Since the summer’s biggest holiday, Independence Day, falls on the weekend, there are fewer options for performing arts to stream than usual. Nonetheless, we still have your Top Ten Best Bets: July 2nd – July 5th.
There are some live events happening this weekend and as the summer rolls out we’ll be offering top selections of live events.
That doesn’t mean, however, that there aren’t great options for you to enjoy at home this week. In fact, one of the year’s most exciting projects is having its premiere on Sunday. It is called America/Beautiful and it is our top pick
Here is our complete line-up of Top Ten Best Bets: July 2nd – July 5th:
*TOP PICK* CLASSICAL MUSIC: America/Beautiful – Premieres July 4th – 3:00 PM ET/12:00 PM PT
We all know the song America the Beautiful. Pianist Min Kwon has commissioned over 70 composers to create variations on that song for Kwon to perform. She begins streaming performances of these variations on July 4th.
Kwon was able to get a veritable who’s who of contemporary composers to participate: Samuel Alder; Bruce Adolphe; Leila Adu-Gilmore; Timo Andres; Andrew Bambridge; Jonathan Berger; Victoria Bond; Kris Bowers; Peter Boyer; Kenji Brunch; Theo Chandler; Anthony Cheung; Jaehyuck Choi; Charles Coleman; Viet Cuong; Sebastian Currier; Richard Danielpour; Tyson Davis; Jed Distler; Avner Dorman; Geena Esmail; Alan Fletcher; Michael Gandolfi; Michael Gilbertson; John Harbison; Stephen Hartke; Jake Heggie; Fred Hersch; Jonathan Bailey Holland; Huang Rao; Vijay Iyer; Pierre Jalbert; JP Jofre; Kristjan Järvi; Aaron Jay Kernis; Texu Kim; Jiyoung Ko; Libby Larsen; Hannah Lash; George Lewis; Tania León; Lei Liang; David Serkin Ludwig; Miya Masoaka; Jessica Meyer; Patricio Molina; Paul Moravec; Nico Muhly; John Musto; Qasim Naqvi; Daniel Newman-Lessler; Paola Prestini; Dave Ragland; Shulamit Ran; City Razaz; Gian Riley; Terry Riley; Daniel Bernard Roumain; Greg Sandow; David Sanford; Paul Schoenfeld; Jeff Scott; Juri Seo; Robert Sirota; Derrick Skye; Augusta Read Thomas; Christopher Trapani; Lilya Ugay; Melinda Wagner; Wang Vie; Trevor Weston; Pamela Z; Judith Lang Zaimont; Patrick Zimmerli and Samuel Zyman.
This is a true melting pot of composers. This thoughtful selection of creative partners for Kwon reflects everything America represents.
Kwon, who was born in Korea, has toured the world as a soloist with major orchestras around the world. She’s recorded five albums for MSR Classics.
For those in New York, Kwon will be performing many of these compositions in person on July 8th and 9th at the Green-Wood Catacombs.
I’ve seen previews of three of the compositions she’ll be playing. This will be a treat! Thus it is our top pick for the weekend.
CABARET: Night of a Thousand Judys – Now available through July 24th
The ninth annual celebration of Judy Garland benefitting the Ali Forney Center debuted in mid-June, but its all-star line-up of performers taking their turns with songs made famous by the star of The Wizard of Oz makes it a perfect holiday entertainment.
This year’s line-up includes Alan Cumming, Duchess, Nathan Lee Graham, Sam Harris, Kevin Smith Kirkwood, Jose Llana, Karen Mason, Grace McLean, Jane Monheit, Nadia Quinn, Vivian Reed, Margo Seibert, Kim David smith, Gabrielle Stravelli and Mary Testa.
The show was written and hosted by Justin Sayre.
The Ali Forney Center is a non-profit organization that helps LGBT homeless youth throughout the country. Donations are encouraged.
OPERA: Puccini’s La Bohème – Royal Opera House – Now – July 25th
Conducted by Renato Balsadonna; starring Anna Princeva, Joshua Guerrero, Boris Pinkhasovich, Danielle de Niese and Cody Quattlebaum. This 2021 is a revival of the 2017-2018 season Richard Jones production.
