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Home > Blogs > Arts and Entertainment > Archives > 2009 > February
February 2009
WDPR seeks young classical musicians
Dayton radio station WDPR, 88.1 FM, has announced a contest for outstanding young classical musicians in the area.
Winners will receive savings bonds, gifts, an on-air interview and the chance to perform in a concert at the University of Dayton May 17, 2009. Results will be announced April 10.
To enter, submit a five- to 10-minute tape or CD of a performance (solo or with solo accompaniment; not as part of an ensemble). Tapes and CDs will not be returned.
Send them to: Classical 88.1/Dayton Public Radio, c/o Young Talent Search, 126 N. Main St., Suite 110, Dayton, Ohio 45402.
Official entry forms can be found at www.dpr.org. For more information, contact program director Shaun Yu at (937) 496-3850.
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TweetDayton-bred flautist Brandon George returns to his hometown for DPO concert.
Classical flautist, Brandon George, disproves the maxim that “no prophet is praised in his own land.”
The 23 year-old Stivers School for the Arts grad has gone on to receive international acclaim for his virtuosity on the flute and returns to his hometown as a burgeoning classical music superstar.
On Wednesday, March 4 and Thursday, March 5 George will be featured flute soloist for Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra’s Demirjian Chamber Explorations Series program — Flute Center — at the Schuster Center.
“It’s quite an honor,” George said from New York City. “One thing that inspired me as a young musician was the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. My first teacher was from the orchestra and my school, Stivers, had a close connection to the orchestra. I went to their concerts often and was inspired by their work.”
George’s career has blossomed since he left Dayton. A graduate of The Oberlin Conservatory of Music, George studied at the National Conservatory of Music in Paris and with famed flautists Sophie Cherrier of l’Ensemble Intercontemporain. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music.
“In Dayton I’ll be playing Mozart’s Flute Concerto No. 1,” George said. “This was a difficult piece for Mozart to write because he really didn’t like the flute. He wrote to his father that it was so difficult for him to write for an instrument he couldn’t stand. But you can’t tell by the gorgeous music he wrote. You would think the contrary.”
HOW TO GO What: Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra’s Demirjian Chamber Explorations Series program, Flute Center. Who: Flautist Brandon George When: Wednesday, March 4 at 6 p.m. and Thursday, March 5 at 10 a.m. How Much: Tickets $24, $10 available by calling (937) 228-3630.
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TweetLadysmith Black Mambazo at Clark State
By Khalid Moss Staff Writer
Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the all-male, South African vocal ensemble, brings its unique style of music and dance to Clark State Performing Arts Center, 300 S. Fountain Ave., Springfield, Thursday, Feb. 26 at 8 p.m.
The award-winning group was formed in the early ‘60s by Joseph Shabalala but gained worldwide exposure when it was discovered by singer Paul Simon.
More than two decades ago Simon introduced Ladysmith Black Mambazo to the pop music world via his 1986 recording “Graceland.” Eight years later — due in large part to the efforts of Ladysmith and other South African artists — the centuries-old practice of apartheid came to an end in South Africa.
Ladysmith’s music fuses the intricate rhythms and harmonies of their native South African musical traditions with the sounds and sentiments of Christian gospel music.
“People love our music because we have a story in this music,” Shabalala said. “It’s a very deep story about tradition, about taking care of yourself and about reminding people to get together and work very hard for themselves.”
Ladysmith will be forever linked with former South African President Nelson Mandela. The release of Mandela after 27 years imprisonment produced the celebratory song “Isikifil’ Inkululeko” (Freedom Has Arrived).
Mandela later decreed that the members of Ladysmith were “South Africa’s cultural ambassadors” and the group accompanied Mandela to the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo.
Tickets are $30, $24 and $15 available by calling (937) 328-3874 or toll free (866) PAC.TKTS (722-8587).
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TweetBeavercreek’s ‘09-10 season kicks butt
A lot of people were surprised when Beavercreek Community Theatre mounted a fabulous production of “The Rocky Horror Show” early this season.
Maybe it’s time to expect that as the rule, rather than the exception. A group that has been positively reborn since moving into shared space with a senior citizen center on Dayton-Xenia Road a couple years ago has just announced a 2009-10 season that may be the area’s best non-professional lineup. It should definitely be the liveliest and something to attract a younger audience.
Check it out:
Sept. 18-27 — The local premiere of the fun and trashy “Great American Trailer Park Musical.” Doug Lloyd, who staged “Rocky Horror,” not to mention “Bat Boy” and “The Full Monty” on the same stage in recent years, is directing. Therefore, it should be good.
Oct. 23 through Nov. 1 — “The Dixie Swim Club.” Greg Smith, another top area director, will helm the Southern comedy about lasting friendships.
Jan. 29 through Feb. 7, 2010 — “God’s Favorite” by Neil Simon. Might be a comparative yawner, if Jim Lockwood wasn’t directing.
March 12-21, 2010 — “Romeo and Bernadette,” in which we learn that Romeo only took a sleeping potion. When he wakes up a few centuries later, he’s in an Italian neighborhood in Brooklyn. John Falkenbach directs.
June 18 through June 27 — The musical “The Who’s Tommy,” directed by Chris Harmon. A great show if done well.
