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Wed, Feb 01, 2012
Looking for something to do this weekend? Click here for the KC Events calendar of theatre, classical music, dance and jazz events through 2011. Highlights of this week's classical music and dance offerings are in Don Dagenais' "City Classics." For current Theatre listings visit Victor Wishna's "City Stage." Enjoy!
Wed, Feb 01, 2012
The signature dance company from native son David Parsonsolidified its favored status in the Harriman-Jewell Series on a night when it commemorated the series’ founder, Richard Harriman.
Wed, Feb 01, 2012
The Paul Mesner Puppets’ presentation of “Strega Nona” is 46 minutes of fun for the family, strings attached.
Sun, Jan 29, 2012
In an inspired collaboration between two outstanding Kansas City classical music organizations, The Friends of Chamber Music is teaming up with the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra to present the 2012 Bach Festival.
Sat, Jan 28, 2012
The Friends of Chamber Music's 2012 Bach Festival began Tuesday night with the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra's performance of the Brandenburg Concertos.
Wed, Jan 25, 2012
Now in its 21st season, the Performing Arts Series at Johnson County Community College has built a reputation for high quality, diverse programming, with a schedule of visiting artists ranging from chamber ensembles and jazz quartets to international orchestras, and from one-person comedy showcases and avant-garde dance companies to grandly staged Broadway musicals. Since assuming the role of general manager in 2009, Emily Behrmann has endeavored to broaden the Series’ target audience and further expand its offerings on the stages of the JCCC’s Carlsen Center. This week, Behrmann sat down with Victor Wishna to discuss the state of the Performing Arts Series—its successes, challenges, and plans for the future—and what it means to be both “a Johnson County alternative” and an integral part of Kansas City’s growing and glowing performing-arts scene.
Wed, Jan 18, 2012
Celebrating their twelfth season, the Lincoln, Nebraska-based Chiara String Quartet will grace the Lied Center stage on January 29 with works by Schubert, Brahms, and the Kansas premiere of a commission by Gabriela Lena Frank.
Wed, Jan 04, 2012
KCM’s Film Editor, Michael D. Smith, selects his top ten films of 2011.
Wed, Jan 04, 2012
Shot almost entirely without sound, the black-and-white drama "The Artist" is a bold and imaginative work of cinema that may be overlooked by many filmgoers.
Wed, Jan 04, 2012
It’s that time of year when movie theaters are awash with films receiving Golden Globe nods and Academy Award buzz. While there are a few already playing, like "The Artist," "The Descendants," and "Melancholia," there are plenty more quality art house films in the pipeline in the early part of the new year.
Wed, Dec 28, 2011
And as January and February temperatures dip, the stages of area theatres—many in mid-season—are warming up. What follows are some highlights to look for this winter and spring from Kansas City’s adult professional companies and presenters—but come back often to KCMetropolis for more listings, previews, and reviews of the musical, family, community, and off-beat theatre our area has to offer.
Wed, Dec 21, 2011
Washington-based playwright Ken Ludwig, perhaps best known for his comedy "Lend Me A Tenor" (originally produced on by Andrew Lloyd Webber on Broadway) discusses his newest venture into farce on the golf green, "The Fox on the Fairway." The Theatre Gym is producing the play's Midwest premiere at Just Off Broadway Theatre through Dec. 31.
Wed, Dec 21, 2011
The Owen/Cox Dance Group’s zany and thoroughly entertaining “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” contains inspired arrangements of Tchaikovsky’s traditional "Nutcracker" score by Brad Cox and others, and also new music for scenes from the original E.T.A. Hoffmann story that do not appear in the Tchaikovsky ballet. This review focuses on the production's music.
Tue, Dec 20, 2011
Adaptations of young adult literature are currently in vogue because of their gripping stories and powerful messages. The Lyric Opera of Kansas City and the Minnesota Opera have joined forces to commission Susan Kander's opera based on Lois Lowry's Newbery Award-winning novel, "The Giver." KCM's Sarah Young spoke with the creative team and the cast of the upcoming production.
Wed, Dec 14, 2011
The Celtic Tenors sang a holiday concert with their droll Irish brogue and oodles of charisma Saturday evening at the Lied Center of Kansas. With tunes ranging from folk to opera to rock, the trio performed to an enthusiastic audience.
Wed, Dec 14, 2011
Looking for that perfect gift for the music-lover in your life? Want to support musicians with Kansas City connections? Here’s a rundown of commercially available recordings released in 2011.
