By Dale King Broward Stage Door Theatre in Margate opens its 2015-2016 season with the musical, The Fantasticks, a touching and tender tale mixed with comic touches and some whimsical characters. Overall, the show is fun and entertaining, featuring talented players with excellent voices. They seem to revel in the occasional silliness and a scene of mystical reverie that … [Read more...]
Gallery crawl: Three happening spots in West Palm Beach
By Sandra Schulman A brilliant — in more ways than one — new art installation will be beaming into downtown West Palm Beach from June 4 to July 4 nightly from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on the Great Lawn. Designed by artist Jen Lewin and presented by the city of West Palm Beach Art in Public Places (AIPP) Program, this concentric, temporary interactive art installment is comprised of … [Read more...]
Master Chorale ends season with engaging concert of Bach, colleagues
Choosing unusual repertoire is something that many listeners and critics desperately want the performing organizations they follow to try now and again, but it sometimes comes with a price. Often, things seem to be chosen because they are particular favorites of a conductor or soloist, or perhaps something less well-known than a composer’s other, really famous work. But … [Read more...]
Violinist Goulding, composer Zhou team for ACO world premiere
Caroline Goulding is sitting in Finouk, a café on the Grabenstrasse in the picturesque German town of Kronberg im Taunus, near Frankfurt. The young American violinist is there in late March with her recital partner, German pianist Danae Dörken, and they’re on their way to rehearsal for concerts next month in Bautzen and Berlin as well as prepping for a recording session. But … [Read more...]
Our drug policy and its costs, scrupulously researched
The war on drugs has spawned more crime, violence, addiction and suffering — the exact opposite of what was intended. That is the theme of this provocative and timely book by British author Johann Hari, who spent three years researching the subject. In 1914, Congress banned the sale of heroin and cocaine, although doctors could continue to prescribe these drugs. But that … [Read more...]
Superb Nielsen, dazzling soloist highlights for Danish orchestra
It was a night of rising stars and a visit from some terrific out-of-town guests, and one of the biggest beneficiaries was an underrated great composer. The Danish National Symphony Orchestra came to Miami’s Knight Concert Hall on Saturday night in the middle of its American tour, bringing the young Australian violinist Ray Chen and the Romanian conductor Cristian Măcelaru … [Read more...]
Youthful Parker Quartet dazzles in Flagler opener
Running out of superlatives to describe the Parker Quartet is a hazard music critics must face after hearing their excellent performances. Tuesday saw them at The Flagler Museum at Whitehall in its music series season opener, which was sold out. Is it any wonder the public takes a liking to them after experiencing the ho-hum attitude presented by some of the older established … [Read more...]
With ‘Chorus Line,’ Delray arts center becomes a producer
For the first 24 years of its existence as an entertainment hub for Delray Beach, the Crest Theatre — a component of the Delray Beach Center for the Arts — has relied on touring shows and imported acts for its eclectic performance mix. But now, in the popular arts complex’s 25th anniversary season, Delray Beach Center president and CEO Joe Gillie embarks on a risky experiment, … [Read more...]
Community theater: At LW Playhouse, a reunion with Felix and Oscar
By Dale King A half-century ago, playwright Neil Simon concocted slovenly Oscar Madison and paired him with neat-freak Felix Ungar to create The Odd Couple, a comic powerhouse that has endured across stage, film and television (where Felix’s last name was spelled Unger). Perhaps the oddest thing about The Odd Couple franchise is that the original Simon play, which premiered … [Read more...]
Russian State SO, with Feltsman, glitters in Mozart, Rachmaninov
I think it’s safe to say the Kravis Regional Arts Concert Series, now celebrating its 40th year, has more visiting orchestras than any other venue in the world. There are seven this season, starting with the Russian State Symphony Orchestra on Wednesday evening with two Russian pieces and a Mozart piano concerto. This 90-piece ensemble opened with Glinka’s overture to his … [Read more...]