Teresa Connair’s BCT Children’s Theatre will present “Sherlock Holmes” Dec. 4-13 and “The Patchwork Girl of Oz” April 23-May 2.
“Trailer Park” and “Tommy” are Edge of the Creek productions, not part of the main series, but the entire package has moved off center. Best advice to be part of it? Buy a season ticket and/or plan to audition.
BCT offers a Flex Pass of three, five or all seven shows. Prices are $34, $54 or $72 for adults, with discounts for seniors. Single tickets will remain at $11 and $12. More information is available by phone at (937) 429-4737, email at boxoffice@bctheatre, or online at www.bctheatre.org.
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Tweet‘Taking Steps’ merely ups, downs
Sometimes seeing a play will change the way you do something, at least for a while.
“Taking Steps,” which opened Friday, Feb. 20, in Sinclair Community College’s Blair Hall Theatre, may make you think about the way you take the stairs leaving the building, or upon coming home.
Will you gallop up, or descend in tidy little mincing steps? Both extremes and everything between are used by the actors on the imaginary stairways in the play by prolific British playwright Alan Ayckbourn.
Trouble is, his farce about a leaky old mansion, a marriage on the rocks and odd British behavior may not leave you with much more than that and some widely spaced laughs.
The play’s exposition required virtually the entire 90-minute first act during the Saturday, Feb. 21, performance.
It finally began paying off in fun after intermission with situations like these:
An eccentric young attorney who fidgets like Woody Allen ends up by mistake in bed with the woman of the house and then, not quite by mistake, with her brother’s girlfriend.
The man of the house serves tumblers full of whiskey to himself and his guests, then takes a couple of sleeping pills to get some rest, which makes it seem he intends to take a permanent rest.
Some of the funniest moments provided by an all-student cast under Nelson Sheeley’s direction occur when the lawyer (Dan Foley as Tristram) and the wife’s brother (Kurtis Riley as Mark) try to get and keep the large sleeper (William Courson as Roland) up on his feet and walking it off.
Meanwhile, Mark’s girlfriend Kitty (Sarah Parsons) is trapped in a closet all night because the comatose Roland pushed his bed against it before falling asleep. And Ally Wetz, as brassy, blonde, dance-crazed but not dance-gifted Elizabeth, can’t make up her mind whether to leave Roland or not.
There are no stairs on designer Terry Stump’s nifty one-story set, which is intentional. The actors pantomime using them whenever they move around the three-story house. Despite all of the traveling, there’s no real destination for any of them.
Remaining performances are at 10 a.m. Wednesday, 7 p.m. Thursday (Downtown Dayton Night) and 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 25-28, in Blair Hall Theatre, Building 2. Tickets are $7-$17 at (937) 512-2808 or www.sinclair.edu
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TweetCityfolk presents The Chieftains
By Khalid Moss Staff Writer
With music as crisp and bubbly as a pint freshly poured Irish ale, it’s hard to believe The Chieftains have been making music for more than 40 years.
Founded by multi-instrumentalist Paddy Moloney in 1962, The Chieftains were one of the first bands to take Irish traditional music worldwide and they continue to be Ireland’s premier musical ambassadors.
February 2009 marks 35 years of touring in North America for the group. On Saturday, March 7, Paddy Moloney and The Chieftains return to Dayton for Cityfolk’s Celtic Music Series at the Dayton Masonic Center, 525 W. Riverview Ave.
Cityfolk director of programs, Dave Barber, said The Chieftain have been a shot in the arm for his arts organization.
“When we started our Celtic Music Series back in the ‘80s, The Chieftains helped it become the most successful series we have,” Barber said. “But now they’ve gotten so big and collaborated with so many different artists, they’ve transcended the genre of Celtic music altogether.”
The Chieftains have been nominated for the Grammy 19 times and have taken six statues back to the Emerald Isle. But success hasn’t stunted the band’s growth. Frontman Moloney said The Chieftains are constantly tinkering with their brand to make it more inclusive.
“Beyond the Celtic-Scottish connection we focused on last year, we plan on giving everyone a taste of the overall influence Celtic music has had internationally,” Moloney said. “In particular, we’ll be previewing our upcoming project related to the Celtic-Mexican connection.”
HOW TO GO What: Cityfolk 2008-2009 Celtic Series Who: Paddy Moloney and the Chieftains When: Saturday, March 7, 8 p.m. How Much: Reserved single tickets $55, $40, $30 call Cityfolk Box Office (937) 496-3863. Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2167 or kmoss@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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TweetDayton Philharmonic Orchestra presents Masterful Mahler
Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Music Director Neal Gittleman dismisses the superstition rampant in classical music that ninth symphonies are jinxed.
“Because Beethoven died soon after his ninth, there’s this notion of the ‘jinx’ of the ninth symphony,” Gittleman said. “It says that nobody gets to write a tenth.
“Of course, Mozart wrote his ninth symphony when he was nine years old and Haydn wrote a hundred and six. But after Beethoven there was this myth and Gustav Mahler was at least aware of it.”
On Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27 and 28, Gittleman and the DPO will devote an entire evening to Mahler’s “Symphony No. 9 in D Major” at the Miami Valley & Good Samaritan Hospitals Classical Series: Masterful Mahler at Schuster Center. It will be one continuous performance with no intermission.
