Lögberg-Heimskringla - 05.05.1995, Blaðsíða 1

Inside this week
Heimskringla
The lcelandic Weekly
Lögberg Stofnaö 14. janúar 1888 Heimskringla Stofnaö 9. september 1886
lceland's new coalition government.......2
Drifting around Reykjavík................3
Grímkell's Story, the conclusion.......4, 5
lcelandic connection in Red Deer.........6
Children's Corner........................7
109. Árgangur Föstudagur 5. maí 1995
109th Year Publications Mail Registration No. 1667 Friday, 5 May 1995
Númer 17
Number 17
lcelandic
News
lce cream shop sold
to Sweden:
■ Frostverk Co. at Garðabær sold a
specially made ice cream shop along
with equipment, in early April, to an
lcelander living in Jönköping in
Sweden. This is the first such sale
the company has made and is the
result of many years of preparation.
Ice cream shops such as these are
not available in the other Nordic
countries, and if this one is well
received there could be opportuni-
ties for marketing them there.
Frostverk Co. has specialized in
developing equipment which until
now has been imported. Among
other projects, the company made
equipment for the new National
Library, the new City Hall, the Health
Spa in Hveragerði, the senior citi-
zen's home Hrafnista as well as the
kitchen at Bessastaðir. Brynjar
Haraldsson, manager of Frostverk,
considers the company well pre-
pared to compete on foreign mar-
kets.
China's Minister at
Bessastaðir:
■ China's Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Qian Qichen, his wife, Zhou
Hanqiong, and entourage came to
lceland ín early April. They arrived
via SAS Airlines and while in lceland
Mr. Qian Qichen met with Mr. Jón
Baldvin Hannibalsson, lceland's
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Davíð
Oddson, Prime Minister as well as
visiting with the lcelandic President,
Vigdís Finbogadóttir, at Bessastaðir.
Seen in the picture with Vigdís and
Mr. Qian Qichen is his translator.
________GUNNUR ISFELO________y/
Valdine Anderson honoured
By Laurie Oleson
The many accomplishments of
Icelandic Canadian singer
Valdine Anderson were recog-
nized last month by a celebration in
Iceland. Iceland’s President, Vigdís
Finnbogadóttir, was hostess at a
reception for the world-renowned
artist.
Ms. Anderson also performed
while she was in Iceland to good
reviews. She is, of course, no stranger
to good reviews having received many
for her virtuosity in Canada, the
United States and Europe.
The Financial Times of London
said of her that “the Canadian
Valdine Anderson floated and sculpt-
ed her Straussian lines exquisitely.”
The Baltimore Sun said that “the
young Canadian soprano ... sang the
cycle with beauty, purity of voice and
a winning combination of innocence
and sophistication,”
Ms. Anderson has performed with
many of Canada’s major opera compa-
nies and orchestras. She has been
called a master of 20th century music
and performed the North American
premiere of Louis Andriessen’s
Hadewych with Vancouver New
Music. That success led to perfor-
mance of the work at the Huddersfield
Contemporary Music Festival. She also
performed the North American pre-
mieres of several works by Harrison
Birtwistle.
Her curriculum vitae gives an
impressive list of other accomplish-
ments. She has sung with the
Vancouver Opera in Carmen, Opera
Lyra in The Magic Flute, and again in
the Magic Flute with the Edmonton
Opera. Last season she sang the part of
Medeline in the Vancouver Opera’s
premiere of David Maclntyre’s new
work Architects. She sang the title role
in Opera in Concert’s production of
Martha and this season was scheduled
to appear with the Manitoba Opera in
Mozart’s Abduction from the Seraglio
and in Cenerentola with the
Edmonton Opera.
She has appeared in concert with
the Orchestra London in Mahler’s
symphony No. 2, with the Ottawa
Symphony, the Niagara Symphony,
the Windsor Symphony, the Winnipeg
Symphony and with the Manitoba
Chamber Orchestra, the Mississauga
Symphony, The Regina Symphony, the
Toronto Symphony and at the
Winnipeg Bach Festival.
Next year she will appear with the
Robert Schumann Philharmonie in
Valdine Anderson
Germany and in 1997 will debut with
the English National Opera.
Many Canadians will be familiar
with her artistry not only from these
performances, which virtually span
the nation, but also through her fre-
quent performance with the Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation which she
has been lauded for what have been
called her “brilliant interpretations of
modern works such as Arcuri’s La
Nymphe du Ladon and Harry
Freedman’s Spirit Song, both of which
were commissioned for her.
These are, of course, only a few of
Valdine Anderson’s accomplishments,
and the solo recital in Iceland is only
one more success in a brilliant career.
The reception given to her in Iceland,
however, was appropriate not only in
the recognition it extended to a talent-
ed intemational artist, but in empha-
sizing her roots as a Westem Icelander
and the ties that still bind the Westem
Icelanders to their erstwhile home.
Valdine’s mother, Helga Anderson
of Win’nipeg, accompanied her daugh-
ter on the trip to Iceland. She gave the
following report to Lögberg-
Heimskringla: The hospitality and
goodwill that was extended to Valdine,
and to me, her mother, during the stay
in Iceland exceeded all expectations.
Accommodations, meals, etc., were
first rate and the arrangements for
Valdine’s concert were very well
planned. Special thanks must be
extended to several, and I would like
to acknowledge the efforts of the fol-
lowing people: Pastor Bragi Friðriks-
son, the örganizer; Dr. Finnbogi
Guðmundsson; Soffía Karlsdóttir,
from the Icelandic Opera House;
Kristinn Hallsson; Ragnheiður
Skúladóttir of Keflavík.
“I would like to thank especially
the president of Iceland, Vigdís
Finnbogadóttir, who hosted the recep-
tion at Bessastaðir in honor of
Valdine.
“The remembrance of this tour will
linger for many years as a highlight in
my life and as an example of the good-
will between Icelanders and Westem
Icelanders. Also, it left an indelible
impression in the heart and mind of
Valdine of her heritage — something
to be cherished by her and shared with
her children.”
Lögberg-Heimskringla would like
to take this opportunity to offer its
congratulations to Valdine Anderson,
and joins so many others in the
Icelandic communities of North
America in thanking for moments of
beauty that she has brought to us and
the prestige she has brought on our
community.
Distinguished visitors
An unusually distinguished group of Icelanders will be visiting
Manitoba over the next few days.
Dr. Sveinbjöm Bjömsson, President of the University of Iceland; Dr.
Vésteinn Ólason, an Icelandic professor involved with compiling the reg-
istry of North Americans of Icelandic descent so that Westem Icelanders
can be extended more benefits and privileges in their dealings with
Iceland; and Dr. Jóhann Axelsson, a co-ordinator of a joint Canada-
Iceland research project into the effects of environment and heredity in
the unique Icelandic-Western Icelandic gene pool will all be visiting
Winnipeg and Manitoba.
On Tuesday, May 9, at 7 p.m., a reception will be held at the
Scandinavian Centre, 764 Erin St., in Winnipeg, sponsored by Frón.