November 7th, 2005



SAVE KOGAWA HOUSE Celebration and Awareness Concert



NAOMI’S ROAD opera performance By Vancouver Opera Touring Ensemble

Special guest, Musician Harry Aoki and friends

Saturday November 12, 2005 2:00pm

Vancouver Public Library

350 West Georgia Street

Alice Mackay Room

Admission is free, all are welcome.

This past week, a cherry tree graft from Kogawa House was planted at
City Hall on November 1st, which was proclaimed Obasan Cherry Tree Day.
On Thursday, November 3rd, the Vancouver City Council’s Planning &
Environment Committee voted unanimously to pass an unprecedented
120-day demolition delay order for Joy Kogawa's childhood home to allow
the raising of funds so that the house can be purchased and converted
into a writers' centre.

To celebrate these milestones in the Save Kogawa House campaign, a
performance of the opera Naomi’s Road by the Vancouver Opera Touring
Ensemble will be presented free to the public on November 12 at 2:00
pm. It will take place in the Alice MacKay Room of the Vancouver Public
Library downtown.

The Marpole home is featured in Joy's award-winning novel Obasan and
the children’s story Naomi's Road, which premiered on September 30 as
Vancouver Opera's second-ever commissioned original work and is now
touring to 140 schools and community centers throughout B.C.

Special guest musician is Harry Aoki. His personal story mirrors that
of the role of 10 year old Steven in the Naomi’s Road Opera. Harry had
to leave behind his beloved violin, when he was forced to leave the
West Coast because he was Japanese Canadian.

For further information contact Todd Wong at gunghaggis@yahoo.ca
Phone: 604-240-7090

More information at www.kogawahouse.com, www.kogawa.homestead.com and www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com

This event is sponsored by Vancouver Public Library, Vancouver Opera,
ExplorASIAN, Asian Canadian Writers’ Workshop and Ricepaper Magazine.