With yesterday’s good news that those who are vaccinated can go around without masks with the exception of a few specified areas, it seems like only a matter of time before live events will come roaring back.

The question now is whether or not all the streaming events of the past 15 months will become a relic of the era or a regular part of our cultural experience. Only time will tell.

For now, there are still plenty of great programs available for viewing. Topping our list is MCC Theater’s Miscast 2021 Gala. There are two other gala events, a new musical reading, a vintage classical music concert, new music, a play reading and more.

Here are the Best Bets: May 14th – May 17th.

*TOP PICK* – Miscast 2021 – MCC Theater – May 16th – May 20th

Yesterday we posted a full preview of this event, but here’s what makes this show so entertaining: Broadway stars perform songs separately or with others they would never be cast to sing. For instance, Robert Fairchild sings this song from the musical Sweet Charity in a clip from last year’s “quarantine” edition of Miscast.

This year’s line-up includes Annaleigh Ashford (Sunday in the Park with George), Melissa Barrera (In the Heights), Gavin Creel (Hello, Dolly!), Robin de Jesús (The Boys in the Band), Renée Elise Goldsberry (Hamilton), Leslie Grace (In the Heights), Cheyenne Jackson (Finian’s Rainbow), Jai’Len Josey (SpongeBob SquarePants), LaChanze (Summer: The Donna Summer Musical), Idina Menzel (Wicked), Kelli O’Hara (Kiss Me, Kate), Billy Porter (Kinky Boots), Kelly Marie Tran (Raya and the Last Dragon), Aaron Tveit (Moulin Rouge) and Patrick Wilson (The Full Monty).

This is a free event, though donations are encouraged.

PLAY READING: Watch on the Rhine – Broadway’s Best Shows – Now – May 17th

Lillian Hellman’s Watch on the Rhine had its world premiere at the Martin Beck Theater on April 1, 1941. Her play tells the story of a German man, Mueller, married to an American woman, who is involved with anti-fascist causes in Europe. While visiting his wife’s relatives in Washington, D.C., another guest, also staying with the family, blackmails Mueller after discovering Mueller is planning to send money to aid underground operations in Germany.

For this reading as part of Spotlight on Plays, Ellen Burstyn, Alan Cox, Carla Gugino, Mary Beth Peil and Jeremy Shamos star in this reading directed by Sarna Lapine.

Tickets are $18 with the reading available for viewing through Monday at 6:00 PM ET/3:00 PM PT. Proceeds from the reading benefit The Actors Fund.

Trivia: Two years later a film version of Watch on the Rhine was released starring Bette Davis and Paul Lukas (reprising his role from Broadway). The film was nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Picture. Lukas won for Best Actor.

DANCE: Stephen Petronio Company – The Joyce Theater – Now – May 26th

There are five works being showcased in this new film by the Stephen Petronio Company, the New York-based dance company that was founded in 1984.

Two of the five pieces being performed are set to songs made famous by Elvis Presley: Are You Lonesome Tonight and Love Me Tender.

There are two versions of Are You Lonesome Tonight being performed. Love Me Tender was originally performed in 1993 in a collaboration with artist Cindy Sherman.

New Prayer For Now (Part 1) has its debut in this film. Petronio was inspired by Balm in Gilead and Bridge Over Troubled Water when creating New Prayer…. Monstah Black (who is also a dancer and choreographer in addition to being a musician) composed the music and performs with the Young People’s Chorus of New York City.

The program wraps up with a new version of Group Primary Accumulation by Trisha Brown and Pandemic Portraits, a film by Dancing Camera.

Tickets are $25.

CLASSICAL MUSIC: Berlin Philharmonic 1967 – Carnegie Hall – May 14 – May 21st

Herbert von Karajan leads the Berliner Philharmoniker in a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 with soloist Alexis Weissenberg.

This is amongst the most popular concerti in the world. But if Weissenberg’s name isn’t familiar to today’s audiences, this quote from his obituary by Maraglit Fox in the New York Times defines his reputation:

“Mr. Weissenberg possessed a technical prowess rivaled by few other pianists. The ice of his demeanor at the keyboard (he sat, leaned forward and got down to business, playing with scarcely a smile or grimace) was matched by the fire that came off the keys.” (Weissenberg passed away in 2012.)

There is no charge to watch this performance. This is the first of a new series Carnegie Hall Selects featuring performances by artists who played major roles in the 130-year history of the venue.

BROADWAY VOCALS: Jose Llana: Broadway Stories & Songs with Ted Sperling – May 14th – 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT

Broadway star Jose Llana is Ted Sperling‘s guest for Broadway Stories & Songs. Llana has been seen in The King and I, Rent, Street Corner Symphony, Flower Drum Song, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Wonderland on Broadway.

I first saw him in Flower Drum Song at the Mark Taper Forum. I also saw him in the incredible show Here Lies Love at the Public Theater.

He also performed Adam Guettel’s song cycle Saturn Returns (later renamed Myths and Hymns) which is where he and Sperling first worked together.

If you can’t see the show on Friday, there is an encore showing scheduled for May 15th at 2:00 PM ET/11:00 AM PT. Tickets for either showing are $25. You can watch the show a second time if you buy tickets for the Friday night showing.

JAZZ: Robert Glasper: Everything’s Beautiful – SFJAZZ – May 14th – 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT

This 2018 concert found innovative musician/composer Robert Glasper putting his own spin on works by Miles Davis for his album Everything’s Beautiful. Glasper’s music was featured in Don Cheadle’s film Miles Ahead from 2015.

If you don’t know Glasper or his work, he’s one of the most interesting artists working in jazz today. He’s also collaborated with Erykah Badu, Herbie Hancock, Kendrick Lamar, Ledisi and Jill Scott.

Joining Glasper in this performance are vocalist Bilal; Michael Severson on guitars; Burniss Travis on bass and Justin Tyson on drums.

If you can’t watch Friday night’s showing that is part of SFJAZZ’s Fridays at Five series, there is an encore showing on Saturday, May 15th at 1:00 PM ET/10:00 AM PT. Tickets require either a one-month digital membership for $5 or a $50 annual digital membership.

MUSICAL: Breathe: A New Musical – May 14th – July 9th

Playwright Timothy Allen McDonald (Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka) and novelist Jodi Picoult (The Book of Two Ways) have teamed up for this new musical suite that features interlocking stories of five different couples navigating their way through the Covid pandemic and its impact on their lives.

The songs were written by Doug Besterman (The Big One-Oh!), Zina Goldrich (Ever After), Marcy Heisler (Hollywood Romance), Kate Leonard (Ratatouille: The TiKTok Musical), Douglas Lyons (Peter, Darling), Daniel J. Mertzlufft (Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical), Rebecca Murillo (Credence & Cecilia), Ethan Pakchar (Five Points), Rob Rokicki (The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical) and Sharon Vaughn (My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys).

