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Kansas City's Online Journal of the Performing Arts

By Lee Hartman   Tue, Nov 17, 2009

Wow.  Native son David Parson's Parson Dance with members of the East Village Opera Company presented an amazing evening of music and dance at the Folly Theater last Friday as part of the Harriman Jewell Series. The performance is still seared into my brain days later.

Opening with Parsons Dance staple and Kansas City favorite, Caught from 1982, had solo dancer Miguel Quinones levitating (yes, levitating) across the stage with the assistance of strobe lights to Robert Fripp's music.  It is such a simple conceit - yet was rendered so effectively.  Quinones was "caught" in four positions across the stage within beams of light.  Breaking out of these grounded positions required him to levitate.  Cutting to black with quick bursts of strobe Quinones was caught in various forms that he would retain as he moved across the stage.  The most effective were the meditative, cross-legged seated positions that seemed to suspend four feet above the stage floor and the ending quick cuts where he "floated" across the stage.

The main work of the evening was the narrative (a rare occurrence in the Parson repertoire) Remember Me.  Created in memory and honor of Elizabeth Anne Prostic, a young mother and wife whose life was cut short by metastatic cancer, the piece was the story of two brothers who fall in love with the same girl.  The three leads-Abby Silva, Zac Hammer and Miguel Quinones-demonstrated a remarkable range of motion and emotion.  Their strong dancing and emotive expressions highlighted the drama and carried the story.

The music, provided by the two lead singers of the East Village Opera Company, Tyley Ross and AnnMarie Milazzo, was adapted from the most famous arias and duets of operatic repertory. "Popera" is nothing new and frequently produces a less-than-musical outcome (see OperaBabes, Aria, etc.).  Thankfully, the EVOC has an innate musical understanding and reconstructed the pieces so that they maintained enough of their original iconic status, but were presented in new, refreshing and engaging ways. Ross' high tenor often found him singing traditional female roles (Purcell's "When I am Laid in Earth" and Delibes' "Flower Duet").  Milazzo showcased a wide range of vocal affects from the sweet ingénue to a roaring sex goddess.  Both singers acted as a Greek chorus by providing commentary on the action.

Remember Me is an artistic spectacle and certain sections deserve special praise.  Bizet's "Habenera" found Silva controlling three different groups of dancers with her gestures while Milazzo provided the sultry vocals.  Silva sold this movement, playing up her magnetic persona. 

The "Flower Duet" from Lakmé had dancers Hammer and Silva portraying a joyous, naïve sexuality while manipulating an ecru piece of fabric.  The video work of entwined, flowering vines was gorgeous.  Conversely, Verdi's "La donna é mobile" was a hyper-sexualized jealous fête of women walking across a writhing Quinones.  The rape scene set to Schubert's "Ave Maria" played the down the violence, yet still contained all the rage and despair; it was grotesque, haunting and, yes,  beautiful.  Ross was poised above the dancers like Pietà-meets-avenging-angel.  Silva's most striking position was a modified backbreaker with her head on her ground and arms twisted akimbo.  The lighting of "When I am Laid in Earth" cast eerie shadows and the inverted women with crossed arms on the backs of men was creepy, befitting the underworld and death of all the characters.  The crowning achievement however was Silva's feature in the "Nessun dorma" movement.  The ensemble dancers with arms interlocked were prerecorded and mirrored in the video while they performed the same wave-like movements live behind Silva's heart-wrenching dance of grief.  There was a profound sadness in her movements; her lines were beautiful yet broken with at least one angle always being askew. 

An earlier version of Remember Me has been televised on PBS.  Try to catch it!

REVIEW:
Harriman Jewell Series
Parsons Dance and members of the East Village Opera Company
Tuesday, November 13, 2009
Folly Theater, Kansas City, MO
http://harriman-jewell.org/
For more information on the Companies - www.parsonsdance.org/ or www.eastvillageoperacompany.com/

By   Sat, Sep 22, 2012

Click here to see all the  events on the KC Events performing arts calendar.


How do you list your events on KC Events? It is easy!!
As an arts organziation or musician, you can add and edit your own events.

KCMetropolis.org's mission is to promote traditional and independent classical music, dance, theatre and independent film. We are very sorry, but we do not cover pop, rock, Christian or country music; we do not cover the visual arts or non-performing arts community events. If you would like to send a press release about an upcoming performing arts event, please send to press@KCMetropolis.org.

KC Events Categories are:
Traditional & New Classical Music
Dance
Theatre
Jazz

KCMetropolis.org builds assignments for reviews, previews and interviews exclusively from KC Events.  Please make sure your events are listed inorder to be considered.

To Submit Information:

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• Listings will be approved with 48 hours if it fits the KCMetropolis.org criteria.

By Lee Hartman   Tue, Nov 17, 2009

The four-member Percussion Group Kansas City (PGKC) displayed their exceptional talents in their first public performance on November 10 at the KU-Edwards campus. Made up of members of the Kansas Symphony percussion section, Chris McLaurin, Joseph Petrasek, Matthew Henderson and Lia DeRoin showcased the diverse sonic possibilities attainable with percussion instruments in their all-American program.

Opening with Steve Reich's seminal Music for Pieces of Wood, PGKC accentuated the rhythmic diminution of each successive entrance, and the phasing and dynamics were well controlled.  John Cage's and Lou Harrison's Double Music, an exercise in the simultaneity of chance followed.  The two American mavericks each composed two of the parts of the quartet in isolation from one another with only a few established guidelines.  The Harrison gamelan influences were recognizable as was Cage's water gong and prayer bowl.  The quartet picked their found object sounds quite effectively.  Though composed by two different composers, because of the timbres of the sounds, a pseudo-homogenous soundscape was created. 

Transitioning from the mostly metallic Double Music to the drum-only Drums of Winter by Alaskan composer John Luther Adams, the quartet illustrated the raw power of drums and their all-too-often-forgotten expressiveness.  After a slow introduction (played with remarkable precision of attacks between DeRoin and Henderson) each successive section was louder and rhythmically more active.  These three pieces are staples of the percussion repertoire and programming them as a first-half was a wise choice for PGKC's first public performance.

Threads from 2005 by Princeton-based composer Paul Lansky occupied the entire second half.  This mammoth multi-movement work for percussion quartet demonstrated a plethora of percussion instruments ranging from the standard glockenspiel, vibraphones, congas, bongos, and crotales, to found objects like tuned metal tubes, flower pots, and pieces of woods.  The pluralistic piece served as a crash course in percussion techniques and styles.  There were echoes of gamelan, marching bands, Lionel Hampton, Taiko, Sichuan opera, African drumming, Latin elements and rock and roll - all in one cohesive piece. The ensemble navigated these shifting styles with ease and outstanding musicianship.  I especially enjoyed Petrasek's conga/bongo playing with slap mallets (rawhide covered sticks that sound like... slaps) and McLaurin's vibraphone playing.

 The audience for the performance was a nice mix of young and old.  I mention this because of the educational appeal.  Even young children were enraptured by this serious concert music.  Percussion Group Kansas City is a welcome addition to the Kansas City music scene especially if they keep producing such well-programmed and artistically excellent performances.


REVIEW:
Percussion Group Kansas City
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
University of Kansas-Edwards Campus, Overland Park, KS
For more information visit www.pgkc.org

By KCM Staff   Tue, Nov 17, 2009

Check out all the events on the KC Events performing arts calendar.


How do you list your events on KC Events?
As an arts organziation or musician, you now have the ability to add and edit your own events.

KCMetropolis.org's mission is to promote traditional and independent classical music, dance, theatre and independent film. We are very sorry, but we do not cover pop, rock, Christian or country music; we do not cover the visual arts or non-performing arts community events. If you would like to send a press release about an upcoming performing arts event, please send to press@KCMetropolis.org.

