With "The Fiddle and the Drum," her collaboration with the Alberta Ballet, recently documented on DVD, Joni Mitchell is looking forward to spreading the piece worldwide.
"The whole thing in a certain way is out of my hands," Mitchell tells Billboard.com. "It's going to be featured at the (2010) Winter Olympics in Vancouver. We've had a request from Alabama, of all places, to play. It depends on money and a lot of things.
"My art dealer spoke to someone who runs a concert hall in New York, and they said they would take it there if I appeared. I don't know how much of that there would be, but I love going with the company. They're my kids at this point. It's just been such a delight working with these people."
Choreographed by Jean Grande-Maitre with Mitchell's full participation, "The Fiddle and the Drum" blends together her music (including several songs from her latest album, 2007's "Shine"), dance and war-themed images from her latest visual art project, "Green Flag Song." It was first conceived as an autobiographical piece -- deemed "a little fluffy for the times" by Mitchell -- then a sort-form ballet before growing to a 48-minute production captured on the new DVD.
Most recently Mitchell and Grande-Maitre have expanded "The Fiddle and the Drum" yet again with four more songs, including her iconic "Woodstock." The full-length piece has already played in Saskatoon, rolls into Edmonton on Saturday [Feb. 21] and returns to Calgary on Feb. 26, which will be filmed for a hoped-for future DVD release.
"The Fiddle and the Drum" remains the primary focus for Mitchell, who's also in the midst of treatments for Morgellons syndrome, an infectious and potentially debilitating skin condition that's put other endeavors on hold for now. "I think it's quite an interesting entertainment," she says of the ballet. "It acts like a play even though it's modular and non-linear, and people respond to it that way in the theater. It's such a joy for me. It's thrilling."
Copyright protected material on this website is used in accordance with 'Fair Use', for the purpose of study, review or critical analysis, and will be removed at the request of the copyright owner(s). Please read Notice and Procedure for Making Claims of Copyright Infringement.
Added to Library on February 20, 2009. (3007)
Translate this page:
Follow Joni Mitchell
Comments:
Log in to make a comment
youngpa on :
Joni, thanks so much for speaking out about your having Morgellon's. It takes a lot of courage to talk about this to anyone but other sufferers. There has been so much ignorance and denial regarding this condition. So much marginalization of sufferers with the Delusional label. Your music has been a big part of my life since I was 12 in 1968. Blue was my solace during my parents divorce (as stays with me to this day, what a masterpiece!). Hejira really helped me suffer through a dark period in my life. I even ended up writing a paper on Hejira for an art school creative writing class some years later.
Anyway, you're the real deal and we all love you and want you to get well. If you ever need support concerning morgellons, a great morgellon's forum is lymebusters: http://lymebusters.proboards.com
You can read with out registering but will need to register to post. I want to a letter from a wonderful women who was a member of lymebusters and who recently died.
A letter from Sue to anyone who can help,
I have recently been diagnosed with small cell Lung Cancer, have had Morgellons 4 1/2 years.
I had a son Joshua who died Feb.17, 2006 from a Glioblastoma Brain Cancer and he was also a victim of Morgellons Syndrome. My son's suffering from the two horrors was beyond anything any human or creature should suffer.
Back then most of the doctors called Morgellons DOP, so the suffering was even more profound for my child to be told he was crazy rather then very ill.
I don't think anyone could ever understand the suffering he went through, now I walk the path of Cancer/Morgellons but my doctors so far have put a diagnosis of Morgellons rather then crazy to ease a bit of my pain.
They seem to believe me but yet I think I may have a post traumatic stress disorder from the treatment I received from my doctors 4 years ago and I don't feel at ease discussing Morgellons with them.
My hair just fell out from Chemotherapy. 2 days ago, all at once, with it came the millions of red, blue, black and clear-white fibers and springtail's, spiders, ants, dog scabies, human or dog lice we, with Morgellons, have come to know.
