classical

REVIEW: The Martha Graham Dance Company, presented by Celebrity Series of Boston, demonstrates its lasting impact

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Americana played a significant role in a number of meaningful dance performances as Celebrity Series of Boston presented Martha Graham Dance Company for two exclusive performances from Friday, November 22 to Saturday, November 23 live and in person at the Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts.  The show ran 1 hour 40 minutes with one intermission.  Click here for more information and where Martha Graham Dance Company will perform next nearing its centennial year and here for Celebrity Series of Boston’s upcoming events.

Martha Graham Dance Company in Graham’s “Dark Meadow Suite” PHOTO by Robert Torres for Celebrity Series of Boston

Exploring dance through various generations, The Martha Graham Dance Company delivered an intriguing mix of traditional and contemporary performances infusing an array of music genres including classical and tambourine-tinged Americana through storytelling and vivid and symbolic imagery.  From comical to sensual to bold, this distinct selection of dance performances shared some common themes while making a rich and unique impression during each of the four performances.

A leader in the Modernist movement, Martha Graham Company’s Dark Meadow Suite explores a Mexican feel featuring a burnt orange landscape lit by Nick Hung and dancers are adorned in matching burnt orange, black and white layered gowns.  Carlos Chávez’s oboe and fiddle-infused rhythms brings poignancy to the music’s powerful tempo.  It is a sweeping and sensual piece boasted by sharp and sweeping movements as dancers entwine and lean on each other in an elegant trio of pas de deux.

Martha Graham Dance Company in Graham’s “Dark Meadow Suite” PHOTO by Robert Torres for Celebrity Series of Boston jpg

Lloyd Knight and Anne Souder’s pas de deux evokes a flourishing intensity hastening and pulsing in unison as the fiddle grinds and they both gazed upward.  Lloyd’s solo is full of athletic charisma in sharp and carefully executed movements and occasionally dancing on his heels.

Agnes DeMille’s Rodeo combines bluegrass, tap and folk in an upbeat and exuberant piece by Cecil B. DeMille’s niece that first made its debut in 1942.  A famed dancer and choreographer, De Mille demonstrates her multifaceted skills not only through this beautifully choreographed ballet, but through compelling storytelling that could have easily translated to film as it does onstage.

Martha Graham Dance Company in Agnes de Mille’s “Rodeo” PHOTO by Robert Torres for Celebrity Series of Boston

Set in various western settings including a prairie, Rodeo focuses on a cowgirl captivatingly portrayed by Laurel Dally Smith who bursts onto the scene galloping with lively authenticity and endearing comic charm marching to the beat of her own drum.  Dressed as a cowboy and remarkably expressive, the cowgirl finds herself not quite fitting in anywhere.  Smith’s confidence and rambunctiousness seems to come off awkwardly with the ladies and not quite acceptable to the cowboys.  Smith’s self-assured individuality displays her earnestness and determination yet leads her to daydream in isolation.

Aaron Copland’s jubilant score and heart thumping rhythms with a country twang keeps this short tale lighthearted as Smith brings a sympathetic and fanciful nature to this role.  Surrounded by happy couples, Smith is taken by the romance of it all and displays not an ounce of jealousy, but soaking in her surroundings as she craves to belong.

Martha Graham Dance Company in Agnes de Mille’s “Rodeo” PHOTO by Robert Torres for Celebrity Series of Boston

The complementary array of Oana Botez’s pastel colored western attire and period pieces embroidered in floral patterns with distinct hats beautifully stand out against each of Beowulf Boritt’s picturesque settings.  Accented by clapping and jubilant dance, Lloyd Knight’s sporadic instructions to the beat lead the dance as Square Dance Caller. They are the only spoken words in the piece and lends to the carefree and romantic atmosphere prevalent in this performance.  De Mille creates a dreamlike and fanciful world as the cowboys flirt and skirt chase in lively dance routines that include couples partnering in sweeping pas de deux.

Richard Villaverde and the Martha Graham Dance Company in Agnes de Mille’s “Rodeo” PHOTO by Robert Torres for Celebrity Series of Boston

Richard Villaverde as The Champion Roper not only delivers some sweet scenes with Smith, but an excellent tap dancing solo to heart thumping rhythms.

Rodeo’s conclusion is unexpected and somewhat indicative of the time the piece was performed.  It is a comical, heartfelt and romantic piece sharing some similarities to De Mille’s artistry in Oklahoma while it explores discovering your place in the world.  

Martha Graham’s Lamentation proves that a piece does not need to be long to have a lasting impact.  Originally performed in 1930 and infused with fiddle-infused rhythms by Zoltán Kodály, So Young An depicts powerlessness and grief perfectly and poignantly barefoot and bogged down by her clothing in limiting dress and engulfed in its masses and yet reaching out. 

