The folk styles of a people became the rallying musical cry during the nationalist upheavals of the mid-19th century, and while the politics have faded since then, what is left with today’s listeners is a sonic personality assembled from characteristic tones and rhythms. While we’re familiar with what those are in the case of the major European countries, it’s not so easy to … [Read more...]
Theater roundup: Intense ‘Sweeney Todd,’ and ‘An Iliad’ tour de force
Stephen Sondheim is drawn to unconventional source material for his musicals, so it is hardly surprising that Slow Burn Theatre Company ― which gravitates towards the offbeat and challenging ― has an affinity for his shows. Now ending its fourth season, it tackles the great composer-lyricist’s masterwork, Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, a grisly but undeniably … [Read more...]