KCMETROPOLIS.org
Kansas City's Online Journal of the Performing Arts

By Sandy Eisenberg   Wed, Apr 22, 2009

Last Saturday, the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Company made its Kansas City debut as part of a 45-city tour. 

In 1995, Jean-Philippe Malaty (executive director) and Tom Mossbrucker (artistic director, principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet) were invited to form a professional company based in Aspen by Aspen Ballet Company and School founder Bebe Schweppe.  In 2000 they entered into a joint venture with the Santa Fe Festival Ballet in New Mexico.  While still "headquartered" in Aspen, the company maintains a strong dance presence in both Santa Fe and Aspen, including dance schools in both cities.

The evening was like eating dinner in a fine new restaurant.  It started with a Twyla Tharp appetizer, the entrée was prepared by Jorma Elo, and the dessert was from Moses Pendelton.  The evening was all about the choreography, and we were placed in the hands of three Masters, with three different styles and viewpoints.         

The Shaker community and hymns of the early 1800's from William Billings and The Sacred Harp (a southern tradition of sacred choral music) inspired Twyla Tharp to choreograph Sweet Fields in 1996.  This outstanding work was not your typical Tharp piece, and might have been mistaken for one by Mark Morris, because of the use of a cappella choral music, and the simple, elementary, symmetrical movement and floor patterns, including dancers moving in unison. The five men and five women danced seamlessly through what seemed like every permutation of solos, groups, trios, from holding hands in a circle to carrying a dancer horizontally above the others only to have the dancer drop horizontally to the height of the others' knees and then be rocked.  The repetition of images was powerful. The movement of these dancers showed a strong sense of weight that is not always present when ballet companies perform modern dance works.  The white flowing costume design by Norma Kamali perfectly matched the simplicity of the choreography.  The "look" of the piece was striking, and the choreography was so completely satisfying.             

 Jorma Elo from Finland, is a "hot" new choreographer, who has choreographed for American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet and San Francisco Ballet, among others.  He has been the resident choreographer for the Boston Ballet since 2005.  Three of his works are in the ASFB repertoire, two that were commissioned by the company, which is the smallest company that Elo has choreographed for.  One of those commissions was originally on this program, but because Red Sweet needed a deeper stage than the Folly Theatre allowed, the company substituted another (non-commissioned) work of Elo's, First Flash. 

This extraordinarily energetic piece featured six dancers and was performed to the 2nd and 3rd movements of the Sibelius Violin Concerto in D Minor.  The piece opened and closed in silence with a brief silence between movements.  Between movements a dancer, center stage, slowly turned in place while he repeatedly slapped the women's leg gently away while holding her in a wonderful lift.  This image was powerful the first time, but when brought back in the silence at the end, was quite stunning.  The larger-than-life concerto seemed to make these silences even more meaningful.  The choreography was danced with strong focus and intent, but seemed to have a disconnect with the music.  The second movement of the Sibelius concerto is dramatic and intensely romantic. The movement danced to that music, however, was quirky and insect-like.  The choreographer took some liberties with the score, extending the introductory passage of percussion and pulsating strings at the beginning of the 3rd movement, and this is when First Flash took off.  The piece jelled when the music, choreography and dancing became of the same mind.  Eric Chase deserves special mention, for the exceptional vigor, enjoyment, and musicality that he brought to the piece.  

The dessert of the evening was Noir Blanc (2002), which was visually impressive, but not entirely nourishing.   Set to New Age music by The Buddha Experience and Harold Budd, Noir Blanc was choreographed by Moses Pendleton, co-founder of Pilobolus in 1971, who formed his own company Momix in the early 80's.  Noir Blanc is quintessentially Pendleton complete with black light, optical illusion and projections.  Behind a scrim the nine dancers were costumed in hooded head to toe body stockings split asymmetrically down the middle, white on one side and black on the other, with the women wearing only one pointe shoe.  The Day-Glo lighting illuminated the costume's white side.  This helped create a other-worldly, inhuman environment that was enhanced by the lunar-like and sky projections.  The illusion of freezing in mid air at the height of jumping a hurdle was impressive.  This piece should be viewed by letting the piece wash over you and allow the illusion to take hold.  The audience did just that.  Upon exiting the theatre, audience members were heard asking if this was done with wires.

The Harriman/Jewell Series gave us a feast to savor for some time, and we look forward to experiencing other dishes on the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet menu.
 

REVIEW:
Harriman-Jewell Series
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
Saturday, April 18th, 2009
The Folly Theatre
12th and Central, Downtown Kansas City, MO
www.harriman-jewell.org

By   Thu, Apr 23, 2009

fiona's list for April 22 - May 3

I hope you have found the new fiona's list 12-day listing helpful in planning your musical outings. We may be slowing down a bit as many groups are reaching the end of their seasons, but there are still many worthy choices for you.

My personal Kansas City favorites for the next 12 days include: the Australian Chamber Orchestra on Friday the 24th; Julia Fischer, violin on Saturday the 25th; the William Jewell Handbell Choir concert on Sunday the 26th; the KC Symphony Chamber Players on Friday the 1st; a doctoral piano recital by Shoko Kinsella on Saturday the 2nd;  the Double Chorus Concert of the Kansas City Chorale on Sunday the 3rd; the 30th annual Bachathon on Sunday the 3rd; the Philharmonia of Greater Kansas City Season Finale Concert featuring Yu-Fang Chen, Viola, on Sunday the 3rd; and five opportunities to hear the Lyric Opera's presentation of The Pirates of Penzance.  These are my choices and there are conflicts, so you will need to pick and choose.

My out-of-town favorites include: the Lawrence Chamber Orchestra in Lawrence on Sunday the 26th and an organ recital by a great organist, Olivier Latry from the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, in an outstanding organ recital hall on Tuesday the 28th in Lawrence
 
Although I truly enjoy a wide variety of music, I wouldn't try to hide the fact that my very favorite music is chamber music.  You will be surprised to learn of a change in programming on KKFI (90.1 FM). For two hours on Wednesday nights, from 8 to 10 p.m., you can hear classical chamber music. The entire history - from the Renaissance to contemporary - will be covered, featuring the most popular chamber pieces, as well as more obscure works. Dr. Mike Pettengell will welcome guests from community groups, and will feature information about local concerts...
 
For something different, try one of the other "fiona favorites" found just below the theatre listings on fiona's list.  There's something for you for every night of the week.  Some of them are not available every week.  My recommendation this week is Scott McDonald.  You can hear him on Sunday the 26th at the Bristol in Overland Park or on Friday the 24th at the Taste Restaurant in Overland Park.
 
Fiona recommends another list of events for families, friends, educators, & neighbors of children 10 and under.  Miss Jackie's April list includes Jazz Storytelling, KCPT reads (where everyone from newborn to 8 yrs old receives a brand new book free), a Teddy Bear Picnic, Read to a Dog and more. To receive her monthly list, send an email to: missjackielists@gmail.com
 

Until next Wednesday morning,
Fiona

By William A. Everett   Wed, Apr 22, 2009

The UMKC Signature Series Finale Concert, featuring the Conservatory Orchestra and Choirs under the direction of Robert Olson, will take place on Saturday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m. at White Recital Hall. The concert includes four masterworks: Johannes Brahms' Academic Festival Overture, Maurice Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé Suite No. 2, Chen Yi's Kansas City Capriccio and Ralph Vaughan Williams' Dona Nobis Pacem.

The centerpiece of the program is Vaughan Williams' deeply moving and hauntingly evocative Dona Nobis Pacem. He wrote the work in 1936 to mark the centenary of the Huddersfield Choral Society, one of Britain's most famous choirs. For this cantata for soprano and baritone soloists, chorus and orchestra, the composer chose texts from the Latin Mass (Agnus Dei), poems by Walt Whitman ("Beat, Beat, Drums," "Reconciliation" and "Dirge for Two Veterans"), John Bright's impassioned speech to the British Parliament from 1855 ("The Angel of Death"), and the Old Testament.

Dona Nobis Pacem is indicative of Vaughan Williams' broad compositional palette, one that extends far beyond his general reputation as an arranger of folk songs (though he was certainly marvelous in this regard). He studied at the Royal College of Music with Sir Charles Villiers Stanford, whose admiration for Johannes Brahms bordered on adulatory. He also studied for a short time in Berlin with Max Bruch, who at the time was best known as a choral composer. And for a few months in 1908, Vaughan Williams was in Paris, where as a student of Maurice Ravel he was exposed to Impressionism and the refined and perhaps even sensual qualities of French neoclassicism. Elements of these various experiences are evident in Dona Nobis Pacem: the fundamental idea of musical structure from Stanford, effective choral writing from Bruch, and innovative timbres and harmonies from Ravel.

The cantata is filled with war-related references, as one would expect in a work whose title translates as "grant us peace." Whitman's texts concerning the American Civil War, Bright's immortal words opposing the Crimean War, Vaughan Williams' own experiences in World War I, and the growing unrest in Europe in the late 1930s are all evident. Vaughan Williams served as a stretcher carrier in France during the First World War and lost many friends in the conflict.  His Third Symphony, "Pastoral" (1916-1921), is a musical memorial to the "War to End All Wars." The Fourth Symphony (1931-34), by contrast, is an aggressive work that aurally depicts the emerging fear in Europe at the time. The elegiac tone of the Pastoral Symphony and the sense of urgency in the Fourth Symphony continue in Dona Nobis Pacem.