KC Events Categories are:
Classical Music
New Classical Music
Dance
Theatre
Jazz

To Submit Information:

• Please go to the KCM front page and click on the login tab located at the top right-hand side of the website.
• Create a login account and then sign-in.
• Read the KC Events Terms of Service before proceeding
• On the left-hand nav is a category called Submit Content
• Click on Submit an Event or Manage Your Events.
• Listings will be approved with 48 hours if it fits the KCMetropolis.org criteria

By   Tue, Nov 17, 2009

The Chestnut Fine Arts Center is doing something new this year. For the first time in their 11 years of operation, they are doing an entire season of musical revue shows. Brad Zimmerman, director, explains. "This is our first year ever not to include a play. We're doing it as a test to see if we can have a blockbuster season."

Over the years, the Chestnut has been known for quality family entertainment. They have especially appealed to older patrons by focusing on music from the past. This season is no exception. Currently running, "A Taffeta Christmas" highlights music from the 50s and early 60s with familiar Christmas tunes.

In February, "Moon River: Johnny Mercer's American Songbook" covers popular music from the big band era to the age of classic Hollywood film scores. This is only the second time this piece has ever been produced, and the Chestnut is working closely with the author to bring the show to Kansas City. "The title 'Moon River' is perfect for our audiences," says Zimmerman, explaining that the old-time music is exactly what the Chestnut crowd loves.

Going even further back in time, "Ain't She Sweet" is all about the truly American musical genres of Dixieland and ragtime. The show opens in April. Zimmerman was especially excited to bring in a six-piece Dixieland band for this show. Normally the Chestnut has simply a piano, or at most three or four instruments, so this show will be quite new for the small theatre. You can expect to hear cakewalks, rags, two-steps, marches and gospel music, to name a few.

At the end of May, "Leading Men of Broadway" will be produced. Zimmerman elucidates, "We've done an awful lot of women's shows, so we wanted to try this." The show will feature some marvelous show tunes sung by leading men, including songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim and Rodgers & Hammerstein. When asked if he expected a largely female audience to attend, Zimmerman laughed and replied, "We always have more women."

Finally, "Let Freedom Ring" will play through July of 2010. This is another first for the Chestnut, their first all-patriotic show. Meant to inspire and unite audiences as Americans, this show will feature a wide range of patriotic songs. There are also plans to include some visual interest in the form of video for this production. Zimmerman stated that Branson, Missouri was a muse for this particular decision. "I traveled to Branson and have seen the appeal of patriotism. It is always very well received."

Apart from their regular season, the Chestnut Fine Arts Center will also reprise "Always... Patsy Cline" for seven days at the end of December. The theatre has produced this play six times before with great success. Bringing back Krista Eyler and Stasha Case to revisit their roles, this show is sure to be a hit.

The Chestnut Fine Arts Center is the home to professional Christmas singers, The Dickens Carolers, who are invited to sing in venues all over the metro area during the holidays. They will be performing at the Chestnut on December 19^th and 21^st. With all of these events, days at the theatre can become quite hectic. "Christmastime at the Chestnut, we just take it day by day, " Zimmerman states. "It'll be busy until January 3^rd."

PREVIEW
Chestnut Fine Arts Center
2009-1010 Season
234 N. Chestnut, Olathe, KS 66061
For tickets call 913-764-2121 or online at www.chestnutfinearts.com

Top photo: Brad Zimmerman

By   Tue, Nov 17, 2009

In old town Olathe hides one of the metropolis' hidden treasures - the Chestnut Fine Arts Center. For the holiday season, the Chestnut is presenting "A Taffeta Christmas." a musical revue that features Christmas songs and golden oldies. 

Cheryl, Donna, Peggy and Kaye are the Taffeta sisters. They have returned from the big city to their hometown of Muncie, Indiana in order to perform at the "Holiday Hoedown..." And that's about as far as the plot goes - this show is ALL about the music. The sisters do take a few moments to tell us about their family traditions and to advertise for Galaxy Beauty Products, their fictitious financial sponsors. Although it didn't start with a bang, the show was cozy and welcoming. While tapping my toes to "Mele Kalikimaka" and "Jambalaya", I realized all I was missing was a mug of cider and a roaring fire.

My favorite moments were the silly ones. "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" was performed in pig Latin, complete with a pig-illustrated flipbook. The "Chipmunks Christmas Song" sounded just like Alvin and pals, triggering a round of giggles from the audience. During Act 2, the girls answered fan mail and interacted very cleverly with the audience.

Julie Shaw, Julie O'Rourke, Stasha Case and Christina Brewer played Kaye, Peggy, Donna and Cheryl, respectively. The ladies are reprising their roles from "The Taffetas", performed two years ago at the Chestnut. Their voices blended extremely well. Shaw's full, rich voice was well suited to theatre, and I would love to hear her sing a solid character role. O'Rourke has a lovely classical voice, and I giggled a bit each time she said her character's catchphrase "We hope you like it!" Case's Donna was vibrant and fun to watch, and her solid alto voice was beautiful. Brewer's voice is energetic, and she brought a youthful honesty and vitality to the show.

The set, designed by Kathleen Helming and built by Marvin Zimmerman, was all red velvet and Christmas decorations, and reminded me of a Branson holiday show. Costumes, by Serena Addington and Carolyn Robinson, were color coordinated, and meant to look hand sewn by the sisters. The first act wigs were adorable, and each pair of gloves had little flowers sewn onto them. The girls changed their cuffs, collars and wigs in the second act for a bit of interest. The only comment I will offer is that I wished the ladies had a more feminine blouse.

Annie Paglusch choreographed the show, making each number interesting and different. My favorites were "Constantinople" and "Shrimp Boats". The band consisted of percussion, bass guitar, and piano (played by director Brad Zimmerman).

I thought the show I started rather slowly, and it took me awhile to get in sync with it. It seemed like the performers' energy picked up after a "fun" song. And after that, I was laughing and toe-tapping along with the rest of the crowd. I must comment that two straight hours of music is a lot for the ears to digest, so I was grateful for the short breaks between medleys. But all said and done, it was an enjoyable evening of holiday entertainment.

REVIEW
The Chestnut Fine Arts Center
A Taffeta Christmas
Runs November 12 - December 20 (Reviewed November 13)
234 N. Chestnut, Olathe, KS 66061
For tickets call 913-764-2121 or online at www.chestnutfinearts.com

By Steve Shapiro   Tue, Nov 17, 2009

The 1997 Barry Levinson film Wag the Dog took the idea that politics is 1% decision-making and 99% show biz, and turned it into a satire of Shavian, if not Shakespearean, proportions. Anything could be devised to take the attention off scandal; and today, if anything, it has gotten worse. The public never knows where leadership and trust end and Machiavellian means-to-an-end begin.  In Beau Willimon's savage comedy Farragut North (which opened last Friday at the Unicorn Theatre and is directed by John Rensenhouse), the spin-doctor gets spun--it is a case of the dog getting flogged.

Willimon has filled out his dramatist's curriculum vitae with stints in political campaigns, with such as public figures as Hillary Clinton and Howard Dean. And it shows. His play is riddled with Mametesque profanity, though no more ugly than the reports and rumors of political operatives, from Karl Rove on one side to Rahm Emanuel on the other. Daily politics, here and abroad, is as much about face-saving as governing. Here, we know everyone hits below the beltway.

The play opens in an airport terminal, with a female Times reporter, Ida Horowicz (Manon Halliburton), talking shop with a (fictional) governor's presidential-campaign top aides: Paul Zara (Bruce Roach), press secretary Steve Bellamy (Mark Thomas), and his assistant, Ben (Sam Cordes). The important Iowa Caucus is coming up and everyone is both exhausted and exhilarated. In due time, we learn that Steve, at 25, is a veteran of several big-time campaigns; he recalls them in greedy, salacious detail. Ida and Paul agree, as a slick operator Steve has no peers. Whether or not the playwright is using, say, the tenacious Lee Atwater (who engineered the infamous "Willie Horton" race-baiting ad in the 1980 George H. W. Bush presidential campaign) as a model, any theatre-goer with an interest in politics or history will see how the whiz-kid Steve can be traced in a straight line all the way back to the person who advised Brutus to stab Caesar.