As it turned out, Mahler’s Symphony No. 9 was the last symphony he wrote and is arguably the most intense of his symphonic works. “It’s one of the deepest, emotional and, I think, beautiful pieces ever written,” Gittleman said. “It’s a piece I’ve wanted to do but not one I ever considered doing in my youth.”
Gittleman said now that he’s two years older than Mahler was when he (Mahler) died, there is “no sense waiting.”
“Mahler wrote it at a time when he was thinking about death in a more serious way,” Gittleman said. “For most of his life, death was an abstraction but after he lost a child it was no longer an abstraction. It’s someone who desperately loved life but realizes he can’t cling to it forever.”
Sylistically, the conductor describes Mahler’s 80-minute opus as “Romanticism or maybe a goodbye to Romanticism.”
“It’s so complex and there are so many things going on,” Gittleman explained. “If you play the chords on the piano they sound really dissonant. But the way he voices them in the orchestra, it never really departs from traditional romantic harmony. It’s very intense but you never lose the perspective of the romantic tonal framework.
“There are some people who say you have the beginnings of atonality. I don’t hear that at all. If you pull out isolated bits and just play them in isolation you can say ‘that’s really wierd.’ But when you hear it in context they are lines moving in different directions and you don’t perceive it in the same way.”
HOW TO GO What: Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra’s Miami Valley & Good Samaritan Hospitals Classical Series: Masterful Mahler When: Friday, Feb. 27 and Saturday, Feb. 28. 8 p.m. Where: Schuster Center How Much: Tickets $62 to $12 call (937) 228-3630. For More Information: Call (937) 224-3521
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2167 or kmoss@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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Tweet100 days, 100 songs, 100 dances viral video
Do you ever feel like you just wanna dance? Ely Kim did and he did something about it.
Sitting though a 10 minute video is a hard sell, but this video entitled “BOOMBOX” of Kim dancing 100 interpretive dances to 100 different songs is entertaining through and through.
What we didn’t have room to say in the headline is 100 fun outfits (LOVE the cool graphic tees), 99 kicky locations (he uses the same mod location on numbers 63 and 64 that has a cool retro space painting on the wall) and 100 killer songs (the playlist is on deezer.com for those who are interested in listening and we’ve listed it below … it would make a great iTunes playlist in case you’re looking for some new tunes to try out).
Here’s the video — enjoy! And check out the track list below while you watch.
BOOMBOX from Ely Kim on Vimeo.
Track list with title of song followed by artist posted below (click the link to read more) … and here’s a direct link to the video posted by Kim on Vimeo.com in case you wanted.
Before diving into the track listing (it will take time, it’s 100 songs afterall), share links to your favorite viral videos (nothing dirty please) in the comments below. We’d love to see what videos are making you laugh.
Heart of Glass / Blondie
Jimmy / M.I.A.
Deceptacon / Le Tigre
Im on Fire / 5000 Volts
Je Veux Te Voir / YELLE
The Way I Are / Timbaland
Too Young / Phoenix
Over And Over / Hot Chip
Stick It To The Pimp / Peaches
Say My Name / Destiny’s Child
Pin / Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Geremia / Bonde Do Role
