The Fort Town Concert Association will close 36 years of presenting concerts with a Jeunesses Musicales Canada production of Offenbach's comic opera La belle Hélène. It will take place on Friday March 29th, 7:30 pm at St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Prescott.

Directed by Alain Gauthier and featuring a cast made up of the best young opera talent in the country, La belle Hélène is full of humour, plot twists, and wit. In three acts the opera describes the zany strategies used by the Greek prince and hero Paris to woe Helen, the ravishing queen of Sparta whose love was promised

by the goddess Venus. Paris shows little consideration for Helen’s timid attempts at resisting his seductive advances nor is he deterred by the fact that she is already married to King Menelas.

The role of Pâris is sung by Mathieu Abel, tenor; Hélène is sung by Maude Côté-Gendron, mezzo-soprano; Oreste by Charlotte Gagnon, mezzo-soprano; Calchas by David Turcotte, bass-baritone; Agamemnon by Dominic Veilleux, baritone; and Ménélas by Richard-Nicolas Villeneuve, tenor. Bryce Lansdell will accompany on the piano. Don’t miss this fantastic production complete with sets, costumes, lighting, and surtitles. 

The evening is sponsored by Dr. Kim Hanson, Dr. James Holmes, Dr. Lance McIntosh and Dr. Gauri Shankar. FTCA is very grateful to its many patrons for their very generous support over the years.

Tickets at the door : Adults: $30. Students have free admission.

17th Annual Pakenham Maple Run Tour

Enjoy spectacular spring landscapes while experiencing the art, fine craft and delicious food and drink of 33 exceptional artists, artisans and producers on this self-guided Tour. The Tour wanders through scenic, historic Pakenham village and area to 10 fascinating stops, where you can indulge your senses in beautiful painting, pottery, pewter, glass, jewelry, photography, textile art, delicious locally-produced food and drink, and much more. Our stops are a tour all by themselves - a heritage one-room schoolhouse, one of the oldest general stores in Canada, a fudge shop, a craft brewery, a cider house, a peaceful retreat centre, a clothing design studio, and more! The Maple Run Tour coincides with Maple Weekend, so be sure to visit Fulton’s Sugar Bush and Pancake House, too. Brochures are available online at www.mapleruntour.com, at Fulton's, the Pakenham General Store, throughout the village and beyond and at any tour stop. Runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily both days.

First Friday, March 1

Lawrence House presents an evening with Phil Smy.