If the opening scene runs a bit roughly (Steve's character is written too hard to impress us of his maleficent qualities), when Steve gets a call from the other candidate's top man, Tom Duffy (an electric performance by the veteran actor Robert Elliott), about a mysterious offer and meets him at a diner to find out what it is about, the play shifts into overdrive. Duffy has an offer almost too tempting to refuse; and he has sensitive information about the two campaigns. If Steve will only jump ship, his career, already rocketing toward the White House, just might land in the Oval Office.

Like a modern-day Faust, Steve's offer from the Devil is not only a career-changer but threatens to make-or take-his soul. Willimon's writing, while not always memorable in a distinctive comic vein (unlike how a screenwriter like Billy Wilder or a playwright like Brecht would go for the farcical), nevertheless draws in the audience with the momentum of Steve's dilemma. The increasingly agitated press secretary is pulled in different directions by Ida, by Paul, by Tom Duffy, and by a curvaceous nineteen-year-old intern, Molly (the scene-stealing Kat Endsley), whose posing as a shy young woman is gradually revealed to be a front for a much more aggressive (and possibly career-building) female. If Molly's role turns out to be a bit of a red herring (the people behind me were sure she was a plant by Tom Duffy), she is more readily written as a mirror image for Steve to see his single-minded ways. What he sees about himself and what he chooses to see evolves into the play's theme.

I don't believe Beau Willimon is cynical about the whole political business (though he never even tries to persuade us that it is not all a business, always); it is a more likely he wrote a comedy that inevitably became a tragedy When politics gets into a person's blood it turns him or her into a vampire of sorts, feasting on other peoples' troubles and secrets. The vampiric metaphor is used toward the very end, after a desperate Steve is hurt in a car wreck: with his face covered in blood, he turns on Molly, who comes to him only to help. Willimon leaves the audience with a strangled laugh in its collective throats.

REVIEW
The Unicorn Theatre
Farragut North
Runs November 13-December 13
3828 Main Street, Kansas City MO.
For tickets call 816-531-7529 or online at www.UnicornTheatre.org

Top photo:
Cast members Paul Zara (Bruce Roach) and Steve Bellamy (Mark Thomas). Photo by Cynthia Levin

By Michael D. Smith   Tue, Nov 17, 2009

Long live rock n'roll! That sums up the theme for the new British offbeat comedy Pirate Radio, an irreverent look back at a period in time when anyone who listened to rock was labeled as a degenerate.

Set in 1966, Pirate Radio takes us to a refitted commercial fishing vessel anchored in the North Sea off the coast of Great Britain. From its position, the ship's motley DJ crew broadcasts rock music by The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix among others 24/7 to a British populace yearning for more than just Mozart.

The station's owner, Quentin (Bill Nighy - Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End) is an eccentric businessman who seems to love thumbing his nose at the stogy British government. As a result, his DJs would follow him to the ends of the Earth. The two most popular ones are an American known as The Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Gavin (Rhys Ifans), a legendary British DJ who can make women swoon with his voice.

Amidst all the women, drugs, and rock n'roll is Quentin's shy, teenaged virgin godson Carl (Tom Sturridge), who becomes an adult while also finding his identity during his stay on the ship.

Meanwhile, forces within the British government want to shut down all pirate radio. They are led by Sir Alistair Dormandy (Kenneth Branagh), perhaps the most boring, narrow-minded character ever presented on film, and his eager assistant, Twatt (Jack Davenport - Pirates of the Caribbean). 

Don't think that Pirate Radio is actually based on one particular story or event. If anything it's a collage of several ships that broadcasted music into Great Britain during the 1960s. Like in the film, the British government did enact a law making offshore broadcasting illegal, but in real life it was in reaction to a high profile murder of a DJ and several acts of actual piracy.

Overall, there is nothing melodramatic or slow paced about Pirate Radio. It hits you in the face with rock n' roll from the beginning and never lets up with its British humor, terrific music and scenes that constantly bounce around between the station's devoted listeners and its colorful DJs.

Sturridge is perhaps a bit overly dry in his performance, but this is a minor quibble with a film that's truly meant as pure fun. Don't expect any great themes or social commentary. It's all about the music and characters who only want to have a good time in life. Hoffman and Ifans in particular are wonderful as the two DJs with egos who ultimately settle their differences with a game of chicken.

Long live Pirate Radio!

On a letter grade scale from A being excellent to F for failing, Pirate Radio receives a B.
    
Pirate Radio is rated R and has a running time of 106 minutes.

Now showing through November 20 @
Glenwood Arts
9575 Metcalf
Overland Park
Visit www.fineartsgroup.com or call 913-642-4404 for more information.

By David Peironnet   Tue, Nov 10, 2009

This man writes piano concertos where you can't find the piano player.  Why would he do such a thing?

 Avner Dorman has done something that nobody has done before - or at least nobody we've ever heard of before: he has written a piano concerto with no pianist on stage to play it.  At least, not at first.  It would seem sort of odd if the Kansas City Symphony commissioned Avner Dorman to write a piano concerto and there was no pianist.


Apparently there is a piano player.  Somewhere, anyway.  As a matter of fact, we know there must be a pianist since the Kansas City Symphony has hired one.  His name is Alon Goldstein and the Symphony has pasted his name all over their brochures and their web site.  

So, now we have established that there is one - but we just won't actually be able to see him.  Not at the outset, anyway.  Presumably we will be let in on the secret of the lost pianist on November 20 - 22 when the Kansas City Symphony presents the world premier of Avner Dorman's Lost Souls.

David Peironnet of Friends of the Symphony talked with the composer to inquire exactly what is going on here:

DP:  Lost Souls begins without a pianist on stage.  Where is he?  Why?  How does he finally get on stage?  Or, is that a secret that we'll learn the night of the performance?

Avner Dorman:  Yes, it's a secret and yes, the audience will learn it the night of the performance.  There is a lot of conflict in the first movement - between the orchestra and the soloist (known as the "soul-oist" because the piece is known as Lost Souls), internally for the pianist, and the struggles of connecting the physical and not so physical realms.  A large portion of the conflict has to do with memory (which is an important theme for me). The soul-oist tries to perform pieces he performed in past lives - but he can't quite remember them as they used to be.  That's when the music takes strange turns and explores new routes.

I hope that not having the pianist on stage initially will arouse a new curiosity in the audience - its theater - not just music!

DP:  Each of the themes which the piano soul-oist performs represents a different ghost or "lost soul." Why are these lost souls seeking to get back before an audience?

Avner Dorman:  Inspiration for the piece came because I feel Alon Goldstein is, in some ways, a pianist who was born 100 years too late.  He just has this aura.  So instead of relating to the soloist only as a physical entity, the orchestra summons the "lost souls" of past pianists through him.

DP:  What do you hope that we, as your audience, will learn from these "lost souls?"

Avner Dorman: When I started writing the piece I didn't know why, but just as characters in a book tend to develop beyond the author's initial concepts (many authors say this), I've come to believe that these "souls" need to complete something -  perhaps perform for the very last time.  There is a message they want to convey.

DP:  Those of us who know Pictures at an Exhibition recall how the composer Mussorgsky opens with a dramatic theme which we all recognize. Then, that theme reappears each time we move from one "picture at an exhibition" to another.  How is this similar to Lost Souls?

Avner Dorman:  It's both different and it's similar.  I didn't think of it in that way when I wrote it.  My wife (a fellow Kansas Citian) came up with the analogy, because like Pictures at an Exhibition, Lost Souls begins with a motif that recurs almost every time a new scene, so to speak, begins. Unlike Pictures at an Exhibition, don't expect a big trumpet tune. Instead, the motif is a ghostly gesture in the high strings - perhaps the souls' whisper.