Appearing in this online musical are Tony Award winners Kelli O’Hara and Brian Stokes Mitchell along with Denée Benton (Hamilton), Rubén J. Carbajal (Hamilton), Max Clayton (Moulin Rouge), Josh Davis (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), Colin Donnell (Anything Goes), Matt Doyle (the upcoming revival of Company), Patti Murin (Frozen), T. Oliver Reid (Hadestown), and Daniel Yearwood (Once on This Island).

Tickets are $25 to watch Breathe. If you want to join the official opening night on Friday, May 14th at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT, those tickets are $40 and includes an post-premiere cast party and a download of the music from the show.

CONTEMPORARY SONG CYCLE: Dorothea – CAP UCLA – Debuts May 15th – 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT

Ted Hearne, one of our most fascinating and interesting composes, has created a song cycle inspired by the poetry of Dorothea Lasky.

Lasky is an acclaimed poet who told the LA Review of Books, “I do believe it’s better not to be safe in your poems.” As a composer, Hearne also doesn’t play it safe.

They both are utterly compelling. This combination should double down on that and prove to be very exciting to watch.

Hearne was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for his 2018 composition Sound From the Bench. Both Los Angeles Opera and San Francisco Opera performed his opera The Source about Chelsea Manning.

Hearne will be singing vocals in this performance. Joining him are Eliza Bagg on vocals and synths; Ashley Bathgate on cello; Nathan Koci on piano/keyboards; Diana Wade on viola; Ron Wiltrout on drums and Ayanna Woods on bass.   

There is no charge to watch Dorothea. Donations to CAP UCLA are encouraged.

CLASSICAL MUSIC: Nadia Sirota, Gabriel Cabezas and Rob Moose – The Phillips Collections – Debuts May 16th – 4:00 PM ET/1:00 PM PT

Johann Sebastian Bach’s Trio Sonata No. 6 in G Major, BWV 530 serves as the foundation for this performance by violist Nadia Sirota, cellist Gabriel Cabezas and violinist Rob Moose.

The concert will begin and end with a movement from the sonata with a third movement at the halfway point.

Interspersed amongst the concert are works by three of today’s most interesting contemporary composers: Marcos Batler, Missy Mazzoli and Nico Muhly.

Sirota is also the music producer for Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s Close Quarters series.

There is no charge to watch this performance, however registration is required. The program will remain available for viewing through May 22nd.

PLAY READING: Sejanus, His Fall – Red Bull Theater – Debuts May 17th – 7:30 PM ET/4:30 PM PT

New York’s Red Bull Theater will present a new adaptation of Ben Johnson’s 17th-century play Sejanus, His Fall on Monday night. The adaptation is by Nathan Winkelstein, who also directs.

The play depicts a power struggle between Tiberius, the Emperor of Rome and Sejanus, his right-hand man. Sejanus covets being the emperor. Tiberius has no desire to make that a possibility. Factions line up behind each man and the power struggle begins with all of our own contemporary issues surrounding politics and power at play.

Participating in the reading are: Shirine Babb (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), Grantham Coleman (The Great Society), Keith David (Seven Guitars), Manoel Felciano (To Kill a Mockingbird), Denis O’Hare (Assassins), Matthew Rauch (Junk), Liv Rooth (To Kill a Mockingbird), Laila Robins (Heartbreak House), Stephen Spinella (Angels in America), Emily Swallow (High Fidelity), Raphael Nash Thompson (The Red Letter Plays), Tamara Tunie (Radio Golf) and James Udom (The Rolling Stone).

Tickets are pay what you can with proceeds going to Red Bull Theater.

CONCERT/GALA: Stand Up, Stand Strong – Covenant House – May 17th – 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT

Sara Bareilles, Stephanie J. Block, Jon Bon Jovi, Zach Braff, Terron Brooks, Rachel Brosnahan, Stephen Colbert, Charlie Day, Darius De Haas, Ariana DeBose, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Morgan Freeman, Jon Hamm, Adrianna Hicks, James Monroe Iglehart, Capathia Jenkins, Jewel, Jeremy Jordan, Amanda Kloots, Ames McNamara, Laurie Metcalf, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Abby Mueller, Alex Newell, Desus Nice and The Kid Mero, Kelli O’Hara, Laura Osnes, Dolly Parton, Jo Ellen Pellman, Ben Platt, Jason Ralph, Ryan Reynolds, Chita Rivera, Robin Roberts, Aliza Russell, Keala Settle, Tony Shalhoub, Meryl Streep, Ana Villafañe, Dionne Warwick, Marlon Wayans, Frank Wildhorn, Vanessa Williams, Daniel Yearwood and more will join co-hosts Audra McDonald and John Dickerson for this annual fundraiser for Covenant House.

The organization provides shelter for homeless youth living on the streets. They have helped more than one million youth since their inception more than 40 years ago.

This gala fundraiser will offer music, stories and more. There is no charge to watch the show, however donations are encouraged. For a list of the many ways you can watch Stand Up, Stand Strong, please go here.

VOCALS/STORIES: Jim Caruso’s Pajama Cast Party – May 17th – 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT

Though Jim Caruso has multiple guests for this Monday’s 58th episode of Pajama Cast Party, I can sum up the reason to tune into this particular episode with two words: Marilyn Maye.

That’s the official list of Best Bets: May 14th – May 17th. Here are also a few reminders:

Lincoln Center Theater’s Tales from the Wings, which we previewed here, will remain available through Monday, May 17th. This is a must for theater fans.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic debuts Chamber Music: Piazzolla in their Filmed at the Ford series. You can find details here.

This weekend’s offering from the Metropolitan Opera include the documentary The Audition on Friday; Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia from the 2014-2015 season on Saturday and Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux from the 2015-2016 season on Sunday.

Sunday will also be the finals of the National Council Auditions at the Met at 3:00 PM ET/12:00 PM PT.

Monday begins Week 62 at the Met where the theme is Unhinged Mad Scenes. The first production being streamed is the 2006-2007 season production of Bellini’s I Puritani with Anna Netrebko.

There are just two weeks left to see Sutton Foster’s Bring Me to Light. You can find details in our preview here.

There you have a jam-packed list of Best Bets: May 14th – May 17th.

Enjoy your weekend and enjoy the shows!

Photo: Renée Elise Goldsberry (Photo by Justin Bettman/Courtesy MCC Theater)

The post Best Bets: May 14th – May 17th appeared first on Cultural Attaché.

Indirectly celebrating this natal day are multiple options that fall under the category of a line from Hamlet, “The play’s the thing.” Beyond the Shakespeare options are five other plays.

If you want funky jazz, contemporary classical music, operas from Europe or modern dance, I’ve got that for you as well. They’re all so good, I can’t make one of them the top pick.

In As You Like It, these famous words are said, “All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players.” So in this spirit of this weekend’s Academy Awards, the nominees for great players in Best Bets: April 23rd – April 26th are:

THEATER: Neat – Manhattan Theatre Club – Now – April 25th

Charlayne Woodard’s one-person show Neat opened at New York City Center in a Manhattan Theatre Club production in 1997.