I know losing hair for a woman or man is very tough during chemotherapy and radiation which I start on
June 30th along with more chemotherapy, but to have the bugs and fibers coming out of your scalp is a torture beyond words.
My beautiful child lived this torture, he did not deserve this pain, there are many children out there with this un-known horror, trying to come to grasp with the disease, parents that don't understand and doctors who still carry the stigma of (It's all in your head) and dump drugs in their poor broken bodies.
I have no doubt that Autism, All of the Hyper-Active Disorders and yes now Cancer has something to do with Morgellons, as I'm sure you folks at CDC have by now heard many people with Morgellons are being diagnosed with cancer.
Many of us have Chronic Fatigue, Chronic Pain disorder from Neuropathy, MS, and many disorders where we were told by you from CDC through Mr. Dan Rutz were conditions that would not kill us, so maybe you felt no rush to get answers for us.
WE are dying now, please help us I beg you. I have lost so many friends from Morgellons Syndrome, I've lost my son, a young man who could have giving so very much love and kindness to mankind is gone.
I beg you, help us, please tell us what was found in your study, you promised answers for us, now I feel you have really let us down.
It was not just a way to keep us quiet for a while was it?
Please don't let us down.
Thank you for providing this e-mail address for us, please let us know what you have found.
Sincerely, Sheila Sue Laws, Gaithersburg, MD
Sue Laws passed on shortly after this letter . So many of us are dying now.
Please someone help us , Fiber Disease turns Cancerous,
Please , Please HELP US.
So, Thanks again Joni. You mean the world to so many who love you!
Youngpa
Sarah on :
Thankyou for coloring all my life with beauty. Please, one more thing, HOW are you being treated? I've wondered if "someone" got it how they would be treated. We just get a doctor looking away real hard and saying it's not real. Please? I've had it since around 2002, while driving through a land a hurricane had just swept thru. all i know is Tamanu oil (The nuns use it for the leprosy parasite) and Sea Buckthorne oil, really brings it out. I definitely connect with the cotton crop theory. The dot's fit together on their use of bacteria infected nematodes to control insects in the cotton fields. Please share with us? Thankyou
Linda on :
Joni, thanks for coming out and saying you have it. I have it too. I wish more celebrities would admit to having it; I've only heard of you and Amy Winehouse. Joni, I have had it since June, '06. In the beginning I had it real bad. With the things I have done, first of all following the Lyme Disease cure on www.lymephotos.com and doing other things I have gone from suffering greatly to mild and stable symptoms. In short, I have learned to live with it. And am hoping & praying that I will be cured. I am in a group of people (radio listeners) who pray for me also. I am praying for you. Right now after doing the Lyme's protocal for 10 months or so, I do a teasp. of a seasalt Miracle Krystal, 3 C tablets, 2 drops of lugol's iodine in am and pm, 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar. Then I put on my skin 1/2 castoroil and 1/2 olive oil, once in awhile.. It all works for me. I'm only telling you in case you are lost and bewildered and scared like I was. I also take an antifungal, starts with the letters fluc., once in awhile. I am very stable and no brain fog. your friend, linda PSSS: Please contact me if you feel like it. God bless you/you are very brave..
MM on :
God bless you, Joni, for your courage to tell the public that you have been suffering from Morgellon's Syndrome. I also suffer from the condition and I want to thank you for using your position and voice as a celebrity to call attention to this very real illness. It also gives hope to those of us with Morgellons that feel we must keep our conditions secret because we fear no one would understand, and no one could help us. I am inspired to get the word out and continue to fight for Morgellons to become established as a true medical illness. Joni Mitchell has inspired generations with her music, and now inspires individuals with Morgellons to keep fighting this difficult battle. She has given a voice to so many of us that do not feel we have one. God bless you, Ms. Mitchell for speaking out. I myself, am forever grateful. Hoping that you are well.
-MM