DP:  You wrote Lost Souls for Alon Goldstein, who will be our guest soloist.  How did you happen to get to know Alon Goldstein?  What is there about his playing that impressed you so much?

Avner Dorman:  We first met in New York City.  The irony of this is that we are both from Israel, but we met in New York.  I heard him play on the radio in Israel many years before we met and I remember thinking that his playing was energetic and involved, and yet, was very clean and predetermined, which might appear to be contradictory.  Alon is very pedantic.  He thinks through and prepares his interpretation very thoroughly.  Alon Goldstein is the type of performer who tries to figure out the purpose of every single note.  What is unique about Alon, is that when it's all put together it still works on an emotional level as well.  This is despite all of the intellectual preparation, he maintains his emotional connection with the music. That's a rare combination. It's something I like to do in my music, too.

When I compose a piano concerto or a sonata, I don't write for piano but rather for a pianist.  I don't even write for a theoretical pianist who might come along at some future point.  I wrote Lost Souls for Alon Goldstein and had his work in mind all along.  The piano has so much written for it that I don't want to write just another piano concerto today.  Lost Souls was a concept that came from drawing from the pianist.  I was looking for something dramatic

DP: Some listeners are almost afraid of "new music."  In defense of these concertgoers, a lot of new music reflects the composer's mastery of technique rather than the ability to write music which audiences can comprehend.  Your Piano Concerto in A seems to me to be accessible to audiences.  What is your own assessment of new music and where do you see yourself as a composer of new compositions?

Avner Dorman:  For me, the biggest compliment is when someone says to me that they pushed the "replay" button after hearing a piece for the first time and by the time they get to the tenth hearing they're finding new things in the piece.  It doesn't really matter whether the listener likes the piece at first hearing. What is more important is that they want to hear the piece again, that it made them curious.

For me, the real mastery of technique is that it's transparent.  When a nonprofessional hears a great Bach piece they don't think "wow, what a mastery of technique."  It just touches them on a very deep level.  The audience knows the music is good despite their lack of knowledge of musical theory.  Of course, as a composer, I'm blown away by Bach's technique, and I study it again and again.

As for the difficulty of listening to a new piece, you just never know before a premiere.  Sometimes what a composer has to say is not easy to hear, but I think the audience should not discount a piece of music just because it's not pleasing at first hearing.  Sometimes what an artist has to say is not easy to hear.

DP:  Lost Souls will be presented for the first time ever in Kansas City. Is there something you hope will come from a Midwestern audience that might be different from people in New York or London or Salzburg?

Avner Dorman:  Pretty much the same. That's been my experience. I love the Midwest.  My wife is from Kansas City!  I don't see any reason why this should be any different.

DP:  Now, I'm listening to an excerpt from your Piano Sonata No. 2 which seems to me to have a virtuosic character, much like that of Brahms and composers of his generation. Were you seeking a sound which carried on that classical tradition or were you seeking to give the soloist an opportunity to reveal his "star-power?"  Or, both?  Or, something completely different?

Avner Dorman:  Star power goes there, but that movement was more about freedom of motion and imagination.  That movement was inspired by the pianism of Art Tatum who had plenty of both.

DP:  The first movement of your composition, Spices, Perfumes, Toxins! seems to have a mix of traditional Jewish music and jazz.  I can almost see a few members of the audience getting into the aisles to dance, at least if they had a few glasses of wine before the concert.  How does that compare with Lost Souls?

Avner Dorman:  It's hard to say before the piece has had some performances.  When writing a piece of this size there are so many challenges that I don't really think about how it compares to anything.  For example, when I wrote Spices, Perfumes, Toxins!  I wanted that piece to sound Israeli.  But I can tell you that even though it's a huge hit wherever it's played, people read different things into it.  In Israel, people feel it reflects something which is localized in many ways. But in New York or Bangkok or Munich, the associations might be different.  You hear Jazz in the piece (and I don't deny I love Jazz), but maybe it has to do also with the fact that you are from Kansas City.  In any case, I don't think it matters. If it's good, its good. That's what I really care about.

DP:  Did you consciously write it in such a way to make it more popular?

Avner Dorman:  If I only knew how to do that.  No one knows what makes a popular piece.  If you knew in advance, composing would be an easier job.  When you do something new, you never know.

There is something about a great piece of music - whether you love it or you don't - but you want to hear it again.  You may not even like the piece, but there is something about it that makes you want to hear again to find out about something that might reach out to you.  Whether you love it or not, that isn't important. If you want to hear it again, that's the important thing.  Too many pieces you hear and three minutes later, you don't care whether you ever hear them again.

Think about Beethoven. Beethoven didn't write in the style of his era. It's the other way around. His era was defined by Beethoven.

Will Kansas City like Lost Souls?  I have no idea.  I really hope they do.  I'm really excited and I firmly believe in it.  When the orchestra starts playing, that's when you start hearing the piece as it really is.  We'll know then.

INTERVIEW:
Kansas City Symphony
Stern Conducts Sibelious
with Alon Goldstein, piano
Friday, November 20 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, November 21, at 8 p.m.
Lyric Theatre
11^th and Central, Kansas City, MO
Sunday, November 22 at 2 p.m.
Carlsen Center at JCCCC
12345 College Blvd, Overland Park, KS
For tickets call 816-471-0400 or online at www.kcsymphony.org

By Christopher Guerin   Tue, Nov 17, 2009

Last Sunday, the stained glass of Kansas City 's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception provided the backdrop to Musica Vocale's Surprised by the Expected. In its 2^nd season, and drawing on talent from the area's many musical disciplines, Dr. Arnold Epley's chorus and orchestra performed works of Henry Purcell, J.S. Bach, Charles Villiers Stanford, Philip Moore and Dominick Argento.

Readers may be familiar with the whimsical story of the mathematician who stands immersed in ice-cold water up to his waist with his upper body simultaneously exposed inside a sweltering sauna. "On average," he quips, "I'm quite comfortable." I have been unable to shake that awkward analogy:  the first half of this concert was a complete mess, while the second half was, in parts, so impressive that I was forced to consider - despite overwhelming visual evidence to the contrary - whether an entirely different ensemble had returned after intermission.

Henry Purcell's Te Deum Laudamus and Jubilate Deo opened the program. Each had similar issues with brass pitch (trumpets in Te Deum and horns in Jubilate) - although nerves may have played a role there - and the violins were occasionally discordant. The chorus as a whole revealed the women to be weaker than the men, especially in timing and diction (the latter being especially noticeable given that the English text was difficult to understand). Jay Carter's countertenor solo provided a breath of fresh air with his crisply defined pitch, diction, breathing and phrasing.

Bach's Mass in F minor (BWV 233) followed. The opening Kyrie was plodding, with little energy, and the brass still flirted with pitch problems. The Gloria started with good momentum, but the nuanced string lines were inconsistent and quickly gave way to pitch struggles moving into the Domine Deus. Seeming to sense the piece needed redemption, Jay Carter's crystalline countertenor again came to the rescue for the Quoniaum tu solus sanctus, but the piece fizzled to the Cum sancto Spiritu, its final "Amen" conveying more a sense of relief than veneration.

Against all odds, the Cathedral at intermission proved to be no better place on earth for the musical resurrection that was about to occur. If the first half represented the chorus's Via Dolorosa, the 2^nd half could only be viewed as the musical equivalent of its ascension to Heaven, during which I had one, singular thought:  "Who are these people, and what have they done with the group that was here during the first half?"

