Clarence Measelle, a painting and drawing instructorat Palm Beach Community College, stands withmodel Nieves Lopez, over whom he drapeda raw canvas and airbrushed paint to make Resonance.(Photo by Katie Deits) Sherry Stephens, a photography teacher at PBCC,and her husband Wayne, who teaches painting and drawingat PBCC. They're posing by New Look Salon Inside,an archival pigment … [Read more...]
ArtsBuzz: Quartet, violinist heat up classical week
The Calder Quartet.By Greg StepanichWe're in the thick of the season, and there are a few events in the classical music world that deserve mention:Calder Quartet: This Los Angeles-based string foursome -- violinists Benjamin Jackson and Andrew Bulbrook, violist Jonathan Moerschel and cellist Eric Byers --, fresh off an appearance with the band Airborne Toxic Event on The Late … [Read more...]
Opera review: Swenson shines brightest in vigorous ‘Norma’
Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs as Norma.(Photo by Alissa Dragun)By Greg StepanichWEST PALM BEACH — The difference between the operas of the bel canto tradition and the operas of Giuseppe Verdi that followed them is one of greater psychological insight, surely, but more importantly, it's a difference of brute energy.The operas of a bel canto composer such as Vincenzo Bellini are … [Read more...]
Music feature: New area operetta company revives ‘Chocolate Soldier’
Lisa Allen MacMullen, Michael MacMullen and Jacqueline Pimientain a scene from The Chocolate Soldier.(Photo courtesy Palm Beach Light Opera Company)By Greg StepanichWEST PALM BEACH -- You could call Joseph Rubin the Michael Feinstein of operetta, and this week he will bring his passion for underappreciated music to area audiences.Saturday and Sunday will mark the inaugural … [Read more...]
Music review: Naples Philharmonic impressive in Beethoven
By Greg StepanichWEST PALM BEACH -- Florida has any number of symphonic ensembles, but some of them are more fortunate than others.The Naples Philharmonic is one of those in the extra-blessed category, not least because it has been led for five years by Jorge Mester, a well-known conductor with a strong international reputation. It also has had, for 20 years, a performance … [Read more...]
Weekend arts picks: Jan. 16-18
Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompsonin Last Chance Harvey. THEATER: The rocky economy has hit New Vista Theatre hard. With the loss of corporate and private underwriting, the company has had to scrub its much-anticipated production of the Tony Award-winning musical, The Producers. In its place, artistic director Avi Hoffman will unveil a new follow-up to his signature solo … [Read more...]
Music review: Boca Symphonia persuasive in Britten, Dvorak, Mendelssohn
Pianist Frederic Chiu.By Greg StepanichBOCA RATON -- When an orchestra wants to introduce its audience to unfamiliar repertoire, the time-honored pattern is usually to offer only one such piece and leave the rest to the workhorses.But on Sunday afternoon at the Roberts Theater, the Boca Raton Symphonia made the case for two overlooked, rarely played works, and those arguments … [Read more...]
Music review: Poulenc Trio offers skill, variety
The Poulenc Trio: Pianist Irina Lande,oboist Vladimir Lande, and bassoonist Bryan Young.(Photo courtesy Flagler Museum)By Greg StepanichPALM BEACH -- A Baltimore-based trio showed Tuesday night why it is that the infinite variety of chamber music never will be staled, in a program of unusual works that spanned three centuries and styles from Baroque to American Eclectic.The … [Read more...]
CD review: Delray String Quartet, works by Dvorak
By Greg StepanichFor its first commercial disc, the Delray String Quartet has turned to two of the most popular and most recorded chamber works of Antonin Dvorak -- the American String Quartet (No. 12 in F, Op. 96) and the Piano Quintet No. 2 (in A, Op. 81).Venturing into this beloved territory carries risks of unfavorable comparisons, but on the whole this is a respectable … [Read more...]
Music 2008: A look back at classical’s most memorable
Violinist Vadim Gluzman.By Greg StepanichThe pressure of work earlier this year being what it was, I can't really offer a true "best of" list for 2008. I didn't get to enough of the concerts I wanted to see, and the ones I missed I heard good things about.So allow me to offer this list instead of some memorable performances from 2008:Vadim Gluzman, violin: Earlier this month, … [Read more...]