Lawrence Van Gelder, writing for the New York Times, said of Woodard’s play, “Ms. Woodard sings, she dances, but most of all she tells good stories, bringing them to life in ways that are poignant.”

Woodard revisits the work in this prevention as part of MTC’s Curtain Call series. The great thing is you can see this wonderful play and performance for free. All you have to do is register. But act quickly, the run ends on Sunday, April 25th.

DANCE: Digital Program 5 – San Francisco Ballet – Now – May 12th

Three archival performances make up this program from San Francisco Ballet. They include 7 for Eight from 2016 and Anima Animus and Snowblind from 2018.

Helgi Tomasson is the creator of 7 for Eight which is set to the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. David Dawson is the choreographer of Anima Animus which is set to music by Ezio Bosso. Cathy Marston is the choreographer of Snowblind which uses music by Amy Beach, Philip Feeney, Arthur Foote, and Arvo Pärt.

Tickets are $29 and allow for 72 hours of access to the program.

PLAY READING: Two Sisters and a Piano – New Normal Rep – Now – May 23rd ART IN AN EMAIL

Playwright Nilo Cruz is best-known for his Pulitzer Prize winning play Anna in the Tropics from 2002. Three years prior to that success he premiered Two Sisters and a Piano.

The play tells the story of two sisters under house arrest in Cuba in 1991. One sister is an author and the lieutenant keeping track of their case has fallen in love with her. The other is a pianist who finds her piano tuner falling head over heels for his client.

Cruz has directed a new reading of Two Sisters and a Piano with Jimmy Smits (Anna in the Tropics); Florencia Lozano (Rinse, Repeat), Gary Perez and Daphne Rubin-Vega (both of whom appeared in Two Sisters and a Piano at The Public Theater.)

In A.D. Amorosi‘s review of this reading for Variety, he says, “Cruz’s playful poetic language, even at its most harshly politicized, and his easy direction allow his actors a delicious freedom. Even when its characters are not free, enclosed in one cramped apartment with nothing but mangoes, rice and the occasional rum shot (and despite the virtual limitations of a laptop’s viewing screen), Two Sisters and a Piano is as open as a Havana landscape, with all of its flavors, scents and sensory overloads at full tilt.”

Tickets are $25 with $10 tickets available for students.

PLAY: The Royale – Private Reels: From the LCT Archives on Broadway on Demand – Now – May 16th

Real life boxer Jack Jackson (the first African-American world heavyweight champion) serves as the inspiration for the story of Jay “The Sport” Jackson in Marco Ramirez’s 2016 play The Royale. (He was also the inspiration for The Great White Hope).

The story is told in six rounds.

Rachel Chavkin, Tony Award-winner for Hadestown, directed this production. Starring are McKinley Belcher III (the 2020 revival of A Soldier’s Play), Khris Davis (Sweat), Montego Glover (Tony nominee for Memphis), John Lavelle (Catch-22) and Clarke Peters (Five Guys Named Moe).

As Ben Brantley said in his rave New York Times review, “…the great subject of The Royale, which has been given such original and graceful theatrical form, is the selfish single-mindedness required of champions, and the repercussions such a focus has when it’s exercised by a black man in a white man’s world.” 

There is no charge to watch The Royale, but you will have to register with Broadway on Demand.

THEATER: An Iliad – A Noise Within – Now – May 16th

Easily one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences I’ve had seeing a play was when I attended Denis O’Hare and Lisa Peterson’s An Iliad at the Broad Stage in Santa Monica. It’s a powerful work that is inspired by Homer’s Iliad.

This play, specifically called An Iliad because it isn’t the Iliad, calls for just one actor and a cellist and that actor has to be completely on top of his/her game.

A Noise Within is offering streaming performances of An Iliad with co-founder Geoff Elliott and actress Deborah Strang alternating performances. Joining them as both composer and cellist is Karen Hall. Julia Rodriguez-Elliott directs.

The link in the title will take you to the website so you can see which actor is performing in each performance. Tickets, which are $25 for an individual and $40 for a family, must be reserved a minimum of two hours before each performance.

To see what Denis O’Hare had to say about the show, check out my 2014 interview with him here.

OPERA: Jules Massenet’s Manon – Wiener Staatsoper – April 22nd – 1:00 PM EDT/10:00 AM

Conducted by Frédéric Chaslin; starring Nina Machaidze, Juan Diego Flórez and Adrian Eröd. This Andrei Serban production is from 2019.

Massenet’s opera was composed in 1883 and had its world premiere in January of 1884 in Paris. The libretto is by  Henri Meilhac and Philippe Gille.

They based the opera on the 1731 Abbé Prévost novel, L’histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut.

A young woman from a small town has an intense desire to lavish herself with all the riches and pleasures life has to offer her. But life doesn’t always work out the way we want. Sounds like a story that could be written today.

This is the first of Vienna State Opera’s productions I’ve included in our listings. Very much like the Metropolitan Opera, they offer a different production each day. There is no charge to watch the productions, but you do need to register on their website. Each production will be available for 24 hours.

MUSICAL: A Letter to Harvey Milk – Now – April 25th

The creators of this musical, Jerry James, Laura I. Kramer, Ellen M. Schwartz and Cheryl Stern were inspired by a short story of the same name by Lesléa Newman. A Letter to Harvey Milk opened off-Broadway in 2018 at the Acorn Theatre in New York.

The setting is San Francisco in the mid 1980s. Harry, a kosher butcher who has retired and is also a widower, is given an assignment to write a letter to someone who is dead. He chooses California politician Harvey Milk – the first openly gay politician elected in California who was later assassinated by Dan White in 1978. But why?

Members of the original cast has reunited for this streaming production. They include Adam Heller, Julia Knitel, Cheryl Stern who are joined by Michael Bartoli, Jeremy Greenbaum, Aury Krebs and Ravi Roth. Evan Pappas directs.

Tickets range from $10 – $50 with proceeds going to The Actors Fund and HIAS. All tickets purchased will allow viewing of the musical through Sunday, April 25th at 11:59 PM EDT/8:59 PDT.

SHAKESPEARE: Shakespeare Sonnet Slam – Gingold Theatrical Group – April 23rd – 6:00 PM EDT/3:00 PM PDT

Happy Birthday William Shakespeare. You don’t look a day over 450. The Gingold Theatrical Group is celebrating by holding a virtual open mic where Shakespeare’s sonnets or other material based on or inspired by the Sonnets will be performed. Everyone is invited to participate and you have three minutes to give it your all.

Joining in this celebration are Stephen Brown-Fried, Robert Cuccioli, Tyne Daly, George Dvorsky, Melissa Errico, Alison Fraser, Tom Hewitt, Daniel Jenkins, John-Andrew Morrison, Patrick Page, Maryann Plunkett, Tonya Pinkins, Laila Robins, Jay O. Sanders, Renee Taylor, Jon Patrick Walker and more.

