From the Moth series, by Hiromi Moneyhun. Solo art shows don’t often turn out to be as good as they are advertised. In the case of Shadows of the Floating World, it is something to be seen to be believed — and even then, we don’t believe our eyes. Celebrating the art of papercutting (kiri-e) now through Sept. 18, the Morikami Museum is showcasing about 22 pieces masterfully … [Read more...]
Uneven ‘Aloha’ launches into familiar rom-com sky
In the romantic comedies of Cameron Crowe, and perhaps only in the romantic comedies of Cameron Crowe, the most beautiful people you’ve ever seen are also the most hopeless, loveless and clueless. They are wayward neurotics who nonetheless possess perfect bodies, ineffable charm and a writerly wit. His films are set in a world we recognize, but the glamorous screw-ups that … [Read more...]
FGO takes on Menotti’s ‘Consul’ to close season
Victoria Livengood first discovered the power of Gian-Carlo Menotti’s opera The Consul as an 18-year-old student at the University of North Carolina. Having received a full vocal scholarship after auditioning for the choir to fill an hour elective in what was supposed to be a pre-law curriculum, she came home to Thomasville one weekend to show her parents the first song she’d … [Read more...]
Moscow City Ballet makes mess of Tchaikovsky’s ‘Swan’
By Tara Mitton Catao You are all dressed up. You are going to Dreyfoos Hall to see Swan Lake, the most revered Russian story-ballet, which is being performed by the Moscow City Ballet, a “critically acclaimed” touring Russian ballet company. It is natural to have a certain set of expectations. After all, the house at the Kravis Center is sold out for the one-night show. Then … [Read more...]
‘Life Itself’ a beautiful tribute to a great man of film
As with a lot of premature deaths, I took Roger Ebert’s continued existence for granted, and I didn’t appreciate him enough when he was alive. For many years, his critical voice was an easy one for a snobbish cinephile to dismiss, for a number of seemingly viable reasons: The former scribe of Beyond the Valley the Dolls didn’t have an appreciation for truly radical cinema. His … [Read more...]
Sundays: Age appropriate
By Myles Ludwig I’m on the verge of slinking past 70. And puzzled. I know life is different for me, but aside from the residual effects of certain old wounds I feel when I get out of bed in the morning, I’m not really sure how. Or even if I’m supposed to be sure. I know I passed one big speed bump a couple of years ago and now I’m driving cautiously through a leafy … [Read more...]
Weekend arts picks, March 15-17
Music: Tonight at the Festival of the Arts Boca, the much-loved Ukrainian pianist Valentina Lisitsa, who’s been an area favorite for years, joins the New World Symphony for the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini (Op. 45) of Rachmaninov, and doubtless she’ll do an encore, too. But the concert, which will be led by Toronto Symphony director Peter Oundjian, also contains a rarely … [Read more...]
Arts Garage wins Knight grants; Rudin prizewinner named
The Arts Garage has won two grants from the Knight Foundation of Miami totaling $50,000, including the foundation’s first-ever People’s Choice Award, which was won on the basis of texts. In a ceremony last month at the New World Center in Miami Beach, the Delray Beach arts engine, which has become a notable South Florida venue for jazz concerts, received a Knight Arts … [Read more...]
‘Robot & Frank’ lures big names to dementia-caper flick
When looking for material for his directorial feature debut, Jake Schreier recalled a short film he had produced at New York University. Called Robot & Frank, it was a brief, offbeat heist flick grafted onto a tale of dementia and a caregiver automaton. The short had been the thesis project of his longtime friend and budding screenwriter Christopher Ford. “It was something I’d … [Read more...]
‘Cat in Paris’ looks good, but dialogue’s worth a hairball
In just over three minutes, the short film The Extinction of the Saber Tooth Housecat, which precedes the animated feature film A Cat in Paris in its theatrical run, marvels with the unfettered joy of filmmaking. There is no dialogue, just an animated feline frolicking through a pristine, real-life field, while a meteor hurtles through space. The quickening editing scheme is … [Read more...]