Classical,
The heady scent of Summerfest is in the air
White Recital Hall at UMKC and the cool, calm of St. Mary's Episcopal Church at 13th and Holmes, downtown, will soon be heating up with the sounds of Summerfest. Enjoying their 19th season in Kansas City, this innovative ensemble continues to delight audiences with a mix of the well-loved and little-known pieces for chamber orchestra.
Summerfest programming offers a variety of instrumentation and musical styles and emphasizes the performance of lesser-known pieces from all eras, as well as the works, and sometimes personal appearances of living composers. Since 1993, the group has worked with Dan Locklair, Lee Gannon, David Gommper, Clive Muncaster, Jean Belmont, Michael Kimber, Paul Elwood, Ian Coleman, and Robert Cronin. Many of these composers have been in residence for a portion of the summer season and/or have written a work for members of the ensemble.
"One of the things we try to do is seek out pieces off of the beaten path." says clarinetist and artistic advisor, Jane Carl. "We search for an eclectic mix and think we've got something for everyone."
Like walking through a Baroque garden, a Romantic landscape painting or an unpredictable Modern field of wildflowers, the 2009 season is inspired by natural beauty. There is no shortage of material based on this theme, but the Summerfest board of directors carefully sifted through the repertoire and came up with a few surprises.
Among the unexpected pieces to be performed, contemporary composer Alexandra du Bois' Tempete de sable (Storm of Sand) for clarinet, violin and viola is getting a lot of attention. Still in her 20's du Bois' has received commissions from the Kronos quartet, the Beaux Arts Trio and Bargemusic to name only a small fraction of the groups who are vying for her time. Kansas City will get their first taste of her works during Summerfest.
It's nice to see a balance of male and female composers on any program and Summerfest seems to take this approach seriously. From Jennie Brandon's piece Wildflowers, inspired by Lady Bird Johnson's famous Texas fields, to Nancy Galbraith's Incantation and Allegro, creative female composers get the chance to take their place beside the men.
In addition to the hidden gems, this Summerfest line-up includes the well-known masterworks as well. The Beethoven Septet Op. 20, Dvorak's Selections from Cypresses for string quartet, the Elgar Quintet, Op. 84 for Piano and Strings, and the Vivaldi All'ombra di Sospetto for soprano, flute, cello, and harpsichord are also being featured. A real crowd pleaser is sure to be Schubert's The Shepherd on the Rock for soprano, clarinet and piano.
Of the less known works by prolific composers, Giacomo Puccini's Chrysanthemums for string quartet provides an operatic opportunity for the strings to sing. Georg Frideric Handel's Gloria for soprano strings and harpsichord is enjoying a rebirth along with Attilio Ariosti's cantata the Flowering and Fading of Love.
For more detailed information on Summerfest programming, read Don Dagenais' City Classics column for July. http://kcmetropolis.org/issue/july-8-2009/article/classical-column-for-july
Summerfest Schedule 2009
Summerfest I
Wildflowers
Saturday, July 11 at 7:00 p.m.
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry Kansas City, MiO
Sunday, July 12 at 5:00 p.m.
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
1307 Holmes Kansas City, MO
Summerfest II
The Secret Flower
Saturday, July 18 at 7:00 p.m.
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO
Sunday, July 19 at 5:00 p.m.
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
1307 Holmes
Kansas City, MO
Summerfest III
Chrysanthemums
Saturday, July 25 at 7:00 p.m.
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO
Sunday, July 26 at 5:00 p.m.
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
1307 Holmes, Kansas City, MO
Summerfest IV
Cypresses
Saturday August 1 at 7:00 p.m.
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO
Sunday, August 2 at 5:00 p.m.
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
1307 Holmes, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.summerfestkc.org/
Cover photo by Will Berndt.
Theatre ,
See you later, elevator
Cole Porter might well have been named Cool Porter. More than 70 years after he wrote some of the finest, wittiest, kickiest music and lyrics in the American theatre - make that in American music - his oeuvre remains instantly recognizable and dreamily memorable. Porter, like the other greats in American musical letters, from Gershwin to Rogers and Hammerstein, had a knack for lyrics and for rhythms that has disappeared or been devalued or lost sight of, in the quest for something new in a song. Individualism hardly exists anymore, even in hits such as Billy Elliot, where Elton John is more of a name than a contributor. Porter's genius was himself, much like Picasso's or Stravinsky's: only his was more fun.
The nifty Starlight Theatre production of his 1934 musical, Anything Goes (that opened July 13 and runs this week), goes far to remind us how vivid and clear those songs were; moreover, it is another chance to dream how different (and much better) life would be now if rock and pop had not assigned themselves the task of updating the Broadway musical. (From Hair to Andrew Lloyd Weber in several decades is nothing to, well, sing about.)
This production, adapted from the revamped Lincoln Center revival in 1987 (that updated the story and characters and reshuffled the songs), serves as a throwback to the 'Golden Years' of just about everything: romance, gangsters, salty jokes, slapstick, extravagant musical numbers and star power. Starlight's star, Rachel York, a Broadway, film and television veteran, flings herself through the musical, like Glenn Close in 1993's Sunset Boulevard or just about any Patty Lupone vehicle. At times, her role (or non-role) seems unbalanced; but then the character of the nightclub siren Reno was originally played by Ethel Merman, and after Merman everything is an echo anyway.
The story, by P.G. Wodehouse and several collaborators, is an amalgam of 30's shtick. I am not complaining; no one knew how to write a real comic script like Hollywood's fast-working 30's and 40's writers (and Wodehouse was one of the club members; yet he did even more writing for musicals: some 200 lyrics for dozens of shows). The wheels creak, it must be said; even some well-oiled jokes do best when retired to the junk store. (And yes, the Chinese subplot, with the characters talking in Charlie Chan pidgin, must be noted, less, perhaps, for its political incorrectness than for its tired comedy.) But the storyline, about star-crossed lovers Billy Crocker (Jim Weitzer), an assistant to Wall Street tycoon Elisha Whitney (Kip Niven), and wealthy Hope Harcourt (Nili Bassman), scheduled to wed an English aristocrat (John Bolton), who wind up on an ocean-liner voyage, along with the disguised gangster Moonface Martin (Whit Reichert) and the sultry Reno, zips along as intended, after all, as filler between the showcased songs.
Listening to the songs - "You're the Top," "It's De-Lovely," "I Get a Kick Out of You" - in the proper context reinvigorates them. Even if the story feels like one we have seen a thousand times on Turner Classic Movies (not that there's anything wrong with it), moving gracefully between the jokes and the songs revitalizes them. The humor mixed with the smooth martini concoction of rhyming so many different names and words and allusions is a fireworks display that costs nothing except for Porter's wit and resourcefulness.
The actors are a mix of Broadway professional and local talent; but the director, Elliot Wasserman, keeps everyone moving, everything attractive (especially the sets by Michael Anania), every song that should be a showstopper big and happy to please. Rachel York is well paired with Weitzer; even better are Weitzer and Reichert; and best of all is Reichert alone. As a cross between Bert Lahr (who played the role opposite Merman in a 1954 TV version) and a heavy Art Carney, Reichert's Public Enemy Number 13 moves with the gracefulness of a gazelle on steroids. The actor, a longtime St. Louis theatre veteran, sings, dances and generally shmoozes his way into the audience's heart. He, like Bolton, has the timing of a ballet dancer mixed with that of a basketball player: agility times two. Bolton's role gets the biggest laughs; as a traveling Englishman he is on the watch for new phrases, which he almost always mangles ("See you later, elevator," "the rat's pajamas"). Yet when he, too, beaks into song, it is with glorious, humorous, happiness that Cole Porter is still ours.
REVIEW:
Starlight Theatre
Anything Goes
Runs through July 19
4600 Swope Park Road, KCMO
For tickets and information call 816-363-7827 or online at www.kcstarlight.com
KCM News,
KCM on hiatus through July
KCMetropolis.org will take a 'publishing' hiatus until early August to implement some new features including the KC Events community-wide performing arts calendar.
Our columns, City Classics, City Voices, City Stage and Dance Around the City have previews of many of the events occurring in July - please check them out and enjoy some good theatre, dance or musical offerings.
Fiona's List has the calendar listings for all of July and some of her wonderful performance recommendations too.
Vi Tran's "The Steady" has a list of musicians "Giggin on The Steady" through the month...
We will be back in early August with previews and interviews on the upcoming 2009/10 season. Check back with us then.
If you are interested in submitting events to our KC Events performing arts calendar, please read our KC Events Terms of Service to see if your organization's events meet the guidelines.
See you in August!
KC Events this week and beyond
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.
Fiona's List for July
There is an amazing variety of events on this list for you - an entire month's worth!
I hope that you will want to attend fiona's PICK OF THE SUMMER: 4 consecutive weekends of Summerfest concerts, July 11 and 12, 18 and 19, 25 and 26, and August 1 and 2. If you've not been to a Summerfest concert in their previous 18 seasons, I hope you will test fiona's pick and try them this year.
