting parks. Trail maps and updated reports can be found at: https://www.gov.mb.ca/sd/parks/recreation-and-activities/trail_conditions/index.html. Trail users are reminded to only use trails for designated activities, keep dogs on leash and practise the principles of “Leave No Trace.” Park interpreters in Birds Hill, Spruce Woods and Whiteshell provincial parks offer numerous guided programs to enrich visitor experiences. Highlights for the month of February include wolf howl hikes, snowshoe treks, ski clinics, quinzhee building and ice fishing. Event details and registration information can be found at www.manitobaparks.com. Teachers can also book free guided field trips to Birds Hill, Spruce Woods and Whiteshell provincial parks, along with virtual programs to bring park interpreters into classrooms. Annual park vehicle permits will be available for purchase beginning on March 1. To purchase a permit, visit: www.manitobaelicensing.ca. For more information on winter activities and interpretive programs in provincial parks, email ParkInterpretation@gov.mb.ca or visit www.manitobaparks.com.