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28 + WATERLOO CHRONICLE + Wednesday, March 19, 2008 Internationally renowned soprano Suzie LeBlanc comes to the WEC Csncerts are a place to go to forget about our worries and deadlines for a while. You leave feeling refreshed after being temporarily transported somewhere new. "Music, I think, has an immense amount of power to go beyond the mind and to soothe the heart," said Suzie LeBlanc, the internationally renowned sopranoâ€"who will take the stage at the Waterloo Entertainment Centre this weekend. Songs of Heaven and Earth "What (the audience) takes away is whatâ€" ever they came to get. It‘s very personal for each person." s â€" Called Songs of Heaven and Earth, LeBlanc‘s show, featuring pieces by a number of composers, is on March 22 at 7:30 p.m. She‘s known for classical performances of 17thâ€" and 18thâ€"century repertoire. She also sings Acadian folk music, French melody and German lieder. The program she‘s bringing to Waterloo is a combination of French songs from the 19th and 20th centuries, with some Mozart tossed into the mix. "Really it is a celebration of French music and particularly of the works of Olivier Messiâ€" aen, whose 100th anniversary it is this year," LeBlanc said. Messiaen, a composer from France, has a big following in Quebec, she said. He wrote works for organs, pianas, orchestras and symphonies. _ _ LeBlanc, a Montreal resident, will perform two song cycles that reflect his harmonic "Interestingly enough, one of the cycles ends with a song called Resurrection for the day of Easter and we‘re doing the concert on the Saturday before Easter Sunday, so it works out really well," she said. The first cyéle is short, simple and beautiâ€" ful, she said, adding it seems he found his inspiration for it in nature. _ "In his music he talks a lot about reflectâ€" ing water and birds, so it‘s full of images. You By JennIFer ORMSTON Chronicle Staff Soprano Suzie LeBlanc will perform at the Waterloo Entertainment Centre on March 22. For tdhcd t hi vind it svdashec in h h. sds sA e ooo n e s information or tickets, go to www.waterlocentertainmentcentre.com or call 519â€"883â€"0300. SUBMITTED PHOTO ARTS FOCUS f'vmmmv EVERY DAY ~18 * + Hamburger an "‘5" +Reg. Soft D Gyres on a Pita Grilled Chicken on a Bun ‘4n.cmmnmnsma *plus tax f!.aiy. ana m YÂ¥ ?. Hamr‘" ‘In:; 10 2.m. â€" 10 p.m GOOD FRIDAY 10amâ€"10pm 156 WEBER ST. X., WATERLOO 519â€"884â€"1750 Fresh Daily Homemade _ Best: Onion Rings in town! on im7st & Chips ’ FAST TAKEâ€"OUT Service Mq’.‘ DRIVEâ€"IN LTD. 's&m 9 CHRON 2 pieces iA We use fresh fish and fresh hand cut fries, onion rings _plus much more everyday * Reg. Soft Drink Our Famous FL OWE R S Spectacular Easter Bouquets Longâ€"Stem ROSES ONE DOZEN 160 .. can just sit back and images go through your mind." The second cycle, in contrast, delves into Messiaen‘s life with songs about marriage, birth, despair and resurrection â€" when hope is found again. "So it‘s a cycle about life, really," she said. Accompanying the singer will be pianist Robert Korgaard, who will also play some solo pieces by Mozart and Poulenc. They first performed songs by Messiaen in the Maritimes last summer, at which point LeBlanc knew she wanted to use more of his repertoire. _"It‘s modern music and we were wonderâ€" ing how these songs would come through alongside Mozart and other composers. "But every night it seemed like those songs were the ones that people talked about and really loved, and it was the special moment for the audience." * Based on that response, LeBlanc â€" who has performed locally in the past with the Grand Philharmonic Choir and the Kâ€"W Symphony â€" is now singing more of his music, which she describes as profound with a "watery quality." . "Water seems to run through a lot of what he does, to me," she said. "It‘s kind of like entertaining a universe of colours and landâ€" scapes rather than anything that‘s shocking. "It will kind of open people up to a new universe â€" it‘s like walking somewhere you‘ve never been before." _ As a performer, LeBlanc radiates her love for her chosen profession, said Genevieve DeMerchant, the manager of marketing and publicity for the Waterloo Entertainment Centre, at 24 King St. N. "She‘s in demand as a singer around the world â€" it‘s always wonderful to have beautiâ€" ful talent in our midst," she said. "Come for sheer pleasure and inspiration. There is nothing like beautiful music to fill up your soul with love and affirmative energy." _ Tickets are $37.50 for adults, $33 for senâ€" iors and $14 for children. For information, call 519â€"883â€"0300. ORCHID BOUQUETS SPECIAL ‘1 2. (at the Zeller‘s Plaza) EASTER HOURS Monâ€"Thurs 9â€"7, Good Fri 10â€"5, _ Sat 9â€"6, Easter Sunday 10â€"5 519.888.7070 Friday &