Here are some other great picks:
International Piano Competition Honors Recitals on the 8th and 15th in Lawrence; Summerfest Chamber Music Ensemble "Informance" programs on the 9th and 23rd; a theatre organ concert on the 12th; and the monthly opera supper at Californos on the 20th.
Don't forget to check out all the entertaining theatre and dinner/theatre offerings around the KC Metropolis!
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. This week's pick is Americana/Mexicana folk music at the Czar Bar on the 9th.
Fiona HIGHLY recommends another list of events for families, friends, educators, & neighbors of children 10 and under. Miss Jackie's July list includes "Making Music Every Day," based on the wonderful PBS program "From the Top", a program by Miss Jackie at the North Kansas City Public Library, an "ice cream social" train ride in Belton, puppet shows, a production of The Hobbit, and more. To receive her monthly list, send an email to: missjackielists@gmail.com
Wishing you a great July with lots of great events,
Fiona
Community of Christ presents
Organ Recitals each day of the week through July
Wednesday July, 8 at 3:00 p.m. - Ted Stewart
Thursday, July 9 at 3:00 p.m. - Jan Kraybill
Friday July 10 at 3:00 p.m. - Jeff King
Saturday July 11 at 3:00 p.m.- Thom Greathouse (in the Auditorium)
Sunday, July 12 at 3:00 p.m.- Blake West
Monday, July 13 at 3:00 p.m. - Brett Terry
Tuesday, July 14 at 3:00 p.m. - Robert Rowlett
Wednesday, July 15 at 3:00 p.m.- Nancy Hershey
Thursday, July 16 at 3:00 p.m. - Pam Robison
Friday, July 17 at 3:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 18 at 3:00 p.m. - Jan Van Otterloo
Sunday, July 19 at 3:00 p.m. - Jon Bertschinger (in the Auditorium)
Monday, July 20 at 3:00 p.m. - Jeff King
Tuesday July 21 at 3:00 p.m.
Wednesday July 22 at 3:00 p.m. - Jan Kraybill
Thursday, July 23 at 3:00 p.m. - Pam Robison
Friday, July 24 at 3:00 p.m. - Brett Terry
Saturday, July 25 at 3:00 p.m. - Blake West (in the Auditorium)
Sunday, July 26 at 3:00 p.m. - Jan Van Otterloo
Monday, July 27 at 3:00 p.m. - Junia Braby (in the Auditorium)
Tuesday, July 28 at 3:00 p.m. - Robert Rowlett
Wednesday July 29 at 3:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 30 at 3:00 p.m.
Friday, July 31 at 3:00 p.m. - Thom Greathouse
Community of Christ Temple (and Auditorium)
River & Walnut, Independence, MO
Free admission
International Institute for Young Musicians and KU School of Fine Arts present
<><><>fiona's PICK<><><>
International Piano Competition Honors Recitals
Wednesday July 8 at 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday July 15 at 7:00 p.m.
Lied Center of Kansas, 1600 Stewart Drive, Lawrence, KS
Free admission. www.iiym.com
Kansas City Public Library presents
<><><>fiona's PICK<><><>
Summerfest Chamber Music Ensemble "Informance" program
These are not traditional performances, but are sneak previews of music featured on upcoming concerts and are designed to help new and experiences concert-goers to develop a new appreciation for the music they hear.
The July 9th Informance will include Georg Frederic Handel’s Gloria, scored for solo soprano with two violins and basso continuo and Tenpete de Sable (Storm of Sand), by young American composer Alexandra du Bois.
Thursday, July 9 at 7:00 p.m.
Kansas City Public Library Plaza Branch,
4801 Main Street, Kansas City, MO
Free admission but reservation required. Call 816-701-3407.
Summerfest 2009 presents
<><><>fiona's PICK OF THE SUMMER<><><>
SUMMERFEST I
Wildflowers
Wildflowers for oboe, bassoon, and piano by Jenni Brandon
Tempête de sable for clarinet, violin, and viola, by Alexandra du Bois
the Gloria for soprano, strings, and harpsichord by Georg Frideric Handel
All'ombra di sospetto for soprano, flute, cello, and harpsichord by Antonio Vivaldi
Saturday, July 11 at 7:00 p.m.
White Recital Hall, UMKC Campus,
4949 Cherry Street, Kansas City, MO
Sunday, July 12 at 5:00 p.m.
St. Mary's Episcopal Church,
1307 Holmes, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.summerfestkc.org
Kansas City Theatre Pipe Organ Inc. presents
<><><>fiona's PICK<><><>
Theatre Organ Concert
Kay McAbee, organist in Las Vegas at the Maloof residence. He is the artist-in-residence
who plays on the console of the former Chicago Stadium organ.
Sunday, July 12 at 2:00 p.m.
Kansas City Music Hall,
Central & 13th, Downtown Kansas City, MO
Free admission, but donations encouraged. Visit www.kc-theatreorgan.org for more information.
St. John's Lutheran Church presents
Soprano Voice Recital: Stephanie Lange with Jane Anderson, accompanist
Program includes a premier composition by the Reverend Roger M. Goetz, Kantor at St. John's, and works by Purcell, Mozart, Schubert, Strauss, Handel, Puccini, Gershwin, and others.
Sunday, July 12 at 3:30 p.m.
St. John’s Lutheran Church,
901 SW Fillmore Street, Topeka, KS
Call 785-354-7132 for more information.
International Institute for Young Musicians and KU School of Fine Arts present
<><><>fiona's PICK<><><>
International Piano Competition Honors Recitals
Wednesday, July 15 at 7:00 p.m.
Lied Center of Kansas,
1600 Stewart Drive, Lawrence, KS
Free admission. www.iiym.com\
Summerfest presents
<><><>fiona's PICK OF THE SUMMER<><><>
SUMMERFEST II
The Secret Flower
The Secret of the Golden Flower by David Morgan
Septet, op. 20 for strings, woodwinds, and horn by Ludwig van Beethoven
Incantation and Allegro for oboe, bassoon, and piano by Nancy Galbraith
Saturday July 18 at 7:00 p.m.
White Recital Hall, UMKC Campus,
4949 Cherry Street, Kansas City, MO
Sunday July 19 at 5:00 p.m.
St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 1
307 Holmes, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.summerfestkc.org
Californos presents
<><><>fiona's PICK<><><>
Monthly Opera Supper
Featuring Diane Robertson,
Aaron & Christopher Barksdale-Burns,
John Mueter, Bethany Hohly,
Marilyn Wood and guests
Monday, July 20 from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m.
Californos,
4124 Pennsylvania, Kansas City, MO
Call 816-531-1097 for reservations
Kansas City Public Library presents
<><><>fiona's PICK<><><>
Summerfest Chamber Music Ensemble "Informance" program
These are not traditional performances, but are sneak previews of music featured on upcoming concerts and are designed to help new and experiences concert-goers to develop a new appreciation for the music they hear.
The July 23rd Informance will examine Edward Elgar’s Piano Quintet, Op. 84
and Endre Sveransky’s woodwind quintet.
Thursday, July 23 at 7:00 p.m.
Kansas City Public Library Plaza Branch,
4801 Main Street, Kansas City, MO
Free admission but reservation required. Call 816-701-3407.
Summerfest presents
<><><>fiona's PICK OF THE SUMMER<><><>
SUMMERFEST III
Chrysanthemums
Quintet, Op. 84, for Piano and Strings by Edward Elgar
Wind Quintet No. 1 by Endre Szervánszky
Chrysanthemums for string quartet by Giacomo Puccini
Saturday, July 25 at 7:00 p.m.
White Recital Hall, UMKC Campus,
4949 Cherry Street, Kansas City, MO
Sunday, July 26 at 5:00 p.m.
St. Mary's Episcopal Church,
1307 Holmes, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.summerfestkc.org
THEATRE LISTINGS
Unicorn Theatre presents
Speech & Debate
by Stephen Karam
Runs June 12 – July 12
Call or visit the website for performance times.
Unicorn Theatre Jerome Stage,
3828 Main St., Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-531-7529 or online at www.unicorntheatre.org
Coterie Theatre presents
Elementary/Family Series
U Bug:Me
Music and Lyrics by Jeremiah Neal
Directed and Choreographed by Ernie Nolan
Runs June 23- August 2
Call or visit the website for performance times.
The Coterie Theatre
Crown Center, Grand and Pershing, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-474-6552 or online at www.coterietheatre.org
New Theatre Restaurant presents
The Sound of Music
by Rodgers & Hammerstein
starring Ron Bohmer and Sandra Joseph
Runs June 25 to August 30
Call or visit the website for performance times.
New Theatre Restaurant, 9229 Foster, Overland Park, KS
For tickets call 913-649-7469 or online at www.newtheatre.com
American Heartland Theatre presents
Are We There Yet?- A Family Survival Guide
By James Hindman, Ray Rodrick and Cheryl Stern. Music by John Glaudini
A Kansas City Premiere
Runs July 10 - August 23
Call or visit the website for performance times.
Crown Center, 3rd Level
2450 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-842-9999 or online at www.ahtkc.com.
Starlight Theatre presents
Anything Goes
Runs July 13 - 19 at 8:30 p.m.