Let Me Clear My Throat / DJ Kool
Point Of No Return / Expose
Bubble Sex / The Seebach Band
Pump Up the Jam / Technotronic
Let’s Make Love And Listen To Death From Above / CSS
Hella Nervous / Gravy Train
Me Plus One / Annie
Don’t Go / Yaz
Bootylicious / Destiny’s Child
Electric Feel / MGMT
Boys Don’t Cry / The Cure
Lose Control / Missy Elliott
Ride The Lightning / Evans And Eagles
Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough / Michael Jackson
Hearts On Fire / Cut Copy
Tainted Love / Soft Cell
Between Us & Them / Moving Units
It Feels Good / Tony Toni Tone
Polaris (Club Mix) / Cyber People
You Never Can Tell / Chuck Berry
Huddle Formation / The Go! Team
Pump That / FannyPack
My Love / Justin Timberlake
Hung Up / Madonna
Justice - D.A.N.C.E (MSTRKRFT Remix) / Justice
Cybernetic Love / Casco
Creep / TLC
When I Hear Music / Debbie Deb
B.O.B. / Outkast
Bubble Pop Electric / Gwen Stefani
Miss You Much / Janet Jackson
You Spin Me Round / Dead Or Alive
Slide In / Goldfrapp
Kelly / Van She
Mine Fore Life / The Sounds
Disco Heat / Calvin Harris
Nighttiming / Coconut Records
Club Action / Yo Majesty
Pogo / Digitalism
Lip Gloss / Lil Mama
Heartbeats / The Knife
Enola Gay / OMD
Goodbye Girls / Broadcast
Kids In America / Kim Wilde
Kiss / Prince
Tenderness / General Public
Push It / Salt N Pepa
Circle, Square, Triangle / Test Icicles
Day ‘N’ Nite (Crookers Remix) / Kid Cudi
Shadows / Midnight Juggernauts
Paris (Aeroplane Remix) / Friendly Fires
Out At The Pictures / Hot Chip
Me Myself and I / De La Soul
AudioTrack 10 / Diplo
Girls & Boys / Blur
Heater / Samim
I Wanna Dance With Somebody / Whitney Houston
Hands In The Air / Girl Talk
Limited Edition OJ Slammer / Cadence Weapon
Meeting In The Ladys Room / Mary Jane Girls
NY Lipps / Soulwax
Lex / Ratatat
Gravity’s Rainbow (Soulwax Remix) / Steve Aoki
Once In A Lifetime / Talking Heads
Leave It Alone / Operator Please
Half Mast / Empire Of The Sun
Hardcore Girls / Count and Sinden feat. Rye Rye
Dance, Dance, Dance / Lykke Li
Never Gonna Get It / En Vogue
Blue Monday / New Order
Crazy In Love (Featuring Jay-Z) / Beyoncé
10 Dollar / M.I.A.
Love To Love You Baby / Donna Summer
Steppin’ Out / Lo-Fi-Fnk
Karle Pyar Karle / Asha Bhosle
Love Will Tear Us Apart / Joy Division
Straight Up / Paula Abdul
My Drive Thru / Santogold, Casablancas, NERD
Like A Prayer / Madonna
Freedom 90 / George Michael
Black & Gold / Sam Sparro
B-O-O-T-A-Y / Spank Rock and Benny Blanco
Great Dj / The Ting Tings
In A Dream / Rockell
Don’t Stop the Music / Rihanna
Hong Kong Garden / Siouxsie & The Banshees
It’s Tricky / D.M.C.
Bizarre Love Triangle / New Order
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TweetSweet Honey in the Rock at the Schuster
DAYTON — Sweet Honey and the Rock — the all-female, Washington D.C.-based vocal ensemble — is coming to Dayton. On Monday, Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m. the six-woman group, which has reshaped the art of a cappella, and transformed it into World Music, will raise perform in “hope, love, justice, peace and resistance” in the Meade Theatre of Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center. The concert is presented by the University of Dayton in partnership with the Victoria Theatre Association’s second annual African American Arts Festival. Lynnette Heard, chair of UD’s Diversity Lecture series, said the visit is part of the university’s strategic plan to increase inclusion and diversity. “The program is also designed to invite the greater-Dayton community to our events,” Heard said. “This is so they can get to know us and we can get to know them.” Founded in 1973 by Bernice Johnson Reagon, Sweet Honey has been a vital and innovative presence in Washington D.C. and worldwide. The women fuse influences from blues, spirituals, gospel, rap, reggae, African chants, hip-hop, ancient lullabies and jazz. The combination of voice and hand percussion instruments produces compelling melodies, soulful harmonies and intoxicating rhythms. Tickets are $15 and $12 general admission and available by calling (937) 228-3630.
HOW TO GO What: Sweet Honey In The Rock When: Monday, Feb. 23, 7:30 p.m. Where: Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center, 1 W. 2nd St., downtown Dayton Cost: $15 and $12, call (937) 228-3630
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TweetDayton Opera announces 2009-2010 Masterpiece Season
Dayton Opera is not immune to the effects of the country’s dire economic downturn. However, artistic director, Tom Bankston said tight budgets will not prevent the company’s 2009-2010 Masterpiece Season from going full speed ahead.
“We’re not recession-proof,” Bankston said. “We’re experiencing the same challenges as every other arts organization here in Dayton. We’re already a lean machine staff wise but we, by necessity, are having to look at ways to trim costs. We’re holding our own right now which is a good thing.”
While the opera ends its current season, Love Triumphant, with “The Merry Widow,” on April 3 and 5, the new season begins on a high note Oct. 17 with Giuseppe Verdi’s three-act farce, “La Traviata.”
On Jan. 29 and 31, 2010, Dayton Opera’s annual Star Gala welcomes Lawrence Brownlee, one of the most prominent bel canto tenors on the international scene.
On April 10, 16 and 18 2010, the company will follow up Verdi’s Italian opera with a devilish production from France. Charles Gounod’s “Faust” re-interprets the classic tale of a man who sells his soul to the devil. Dayton favorite, Scott Piper, has the lead role.
“There are a certain group of artists who have become loyal to our company and have been here before,” Bankston said. “Scott Piper, who is here with “Elixir of Love,” will be appearing as Faust next season. Our company is viewed my many artists as a safe and nurturing place to come.”
The season ends May 14-16, 2010 with “The Mikado” featuring the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players.
While Bankston frequently travels to New York City to audition new artists, he said Dayton Opera’s chorus is the lifeblood of the company.
“I often say our opera chorus is what makes Dayton Opera,” Bankston said. “It is people from our community. They bring their considerable talents to each production and are our biggest advocates out in the community. “ It’s great to know that you have your own community directly involved and it’s not just a group of people that come in on a bus.”
For more information call Dayton Opera at (937) 461-8282 or visit www.daytonopera.org.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-22167 or kmoss@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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TweetVictoria rings up a “Spelling Bee” winner
Tell vice principal Douglas Panch to put away the bell he rings to signal a failed attempt. “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is a lock to sail through the next two weeks without a miss.
If memory serves, the national tour was even better Tuesday, Feb. 17, on opening night at the Victoria Theatre than it was on Broadway, in part because of a great cast directed well and in part because the lines that work best for a road audience have been solidified.
As musicals go, “Bee” is small. There are no blockbuster numbers, although there are a few expressing the big emotions that well up in kids like those being played by adults in the show by William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin.
There are only six spelling bee finalists, a total swelled to 10 when four audience members are included as contestants who don’t get to the finals.