So Young An in Martha Graham’s “Lamentation” PHOTO by Robert Torres for Celebrity Series of Boston

When one is speechless, say it through art.  We the People, choreographed with a catchy country tinge by Jamar Roberts this year, makes powerful statements in various segments that kick off in dance before the music begins.  At once playful, then winding, but consistently commanding the stage, We the People is a powerful array of tight, unified and symbolic chorography on a black backdrop.  In Karen Young’s denim-inspired attire, the dancers seemingly get swept up in the music as they twist, stomp, and slice the air to infectious tambourine-tinged and fiddle-induced rhythms.  Bold and tenacious, performers clap and spin to a driving beat creating vivid imagery and making a lasting impact about the modern world.

Martha Graham Dance Company in Jamar Roberts’ “We The People” PHOTO by Robert Torres for Celebrity Series of Boston

Celebrity Series of Boston presented Martha Graham Dance Company for two exclusive performances from Friday, November 22 to Saturday, November 23 live and in person at Cutler Majestic Theatre in Boston, Massachusetts.  Click here for more information and where Martha Graham Dance Company will perform next nearing its centennial year and here for Celebrity Series of Boston’s upcoming events.

Get to know Sam Brewer, GBH’s newly appointed General Manager of Music

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Music is the foundation for so many amazing aspects of life.

As GBH’s newly appointed Head of Music, Sam Brewer discusses music’s remarkable impact and how he started in the industry.  He also shares where to listen to live concerts around Boston after work for free, insight into GBH’s extraordinary studios, and the revolutionary ways GBH is connecting artists to viewers and listeners.

Sleepless Critic:  Just to clarify, GBH’s Head of Music primarily covers classical and jazz music?

Sam Brewer: Yes, it is the jazz and classical team.  GBH Music is a multi-platform production team housed inside GBH with twelve full time and almost as many part time employees.  Our biggest commitment and what everyone knows us for is CRB Classical 99.5 Boston.  CRB produces over 50 broadcasts a year and we have a live concert every single week from Symphony Hall or Tanglewood.  That includes concerts from the Boston Pops too.

General Manager of GBH Music Sam Brewer Photo by Meredith Nierman/GBH

We also program Jazz on 89.7 FM on the weekends and weekend overnights.  For the past five years, we’ve had a series of about eight GBH Music Presents concerts at the Fraser Performance Studio or Calderwood Studio here at GBH.  In person, streaming, and recorded performances are used on other platforms.  Obviously they stream and may end up as an In Concert production. 

Classical.org is the website for the radio station and a rich source of multimedia content about classical music, social media channels, and two newsletters which is one on jazz and one on classical and so much more.

From the GBH music perspective, we recently launched GBH Jazz Nights which are once a month performances at the GBH Studio at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square.  We’ve teamed up with JazzBoston to present jazz music the second Thursday of every month from 5:30 to 6:30 pm.  It’s a free event and we want to capture people after work to stop by for an hour or two and get a beer and listen to music.  It’s really to raise the profile of everything that we are doing in jazz.  For the past few years we have done these studio jazz shows about four a year and we are looking have four again in the spring.  We’ll have four in the spring to help us build up an audience, the excitement, and the anticipation for that and we feature a great lineup of performers.

Beyond December, we will be looking at a series of jazz performances at Fraser Performance Studio.  Fraser is gorgeous and really the jewel of the production facilities at GBH.  Antonio Oliart is our recording engineer on the GBH Music Team and he had a hand in designing the space and it’s his home along with Téa Mottolese who is our other recording engineer. 

Antonio recorded an album at Fraser with violinist Hilary Hahn which was just named the Gramophone record of the year.  It’s a huge honor and I think he’s won three or four Grammys from records he’s produced in that space.  We host a lot of these GBH jazz and classical music events at Fraser and you’re really sitting with maybe 90 or 100 people in a multi-camera shoot in an acoustically perfect music space. 

Ulysses Quartet perform at an event celebrating the leadership of Tony Rudel, General Manager GBH Music on October 1, 2024 at GBH Headquarters in Brighton, Mass. Photo by Meredith Nierman/GBH

The Boston Symphony Chamber Players came and recorded this beautiful video show in Fraser and then we streamed.  It was in person and it will also become a radio broadcast in a week or two.  Somebody came up to me after the performance and told me they have known this musician their whole life and have never seen this person up close playing like this. 

SC:  Oh, I love those experiences. 

SB: That’s the real benefit of this space.  You get a sort of intimacy with the music that you don’t really get in any other venue in Boston because of the size and how it is structured.  It’s also how we host shows.  Brian McCreath, the host of the BSO broadcasts, hosted this program.  He’s a proxy for the audience and brings the audience into the stories behind the music in such a unique way. 

SC:  We know each other from the Boston Pops.   What piqued your interest from the Boston Pops to make the transition over to GBH?   I know it all starts with classical music. 

SB: That’s a great question.  I was a publicist at the BSO for about 10 years and started at the box office selling tickets.  I was just looking for the next step in my career and there’s such a crossover between the GBH audience and the Boston Symphony audience and in an effort to sort of promote other types of content and other stories, I was drawn to the work in public media and found a happy home for the last six years working quite closely with the newsroom here.  Of course the GBH Music team was my other main client here and pulled it back into the beauty, power and the rich, artistic life of classical music and jazz.  That’s how I found myself working even more closely with the GBH Music Team. 