As Vaughan Williams studied with an ardent admirer of Brahms (Stanford) and also with Ravel, it seems entirely appropriate to hear music by both of these influences on the same concert as Dona Nobis Pacem.  Brahms wrote his Academic Festival Overture in 1880 when he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Breslau, and the Ballet Russes gave the premiere of Ravel's ballet Daphnis et Chloé in Paris in 1912. The score is one of Ravel's most Impressionist-inspired works, and is particularly famous for its extensive flute solo and soloistic passages for alto flute and E-flat clarinet.  

Near the end of the Dona Nobis Pacem comes a glorious, hope-filled apotheosis on the title words. This effervescent sense of joy is also evident in Chen Yi's Kansas City Capriccio. Originally for choir and wind ensemble and first performed in 2000, the work's vibrancy and effusiveness make it a fitting complement to what promises to be an extraordinary musical event.

UMKC Conservatory of Music
Signature Series Finale
Vaughan Williams' Dona Nobis Pacem
Saturday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m.
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry Street, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.conservatory.umkc.edu

By Don Dagenais   Wed, Apr 22, 2009

The Lyric Opera of Kansas City often likes to end its season with an upbeat "fun" production that puts its audience members in a good mood heading into summer.   This season the Lyric Opera will surely do so, as it has chosen a sure-fire feel-good opera, one of Gilbert & Sullivan's most popular comedies, The Pirates of Penzance.

Full of sight gags and verbal buffoonery, The Pirates of Penzance delights audiences of all ages.  Why else would it be a favorite of high school music departments as well as "grand opera" companies across two continents? There is more to Pirates than meets the eye, however, and the Lyric Opera's production team, starting with famed stage director Dottie Danner, will serve the most sophisticated observers as well as those who just like to sit back and laugh.

The very topic of the operetta is a legal joke, which shouldn't be surprising to anybody familiar with the career of William Schenk Gilbert, who was a lawyer before he became an author of comedies.  The pair's previous opera, H.M.S. Pinafore, was such a hit that it quickly traveled across the Atlantic and was produced in pirated editions more than 20 companies in New York City alone.  None of these had any authorization from the creators, and in those days before international copyright treaties, the piece had no legal protection whatsoever.  As a result, Gilbert and Sullivan and their financial backers lost millions in potential royalties.

The composer and librettist, along with their managers, planned a two-prong attack.  First, they would take their own performance forces to America, armed with a genuine copy of the opera's libretto and score, and mount an authentic production of Pinafore.  Second, they would put on an entirely new G&S work in America, in order to capitalize upon their popularity there.

The strategy worked like a charm.  The genuine Pinafore was far more charming than the haphazard "stolen" productions, and the English company quickly began reaping the rewards of the Pinafore success.  Second, the new production they debuted in America (it was simultaneously debuted in England as well, also for reasons of copyright protection) was a sensational hit.

What was the topic of the new opera? - why, pirates, of course. In a tongue-in-cheek reference to the piracy that accompanied the unauthorized productions of Pinafore.  And thus The Pirates of Penzance was born.

More than this, however, Pirates continued and even refined the G&S technique of poking gentle fun at the pretensions and foibles of Victorian England.  As with Pinafore, its principal character is a pompous buffoon, in this case Major General Stanley, who boasts in his introductory patter song ("I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General") of his keen understanding of matters that are totally irrelevant to his post.   The Pirate King, by contrast, even though sinister in a non-frightening sort of way, at least came by his position by hard work and determination.  "Frederic," he says to his young apprentice, "I don't think much of our profession, but contrasted with respectability, it is comparatively honest."

Even the noble institution of the London bobby comes under the satirical fire of Gilbert's parody, as the policemen, led by their charmingly incompetent Sergeant of the Police, show more sympathy for Her Majesty's criminals than her law abiding citizens, and end up losing ignominiously to the pirates in the "battle" that is the climax of the opera.

What did Queen Victoria think of all of this?  According to reports, she took it all in great fun, even stealing away under cover of disguise to enjoy G&S operettas from the vantage point of a darkened box seat at the Savoy Theatre in London.

In order to carry off a performance of Pirates well, a modern opera company needs to have an understanding director and a lively cast that can make the characters come alive.  For the Lyric Opera production, artistic director Ward Holmquist has chosen one of today's leading directors of comic operas, Dorothy ("Dottie") Danner.  She has directed this piece many times and has a clear understanding of both the lightness and depth of the comedy.  Major General Stanley will be portrayed by venerable Kansas City baritone Robert Gibby Brand, who has proven so marvelous at these kinds of roles in past years; his portrayal should be a treat.

For the younger characters in the cast, Holmquist has played to type and selected a series of talented young singers who have already established formidable reputations.  Baritone Markus Beam, a graduate of the young artists programs of the San Francisco, Santa Fe and Glimmerglass operas and a graduate of Philadelphia's prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts, plays the Pirate King.  The young lovers Frederic and Mabel will be portrayed by tenor Chad Johnson, a winner of several opera competitions and already a veteran of the Tanglewood, Connecticut, San Diego, Sarasota and Glimmerglass operas, and soprano Nili Riemer, a graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music who has won acclaim in major roles at the Minnesota Opera.

Ruth, the young Frederic's longtime nurse who has designs on his affections (her love has been accumulating for 47 years, we are told), is portrayed by mezzo Jennifer Roderer, who typically plays more dramatic roles such as Amneris in Aida, Fricka in Die Walkure, and Mrs. Grove in The Turn of the Screw, which she performed with the Lyric Opera in 2005.

The Sergeant of the Police will be sung by a Kansas City favorite, bass John Stephens of the University of Kansas opera faculty.  His wide variety of roles includes several other G&S characters, including the title role in The Mikado, which he sang with the Lyric Opera in 2001.

Andy Anderson, the former artistic assistant with the Lyric Opera (and artistic director of the Civic Opera Theatre of Kansas City), returns to Kansas City from his new post as artistic director of the Mobile (Ala.) Opera to conduct Pirates.  His podium technique and organization are impressive and it will be a pleasure to see him again in the Lyric Opera orchestra pit.

The Pirates of Penzance should be a delightful evening for both the veteran operagoer and the novice. Enjoy it on any level you like - Victorian satire or joke-filled buffoonery - but be sure to enjoy.


The Lyric Opera of Kansas City
The Pirates of Penzance
by Gilbert and Sullivan
Saturday, April 25 at 8 p.m.
Monday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 1 at 8 p.m.
Sunday, May 3 at 2 p.m.
Lyric Theater, 11th & Central, Downtown Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-471-7344 or online at www.kcopera.org

By   Wed, Feb 08, 2012

Click here to see all the  events on the KC Events performing arts calendar.


How do you list your events on KC Events? It is easy!!
As an arts organziation or musician, you can add and edit your own events.

KCMetropolis.org's mission is to promote traditional and independent classical music, dance, theatre and independent film. We are very sorry, but we do not cover pop, rock, Christian or country music; we do not cover the visual arts or non-performing arts community events. If you would like to send a press release about an upcoming performing arts event, please send to press@KCMetropolis.org.

KC Events Categories are:
Traditional & New Classical Music
Dance
Theatre
Jazz

KCMetropolis.org builds assignments for reviews, previews and interviews exclusively from KC Events.  Please make sure your events are listed inorder to be considered.

To Submit Information:

• Please go to the KCM front page and click on the login tab located at the top right-hand side of the website.
• Create a login account and then sign-in.
• Read the KC Events Terms of Service before proceeding
• On the left-hand nav is a category called Submit Content
• Click on Submit an Event or Manage Your Events.
• Listings will be approved with 48 hours if it fits the KCMetropolis.org criteria.

By Steve Shapiro   Wed, Apr 22, 2009

Ah, Fellini. Ah, Amarcord! This lusty, luscious lulu of a movie, a paean to the director's Italian childhood in the 1930's, ranks high in the pantheon of imagined memories turned art. Memory is never more memorable, or more reliable, than when it is fixed, when the shadows on the bedroom wall loom large as monsters and ancient relatives assume mythic personas. Amarcord remains, in the years since its 1974 release, an exemplar of how the past coupled with an artist's working imagination can create a hybrid of what-if and what-was to celebrate wouldn't-it-be-wonderful-if.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if you woke up one morning to snow so high you could make tunnels in it? Wouldn't it be wonderful if you were squeezed to the chest of a large-breasted woman? Wouldn't it be wonderfully comic if your nutty uncle climbed a tree and stayed there, calling out, "I want a woman!" Amarcord-the made-up word comes from the Romagnola dialect word amarcor ("I remember")-makes you believe in what you see even when what you see is as magical as a peacock appearing in the middle of winter.

The movie, which opens Friday for a week run in a beautifully restored print at the Tivoli, in Westport Square, stands out both in Fellini's career and in cinema's recent history. It was the last jewel in a career that began as a screenwriter in 1939 and endured, in the last decade, increasingly disappointing projects; despite the early classics that defined him and his generation of filmmaking it may be his most purely entertaining movie. Homages such as Woody Allen's Radio Days and Lasse Holström's My Life as a Dog and Paul Mazursky's Next Stop, Greenwich Village, as well as dozens of other nostalgic-tinted movies with adult narrators and remembrances both comic and tragic, have followed Fellini's formula, though most without his light touch. The movie is a visual aria (photographed as ever by his great cinematographer, Giuseppe Rotunno), and an aural one, too-the lilting score is by Nina Rota, who happened to come up with another memorable score the year before, in The Godfather.

