Flagler Museum director Blades retiring after 21 years PALM BEACH — John Blades, executive director of the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, will retire at the end of this month, the museum said. Blades has been the museum’s executive director since June 1995, and is credited with overseeing the revitalization of the museum, which began life as Henry Flagler’s Whitehall mansion. … [Read more...]
Vega SQ brings rapturous sound to Flagler series
The Vega String Quartet: Yinzi Kong, Guang Wang, Domenic Salerni and Jessica Shuang Wu. Vega is the name of the brightest star in the constellation Lyra. And while the young Vega String Quartet, which played the Flagler Museum series Jan. 26, may be only on the road to that distinction, they do produce a rapturous, rounded sound, and that is perhaps their signature. Now in … [Read more...]
Flagler features art of an enigma-less master
In true dramatic fashion, he went from being the trendy artist everyone desperately copied to being something like the universal symbol for what to avoid. What else is new? The fame, popularity and recognition enjoyed by French academic painter William-Adolphe Bouguereau in the 19th century no doubt landed him in the history books. When else have America and Europe been on … [Read more...]
Flagler series saves best for last with Auryn Quartet
After three decades of performing together in the world’s best venues, the Auryn Quartet was chosen to close the Flagler Museum Music Series on March 3. Intentional or not, John Blades, executive director of the Flagler, left the best to last. Perhaps I ought to say the very best to last, as this was a blue-ribbon performance from beginning to end. The Auryn, consisting of … [Read more...]
Don’t talk; dig: The Panama Canal at 100, at the Flagler
What 8-year construction project involved only American laborers and linked two oceans through the narrow spine of Central America at a cost of $200 million? The answer is: none. Sorry. Trick question. If you were thinking the Panama Canal, you were half right. This costly engineering masterpiece took twice that amount of money and 10 years to complete. It required more than … [Read more...]
Flagler silver exhibit takes us back to Age of Acquisition
Nobody uses a 137-year-old silver set of 1,250 pieces from Tiffany & Co. to eat lunch anymore or gets a glossy water pitcher as retirement gift. A pen and porcelain plates will do. Sometimes it takes such a decline in popularity to make an art exhibition happen. If it wasn’t for silver’s falling demand, the current show at the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum may not have … [Read more...]
Flagler: The right amount of wealth and heart
The best part of writing about a man responsible for historic hotels, impossible railroads and that this state is now livable, is knowing he is remembered for the right reasons. In other words, I can skip the horseradish. There is nothing phony or in need of polish when it comes to Henry Flagler. His legacy speaks for itself and is now the focus of an exhibit at the … [Read more...]
Weekend arts picks: Aug. 30-Sept. 1
Music: Robby Krieger was one of the respected guitarists in rock during his time with The Doors from 1967 to 1972. These days, at 67, he’s still out there with a band, this one called Robby Krieger’s Jam Kitchen, with a powerhouse lineup including two former Frank Zappa alums, guitarist Arthur Barrow and keyboardist Tommy Mars, veteran L.A. session saxman and Neil Diamond … [Read more...]
Walter Gay at the Flagler: Empty rooms, inhabited
In a time calling for simplicity and scaling back, portraits of the complete opposite score well. Only hours into their first day at the Flagler Museum, freshly hanged paintings of European and American extravagant interiors already were having an impact. The first visitors found them gorgeous, informative; even inspirational. Impressions of Interiors: Gilded Age Paintings … [Read more...]
At the Flagler: Two standout string quartets
Editor’s note: Here are two late reviews of recent concerts at the Flagler Museum: The Moscow String Quartet (Feb. 21) Sitting in the magnificence of Henry Flagler’s Gilded Age mansion, Whitehall, I was struck by the ironic contrast of listening to a string quartet that began life in the old USSR. This was the Moscow String Quartet, four women whose exceptionally high … [Read more...]