SC:  You must also find yourself working with some famous musicians.  Which particular person stands out for you that you couldn’t believe you were working with them?

SB: There are countless people, but recently opera bass-baritone Davóne Tines.  We had someone scheduled for the Getting into Opera program and it was a wonderful event open to the public.  We are eventually going to turn it into a series for YouTube.  We’ve done two of these before and we have another one coming up.  We unfortunately lost the soprano who was scheduled to host this master class.  The concept here is people get into opera by seeing how great vocal performances are shaped.  So it’s a master class between a master teacher and a student. 

The star soprano who was supposed to lead the performance had to cancel about 36 hours before.  Davóne Tines came in and I had the opportunity to pick him up in a car and drive him over quickly before the performance was about to begin. 

I was blown away how even at the last minute, he wanted to reshape what we were doing to put the artists in the center and focus on them as humans and people before he got to hear them sing or work with them as a coach.  So, there are countless examples of artists I have met and been star struck or really moved by, but this one recently is just one of the benefits everyone on this team has which are these really close encounters with musicians as people and then get to share their stories with broader audiences.  It’s of interest to any type of consumer of any media, but I think music in particular because it can be abstract and one of things we specialize in is sharing an artist’s story behind the music. 

SC:  How do you think your prior experience has prepared you for what you are doing now?

SB: Two of the trends in my career have been music and communications and I think they will be thoroughly employed in this role.  Being so new to it, I can already tell one of the real joys of this role is working with all the people on this team.  I think anyone in a leadership position is responsible for supporting the team’s work. It is really exciting to come to work every day with people who are ready to pitch new and creative ideas and try to find ways for those little seeds of ideas to grow to support the work of a lot of creative professionals.  So, I suppose having a lot of experience as a communicator, in public relations, and then in public media has put me in a good position to help the team bring all this creativity to the forefront and to find things that resonate with audiences.  I’m excited to see how we can keep growing this incredible foundation here. 

SC:  Music is the connection to everything. 

SB: I agree with you.

SC:  Speaking of which, what is your favorite music and kinds of artists you like to listen to for GBH?

SB: I think from a very early age, I’ve always loved orchestral music.  I will just say broadly classical music encompassing classical, romantic, and baroque.  We play on CRB Classical 99.5 over 500 years of this incredible compendium of artistic styles.  It’s just so easy to get deeply lost in it and imagine your own stories. 

It’s funny because I have certainly listened to all sorts of music.  My wife and I went to the Weezer concert in Boston.  It was great fun, but I also had this experience where we were all the way up in the nosebleed section.  I don’t know what the capacity of TD Garden about 20,000 and it was a wonderful performance and I was thinking if I can just get one percent of these people to turn on CRB and find this intentional listening experience in the genres we promote, I think everyone would grow so tremendously.  A lot of what we program on this station is intentional to capture people who find a familiar sound in what we do and discover that they like classical music.  For example, Renaissance pieces that would be four minutes long and to someone who is just tuning in, it could sound like a folk song.  There could be an energy to Telemann perfect for driving down the road.  I’ve always loved orchestral music. The challenges and the fun of this role is to just to find people in this vast swath of people and find out who might want to come and join us and be part of this tribe. 

SC:  Classical is the foundation of so many other genres of music.  The epic Clair de Lune is a famous classical piece you know that you don’t know that you know.

SB: I agree with you and I think there is also a willingness that there wasn’t ten or fifteen years ago to cross between genres and like what they hear without knowing what the label is.  I just find there is a tremendous opportunity to turn more people into classical music and such growth potential there.   I’m glad we’re focused on that central part of it and our goal is just to spread that out and make people fall in love with it.

One of CRB’s next events will be the GBH Music Holiday Spectacular taking place at Calderwood Studio.  Be the first to learn about GBH’s upcoming music events through classical newsletter The Note and GBH’s Jazz newsletter. 

REVIEW:  Boston Ballet’s  ‘Winter Experience’ anticipates the bloom of spring

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Warm up with the beauty of Boston Ballet’s Winter Experience.

Boasting two world premiere performances, the Boston Ballet masters two bright, thrilling, and contemporary performances with an enchanting classic ballet in four scenes.  These performances provide much needed thrilling warmth as the world anticipates the bloom of spring.

As part of its 60th season, The Boston Ballet presents Winter Experience including the world premiere of To Be One, the return of Petal, and the world premiere of Mikko Nissenen’s Hungarian ballet Raymonda live and in person at the Citizens Bank Opera House in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, March 3.  The production is two hours and 15 minutes with one intermission.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

2B One Photo by Rosalie O’Connor Photography

The world premiere of To Be One and the return of Petal are bold and unfold with finesse.  To Be One boasts Helen Pickett’s sharp and vigorous choreography with Brandon Stirling Baker’s pristine lighting to brilliantly capture each dancer’s sheer athleticism to the urgent and anticipatory dance rhythms by Swedish composer Mikael Karlsson.