Set in the 30's amid the rise of Fascism and Mussolini, Amarcord, like John Boorman's World War II British remembrance Hope & Glory, revels in the craziness of wartime.To read about it, as in the British film critic David Thomson's new memoir Try to Tell the Story, one would never imagine what fun it was to grow up then. Fellini had been an assistant to Rossellini on several of his films, whose neorealistic approach was intended to get under the viewer's skin; but Fellini's own sensibility was closer to the movies in large boisterous theatres and the highly theatrical circuses he enjoyed as a child in Rimini, a coastal town on the Adriatic Sea.

His alter ego in the movie, young Titta (supposedly based in part on a childhood friend, Titta Benzi), is a wonderful innocent around whom a rapidly changing world is spinning. Unlike in, say, Truffaut's semi-autobiographical film The 400 Blows or Bergman's baroque childhood fantasy Fanny and Alexander where the director's youthful stand-in already suffers like an adult, Fellini's Titta remains open-eyed. The familial world around him is enough, and his village is self-supporting when it comes to growing up. Scene after scene depict how Church, Family and Country collided and sometimes colluded to shape young minds. To further enhance the overlap of fantasy and reality, the set, modeled after Rimini (down to movie posters on walls), was built on the legendary Cinecittà studio, which Mussolini himself opened in 1937.

This hymn to home reminds us how thoroughly Italian Fellini was: not in the garish, contemptuous way that he came to use the idea of Italian-ness in his latter films, as a prop like his freaks and mammoth-chested women when he seemed exhausted of inspiration, but in a proud manner. This movie celebrates the nonsensical sides of Italy-the priest is as much a fool as the soldier and the mayor-but more so the artistic material found in living there and then. Why not a peacock in winter? Why not Uncle Teo up in a tree? Why not the magic of turning a movie theatre inside-out?  


Now Showing
Tivoli Cinemas
Westport Manor Square, 4050 Pennsylvania, KCMO
Visit www.tivolikc.com or call 913-383-7756 for showtimes.  

By Lee Goodman   Wed, Apr 22, 2009

The Takács Quartet has been one of a handful of top Quartets almost since its formation 34 years ago. The group is well known for its recordings of the Bartók and Beethoven quartets. In New York recently, the Takács performed all the Bartók Quartets, together with the Beethoven Opus 18 Quartets, to great acclaim. (A heads-up: The Friends of Chamber Music just announced that they are bringing the Takács to the Folly next season.)

Marc-Andre Hamelin is considered a titanic, almost superhuman piano virtuoso. He seems not to garner as much press as other, flashier pianists, and perhaps that's because he is given to exploring and recording the long-forgotten works of obscure 19th and early 20th century composers such as Alkan, Godowsky, Sorabji, Rzewski and more. I've been a big fan of Hamelin from his recordings (available on Hyperion, as are recordings by the Takács) and from an appearance at UMKC's White Recital Hall many years ago, and I was looking forward to hearing him in a chamber music context. As a side note, the Harriman-Jewell Series is bringing him to The Folly next year.  I would strongly recommend you get a ticket.

The Takács began with a late Haydn quartet, the Op. 77, No. 2. This was not the usual Haydn quartet filled with humor and wit, but more reflective and pointing toward the Romantic era. The Quartet produced a warm yet transparent sound that was somewhat dominated by the first violin, with the cello a little too much in the background for my taste.

Béla Bartók is considered one of the great composers of the 20th century. Less well known is his research into Hungarian folk music, which occupied him throughout his life, and these influences often made their way into his works. His Quartet No. 1, written in 1909, starts off as a funeral dirge, but the work gets lighter and faster, eventually ending quite joyously with hints of folk music. The Takács is justifiably famous for its interpretations of the Bartók quartets. Although not a big fan of the quartets, I was won over by the dramatic, impassioned performance.

Robert Schumann was one of the great Romantic composers, a noted pianist until a hand injury ended his performing career, an influential music critic, a mentor and friend to the young Johannes Brahms, and husband of Clara Schumann, who was one of the finest pianists of her time. His death at 46 was one of the tragedies of the classical music world.

When we think of great chamber music works, the piano quintets of Dvořák, Brahms, Shostakovich and others come to mind. It's hard to believe no romantic composer thought of the piano quintet combination before (piano and string quartet), but Schumann wrote what was perhaps the first great romantic piano quintet, and it is spectacular. The first movement begins with a joyous opening call; the second movement, in contrast, is funereal. The third movement is a modified minuet and trio whose main section is built only on rising and falling scales. The brilliant fourth movement is capped by a fugue that builds up inexorable momentum to the finish. This is one of my favorite chamber works. 
 
I have switched seats from the lower right side to the upper left side of Yardley Hall. I liked the sound much better upstairs; the balance of the strings was better, with the cello and viola sounding much stronger. The performance was a highly romantic one, with a lot of rubato (subtle tempo shifts), particularly from Hamelin. The contrasts in tempos and dynamics made me sit up and take notice, particularly in the third movement. I am used to a more straightforward performance of the Schumann Quintet, but this interpretation was perfectly valid. I also noticed things in the piano part of the second movement I had not noticed before in my recordings, partly due to the lovely transparent texture of the strings that let the piano part shine through. I think performers should be given wide latitude and that cookie-cutter interpretations are to be avoided. This was an interesting performance in the best sense of the word.
 
Two miscellaneous points worth mentioning: The program notes the Carlsen Center uses by Susan Halpern are excellent, and I hope they continue to carry them. The only drawback to the evening was the embarrassingly poor turnout. The hall was not even 25 percent full. Perhaps the Carlsen Center could give out free tickets to the student body and the faculty. Fortunately the small audience was an enthusiastic one. The Takács Quartet and Marc-Andre Hamelin deserved better.

REVIEW:
Carlsen Center at JCCC
Takács Quartet with Marc-Andre Hamelin, pianist
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Yardley Hall, Carlsen Center
Johnson County Community College

By Gayle G. Hathorne   Wed, Apr 22, 2009

Once in a generation or so, an artist emerges whose command of technique is so grounded that all boundaries to musical expression are lifted and what ensues is a flawless interpretation of pure beauty.  Doug Niedt is one such artist in our time.  Concert-goers at the Folly Theatre last Sunday afternoon were treated to his profoundly gorgeous interpretation of the Concierto de Arnjuez by Joaquin Rodrigo, with the Kansas City Civic Orchestra.  From the deeply resonant opening guitar strums to the final ending chords, the audience was held spellbound by Niedt's superb musicality and endless variation of tonal colors as he conjured the shadows of ancient Spanish gardens in nuance unimaginable.

The orchestra was audibly inspired by Niedt's musicianship, as well.  The same string section that had just perfunctorily played through Mozart's Overture to Don Giovanni sprang alive for the concerto, delivering a marvelously tight staccato tutti in response to Niedt's opening solo statement.

English horn player, Anne Sneller figured prominently in the plaintive second movement that began enticingly with Niedt lingering subtly over its opening solo chord.  Unfortunately, the orchestra was held back beyond good measure by Interim Music Director Christopher Kelts, which resulted in missed notes and intonation problems from the winds throughout the concerto.  Kelts apparently did not understand the magnitude of Niedt's perfectly centered guitar tone that filled every molecule of the space with its beautiful ring, making one experience the guitar as if the artist was sitting in the next seat.

Undaunted, Niedt delivered a performance that was world class.  I was particularly impressed with the echo effects he elicited in the second cadenza, sounding like two or three guitarists, and all with such ease that one would never guess it might be hard - just pure magic from the guitar and an easy smile now and then, from Niedt.  I cannot thank the Kansas City Civic Orchestra enough for bringing him to us,and hope that the Kansas City Symphony will soon treat us to the talents of this international star who lives down the street.

The Kansas City Civic Orchestra is celebrating its 50th Anniversary season this year.  Since Dvorak's New World Symphony was performed on its opening concert fifty years ago, it was chosen to be the concluding work on Sunday's program.  It sounded like a different orchestra from the one I heard a year ago.  Loud tutti free-for-alls smothered the melodic lines, ensemble playing was not together and the tempo in the Scherzo was working rehearsal speed.  To be sure, excellent solo work was delivered by English horn player, Sneller, and also by Debbie Allen, clarinet, Mary Schmidt, flute, Richard Anderson, oboe, and Curtis Vellenga horn.  The Civic Orchestra has rightfully earned a reputation over the years as being an exceptionally fine amateur group, led by very talented and ambitious directors in the past.  I urge the organization to continue that legacy as it continues to contribute to the cultural excellence of Kansas City.

REVIEW
Kansas City Civic Orchestra
Christopher Kelts, Interim Music Director
with Doug Niedt, Guitar
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Folly Theatre
12th and Central, Downtown Kansas City, MO
www.KCCivic.org

By Megan Browne Helm   Wed, Apr 22, 2009

Ivan Moravec returned to Kansas City last Friday night capping off the Master Pianists series of The Friends of Chamber Music.  A warm, but small audience of fans welcomed him back to the intimate Folly Theater with open arms.  Moravec's genius, even after nearly 70 years of wowing audiences around the world, is still a very well kept secret.   When telling friends in the know that I was going to see Moravec's recital the overall response was, "Lucky you, he's wonderful. You won't be disappointed."  