Starlight Theatre
4600 Starlight Rd, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-363-7827 or online at www.kcstarlight.org
Starlight Theatre presents
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Runs July 28 - August 2 at 8:30 p.m.
Starlight Theatre
4600 Starlight Rd, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-363-7827 or online at www.kcstarlight.org
The Chestnut Fine Arts Center presents
How to Eat Like a Child
Directed by Brad Zimmerman
Sarah Bergeson, Courtney Bollig, Elizabeth Brooks, Amanda Burns, Christine Carter, Franklin Carter, Nick Grant, Regan Grant, Tyler Horseman, Milan Naster, Emory Sadler, and Andrea Strickler
Runs Thursday July 9 through Sunday August 2
(No shows on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday)
Chestnut Fine Arts Center,
234 North Chestnut, Olathe, KS
Call 913-764-2121 for reservations. Visit www.chestnutfinearts.com for more information.
The Barn Players Theatre presents
A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
Adapted and Directed by Jeremy Riggs
Call or visit the website for performance times.
The Barn Players Theatre,
6219 Martway, Mission, KS
Call 913-432-9100 for reservations or visit www.thebarnplayers.org
Here is a list of other "fiona favorites":
ABEL RAMIREZ
Big Band on Tuesdays from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Ari's Greek Restaurant, 2049 E. Santa Fe, Olathe, KS
No cover charge. Phone 913-393-3950 for more information.
<><><>fiona's other PICK of the week<><><>
Americana/Mexicana folk music
Presented by Elaine McMilian and hosted by Luna Cantera
Thursday July 9 from 7 to 9 p.m.
Czar Bar, 1531 Grand, KCMO
BMW Band, live jazz
Fridays from 6 to 9 p.m.
Lafferty's Lounge, 6301 Blue Parkway, KCMO, 816-924-6888
BOB REEDER, KATHY MURPHY and the rest of the group,
Thursdays 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
O'Dowd's at Zona Rosa, 8600 NW Prairie View Rd, KCMO, 816-268-6333
DOUG TALLEY
Saturday July 11 and 25 at 6:30 p.m.
Johnny Cascone's, 6863 West 91st Street
Overland Park, KS 913-381-6837
DOUG TALLEY
Friday July 10 and 24 from 7 to 9 p.m.
Cafe Augusta, 12122 West 87th St. Parkway, Lenexa, KS
DOUG TALLEY QUARTET
Friday July 10 at 11:30 a.m.
Macken Park, North Kansas City, MO
EDDIE DELAHUNT, Irish singer
Wednesdays AND Sundays 8 p.m. - ?
O'Dowd's, 4742 Pennsylvania, KCMO, 816-561-2700
.
EDDIE DELAHUNT
Fridays, 6 p.m. - ?,
Mike Kelly's Westsider, 1515 Westport Rd, KCMO, 816-931-9417
High Vibe (MAX BERRY, guitar; DENNY OSBURN, keyboards, and
MICHAEL OSHIVER, harp)
Wednesday July 22 from 7 to 11 p.m.
Crazy Olives at the Argosy Casino, Riverside, MO
JOE DEFIO
Little Big Band on Fridays and Saturdays from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Ari's Greek Restaurant, 2049 E. Santa Fe, Olathe, KS
No cover charge. Phone 913-393-3950 for more information.
.
LYNN ZIMMER and The Jazz Band
Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Fridays and Saturdays from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m.
Gaslight Grill, 5020 W. 137th Street, Leawood, KS, 913-897-3540
MARILYN WOOD, piano,
Mondays 7 to 10 p.m. (open mic night)
Fridays 9:00 to midnight and Saturdays 7 to 10 p.m.
Californos, 4124 Pennsylvania, KCMO, 816-531-7878
SCOTT McDONALD, solo keyboard/vocals; jazz/pop
Saturday July 11 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Taste Restaurant, 7938 Santa Fe Drive, Overland Park, KS
913-766-0320
SCOTT McDONALD TRIO, jazz
Sunday July 12 from 5 to 8 p.m.
The Bristol Seafood Grill
5400 West 119th Street, Overland Park, KS
913-663-5777
SEAN McNOWN, singer
Wednesdays from 8 to 10 p.m.
Cafe Trio, 4558 Main (new location), KCMO, 816-756-3227
SEAN McNOWN, singer
Thursdays July 9, 16, and 23 from 7:00 to 10:30 p.m.
Raglan Road Irish Pub, 170 East 14th, KCMO
816-994-9700
SONS of BRASIL
Thursday July 9 and 23 from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m.
Jardine's, 4536 Main St, KCMO, 816-561-6480
STAN KESSLER with Kerry Strayer's Polycurrents
Saturday July 25 from 2 to 5 p.m.
Mermaid Court on the Plaza
Classical,
Dr. James Seaver: 50+ years behind the microphone of "Opera is My Hobby"
In the dimly lit studio at Kansas Public Radio (KPR) in Lawrence, Dr. James Seaver reads over his script. His soothing baritone voice warms the microphone. Sitting across from him is his 40-something engineer, Chubby Smith. Dr. Seaver has been recording his radio show Opera is My Hobby since before Smith was born. It is the longest continuously running radio program of its kind and it airs Friday nights on KPR 91.5 FM from 7-8 p.m.
At 91 years of age, James Seaver is a veritable treasure trove of opera facts. Moving more carefully through the halls of KPR these days, he can tell a good story and enjoys sharing his observations and experience with his audience on air.
Born in Los Angeles, California in 1918, Dr. Seaver's early years were filled with music. His father sang and played the guitar, and the family enjoyed making music after dinner. His father also introduced him to Shakespeare in the late 1920's, but it wasn't until 1932 that he found opera.
He tells the story of his introduction to opera this way. "My sister was quite handsome and she attracted a good many beaus, particularly in the summer since she was quite an attraction on her surf board. Scotty, one of the boys who liked her was a tenor studying opera in Los Angeles. He invited her to see Carmen but she had another date so she suggested he take me - little Jim. I thought that was a good idea." And so Scotty took the 12-year-old James. "The next time he asked my sister, she wasn't available again and I got to see Verdi's Il Trovatore. That was the opera that converted me."
He explains "Opera had the excitement and costumes of Shakespeare, but it was enhanced by the music. It seemed like something one step beyond theater." This early love of opera inspired Seaver to study singing in high school; he even contemplated opera as a career and not just a hobby.
Opera is My Hobby began airing on KANU-FM in 1952, the same year the Kansas University affiliated station was created. Dr. Seaver, a professor of ancient history, started spinning his extensive vinyl opera collection of LPs and 78's as a way to share his passion for opera with a broader audience. Other stations around the country began carrying the show and this national exposure led him to appear on several intermission radio broadcasts of the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
Seaver exposes his audience to voices most modern ears have never had the pleasure of hearing. He even occasionally plays selections recorded on wax cylinders so listeners can experience the primary source material of singers who performed for the Romantic composers. His historical collection is housed in the Archive of Recorded Sound at the University of Kansas. Through the Archive, the Seaver Opera Collection, along with the Wright Jazz Collection and the Bierley Early Band Collection, are stored, maintained and made available to the public for research and enjoyment. According to the Department of Music and Dance website "The Archive contains all equipment necessary for playback of its various early recording technologies, including Pathe, Edison, and cylinder players."
But listeners don't have to do the leg work themselves. Opera is My Hobby does it for us. Seaver's meticulously researched programs often revolve around a particular singer or theme. He enjoys comparing and contrasting the singers and their careers, leading listeners on an auditory adventure through time. Recently he's explored the career and art of soprano Selma Kurz and heldentenor Jacques Urlus peppering the musical selections with interesting details about their lives and loves.
Seaver has many favorite singers including Enrico Caruso whose technique, range, and vocal brilliance defines what he believes makes a great singer. In the last forty years Seaver names the late tenor, Luciano Pavarotti for his wonderful high notes and Peruvian tenor, Juan Diego Flores as the best. Among the women he favors, Renee Fleming, French soprano Natalie Dessay, Russian soprano Anna Netrebko and dramatic soprano Debra Voight. Kansas City audiences have had the opportunity to hear many of these operatic stars on the Harriman-Jewell Series; and this coming season, Ms. Voight will be in recital on that series.
Watching opera is like looking through a window to view a pure, distilled version of the human drama. Listening to James Seaver's Opera is My Hobby offers audiences a conduit through which the great voices of the past can still inspire and amaze us today.
Dr. James Seaver
Opera is My Hobby
Airs on KPR FM 91.5
Friday nights from 7-8 p.m.
Visit the website for audio samples of the show at www.kpr.ku.edu
theSTEADY, Jazz,
Little jazz bird sings a new song
I drove through a raging thunderstorm, a torrent of hail and the threat of flood to hear Megan Birdsall sing.
But she herself went through much worse just to find her voice again.
As I waded along Shawnee Mission Parkway at fifteen miles an hour, Birdsall was beginning her recurring last Wednesday of the month performance at Jardine's.
