In January, the Symphony of the Americas will celebrate 25 years of musical performances — and the fact that they are still here. “It’s no small accomplishment for a nonprofit orchestra to achieve a milestone like our 25th anniversary,” artistic director and conductor James Brooks-Bruzzese said. “Economically, we are very fortunate to continue, in our own little way, to bring … [Read more...]
Postcard from New York: ‘Woolf’ still has bite; ‘13 Things’ and The Ride
NEW YORK ― I spent last weekend in Manhattan, checking out the holiday lights and the department store window decorations. And a few shows, too, to see whether they are naughty or nice. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?: Fifty years ago, Edward Albee burst onto Broadway with his take-no-prisoners view of marriage, academia division. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? cemented his … [Read more...]
At the opera: In Orlando, a hit-and-miss ‘Figaro’
The Orlando Philharmonic’s production Nov. 9 of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro straddled a fine line that divides semi-staged from fully staged performances. These semi-staged productions of the Philharmonic either leave one feeling unsettled, as in this Figaro, or completely satisfied, as with last spring’s Rigoletto. It is a dilemma directors must wrestle with continually: Go … [Read more...]
Flutist Anderson to perform iconic ‘Thick as a Brick’ at Kravis
Add to the list of Woodstock-era rockers who are still performing live in concert at Social Security age the name of Ian Anderson, who brought the flute to rock music through his high-concept former band, Jethro Tull. Forty years ago, he had an international hit with the progressive rock album Thick as a Brick, which he wrote with lyrics credited to a fictional 10-year-old … [Read more...]
Blues heiress Cassie Taylor a musician worth following
She’s only 25 years old, but Colorado-based vocalist, bassist and keyboardist Cassie Taylor brought her Soul Cavalry trio into the Bamboo Room on Friday with 10 years of touring experience already under her belt. The Lake Worth venue hosted her several times as she toured with her father, noted modern blues artist Otis Taylor, from 2002-2010. She’s since released her debut … [Read more...]
‘Camp 14’ a horrifying picture of the North Korean gulag
The horrors described in Escape from Camp 14 are so extreme that one might assume this is a work of fiction. But the sad reality is that this is a spellbinding true account of life inside a North Korean prison camp, told from the viewpoint of Shin Dong-hyuk, who was born in Camp 14 and fled to the West after a dramatic escape that defies the imagination. In spare prose … [Read more...]
Postcard from New York No. 8: ‘Venus’ marks advance for Ives
Just before catching a plane back to South Florida, I was able to squeeze in one final play -- a matinee of David Ives’ kinky, amusing Venus in Fur, starring Broadway’s latest “it” girl, Nina Arianda. Last season, she made her Broadway debut in Born Yesterday, filling the legendary shoes of Judy Holliday quite credibly. Now, she returns to a new work, a darkly comic … [Read more...]
Postcard from New York No. 7: A visit with an Idol, and ‘Other Desert Cities’
Having spoken with composer Frank Wildhorn about his upcoming tour and Broadway revival of Jekyll & Hyde, I met Friday with the show's star, Constantine Maroulis, the American Idol sensation who went on to headline Rock of Ages (and has a small role in this summer's film version with Tom Cruise). We met at an Eastside diner and while we chatted, I could see out of the corner … [Read more...]
Postcard from New York No. 6: Frank Wildhorn, and wild ‘Guvnors’
Thursday morning, I schlepped way downtown, near the former site of the World Trade Center where a steady stream of people arrived to view the new 9-11 memorial, for an interview. In a nearby high-hrise apartment lives composer Frank Wildhorn, whose cult hit Jekyll & Hyde is about to get a re-conceived major revival starring Constantine Maroulis (American Idol, Rock of Ages) … [Read more...]
Postcard from New York No. 5: Magnificent ‘Porgy,’ listless ‘Once’
Most of my theater-obsessed friends here in New York are pretty depressed by the state of this season's crop of musicals. And it is easy to see why, based solely on the two shows I saw Wednesday. At the matinee, I saw a superlative production of Porgy and Bess, one of the great "they-don't-write-em-like they-used-to" pieces of musical theater, hailing from 1935. And … [Read more...]