As musical comedies go, “Bee” is big in the number of laughs it contains and in the way it introduces a collection of geeky brainiacs, proceeding to develop them into memorable individuals an audience can care about. Most of that takes place between the satisfyingly challenging words they’re given to spell.
The best thing about the words is the hilarious way Anthony Lopez as pronouncer Panch uses them in sentences. Almost as good is how the actual meaning of the words often connects with what the spellers are experiencing in their lives.
Christian Busath was excellent as the widebodied, confident, but name-sensitive William Barfee, who writes out his words on the floor with his “magic foot.” Brittany Ross was also memorable as Olive Ostrovsky, dressed in pink and hoping her dad would show up.
Others included Nikki Switzer as emcee and past champion Rona Lisa Peretti, Ryan Goodale as caped speller Leaf Coneybear, Joanna Krupnick as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, Kavin Panmeechao as Chip Tolentino, whose pronounced pubescence stands between him and the prize; Yvonne Same as multilingual genius Marcy Park and Don Juan Seward II as bad Mitch Mahoney, whose job is to comfort the disqualified.
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” will continue through March 1 at the Victoria Theatre, First and Main streets. Tickets are $37-$79.50 at (937) 228-3630, (888) 228-3630 or visit www.ticketcenterstage.com. Discounts are available for students, seniors and groups.
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TweetBest Music on TV this week
The best way to hear new music and discover new artists? We have several avenues we enjoy, but a good bet is checking out a performance on the tube. Here’s a collection of the best tunes you can find this week on TV. If you know of anything else showing, please share here!
“Austin City Limits” (PBS): Nashville rockers Kings of Leon (Saturday, Feb. 21).
“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (syndicated): “It” girl Lily Allen (Wednesday).
“Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson” (CBS): Country star Wynonna Judd, who has a new record of cover songs, “Sing” (Wednesday, Feb. 18).
“Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC): Pop newcomer Anya Marina (Thursday. Feb. 19). Alternative rockers Kinky (Friday, Feb. 20).
“The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” (NBC): Indie rocker Andrew Bird (Tuesday, Feb. 17). “Slumdog Millionaire” composer A.R. Rahman (Thursday, Feb. 19)
“Late Show with David Letterman” (CBS): M. Ward (Tuesday, Feb. 17). Antony & the Johnsons (Wednesday, Feb. 18). Sam Moore appearing with David Sanborn (Thursday, Feb. 19). Blues singer Shemekia Copeland (Friday, Feb. 20).
“Late Night with Conan O’Brien” (NBC): The White Stripes (Friday).
“The Tavis Smiley Show” (PBS): Neo soul singer Raphael Saadiq (Tuesday, Feb. 17). Folk legend Joan Baez (Friday, Feb. 20).
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Tweet“Elixer of Love” a perfect Valentine’s Day celebration
By Adam Alonzo, Contributing Writer
Dayton Opera brewed a potent potion of music and romance on Saturday, Feb. 14, with Donizetti’s “The Elixir of Love.” The Schuster Center stage resembled an Italian landscape painting: the entire set was surrounded by an ornate picture frame, and the singers themselves became part of the pastoral canvas.
Tenor Scott Piper made a welcome return to Dayton in the role of Nemorino, a poor peasant hopelessly devoted to the affluent Adina, sung by Rachel Watkins. Her voice revealed great delicacy in the Act I cavatina about Tristan and Isolde, but it also possessed the power to sound clearly above a boisterous peasant chorus. Watkins’ early promise was fulfilled toward the end of Act II with her starlit aria to an enraptured Nemorino.
Most of the leading couple’s duets could be described as musical arguments. As Adina sang “Yes, yes, yes,” Nemorino replied “No, no, no.” When his vocal line went up the scale, hers came down — obviously two people heading in opposite directions. Piper at last found a sympathetic partner in the bassoon during his signature romanza “A Furtive Tear.” Its final measures had a narrative arc all their own due to his subtle shaping of sound.
What Nemorino and Adina lacked in chemistry was compensated for by alchemy with the arrival of the charlatan Dr. Dulcamara, portrayed by bass-baritone Thomas Hammons. His method of conveyance on stage prompted the audience to react with surprise and applause. Hammons at times struggled with tempo and pitch during his pattering passages of rapid Italian, yet he played the duplicitous doctor comically, convincing Nemorino to buy a worthless elixir to win Adina’s love.
Baritone Jeremy Kelly sang the role of Sergeant Belcore, who professes affection for Adina, though he is deeply in love with himself. Kelly’s delivery had an appropriate amount of bombastic pomposity, and he carried much of the show’s humor on his braided shoulders.
The opera chorus, prepared by Jeffrey Powell, was very active in this production. The women especially distinguished themselves in a twilight scene with soprano Katherine Lindhart in the role of gossip girl Gianetta.
After hearing he inherited a fortune, the women threw themselves at Nemorino, convincing him (and the befuddled Dulcamara) that the love potion actually works. Nemorino’s naiveté gives him confidence for the first time, Adina finds this boldness intriguing, and as their relationship develops it seems the elixir is not so worthless after all.
“The Elixir of Love” will be presented again Friday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Schuster Center.
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TweetBallet’s ‘Tommy’ a sensory winner
The second impression was the same as the first. “The Who’s Tommy” is one of the best productions the Dayton Ballet has ever done.