Easily one of the most popular operas in the world, Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème had its world premiere in Turin, Italy in 1896.
The libretto is by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. The opera is based on Henri Murger’s 1851 novel, Scènes de la vie de bohème.
The story centers on four friends who are unable to pay their rent. Successfully getting out of a potentially bad situation with their landlord, all but one go out on the town. Rodolfo stays home and meets a young woman named Mimi. They fall in love, but Mimi’s weakness may be a sign of something far more life-threatening than they know. (If this sounds like the musical Rent, it is because La Bohème served as Jonathan Larson’s inspiration for that musical.)
Tickets to watch La Bohème are $18.50
CLASSICAL MUSIC: What’s Past is Prologue Parts 1 and 2 – Baryshnikov Arts Center and Tippet Rise Arts Center – Now available
The Aizuri Quartet celebrates the music of female composers in this two-part concert under the title What’s Past is Prologue.
This all-female quartet is comprised of violinist Emma Frucht, violist Ayane Kozasa, cellist Karen Ouzounian and violinist Miho Saegusa.
In part one (available through July 7th) the quartet performs music by Rhiannon Giddens, Gabriella Smith and Hildegard von Bingen.
In part two (available through July 14th) they perform works by Eleanor Alberga and Barbara Strozzi.
You probably don’t know most of these composers. I know I don’t. But that’s what makes this two-part concert so appealing – the ability to discover new music and new voices.
The link above goes to Part one on the Baryshnikov Arts Center. Part two can be found on the Tippet Rise Art Center website here.
MODERN DANCE: Animals & Angels – The Joyce Theater – Now – July 18th
As part of celebrating Pride Month, The Joyce Theater in New York has made available the premiere of Animals & Angels. The work is a pas de deux for two female dancers: Cortney Taylor Key and Audrey Malek.
It is unusual to find a duet for two female dancers. That’s just one of the things that makes this work by #QueertheBallet interesting.
Through the length of this work the two women not only explore their burgeoning relationship, but also the traditional roles played by dancers in the world of ballet.
#Queertheballet was created by choreographer Andriana Pierce. Animals & Angels was created by Pierce in conjunction with the dancers.
It’s a brief work running less than six minutes. The video includes a conversation amongst the creators.
PLAYWRIGHTS: TCG Books’ First Fridays with Larissa FastHorse – July 2nd – 7:00 PM ET/4:00 PM PT
MacArthur Fellow and acclaimed playwright Larissa FastHorse (The Thanksgiving Play) will be in conversation with Cornerstone Theater Company’s Michael John Garcés on Friday to discuss her work.
Garcés has directed three of FastHorse’s plays: Native Nation, Urban Rez and The Thanksgiving Play.
In addition to her writing, FastHorse is the co-founder of Indigenous Direction, the nation’s leading consulting company for Indigenous arts and audiences.
TCG Books has published The Thanksgiving Play along with What Would Crazy Horse Do?
JAZZ: The Hot Club of Cowtown – SFJAZZ – July 2nd – July 3rd
This week’s Fridays at Five presentation from SFJAZZ has a bit more twang than their usual offerings. The Hot Club of Cowtown offers more swing than jazz and they do so in a style that easily follows in the tradition of such artists as Stephane Grappelli, Django Reinhardt and Bob Wills.
This three-member band features bassist Jake Erwin, violinist Elana James and guitarist Whit Smith.
The concert being shown comes from their appearance at SFJAZZ in 2018 as they were supporting their latest release, Crossing the Great Divide.
An apt title as their work crosses the divide between country and jazz, swing and roots music. Earlier this year they released their latest album, What Makes Bob Holler. Listening to their music you just know they’d be right at home on the soundtrack to a Woody Allen movie.
If you are unable to watch the show on Friday at Five (that’s pacific time/8:00 PM ET), there is a second streaming of the show on Saturday, July 3rd at 1:00 PM ET/10:00 AM PT.
