Radio

Inventing Frobisher is an hour long intimate journey into the high-stakes world of new opera, conflicting visions and the artistic brilliance of famed collaborators John Estacio and John Murrell.

As librettist, Murrell is inspired by the sixteenth century voyages of Arctic explorer Martin Frobisher as he wonders what would propel Frobisher to sail into the jaws of an Arctic winter and into the unknown. With "Inventing Frobisher", documentary maker Susan Cardinal tracks their creative journey over three years from April 2004 right up until Opening Night on January 27, 2007. In making new opera, the map makers are the librettist and the composer and the journey is strewn with challenges and creative tension, all heightened by an impossible deadline. And like the sixteenth century Arctic explorer Martin Frobisher who inspired the opera, this documentary follows a course into the unknown and holds to the faith that there is hope beyond reason. And possibly a smash hit around the next point.

Broadcast on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation: on both Radio One and Radio Two as well as Sirius Satellite radio.

Visit the Banff Centre website for more on the opera .

Here is a sample of some of Susan's other documentaries:

Charting New Territories - A three-hour series on the future of the Northwest Territories on the eve of the historic division of the NWT on April 1, 1999. Division means aboriginals and non-aboriginals alike must find new ways to live together and to share power and money while grappling with horrendous social problems from suicide to domestic violence and sexual abuse. An audio cassette of this program can be purchased from CBC Radio 

Alberta 2010: A Window Into the Future features highlights from a two-day Community Seminar on the social and technological trends shaping the lives of Albertans in the nineties. Westmount Productions worked closely with the Calgary Institute for the Humanities at the University of Calgary on this project. An audio cassette copy of this program can be purchased from CBC Radio.  

Dilemmas Of Reconciliation - Many modern nation-states with histories of brutal atrocities and genocide are trying to come to grips with their pasts. Susan Cardinal explores the dilemmas of truth, trials, amnesty and apology. Westmount Productions worked cloely with the Calgary Institute for the Humanities at the University of Calgary on this project. A transcript of this program can be purchased from CBC Radio.  

 

Separate Journeys

This is a story about five men traveling across Canada's high Arctic and their discoveries of the people, the land, and themselves. This 2 hour program was produced for CBC Radio's IDEAS program and was first broadcast June 1995.
Visit John Dunn's Arctic Light Photography web site for more pictures from this amazing journey.

The Healing Path
Coming to terms with the death of a child may be the most difficult task an adult could face. After their son was killed. Reg and Rose Crowshoe sought spiritual solace in a return to their native traditions. Calgary producer Susan Cardinal presents the story of the Crowshoes trying to find meaning in a family tragedy. A transcript of this program is available. Originally broadcast on the CBC program Tapestry

Updated: October 7, 2007