Ivan Moravec has been described as a "titan," a "marvel" and "one of the century's great pianists." Presenter Cynthia Siebert touted his technique and taste, and hailed him as the last of the great European pianists.  It's easy to focus on the minutia of his playing, the color of his touch, the architecture of his lines; but more important than any of that, to me, is his expression and what he says through the music: the deeper meaning.

Moravec opened the recital with two selections by the Czech composer Leoš Janáček.  The pieces were written late in the composer's life and were full of sentimental reveries which Moravec seemed to easily embody.  Like Janáček, Moravec grew up on the border between the Czech Republic and Moravia.  When Moravec played, he looked up and away perhaps visualizing the landscapes of his youth.  His rhythmically free interpretation seemed to mimic the vocal inflection of a person relating a story.  He started and stopped frequently in places that aren't marked with a fermata, but where the musical phrase needed a breath and time to remember the scene. In this way, he brought this little known collection from, Along an Overgrown Path and In the Mists, an authentic Czech voice.   

The first piece in the Debussy set takes its title from Baudelaire, "Les sons et les parfumes tournent dans l'air du soir."  Poet Charles Baudelaire had a resounding impact on the French impressionist composers of the early 20th century who would regularly mine his poems for sexy song texts. Debussy created a heady composition with alternating mixed meters and rapidly shifting harmonies in an effort to stimulate all of the senses, musically.  Moravec lovingly performed the piece and the effect was enchanting.

In the following selection, Pour le Piano, also by Debussy, French keyboard music of the Baroque is subtly referenced. "The Prelude," "Sarabande" and "Toccata" each blend impressionism with the influences of Frances former musical glory.   At times it seemed that the feedback Moravec was getting from the instrument wasn't auditory but tactile. It was as if he were listening through his fingers: carving the sound like a potter at the wheel.

Many in the audience will recall pieces from the next set from their own piano pedagogy.  Debussy's Children's Corner Suite has been a mainstay of the intermediate repertoire for a century.  Refreshed by a master's touch, the audience enjoyed a chance to hear a more evolved interpretation.   The pieces come to life as "Dr. Gradus" and "Parnassus" mark time, and "Jimbo" the charming pink stuffed elephant lumbers along the pentatonic scale.  Who wouldn't giggle at the little girl prattling away at her doll as Moravec lightly bounced along effortlessly, letting the left hand tell the whole story.  In "Snow is Dancing," a cynical adult voice in the lower register parallels the breathless wonder of the child's voice in the upper.  The artistry here is to allow the listener to hear the subtle difference in their reaction to a snowy theme.  They are saying the same thing at the same time, but the adult voice is resigned while the child is invigorated. Only a master can make that clear, and Moravec did.

The final pieces were the true crowd pleasers.  The Chopin Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 52 followed by the Ballade No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 23.  Moravec has long been considered a premier Chopin interpreter.  With the 200th birthday of Chopin next year we were allowed only a tantalizing taste, so as not to ruin our appetites for next season's Chopin extravaganza.  Placing two intense Ballades one balanced on top of the other was an interesting choice resulting in not one but two encores including a charming Haydn presto.   

My friends were right about Ivan Moravec, he doesn't disappoint.  Years of life experience are infused into each note.  There is a burnished glow about his tone, which isn't overly bright but mellow. He has much to teach audiences and listening to him is more than enjoyable, it's enlightening.


REVIEW:
The Friends of Chamber Music
Ivan Moravec, piano
Friday, April 17, 2009
The Folly Theatre
12th and Central, Downtown Kansas City, MO
www.chambermusic.org

By   Wed, Apr 22, 2009

The American Library Association declared "The Witches" one of the best children's books of 1983. The book received numerous awards and has been well-loved by many people over the past two decades.

On the other hand, "The Witches" placed 27th on the ALA's most frequently challenged book list -- and for some very sound reasons.

It's not the first time the Coterie Theatre has produced a controversial story. Two years ago, it performed "The Giver" (a book I absolutely love), which is No. 14 on the frequently challenged book list. Ten years ago, I saw "Lord of the Flies" (No. 70) with a school group. Now in its 30th season and named "One of the Five Best Theatres for Young Audiences," by Time Magazine, the Coterie Theatre knows what it's doing.

The basic story: A young boy and his grandmother find themselves at the same hotel as the annual witches' convention. The witches have devised an evil plot to turn all the children in the world into mice by feeding them poisoned candy. The boy overhears the plot and attempts to stop them.

"The Witches," to this critical eye, was well done. Brad Shaw's costumes captured the spirit of Roald Dahl's book perfectly, and his puppets were functional and fun. I liked the little details, such as identical earrings on a witch and her corresponding puppet. Art Kent's lighting was executed nicely. Backlighting the individual screens to create the silhouette scenes must have taken some time and precision. David Tanzit Hawkinson created a whimsical and adaptable set. The same archway, rotated, represented at least 10 different places. David Kiehl's sound design was interesting (Harry Potter music at the beginning!) and supplemented the action well.

The production was also well-cast. Boy, played by Cooper J. Scott, was an engaging protagonist and did a good job of keeping the story moving and connecting with the audience. Dakota Hoar was hilarious as the ever-hungry Bruno. These two children were as professional as the adult actors on the stage.

Michael Dragen and Lauretta Pope played a variety of supporting roles, all with great energy and exaggeration. This seemed to support Roald Dahl's conclusion that often children are more clever and realistic than the adults that surround them. Dragen was most entertaining as the head waiter. Pope was great as the first witch, who looked very much like the illustration on the cover of the book.

Ron Megee. Oh my. What can I say? His doorman was hilarious. His Grand High Witch (in drag) was even better, proving that it is possible to be frightening and silly at the same time. Nancy Marcy as the lovable grandmother had the difficult task of being the only (somewhat) realistic adult without slowing the story down with her long stories. She was a good sidekick and had a nice save when the mouse puppet almost fell out of her knitting basket.

David Wood's adaptation is another matter. The script itself seemed to rush, and then drag. The witch convention scene seemed lengthy, especially with the kid-hating song. The exposition seemed to take forever and the audience got restless. When action happened, it was never quite enough. I think the script followed the book pretty well, but maybe a rewrite wouldn't hurt. Cut out all those long descriptions, and keep more of the ending, so that Boy's decision makes more sense.

This is where the controversy happens. Without giving away too much of the story, I will say that Boy's decisions at the end of the play are affected by the death of his parents at the beginning. With such dark material beginning and ending the play, there is no chance to resolve the sinking feeling that such an ending creates. I can see why the story would be controversial. This is explained briefly in the program: "Being a risk-taker is easier if one is resilient. Boy does not dwell on the tragedy ... Rather, he sees [his situation as] a benefit and uses his situation to outsmart the Grand High Witch and her minions."

Nevertheless, when kids see this play, it might be good to have a talk afterward.

REVIEW:
The Witches
By Roald Dahl
Adapted by David Wood
DIrected by Missie Koonce
The Coterie Theatre at Crown Center,
Grand and Pershing, Kansas City, MO
Runs April 14-May 17
Check the website for performance days and times
For tickets call 816-474-6552 or online at www.coterietheatre.org

By KCM Staff   Tue, Oct 28, 2008

Fri, Apr 24, 2009

The Friends of Chamber Music
Australian Chamber Orchestra with Paul Lewis
Friday, April 24 at 8:00 p.m.
Folly Theater
12th and Central, Downtown Kansas City, MO

How many Kansas City arts organizations would like to have 10,000 subscribers to its concert season?  Well, the Australian Chamber Orchestra does and Kansas City will have a chance this weekend to hear what the excitement is all about.

Founded in 1975, the Australian Chamber Orchestra has performed at many of the world's prestigious concert halls, including Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, London's Wigmore Hall, New York's Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, Vienna's Musikverein, Birmingham, London's Symphony Hall and Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center.  The group travels throughout the world and performs more than 100 concerts each season away from its home continent.

For this concert, the Australian Chamber Orchestra will perform the Haydn Symphony No. 44, Rameau's Suite from Dardanus and a work by modern composer Pavel Haas entitled From the Monkey Mountains Suite.  The group will be joined by pianist Paul Lewis, who was a student of Alfred Brendel's, in the Mozart  Piano Concerto No. 12 in A Major.

For tickets call 816-561-9999 or online at www.chambermusic.org
 

Lyric Opera of Kansas City
The Pirates of Penzance
Saturday, April 25 at 8 p.m.
Monday, April 27at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 1 at 8 p.m.
Sunday, May 3 at 2 p.m.
Lyric Theatre
12th and Central Streets, Downtown Kansas City, MO

The Lyric Opera ends its 51st season with one of the zaniest operas in the repertoire, Gilbert and Sullivan's satirical The Pirates of Penzance.  Written primarily for American audiences who had enjoyed illicit (and therefore "pirated") performances of G&S's previous hit, H.M.S. Pinafore, The Pirates of Penzance is a delightful rollicking bit of fun on many different levels.

Those steeped in the history of the Victorian era will love the gentle poking of fun at Victorian customs and mores.  Audience members into the background of grand opera will get a kick out of the way the English pair satirizes operatic convention.  Others, who just like to sit back and have a good time, will enjoy the constant stream of jokes and puns along with the charming melodies and patter songs of the characters.