You’ll have to come up with your own take on the Sonnets, but this is a free party! You can find the Shakespeare Sonnet Slam on Gingold Theatrical Group’s Facebook page.

CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL MUSIC: Sonic Shift – Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra – Premieres April 23rd at 9:30 PM EDT/6:30 PM PDT

Composer Jessie Montgomery has curated this new episode of LA Chamber Orchestra’s Close Quarters series. On the program are works by composers Marcos Balter, Anna Meredith and Alyssa Weinberg. Each work explores the progression from acoustic music to electronic and electro-acoustic music with an emphasis on the wind section.

Will Kim provides the visuals that accompany the performance which is lead by Christopher Rountree of Wild Up! Nadia Sirota is the music producer.

This is the first of two Close Quarters episodes curated by Montgomery. I recently interviewed her about working with LACO. You can read that interview here.

There’s no charge to watch this performance. Donations are encouraged.

CHAMBER MUSIC: Neave Trio – Asheville Chamber Music Series – April 23rd – April 25th – Art in an EMAIL

Pianist Eri Nakamura, cellist Mikhail Veselov and violinist Anna Williams are the members in Neave Trio. Following on the heels of their 2019 album Her Voice, which featured female composers, their concert this weekend as part of the Asheville Chamber Music Series will also showcase female composers.

On the program is the Trio No. 1, Op. 33 by Louise Farrench; Rebecca Clarke’s Piano Trio and Cécile Chaminade’s Piano Trio No. 1, Op. 11.

Perhaps none of these composers is familiar to you. They aren’t to me. But Neave Trio’s passion for this lesser-known music makes this concert utterly compelling.

There are three performances: Friday, April 23rd at 7:30 PM EDT/4:30 PM PDT; Saturday at 7:30 PM EDT/4:30 PM PDT and Sunday at 3:00 PM EDT/12:00 PM PDT.

You can watch this concert for free, but donations are encouraged.

JAZZ: Sun Ra Arkestra – SFJAZZ – April 23rd – 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT

The name Herman Poole Blount probably doesn’t mean anything to you. But if told that was the birth name of Le Sony’r Ra who would later become known as Sun Ra, you might have a better idea who he was.

Experimental, free and avant-garde jazz was his specialty. It was always performed best by the Sun Ra Arkestra.

After Sun Ra’s death in 1993, alto saxophonist Marshall Allen starting leading the ensemble. As he does in this concert at SFJAZZ from 2017.

To get a sense of what might be in store for you in this Fridays at Five concert, here are some of the songs being performed: Space Loneliness, Saturn, Angels and Demons at Play and Space is the Place. It’s going to be trippy.

And you can take that trip for $5 (which offers one full month of digital membership or $60 (which includes a one year digital membership.)

There is an encore showing on April 24th at 1:00 PM EDT/10:00 AM PDT.

PLAY: Romeo and Juliet – Great Performances on PBS – April 23rd – Check Local Listings

You don’t expect just some stand-up sonnets for Shakespeare’s birthday, do you? Of course not. Let’s throw in some tragedy. As in the tragic love story of them all – Romeo and Juliet.

The National Theatre created this film which maneuvers its way from rehearsal into and around the Lyttleton Theatre. The cast are stuck in a theater that has shut down and act out the story of the Capulets and the Montagues.

Starring as the title characters are Josh O’Connor and Jessie Buckley. The cast also includes Fisayo Akinade, Ella Dacres, Deborah Findlay, Tamsin Greig, Ellis Howard, Lloyd Hutchinson, David Judge, Adrian Lester, Lucian Msamati, Alex Mugnaioni, Shubham Saraf and Colin Tierney. Simon Godwin is the director.

As with any show on PBS, I’d advise checking your local listings for exact airdate and time in your part of the country.

OPERA: Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte – Wiener Staatsoper – April 24th – 1:00 PM EDT/10:00 AM PDT

Conducted by Adam Fischer; starring Benjamin Bruns, Olga Bezsmertna, Íride Martínez, Markus Werba and Annika Gerhards. This Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier production is from 2015.

Mozart’s opera premiered in September 1791 in Vienna a mere two months before the composer died. It features a libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder.

Prince Tamino is asked by the Queen of the Night to free her daughter Pamina from Sarastro. Tamino, however, is impressed with Sarastro and the way his community lives in the world and wants to be a part of it. Both alone and together Tamino and Pamina endure multiple tests. If they succeed, what will happen to them? To the Queen of the Night?

MONOLOGUES: Whispers International – April 24th – 2:00 PM EDT/11:00 AM PDT

As you know, there was a massive blast in Lebanon on August 4th of last year. Almost 200 people were killed and over 6,000 people were injured.

Whispers International was created to raise money for the victims and to help in the rebuilding of the area around the blast site.

British playwrights Geraldine Breenna, Mike Elliston, Kim Hardy, Angela Harvey, John Jesper and Kate Webster have made their writing available to a company of Lebanese actors to perform.

Those actors are Nadine Labaki, Georges Khabbaz, Nada Abou Farhat, Talal El Jurdi, Bernadette Houdeib, Rita Hayek, Badih Abou Chacra, Dory Al-Samarany, Bshara Atallah, Sany Abdul Baki, Josyane Boulos, Agatha Ezzedine and Hagop Der Ghougassian 

Tickets are £13.52 which at press time equals approximately $18.75.

OPERA: Humperdinck’s Hänsel und Gretel – Weiner Staatsoper – April 25th – 1:00 PM EDT/10:00 AM PDT

Conducted by Christian Thielemann; starring Ileana Tosca, Daniela Sindram, Adrian Eröd, Janina Baechle, Michaela Schuster, Annika Gerhards

The Grimm brother’s fairly tale about a brother and sister who are lured to a house with sweets and candies only to find a witch who wants to eat the duo is the basis for this opera that had its debut in 1893 in Weimar. Richard Strauss conducted the premiere. A second production the next year in Hamburg was conducted by Gustav Mahler. Adelheid Wette, Humpderdink’s sister, wrote the libretto.

Hansel and Gretel has the distinction of finding much of its popularity not just through opera houses, but on the radio. It was the first opera broadcast on the radio in Europe when a 1923 Covent Garden production was heard over the airwaves. Eight years later in 1931, it became the first ever opera broadcast in its entirety by the Metropolitan Opera.

The opera is commonly seen and heard during the Christmas season. An odd choice, but librettist Adelheid Wette did soften some of the harsher elements found in the original Grimm tales for her brother’s opera.

CABARET: Mandy Gonzalez – Seth Concert Series – April 25th – 3:00 PM EDT/12:00 PM PDT

With the upcoming film version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights, it’s a great time to check in on one of the musical’s original cast members: Mandy Gonzalez, who originated the role of Nina.

Gonazalez is an insanely talented singer and actress.

I saw her in In the Heights. She’s also appeared in Wicked, Lennon, Dance of the Vampires and as Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton.