By now, the trials and triumphs of Kansas City's own little jazz bird have been widely discussed: an artist who'd always relied on her voice suddenly found her instrument and her very life threatened by her own decaying jaw and collapsing throat.
Thankfully, disaster was averted and now, about a year and a half after her surgery, Birdsall has not only recovered but is on the cusp of taking her career in a whole new direction.
I arrived at the club and was surprised to see that, despite the weather, the room was nearly full. The players-Paul Smith at the piano, Bob Bowman on upright bass and Tim Cambron on the skins-were crisp and tight.
Birdsall herself was in great form. Her voice was rich and honey-toned, her stage demeanor, warm, personable and a little quirky. She wore a long turquoise beaded necklace, a black spaghetti-strap tank top and dark jeans and held herself with casual ease-more playful pal than alluring siren.
Her "aw, shucks" shoulder shrugs and easy smile lent a lightheartedness to "I Get a Kick Out of You" while her control and dexterity showed on "Somewhere over the Rainbow," which she took from lullaby to torch song.
The most apropos interpretation of the evening was a sleepy-eyed, rainy night embrace of "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" that received additional percussion from the raindrops of the receding storm outside.
Next to me, an audience member leaned onto the bar and lamented that there wasn't more room in the club. "This is the perfect music for dancing," she purred.
Birdsall gave the audience a reason to lift their heels and swing their hips. She even gave a couple new to the area tips on the best jazz rooms in the city. It seemed like everyone who braved the weather was rewarded for their trouble.
The next day, I met her for coffee.
She sat outside in a Wonder Woman tank top, wearing heart-shaped shades, looking unbothered by the heat. A matching Wonder Woman canvas bag sat at her feet. Soon we were joking about the tattoos on her wrists being indestructible superhero bracelets and her hair a coiled-up, hidden lasso of truth.
Birdsall's playful sense of humor has been cultivated since birth. She was raised by adults who love to play: her father, actor Jim Birdsall, was an early member of the Missouri Rep. Her father's fellow actors, Mark Robbins and Gary Neal Johnson and others, served as uncles.
She grew up doing what she was surrounded by: dance, theatre, music. As for her eventual path, she said, "I always loved to sing jazz. I had this huge canon of music that I knew. When you're young, I don't think people plan to be jazz singers. But I just knew I wanted to sing those songs."
The love of those songs led Birdsall to gigs all over the metro area at places such as Jardine's, the Blue Room, the Phoenix Bar and Grill, Harling's, BB's Lawnside BBQ, the Drum Room and many more.
But her health issues forced her into a frustrating hiatus. By the time she returned, the landscape had changed drastically. Many clubs had undergone budget cutbacks or had closed altogether.
"The classical and jazz community is always hit the hardest." She seems both proud and frustrated that jazz is taken for granted. "No one really gets concerned about it. Because their attitude is always, 'jazz will always come back.'"
It's this resiliency that compelled her to come back a mere five months after her surgery. It was too soon. The doctors forced her to pull back. But it was too late. The creative wheels were already set in motion.
"I sang three times a week for three years, now they've cut my face off. I didn't know what to do." What Birdsall did do was begin writing new songs immediately while still recuperating in Dallas. The foundation for a new album was recorded in her living room, her mouth still harnessed in surgical braces.
Her aspirations had always been to be a musician, not just a singer. And reconnecting with those desires led to an unexpected place outside of jazz.
She describes her new record, "Over the Bones," as Wilco by the way of Shelby Lynne with a little Will Oldham a.k.a. Bonnie "Prince" Billy thrown in as well.
Megan Birdsall, alt-country?
Yes, sort of. The nom de plume for this project will officially be MBIRD, leaving Megan Birdsall proper to the jazz community.
She and her songwriting partner, boyfriend and local actor Michael Andrew Smith, tapped into her North Dakota family roots and her memories of playing in wheat seed and on combines.
She had a cadre of top-notch Nashville players at her disposal and a rhythm section culled from Kansas City friends such as Jake Blanton, Jeff Harshbarger, Mark Lowrey and Tim Cambron.
"We begin mastering the new album on the 10th. Do you want to hear it?"
She plays me the first track. Wheat and whirls and whiskey permeate the music. Birdsall's vocals, harmony layered upon harmony, are perfectly suited for the genre. It makes complete sense.
She's taken up residency in both Nashville and Kansas City, spending the first two weeks of the month in Tennessee and the latter two here.
She doesn't plan to leave her roots though. In fact, she intends to follow this album up with another jazz record before year's end. And her scheduling is strategic. She chose to stay in Kansas City the last two weeks of each month in large part because of her Jardine's gig.
"No matter what, I'll always come back to this. I love this job!" She means Jardine's. She means jazz. She means Kansas City. She speaks with conviction. "They love music. They love to dance. They love to get out and get fucked up. Kansas City is unique. Its art matches the face of this town. I don't know yet about Nashville. But I do know about Kansas City."
I reflect upon the night before. Birdsall told me a cautionary tale about a jazz musician who'd reached a level of acclaim before crumbling underneath his own hubris.
"You know what did it?" she asked. "He tried to say, 'This is my music. I did this. And yeah, if you wrote that song, fine, whatever." She shakes her head. "But he was trying to say that about jazz."
"No one owns this." She pointed at the songbook on the piano. "This is like breaking bread."
Some of Birdsall's friends wave goodbye. She lets her hair down and kicks off a rousing final set.
Wherever her new direction takes her, wherever the country roads might lead, Kansas City jazz fans can be assured that Megan Birdsall fully intends to come home to break bread as much as possible.
For more information on Megan Birdsall, visit www.meganbirdsall.com or www.jardines4jazz.com.
Classical,
"The Secret Flower" blooms in Kansas City
Summerfest presented, as usual, a mix of contemporary works and proven classics during the second of four concert weekends. In this instance all of the selections proved to be audience pleasers.
To open the program, the ensemble offered a trio by contemporary composer Nancy Galbraith for oboe, bassoon and piano. Called Incantation and Allegro, the piece was energetic, propulsive, tonal and vaguely ragtime in its rhythms, at least during the first of the two movements. After a surprisingly quiet first movement conclusion, the composition took off with a rampant Allegro, repeating some of its earlier themes in almost hectic fashion, and ending with a bang.
The Summerfest trio, consisting of oboist Susan Hicks Bashier, bassoonist Joshua Hood and pianist Jennifer Higdon, were up to the technical demands and delivered a fine performance. In past concerts, this reviewer has often been impressed in particular with Hood's ability to deliver rapid-fire notes from an instrument as sometimes sluggish as the bassoon, and once again he did not disappoint.
For its second offering, Summerfest presented a composition designed to fit Summerfest's theme this season, "Music From the Garden." The Secret of the Golden Flower by the 41-year-old David Morgan calls for a sextet of five strings plus a solo flute. After opening with a moving cello solo (played by the estimable Alexander East), the piece introduces the flute, which serves almost as a solo instrument accompanied by the string quintet. The overall feel of the early minutes is definitely Oriental, with a melody played in fifths against a continuo background of the low strings. The middle portion of the composition is reminiscent of the clean-cut American style of Aaron Copland, then the piece turns into a flute solo against a syncopated accompaniment at the end.
The sextet performed admirably, particularly flutist Shannon Finney, who seemed to play the lion's share of the melodies. However, this listener was disappointed with the quixotic ending which brought the piece to a sudden and anticlimactic close. Perhaps it was intended to invoke an Oriental style of composition, but it didn't seem to "match" with the essentially Western flavor of much of the piece.
After the intermission, the Summerfest musicians turned their attention to one of the classics of the chamber repertoire, Beethoven's Sextet, op. 20. Composed early in his Viennese days in an attempt to impress the public in his adopted town, the Sextet remained one of Beethoven's most popular compositions during his lifetime. It is not hard to see why. Growing out of the Classical rather than the Romantic tradition, the Sextet evokes the innovative styles of Haydn and Mozart in its first movement, offers some gorgeous melodies in the second, treats us to a galloping minuet in the third, throws in a "theme and variations" in the fourth (all the rage in Vienna at the time), then ends with two more movements filled with brilliant solo passages, sprightly melodies and an uplifting ending.
Familiar as we are with Beethoven's later works, written during troubled times for the composer and reflecting his generally morose outlook on life, it is difficult for us to imagine that this lighthearted piece was written by the same composer who gave us the somewhat bombastic (although marvelous) Fifth Symphony, the Missa Solemnis, and the Ninth Symphony.
The Beethoven Septet offers numerous opportunities for the players to shine, and each Summerfest musician was up to the task. First violinist Jessica Wakefield Hao played delicious melodies with aplomb and served as unofficial leader of the conductorless group. Bass player Larry Rice supplied a solid bottom throughout, turning into an unexpected soloist in the Adagio movement, and supplied a toe-tapping pizzicato in the final Andante. Horn player Tod Bowermaster was the star of the Minuet, where he and clarinetist Jane Carl supplied a series of fanfares, and he also offered a fine horn solo in the Allegro.
Violist Jessica Nance, bassoonist Joshua Hood and cellist Alexander East offered excellent support throughout.