2B One Photo by Rosalie O’Connor Photography

Sara Marhamo Kirk’s shimmering and translucent garments  add a modern lucidity bathed in luminous shifting color backdrops.  Lauren Herfindahl, Sage Humphries, Kyra Muttilainen, Chisako Oga, Alainah Grace Reidy, Graham Johns, Ángel García Molinero, Yue Shi, Gearoid Solan, Schuyler Wijsen, and Patrick Yocum perform to piano and violin-infused rhythms  with at times short, pithy and lithe movements.  The energy became so intense that at one point, the collective dancers seem like they are competing with each other in a lively circle.

Boston Ballet in Helen Pickett’s Petal, photo by Liza Voll, courtesy of Boston Ballet

Steeped in Brandon Stirling Baker’s vibrant colors and a sonic, violin-tinged score which evokes a soothing, building joy, Helen Pickett’s flourishing choreography make Petal an elegant and radiant journey.  Amid consistent and warm colors, the agile and jovial cast leaps and spins breezily to form into intriguing pairs.  Pickett’s scenic colors transform from brilliant yellow to a warm orange to a bold pink while allowing Nete Joseph’s pastel costumes to remain distinctive on each landscape. Kaitlyn Casey, Lauren Herfindahl, Abigail Merlis, and Chisako Oga seem to thrive with the athletic support of Henry Griffin, Graham Johns,  Ángel García Molinero, and Lawrence Rines Munro.  Lifting them up and guiding them to the chiming and urgent rhythms of Phillip Glass, John Cocteau, Susan Marshall and Thomas Montgomery Newman’s Elizabeth Chooses a Career, each pair learns how to support each other in order to grow.  They float, tumble, sway, and spin as each female learns to soar.

María Álvarez and Boston Ballet in Helen Pickett’s Petal, photo by Liza Voll, courtesy of Boston Ballet

Mikko Nissenen reimagines Marius Petipa’s original choreography for the world premiere of the classic Raymonda:  A Ballet in four scenes.  Set in medieval times, Raymonda is a magnificent and royal affair featuring a large cast and Robert Perdziola’s exquisite and meticulously detailed costume design ranging from guards in chain link silver armor and black boots to blue, gold, and black feathered costumes to white and gold garments with refined floral sleeves.   My’Kal Stromile stands out with large black petal sleeves and a red sash as Master of Ceremonies. 

Cast of Raymonda Photo by Rosalie O’Connor Photography

There is a fanciful spark to this intriguing love story filled with beauty and grace to the whimsical and sophisticated harp infused score by Alexander Glazunov.  The elegant cast performs a captivating waltz surrounded by Nicholas Kostner’s whimsical marble set pieces.

Raymonda Photo by Rosalie O’Connor Photography

Viktorina Kapitonova, who has depicted the title role in Boston Ballet’s Cinderella, is the perfect fit for delicate, fair, and confident Raymonda.  Her rhythmic entrance is a balance of grace and boldness intensified by a spicy Hungarian clap.  The Vision scene is a particular highlight.  Maria Rubin as La Dame Blanche rises from the misty haze in an intricately detailed white gown.  Kapitonova has endearing chemistry with Lasha Khozashvili as fiancé Jean De Brienne and Brandon Stirling Baker’s atmospheric lighting creates a silhouette in orange as they entwine into a tender embrace.

Viktorina Kapitonova as Raymonda Photo by Rosalie O’Connor Photography

The full company is a triumphant celebration in gold crowns, though Raymonda does run a little long in presentation.  A quick paced array of mostly variations demonstrates the refined cast’s joy with sweeping sparkle.  Some of the highlights include Daniel Durrett, Sun Woo Lee, Ángel García Molinero and Gearoid Solan in a technically impressive performance, Lia Cirio takes the stage in a complex and exuberant performance,  Kapitonova  as Raymonda performs a display of jubilance and elegance in playful leaps, and Lasha Khozashvili ‘s variation is highlighted by extraordinary leaps.

Raymonda Photo by Rosalie O’Connor Photography

As part of its 60th season, The Boston Ballet presents Winter Experience including the world premiere of To Be One, the return of Petal, and the world premiere of Mikko Nissenen’s Hungarian ballet Raymonda live and in person at the Boston Opera House in Boston, Massachusetts through Sunday, March 3.  The production is two hours and 15 minutes with one intermission.  Click here for more information and for tickets.

REVIEW:  With a mix of joy, reflection, and sweet surprises, The Holiday Pops’ milestone 50th year continues to make the season bright

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

From hymnal to classical to Santa to the Grinch, The Holiday Pops offers something for everyone and makes it easy to alleviate the stress of the season and happily embrace what truly matters. 

Celebrating a milestone 50th year and the welcome return of the all-volunteer Tanglewood Festival Chorus, The Holidays Pops delivers a tapestry of classical and beloved Christmas carols, spiritual hymns, as well as holiday traditions through art and illustrations which always includes an annual visit from a surprisingly innovative and always jolly Santa Claus.  Boston Pops conductor and host, Keith Lockhart garners warmth and reflective holiday cheer weaving in a certain classic Grinch quote by Dr. Seuss, a highly anticipated sing-along, and maybe even a dancing Maestro.

