The members of Rain, in full Sgt. Pepper regalia.By Hap ErsteinJust because you cannot afford to book a band, or the members have long since stopped talking to each other, let alone playing together, that should not stop a performing arts center from presenting the group anyway. Or at least a reasonable facsimile.That is the rationale behind the tribute band phenomenon, which … [Read more...]
Weekend arts picks: Feb. 5-10
Dovima With Elephants (1955), by Richard Avedon.(© 2010, The Richard Avedon Foundation)Art: On Tuesday at the Norton Museum of Art, an exhibit opens featuring the work of fashion photographer Richard Avedon (1923-2004). Avedon revolutionized the look of fashion photography, and did much to turn photographers and models into celebrities. His innovative and imaginative … [Read more...]
Weekend arts picks: Jan. 29-Feb. 3
Jupiter and its moon, Io.(Photo by NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory)Music: This weekend, the Houston Symphony Orchestra comes to town as part of a limited national tour, and it’s bringing the universe along with it. Conductor Hans Graf will lead the Houstonians (and the women of its chorus) in the great seven-part tone poem The Planets, by English composer Gustav Holst, … [Read more...]
Music feature: Composer Zwilich’s Septet gets local premiere Sunday
Composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich.(Photo by Greg Stepanich)By Greg StepanichIn the life of every creative artist, there must one day come The Leap.It's that moment of mental alchemy when all the bits and pieces the artist is trying to fit together suddenly come together, often while the creator is sleeping, paying bills or doing something else entirely other than concentrate on the … [Read more...]
Music feature: PB Symphony readies score for ‘Potemkin’
A scene from Battleship Potemkin.By Greg StepanichRamón Tebar has worked with demanding sopranos, played as a soloist and chamber musician, and conducted orchestras in symphony, ballet and opera.But for the 30-year-old Spanish conductor, directing an orchestra as the accompaniment to a soundtrack is the hardest thing he's ever done."The main reason is that, as a conductor, I … [Read more...]
Theater review: Don’t miss ‘South Pacific’ at Kravis
Keala Settle is Bloody Mary in South Pacific.(Photo by Peter Coombs) By Hap ErsteinI’ve got a confession to make: I never really cared for South Pacific.Sure, the songs are terrific, but the script always struck me as pokey and about three-quarters of the way through the second act, it grinds to a halt with a series of scenes where the action is all offstage and we only hear … [Read more...]
ArtsBuzz: Cleveland Orchestra contract talks stall on eve of Miami stay; Palm Beach Opera comes to iPhone
Violinist Leila Josefowicz. (Photo by Deborah O'Grady)Cleveland Orchestra could strike as early as Jan. 18Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect new developments.The Cleveland Orchestra, which is less than three weeks away from its Miami residency, could go on strike as early as Jan. 18, union officials said late Wednesday, according to the orchestra.That would … [Read more...]
ArtsPaper Interview: Lou Tyrrell sees great new future for Florida Stage
Lou Tyrrell. (Illustration by Pat Crowley)On Nov. 30, Florida Stage and the Kravis Center announced a partnership agreement in which the Manalapan theater company that specializes in developing new plays would move its operation to the Rinker Playhouse, a flexible “black box” performance space within the West Palm Beach complex, beginning in July 2010.In mid-December, Palm … [Read more...]
Weekend arts picks: Jan. 1-3, 2010
Art: If you haven’t bought your 2010 calendar yet, consider buying one that supports local artists. Twelve local artists bared all to artist/photographer Durga Garcia in her first annual Palm Beach Artists Uncovered calendar.The artists, who range in age from their mid-30s to mid-80s, are all members of the Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery in downtown Lake Worth. Proceeds from … [Read more...]
Theater review: Tommy Tune takes pleasant look back at his career
Hoofer and choreographer Tommy Tune turned 70 this year. By Hap ErsteinBigger, or at least taller, than life, 6-foot-6-inch Tommy Tune made a one-night stop on the Kravis Center Dreyfoos Hall stage Tuesday evening with an amiable shuffle-ball-change through his career, appropriately titled Steps in Time.The nine-time Tony Award-winning director-choreographer-performer … [Read more...]