I’ve also seen her perform her cabaret act and it is impossible to express the amount of pure joy that comes out of her when she’s singing. (And she does a killer version of Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen.)

She is Seth Rudetsky’s guest in his concert series this weekend.

Tickets are $25 and you can watch the live performance at 3:00 PM EDT or the replay of the concert at 8:00 PM EDT. Whichever you choose, you will certainly have a good time.

IN PERSON: DANCE: Uniting in Movement – American Ballet Theatre – Segerstrom Center for the Arts – April 25th – 1:30 PM PDT

You could be ambivalent about the Academy Awards and go see a rare live performance of ballet in Costa Mesa. ABT has been creating a program of three different works that were filmed this week. On Sunday, they are opening up Segerstrom Center for the Arts for a limited number of people to see the performance live.

The works are Let Me Sing Forever More by choreographer Jessica Lang and set to the recordings of Tony Bennett (clearly the title comes from Fly Me to the Moon); La Follia Variations by Lauren Lovette set to music of the same name by composer Francesco Geminiani and Indestructible Light by Darrell Grand Moultrie which is set to music by Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Neal Hefti and Billy Strayhorn.

Hefti, by the way, composed the theme for the television series Batman.

At press time the only available tickets were $80 each. There are Covid-protocols in place for this performance.

For those willing to wait, Uniting in Movement will be available for streaming through Segerstrom Center for the Arts from May 12th – May 26th for $25.

CHAMBER MUSIC: Argus Quartet: noise/Silence – Five Boroughs Music Festival and The Noguchi Museum – April 25th – 7:30 PM EDT/4:30 PM PDT (Art in an email)

Cellist Audrey Chen, violinists Clara Kim and Gioncarlo Latta and violist Maren Rothfritz make up the Argus Quartet. Though they perform music from across all eras of classical music, they seem to excel in contemporary works.

This concert was filmed at one of my favorite museums in New York, The Noguchi Museum. It is being presented by the Five Boroughs Music Festival. The Argus Quartet will perform works by composers John Cage (String Quartet in Four Parts); Dorothy Rudd More (Modes for String Quartet), Rolf Wallin (several selections from Curiosity Cabinet) and Paul Wiancko (Vox Petra).

The concert will be available for free streaming on the Five Boroughs Music Festival YouTube channel through December 31st.

OPERA: Bizet’s Carmen – Weiner Staatsoper – April 26th – 1:00 PM EDT/10:00 AM PDT

Conducted by Andrés Orozco-Estrada; starring Anita Rachvelishvili, Piotr Beczala, Erwin Schrott and Vera-Lotte Boecker. This Calixto Bieito production is from 2021.

Georges Bizet collaborated with librettists Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy on this immensely popular opera. It was based on Propser Mérimée’s novella of the same name. 

When Carmen was first performed in Paris in 1875 it was considered both shocking and scandalous. 

Set in Seville, Spain, Carmen is a gypsy who has caught everyone’s eye. A soldier, Don José, plays coy and gives her no attention. Her flirtation causes troubles for both when Don José’s girlfriend, Micaëla arrives. Tensions escalate between the two women and after a knight fight, José must arrest Carmen. When she seduces him it sets off a series of events that will not end well for the gypsy woman.

PLAY: Measure for Measure – Goodman Theatre – April 26th – May 9th

Here’s another opportunity to celebrate the bard. But this isn’t going to be your standard production of a Shakespearean play.

Director Robert Falls has transported this play from Vienna to New YOrk City circa the late 1970s (or as I like to describe it, before Disney moved into Broadway).

The story is still the same. Claudio is sentenced to death under an arcane law invoked by Angelo who has taken over for the Duke who has left rather than have to deal with morality issues in (originally Vienna). Claudio’s crime? Getting his girlfriend, Juliet, pregnant.

The Duke returns in disguise and becomes aware of the decisions Angelo has been making. Deception, bargains, bartering, love and death are all on the table in this fairly convoluted play.

Justin Hayford, in his review for the Chicago Reader, had mixed feelings about the production:

“It’s rare for one of Shakespeare’s plays to be ripped from its original setting, transplanted across centuries and continents—and still end up feeling vital, urgent, and utterly contemporary. At least for a while. If Falls and his stellar cast could maintain that vitality past intermission, they’d have a masterpiece on their hands.”

Nonetheless, I think the concept sounds interesting and worth checking out. What else are you going to do on a Monday night? (Of course, I have another option for you…)

Tickets are free, but require registration.

AUDIO PLAY: Brother, Brother – New York Theatre Workshop – Live Premiere April 26th – 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT Art in an email

New York Theater Workshop is offering up a twist on audio plays. This will feature visuals, but not of the performers. Rather, artists Ibrahim Rayintakath​ and Liang-Hsin Huang have created imagery that will accompany Aleshea Harris’ play.

Brother, Brother tells the story of two brothers sharing a bicycle while making their way through Appalachia. They are actors headed to Tennessee. They start getting followed by a mysterious man in a maroon suit. At this moment the dreams they have for their future are confronted by the acts from their past.

Starring in this audio play are Amari Cheathom (terrific in August Wilson’s Jitney), André De Shields (Tony Award-winner for Hadestown), Gbenga Akinnagbe (To Kill a Mockingbird) and Owen Tabaka (Ratatouille: The Tik Tok Musical). Shayok Misha Chowdhury directs.

Tickets are $10. Brother, Brother will remain available for streaming through July 25th.

Those are my Best Bets: April 23rd – April 26th. But a few reminders (and a preview):

MasterVoices has debuted the 3rd part of Myths and Hymns, a series of short films set to Adam Guettel’s song cycle. For details about the series, go here. For my interview with MasterVoices Artistic Director Ted Sperling, go here.

Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Gala 2021 is available for streaming through Sunday. For details about the program and how to get tickets, go here.

Carnegie Hall’s Voices of Hope series continues with multiple new shows available for free viewing. For details go here.

The Metropolitan Opera streams Philip Glass’ Satyagraha on Friday (highly recommended); Beethoven’s Fidelio on Saturday and Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites on Sunday (also highly recommended). For details and previews go here.

Here’s a preview of next week at the Met where the theme is City of Light (all the operas take place in Paris). Monday’s opera is, what else, La Bohème by Puccini.

That truly is the full and complete list of Best Bets: April 23rd – April 26th. Enjoy your weekend!

Photo: William Shakespeare (By BatyrAshirbayev98/Courtesy Wikipedia Commons)

The post Best Bets: April 23rd – April 26th appeared first on Cultural Attaché.

Assassins looks at both successful and would-be presidential assassins. It’s a thoroughly engaging and thoughtful musical that suggests the fame these folks are seeking is not radically different than the attention the presidents and politicians receive.

John Doyle, Artistic Director of Classic Stage Company and a Tony Award winner for Best Director of the 2005 revival of Sweeney Todd, will be joined by Sondheim and Weidman for the event.