Kansas City remains fortunate to have such talented musicians to keep classical music fans entertained during the otherwise somewhat spare summer months. Bring on the rest of the season!
Upcoming Summerfest concert weekends:
Summerfest III
Chrysanthemums
Saturday, July 25 at 7:00 p.m.
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO
Sunday, July 26 at 5:00 p.m.
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
1307 Holmes, Kansas City, MO
Summerfest IV
Cypresses
Saturday August 1 at 7:00 p.m.
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO
Sunday, August 2 at 5:00 p.m.
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
1307 Holmes, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.summerfestkc.org/
Film,
Don't surrender to the temptation of seeing Michelle Pfeiffer
Ninety-two minutes. That's the amount of time I will never get back during my lifetime thanks to the French romantic drama Chéri, which is about as French as baseball, jazz and Abraham Lincoln.
Set during pre-World War I France, Chéri stars 3-time Oscar nominee Michelle Pfeiffer as Lea de Lonval, the equivalent of a modern-day cougar who has gone through a countless number of much younger men during her lifetime. A rich elitist whose female friends seem to have the same limitless wealth and unquenchable thirst for young men and gossip, Lea has found herself inexplicably addicted to a brooding, effeminate 19-year-old boy named Fred (British actor Rupert Friend), whom Lea calls Chéri.
Usually, Lea treats her boy-toys like disposable cigarette lighters, but she ends up staying with Chéri for six years. Why she does is puzzling because his disaffection with everything around him is as irritating as someone running their fingernails down a chalkboard. Nonetheless, her time with him is cut short when his mother, Charlotte Peloux (Oscar-winner Kathy Bates), the biggest gossipmonger of them all, arranges a marriage for him with a teenage girl, Edemee (British actress Felicity Jones). This naturally puts Lea into an emotional tailspin while Chéri broods even more.
Edemee is a the lone island of likability among a sea full of characters that are so unlikable that you wish they would exit stage left, never to return. The 51-year-old Pfeiffer, who looks great on camera, demonstrates a diminished capacity for acting as her emotional range comes off as contrived and forced. Furthermore, her scenes with Bates, who should be stripped of her Oscar because of horrific overacting, lack any chemistry. Their exchanges often come off as bad theater with a complete absence of direction. Pfeiffer's multiple love scenes with Friend have lots of physical sensuality but there is little passion, if any. As for Friend himself, he should perhaps consider an alternative career path.
One has to wonder why director Stephen Frears (The Queen) and screenwriter Christopher Hampton (Atonement) were thinking when they came up the idea for this film. In a day and age when rich, greedy, elitist snobs are going to jail for not caring one bit about the common folk why should audience members care about characters who could also care less.
Lastly, there is nothing French about the film. No French accents were attempted, much less any attempts at the actual language. Nothing about the locations felt French nor is there any sense of French culture, beyond rich older women using up young boys, which might get them thrown in jail in modern times.
On a letter grade scale from A being excellent to F for failing, Chéri receives an F.
Chéri is rated R and has a running time of 92 minutes.
Now Showing
Glenwood Arts
9575 Metcalf
Overland Park
Visit www.fineartsgroup.com or call 913-642-4404 for more information.
Theatre ,
The hills are alive
In 1959, Rogers and Hammerstein opened The Sound of Music on Broadway. 50 years, six Tonys and five Academy Awards later the musical still strikes a chord within us (pun intended). This particular production was presented by the New Theatre Restaurant and directed by Richard Carrothers.
The show is set in Austria in the late 1930s, just before Nazi Germany takes over the country. Maria Rainer is sent to widower Captain Von Trapp's home as a governess for his seven children. She teaches the children to sing, and finds herself falling in love with the captain, despite her intention to become a nun. Based on a true story, the Von Trapp family must escape Austria before Captain Von Trapp is forced to join the Navy of the Third Reich.
Ron Bohmer and Leigh Ann Larkin costar as Von Trapp and Maria. Both have credits that include Broadway and many national tours, and the New Theatre was very lucky to get them. They have beautiful voices and good chemistry. Some of the most interesting acting moments in the show were between these two.
Jim Korinke played Max Detweiler with flair and energy. Baroness Schraeder, Tausha Torrez was a sympathetic villain with clear motivation, everything is done to protect her own interests. Georga Osborne's Mother Abbess was refreshingly playful and has a gorgeous voice. Jeff Sears and Annie Simpson, Rolf and Liesl, are talented dancers with nice voices, but had little believable chemistry.
The children were predictably cute and talented without ever stealing the spotlight. The other cast members played their parts well enough, but seemed low on energy the evening I attended. Perhaps my criticism was ill placed, since I have no idea how one would play an energetic Nazi.
Richard J. Hinds choreography was sufficient. However, the dancers seemed talented enough to my eyes, and Hind should have made the steps more difficult and a little less cheesy, especially in "Sixteen Going on Seventeen".
As the curtain opened, I saw a gorgeously ornate set of archways and gold detailing, designed by Jason Coale. During the performance, different drops were used along with the arches to suggest an abbey (complete with stained glass), a large home, a hillside, a hallway of paintings, a bedroom and a garden. It was extremely versatile. My only complaint was that the hillside drop was brought in after the curtain rose, thus distracting from the title song.
Along with this awkward drop, there was a noise (perhaps to suggest wind on the hillside?) that sounded like the Millennium Falcon taking flight. Perhaps this colored my judgment for the rest of the evening, but sound levels just seemed a little off. There was an echoing door knock with some static attached, and the orchestra sounded more like a recording than live music. To be fair to award-winning sound designer Roger Stoddard, these were the only specific instances, so I can only assume everything else sounded just fine. The performers had microphones and sounded lovely. I was surprised that there were only four musicians in the pit. They did an agreeable job and perhaps sound mixing made them sound much larger.
Randy B. Winder's lighting was beautiful. The lighting storm in Maria's bedroom was very well done. The light quality always told what time of day it was. There was a hole toward the very front of stage right, but an actor only wandered into that spot once, so I'll assume it was by accident.
Costumes were fairly typical for this show, designed by Vincent Scassellati and coordinated by Mary Traylor. I liked the children's clothes made out of drapes and their festival costumes; but their marching uniforms seemed a bit wrinkled, which the real Captain Von Trapp would never have allowed. The Baroness' party dress stuck out as anachronistic, especially since all the other guests were dressed appropriately.
New Theatre is always an enjoyable evening out. The Sound of Music was visually stimulating and the songs were excellent - and the food was great.
REVIEW:
The Sound of Music
New Theatre Restaurant
9229 Foster, Overland Park, KS 66212
Runs June 25- August 30, 2009 (Reviewed July 3, 2009)
For tickets call 913-649-SHOW or online at www.newtheatre.com
Theatre ,
Blonde Justice
I am a brunette, but I loved Legally Blonde.
Evidence: The story opens at the Delta Nu sorority where Elle Woods, a fashion merchandising, pink-loving blonde is awaiting a proposal from her boyfriend Warner Huntington III. When he instead tells her she isn't serious enough for him, she applies at Harvard Law in order to win her man back. With the help of manicurist Paulette and recently graduated Emmett, Elle discovers that she can be more than just a pretty face.
Legally Blonde was originally a movie starring Reese Witherspoon. I was skeptical whether a stage musical could measure up to the success and charm of the movie. My cynicism was misplaced. The musical, while using the same plot points, made a very smart move by not attempting to replicate the motion picture. Instead, the show focused more on Elle's personal development, and her growing relationship with Emmett, who received a major rewrite and (forgive me, Luke Wilson) much more character development than he ever received in the movie. D.B. Bonds made the role his.
Becky Gulsvig, who was understudy to the original Elle on Broadway, filled those pink shoes to perfection. Although the script often required over-the-top reactions, Gulsvig managed to make a post-breakup cry comical and heart wrenching simultaneously. The highest praise I can give is that I never once compared her to Reese Witherspoon.
Ken Land was law professor Callahan, and exuded a very lawyerly vibe. No wonder, when his credits include "Law and Order" and "Boston Legal". Jeff McLean was perfectly groomed, and perfectly bland Warner Huntington III, Elle's object. Vivienne, Warner's new girlfriend, was given a humane touch by Megan Lewis of Forbidden Broadway fame. Although Lewis' approach made Vivienne more realistic, it also made her storyline disappear altogether because there was simply no conflict to hold our attention.
Natalie Joy Johnson is Paulette, Elle's friend and confident at the local hair salon. Johnson seemed quite timid to start out, but quickly adjusted to the large space. I didn't quite understand her "Ireland" song, which had little purpose in the story, but she performed it admirably. Coleen Sexton's Brooke Wyndham was fairly route, except for the "Whipped into Shape" number where she belted out a number while doing a high-energy jump rope routine. Very impressive!
I must give a nod to three show stealers. First, the two dogs in the show completely upstaged everyone. It is a general rule that live animals are more interesting to an audience than even the most prolific actor. The director must have been aware of this phenomenon and give the dogs a few good tricks and kept them offstage otherwise. Finally, Kyle the UPS man (Ven Daniel) stopped the show with his hilarious entrance and exit.
