Fazioli M. Liminal in New Percy Jackson Movie

Vancouver, BC - The new 'Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Theif" opened on Friday the 12th of February. It is a movie based on Greek Mythology that follows Percy [Logan Lerman], a teenager that discovers he is a descendant of a Greek god who must find the thief who stole Zeus' lightning bolt.

The star-studded film includes such A-list actors as Pierce Brosnan, Alexandra Daddario, Sean Bean, Steve Coogan, Rosario Dawson, and Uma Thurman.

In the movie, when Percy visits the mansion of the character played by Steve Coogan, a Fazioli M. Liminal grand piano can be seen during the scenes in the main room. Vancouver's Showcase Pianos had loaned the piano to the set, which is one of only eight in the world. The piano's stunning design is credited to Philippe Gendre of NYT Line in France. Store owner Manuel Bernaschek was invited to tour the impressive set in Burnaby where a mansion was recreated inside a warehouse, together with a stunning recreation of an entire section of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Showcase Pianos Fazioli was invited to the pre-screening of the movie before its official release on Friday the 12th of February, 2010, which coincided with the opening day of the Olympics. Although the script didn't call for any piano playing, the production stills show that the actors enjoyed taking the Fazioli for a test-drive at least for a few moments between filming.

Read article in the Richmond Review: http://www.bclocalnews.com/richmond_southdelta/richmondreview/news/84808047.html

[Pictured with piano above: Chris Cholumbus listens to actress Alexandra Doddario playing the Fazioli M. Liminal, Pictured with piano below: Actress Rosario Dawson leans on Fazioli M. Liminal]

Unique white Fazioli arrives in new Fairmont Pacific Rim lobby

VANCOUVER, BC – The new white Fazioli is now in its permanent location in Vancouver's new Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel. The piano was commissioned by the owner for design by award winning BC architect McFarlane + Green + Biggar. The $225,000 satin white Fazioli piano features a stunning 3D design underneath the lid, has many parts plated in 18K gold, and will be a permanent attraction of the hotel lobby.

Founder Paolo Fazioli travelled from Italy to personally unveil the one-of-a-kind white piano at a media event for the piano at the new Showcase Pianos Fazioli store in Richmond's Aberdeen Centre.

About Fazioli Pianos: Thirty years ago Paolo Fazioli made pianos with the goal of making the best one in the world. Now the Fazioli is widely regarded as being the fine st piano in the world, and is one of the key players on the concert stage. Since their arrival locally just over 2 years ago, 23 Fazioli pianos have been sold through Showcase Pianos, and the Fazioli pianos have been featured on TV news over 40 times, some of which can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/OneGreatPiano

Meeting the First Lady of Taiwan at the Cloud Gate Dance Performance

Vancouver, BC - Taiwan's first lady Chow Mei-ching (Christine Ma) arrived in Vancouver Thursday as the honorary head of the Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, the first time Taiwan's first lady has visited Canada since diplomatic ties were severed between the two countries in 1970.

Chow was greeted at the airport by a group of more than 40 Taiwanese expatriates.

She pictured here with Showcase Pianos owner Manuel Bernaschek after the Cloud Gate performance on Friday at the Cultural Olympiad being held in the Canadian city.

The first lady will also attend a book donation ceremony at the Vancouver Public Library and read story books to local children.

She will also visit the "Lantern Forest" -- a corridor that displays thousands of lanterns decorated by children from Canada and Taiwan -- and an exhibition featuring the works of Taiwanese installation artist Michael Lin at the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Before arriving in Vancouver, the first lady had accompanied the Cloud Gate dancers to Washington, D.C. and Chicago.

They are scheduled to return to Taiwan Feb. 9.