For this production the Lyric Opera's Ward Holmquist has brought together several rising young opera stars, who are gracing the Lyric Opera's stage for the first time.  Baritone Markus Beam, a graduate of the young artists programs of the San Francisco, Santa Fe and Glimmerglass Operas, plays the Pirate King.  The young lovers Frederic and Mabel will be portrayed by tenor Chad Johnson and soprano Nili Riemer, both winners of opera competitions who have appeared on several regional opera company stages across the country.

Singers in the...shall we say, more mature roles...are more familiar to Lyric Opera audiences.  Mezzo Jennifer Roderer, who has appeared in Kansas City in dramatic parts, takes on a much different character in Ruth, the young Frederic's longtime nurse who has designs on his affections.  The Police Sergeant will be sung by a Kansas City favorite, bass John Stephens of the University of Kansas opera faculty.  Major General Stanley, the gentle but befuddled father, will be sung by baritone Robert Gibby Brand, a longtime favorite for G&S roles at the Lyric Opera and also familiar to audiences of the Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Unicorn Theatre, Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre and others.

Andy Anderson, the former artistic assistant with the Lyric Opera (and artistic director of the Civic Opera Theatre of Kansas City), returns to Kansas City from his new post as artistic director of the Mobile (Alabama) Opera to conduct Pirates.  His podium technique and organization is impressive and it will be a pleasure to see him again in the Lyric Opera orchestra pit.

For tickets call 816-471-7344 or online at www.kcopera.org
 

Harriman-Jewell Series
Julia Fischer, violin
Saturday, April 25 at 8:00 p.m.
Folly Theatre
12th and Central, Downtown Kansas City, MO

Those of us who attended the outstanding performance by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields at the Folly Theater in February may have noticed a talented young violinist and conductor, Julia Fischer, who played a couple of Bach concertos.  It turns out that she has an impressive solo career as well as a career with the celebrated Academy ensemble, and this weekend Kansas City audiences will get a chance to hear her on her own.

A student of famed violinist Ana Chumachenco, Julia Fischer is Germany's youngest professor of violin, at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt am Main. She burst onto the classical scene about five years ago, and in 2005 won Germany's coveted 'ECHO' Award for her recording of 'Russian concertos  by Khatchaturian, Prokofiev and Glazounov.'  The following year she was named by BBC Music Magazine the ''Best Newcomer of the Year''. Great Britain's Gramophone Magazine pictured Julia Fischer on the front cover of their July 2006 issue, and in 2007 she was named "Artist of the Year" at the Classic FM Gramophone Awards.

In the last couple of years Fischer has made concert appearances in various venues and with a variety of orchestras around the world.  Last fall she signed a recording contract with Decca, with whom she is producing an album of Bach concertos.

On the program for this recital are sonatas for violin and piano by Mozart, Beethoven, Prokofiev and Martinu.  Joining Fischer for the program will be pianist Milana Chernyavska.

For tickets call 816- 415-5025 or online at www.harriman-jewell.org
 

UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
Conservatory Connections: Chinoiserie
Friday, April 24 at 6, 6:45 and 7:30 p.m.
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Large Chinese Gallery
4525 Oak St., Kansas City, MO

The UMKC Conservatory's community outreach program, called "Conservatory Connections," looks like it has come up with a winner in this program of Chinese music performed amidst the Chinese Temple at the Nelson Atkins Museum.  Assembled by husband and wife composers Zhou Long and Chen Yi of the Conservatory faculty, talented Conservatory students will play musical selections inspired by the Nelson Atkins Museum's Chinese collection.  

Free admission. For more information visit www.conservatory.umkc.edu
 

UMKC Conservatory of Music
Signature Series Finale
Vaughan Williams' Dona nobis pacem
Saturday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m.
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry Street, Kansas City, MO

The UMKC Conservatory of Music's Signature Series of concerts culminates its season presentations with the 100-piece Conservatory Orchestra and 100+ singers of the combined Conservatory Choirs led by Robert Olson, performing 20th Century English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams' Dona Nobis Pacem.

Every year the Signature Series ends with a gala presentation by the assembled forces of the Conservatory's talented students, and often these concerts reveal exceptional musicality as well as spectacular showmanship.  This year should be no exception, as Vaughn William's cantata puts on full display the assembled instrumental and choral forces of the school.  The cantata pulls its text from the Latin Mass, the poetry of Walt Whitman, John Bright's anti-war speech, "The Angel of Death," and Old Testament scripture.  The soprano and baritone soloists will be Rebecca Skaar and William Perry of the Conservatory faculty.

In addition to the Vaughan Williams piece, the Conservatory forces will play the ravishing Suite No. 2 from Ravel's epic ballet Daphnis et Chloé; Chen Yi's Kansas City Capriccio; and Brahms' Academic Festival Overture.  It should be a great end to an academic year and an outstanding concert season.

For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.conservatory.umkc.edu

 

Musica Sacra Chorus and Orchestra
George Frideric Handel
Sunday, April 26 at 7:00 p.m.
St. Francis Xavier Church
52nd and Troost Avenue, Kansas City, MO

Fans of large-scale vocal performance works have come to appreciate over the last few years the impressive efforts of director Timothy McDonald and his Musica Sacra group.  They have brought to the ears of this listener and others some of the outstanding choral works of the repertoire, many of which are not often heard, at least in these parts.

The music of George Frideric Handel is all the rage these days, and in this concert Musica Sacra will bring us a Handel composition with which many of us are unfamiliar: the Funeral Anthem on the Death of Queen Caroline: The Ways of Zion do Mourn.  Definitely not to be missed.

An added treat, if you can get there a bit early, is to listen to director McDonald talk about the piece to be performed.  He is always articulate and charming.  Arrive before 6:15 p.m. to hear his lecture.

For tickets call 816- 235-6222 or online at www.rockhurst.edu/musicasacra
 

Northland Community Choir Spring Concert
NCC Off Off Off Broadway
A Concert of Musical Theater Favorites
Sunday, April 26 at 3 p.m.
Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
Park University, Parkville, MMO

The Northland Community Choir will perform its Spring concert free of charge.  The concert will feature selections from a variety of Broadway shows.  According to the Choir, "from murder and intrigue to love and laughter, this concert will have it all."

Free admission.
 

Youth Symphony of Kansas City
Spring Concert
Sunday, April 26 at 4 p.m.
Jewish Community Center
5801 West 115th Street, Overland Park, KS

The Youth Symphony of Kansas City closes out its concert season for the year with a full orchestra concert led by its conductor, Steven D. Davis.  The selections this afternoon include Brahms' Symphony No. 2 and the Overture to Candide by Bernstein.  The Youth Symphony often gives outstanding performance and these selections should both please.

Free admission.
 

Kansas City Symphony
Symphony Chamber Players: Celebrated Serenades
Friday, May 1 at  p.m.
Visitation Church
5141 Main Street, Kansas City, MO

The Kansas City Symphony's new chamber music series is the brainchild of the Symphony's new assistant conductor, Steven Jarvi.  This concert is the last in the series for this year.  The series offers fans of the Symphony an interesting opportunity to hear the players on a more intimate basis than is allowed in the larger symphonic setting, of course, and the first several recitals in this series have revealed a distinctly different side of the Symphony musicians' talents.

In this program the chamber players will explore the Dvorak Serenade in E Minor, along with Benjamin Britten's Serenade for Horn, Tenor and Strings.  No word yet on who the tenor will be, but the piece features poetry of Tennyson, Keats and Blake, so it should be interesting.

Jarvi is an engaging conductor and his concert comments are always interesting.  This should be a great way to celebrate May Day this year.

For tickets call 816-471-0400 or online at www.kcsymphony.org
 

Fine Arts Chorale
Green Concert
Friday, May 1 at 8 p.m.
Immanuel Lutheran Church
2104 Bob Billings Parkway, Lawrence, KS

Saturday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral
13th and Broadway, Downtown Kansas City, MO

The Fine Arts Chorale concludes its 2008-2009 concert season with two performances of a Green Concert which, according to the Fine Arts Chorale, will feature "music that speaks to the beauty of Earth and its resources."  .

For tickets call 816- 235-6222 or online at www.fineartschoralekc.org
 

NewEar Contemporary Music Ensemble
Györgi Ligeti Program
Saturday, May 2 at 8 p.m.
All Soul's Unitarian Church
4501 Walnut, Kansas City, MO

The NewEar Contemporary Music Ensemble finishes its 2008-2009 season this weekend with a tribute to the pathbreaking Trannsylvanian-born composer Györgi Ligeti, whose work has been such a stimulant to contemporary musicians. 

Ligeti was born in 1923, and his early work showed influences of his fellow Eastern European musicians Bartok and Kodaly.  Ultimately he carved a very independent musical path, however, developing a musical concept he called "micropolyphony," which, according to one commentator, is "a style forged from chromatic cluster chords that are devoid of conventional melody, pitch and rhythm, but instead grow into timbres and textures that yield new sonic possibilities."

According to NewEar, "his music was remarkable: devoid of sentiment, whimsical, bizarre, and utterly astonishing in its continuous discovery of new sounds where there seemed to be none left to be found." Among his influences were Bartok, Brahms, Stockhausen and the music of African pygmies.
New Ear's celebration of Ligeti will covers much of the vast breadth of his music, including the early Six Bagatelles for woodwind quintet, Poéme Symphonique for 100 metronomes, the chamber version of his Cello Concerto and the Horn Trio.