Intermission thus gave way to Charles Villiers Stanford's Three Motets (Op. 38). Justorum animae was nothing short of angelic. While generally not an "emotional" concertgoer, I felt a distinct chill and lump in my throat at the starkly contrasting beauty displayed in the piece's vocal execution. I carefully examined whether it was simply that stark contrast - the comparison to the first half - that made the piece seem relatively spectacular when in fact it was just...better. But it was evident that the performance was standing solidly on its own. The men and women had intermingled, giving the piece a tighter tonality that added to its beautiful cohesion, and I noticed only after the concert that I had scribbled into the margin of the Justorum the single word: "Wow!" It was the standout piece of the evening, and well worth sitting through the first half. Coelos ascendit hodie and Beati quorum via ­followed - both nearly as impressive as the first - but I was disappointed to see that the chorus returned to a traditional Soprano-Alto-Tenor-Bass ("SATB") setting and I couldn't help wonder if that alone took the "angelic" edge off of their presentations.

Philip Moore's Three Prayers of Dietrich Bonhoeffer followed. Moore was born in 1943 and this work moved the program well into the 20^th century and the alternation between dissonance, consonance and resolution clearly demarcated the timeline. Alto incantations at the beginning and end of Morning Prayers harkened back to medieval chant, distinguishable as modern only by the dissonances that followed. The first two Prayers differed noticeably from the third in that they were clearly "20^th-century" in their tonalities, and in many instances the much longer (compared to the third) presentations allowed more comparative personalities to emerge: wherein I found myself reflecting on vocal works of both Britten (especially his "Five Flower Songs") and Vaughan Williams. The final - Evening Prayers - brought the program full circle with noticeably "early music" chant themes that were at once modern and ancient, filled with the solemnity that one might hear in Gregorian melodies. The closing "I commend my body and soul, O God, Thy holy Name be praised" delivered its power through sparse voicing and a subdued, unison cadence.

The closing work of the afternoon - Dominick Argento's Gloria, from "The Masque of Angels" - proved an unsettling finish. Bombastic and showy, it was hard to imagine it fitting well anywhere in the program and it was a peculiar choice as the last impression to leave the audience. The raucous pipe organ introduction left me with one indelible impression:  Lloyd Webber's Phantom. Don't get me wrong. I love Phantom but would have advised against programming it in the same manner as Epley chose to present Argento's Gloria.

It took the program in its entirety for me to to sort out the likely causes for the unbalanced performance. Where there was instrumental accompaniment or where the vocal work called for faster, more flourished technique, the chorus was much weaker. On the other hand, in a capella settings that required longer, slower, more fluid vocal lines, Musica Vocale was impressive. It was in those latter areas that Dr. Epley revealed his interpretive strengths and I came away encouraged that with rehearsals focused on those weaker areas this ensemble is more than capable of stepping up its game.

REVIEW:
Musica Vocale
Surprised by the Expected: Works of Purcell, Bach, Stanford, Moore and Argento
November 15, 2009
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception
416 West 12^th Street , Kansas City , MO
For more information visit www.musicavocale.org

By Lee Hartman   Tue, Nov 17, 2009

 I was very excited to hear Octarium's performance on Saturday, November 14 having heard nothing but good things about it.  Let me begin by saying Octarium is an exceptionally talented ensemble with stunning voices, synergy and stage presence to spare.  There is no place to hide in this ensemble and the singers need not worry about that, as each is magnificent.  Artistic director Krista Lang Blackwood certainly has created a tight ensemble of the highest caliber. 

I say this because I was ultimately frustrated by their performance and that was purely the fault of the program.

The pieces reveled in tameness.  There were no edges, nothing fast, nothing uneasy.  Everything was so polished, so refined and so attractive that all I can remember is an aesthetic whitewash of innocuous prettiness.  With a program called "Modern Masters" I was expecting more adventuresome works but I do realize that this is the type of music that enables the best possible sounding choir.  A wider variety of pieces exist; other choirs have performed them often and performed them well (for instance Chanticleer with Augusta Read Thomas or a Reich piece performed by Synergy Vocals). Octarium is certainly comparable to those other more established ensembles on sheer talent alone - but the repertoire must back them up.

Granted Blackwoods' project of asking modern composers to choose one of their own pieces especially for Octarium yielded these results, so some of the blame lay with the composers in only choosing "pretty pieces." All the performed works were strong individually, but bundled together on one program greatly diminished their impact. 

Of note, I found the layers of female voice textures in Steve Danyew's On Green Mountain to be very effective and Leah Hamilton Jenkins' solo in Stephen Hatfield's Double Shot was earnestly sung.

 REVIEW:
Octarium
Modern Masters
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Visitation Church, Kansas City, MO
For more information visit www.octarium.org

Top photo by Mark Hutchinson

By Gayle G. Hathorne   Tue, Nov 17, 2009

The soprano voices of Ida Nicolosi and Joyce Steeby crowned an evening of superlative music-making Friday night at Grace & Holy Trinity Cathedral in a concert performed by the UMKC Collegium Vocale together with the Kansas City Baroque Consortium.

The focal point of the program commemorating the 350th anniversary of the birth of Henry Purcell was the set of pieces entitled Funeral Music for Queen Mary.  Purcell, as composer and the organist of Westminster Abbey, was responsible for the music for the service of Queen Mary, who died on December 28, 1694 from smallpox.  Her funeral, delayed until March 5, 1695, due to the inclement weather, was a grandiose affair for the city of London.  Selections presented in concert Friday night included instrumental music: the Funeral March and two Canzonas performed with brio by a splendid quartet of brass and organ (Dale Morehouse); and two settings of the choral Funeral Sentences: Thou knowest Lord and In the midst of life.

Although not originally composed for the funeral service, added to the selection of Funeral Music were two stunningly beautiful laments composed the same year, Incassum, Lesbia, sung to exquisite perfection by Ida Nicolosi, and one of the most beautiful duets ever heard, O Dive custos Auriacae Domus, sung by Joyce Steeby and Ida Nicolosi.  These two remarkable artists brought a level of beauty to the cascading lines of sorrow that played upon each other, intertwined and spun again into release, and held the listener rapt, wishing it would never end.  Steeby's gorgeously centered ringing tone and illuminatingly intelligent realization of vocal line was perfectly paired with Nicolosi's vibrant, ringing coloratura and startling command of vocal range.  I cannot imagine a more sumptuous rendition of this duet, and urge that a recording will be made.

William Byrd's a cappella Ave Verum Corpus opened the program that evening in a pianissimo so perfectly expressed that it seemed to emanate from the ether of eternity.  From my seat on the second pew, so close to the singers, I could almost hear individual voices, but not quite - this ensemble is so perfectly attuned they blend like glimmering molten gold.  This was an offering of the well-known Ave Verum Corpus that flung open new vistas of nuance through the unbelievable beauty of perfectly created quiet.  Dr. Ryan Board elicits compelling interpretations from his stellar chamber ensemble of 15, the UMKC Collegium Vocale, through the use of precisely placed vowels and consonants for the text, subtle shifting of vocal timbres to evoke the mood of the work, and profoundly deep interpretations of musical lines and harmonic progressions.  In short, this ensemble is not to be missed.

Also heard in the first program half was a Purcell Trio Sonata performed by Charles Wines, flute, Trilla Ray-Carter, cello, and Steven McDonald, harpsichord.  McDonald captured my admiration with his flawless continuo realization played in perfect ensemble.  The enchanting, limpid tone of Wines' blonde wooden flute seemed to dissipate into the high expanse of space in the stone nave of the Cathedral, and did not achieve sufficient dynamic presence in that acoustic to bring balance of its line with that of the cello obligato, played expressively by Ray-Carter.

The Kansas City Baroque Consortium lent a full array of its ancient sonorities to the evening both as accompaniment to the chamber choir in various pieces, and with instrumental works.  Purcell's Suite from Abdelazer, or the Moor's Revenge was led with lively espirit by the bow of violinist Monty Carter, with the violinists and violist all standing to perform.  Admittedly, it took this listener a few moments to adjust to the lower frequency of pitch employed to achieve an authentic replication of the baroque tuning.  Particularly satisfying to hear was the well-known Rondeau, made familiar to modern ears via Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra.  Director and cellist Trilla Ray-Carter, has guided this ensemble to the forefront of the Early Music scene in Kansas City.  Its name on a program signals to me a concert worthy of attending.