Wed, Dec 07, 2011
Need a little Christmas? Grab the nearest red-nosed quadruped and fly over to Crown Center for Musical Theater Heritage’s “A Spectacular Christmas In Concert” at the Off Center Theatre for a night of enthusiastic and heartwarming holiday cheer.
Tue, Dec 06, 2011
Kirsten Dunst's performance is a serious Oscar contender in Lars von Trier’s visually stunning "Melancholia."
Tue, Dec 06, 2011
With excellent acting and skilled direction, the White Theatre presents "Beau Jest," playwright James Sherman's comic toast to life’s complications.
Wed, Nov 16, 2011
The holidays provide an opportunity for almost every classical music and dance organization in town to put on some special programming. But remember: like everybody else, musicians and dancers like to spend the actual holidays with their families, so get in the mood early. If you wait until after December 18, the pickings get much slimmer.
Wed, Nov 02, 2011
In the second Classical Series program at the Kauffman Center, the Kansas City Symphony and Symphony Chorus took to the stage to present Brahms’ "Ein deutches Requiem," along with some Messiaen and Beethoven, before a sold-out audience Friday evening.
Wed, Nov 02, 2011
The Unicorn Theatre, in conjunction with Kansas City Actors Theatre and UMKC Theatre, present "God of Carnage," Yasmina Reza’s Tony Award-winning play. Opening in Kansas City weeks before Roman Polanski’s film adaption, the stage production should not be missed.
Wed, Oct 19, 2011
Pianist Marc-André Hamelin delivered a sophisticated, nuanced recital of Liszt, Berg, Debussy, and his own compositions Saturday evening as part of the Harriman-Jewell Series. Each piece informed the next, bringing new insights to wonderful repertoire.
Tue, Oct 18, 2011
Although jazz lovers are fortunate with Kansas City's rich jazz culture and heritage, audiences are also treated to excellent jazz greats who continually visit the metro. Among those greats, is the inimitable musical icon Herbie Hancock who stops at the Lied Center this month on his first-ever solo tour.
Mon, Oct 17, 2011
“Tom Sawyer—A Ballet in Three Acts” is the first full-length American ballet based on American literature with an American creative team. Though musically well performed, it lacked a decisive view-point and the vitality inherent to Mark Twain’s beloved scalawag. Libby Hanssen's review focuses on the musical aspects of the production.
Mon, Oct 17, 2011
The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, in collaboration with Kansas City Public Television, presents “Homecoming: An Evening with Virgil T;” the musical tribute to legendary composer and native son Virgil Thomson by a diverse, all-Kansas City company will be recorded live and included in an upcoming national PBS documentary.
Fri, Oct 07, 2011
Hispanic Heritage Month runs from Sept 15th to October 15th. Libby Hanssen spoke with John Currey, leader and founding member of Marimba Sol de Chiapas, who are celebrating their 20th year in Kansas City. She encountered this type of ensemble while a student at UMKC’s Conservatory of Music and Dance. The ensemble is different than any other in Kansas City and the instrument produces such a distinct timbre she was curious to find out more.
Wed, Oct 05, 2011
Pianist Marc-André Hamelin spoke to KCMetropolis Classical Editor Topher Levin recently about his upcoming Harriman-Jewell Series recital, Hamelin’s recent publication of his "Twelve Etudes in the Minor Keys," the Godowsky/Chopin Etude transcriptions, and a new recording of Haydn sonatas.
Wed, Oct 05, 2011
Now in their twentieth season, Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company presented its fall concert to enthusiastic fans. The program featured a number of selections with passionate, culturally inspired choreography. The company also shared some exciting news of future projects.
Tue, Oct 04, 2011
Electroacoustic music, like its acoustic brethren, is capable of conveying the same principals of aesthetics that many hold dear. For eleven years, Electronic Music Midwest has presented these works in festival format with listener-friendly hour-long concerts serving as an introduction to the astounding array of sonic possibilities inherent with electronics.
Tue, Sep 27, 2011
Each year, The Kansas International Film Festival selects an eclectic line-up of films, from quirky comedies to political documentaries. Many of the films in the festival have received international recognition and awards, further cementing the KIFF’s reputation as a heavy hitter within the festival circuit. KCM’s Calli Parker recently had the opportunity to speak with Brian Mossman, the co-founder and owner of the Glenwood Arts Theatre about all things festival.