For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.newear.org

Liberty Symphony Orchestra
Season Finale Concert
Saturday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Liberty Performing Arts Center
1600 South Withers Road, Liberty, MO

The Liberty Symphony Orchestra is another organization which wraps up its 2008-2009 concert season this weekend, with a final performance which will feature Copland's Appalachian Spring, Debussy's Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun and Bernstein's challenging Chichester Psalms, in conjunction with the Liberty Community Chorus.  These are all popular and sometimes difficult pieces, and the Liberty Symphony certainly demonstrates its willingness to tackle advanced repertoire in this concert.

For tickets call 816-439-4362.

Kansas City Chorale
Spring Concert: Double Concert with Phoenix Chorale
Sunday, May 3 at 2 p.m.
Redemptorist Church
3333 Broadway, Kansas City, MO

Tuesday, May 5 at 7:30 p.m.
Church of the Nativity
119th and Mission Road, Overland Park, KS

On Sunday and Tuesday the Kansas City Chorale and Phoenix Chorale, both directed by Charles Bruffy, will team up for their delayed double concert which was originally scheduled for earlier this season.  It should be worth the wait, as the two talented groups will join forces for the world premiere of René Clausen's new "Mass" commissioned by the Chorale.  Also in store is a selection of Bruffy favorites that will be sung by the Chorale in Seoul, Korea this August.

For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.kcchorale.org
 

Philharmonia of Greater Kansas City
Season Finale Concert
Sunday, May 3 at 3 p.m.
Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
Park University, Parkville, MO

The Philharmonia of Greater Kansas City, one of the area's more talented community orchestras, play under the direction of Andrés Franco, conductor and music director.

The Philharmonia will complete its concert season with a performance at Park University this afternoon.  The interesting selections will include Borodin's rarely heard Symphony No. 2, an impressive work of the Russian repertoire from the pen of one of the 19th Century's most celebrated Russian composers, along with Walton's Viola Concerto featuring viola soloist Yu-Fang Chen, Viola, the winner of the 2009 Philharmonia Concerto Competition.

It's not often that you get to hear either one of these works, so this concert should be a real treat.  

Tickets available at the door.

By KCM Staff   Wed, Apr 22, 2009

For Immediate Release: April 13, 2009

KCMetropolis.org is launching a redesigned editorial site on Wednesday, April 29 that will continue to feature in-depth interviews, reviews and previews of the performing arts in Kansas City.

In mid-May, KCMetropolis.org will introduce a new community-wide performing arts calendar clearly designated by date and category, easily navigated and offering robust listings for each event.  Fiona will continue her weekly picks, comments and observations in her Fiona's List located on the newly designed online journal.

Calendar Categories launched in mid-May will be:
Classical
New Classical
Dance
Theatre
Jazz
Auditions

KCMetropolis.org continues to follow its mission to cover the performing arts.  Sorry, we will not have listings for the visual arts, for rock/pop concerts and club performances, nor will we have a listing category for movies... however, you can read about Independent film in Michael D. Smith's weekly reviews called City Screen.

In late May or early June, KCMetropolis.org will launch a new section called "The Steady" and a calendar category will be added to the community calendar for this section at that time.  "The Steady" will be a running column about new classical and jazz performances around town.  More about that later!

Arts organizations may sign-up as members and will be able to enter and edit their own listings. An invitation will be sent to organizations as soon as membership function is ready to go.  If we miss your organization, please don't hesitate to contact us. We have such a big, wonderful performing arts community here that we ask you to please designate only one person in your organization to add events.

Please note that as soon as the new calendar launches, KCMetropolis and Fiona will no longer add listings.

Benefits to the new KCMetropolis.org community calendar:
The calendar is a powerful marketing tool for arts organizations to educate the general public about their events.  The earlier it is on the calendar, the more time patrons have to plan to attend an event.
Other organizations will find dates and programming very helpful to build their own seasons,
KCMetropolis.org and writers build the editorial list (previews, reviews, interviews, etc.) from the community calendar.
Fiona's List is built from the community calendar.

Until the launch of the new calendar, the current calendar hosted within PresentMagazine.com will be live and linked to the new site. Arts organizations can continue to submit their event listings to fionaslist@kcmetropolis.org.

For more information contact:
marcy@kcmetropolis.org

By KCM Staff   Wed, Apr 22, 2009

KCMetropolis.org, Kansas City's Online Journal for the Performing Arts, is pleased to announce that it will launch a new editorial version of the online journal on Wednesday, April 29, 2009.

Created as a nonprofit arts service organization to meet the critical need for definitive performing arts coverage in the Kansas City metropolitan area, KCMetropolis.org was launched on Sunday, October 5, 2008. The journal features interviews, previews and reviews on independent and traditional classical music, dance, theatre and independent film, as well as the most comprehensive arts calendar in the KC Metro area, fiona's list. A true grassroots movement, KCMetropolis.org has brought together the voices of many expert writers, musicians, musicologists and arts aficionados to present the most extensive and exciting coverage ever offered of our rich performing arts community.

The current version of KCMetropolis.org has been graciously hosted within PresentMagazine.com ( Kansas City's online lifestyle magazine) since its inaugural edition in October 2008.  Now through the generosity and support of individual donors and a corporate funder, the organization is building a state-of-the-art website that will launch in several stages.

Beginning Wednesday, April 15, the main publishing day of the online journal will shift from Monday to Wednesday, and cover a 12-day period of performing arts with overlapping weekends. A weekly e-blast will email on that day.

On Wednesday, April 29, the new editorial version of the journal will launch and each successive Wednesday will offer a printable weekly issue. In addition, all content from the past five months (300+ articles) will be archived, moved to the newly designed website, and be searchable.  The new KCMetropolis.org will be easily navigated and feature the latest in multi-level member social networking and blogging.

Sponsorship advertising will be available in mid-April using new beta ad software that makes sponsorships Internet searchable. Sponsorship sales will begin April 15 for the launch edition of the new site. For more information contact marcy@kcmetropolis.org.

In mid-May, KCMetropolis.org will introduce a new community arts calendar clearly designated by category, easily navigated and offering robust listings for each event.  Arts organizations may sign-up as members and will be able to enter and edit their own listings. Until the launch of the new calendar, the current calendar hosted within PresentMagazine.com will be live and linked to the new site. Arts organizations can continue to submit their event listings to fionaslist@kcmetropolis.org or info@kcmetropolis.org.  

For more information contact:
Marcy Chiasson, Co-Founder at marcy@kcmetropolis.org
Nathan Granner, Co-Founder at nathan@kcmetropolis.org 

Wed, Apr 22, 2009

Guadalupe Centers, Inc.  presents
Cinco de Mayo Fiesta...!
Friday, May 1 at 6:00-10:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 2 at 12:00-10:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 3 at 12:00-8:00 p.m.
Guadalupe Center
1015 Avenida Cesar E. Chavez, Kansas City, MO
 
Guadalupe Center presents its annual Cinco de Mayo celebration offering a weekend of festivities, music, dance, artwork, food, and family entertainment. 

This year, the Fiesta kicks off with a concert on Friday night to mark the opening of the Center's new gallery exhibit of pitures, videos, articles celebrating Guadalupe Center's 90th year of service to the West Side Community.  Saturday will feature a Community Fiesta and Sunday will feature a Mariachi Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, followed by the Mariachi Fest in the Center couryard. 

Throughout both days, live Mariachi and Ranchero music will be performed, along with authentic Mexican Folkloric dance performed by KC's own El Grupo Folklorico Atotonilco.  El Grupo will present dancers at all age levels performing authentic traditional dances in full costume from various regions in Mexico.  

For more info call  816-421-1015 or online at www.guadalupecenters.org/5demayo2009.html

To volunteer call Christina Jasso at 816-561-6885 or CJasso@GuadalupeCenters.org

 

Upcoming - Save the Date!

Kansas City Ballet
Spring Performance
Nine Sinatra Songs by Twyla Tharp
Thursday, May 7 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 8 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 9 at 2 and 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 10 at 2 p.m.
Lyric Theatre
11th & Central, Downtown Kansas City, MO

For tickets call 816-931-2232 or online at www.kcballet.org
 

Bach Aria Soloists with Owen/Cox Dance Group
Baroque in Motion 
A Collaborative World Premiere Event
Saturday  June 6 at 7:30 p.m.
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry Street, Kansas City, MO

Choreography by Jennifer Owen
Featuring Music of:
Bach, Ravel, Purcell, Handel, and more!

with
Grammy Award-winning soprano, Rebecca Lloyd
David Adams, Tenor
Paula Kosower, Guest Cello, Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Elisa Bickers, Harpsichord
Dancers of Owen/Cox Dance Group including Christopher Barksdale

For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.bachariasoloists.org. 

By KCM Staff   Wed, Apr 22, 2009

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - When Starlight Theatre audiences speak, Starlight management listens! With its Broadway season lineup confirmed for summer 2009, Starlight is pleased to announce that the Top 3 vote-getters in its 2008 audience survey are included.

The 2008 survey was conducted online last August and drew 4,328 responses. When asked to select the five Broadway shows they would most like to see at Starlight, the favorite of respondents (and dancing queens everywhere) - Mamma Mia! - won by a landslide, racking up fully 57 percent of the vote total. Tallying approximately 37 percent of votes each were the No. 2 and 3 audience choices, Legally Blonde The Musical and Chicago.