The final bonbon of the evening in the program of delights was Purcell's O Sing Unto the Lord, which featured solo cameos sung excellently by soprano Amy Waldron, alto Kate Lohmann, and bass Jonathan Krinke, and the combined artistic forces of the Collegium Vocale, the KC Baroque Consortium, and harpsichordist, Steven McDonald.  Charged by the overwhelming experience of immense beauty, the audience mingled about long after the concert concluded to share with one another in its afterglow.

[In the spirit of full disclosure, the author states that the concert reviewed featured two of her choral colleagues and her highly esteemed voice teacher, Joyce Steeby.]

REVIEW:
UMKC Collegium Vocale and KC Baroque Consortium
Fall Concert: Music of Henry Purcell commemorating the 350th anniversary of his birth
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Immanuel Lutheran Church
1700 Westport Road, Kansas City, MO
Friday, November 13, 2009 (Reviewed)
Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral
Broadway and 13th Street, Kansas City, MO
For more information visit www.kccollegiumvocale.com

By Andrea Montgomery   Tue, Nov 17, 2009

One might not associate basketballs, power saws and rubber work boots with tap dancing, but that is exactly what the TAP DOGS, performing at Lied Center last week, delivered. The six male dancers of the troupe continuously demonstrated their precision and strength throughout the non-stop show, eliciting gasps, laughs, and overwhelming applause from the audience.

TAP DOGS is the brainchild of Olivier Award-winning choreographer Dein Perry. The show started with six guys from a steel town north of Sydney, Australia, Perry,  designer/director Nigel Triffitt, and composer Andrew Wilkie.  Perry decided to create a contemporary show around his industrial experience with his Newcastle tap dancing mates. TAP DOGS was the instant hit of the Sydney Theatre Festival where it had its world premiere in January 1995 - it caused an equal sensation at the Edinburgh Festival later that year. TAP DOGS has gone in to win 11 International Awards including a Pegasus Award at the Spoleto Festival in Italy and an Obie in New York.

Beginning with a soloist performing intricate sounds in the darkness, TAP DOGS got bigger and better as it progressed into creative plays on props and scenery. Other cast members entered showing off their feet and humor with a comical section where the shoes performed a chorus line of sorts before the curtain finally rose to reveal their owners. The group tapped on multiple surprising surfaces, including ladders, metal, and water, and one dancer even tapped hanging upside down.

I felt that one of the most impressive sections was a percussion ensemble played with the tappers' feet on programmed sound pads, which displayed the group's great musicality along with their superb tap skills.  Another memorable work was a nerve-wracking piece where all the dancers leapt between two jagged boards, performing complicated feet movements the entire time. The seemingly inevitable disaster kept the audience members perched on the edge of their seats - but of course, never actually happened.

Each cast member had numerous opportunities to demonstrate their personal skills. While this was engaging and astounding to watch (and hear), the ensemble shined the brightest when they were moving in sync with perfect rhythm. Seeing and hearing several tappers maintaining sharp, clear sounds at a fast pace is always quite impressive, especially with these talented tappers - their sounds, both solo and in unison, were very clear and high-quality.

True to their workaday 'steel' roots, the men were also true entertainers, often clowning around and teasing each other. The tone of the show was very casual and the dancers often chatted back and forth to each other on stage.

Although the music sometimes overpowered the more subtle sounds, the visual stimulation kept the show interesting despite the occasional loss of taps. Although comical at first, the clowning around shtick got a bit tired, but again this did little to bring down the quality. Overall, TAP DOGS was a creative and impressive demonstration of the tap genre that kept the audience tapping their feet along with them until the curtain closed.

REVIEW:
Lied Center of KU
Dein Perry's TAP DOGS
Wednesday, November 14, 2009
Lied Center of Kansas
1600 Stewart Avenue, Lawrence, KS
For tickets call 785-864-2787 or online at www.lied.ku.edu

By Beau Bledsoe   Tue, Nov 17, 2009

One of the greatest problems of Flamenco performance in large theatres is that the directors rarely know how to deal with such spaces in an effective manner. This is why I feel it important to first mention the efforts of Noche Flamenca artistic director Martin Santangelo and lighting designers, S. Benjamin Farrar and Ryan Bauer. It is their work that first impressed me and made Soledad Barrio and Flamenca Noche at the Lied Center of KU this past weekend one of my most satisfying Flamenco theatre experiences to date.

The Flamenco art form evolved in small spaces for small ensembles called cuadros or "picture". It is this two dimensional aesthetic that usually fails so miserably in larger theatres.  The company directors often resort to large simultaneous choreographies that move around the stage like a synchronized drill team or even worse, the ensemble stays tightly grouped resembling caged birds that don't seem to realize that the cage is no longer there. I was constantly aware of the brilliant solutions of Santangelo and Farrar to the common problems that consistently plague other Flamenco companies. It was as if they were equal members of the company interacting with every note and movement of the performers. And to put it simply, the good taste and artfulness of this presentation was so completely uniform in its quality and lack of artifice that I thought I'd died and gone to Flamenco heaven.

Before the concert, the stage curtain remained open to reveal several metallic chairs positioned at random angles upstage and downstage - giving an immediate sense of the depth and scale of the space. The performance opened with a melancholic solo guitar composition from Sevilla born guitarist Eugenio Iglesias positioned under an angled white spotlight. Special kudos to the sound engineers at the Lied center because Iglesias' guitar sounded absolutely fantastic. His tone was satisfyingly profound with a snappy dryness in the highs. This composition, in the style of tarantas soon transformed itself into a tangos Flamenco involving all of the performers interacting with the eschewed chairs. While singers Manuel Gago and Miguel Rosendo exchanged verses, the audience was treated to a few short solos from the company's principal, Soledad Barrio along with dancers Antonio Rodriguez and Rebeca Tomás. It was a perfect introduction to each dancer's style and strengths utilizing highly innovative stage blocking.

One of the company's principal strengths was that they never attempted to reinvent the Flamenco wheel. All of the numbers were fairly conservative in their execution and style. I was familiar with most all of the letras (verses) and each palo (form) played out exactly as one would expect.  It also seemed that every member of Noche Flamenca possessed an over-the- top ability to deliver jaw-dropping artistry. This quality was abundantly evident in the first solo of the evening by Rebeca Tomás who performed a Guajira that did exactly what a Guajira is supposed to do - coquettishly charm the heart out of your chest to rest it atop her big red fan. During her colossal buleria finale, she incorporated some very convincing torero (bullfighter) moves with her long red ruffled bata (train) adding a bit of male bravado to a postcard image of the feminine Flamenco dancer.

The next solo was the riveting Solea por Buleria danced by Antonio Rodriguez of Osuna. Guitarist Iglesias opened the work with his low "E" guitar string dropped down to a "C" producing a brooding tonal darkness that was a perfect place to start a dance that ended in such a light-hearted fashion. Rodriguez's personable style was a healthy mix of refined stage Flamenco, new modernist trends and village street dancing.  He possessed the relaxed upper body of tap dancer while executing his machine like zapateado (footwork), but also was capable of the precise lines of some of the greatest masters of dance. He would often intentionally force upon himself an unstable center of gravity that seemed to pull him over like a top heavy stack of children's blocks, and then at the last millisecond right himself into a steel spring of stability and confidence. He improvised a captivating buleria finale that was a perfect example of the entomology of the word buleria (bular = tomfoolery).

After the intermission, Soledad Barrio took the stage in a beautiful modern white dress for the most joyful of Flamenco forms, alegrias. She was later joined in duo by Rodriguez in what appeared to be a Flamenco pas de deux of boy loses girl, boy wins girl, etc. Because they're both such strong dancers, this old cliché never wore thin as they moved in unison about the stage. Singers Gago and Rosendo sang two separate letras on top of one another for a highly emotional final. I have never seen this done before and I really appreciated the effect it had on the choreography.