JAZZ: Bill Frisell Solo – Village Vanguard – July 2nd – July 4th
Throughout the pandemic, New York’s Village Vanguard has offered streaming concerts filmed inside this world-famous venue. Apparently they kept one tucked away for a special occasion and this holiday weekend appears to be the event that finds this solo concert by guitarist Bill Frisell being made available.
For over four decades Frisell has been one of music’s finest guitarists. Whether performing solo or with his trio, Frisell has been making music that defies easy categorization. His compositions range in style from jazz to Americana to fusion and more. He’s received 6 Grammy Award nominations and won the trophy for Best Contemporary Jazz Album in 2004 for Unspeakable.
Tickets are $10 and allow for viewing through Sunday, July 4th at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT.
OPERA: Mozart’s La Clemenza Di Tito – Glyndebourne – July 4th – July 18th
Conducted by Robin Ticciati; starring Richard Croft, Anna Stéphany, Alice Coote, Clive Bayley, Michéle Losier and Joélle Harvey. This Claus Guth production is from the 2016-2017 season.
La Clemenza di Tito (“The Clemency of Titus”) has a libretto by Caterino Mazzolà who altered Pietro Metastasio’s libretto which had been used by other composers before Mozart.
The world premiere took place in Prague in 1791.
Roman Emperor Tito has his eyes set on his friend Sesto’s sister, Sevilla. Sesto is in love with Vitellia. She wants to be married to Tito, but he is not interested in her and she recruits Sesto to assassinate the Emperor in exchange for her love. Intrigue, betrayal and mercy are in store for all involved.
Tim Ashley, writing in The Guardian, said of this production:
“…[Gruth] is helped immeasurably by exceptional performances from Croft and Stéphany. Both achieve rounded characterisations through the seamless integration of recitative and aria, and use Mozart’s verbal and melodic repetitions to suggest shifts in psychological perception and meaning. Croft beautifully conveys the lonely isolation attendant on absolute authority and the anger that both informs and threatens Tito’s idealism. Stéphany trawls Sesto’s emotional and moral anguish with tragic intensity.”
POPS/CLASSICAL: Boston Pops July 4th Spectacular – Bloomberg TV, Bloomberg Radio, Bloomberg.com – July 4th – 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT
The annual tradition of a Boston Pops concert for July 4th continues. For the lucky few they will be able to attend in person at Tanglewood. For the rest of us, we can watch it on July 4th live on various Bloomberg outlets.
Joining Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops will be two special guests.
They are recent Academy Award-winner Jon Batiste (bandleader of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) and legendary singer Mavis Staples.
The full program hasn’t been announced, but it will continue the tradition of patriotic music (The Star Spangled Banner, Stars and Stripes Forever) with the one piece of classical music that inspires fireworks with nearly ever outdoor performance: Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.
If you have other plans that night and suffer from FOMO if you can’t see this concert, you’ll have the ability to stream it for 24 days.
Those are the Top Ten Best Bets: July 2nd – July 5th. But a few reminders before we close out this week’s listings:
Unmasked: A Theatrical Celebration of Black Women’s Liberation is only available through the end of the day on Sunday, July 4th from The Wallis.
This weekend’s offerings from the Metropolitan Opera include John Adams’ Nixon in China on Friday; Kurt Weill’s Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny on Saturday and Philip Glass’ Akhnaten on Sunday.
On Monday the Met begins a week of operas by Richard Strauss. Monday the series starts with the 1982-1983 season production of Der Rosenkavalier starring Kiri Te Kanawa and Luciana Pavarotti. We’ll have the full line-up for you on Monday.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Sound/Stage season 2 episodes are all available for viewing including the most recent episode featuring Carlos Vives (who will be performing at the Hollywood Bowl with Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Philharmonic in August.)
Here ends our complete list of Top Ten Best Bets: July 2nd – July 5th. Whatever you do, have a safe and sane and wonderful holiday weekend.
Photo: Min Kwan (Courtesy America/Beautiful)