In response, nationally touring productions of all three were secured for the Starlight stage in 2009. Another new national tour, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, also is heading to Starlight this summer, and the theatre will round out its blockbuster season lineup with its own production of Anything Goes, a classic musical comedy with a lively Cole Porter score. Also, in response to requests from audience members, this season Starlight has announced an earlier 8 p.m. start for three of its five shows.
 
"Apparently good fortune is shining on me and Starlight audiences as I get to formally announce this blockbuster Broadway season lineup for 2009," said Denton Yockey, who was newly installed as Starlight's president and executive producer in September 2008. "My predecessor Bob Rohlf and I listened closely and worked diligently to be able to put together what I believe is an amazingly entertaining schedule. I especially encourage those who haven't been to Starlight in a few years to put at least a couple of these shows on their calendars for next summer. They won't disappoint! Of course, as always, the best option is to subscribe to the Starlight season and see all five!"

Opening the 2009 Broadway season at Starlight is the first national tour of Tony Award® nominee, Legally Blonde The Musical. The June 30-July 5 run in Kansas City is one stop on a new 33-city tour that began in September and continues through next summer. The touring stage rendition of the hit MGM movie stars Becky Gulsvig in the lead role of Elle Woods, who dons her pink pumps and sets out to go where no Delta Nu has gone before: Harvard Law School! Gulsvig is a veteran of the show, having performed in the ensemble for one year of Legally Blonde's successful run on Broadway.

Next up will be Starlight's own production of Cole Porter's Anything Goes, a classic musical comedy set on the high seas. The passengers aboard the S.S. American sailing from New York to England are an unusual lot, and their madcap antics, love triangles and mistaken identities are sure to delight young and old during the show's July 13-19 run. Starlight held auditions earlier this year for Equity and non-Equity actors for principal and ensemble roles. A community chorus of local teens will also be included in the production.

A new national stage tour that's sure to be the season's family favorite arrives next. When it flies into town July 28-Aug. 2, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang will stir nostalgia in parents and grandparents as it sparks the imaginations of children of all ages. Based on the timeless novel by Ian Fleming (of James Bond fame), this stage adaptation of the beloved 1968 movie played on Broadway and received five Tony Award nominations before launching a new national tour in November. By the time you leave Starlight next summer, you, too, will believe a car can fly!

Heating up the Starlight stage in mid-August is the steamy hit musical set in the Roaring '20s,
Chicago. The winner of six Tony Awards®, including Best Musical Revival, is back in town Aug. 11-16. A perennial frontrunner in Starlight's annual audience survey, Chicago was again a Top 3 pick among 2008 voters. Next August, get set for knockout dancing, a scintillating story of sin and corruption and one razzle-dazzle showstopper after another!

And, perhaps the only way to follow a showstopper like Chicago is with the world's favorite musical tale of a mother, a daughter and three possible dads...together for a wedding on a Greek island paradise. More than 30 million dancing queens and regular people have fallen in love with the characters, story and music of Mamma Mia! Audiences will settle in for a feel-good night full of ABBA's timeless songs Sept. 8-13 at Starlight.

Start times for Legally Blonde The Musical and Anything Goes will be 8:30 p.m., while Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Chicago and Mamma Mia! will each feature the earlier 8 p.m. start.

Starlight 2009 season tickets are on sale now. Three-show packages and single tickets will be available in May. Broadway musical fans can order tickets online at www.kcstarlight.com, by calling 816.363.STAR (7827) or at the Starlight box office, 4600 Starlight Road, Kansas City, MO 64132. Following up on the popularity of a new offer last year, season tickets are again being sold in the theatre's Side Terrace seating sections for just $50 each.

Mon, Apr 13, 2009

The frenetic performing schedule for vocalists and choristers in March couldn't possibly keep going. Now, with Holy Week completed, most of the area's choral ensembles and vocalists are reloading for end-of-the-season offerings. In their wake, our area collegiate programs fill the void with some notable performances and lectures. Visit their respective arts calendars for a more complete listing of events and performances.

The UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
Jeremy Mims - Graduate Choral Conducting Recital
Saturday, April 18 at 2:30 p.m.
Second Baptist Church
309 E. Franklin Street, Liberty, MO

Doctoral student Jeremy Mims conducts UMKC choral ensembles Canticum Novum and Bella Voce in a program featuring Mozart's Regina Coeli, Britten's Jubilate Deo, Lauridsen's Lux Aeterna, and Palestrina's Missa Brevis.

Free admission. Visit www.conservatory.umkc.edu for more information.

The UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
Operatic Scenes
Sunday, April 19 at 2:30 p.m.
Monday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m.
Olson Performing Arts Center - PAC 116 (on UMKC's campus)

The program, with staging by directors Julie Wyma, Katelyn Mattson-Levy, and Marciem Bazell, includes scenes from Entfürhung aus dem Serail, Die Zauberflöte, Il Barbieri di Seviglia, Carmen, Die Fledermaus  and the world premiere of Nate Riebi's Rock Hard Woman - A Comic Book Opera. The performance will accompanied with piano.

Free admission. Visit www.conservatory.umkc.edu for more information.

The UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
Lecture Series: Paul Laird - "Beyond Songwriting: The Musical Theater of Stephen Schwartz"
Tuesday, April 21 at 5:30 p.m.
Grant Hall - GH 330, 5227 Holmes (on UMKC's campus)

Professor Paul Laird (of the Unversity of Kansas) will present a discussion of composer Stephen Schwartz, discussing his early successes (Godspell, Pippin) through the record-breaking Wicked and his most recent projects. Laird is currently writing a book on the life and work of Stephen Schwartz.

Free admission. Visit www.conservatory.umkc.edu for more information.

The UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
Dona Nobis Pacem
by Vaughan Williams
Saturday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m.
White Recital Hall, Olson Performing Arts Center, 4949 Cherry Street, Kansas City, MO
NOTE: THIS IS A CHANGE IN VENUE AND A CHANGE IN REPERTOIRE FROM PREVIOUSLY ADVERTISED/PRINTED MATERIALS

The UMKC Conservatory's Signature Series culminates with the Conservatory Orchestra and combined Conservatory Choirs performing Ralph Vaughan Williams' cantata Dona Nobis Pacem. The work is written for orchestra, SATB chorus, and soprano and baritone soloists. The text is macaronic, being pulled from the Latin Mass, the poetry of Walt Whitman, John Bright's anti-war speech, The Angel of Death and Old Testament Scriptures. Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe, Chen Yi's Kansas City Capriccio and Brahms' Academic Festival Overture will also be performed. Conservatory orchestra music director Robert Olson will conduct the concert.

For tickets call 816-235-6222 or visit www.umkc.edu/performance.

The Lyric Opera of Kansas City
The Pirates of Penzance
by Gilbert and Sullivan
Saturday, April 25 at 8 p.m.
Monday, April 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 1 at 8 p.m.
Sunday, May 3 at 2 p.m.
Lyric Theater
11th and Central, Downtown Kansas City, MO

Opera lovers are bursting with excitement over the upcoming performance of one of Gilbert and Sullivan's most entertaining works. In The Pirates of Penzance, we are treated to laughter as we follow the zany misadventures of pirates in the port of Penzance. This performance, sung in English, will also feature subtitles. It will be directed by Dorothy Danner.

For tickets call 816-471-7344 or visit www.kcopera.org

The KU Department of Music and Dance
KU Opera
L'Enfant et les Sortiléges
by Ravel and Gianni Schicchi by Puccini
Wednesday, April 29, 7:30pm
Thursday, April 30, 7:30pm
Robert Baustian Theatre - Murphy Hall (on KU's Lawrence Campus)

Two exquisite works will be performed by the Opera department at KU. Ravel's opera-ballet L'Enfant et les Sortiléges is a one-act work that was completed and first performed in 1925 in Monte Carlo. Puccini's Gianni Schicchi is another one-act (one of the most famous and oft performed) opera. Schicchi is from the Il Trittico, a trio of operas written in the late 1910's.

For tickets call 785-864-2787 or visit www.arts.ku.edu for more information.

Mon, Apr 13, 2009

NOW PLAYING... April 13 - 29

Kansas City Repertory Theatre
The Borderland
By Jim Grimsley.
Directed by Kyle Hatley
Runs April 3 - 26
Copaken Stage
One H&R Block Way (corner of 13th & Walnut), Kansas City, MO

It's a dark and stormy night in Atlanta.  Gordon and Helen live in their huge house next to the shack of their dirt poor neighbors, Jake, Eleanor and their five children.  Helen, like some well-to-do women, finds it necessary to take an interest in Eleanor while Gordon insists that everyone should be left alone; especially the poor.  Suddenly, a nock at the door.  It's Eleanor.  She's running from her abusive husband, Jake, who then begins an evening of terror.  "With spine-tingling intensity, Grimsley's exciting new play explores the uneasy borders that exist between men and women, rich and poor, and urban and rural." 

For tickets call 816-235-2700 or online at www.kcrep.org

Chestnut Fine Arts Center
Give Me That Old Time Religion!
Directed by Brad Zimmerman
Runs through April 26
234 North Chestnut; Olathe, KS

In their own words:  "Give Me That Old-Time Religion! is a hand-clapping, toe-tapping musical revue full of gospel and spiritual favorites that can be enjoyed by the entire family ... from Grandma to little sister!  The energetic, inspiring, and uplifting music, performed by a cast of talented performers, contains a rousing blend of traditional and contemporary religious music.  This is guaranteed to be an audience favorite, so make your reservations early!"