12.1.23 Keith Lockhart conducts Holiday Pops 2023 (Hilary Scott)

Sponsored by Fidelity Investments, led by Keith Lockhart, and ideal for the whole family, The Holiday Pops continues at Boston Symphony Hall through Christmas Eve.  The show runs two hours including an intermission. Click here for more information and tickets.

Elegantly adorning the intrinsically-detailed gold balconies with twinkling lights on thick, festive wreaths is just a sampling of the stunning surroundings inside Symphony Hall.  The stage spontaneously comes to life from illuminated gifts to lighted Christmas trees to glimmering dancing snowflakes.

12.1.23 Baritone Andrew Garland performs Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas Carols with the Holiday Pops (Hilary Scott)

This beautiful performance delivered equal doses of contemplative material and lightheartedness with the first half fanciful and spiritual.  Among the many highlights, Baritone Andrew Garland grandly delivered an eloquent and soaring rendition of Fantasia on Christmas Carols by Ralph Vaughan Williams.

12.1.23 12 Days of Christmas with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus (Hilary Scott)

With a generation bombarded with CGI and AI, The Holiday Pops thrilled audiences with author Jan Brett’s colorful, authentic and imaginative illustrations.  Accompanied by seamless orchestration by the Boston Pops, the audience absorbed themselves in a Jan Brett children’s book that offers a rich new vision of Tchaikovsky’s classic, The Nutcracker.  Among the memorable images was a fire breathing dragon, reindeers that have antlers with lighted candlesticks, dancing bears, and Santa in a headstand wearing a bucket hat. 

12.1.23 Tribute to Harry Belafonte at Holiday Pops (Hilary Scott)

The evening also contained a moving tribute to EGOT Winner, activist, and musician Harry Belafonte not only honoring Belafonte’s calypso-inspired classic tunes, but his impressive activism featuring various pictures and video of his part in the March on Washington, supporting Martin Luther King Jr, and his work with UNICEF. 

The Pops delivered a captivating gospel tribute in Swahili called The Good News Voyage arranged by David Coleman which contained Go Tell it on the Mountain.  In the second half of the show, The Holidays Pops presented a Jewish song sung in Hebrew, Tikkun Olan (Heal the World), a riveting rendition expressing the yearning and urgency to heal and repair the world ‘Pray for peace and justice/For the sake of peace/heal the world’ as the tempo accelerated into a powerful crescendo. 

12.1.23 Santa Claus with Keith Lockhart (Hilary Scott)

Brimming with beloved classic Christmas carols and guest appearances by Santa and more, the second half of Holiday Pops was a vibrant, yuletide spectacle joyfully kicking off with Sebesky’s Frosty All the Way, a jazz-infused medley featuring Jingle Bells, Frosty the Snowman and more.  The brass ensemble spinning their instruments was among the playful sights as they performed this catchy and airy collection of carols.

12 Days of Christmas

Boston Pops’ charming signature versions of Sleigh Ride are always clever, cheeky, and increasingly full of madcap high jinks and the 12 Days of Christmas show that anything can happen among illuminated dancing snowflakes.  The Holiday Pops also presented a special annual reading of Clement Clarke Moore’s Twas the Night before Christmas, read briskly by enthusiastic special guest WBZ News journalist Matt Shearer to mark its publication nearly 200 years ago before Santa arrived.  While bulbs glow to the beat, the jolly Tanglewood Festival Chorus delivered A Merry Little Singalong in Santa hats and ears which included Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Walking in a Winter Wonderland, and more.

Holiday Pops concluded with the tender Let There Be Peace on Earth, as Earth shone overhead, brilliantly conveying the quiet hope for the coming New Year.

Sponsored by Fidelity Investments, led by Keith Lockhart, and ideal for the whole family, The Holiday Pops continues at Boston Symphony Hall through Christmas Eve. The show runs two hours including an intermission.  Click here for more information and tickets.

REVIEW: Celebrity Series of Boston brought vintage effervescence to Boston with renowned touring group Paul Taylor Dance Company

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Forget those troubles and get happy with the lively, comedic, and exciting Paul Taylor Dance Company.

Infusing classical, big band, and swing with a modern twist, The Paul Taylor Dance Company zealously delivered comedy, athleticism, romance, drama as well as some reflective moments wrapped in vibrant costumes by Marc Eric and Santo Loquasto with Donald Martiny’s exuberant set design.

Celebrity Series of Boston presented renowned national touring group, Paul Taylor Dance Company for a limited engagement from April 14-16 live and in person at the Boch Center Shubert Theatre.  The show was two hours including two intermissions.  Click here to see where Paul Taylor Dance Company will perform next and here for a look into Celebrity Series of Boston’s upcoming events.