Music and lyrics were by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin. Jerry Mitchell directed the show, and has received Tony and Drama Desk nominations for his work on Legally Blonde. David Rockwell's scenic design was functional enough. The lighted proscenium arch was not so easy on the eyes, but the Harvard scenes were lovely, and the prison set was innovative and interesting to look at. Ken Posner and Paul Miller designed the lighting, which was a perfect blend of naturalism and flair. Gregg Barnes' costumes were very similar to those in the film, but not any less appropriate for it.
The orchestra consisted of two keyboards and a drummer, which, at times, made the music sound like synthesized 80s soft rock. However, most of the time I didn't even notice, and in truth had no idea how small the pit was until I read the program.
A note of advice to theatre patrons: I know you want to get to your car before anyone else, but the odds of that happening are very slim. Please show respect to the performers by staying during the curtain call.
My overall impression was very positive. I thought the show was very entertaining, very high energy, and it had a lot of heart. I'm not a girly-girl and I'm not blonde, but I wouldn't mind seeing it again. Case closed.
REVIEW:
Legally Blonde
Starlight Theatre
Reviewed June 30, 2009
4600 Starlight Rd, Kansas City, MO 64132
For more information on Starlight's 2009 Broadway season call (816) 363-STAR or online at www.kcstarlight.com
Film,
Pattinson dominates the screen in Salvador Dalí inspired film "Little Ashes"
The 1920s were a time of change in Europe as American jazz and the avant-garde movement gathered steam, but these influences ran counter to the growing darkness that was fascism. It was in Spain where the first confrontation between these two philosophies collided. This is portrayed with great effect in Little Ashes, a tale inspired by events that occurred during the formative years of famed Spanish artist Salvador Dalí.
Little Ashes begins in 1922 with an 18-year-old Dalí (played magnificently by Robert Pattinson of Twilight and Harry Potter fame) arriving at the Academia de San Fernando (School of Fine Arts). Already the personal eccentricities that would become Dalí's trademark are displayed as Pattinson walks into the school with long hair, stockings and knee breeches.
Dalí is initially shy and withdrawn but this changes to certain degree once he becomes friends with outgoing filmmaker Luis Buñuel (Matthew McNulty) and poet/playwright Federico García Lorca (Javier Beltrán). He soon becomes entrenched in their elitist debates about modern art and late night drinking binges at local nightclubs.
As the weeks pass, Dalí finds himself drawn deeper into a risky relationship with Lorca who struggles mightily between his romantic feelings towards Dalí and his Catholic faith. Their relationship changes forever when an increasingly arrogant Dalí moves to Paris where in 1929 he meets his lifelong inspiration and wife, Gala - and a film he makes with Buñuel that Lorca interprets is an attack on him. The split between the two becomes even more pronounced as Lorca actively speaks out against fascism while Dalí remains apolitical even though he does give lip service to the potential positives of a "cleansing" of society.
What truly stands out in Little Ashes is Pattinson's simply brilliant portrayal of Dalí as he changes from a young, experimental artist, socially shy yet daring with his surrealist work, to the often bizarre yet genius artist that the world comes to appreciate by the time of his death in 1989. Not only is Pattinson able to make us forget that he's British, but also that he's Robert Pattinson.
The rest of the cast delivers solid performances as well, including Beltrán as Lorca who in real life continued to struggle with his homosexuality until his death in 1936. Also of note is Spanish actress Marina Gatell as a mutual friend of Dalí and Lorca whose romantic desires for Lorca only serves to break her heart.
Credit to everyone involved in this film for making Little Ashes feel authentic. This includes from their believable accents to Beltrán reciting Lorca's poetry in Spanish to the costumes to the troubling political backdrop that's always lurking in the shadows. Its greatest achivement and complimnet is that it will reawaken interest in Dalí's work for anyone who sees it.
On a letter grade scale from A being excellent to F for failing, Little Ashes receives a B.
Little Ashes is rated R and has a running time of 106 minutes.
Now Showing
Tivoli Cinemas
Westport Manor Square, 4050 Pennsylvania, KCMO.
Visit www.tivolikc.com or call 913-383-7756 for showtimes.
Local Arts News,
Kansas City Fringe Festival 2009
The KC Fringe Festival, now in its fifth year will present live theater, dance, performance art, visual art, spoken word, puppetry, storytelling, film and fashion. Running from July 19-26, the Festival has grown from last year's seven days of performing arts to eight. jam-packed days this July.
Why Fringe?
(From their webite)
The Festival develops audiences, stimulates economic growth and supports the creative community at large. By making the arts readily visible, available and affordable, the Festival supports and inspires local organizations year-round. The KC Fringe Festival is a service to the community, building bridges between audiences, artists, businesses and civic organizations.
Fringe Festival roots trace back to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, which spontaneously erupted in 1947. Eight groups, not invited to perform in the larger Edinburgh Festival of the Arts, created makeshift theaters on the outskirts - or "fringe" - of the established festival. Soon the Fringe Festival gained a large and loyal following, outstripping the mainstream festival.
Fringes around the world have adapted a simple formula that was created in Edinburgh. The main principles were to provide all artists (both emerging and established) with the opportunity to produce their work no matter the content, form or style, and to make the event as affordable and accessible as possible for the members of the community, empowering audiences with the ability to decide for themselves the truly great productions from the good, the bad and the gloriously disastrous.
To this day, the guiding principle of Fringe Festivals worldwide involve uncensored artistic expression, accessibility and community development. Fringing encourages artists and audiences to explore boundaries and to make bold choices in the creation - or enjoyment - of art. The KC Fringe Festival's goal is to provide artists an opportunity to create and perform new material right here in our backyard!
For the full schedule of the 2009 Kansas City Fringe Festival go to www.kcfringe.org
City Stage,
Theatre Column for July
Kansas City Fringe Festival
July 19-26
Various locations around the metro area.
The Fringe Festival is a week of theatre all around the city in many different venues. It originated in Edinburgh, Scotland and is still held there every summer. So pick a show. Pick five! Stay tuned to their website www.kcfringe.org as July 19th nears for a schedule of shows and more information about tickets. Don't miss the most unique theatre experience of the year.
On Going
Coterie Theatre
U: BUG: ME
World Premier
Book, Music & Lyrics by Jeremiah Neal
Directed & Choreographed by Ernie Nolan
Runs June 23 - August 2, 2009
Crown Center, Lower Level
2450 Grand Blvd., Suite 144, Kansas City, MO
From their website: Life isn't so easy when you're an earwig or a fly! Pico the fly knows all about it! His best friend Esteban is a clever earwig who discovers a revolutionary way to harvest soil! With high hopes, the oddly-paired bugs enter the Queen Bee's annual contest with plans to revolutionize the world! (The bug world, that is...) When the bitter horse fly Packo steals their plans, Pico and Esteban need help to avoid a creepy-crawling catastrophe!
Live music from the 'Ant-Hill-Band' will rock U: Bug: Me with hilarious songs.
For tickets call 816-474-6552 or online www.coterietheatre.org
Read the KCMetropolis review here.
New Theatre Restaurant
The Sound of Music
By Rodgers & Hammerstein
Runs June 25 - Aug. 30, 2009
9229 Foster, Overland Park, KS
From their website: If you saw our production of The Scarlet Pimpernel then you are familiar with the incredible talents of husband and wife Broadway stars Ron Bohmer & Sandra Joseph. Sandra Joseph starred in Phantom of the Opera for four years on Broadway. Ron Bohmer starred on Broadway in The Scarlet Pimpernel and in the national tour of Phantom...Just wait until you hear them sing some of the most memorable songs ever preformed on the musical stage including "MY FAVORITE THINGS", "DO-RE-MI", "EDELWEISS", "CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN" and of course, "THE SOUND OF MUSIC."
For more information, call 913-649- SHOW, or online at www.newtheatre.com
Coterie Theatre at Night
The Breakfast Club
Directed by Ron McGee
Runs every Monday night until August 24th.
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
Read the KC Metropolis Review here.
Closing Soon
Unicorn Theatre
Speech & Debate
By Stephen Karam
Directed by Missy Koonce
Runs June 12 - July 12
3828 Main Street, Kansas City, MO
In their words: "Three misfit teens reluctantly join forces to combat local corruption, sex scandals and bad casting in the high school play by forming their school's first speech and debate team. They soon realize three voices are stronger that one and this could be their chance to finally be heard by the school and even the world. Their expose culminates in a time-traveling George Michael-inspired musical version of Miller's The Crucible."
For tickets call 816-531-7529 or online at www.unicorntheatre.org
Read the KCMetropolis Review here.
Shawnee Mission Theatre in the Park
High School Musical
Runs July 9, 10, 11, 12
Directed by Tammy Ruder
Renner Road and Mable Fitch Memorial Drive,
Shawnee Mission Park, Shawnee, KS 66217
Box office opens at 7:00 p.m.; seating area gates open at 7:30 p.m.; show begins at 8:30 p.m.
