J. Fred Shiffman and Kate Eastwood Norris in Ghost-Writer.By Hap ErsteinA former musician turned playwright, Michael Hollinger is clearly fascinated with the music of words.Such an interest was evident in his earlier play, Opus, about the search for harmony among the members of a string quartet. A similar verbal playfulness is present in his latest work, … [Read more...]
Archives for March 2011
Theater roundup: Romance and its aftermath, on three stages
A former musician turned playwright, Michael Hollinger is clearly fascinated with the music of words. Such an interest was evident in his earlier play, Opus, about the search for harmony among the members of a string quartet. A similar verbal playfulness is present in his latest work, Ghost-Writer, a look at the creative process of a fastidious novelist, who dictates his prose … [Read more...]
Book review: ‘Memory Palace’ a haunting story of illness, loss and remembrance
The Memory Palace: A Memoir, by Mira Bartok. Free Press, 305 pp., $25By Bill WilliamsNorma Kurap Herr was a talented musician when she started hearing voices at age 19. She struggled with schizophrenia for the rest of her life, and was in and out of psychiatric wards and often homeless before she died at age 80.In this new memoir Mira Bartok, one of Herr’s … [Read more...]
‘Memory Palace’ a haunting story of illness, loss and remembrance
Norma Kurap Herr was a talented musician when she started hearing voices at age 19. She struggled with schizophrenia for the rest of her life, and was in and out of psychiatric wards and often homeless before she died at age 80. In this new memoir Mira Bartok, one of Herr’s two daughters, describes in heartbreaking detail her mother’s descent into chaos and its effect on the … [Read more...]
Music review: Seraphic Fire’s wonderful ‘St. John Passion’ sets local landmark
By Greg StepanichIt’s true that the Miami-based concert choir Seraphic Fire is a national organization that draws many of its singing members, as well as the personnel for its Firebird Chamber Orchestra, from across the country.But it is also nevertheless true that on Saturday night in a church in Fort Lauderdale, a large audience saw a South Florida musical … [Read more...]
Seraphic Fire’s wonderful ‘St. John Passion’ sets landmark
It’s true that the Miami-based concert choir Seraphic Fire is a national organization that draws many of its singing members, as well as the personnel for its Firebird Chamber Orchestra, from across the country. But it is also nevertheless true that on Saturday night in a church in Fort Lauderdale, a large audience saw a South Florida musical organization that was able to … [Read more...]
Weekend arts picks: March 18-20
From the Black Lagoon (1954), by George Zimbel.Art: Here’s one way of tying together a lot of disparate work: the alphabet.Tomorrow, the Norton Museum of Art opens From A to Z: 26 Great Photographs from the Norton Collection, which is exactly what it sounds like – a group of photos arranged by photographer’s names from A to Z. The “X” photographer is … [Read more...]
Weekend arts picks: March 18-20
Art: Here’s one way of tying together a lot of disparate work: the alphabet. Tomorrow, the Norton Museum of Art opens From A to Z: 26 Great Photographs from the Norton Collection, which is exactly what it sounds like – a group of photos arranged by photographer’s names from A to Z. The “X” photographer is Chinese-born Xiaoze Xie, and the “Z” photographer in this exhibit is … [Read more...]
The View From Home 22: New releases on DVD
By John ThomasonAround a Small Mountain (Cinema Guild)Release date: March 8Standard list price: $26.99Could it be that French director Jacques Rivette, the New Wave lion who just turned 83, is finally slowing down? What else can we make of the fact that his latest feature, which could very well be his last, is a scant 84 minutes? For Rivette, Around … [Read more...]
The View From Home 22: New releases on DVD
Around a Small Mountain (Cinema Guild) Release date: March 8 Standard list price: $26.99 Could it be that French director Jacques Rivette, the New Wave lion who just turned 83, is finally slowing down? What else can we make of the fact that his latest feature, which could very well be his last, is a scant 84 minutes? For Rivette, Around a Small Mountain is the equivalent of … [Read more...]