Choreographer Christopher Fleming’s 2007 rock ballet to The Who’s original recording returned to the Victoria Theatre Thursday, Feb. 12, for a run through Sunday. If you go, and you should, here’s what you …
• Will see: High-energy dancing and everyday movements woven into scenes that bring 24 songs to life over 77 mostly satisfying minutes without intermission. An array of costumes by Lowell Mathwich, sets by Dan Gray and lighting by Dan McLaughlin. There’s also a “making of Tommy” video before and an optional chat with the dancers afterward.
• May feel: Concern for Tommy, forced into a shell by seeing his long-lost father kill a man. Contempt for his bullying cousin Kevin (Richard Grund). Discomfort with his Uncle Ernie (Case Bodamer). Unease with the ballet’s messianic conclusion. Admiration for Erika Cole’s dancing as the Lady of the Light and others who can hover on balance and in the air, work smoothly with partners, evoke emotions and sensations.
• Might be touched by: The dedication of Tommy’s mother Mrs. Walker, who never gives up on her son. (Katie Keith gave an inspired performance in the role.) The endurance and eventual emergence of Tommy, portrayed excellently again by Justin Koertgen.
• Could be healed of: The notion that ballet is stodgy, mostly posing, or incompatible with rock music. Fleming demonstrated the fallacy of that previously with his work “Janis and Joe” for the Dayton Ballet. “Tommy” is even better.
The Dayton Ballet, like many other previously healthy arts organizations across the country, is struggling to make ends meet. A hit like this should make bring people out in droves. It’s a reward for several senses.
“The Who’s Tommy” will be presented again at 8 p.m. Friday, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13-15, at the Victoria, First and Main streets. For tickets, call (937) 228-3630 or (888) 228-3630, or go online to www.ticketcenterstage.com.
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TweetShort to direct writer’s workshop
Sharon Short has been named the new director of the Antioch Writers’ Workshop, which will be held for the 24th year July 11-17, 2009, in Yellow Springs.
She is the author of two mystery series and the humor column “Sanity Check,” which runs in Life on Mondays in the Dayton Daily News.
She succeeds Laura Carlson, who directed the nationally known workshop from 2004-8 and is project coordinator for the Yellow Springs Center for the Arts.
Short, who lives in Centerville, said the appointment “is a real honor. I first attended the workshop in 1990. That made a real difference in my writing life, enabling me to feel more confident as a writer and to connect with other writers.”
She has been a guest speaker and faculty member at previous workshops.
This year’s faculty will include South African novelist and playwright Zakes Mda. Sessions will include creative writing, fiction, poetry, non-fiction, long fiction, short fiction and memoir.
For more information, go to www.antiochwritersworship.com.
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TweetDPO announces internet streaming of concerts
By Khalid Moss Staff Writer
Beginning Saturday, Feb. 21, fine music lovers will be able to stream Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra concerts online.
The DPO has reached an arrangement with WDPR-FM Classical 88.1 to broadcast the orchestra’s performances worldwide over the internet.
The partnership was made possible due to a substantial grant from the Miriam Rosenthal Memorial Trust Fund.
Classical 88.1 general manager, Georgie Woessner, said contractual issues prevented streaming in the past.
“Streaming means the radio station is accessible to people online around the world,” Woessner said. “But for the Musicians’ Federation Union, it is sometimes an issue because they want to protect their performance rights. Until this recent agreement, we have never had a contract with the musicians. The DPO had a contract but there wasn’t any money available for us to pay them for the right to stream their performances.”
The streaming of the DPO broadcasts will take place in real time, simultaneous with the radio broadcasts (per the schedule published in the DPO Program Book). It is not on-demand streaming, nor is it downloadable. It is live streaming, simultaneous with the radio broadcast.
“We are thrilled to partner with WDPR and the Miriam Rosenthal Memorial Trust Fund to stream concert broadcasts of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra on the World Wide Web,” said Paul Helfrich, DPO Executive Director. “Now anyone with a high-speed internet connection, anywhere in the world, can listen to concerts of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. Live streaming of the Philharmonic’s broadcasts on WDPR opens the opportunity to hear these concert recordings, currently restricted to the local area, to the entire world. This is a simple way for our orchestra to immediately gain a national and indeed international platform.”
“We see web activity as an important area of focus for the Philharmonic,” said David Bukvic, DPO Director of Marketing & Public Relations. “Orchestras must change with the times and take advantage of new technologies, all in fulfillment of their mission of making great music widely available.”
Woessner said there have been several times previously when the inability to stream DPO performances has deflated a guest artist.
“There was a pianist from France who got all excited, briefly, thinking that her parents would hear her perform,” she said. “We had to tell her we didn’t have an agreement with the musicians.
“In the past we had to turn off the stream for two hours on Saturday morning during DPO broadcasts. Not any more.”
The first performance to be streamed will be “Portrait: William Grant Still” Classical Connections concert from Dec. 5, 2008.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2167 or kmoss@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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TweetDCDC goes 100 percent live at 40
The Dayton Contemporary Dance Company proved on Saturday, Feb. 7, that you don’t need the New York Philharmonic or the Dayton Philharmonic to put on a solid performance with live music.
You don’t need to spend money that most dance companies don’t have, especially during times like these.