Somewhere in the Middle by Amy Hall Garner Madelyn Ho w L-R Devon Louis Lee Duveneck Austin Kelly John Harnage Photo by Ron Thiele

Bright colors gleam over a black landscape as Count Basie’s booming, horn-infused rhythms measure carefree spins and leaps in Somewhere in the Middle.  Effervescent and gleeful in bursting lime, coral, teal, and mustard by Mark Eric, Madelyn Ho, Lee Duveneck, Devon Lewis, John Harnage, Maria Ambrose, Lisa Borres, Jada Pearman, and Austin Kelly delivered childlike wonder and an uplifting glow tumbling in somersaults and breezy lifts to heart thumping rhythms by Sarah Vaughan, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Bill Evans.  This joyful, upbeat spectacle, with captivating choreography by Amy Hall Garner, was only outdone by the subtle and spontaneous moments prevalent throughout the production.  A cheerful shout, an impulsive wave, a kiss on the cheek, a snap of the fingers, or a swift tap on the shoulder brought unique distinction to the performances, making it all the more thrilling.

Brandenburgs Full Cast photo by Ron Thiele

Brandenburgs, featuring music by Bach and his Brandenberg concertos, is an athletic, sophisticated, and romantic foray into classical ballet.  Featuring piano and fiddle-laden rhythms, dancers John Harnage, Eran Bugge, Madelyn Ho, Lee Duveneck, Alex Clayton, Devon Louis, Maria Ambrose, Shawn Lesniak, and Jake Vincent strut and promenade across the floor in regal stances which are at times, untamed, open, but always seamless by Paul Taylor.  Devon Lewis and Maria Ambrose deliver a romantic and moving Pas de deux which is the first of two reflective pieces within this production. 

Somewhere in the Middle by Amy Hall Garner Maria Ambrose Devon Louis Photo by Ron Thiele

Brandenburgs is a vigorous, rich, and robust performance that continues this compelling celebration, the second in a three part production.   Adorned in gold trimmed and flowing garments in various shades of green, the group’s impressive linear and synchronized movements depict elegance and grace ending their dance as it began. 

Company B Full Cast photo by Ron Thiele

The Paul Taylor Company saved the best for last with Company B, a salute to the famous Andrew Sisters.  Featuring the full cast that includes Christina Lynch Markham, Madelyn Ho, Kristin Draucker, Lee Duveneck, Alex Clayton, John Harnage, Maria Ambrose, Lisa Borres, Jada Pearman, Devon Louis, Jake Vincent, Jessica Ferretti, and Austin Kelly, the ten song tribute features enough liveliness and humor to lift anyone’s spirits.  Accessorized with flowers and simply dressed in flowing skirts and pants, white shirts, and accented red belts faithful to the late 30s and early 40s, Paul Taylor’s timely choreography infuses some popular dances of the era including the jitterbug, swing, the twist, and the polka in a mix of spontaneity, poignant reflections, and comic wit. 

One of the many highlights included a humorous spin to the Andrews’ upbeat and horn-infused rhythms of Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny Oh!  Featuring Lee Duveneck as a skipping Johnny in horned rimmed glasses and a gleeful smile, it is an unconventional, carefree and refreshing swing number about a guy who unwittingly attracts all the girls.  As the Andrew Sisters’ frank vocals state ‘You’re Not Handsome, it’s true’ the catchy song boasts more than its share of amusing, spontaneous, and sweet moments. 

Company B Lee Duveneck w cast Photo by Ron Thiele

Rum and Coca Cola features the art of the gaze as the tables are turned with Madelyn Ho under the captive eye of a spellbound group of men.  In a flowing, red trimmed skirt, Madelyn’s hip shaking, and high kicks as she flirtatious fans herself knock the boys off their feet.

Though the production is mostly spirited and joyous, Company B does make references to the poignancy of wartime with I Can Dream, Can I featuring Christina Lynch Markham’s beautiful solo dance recalling a faraway soldier.  The urgent Joseph! Joseph! depicts women, uncertain of the future, pleading to build a future with their boyfriends before they are shipped off to war.  Maria Ambrose and Devon Louis reunite for another duet for There will Never Be Another You, a bittersweet and symbolic number as memories of men pass by in haunting shadow by Jennifer Tipton. 

Paul Taylor Dance Company had a limited engagement in Boston, but they are still touring.  Click here to see where the Paul Taylor Dance Company will perform next and here for more of Celebrity Series of Boston’s dynamic, upcoming performances this season.

REVIEW:  Accompanied by A Far Cry, NPR’s Rob Kapilow made an enthusiastic return to Boston with an American classic for Celebrity Series of Boston’s ‘What Makes it Great’ series

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Though NPR’s famous composer, conductor, author, and music commentator Rob Kapilow has unveiled quite a few eye catching music details over the years with Celebrity Series of Boston from Swing to Broadway to carols and much more, perhaps the most interesting takeaway from Aaron Copland’s classical music composition Appalachian Spring is that it is not about Appalachia nor is it about spring. 

Making his return to NEC’s golden and gleaming Jordan Hall in person for the first time in front of an audience since the pandemic, NPR’s Rob Kapilow covered some fascinating music territory in What Makes it Great? with Rob Kapilow and a Far Cry Inventing America Part 2 Copland’s Appalachian Spring: An American Voice for Classical Music on Sunday, February 5 at Jordan Hall in Boston, Massachusetts. The show ran for 120 minutes with a 15 minute intermission. Click here for more information on Rob, here for more on A Far Cry, and here for more information about Celebrity Series of Boston.