Then to my amazement, Gago and Rosendo sang a traditional unaccompanied Ronda de Tonás. It is the unofficial belief that American audiences run fleeing from the deep songs of Flamenco's earliest times. These songs are often harsh in tone, and melismatic in a most Arabic fashion. They evoke painful histrionics that are often difficult to receive, but are regarded by the Flamenco world as the deepest and most important songs. A singer really has to know what they are doing. I've personally never experienced cante jondo (deep song) outside of very intimate settings or at cante jondo festivals in Spain.  Gago was downstage left and Rosendo was upstage right with white spotlights on both of them in the otherwise perfect darkness. At the end of the performance they moved toward one another at a diagonal while simultaneously wailing their laments and passed each other like two self -absorbed strangers on a narrow street. I wondered to myself if the audience was bewildered and repulsed, or quietly awed as I was.

Soledad Barrio took the stage again for the mother of all Flamenco forms the Soleá, a gypsy version of the word 'Soledad' meaning Solitude. A form that like her name, she truly owns. Eugenio Iglesias' guitar introduction was a lush sound of light and dark tonalities mirrored by Farrar/Bauer's chiaroscuro lighting. Soledad emerged dressed in black to deliver a very moving performance much in the style of a Spanish tablao (Flamenco bar). I found Iglesias' sparse guitar accompaniment to this solidly traditional Soleá refreshing and tasteful. Lately many artists have tried to reinterpret this massive tree trunk of Flamenco song and dance and I welcomed the direct approach. It is very clear why this great artist has so many accolades from the dance world and the press. Soledad Barrio possesses heavenly arms and a compact frame reminiscent of the great Flamenco dancer, Carmen Amaya.  But beyond her amazing technique and physical beauty, Barrio has the ability to really communicate something special.  She is the embodiment of technique serving art. My memory of this dance was more of overall emotions rather than specific movements, and it's a memory that I'll keep with me for a long time.

REVIEW:
Lied Center of Kansas
Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Lied Center, University of Kansas
1600 Stewart Drive, Lawrence, KS
For tickets call 785-864-2787 or online at www.lied.ku.edu

By Laura Vernaci   Tue, Nov 17, 2009

For a company that has been receiving applause, meriting awards and setting standards for 55 years, it is hard to live up to previous performances each and every time. In almost six decades there are bound to be ups and downs, hits and misses and Paul Taylor Dance Company's Friday night program at the Carlsen Center was a mixture of both.

Brief Encounters is the company's newest piece of repertoire, performed only once prior to coming to Kansas City. It also was the only piece performed both nights; Saturday night's program offered up two different works from the Friday night perfomance. It was exciting to witness the piece's second showing - but it was evident that it was new. At times the dancers moved with hesitation and failed to remain cohesive, but their sincerity and vulnerability managed to make it a captivating performance overall.

The nonexistent scenery coupled with negligible costumes forced the eyes to focus solely on the dancers' every muscle movement. This rawness greatly juxtaposed Debussy's classical score, attune to a lot of contemporary works. The choreography of Brief Encounters rang very true to the name of the piece which contained a series of unions, reunions, intersections, conversations, disagreements and distractions. Overall, the women were more exciting than the men who moved effeminately despite their obvious muscular appearance. However, dancer Michael Trusnovec, the company's oldest member, did stand out for his acute strength and effortless execution.

The middle piece of the program, Scudorama, is one of Taylor's oldest works dating back to 1963. The premise of the work is a quote by Dante regarding the average person who, upon death, exists in the "black haze," perhaps purgatory. The frenetic music and chaotic choreography of Scudorama is somewhat reminiscent of The Rite of Spring, Nijinsky/Stravinsky's 1913 controversial Russian Pagan ballet. The piece had the potential of being very unique and engaging, but the idea was lost in translation between the continual entrances and exits, confusing costume changes and the abrupt ending. It proved difficult to remain both interested and informed.

Taylor cleverly closed the show with the most amusing work, Offenbach Overtures, a parody of classical ballet. The dancers displayed their light-hearted personalities well, but did not always back them up with adequate technique. It was evident that they were pretending to make mistakes, but they should have augmented the laughs with skill - and I didn't always see that. The women's black tights with red shoes were distracting and called attention to the dancers' lack of extending their feet. Still, the piece was charming and entertaining especially for those familiar with classical ballet. High points included the corps women trying to upstage each other and the lead couple failing to be execute an elegant pas de deux, but the best section was the back-and-forth, over-the-top fight scene between four male dancers.

Paul Taylor dancers are known for their incredible strength and stamina. They have the ability to be completely grounded and yet remain graceful, creating signature lines and unique shapes. Although the character of the third piece was an enjoyable escape, the exceptional movement quality of the first piece just could not be matched by the other two. Despite minor missteps and discordance, the legendary company executed another admirable, diverse and charming show.

REVIEW:
The Performing Arts Series at JCCC
Paul Taylor Dance Company
Friday, November 13, 2009
Carlsen Center at JCCC
12345 College Blvd, Overland Park, KS
For more information visit http://www.jccc.edu/home/depts.php/001440/site/ChronList0910

By KCM Staff   Tue, Oct 28, 2008

By Laura Vernaci   Tue, Nov 17, 2009

Todd Bolender's vision of a permanent and prominent building for the Kansas City Ballet is no longer dancing in people's heads - it is coming true. Soon the Todd Bolender Center for Dance and Creativity will be a vision for all of Kansas City and the world to see and visit.

As the trains habitually rolled by and the fall leaves blew in the summer-like November wind of last Friday, the groundbreaking ceremony commenced outside of Kansas City Ballet's future home. Donors, board members, city and state officials, current and past dancers, students and staff of the ballet all joined to commemorate Todd Bolender and celebrate the organization's past, present and future. Four simple words poetically uttered by Jeffrey Bentley, Executive Director of Kansas City Ballet, encapsulated the greatly anticipated moment - "This is the morning."

Construction on the building, formerly the Powerhouse building of Union Station, actually began in late September. The campaign committee pushed to get a head start on demolition in order for the Bolender Center to be finished in time for the company's 2011-2012 season.

Fittingly, the building was originally built in 1914, the year Todd Bolender was born. This interesting fact combined with the other three requirements the building fulfilled - height, natural light and no internal obstructions - made the location perfect for the Bolender Center. Most of the original infrastructure will be demolished due to safety concerns, but the remodeling done by local company BNIM will preserve the spirit and character of the original building.               

The unique history of the building is what has made it possible for this project to be realized. Nearly a third of the 31 million dollar budget came from state and federal tax breaks. Another good chunk was a gift from Julia Irene Kauffman and the Muriel McBride Kauffman Foundation. The Kansas City Ballet Guild also was a big contributor. Although 4% of the total cost remains to be raised, Bentley says he can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Kansas City Ballet will be the sole tenant of the 60,000 square foot building, which will house seven studios. The main studio will function as a 180-seat theater and allow the company and school to hold in-house performances and lecture demonstrations. It also will be a more efficient rehearsal space since it will be the same size as the stage at the new Kauffman Performing Arts Center.

The Bolender Center will have contemporary, open concept with see-through walls from studio to studio, and a lobby that flows into waiting areas and office spaces. And just like Bolender visualized, it will be a state-of-the-art facility that people will talk about and want to visit.

The ceremony was highlighted with the experiences of those involved with launching the project into motion. President of the Board of Directors Siobhan McLaughlin Lesley discussed the ultimate purpose and name of the campaign, Igniting the future. She said the Bolender Center will serve as an outlet to educate and energize people about the arts.

Co-chair of the Capital Campaign Mark Sappington agreed that the building will continue to function as a powerhouse in the sense that it will now power dance and the arts.

President and CEO of Union Station George Guastello III was more than thrilled to welcome Kansas City Ballet to the neighborhood. City Manager Wayne Cauthen remarked that the project is helping to preserve Kansas City history. The Ballet will fill the last vacant building at Union Station and will "bring life back to the city."