From their website: The Disney Channel's smash hit musical comes to life on stage! Disney's High School Musical is a high energy show featuring the Jocks, Brainiacs, Thespians and Skater Dudes of East High. When Troy, one of the jocks and Gabriella, one of the brainiacs, decide to audition for East High's musical, it turns their world and their school upside down. Referred to as a modern day Romeo & Juliet, this musical is based on the popular Disney film from 2006. The High School Musical soundtrack was the best-selling album that same year.
For more information call 913-312-8841 or online at www.theatreinthepark.org
Read the KCMetropolis Preview here
Opening Soon
The Chestnut Fine Arts Center
How to Eat Like a Child
Directed by Brad Zimmerman
Runs Thursday July 9 through Sunday August 2
(No shows on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday)
Chestnut Fine Arts Center,
234 North Chestnut, Olathe, KS
Call 913-764-2121 for reservations. Visit www.chestnutfinearts.com for more information.
American Heartland Theatre
Are We There Yet?- A Family Survival Guide
By James Hindman, Ray Rodrick and Cheryl Stern. Music by John Glaudini
A Kansas City Premiere
Runs July 10 - August 23
Call or visit the website for performance times.
Crown Center, 3rd Level
2450 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-842-9999 or online at www.ahtkc.com.
Starlight Theatre
Anything Goes
Runs July 13- July 19 at 8:30 pm
4600 Starlight Rd
Kansas City, MO
From their website: The passengers sailing on the S.S. American from New York to England are an unusual lot. Among them are a gangster, an evangelist turned nightclub crooner, a society debutante, wealthy businessman and many more! The madcap antics of a love triangle at sea, a myriad of mistaken identities and a lively Cole Porter musical score, including "You're the Top," "I Get a Kick out of You" and "It's De-Lovely," make for a special night of energy and entertainment. Get ready to join in the fun as this cast of characters dances its way across the Atlantic - and onto the Starlight stage.
Anything Goes made its debut on Broadway in 1934, with the legendary Ethel Merman in the role of Reno Sweeney, the nightclub singer. A 1988 revival on Broadway, starring the acclaimed Patti LuPone, garnered 10 Tony Award nominations and three wins -- Best Revival, Best Choreographer and Best Featured Actor for Bill McCutcheon as the gangster Moonface Martin.
For more information, call (816) 363-STAR or online at www.kcstarlight.com
The Barn Players
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Runs July 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 31, August 1 & 2
Directed by Jeremy Riggs
6219 Martway, Mission, KS
One of William Shakespeare's oft-performed plays, A Midsummer Night's Dream appeals to a wide audience. From their website: Young lovers, in order to escape marital law, flee to the forest in order to marry on their own terms. With the interference of a visiting band of fairies and an unsuspecting troupe of actors, chaos and merriment ensue.
For more information, call 913-432-9100 or online at www.thebarnplayers.org
Shawnee Mission Theatre in the Park
The Wedding Singer
Runs July 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25 & 26
Directed by Greg Shaw
Renner Road and Mable Fitch Memorial Drive,
Shawnee Mission Park, Shawnee, KS
Box office opens at 7:00 p.m.; seating area gates open at 7:30 p.m.; show begins at 8:30 p.m.
From their website: In The Wedding Singer, it's 1985 and rock-star wannabe Robbie Heart is New Jersey's favorite wedding singer. He's the life of the party, until his own fiancee leaves him at the altar. Shot through the heart, Robbie makes every wedding as disastrous as his own.
Enter Julia, a winsome waitress who wins his affection. Only trouble is Julia is about to be married to a Wall Street shark, and unless Robbie can pull off the performance of a decade, the girl of his dreams will be gone forever. With a brand new score that pays loving homage to the pop songs of the 1980's, The Wedding Singer takes us back to a time when hair was big, greed was good, collars were up, and a wedding singer might just be the coolest guy in the room.
This show is rated PG-13 equivalent due to strong language and adult content.
For more information call 913-312-8841 or online at www.theatreinthepark.org
Read the KCMetropolis Preview here
Theatre for Young America
The Hobbit
July 31st at 2 p.m. and August 1st at 7 p.m.
Goppert Stage, Avila University Campus
11901 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO
From their website: The Hobbit, is a co-production with Avila University and features students from Theatre for Young America's Summer Drama Camp. The Hobbit dramatizes J.R. R. Tolkien's story of Bilbo Baggin's quest to defeat a dragon and find a treasure. Trolls, Elves, a creature named Gollum, and a "precious" ring populate the famous tale.
Tickets for The Hobbit may only be purchased by calling Theatre for Young America at 816-460-2083.
City Classics,
Classical Column for July
Summerfest I
Wildflowers
Saturday, July 11 at 7:00 p.m.
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry Kansas City, MiO
Sunday, July 12 at 5:00 p.m.
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
1307 Holmes Kansas City, MO
With most of Kansas City's classical music organizations taking the summer off, the path is always clear for the refreshing sounds of Summerfest, the city's summertime classical music treat.
Summerfest musicians are drawn from the Kansas City Symphony and other local organizations, but also include instrumentalists who come from far and wide to Kansas City just to take place in these unique concerts. This listener has found Summerfest concerts to be an interesting blend of traditional and newer compositions, and the quality of the small ensemble performances, using a variety of different instrumental combinations, is always first rate.
This year's Summerfest concerts start off with a pair of concerts, one done in the group's traditional venue at St. Mary's Episcopal Church downtown in the shadow of government office buildings, and the other at White Recital Hall on the UMKC campus.
The eponymous composition on the program is a trio by Jenni Brandon, a contemporary California composer. Also on the concert is Tempête de sable (Storm of Sand) for clarinet, violin, and viola, by young composer Alexandra du Bois. The more traditional compositions which are on tap include Handel's Gloria for soprano, strings and harpsichord, and Vivaldi's All'ombra di sospetto.
The Wildflowers trio was commissioned in 2004 by the College of Fine Arts of the University of Texas at Austin to honor the life and work of the former First Lady from Texas, Lady Bird Johnson, who was a promoter of environmental causes and protector of natural beauty.
Alexandra du Bois, still in her early 20's, has already seen her music performed throughout United States, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Canada, The Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Spain, Austria, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Armenia, and the United Kingdom, in venues such as the Théàtre de la Ville in Paris, Carnegie Hall in New York, The Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Barbican Hall in London, as well as radio programs in six countries including BBC Radio 3 and NPR's Morning Edition. This is her Kansas City debut, so you will have a first-class opportunity to find out what the excitement is all about.
For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.summerfestkc.org/
Summerfest II
The Secret Flower
Saturday, July 18 at 7:00 p.m.
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO
Sunday, July 19 at 5:00 p.m.
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
1307 Holmes
Kansas City, MO
For the second of Summerfest's four concerts this summer, the group has selected two contemporary works and one classic. The classic is Beethoven's Septet for Strings, Woodwind and Horn, which dates from his youthful days in Vienna and is full of sprightly energy. It was an immediate hit and remained popular throughout his career; so popular, in fact, that the composer came to dislike it. But you won't, and the Summerfest ensemble will probably have lots of fun with this tuneful piece.
The namesake composition on the program is David Morgan's The Secret of the Golden Flower, written last year. Morgan, the bassist of the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra for the last 15 years, has won acclaim as a composer and arranger of both jazz and classical music. This composition, according to Music Web reviewer Rob Barnett, "moves without effort between Vaughan Williams and an Oriental sway: fast, punchy and meditative."
Also featured will be Incantation and Allegro for oboe, bassoon, and piano by Nancy Galbraith. Galbraith is a professor of composition at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and has composed music for symphony orchestras, chamber orchestras, small ensembles and vocalists. Her Incantation and Allegro begins with a slow and lyrical movement, then turns rapid and rhythmic for the second. Records International called it "hauntingly lovely."
For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.summerfestconcertsinc.com.
UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
Chamber Music Festival: Welcome Faculty Concert
Sunday, July 19 at 2:30 p.m.
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO
The UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance is sponsoring a student chamber music festival from July 18 through 28, and a variety of events are open to the public. The most interesting concerts are two by the faculty, including this "Welcome Faculty Concert" being given near the beginning of the festival. Chamber Music Festival faculty members Benny Kim, Chia-fei Lin, David Kovac, and Larry Figg perform in the festival's opening concert to welcome the faculty of the festival.
Free admission.
Quadrivium
Concert of Contemporary Works
Wednesday, July 22 at 7:00 p.m.
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO
The UMKC's Conservatory of Music and Dance hosts a summer workshop for young composition students. As noted above, Quadrivium is the ensemble in residence for the composition workshop. On July 22, Quadrivium will present a program of new music for flute, clarinet, cello, and piano.
Free admission.
Summerfest III
Chrysanthemums
Saturday, July 25 at 7:00 p.m.
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO
Sunday, July 26 at 5:00 p.m.