DCDC shared the stage with three exemplary and very different local student music groups in presenting a memorable and sold-out 40th anniversary concert of three choreographic premieres at the Victoria Theatre.
If the show didn’t start the midwinter thaw finally taking place outside, it definitely helped the warmup along. And not always in predictable fashion.
There are less less expected combinations than DCDC’s powerful movers and the song “A Few of My Favorite Things” from “The Sound of Music,” but probably not many.
Yet there it was in the happy and spirited opening work, “Painted Pictures,” choreographed by artistic director Debbie Blunden-Diggs to a medley of well known popular and theater songs.
The others were the irresistible “Seasons of Love,” from “Rent,” “California Dreamin’” (which included a dance solo for Los Angeles native Nabachwa Ssensalo), “Sunny” and “Circle of Life” from “Lion King.”
The piece was the night’s smoothest pairing of dancers and accompaniment — in this case Centerville High School’s versatile jazz pop chorus Forte, under Kathy Clark’s direction at the piano.
The second work, by company dancer Crystal Michelle, explored love’s challenges and rewards to music by Bach and Mozart, played live by Oakwood High School’s Blackbird Quartet beginning with violin soloist Clara Hofeldt.
Dressed in red dresses designed by Maurita Elam, Amy Renee Jones, Marlayna Locklear, Rebecca Sparks Vargas, Sheri “Sparkle” Williams and Ssensalo ran back and forth a lot and moved their five benches almost as often.
The piece was at its best in the third section when Jones and Locklear briefly came together to kneel and embrace and when the other four literally bound Williams hand and foot with their own hands, perhaps to protect her from making a mistake The motivations weren’t clear.
DCDC and the University of Dayton’s bold and brassy Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Willie Morris III, shared the stage after intermission for “Milonga!” by dancer William B. McClennan III.
The jazz-blues score, composed by UD’s Damon Sink and spreading a wealth of opportunity among the 19 musicians, proved both danceworthy and compelling on its own.
McClennan fused tango movements with those of contemporary dance to great success, especially with a male ensemble of James Dixon, G. D. Harris, Hershel Deondre Horner III, Ruka Hatua-Saar and Trent D. Williams Jr. who were consistently appealing.
Dressed in black except for bright sashes around their undulating waists, they combined for some dazzling and playful chains of movement while glancing boldly from beneath soft, wide-brimmed hats. Dixon, who wore his hat smashed down low on his head, stood out for his dancing all night long.
There was also much energetic partnering. Among the women, first-year company member Locklear displayed a fire for the music.
DCDC has fewer dancers than in years past and less experience for the most part, although it would be hard to top Williams’ 35 years with the troupe, or Harris’ 18. The company is obviously watching its pennies, but not pinching them. This was an inventive and accessible performance worthy of the title “Celebrations.”
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TweetDayton Philharmonic Orchestra’s High School Concert a tribute to Abraham Lincoln
You’re not supposed to yell “fire” in a crowded theater but that’s exactly what Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Music Director Neal Gittleman implored the audience to do at DPO’s 11th Annual High School Concert on Wednesday, Feb. 4 at Schuster Center.
During a brass band performance of “The Polish Fireman” the music paused briefly and a musician clanged a fire bell; students from Kettering, West Carrollton, St. Henry, Ansonia and other area schools screamed “fire” at the top of their lungs. It was one of many highlights of DPO’s “Liberty and Lincoln” a concert celebrating the bi-centennial of Lincoln’s birth.
Directing traffic in the Schuster lobby was Gloria Pugh, DPO’s director of education.
“It’s called a high school concert but we have students from middle schools as well,” Pugh said. “Because we’re dealing with large groups we have to be sure we have them seated well ahead of time and that we have plenty of people here to get them in and out.”
Pugh said DPO’s school programs are entertaining, informative and tailored with the students in mind.
“When we started these concerts we met with high school teachers and brainstormed areas of the curriculum that would be good fits for a music concert connection. The original themes were planned with real classroom teachers and Neal plugged in the music.”
During the concert Gittleman explained that while military bands today are for entertainment and morale-building, military bands during the Civil War were on the actual battlefield “dodging bullets while keeping time for the soldiers.”
Gittleman then led the orchestra into Charles Ives’ tribute to the Massachusetts 54th Regiment, the black regiment whose story is told in the Civil War movie “Glory.” The concert ended on a stirring note with Aaron Copeland’s “Lincoln Portrait.”
“The key to reaching high schoolers is to capture their imagination and show them respect,” Gittleman said. “Kids at this age crave powerful, gripping experiences. No experience is more powerful or gripping than hearing a great orchestra perform great music live in a great concert hall.”
Mission accomplished.
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Tweet5 actors deliver pleasing ‘Much Ado’
“Much Ado About Nothing” is a light-hearted title for a play in which reputations are ruined, hearts are broken and a duel to the death between friends is contemplated.
Shakespeare’s romantic comedy is also a play in which ruthless verbal combatants decide they’re in love, a constable mangles the English language to deliriously comic effect, matchmakers outdo cupid and broken hearts get mended.
It’s a tall order for just five performers, although Actors From the London Stage, a classically trained British quintet, were more than up to the task Thursday, Feb. 5, in the second of three performances in Blair Hall Theatre at Sinclair Community College.
Although the actors were new, the troupe was paying a return visit after presenting “Hamlet” in Dayton two years ago. Another visit soon would be quite welcome.
