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...]
Three world premieres make for fascinating New World outing
Michael Tilson Thomas conducts Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind at the New World Center on Saturday. (Photo by Gregory Reed) When the music had finished and the audience in the New World Center had risen to its collective feet, Michael Tilson Thomas knelt down on one knee and kissed the garment of his soloist, soprano Measha Brueggergosman. And well he might: … [Read more...]
Composer Runestad offers message of love in new work for Seraphic Fire
Rather than hire a babysitter when they had choir practice at night, the parents of Jake Runestad simply took their son along to rehearsals. “I would just run around in the choir room, and I think a lot of that music seeped into my brain,” says Runestad (pronounced RUN-uh-sted), speaking last week from his home in Minneapolis. “There was just a lot of music in my own … [Read more...]
‘Jurassic World’ has gritty message amid dino mayhem
It seems we’re in a cinematic summer of dangerous, apocalyptic rides. Tomorrowland, after all, is a movie based (sort of) on a real theme park, while Jurassic World is a movie based on a fictional one — the original Jurassic Park in Jurassic Park. Depicting, as it does, a bigger, bolder, more super-sized dinosaur adventure park than the Spielberg original, Colin Trevorrow’s … [Read more...]
‘Missoula’ reveals hidden world of trauma under the ivy
When Jon Krakauer decided to write about non-stranger rape, he was “stunned to discover that many of my acquaintances, and even several women in my own family, had been sexually assaulted by men they trusted. … I’d had no idea that rape was so prevalent.” Missoula focuses on several University of Montana students who were raped by school football players. Krakauer warns that … [Read more...]
Community theater: Real-life couple energizes Delray Playhouse’s ‘They’re Playing Our Song’
By Dale King Playwright Neil Simon takes a well-aimed shot at musical comedy in They’re Playing Our Song, a sharp and witty production being staged through Sunday at the Delray Beach Playhouse. Actually, Simon wrote the book, then turned it over to songwriter Marvin Hamlisch and lyricist Carole Bayer Sager to provide words and tunes for a stage production. As it turns … [Read more...]
Rising violinist Chen, conductor Măcelaru team with Danish orchestra
The check-this-out mentality of social media might at first blush seem antithetical to the very idea of classical concertgoing, but that’s not the way Ray Chen sees it. The young Australian violinist finds his most congenial digital home in the realm of Facebook, but he’s also a master of Twitter and micro-video on Instagram. All of it a means to a worthy end: Getting … [Read more...]
Letter From Paris: The accidental flâneuse
By Chloe Elder In 21st-century society, the onetime symbol of Paris, the flâneur, is nearly extinct. In its native city, the numbers are dangerously low. Conservation efforts have done little to protect those who remain in the wild and all attempts to breed in captivity have been futile. And awkward. The flâneur is one who strolls, wanders, and traverses the city streets … [Read more...]
2013-14 arts preview: The season in opera
The two 200th-birthday boys of 2013, Richard Wagner and Giuseppe Verdi, have been staples of the world’s opera houses since middle of the 19th century, and nothing’s changed today. Each of the three area opera companies will feature work by Verdi in the 2013-14 season, and one of them will offer Wagner: Sarasota Opera is mounting The Flying Dutchman. Florida Grand Opera, under … [Read more...]
‘War Horse’ is best bet for Kravis’ 2013-14 Broadway season
It was to be a routine announcement of the show titles for next year’s “Kravis on Broadway” series, the sixth season of touring productions since the West Palm Beach performing arts center began presenting road shows on its own. But the publicist kept frantically e-mailing a strong suggestion that I bring a camera to the event. Which headliner of which show had the center … [Read more...]