The soft glow of candlelight against a snowy landscape, the haunting melodies of instruments not widely heard for hundreds of years and crystal clear voices rising in songs of celebration and reverence 鈥� in the 19 years since she first performed it, Lori Pappajohn鈥檚 Winter Harp has marked the beginning of the Christmas season for hundreds of concert goers across the Lower Mainland.
For many, it鈥檚 a chance to reconnect with another time, said the New Westminster-based harpist who, for a number of years, performed the concert in Fort 91原创 before moving to The Act in Maple Ridge, where they will perform two shows on Dec. 16.
鈥淭he concert is about Christmas memories 鈥� the warmth and joy of Christmas. We often look out and people have tears in their eyes and we know that something we鈥檝e read or played has stirred a memory.鈥�
But it鈥檚 not just the music that transports Winter Harp audiences through time, Pappajohn knows.
It鈥檚 the dresses, too.
鈥淏efore we even play a note, you鈥檝e already journeyed back.鈥�
Stepping onto the stage in sumptuous Medieval-style gowns, sewn in rich silks and velvets, the artists evoke a sense of romance and warmth that only adds to the Christmasy feeling, said the musician.
And all of it is the handiwork of 91原创 seamstress Joanne Chiasson.
鈥淚 found Joanne years ago,鈥� said Pappajohn. 鈥淚 was playing at a fashion show and one of her dresses went down the catwalk. I almost fell off my harp stool.鈥�
Up until that point, the ensemble had been wearing costumes they鈥檇 sewn themselves 鈥� piecing together curtains with black velvet jackets and skirts they鈥檇 pulled off the racks at Value Village.
They weren鈥檛 all that bad, said Pappajohn, but of course, they didn鈥檛 hold a candle to Chiasson鈥檚 colourful creations and the exquisite image they project. Often when the ensemble returns from intermission (having changed outfits) there is an audible gasp from the audience, she said.
鈥淭here is no other group that has such incredible costumes.鈥�
Although she was running a successful home-based business in Brookswood when they met, Chiasson credits Pappajohn with shifting her focus from bridal gowns to period costumes 鈥� encompassing everything from the Middle Ages to the 1950s.
鈥淟ori was instrumental 鈥� no pun intended 鈥� for the direction my business took,鈥� said Chiasson, who has been creating costumes for the Winter Harp ensemble for nearly two decades.
鈥淪he introduced me to the Medieval period.鈥�
Using historically accurate renderings from books, Chiasson and Pappajohn together design gowns that are as true to the time period as possible.
鈥淚f you want a certain colour, it has to look authentic. I鈥檝e learned to dye with tea, coffee, berries. I try to make it as accurate as possible.鈥�
She even goes so far as to stain the gowns鈥� laces with tea to make them look old.
Asked to pick a favourite, Chiasson settles on the gown Pappajohn is wearing in her latest promotional photographs 鈥� shimmering gold, accented with 鈥榳inter teal鈥� velvet embellishments.
鈥淚 do believe the last dress we did together was the most inspirational.鈥�
Over the years, she has created about two dozen dresses for Winter Harp 鈥� one or two each year 鈥� Chiasson estimates.
Pappajohn serves as model for all the fittings, but since the women in the ensemble are all about the same size, and thanks to the lacings up the back, they are able to share the costumes.
Whenever Pappajohn tours she is always on the lookout for fabric or accents that will help to create the vision she seeks 鈥� that of a pre-Raphaelite painting. Much of her trim, she picked up at the grand bazaar in Istanbul.
鈥淭hey have these big, beautiful borders you see on the dresses. You can鈥檛 get those here,鈥� said Pappajohn.
鈥淚鈥檝e learned to stock up, so I鈥檝e got yards of material,鈥� she laughed.
Nearly 20 years after they met, Chiasson remains grateful to Pappajohn for helping her map out her career path.
鈥淪he inspired me to get creative, when I might have taken a different turn.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been genius 鈥� a great marriage.鈥�
Fashion for the Middle Ages
Winter Harp members aren鈥檛 the only ones benefitting from Chiasson鈥檚 mastery of Middle Ages style.
The 91原创 couturier once wore one of her own creations to a Medieval feast in an Irish castle.
鈥淚 looked around and I was in the only person (apart from the staff) in a Medieval gown and I thought, 鈥榃hat is wrong with this picture,鈥欌�� said Chiasson.
The problem, it turned out, was cost and availability. She left with an order for 19 dresses.
Chiasson has had brides fly in from as far away as Scotland to get fitted for one her gowns.
The reason for their popularity is simple, she said 鈥� the dresses are beautiful. They鈥檙e unique, ultra-feminine and extremely flattering to any figure.
The corset brings a woman down three full dress sizes, explained Chiasson. And the spiral metal boning she uses allows that to happen without being confining or uncomfortable.
鈥淚t cinches in the waist and flows gracefully so that, honey, you are seriously hot in one of these,鈥� she laughed.
鈥淭hey make woman of all sizes feel beautiful. I see women melt into little girls. It helps them to embrace who they are and love their curves 鈥� it鈥檚 a whole mindset.鈥�
Discovering such a pleasant niche has allowed Chiasson to expand her small home-based Brookswood business by adding a store in Gibsons on the Sunshine Coast, where she plans to retire. Angelic Visions is located in Molly鈥檚 Lane behind Molly鈥檚 Reach, the restaurant made famous in The Beachcombers television series.
鈥� For more information, go to etsy.com and search for angelicvision.
鈥� Winter Harp will perform two shows at The Act in Maple Ridge on Sunday, Dec. 16. Shows begin at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. For tickets, call 604-476-2787 or go to theactmapleridge.org.