Rob Kapilow Photo Credit: John Johansen

Kapilow guided the audience through Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring with greater technical zeal and an interactive approach than he has in some of his past performances.  Part teacher, humorist, and historian, Rob Kapilow has been performing the What Makes It Great series for approximately 15 years, expertly uncovering a new way to connect to a vast array of music and encouraging the listener to experience this music in an entirely new way from technical composition to its emotional impact.

As beautiful and fanciful as Appalachian Spring sounds, it is neither about Appalachia nor spring and was entirely imagined by Copland who was a Jewish immigrant from Brooklyn.  What is so wondrous about this 40s piece is how Copland creates this imaginary and extraordinary world, a piece which was originally called House of Victory, and how it has been historically associated with America over the years.  Kapilow uses a bit of a different approach for this particular work by expounding on  the technical  and mechanical side of the piece and inviting the audience to actively participate in the song’s musical patterns and rhythms.  Appalachian Spring is also associated with lyrics and it is a based on the Shaker melody, Simple Gifts, and Rob spends a wealth of time on the mechanics of the piece and how it ties together.  It is a method that would thrill classical music fans, music enthusiasts, and musicians alike.  He even exposes the subtle intricacies of Copland’s inherent confidence, style, and how to identify it in Copland’s other works.

Grammy-nominated Chamber Orchestra A Far Cry Photo courtesy of A Far Cry

Adorned in suits, ties, and gowns, Grammy nominated and self-conducted chamber orchestra A Far Cry worked seamlessly with Kapilow as he broke down each aspect of the piece, a feat not easy to do with Kapilow’s specific stops and starts.  A Far Cry has made its way around the world since they started in 2007 and what sets this orchestra apart from others is the open communication between each musician. A Far Cry reflected just how important it is to remain in sync with the group, especially since they must connect without a conductor.  Their camaraderie and chemistry as they play is compelling to witness as they direct each other with each note.

Copland’s Appalachian Spring has a unique zest, playfulness and peppy thrill of nature through harp and chime as well as calm with a western tinge as Rob explains its historical significance and just why the piece is so enjoyable through each note’s placement, rest, and orchestration. 

Appalachian Spring was a childhood favorite for Kapilow’s which was perfectly clear through his personal and humorous anecdotes and the natural and engaging enthusiasm he exhibited throughout the production.  Rob is always teaching something new to even some of the most trained and learned music enthusiasts.  It was easy to see he has missed the live audience and judging from the audience’s resounding applause and standing ovation, they have missed him too. 

Celebrity Series of Boston continues its digital and in person season which includes Jason Moran and the Big Bandwagon on February 17, Dreamers Circus on February 24, Aoife Donovan on March 17, and David Sedaris on April 2, and the return of Alvin Ailey on May 4. Click here to see Sleepless Critic’s past review of Dreamers Circus.  Click here to see the full list of Celebrity Series of Boston’s upcoming events.

REVIEW:  Lyric Stage Company delves into musical genius Rachmaninoff’s chaotic mind in mesmerizing ‘Preludes’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Ever wondered if legendary musicians would still be who they are if they lacked any vices or instabilities?  Would they still achieve that same level of success or become even greater?

Some of the most extraordinary musicians also endured turmoil in their lives whether through external circumstances or within the depths of their very being.  Most come to the general consensus that the artist simply wouldn’t have that level of genius without everything that came with it.  For Russian composer, pianist, and conductor Sergei Rachmanioff, he endured quite a battle on his journey to greatness and his music continues to live on.

Dan Prior and Aimee Doherty in ‘Preludes’ Photo by Mark S. Howard

Directed profoundly by Courtney O’Connor, Lyric Stage Company presents Dan Malloy’s musical Preludes through Sunday, February 5 live and in person at Lyric Stage Company in Boston, Massachusetts.  The production is approximately 2 hours with a 15 min intermission.  Click here for more information and tickets.

Preludes references Rachmaninoff’s classic works, but the word itself describes what happens before an important event. It delves head first into Rachmanioff’s massive struggle to create which included fear of failure, Marfan syndrome, and mental instabilities that led to his historical writer’s block. Dan Rodriguez’s music direction combined with Andrew Dunkan Will’s complicated, vivid, and occasionally manic sound design illustrates the turmoil and genius of a musician on the brink of something bigger, but struggling to pull through.

Preludes boasts a fascinating cast including Will McGarrahan taking on multiple roles during the production.  Wringing his hands, frustrated, and utterly exhausted, Dan Prior embodies frazzled and despondent ‘Rach,’ his world seized by hesitation and regret delivered cleverly in the opening number Your Day.  Rachmaninoff battled life through music, but both can become blaringly stringent.  Battling all these limiting factors, Rach freezes.  Music Director Dan Rodriguez performs double duty depicting the mood setting musical side of pianist Rachmanioff with earnestness and peaks of humor and charm. Keyboardists Bethany Aiken and Mindy Cimini enhance this complex score that keeps up with the chaos of Rach’s mind and the reality surrounding it.