Bare except for several chairs, bottles of water and a rectangle of white tape to mark the playing area, the stage was tilted toward the audience.
With little more than hand-held props and costume accessories including hats, scarves and sunglasses, the players proceeded to enact a double love story: that of 1. The unlikely word-brawlers Beatrice and Benedick, and that of 2. Claudio and Hero, a match made in heaven that almost gets destroyed by treachery.
The three men and two women each played multiple male and female characters. Each excelled at one of them — Peter Bankole as Claudio, Thusitha Jayasundera as Beatrice, Stephen Rashbrook as Don Pedro, Joannah Tincy as Leonato, who shed tears for his daughter Hero, and Charlie Walker-Wise as a fabulously serious goofball Dogberry.
Each also proved his or her versatility, although Jayasundera created the most distinctive array of characters using voice and posture.
Seeing “Much Ado” done this way took some of the emphasis away from Beatrice and Benedick, placed it on Hero, Claudio and the dramatic turmoil surrounding them and gave the overall experience a more serious tone.
Confusion over identity of the characters was probably a problem in early scenes for anyone who hadn’t read the play recently, but that dissipated as the story took hold and the actors brought the text clearly to life.
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TweetObama In Technocubism
“Obama In Technocubism” is the title of an astounding work of art by local visual artist, James Pate. It is just one piece if artwork in Visual Voices 2009 Dayton Skyscrapers lll mounted the month of February in the atrium of the Schuster Center.
Technocubism is the construction of thousands of individual and groups of lines that unify to form an image. The speciality of this line painting method is that all the lines are drawn free-hand although they appear to be created with a straight edge device. The lines weave and crosshatch to build the illusion of shadow and light while intricately exploring cubistic image-building.
“I imagine the individual and groups of colored lines as different types of people, nationalities and various groups interacting and uniting with the hope of producing a celebratory outcome,” said artist Pate.
Pate is a graphic illustrator and artist. His artistic expressions range from book illustrations and product design to public murals and fine arts. Pate attended Cincinnati High School for the arts and Central State University. He is a freelance artist who shared his talents as visiting artist at Colonel White High School for the Arts, K12 Gallery and with the Dayton Art Institute teaming with the then Director of Education Helen Mundell.
Dayton Skyscrapers lll is tribute to black heroes of Dayton. It is presented by the Victoria Theatre Association in collaboration with EbonNia Gallery.
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Tweet“William Morris: Myth, Object and the Animal”
“William Morris: Myth, Object and the Animal” runs Feb. 21 through May 31 at the Dayton Art Institute.
“He’s almost a time-traveler - when you look at Morris’ sculptures time starts to slip away, you feel as if you’re in the presence of the work of ancient peoples,” says James Yood, professor of art history at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a Morris expert. Yood will come to Dayton as a guest lecturer on April 5.
For those interested in seeing how glass artist William Morris works, here are some really terrific videos that show the incredible works he has created and an insight into how they came about.
WILLIAM MORRIS — AT THE KIMBALL ART CENTER
WILLIAM MORRIS — CREATIVE NATURE
WILLIAM MORRIS — BLOWING LASS AT THE PILCHUCK GLASS SCHOOL
There’s another video we linked to here in case you still can’t get enough of this amazing artist.
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TweetArts need growing locally, nationally
Culture Works president and CEO Denise Rehg said a new national program announced Tuesday, Feb . 3, by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to assist struggling arts organizations “is commendable, but the need is huge and it’s growing.”
As evidence, she held up a letter she had just finished writing to Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland asking him to reconsider his proposed $6 million decrease in the Ohio Arts Council’s biennial budget for 2009-10.
Rehg, who helped kick off her organization’s annual united arts fund drive Jan. 29, setting a goal of $1.7 million, said there’s still reason for optimism. “When it comes to the importance of the arts, this community really gets it.”
Like a FEMA for the arts, only much smaller, the newly established “Arts in Crisis: A Kennedy Center Initiative” will provide emergency planning assistance to struggling arts groups across the country.
During a telephone press conference with arts reporters, Kennedy Center president Michael Kaiser said the current economic climate “is the worst I’ve seen in my 23 years as an arts administrator. There have been recessions, but this is so deep and so broad, no one knows when it’s going to end.”
The nonprofit group Americans for the Arts estimates 10,000 arts organizations could disappear in 2009.
Open to arts groups with 501c3 status, “Arts in Crisis” will provide free and confidential support with fundraising, board development, budgeting and marketing.
Kaiser said the center has established a preliminary $500,000 budget (with funding by contributors) to cover additional staff and travel costs, but admitted he had no idea how many staff hours will be needed.
Organizations with a high degree of “fixed costs” — for example, orchestras with large numbers of musicians — are one area of pressing concern, Kaiser said. “They can’t cut those costs as easily as a theater company can choose plays with fewer cast members.”
Another is mid-sized organizations, a category that includes several of Dayton’s major performing arts groups.
“The largest groups tend to have a very large donor base. The smallest ones are generally very good at practicing better flexibility. Mid-sized groups have neither. They’re less flexible and they have fewer donors.”
Companies that wish to participate can submit an online request at www.artsincrisis.org.
Kaiser has personally worked with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company in the past under the Kennedy Center’s capacity-building program.
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