Participating from the original off-Broadway production at Playwrights Horizons in 1990 are:

Patrick Cassidy – (Balladeer); Victor Garber (John Wilkes Booth); Greg Germann (John Hinckley, Jr.); Annie Golden (Lynette ‘Squeaky’ Fromme); Lyn Greene (Bystander/Emma Goldman); Jonathan Hadary (Charles Guiteau); Eddie Korbich (Guiseppe Zangara); Terrence Mann (Leon Czolgosz); Debra Monk (Sara Jane Moore); William Parry (understudy for Leon Czolgosz/Samuel Byck); Lee Wilkof (Samuel Byck) and Jerry Zaks (director).

Joining from the Roundabout Theatre Company 2004 Tony Award-winning revival are:

Becky Ann Baker (Sara Jane Moore); Mario Cantone (Samuel Byck); Michael Cerveris (John Wilkes Booth; Tony Award); Mary Catherine Garrison (Lynette ‘Squeaky’ Fromme); Alexander Gemignani (John Hinckley, Jr.); Ken Krugman (Swing); Marc Kudisch (The Proprietor); Joe Mantello (Director); Anne L. Nathan (Emma Goldman); Denis O’Hare (Charles Guiteau); Chris Peluso (Understudy/Swing) and Sally Wilfert (Swing).

Joining from the upcoming Classic Stage Company production are:

Adam Chanler-Berat (John Hinckley, Jr.); Eddie Cooper (The Proprietor); Tavi Gevinson (Lynette ‘Squeaky’ Fromme); Andy Grotelueschen (Samuel Byck); Judy Kuhn (Sara Jane Moore); Steven Pasquale* (John Wilkes Booth); Ethan Slater (The Balladeer/Lee Harvey Oswald); Will Swenson (Charles Guiteau); Wesley Taylor (Guiseppe Zangara) and Brandon Uranowitz (Leon Czolgosz).

There are also special guests:

Quincy Tyler Bernstine (Marys Seacole); André De Shields (Hadestown – Tony Award); Raúl Esparza (2006 revival of Company directed by Doyle); Brad Giovanine (Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812); Ann Harada (2017 production of Pacific Overtures at CSC); Bianca Horn (2017 revival of The Color Purple directed by Doyle); Greg Jarrett (Music Director of CSC’s Pacific Overtures); Whit K. Lee (Junie B. Jones); Audra McDonald (you know who she is); Rob Morrison (Frankenstein at CSC); Mary Beth Peil (2008 revival of Sunday in the Park with George and 2011 revival of Follies); George Takei (CSC’s Pacific Overtures); Katrina Yaukey (2006 revival of Company); Tony Yazbeck (2008 revival of Gypsy) and Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Though the event is free, registration is required. Tell the Story will be available for streaming through April 19th only.

*Pasquale played the same part in the 2017 Encores! Off-Center production.

Photo: John Weidman and Will Swenson (Photo by Ahron R. Foster/Courtesy Classic Stage Company)

The post Classic Stage Company to Tell the Story of “Assassins” appeared first on Cultural Attaché.

You will notice that as the inability to hold in-person performances continues to be the reality for performing arts organizations that more original programming is becoming available. With that comes fees to view many of those new offerings. It’s just a fact that performing arts organizations are struggling like any other business during these troubled times. Not only does this new material keep the conversation going between venue and audience, it helps keep the theatres in business.

This weekend there are truly options for everyone in your family: from kid-friendly programming to cutting-edge explorations of topical events; from a new vision for two popular one-act operas to a Latinx Broadway extravaganza; from an exploration of parallels between present-day America and the Rome Republic to gender-bending farce. And more. Much more.

Without further ado, here are your Best Bets at Home: October 1st – October 4th.

Still. – PlayhouseLive – Now – November 1st

PlayhouseLive is a new digital platform introduced yesterday by the Pasadena Playhouse. The site will offer a combination of free material and paid material – all of which is completely new and/or newly discovered. To help launch the site they enlisted three-time national poetry slam champion Jovan Johnson. Still. is his show.

Still. finds Johnson performing his poetry.

Fans will recognize some of the material (Cuz He’s Black, Black and Happy) and there will also be new work that has never been filmed or recorded.

Johnson directly tackles several of the major issues of our time. But he does so in a way that both forces the viewer to confront his/her own thoughts while at the same time generating tremendous empathy. By the time Still. is over, you have gone through an incredible journey that will ultimately leave you somewhat hopeful.

I interviewed Johnson recently. You can read that interview here.

Update: This post has been updated to include a period – “.” at the end of the title of the show. Still. is the show’s complete title.

Kiki & Herb: Seeking Asylum! – Joe’s Pub/The Public Theater – Now – November 5th

Justin Vivian Bond and Kenny Mellman are well known, when performing together, as Kiki & Herb, a lounge-singing duo in their 70s who have failed in their pursuit of fame. In 2016 their show Seeking Asylum was both a critical and commercial hit. The show sold out at Joe’s Pub. In fact, the entire one-month run sold out within minutes.

Promo materials for the show describe their misadventures leading up to this show like this:

“After major successes at Carnegie Hall, on Broadway, and on the International Concert Circuit, cabaret legends Kiki and Herb took a break from the live performance grind to explore other opportunities. Kiki’s sabbatical included a stint as a Middle East correspondent for Al Jazeera, while Herb found himself in hot water—both literal and proverbial—in Southeast Asia.”

Joe’s Pub and The Public are making the show available on both Joe’s Pub’s YouTube page and The Public’s website for viewing through November 5th. There is no charge to watch this thoroughly entertaining show.

Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s The Circus – PlayhouseLive – Now – November 18th

Pasadena Playhouse’s new series, PlayhouseLive, launched on Wednesday. Amongst the shows available is a new film of a classic show by the Bob Baker Marionette Theater: the 1950 classic The Circus.

With over 100 hand-made marionettes, the lives and performances of a circus troupe come to vivid life. Everything you expect from the circus is performed with these amazing creations: animals acts, clowns, trapeze artists, acrobats and more.

For those who went to Bob Baker’s theater downtown before they moved to Highland Park, you know how magical their performances have always been. Puppeteers are not separated from the audience. That brings an immediacy to what they are doing and also makes the marionettes approachable for younger audiences.

This filmed version of The Circus is available for $14.99 and allows repeated viewings over the course of 48 hours. Trust me when I say that these shows appeal to the kid in all of us, regardless of age.

The Tribute Artist – Primary Stages/59E59 Theaters – October 1st – October 4th

Playwright/actor Charles Busch debuted The Tribute Artist in 2014. The play tells the story of a female impersonator who assumes the identity of his newly-deceased elderly landlady. Since he doesn’t have work, why not pretend to be her and live in her townhouse? Because this is the work of Charles Busch, you don’t really think things are going to go as planned do you?

The Tribute Artist was the last show presented by Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters.

The original company of that production has reunited for virtual readings of the show. Joining Busch are Mary Bacon, Julie Halston, Keira Keeley, Carole Monferdini and Jonathan Walker. Carl Andress, who directed the original production, returns to direct this reading.