Artistic Director William Whitener represented Todd Bolender and Tatiana Dokoudovska, founder and original Artistic Director of the Ballet, well by saying how certain he is that the Bolender Center will bring a much-needed focus to dance and help make Kansas City a destination for the performing arts.

"With this home of our own we will be able to support our goals to provide excellence in student and professional training, outreach to the community and a splendid studio theater for performance," Whitener said. "In fact, the Bolender Center has the potential to be for dance what the Sundance Institute has done for film."

The groundbreaking ceremony culminated with the laying of multiple bricks in honor of everyone, past and present who helped bring the vision to life.

"We've chosen to lay bricks as a symbol of revival, solidity and the future strength," Bentley said.

Not only will the center become a permanent location for the company and school, it will be an accessible and meaningful locale for the community. Bentley said there are hopes of renting out space to visiting companies, guest choreographers and local companies and businesses. This ties into the motto for the building, Always on.

"Always on is a phrase that has multiple meanings," Bentley said. "One is the building should always be on, should always be open. It always should be alive and inviting to people. But it's also a theatrical phrase. When you go on stage and you perform, you want to be on. So we're always on."

The electric bill might be pricy but the campaign committee has already prepared for that. It already has raised half of the building's seven million dollar operating endowment so the organization never gets bogged down with utility bills. The constant energy and ambience of the Bolender Center is that significant.

"This is a way to have some physical presence, " Bentley said. "People can say that's the Kansas City Ballet and it's always on."

Todd Bolender Center of Dance and Creativity
Groundbreaking Ceremony
Friday, November 13, 2009
500 W Pershing, Union Station
For more information visit www.kcballet.org
 

Wed, Nov 11, 2009

Kansas City Symphony
Stern Conducts Sibelius
Friday,  November 20 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, November 21 at 8 p.m.
Lyric Theatre
11^th and Central Streets, Kansas City, MO
Sunday, November 22 at 2 p.m.
Carlsen Center at JCCC
12345 College Boulevard, Overland Park, KS
For tickets call 816-471-0400 or online at www.kcsymphony.org.

In addition to its world premiere of the Avner Dorman Piano Concerto in the concerts of November 20-22, the Symphony plays two pieces by composers who are pillars of patriotism: Jean Sibelius (Symphony No. 2) and Bela Bartok (Hungarian Sketches).

Sibelius, the great Finnish composer, wrote his Second Symphony in 1902 during a period of Russian domination of his homeland. More than any other piece of music he wrote, with the possible exception of Finlandia, the Second Symphony evokes the images and colors of his native land. Many have felt that its evocation of Finland's natural beauty and the spirit of its people was a coded message to his fellow nationalists to resist the Russians.

Although Sibelius was greatly influenced by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and especially his beloved Brahms, he retained a distinctive character in his compositions, with a style and idiom uniquely his own.  The symphonic historian Charles O'Connell wrote of the Second Symphony that "this is the real Sibelius, terse, powerful, and convincing; devoid of the factitious and the unnecessary, naked and pulsating and enormously vital."

The spirit of Finnish folk music is everywhere in the Second Symphony.  The music almost begs us to imagine the many fjords and crags of the land, jutting out into the ever present ocean, and the meadows and fields and small villages of its people. 

The patriotism of the work is felt most strongly in the second movement, where the plaintive sounds of the bassoon seem to portray to tragic affliction which the Finnish people sometimes suffer.  However, these afflictions are wiped away by a stirring rumbling from the timpani, picked up by the strings in pizzicato and then carried to a stormy climax by the full orchestra.

Patriotism is also present in Bartok's Hungarian Sketches.  All of Bartok's music, in fact, is powerfully expressive and utterly unlike almost anything else we hear in the concert hall.  A tiny, frail man, Bartok possessed a powerful and distinctive personality which led him to pursue his ideals with force and integrity in every way.  He never swerved from his goals, even when it led him to fierce opposition of the Nazis and relocating away from his beloved Hungary.  Said the music historian Arnold Schonberg, "he was prepared at all times to stand up to the Establishment in defense of his music and in defense of his liberty." 

Bartok had an international reputation for his scholarly researches into folk music, and these idioms almost always find their way into his compositions.  The Hungarian Sketches are no different, as the composer transcribed five piano pieces, entitled "Evening in Transylvania," "Bear Dance," "Melody," "A Bit Drunk" and "A Swineherd Dance," using folk elements but restated in his distinctive compositional style.  We can hear much of his native Hungary in these pieces, both romantic and humorous in turn.  What really comes through, however, is the passion of the composer for his homeland, a theme which revisited him throughout his career.

Sibelius and Bartok, two of the great nationalist early twentieth century composers, make an appropriate pairing in this concert.  Bring your Finnish and Hungarian flags, and wave them proudly at this concert.

UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
Hansel und Gretel
Thursday, November 19 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, November 20 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 22 at 2:30 p.m.
White Recital Hall, Performing Arts Center
4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.umkc.edu/conservatory.

Engelbert Humperdinck's tuneful opera Hansel und Gretel may be based upon a Grimm Brothers fairy tale, but it is anything but children's fare, as generations of parents have discovered in the theater to their dismay.  Child abuse, torture and cannibalism, anyone?  Yet behind this grim (pun intended) story line lay a few eternal lessons (watch out for yourself, never trust anybody else) and much glorious music.  Few operatic scores are full of such brilliant tunes and lush orchestration as the score of this Wagner-inspired opera.

It's a perfect piece for young voices, and is an excellent choice for the Conservatory's opera program.  Besides, we are getting close to the holidays, and Hansel und Gretel is a perennial Christmastime favorite, although the reasons have always escaped this listener, unless it has something to do with candy and gingerbread houses.

The four performances feature alternating casts of talented student singers, so you may want to go twice just to hear them all!

William Baker Festival Singers
Annual Thanksgiving Benefit
Friday, November 20 at 7:30 p.m.
Broadway United Methodist Church
74^th and Wornall, Kansas City, MO
Free admission, but good will offering accepted.

The William Baker Festival Singers is producing a concert to benefit the Bridge of Home foundation as part of a Thanksgiving fund raising effort.  Joining the Singers this evening will be the gospel group Keystone.  According to publicity, "the one-hour program will include classical gems, but will be focused primarily on the American folk hymns, spirituals and gospel songs that are favorites of Festival Singers audiences.  You will clap your hands and celebrate the inspiring stories about how hurting people are gaining new life."

Kansas City Civic Orchestra
Nostalgic Classics
Saturday, November 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Founder's Hall at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral
13^th and Broadway, Kansas City, MO
Free admission.

Under the leadership of Christopher Kelts the Kansas City Civic Orchestra performs fine renditions of classic works with talented musicians from the community.  This year the orchestra is celebrating its 50^th anniversary.

This opening concert features the music of Henry Purcell, as adapted by modern composer Steven Stucky, and with Faure and Haydn, so the orchestra spares no challenges in assembling its programs. 

The Purcell piece should be the most intriguing for classical music fans.  Stucky has taken a longstanding Purcell favorite, Funeral Music for Queen Mary, and given it a modern twist.  Faure is represented by the ravishing Pelleas et Melisande Suite, one of this listener's favorite scores.  For the Haydn, Kelts has chosen one of the late symphonies, Symphony No. 104, otherwise known as the "London" symphony after the city for which it was composed.  This is the post-Mozart Haydn, the master having learned much from his onetime pupil, and is one of Haydn's most sophisticated creations.

By KCM Staff   Mon, Jun 16, 2008

Many thanks to ArtsJournal.com's editor, Douglas McLennan
~ Formerly an arts columnist and arts reporter with the Seattle
Post-Intelligencer and the Seattle Weekly. Doug writes on
the arts for a number of publications (in his abundant free time)
and is currently acting director of the National Arts Journalism
Program while it reinvents itself ~

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