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
1307 Holmes, Kansas City, MO
The centerpiece of the third Summerfest concert this year is Edward Elgar's Quintet, op. 84, for piano and strings. Elgar is the quintessential Romantic English composer, and shared with Arthur Sullivan the burden of carrying England's reputation in late 19th century music circles. His many compositions range from the sweet and lyrical to the brassy and bombastic (such as in his famous Pomp and Circumstance marches). This piece dates from his final decades where he "retired" to a charming cottage in the Sussex countryside. The natural surroundings seemed to bring out his chamber music side, and as a result he produced this three-movement work, full of peace and serenity, which seems to come from a more rarified realm than many of his earlier compositions.
Ths concert takes its name not from the Elgar piece, but from a different composition, a string quartet by the opera composer Giacomo Puccini. Puccini wrote few works that were not for the stage, but this early piece of chamber music was one of them. He wrote it at the age of 32 in a single night, he later said, as a response to the death of the Duke of Savoy. Opera fans will note that some of the music from this quartet was later lifted by the composer and used in his subsequent opera Manon Lescaut, his first truly international "hit." This concert will offer you an unusual opportunity to hear a talented composer out of his fach, and doing quite well, indeed.
Third on this program is Endre Szervánszky's Wind Quintet No. 1. The composer was a major figure in Hungarian music in the mid-20th century, and this is one of a number of chamber works he composed which take their inspiration from the folk music of his native country. Szervánszky's music ranges from the lyrical to the atonal, this piece dating from the early part of his career, in 1953.
For tickets call 816-235-6222, or online at www.summerfestconcertsinc.com.
UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
Chamber Music Festival: Closing Faculty Concert
Sunday, July 26 at 5:00 p.m.
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO
As the UMKC Conservatory's festival of chamber music draws to a close, the faculty of the festival will give a free concert. The program has not been determined as of this publication, and may be spur of the moment depending upon the whim of the faculty. But you can't beat the price, and the musicians will be talented.
Free admission.
Local Arts News,
ArtsKC Fund announces new grants totaling nearly $350,000 for local arts organizations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kansas City Metro (June 30, 2009) - The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City Board of Directors recently approved grant awards to nearly 60 arts organizations and programs in the Ovation and Catalyst categories totaling $348,633. Funding for the ArtsKC Fund is generated through an annual workplace giving campaign and contributions from individuals and corporations.
"We have a number of organizations in the Catalyst category that are being funded for the first time this year. We're happy to be reaching new and diverse organizations as we grow the ArtsKC Fund," says Paul Tyler, ArtsKC Fund Grants Director.
The ArtsKC Fund is a united arts fund in the metropolitan Kansas City area that raises new money to support a wide range of arts organizations, arts programs, artists and arts professionals. Its purpose is to provide stable sources of financial support for the arts, broaden access to high-quality arts experiences, and promote excellence in the arts and arts administration. In just over two years, the ArtsKC Fund has granted more than $1 million to the local arts community.
The main focus for raising money during the ArtsKC Fund Campaign is through workplace giving campaigns, an effort that no individual arts organization would have the ability to accomplish on its own. Seventy-two leading Kansas City companies and organizations held campaigns this spring as part of the ArtsKC Fund drive.
Despite the pressures of the economic downturn, the ArtsKC workplace giving campaign made a strong showing, raising almost 90 percent of last year's total. Fewer contributions from individuals and the elimination of funding from the city of Kansas City, Missouri resulted in an overall drop of 39 percent in available grant funding and a reduction in the number of organizations receiving grants this year from 66 to 59. Grants awarded for 2009 include the following:
2009 Ovation Grant Recipients
American Jazz Museum - $12,322
Carlsen Center at Johnson County Community College - $11,399
Coterie Theatre - $10,166
Folly Theatre - $6,728
Friends of Chamber Music - $6,809
Harriman-Jewell Series - $7,668
Heart of America Shakespeare Festival - $6,608
Kansas City Ballet - $15,042
Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey - $8,515
Kansas City Repertory Theatre - $16,780
Kansas City Symphony - $23,662
Kansas City Young Audiences - $12,737
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art - $14,326
Lyric Opera of Kansas City - $13,943
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art - $36,487
Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art - $8,468
Paul Mesner Puppets - $7,855
Quality Hill Playhouse - $8,409
Starlight Theatre - $21,296
Unicorn Theatre - $6,866
2009 Catalyst Grant Recipients
Accessible Arts, Inc. - $3,071
Arts Council of Johnson County - $2,047
Arts in Prison, Inc. - $2,047
Arts Incubator - $3,071
Bach Aria Soloists - $2,559
Charlotte Street Foundation - $3,071
City in Motion Dance Theatre Inc. - $2,047
Community Children's Theatre of KC, dba Chameleon - $2,047
Culture Through Ballroom Dance - $1,024
Gem Theater Cultural and Performing Arts Center, Inc. - $1,385
Hand Print Press UMKC - $2,500
Heart of America Barbershop Chorus - $2,175
Heartland Men's Chorus - $2,047
Kacico Dance - $2,047
Kansas City Art Institute - $3,071
Kansas City Artists Coalition, Inc. - $3,071
Kansas City Chamber Orchestra - $1,024
Kansas City Chorale - $3,071
Kansas City Regional Destination Development Foundation - $4,092
Kansas City String Quartet Program - $1,024
Kansas City Youth Jazz, Inc. - $2,047
Kaw Valley Arts and Humanities, Inc. - $2,047
KC Fringe Festival - $2,047
KC Volunteer Lawyers & Accountants for the Arts - $1,024
KCMetropolis.org - $1,024
Mattie Rhodes Center - $2,559
Mid-America Arts Alliance - $4,092
Music Theatre for Young People of Kansas City - $1,024
New Music Institute of Kansas City dba newEar - $1,024
Owen/Cox Dance Group - $4,092
Quixotic Performance Fusion - $3,071
reStart, Inc. - $4,092
Review, Inc. - $2,047
StoneLion Puppet Theatre - $2,047
Theatre in the Park - $3,071
UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance - $3,071
Wonderscope Children's Museum of Kansas City - $2,559
Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance - $3,071
Youth Symphony Association of Kansas City - $2,047
About the ArtsKC Fund Grant Categories
Grants in the Catalyst category are awarded to non-profit organizations for a variety of arts programs, projects and activities scheduled for the next twelve months. The Ovation grants are for general operating support and went to 20 established not-for-profit arts organizations that have broad reach and impact throughout the metropolitan area. All the Ovation grant recipients serve a regional audience, with performances, programs and exhibits that have a combined attendance of over 1.7 million annually.
About the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City
The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City is a not-for-profit organization that serves the five-county Kansas City metropolitan area, and strives to strengthen and enrich the community by growing appreciation, participation, and support of the arts. For more information about the Arts Council and its programs, visit http://www.ArtsKC.org.
Dance Around the City,
Dance Column for July
Kacico Dance with River Cow Orchestra
Dance Happens
July 11 at 7:00 p.m.
The Writer's Place
3607 Pennsylvania, Kansas City, MO
This is a free event. For more information www.kacicodance.org
Kansas City Fringe Festival
July 19-26
Various venues around the metro
The Fringe Festival began years ago in Edinburgh, Scotland as a festival to celebrate un-censored, un-filtered, edgy art. This festival is now in its fifth year in KC, and features all forms of entertainment highlighting local, regional, and national artists throughout the day for the entire week over 18 or more venues. The venues are located in the mid-town area from the River Market to the Plaza, and from 18th & Vine to the River Bottoms. Always edgy, innovative, and featuring infinite variety, the festival features something for everyone. Entertainment includes puppetry, music, song, dance, performance, art, burlesque, theater, film, fashion, clowning, fire artists, spoken word, as well as other art forms that defy categorization. Inexpensive and colorful, this festival is one of the best ways to catch-up on the Kansas City art scene in a short amount of time. Entertainment is available for children, youth, and also, for adults only. Tickets for shows range in price from $5-$10. Discounts are available with the purchase of a Festival Button. Proceeds from the buttons go to support the festival, and ticket sales go to support the venues, and the artists. The entire festival serves to stimulate and support the local Kansas City arts community in general.
For more information visit www.kcfringe.org/
Photo Credit: Mike Strong, KCDance.com
City Voices,
Vocal Column for July
Summerfest I
Wildflowers
Saturday, July 11 at 7:00 p.m.
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry Kansas City, MO
Sunday, July 12 at 5:00 p.m.
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
1307 Holmes Kansas City, MO
Summerfest II
The Secret Flower
Saturday, July 18 at 7:00 p.m.
White Recital Hall
4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO
Sunday, July 19 at 5:00 p.m.
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
1307 Holmes
Kansas City, Missouri
July is a perfect time to relax into the lush sounds of Summerfest. The first weekend will feature Jenni Brandon's Wildflowers for oboe, bassoon and piano, Tempete de sable (Storm of Sand) for clarinet, violin and viola by Alexandra DuBois, G.F. Handel's Gloria for soprano, strings and harpsichord and Vivaldi's All'ombra di Sospetto for soprano, flute, cello and harpsichord.
The Summerfest sopranos are Gwen Coleman Detwiler and UMKC Associate professor of voice, Rebecca Sherburn.
For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.summerfestkc.org
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~ Formerly an arts columnist and arts reporter with the Seattle
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and is currently acting director of the National Arts Journalism
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