Tickets are $36.50 which includes a $1.50 service charge.

The Boys in the Band – Netflix – Now Available

Does history repeat itself? Mart Crowley’s play The Boys in the Band opened in 1968 at Off-Broadway’s Theater Four where it ran for 1,001 performances. Before the show closed in September of 1970 it was already a feature film. William Friedkin (The French Connection; The Exorcist) directed the film adaptation. Friedkin’s film featured many of the play’s original cast members.

In 2018, the first Broadway production of the play opened at the Booth Theatre. The limited run of the play was directed by Joe Mantello.

The cast included Matt Bomer, Robin De Jesús, Jim Parsons, Andrew Rannells and Zachary Quinto. The show went on to win the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play.

Mantello and the cast reunited and the film of The Boys in the Band just started running on Netflix.

What is The Boys in the Band? It depicts a group of gay friends who have assembled for one of their birthdays. During that party each man is challenged by the party’s host to place a phone call to someone he has loved and tell them about it.

Edward Albee had the “game about the baby” and Crowley (who passed away earlier this year) has “the game about love.”

New York’s 92 Street Y is streaming a conversation with Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer and Joe Mantello discussing The Boys in the Band on Friday, October 2nd at 4:00 PM EDT/1:00 PM PDT.

WHAT THE HELL IS A REPUBLIC ANYWAY? – New York Theatre Workshop – Now – November 8th

If you had the opportunity to experience An Iliad by Denis O’Hare and Lisa Peterson, you know how powerful their approach to history and theatre can be. What might first appear as merely an intellectual pursuit, in their hands, becomes palpably exciting.

New York Theatre Workshop was the home for An Iliad. So it is only appropriate that their latest project, WHAT THE HELL IS A REPUBLIC, ANYWAY?, finds itself streaming through the company’s website.

O’Hare and Peterson look at what is going on in American democracy through the prism of the Roman Republic. This is a four-part series. Part one launched live on September 22nd, but there are two remaining “re-runs” of that episode.

Here is the full line-up:

Episode 1: Rome & America: Joined at Birth (Special Guest: Roberta Stewart)

Encore showings: October 4th at 2:00 PM EDT/11:00 AM PDT; October 5th at 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT

Episode 2: Citizenship (Special Guest: Sonia Sabnis)

Live presentation: October 6th at 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT

Encore showing: October 11th at 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT

Episode 3: How Republics Fall Apart

Live presentation: October 20th at 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT

Encore showing: October 25th at 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT

Episode 4: The Election

Live presentation: November 2nd at 7:00 PM EST/4:00 PM PST

Encore showing: November 8th at 7:00 PM EST/4:00 PM PST

Not only will audience members be watching what’s going on, they will be asked to participate in the democratic process (at least during the live presentations).

Tickets for each episode are $10.

Coming Together – 5 Boroughs Music Festival – October 1st – 5:00 PM EDT/2:00 PM PDT

This is the world premiere of a film featuring the Quodlibet Ensemble and countertenor Reginald Mobley performing Frederic Rzewski’s Coming Together.

The text was written by Samuel Melville, a leader of the revolt at New York’s Attica Prison in 1971. Melville was killed during those riots. The text is from a letter he had written that was published after his death.

Rzewski composed Coming Together shortly after the riots took place.

The film, created with Pastor Isaac Scott, presents the journey we’re all probably on right now – navigating our way through difficult times and still finding a way to have hope. Footage of the musicians performing remotely and safely is included.

Bach’s Cantata No. 54 and songs and spirituals by Florence Price are also performed. Part of these performances were filmed this month at the Baryshnikov Arts Center.

There is no charge to watch the film. However, donations are encouraged. The date listed is when the film becomes available. It will remain available for viewing after its premiere.

The Skivvies: Classic Undie Rock – Radio Free Birdland – October 1st – 7:30 PM EDT/4:30 PM PDT

Lauren Molina made her Broadway debut in the 2005 revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd as Johanna. She also appeared on Broadway in Rock of Ages. Around the same time she was in Sweeney Todd, Nick Cearley was making his Broadway debut in All Shook Up.

No Broadway shows together, but they do appear together as The Skivvies.

They are the duo that performs unique arrangements of songs uniquely. Make that stripped down arrangements while stripped down. Yes, they perform in their underwear.

Perhaps you’ve seen their videos on YouTube?

They have filmed a concert at Birdland in New York. Their show is part of the programming of Radio Free Birdland. The performance was filmed without an audience, but they do have two special guests.

Matt Doyle, who appeared on Broadway in The Book of Mormon and was in previews for this season’s revival of Company, and Tamika Lawrence, who appeared in Come From Away and is in the revival of Caroline, Or Change that was forced to postpone its opening, will both be joining. They’ll be stripping down to their underwear, too.

The only fully-dressed people at a Skivvies show are usually in the audience. But you’ll be at home. Who will know if you’re wearing clothes or not?

Tickets are $23.50.

¡Viva Broadway! Hear Our Voices – October 1st – 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT

In spite of the success of In the Heights and On Your Feet, Latinx talent isn’t frequently seen or heard on Broadway. Since October is Latinx Heritage Month, Playbill and The Broadway League have teamed up to present ¡Viva Broadway! Hear Our Voices. The show will be available on Playbill’s website, their YouTube Channel and on The Broadway League’s website.

Andréa Burns, who originated the role of “Daniela” in In the Heights, serves as the host. The show is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Sergio Trujillo (Ain’t Too Proud).

The show will feature a reunion of In the Heights cast members (including Christopher Jackson and Karen Olivo) who will be joined by Anthony Ramos who stars as “Usnavi” in the upcoming film of the musical.

There will also be a presentation from the Spanish language production of A Chorus Line that starred Antonio Banderas and was co-directed by Banderas with original cast member Baayork Lee.

Lest this all be a trip down memory lane, three new shows will be given an opportunity to shine during ¡Viva Broadway! including John Leguizamo’s Kiss My Aztec!, Arrabal and Passing Through.

The list of artists making appearances and performing includes Lucie Arnaz, Gloria Estefan, Yvette Gonzalez-Nacer, Quiara Alegría Hudes, Moisés Kaufman, Leguizamo, Matthew López, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Chita Rivera and Daphne Rubin-Vega.

This show will remain available for viewing through October 5th at 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra: Sessions Episode One – Chicago Symphony – October 1st – October 30th

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is launching a new series of small ensemble performances filmed with social distancing guidelines as a way of keeping the music playing.

For their first episode of Sessions, the program features Three Preludes by George Gershwin; Fuga y misterio by Astor Piazzolla; Bachianas brasileiras No. 6 by Heitor Villa-Lobos; Rapide et brilliant from Sonatine for Flute and Bassoon by Pierre Gabaye and Carl Nielsen’s Wind Quintet.

The small ensemble includes Stefán Ragnar Höskuldsson on flute, William Welter on oboe, Stephen Williamson on clarinet, Keith Buncke on bassoon, David Cooper on horn, Jennifer Gunn on flute and William Buchman on bassoon.