For tickets call 913-764-2121 or online at www.chestnutfinearts.com.

The New Theatre Restaurant
Don't Dress for Dinner
By Marc Camoletti
Runs April 15 through June 21
9229 Foster, Overland Park, KS.

Starring Jamie Farr (Flinger from televisions famed M*A*S*H), this twisting comedy ran for two years in Paris and an astonishing seven years in London where it played for over 2000 performances between the Apollo and Duchess Theatres. 

This rollercoaster ride of a play involves a husband, a wife, a mistress, a best friend and a cook.  What possible mischief could come from these Marc Camoletti characters?  Author of the recent New Theatre production Boeing-Boeing, Camoletti trained as an architect until three of his plays where produced in Paris simultaneously which launched his career.  This French born playwright has seen great success with his works many of which have been produced in 55 countries; 18 of his plays have seen 20,000 performances in Paris alone.  Although he passed away in 2003, his hilarious works are still being produced to this day.    

For tickets call 913-649-SHOW or online at www.newtheatre.com

The Coterie Theatre
Roald Dahl's The Witches
Adapted by David Wood
Directed by Missy Koonce
Runs April 14 - May 17
Crown Center - Lower level
2450 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MO

From The Coterie: "The Grand High Witch has a monstrous plan. Her fellow crones will take over all candy shops and make poisonous candy that transforms children into mice! Luckily, a brave young boy has overheard this terrible plot. With the help of his grandma, who knows something about witches, he will try to stop The Grand High Witch, but time is running out!  Roald Dahl reveals the whole ghastly truth about these horrible creatures!"

One More Thing: Do you want to know more about Roald Dahl?  Visit his website www.roalddahl.com.

For tickets call 816-474-6552 or online at www.coterietheatre.org

Unicorn Theatre
Bare
Written by Jon Hartmere & Damon Intrabartolo
Directed by Jeff Church
Runs April 24 - May 17
3828 Main Street, Kansas City, MO

In their words:
"Bare, a merge of Spring Awakening and The Dead Poets Society, explores the pleasures and pains of high school seniors at a co-ed Catholic boarding school.  Each of them questions where they are in their lives while trying to uphold the standards of their families and the Church.  Answers are sought in the confessional, the stage, a rave and a well-locked dorm room."

One More Thing:  Unicorn Theatre has partnered with six local University programs for this production to intern on stage, back stage and in the marketing department.  The schools are: UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance, UMKC Theatre, Park University, Avila University, University of Kansas and University of Central Missouri.

For tickets call 816-531-7529 or online at www.unicorntheatre.org

Quality Hill Playhouse
How Did I End Up Here?
By J. Kent Barnhart
Runs April 15 - May 3
303 W. 10th Street, Kansas City, MO

In their own words:
"A one-man cabaret revue featuring J. Kent Barnhart. Find out how the Raytown boy who asked for a tuxedo for his fifth birthday became the producer of Kansas City's most intimate theatre.  Featuring songs by Cole Porter, P.D.Q. Bach, New York cabaret writers and more, plus Barnhart's trademark witty stories. Barnhart also will reprise his performance of Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue'..."

For tickets call 816-421-1700 or online at www.qualityhillplayhouse.com

Minds Eye Theatre
Hair
Book & Lyrirs by James Rado and Gerome Ragni
Music by Galt MacDermot
Runs April 24 - May 9
Just Off Broadway Theatre
3051 Central, Penn Valley Park, Kansas City, MO

This rock-musical is a product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960's.  Many of its songs became the cry and anthem of the Anti-Vietnam War Movement and peace rallies held during that time.  With its use of profanity, illegal drug use and sexuality as well as its infamous nude scene, Hair was the show that brought along the paradigm shift for the Broadway musical.  It first opened off-Broadway at Joseph Papp's Public Theatre in 1967, moved to a discothèque, and then transferred to Broadway's Biltmore Theatre in 1968.  Hair ran for an astounding 1,750 performances and then captured another 1,997 performances in London.  There have been many performances, recordings and film adaptations of this hip-rock musical.  A revival has been scheduled to open on March 31, 2009 in Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre after its brilliant run last summer in New York's Central Park.  Minds Eye Theatre will join Boston University on Broadway, The Winthrop Playmaker in Winthrop, MA and Theatre Le Trianon in Paris as being one of four companies to produce this cult-classic.       

For tickets call 816-721-2792 or online www.mindseyetheatrekc.com

ON GOING...

Coterie Theatre at Night
The Breakfast Club
Directed by Ron McGee
Open ended run every Monday night
Westport Coffeehouse
4010 Pennsylvania, Kansas City, MO

A resurrection of the defining 1980's "Brat Pack" movie is being played out on stage as Ron McGee directs The Breakfast Club.  More then a cult classic, this play - adapted from the original 1985 film - takes us on a retro-journey of five teenage strangers forced to live out a Saturday detention.  Souls are revealed, love sparks, and reality sets in as this play not only reminds us of how times in America once were but how everything stays the same.  It should be noted that this production is not suited for those under 16 or 17 years of age.

One More Thing: Stay after the play and hangout with the cast on stage, drink coffee, and listen to 80's music.

Another Thing: Visit www.youtube.com/user/anthonyalexanderpro to watch interviews of the cast and learn about their research of the characters they are portraying.

For tickets call 816-474-6552 or online www.coterietheatre.org

CLOSING THIS SOON...

Theatre for Young America (TYA)
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse
Runs March 3 through April 17
Union Station's City Stage
30 West Pershing Road

From the TYA website: "Back by popular demand: a faithful stage version of the popular books by Kevin Henkes, including Chester's Way; Julius, Baby of the World, and Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. This play appeals to the very youngest play¬goer with an endearing young heroine, Lilly, who likes purple, plastic purses, shiny quarters, movie star sunglasses and her teacher. More than anything Lilly wants to grow up to be a teacher herself."

One More Thing: This place connects well with lessons in etiquette, consequences of actions, self-esteem, friendship, familial relationships, humor and careers.  This play will be enjoyed by pre-school aged children and up. 

For tickets call 816-460-2020 or online at www.tya.org

American Heartland Theatre (AHT)
Backwards In High Heels: The Ginger Musical
Conceived and developed by Lynette Barkley & Christopher McGovern
Book/Original Songs/Arrangements by Christopher McGovern
A Kansas City Premiere
Runs March 6 through April 19
Crown Center - 3rd Level
2450 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MO

Ranking #14 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, Ginger Rogers became one of America's most famous singer/dancer actresses ever to set foot on a Hollywood sound stage.  Working in the film industry for over 50 years, Rogers completed a total of 73 films, holds an Academy Award and helped revolutionize the movie musical genre with Fred Astaire in over ten cinematic projects.  Rogers died at the age of 83 on April 25, 1995 in Rancho Mirage, California.   

In this Kansas City premiere, American Heartland Theatre presents her life in the biographical-review  Backwards In High Heels, originally opening in Florida 2007.  From AHT's website: "The evening starts with young Ginger realizing her destiny as she taps her heart out to the tune 'Tame These Feet.' We follow Ginger's life, including her relationships with her mother, her husbands and the graceful Fred Astaire, as well as her glorious Oscar-winning moment. The evening glides and swirls through such memorable standards as 'Fascinating Rhythm,' 'Change Partners,' 'Embraceable You,' 'A Fine Romance' and 'We're in the Money.'  A wonderful tribute, a wonderful evening of music and dance!"

For tickets call 816-842-9999 or online at www.ahtkc.com.

Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre
Galileo
by Bertolt Brecht
Directed by Bob Paisley
Runs April 2 - 19
METspace
3614 Main Street, Kansa City, MO

The third in MET's Galileo Project - Placing Science Center Stage, Brecht's play deals with the latter half of Galileo Galilei's life, the great Italian Baroque natural philosopher who was persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church for his scientific theories and discoveries.  Brecht - who has influenced many modern theatre practitioners like Dario Fo, Peter Brook and Tony Kushner to name a few - wrote two versions of this play the frist between 1937-39; the second "American version" between 1945-47.  The "American version" premiered at the Coronet Theatre in Los Angeles on July 30, 1947 and was co-directed by Brecht himself. 

From MET's website: "The time is of the emergence of the age of reason when Galileo was teaching young students the incredible account of how the earth moves around the sun, rather than the other way around. His heretical announcement, that both the moon and Jupiter only reflect the sun's light, is brought to the attention of the church and Galileo is summoned to the Vatican. His friends abandon him and his appeal to the Pope is intercepted by the inquisitor. Galileo recants, but even while imprisoned continues his writings surreptitiously."

For tickets call 816-569-3226 or online at www.metkc.org

By KCM Staff   Mon, Jun 16, 2008

Many thanks to ArtsJournal.com's editor, Douglas McLennan
~ Formerly an arts columnist and arts reporter with the Seattle
Post-Intelligencer and the Seattle Weekly. Doug writes on
the arts for a number of publications (in his abundant free time)
and is currently acting director of the National Arts Journalism
Program while it reinvents itself ~

*To sign up for ArtsJournal's content in newsletter form*
please click here

AJMusic  

---

---

AJDance 

---

---

AJTheatre 

---

---

AJPeople

---