Wed, Sep 21, 2011
Director Garnett Bruce, whose rich body of work includes opera companies across the country and around the world from the San Francisco Opera to the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, is staging the Lyric Opera’s season-opening production of “Turandot”—the first opera to be performed at the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. On the eve of this grand inauguration, he joined Editor-in-Chief Lee Hartman for a conversation.
Wed, Sep 21, 2011
Cuban-American lyric soprano, Elizabeth Caballero is reprising the role of Liù in her Kansas City debut at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s production of "Turandot." She spoke with KCM’s Lee Hartman about the character and how she prepares for a role as well as her heritage and professional crush on Sam Ramey.
Mon, Sep 19, 2011
KCMetropolis contributor Don Dagenais braved the weather and long lines to attend the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts public open house on Sunday afternoon. Once inside, he managed to catch five local acts in Helzberg Hall.
Mon, Sep 19, 2011
Classical editor Topher Levin snapped some shots of Sunday's open house at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. With over 50,000 in attendance, the event drew 2.5 times more eager citizens then originally anticipated despite the rainy weather.
Tue, Sep 13, 2011
Nineteen-year-old violinist Caroline Goulding will visit Kansas City for the first time on September 24th, as part of the Harriman-Jewell Discovery Concert Series. The recent Avery Fisher Career Grant winner talks about her program with collaborative pianist Dina Vainshtein, what it means to play a recital, and what’s in store for the year ahead.
Wed, Aug 24, 2011
Any story, fiction or non-fiction, dealing with the Holocaust is likely to evoke a strong emotional response. "Sarah’s Key" is no exception as a modern-day journalist unlocks a family secret that puts her on a mission to find a little girl lost during the summer of 1942.
Tue, Aug 23, 2011
After a 22 year tenure, Dr. John Wesley Strickler announced to the Topeka Symphony Society Board of Directors that he will step down as music director and conductor of the Topeka Symphony at the end of the 2011–12 season.
Wed, Aug 17, 2011
The Ruel Joyce Recital Series at Johnson County Community College kicks off its fall season in September with another line-up of Kansas City’s finest classical musicians.
Wed, Aug 17, 2011
Free performances, tours and family activities at the Kauffman Center will bring the Grand Opening weekend to a grand conclusion.
Tue, Aug 16, 2011
What if you had the chance to visit a duplicate of yourself? What would you say? In the somber science fiction drama "Another Earth," a damaged girl pursues a chance to confront her mirror self while trying to apologize to the man who lost his family due to her recklessness.
Wed, Jul 27, 2011
A gritty drama tackling deep ethical dilemmas, "Worth" is intense and utterly engrossing as it entwines an ostensibly “normal” middle-class family and the seedy underbelly of society.
Wed, Jul 27, 2011
The Independent Filmmaker’s Coalition of Kansas City, one of the nation’s oldest independent film organizations, compiled the best of their recent short films and teasers for the 2011 KC Fringe Festival.
Tue, Jul 26, 2011
“Jet Propulsion” spins a stranger-than-fiction tale in which a founder of the American space program worships Pan and cozies up to L. Ron Hubbard.
Mon, Jul 25, 2011
With six operas for 84¢ apiece, “Super Spectacular! To Opera with Love” is one of the biggest bargains at the Kansas City Fringe Festival. It is also spectacularly energetic, creative, and downright funny.
Sat, Jul 23, 2011
“Showman,” because there really is no other single word to describe the force that is Kevin J. Thorton, strutted, preened, skewered, sang, and soliloquized Friday night at the Kansas City Fringe Festival. His hyper-magnetism shone in his one-man show, "I Love You (We’re F*#ked)."
Fri, Jul 22, 2011
A great premise alone could not save “Bill Murray’s Cousin Live in Concert!” from missing the mark Friday evening at the Kansas City Fringe Festival.
Tue, Jun 28, 2011
Please join KCMetropolis in welcoming two new bundles of joy born to our writers Victor Wishna and Libby Hanssen.
Tue, Jun 28, 2011
Classical music offerings are a little sparse in the city during the summertime, but a sparkling exception to that rule is Summerfest, the excellent chamber music series that brings some of Kansas City’s most talented instrumentalists to the stage for four weekends of traditional and contemporary music each July.
Tue, Jun 28, 2011
The 7th Annual KC Fringe Festival is an unfiltered, uncensored sampling of Kansas City’s cultural arts and runs July 21–31st, 2011. The 11-day festival is jam-packed with live theater, dance, performance art, visual art, spoken word, puppetry, storytelling, film and fashion.
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