Tickets are $15 to watch the performance.

Salón Los Ángeles – Los Angeles Philharmonic Sound/Stage – Begins October 2nd

The second newly-filmed concert in Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Sound/Stage series is called Salón Los Ángeles. The concert features performances of Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 1 and George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.

Gustavo Dudamel is conducting and Jean-Yves Thibaudet is the soloist for Rhapsody in Blue. Given these performances were filmed with social distancing and minimal musicians, it is probably safe to assume the original jazz band version of Rhapsody in Blue will be performed.

Márquez appears in an interview during the show and there will be performances of Mexican danzón and boleros.

There is no charge to watch this program. However, donations are encouraged.

Sound/Stage is a multi-episode series. For a full preview of the entire series, please go here.

Cavalleria rusticana/Pagliacci – Royal Opera House – October 2nd – November 1st

Perhaps no pairing of one-act operas is more popular than the combination of Cavalleria rusticana by Pietro Mascagni and Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo.

Cavalleria rusticana had its world premiere in Rome in 1890. The opera is based on a short story which later became a play by Giovanni Verga. Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and Guido Menasci adapted them both for their libretto.

Mascagni’s opera centers on a love triangle. Turridu, who has returned from military service, goes to see his ex-lover, Lola, before seeing his current lover, Santuzza. Lola is married to Alfio. Santuzza decides to tell Alfio about the infidelity and the two men decide to duel. At the end of the opera, multiple hearts are left broken.

Pagliacci had its world premiere in Milan in 1892. Leoncavallo also wrote the libretto.

The opera tells the story of a married couple, Canio and Nedda, who are performers in a small theatre company on the road. Canio is insanely jealous and that jealousy drives Nedda to seek affection from another man, Silvio. Nedda and Silvio make plans to elope, but their plans are overheard by Tonio, another member of the company. He tells Canio about Nedda’s plans. Looking for revenge, Canio, during a performance of their touring play, makes his personal life mirror the drama in the play.

In 2015 Damiano Michieletto staged the two works for the Royal Opera in London. One of the conceits of his production is that both operas take place in the same village. So you might find characters from one opera appear in the other.

The end result was an Olivier Award for Best New Opera in 2016. Michieletto shared the award with the production’s conductor, Sir Antonio Pappano.

This production will remain available for one month. The cost is £3 which equates to just under $4.

Orfeh and Andy Karl with Seth Rudetsky – October 4th – 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT

I’ve previously written about Broadway performers Orfeh and Andy Karl. They are married and met during the Broadway production of Saturday Night Fever. By the time they appeared together again in Legally Blonde sparks were flying. More recently they appeared together in Pretty Woman.

The two join Seth Rudetsky for conversation and performance this weekend. (Rudetsky took last week off.)

To get a sense of their chemistry (and their history), take a look at this clip from an appearance at Feinstein’s/54 Below:

The live performance takes place on Sunday, October 4th. There is an Encore showing on October 5th at 3:00 PM EDT/12:00 PM PDT for those unable to watch the live stream on Sunday.

Tickets for either date are $25

While that might seem like a lot, there’s more to your Best Bets at Home: October 1st – October 4th by way of a few reminders:

This week’s Table Top Shakespeare: At Home features Hamlet on October 1st; Love’s Labour’s Lost on October 2nd; The Winter’s Tale on October 3rd and All’s Well That Ends Well on October 4th.

Most of our choices in this week’s Jazz Stream take place in the next four days. Artists like Catherine Russell, James Carter, Joey Alexander are performing. I won’t recap them all in this space. Go here to see our listings.

Metropolitan Opera’s Mozart Week continues with Julie Taymor’s production of The Magic Flute on October 1st; Don Giovanni on October 2nd; The Marriage of Figaro on October 3rd and Idomeneo on October 4th.

I hope you have a lot of devices in your home to watch all this great programming. If not, you’ll have to choose. And who wants to do that?

Enjoy the Best Bets at Home: October 1st – October 4th and Happy October!

Photo: The company of The Tribute Artist (Photo by James Leynse)

The post Best Bets at Home: October 1st – October 4th appeared first on Cultural Attaché.

Co-writer Lisa Peterson reached out to O’Hare about adapting The Iliad during the first Iraq War in 2003. “Lisa was looking for war plays. Where was theater’s response to a two-year war in Afghanistan and a new war in Iraq? It hadn’t happened yet. She came across The Iliad and wanted to work with a single actor,” O’Hare recently explained. “She thought of me because I was an activist. During Take Me Out, I was printing out anti-war stickers and I put them everywhere. I’d go out of the house with 10 to 20 sheets of them. I was so furious about the war. Lisa thought, ‘This is a good fit.’”

Homer’s epic poem, set during the Trojan War, centers around disputes between the warrior Achilles and King Agamemnon. The process of shaping the work into a play was a lengthy one. “In the beginning we just got together and talked about The Iliad, the war [in Iraq] and people’s reaction to war,” said O’Hare. “We stumbled on a method of improvising on-camera and transcribing that for the text. What is the story we can tell? We spent a lot of time arguing about the gods. Should we include them? What characters do we cut? That honing process took years, partly because we weren’t doing it full time.”

To help shape the play, O’Hare and Peterson took opposing views of war. “My thesis is war is waste. War almost never achieves anything lasting. There’s always one exception, Hitler. Great, that’s one war. Lisa took the position that violence is a part of human nature. We let these two ideas battle it out.”

Of all the attributes of The Iliad, it is Homer’s empathy that most inspired O’Hare. “He has a way of looking at humanity that is really sympathetic. Homer gives each person value when they get killed. Think about The Walking Dead, what’s the body count there? Do you ever get to know anybody? Here’s Homer who in the course of the book kills over a hundred people. Every person gets a small biographical detail. Lisa and I tried to honor that when we could.”

The play is purposely named An Iliad instead of The Iliad. O’Hare explains, “That book is too big to have just one theme. It is too massive to draw one conclusion or reaction. In terms of humility, we are only focusing on a few themes and therefore cannot call it The Iliad but just An Iliad.”

If he thinks The Iliad is too big with too many themes, his next project will be even more daunting. Called The Good Book it is about the Bible. “The reason I want to do it is I’m an ex-Catholic atheist and am obsessed with religion. As an openly gay atheist man, I feel the bible has been used as a weapon against me.  I want to understand where it comes from. The history is crazy: the archeology, sociology, linguistics, literary criticism. It’s a rigorous endeavor.” 

Does being a playwright mean a change in career direction for O’Hare? “I’ve written since I was 12. I wrote poetry while I was a major at Northwest University. I’ve written three to four screenplays. I was happy to be busy being an actor. Now I get to satisfy a different sort of creative itch.”

Originally published at LAMag.com on January 15, 2014

The post How Shock and Awe Turned Actor Denis O’Hare into a Playwright appeared first on Cultural Attaché.