The six cello suites of J.S. Bach are monumental in every significant way, which means that Saturday afternoon’s traversal of all six in a Lake Worth church was itself a monument for local audiences. And Alexei Romanenko, who brought these great works to a decent-sized pre-season crowd at Calvary United Methodist, showed that he has all the skill, taste and imagination he … [Read more...]
Schubert recital admirable, but needed more drama
It takes some kind of pluck and courage to play a serious chamber music recital with the kind of piano that was available Saturday afternoon to violinist Tomas Cotik and pianist Tao Lin: a much-used brown Baldwin upright. But the two musicians soldiered on regardless, though the sound quality would have been much different with a concert instrument, and managed to make a large … [Read more...]
Stravinsky, Schumann end chamber fest’s 20th summer in excellent style
Of the last concert in the 20th season of the Palm Beach Chamber Music Festival it need only be said that as the Crest Theatre audience sat there Sunday afternoon listening to L’Histoire du Soldat, the brilliance of Stravinsky’s conception became clear. Which is only a fancy way of saying that the musicians and actors of the festival did this little masterwork proud, ending … [Read more...]
Weekend arts picks: July 29-Aug. 2
Michael McKeever and Nickolas Richberg in Stuff.Editor’s note: This story, was was to be posted Friday, was delayed by technical difficulties. It has been posted since Friday on www.palmbeachartspaper.com.Theater: OK, you’ve procrastinated long enough. This is the final weekend for the world premiere production of Stuff at Boca Raton’s Caldwell Theatre. This … [Read more...]
Theater feature: Kravis’ 2011-12 season features fare for low, high brows
Larry King. By Hap ErsteinYou’ve heard of the three Bs -- Bach, Brahms and Beethoven? Well, the Kravis Center has announced that next season it will present the three Ls -- Larry the Cable Guy, Larry King and a tribute show called Elvis Lives. Uh, didn’t the Kravis used to be a center for the performing arts?The West Palm Beach complex will be celebrating … [Read more...]
Music review: Mozart quintet makes graceful memorial at chamber fest
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, in an unfinished portraitby his brother-in-law, Joseph Lange.By Greg StepanichA sweetly radiant reading of the Mozart Clarinet Quintet added a poignant touch to the closing half of the third concert in the Palm Beach Chamber Music Festival’s current summer season.The quintet (in A, K. 581) was dedicated to the memory of the Rev. Perry … [Read more...]
Mozart quintet makes graceful memorial at chamber fest
A sweetly radiant reading of the Mozart Clarinet Quintet added a poignant touch to the closing half of the third concert in the Palm Beach Chamber Music Festival’s current summer season. The quintet (in A, K. 581) was dedicated to the memory of the Rev. Perry Fuller, father of festival co-founder Karen Dixon. Fuller died earlier this month of liver cancer, and Dixon has bowed … [Read more...]
Film review: Central performance redeems shaky ‘Anita’
Alejandra Manzo in Anita. By John ThomasonHow’s this for a premise: When a terrorist attack separates a Down syndrome-suffering woman from her caring and infinitely patient mother for the first time in her life, she is forced to confront a harsh outside world, emotionally connecting with the derelicts she encounters and vice versa.Healthy and full of real-world … [Read more...]
Music review: Recent American brass trio proves smart switch at chamber fest
American composer Lauren Bernofsky.By Greg StepanichThe second concert of the Palm Beach Chamber Music Festival’s 20th season underwent a programming change, but its tried-and-true finale, which didn’t change, worked its customary magic.A large audience at the Crest Theatre on Sunday afternoon warmly applauded that last work, the Death and the Maiden Quartet … [Read more...]
Recent American brass trio proves smart switch at chamber fest
The second concert of the Palm Beach Chamber Music Festival’s 20th season underwent a programming change, but its tried-and-true finale, which didn’t change, worked its customary magic. A large audience at the Crest Theatre on Sunday afternoon warmly applauded that last work, the Death and the Maiden Quartet (String Quartet No. 14 in D minor, D. 810) of Franz Schubert. In one … [Read more...]