Even for a theater company like Palm Beach Dramaworks whose mission is exploring the major plays of the American stage, it took them a decade and a half to approach Eugene O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night, one of the great works of the 20th century. “The organization had to be ready, I had to know for the most part who my cast was going to be,” says producing artistic … [Read more...]
Victor DeRenzi: At the end of the Verdi journey
Victor DeRenzi, artistic director of the Sarasota Opera. (Photo by Giovanni Lunardi) On Saturday night, the curtain at the Sarasota Opera House will open on a production of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aïda, marking the beginning of the 57th season at the house. And with a production later in the season of La Battaglia di Legnano, it will mark the culmination of a 28-year project … [Read more...]
Conductor Amado, pianist Garritson lead fine ACO opener
David Amado, director of the Delaware Symphony and the first of four conductors to be considered by the Atlantic Classical Orchestra as a successor to Stewart Robertson, led a concert Jan. 13 with the ACO whose quality was unsurpassable. The concert at the Eissey Campus Theatre in Palm Beach Gardens opened with the overture to Carl Maria von Weber’s Oberon, an opera … [Read more...]
Exquisite Beethoven at Flagler from New Orford SQ
To open the 17th season of the Flagler Museum Music Series on Jan. 13 came the New Orford String Quartet of Canada. Made up of two principals of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, violinist Jonathan Crow and cellist Brian Manker, and two lead chairs from the Montreal Symphony, violinist Andrew Wan and violist Eric Nowlin — soon to take the first chair of the Detroit Symphony … [Read more...]
Seraphic Fire movingly examines the American spiritual
By Robert Croan If you’ve seen the Coen Brothers’ O Brother, Where Art Thou, which has become a cult movie since its release in 2001, you’d have recognized several of the Appalachian hymns included in Seraphic Fire’s concert of The American Spiritual, performed in five South Florida venues Jan. 12-17. Artistic Director Patrick Dupré Quigley labeled the concert “an expression … [Read more...]
Near-flawless Hermès Quartet missing sense of fun
By Kevin Wilt Thursday night, the Hermès Quartet of Paris gave a near-flawless performance at the Eissey Campus Theatre as the debut of the Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach’s new Young Concert Artists Series. But despite their precision, which was much appreciated by the intimate crowd, it did not seem like the members of the quartet were having much fun. That seemed to … [Read more...]
Cornell feels call of the ‘Wild’ in nature-inspired exhibit
By Lucy Lazarony For Wild, opening Thursday at Old School Square’s Cornell Art Museum in Delray Beach, the inspiration is the beauty and wonder of the natural world. The 12 internationally recognized artists chosen for the exhibit, which runs through April 17, were invited by curator Melanie Johanson because of “their respect for nature, their fascination with animals and … [Read more...]
Trinity Irish Dance: A bit over the top, but hard to resist
By Tara Mitton Catao Last Saturday night, the stage of the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts brimmed with the buoyant movement of the Trinity Irish Dance Company, reflecting not only a timeless appeal but a freshly invigorating approach. The bouncing curls and lightning feet of the young dancers filled the performing space with what is now being called “progressive Irish … [Read more...]
Boynton blues bassist lives the dream, will compete in Memphis
If you tried to gauge which musical performers were the busiest in South Florida, thoughts might toward to a pop singer, a country guitarist, or maybe a freelancing rock drummer. But a blues artist? Well, maybe if they played guitar and sang. How about a bass player? Not very likely. And a blues bass player? You’re dreaming. Yet Mark Telesca (www.marktelesca.com) is living … [Read more...]
Mall exhibit to celebrate the art of Dr. Seuss
By Palm Beach ArtsPaper Staff Most everyone knows these iconic lines from Dr. Seuss’ children’s book, Green Eggs and Ham: Do you like green eggs and ham? I do not like them, Sam-I-Am. I do not like green eggs and ham. But not everyone knows that in addition to his prolific children’s books, Theodor Seuss Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss) was a fine painter and illustrator. A number … [Read more...]