Prior’s subtle yet searing performance delves into a defeated man reaching for a lifeline through therapist Dahl, depicted skillfully by Aimee Doherty with a contemporary vibe in a Pink Floyd T-shirt, black glasses and edgy depth.  Doherty’s inquisitive and unorthodox methods may be the calm in the storm.  Kayla Shimizu is relatable as steadfast, optimistic, and maybe in over her head Natalya.  Shimizu brings a smooth and natural ease to the number Vocalize as well as a powerful and painfully honest rendition of Natalya as she struggles in her limited understanding of Rach’s condition.  Shimizu and Prior bring compelling chemistry and connection in their moving rendition of Not Alone. 

Dan Prior, Aimee Doherty, Dan Rodriguez and Anthony Pires Jr in ‘Preludes’ Photo by Mark S. Howard

Enhanced by Karen Perlow’s mind bending lighting, Preludes is at times trippy and often teetering between daydream and reality.  Highlighted by amazing and intricate choreography, Anthony Pires Jr as Chaliapin slides into an entrancing and catchy Loop with finesse and charisma while blending elegant vocals between jarring beats. It is a standout number that may ruminate long after the show is over. Taking on multiple roles and delivering inspiring and thought provoking pearls of wisdom is Will McGarrahan who portrays a number of dynamic historical figures. McGarrahan’s commanding voice, distinct characterizations, and dark comedic timing make him a treat to watch each time he appears onstage.

Kayla Shimizu, Anthony Pires Jr, Dan Prior, Will McGarrahan, and Dan Rodriguez in ‘Preludes’ Photo by Mark S. Howard

Scenic Designer Shelley Barish’s insightful circular staging moves fluidly with the performers with a piano set perfectly at center stage accented by lilacs, ordered blocks of vibrant colors, and an ever changing, mood-induced colored backdrop. The scalloped trim and soft lighting from various hung fixtures add an eclectic elegance as does the eye popping vintage couch and ottoman.

In some ways, Rachmaninoff’s struggles also made him distinctive. He had Marfan Syndrome which is a genetic disorder that affects the connective tissue of the body and organs. It is a very difficult way of life, but also gave him unusually long fingers. Much of his work is difficult to play because he could reach the piano keys more easily than the average person. This weakness was also a strength and part of what made him seem destined for greatness.

Lyric Stage Company presents Dan Malloy’s musical Preludes through Sunday, February 5 live and in person at Lyric Stage Company in Boston, Massachusetts.  The production is approximately 2 hours with a 15 min intermission.  Click here for more information and tickets.

REVIEW: Featuring Grammy award-winning mezzo-soprano Krista River and special guest musicians, A Far Cry ended season with a stirring ‘Sunset’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Having witnessed A Far Cry’s triumphant return to performing live and in person last September as they kicked off their 15th season with Circle of Life, it was an honor and fitting to review Sunset, A Far Cry’s final concert of the season.  Sunset was originally scheduled for March 2020 and this Grammy-nominated, self-directed chamber orchestra was thrilled to finally present it onstage.  With a heartfelt introduction by Sarah Darling, Boston-based A Far Cry brought a diverse repertoire of suspense, tragedy, and soaring vocals by mezzo-soprano Krista River before joining a collection of promising musicians including Project STEP for a robust finale.

A Far Cry criers at Jordan Hall Boston MA Photo credit to A Far Cry

Following opening group Project STEP, A Far Cry took the gorgeous Jordan Hall stage in Boston, MA for their final concert on Friday, May 13 for 90 minutes with no intermission.  A Far Cry will cap off their 15th season with a Spring Soiree on June 1 at the Nathaniel Allen Center for Arts and Culture in Newton, MA.  The event includes a sneak peek of next season, outdoor cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a charity auction with the option to attend in person or virtually.  Click here for more information and here for a look at A Far Cry’s upcoming season.

Grammy-nominated Chamber Orchestra A Far Cry Photo courtesy of A Far Cry

Elegantly dressed in flowing dresses and suits, A Far Cry opened their final concert with all 18 criers for Julius Eastman’s Joy Boy.  A piece likened to the feeling of falling in love, Joy Boy has a trickling and mounting intensity as the orchestra gradually comes to life.  It is fascinating to watch the ebb and flow in Joy Boy’s soothing opening rhythms which escalate to a gripping crescendo before lulling into its resonating finale.

Imagine moments before a stunning discovery in a suspenseful film.  That’s the escalating tension built around Lutoslawski’s fiery Musique Funebre, Spanish for Funeral Music.  A Far Cry performs this chilling and somber dirge with rich, Hitchcockian flair enhanced by a stroke of the viola and plucking, creeping rhythms.  Fueled by searing drama and violin-tinged, pulsing urgency, A Far Cry plays furiously to bring this masterful work to an exciting and astounding climax that might leave you with a few goose bumps by the finale.

‘Il Tramonto Photo credit to Sarah Darling/A Far Cry

Led by Grammy award-winning mezzo-soprano Krista River’s airy and soaring vocals, A Far Cry took on Respighi’s classic piece, Il Tramonto, which is an Italian phrase translated as The Sunset.  It is a popular piece having been featured in films such as the western classic, The Good the Bad and the Ugly.  Adorned in a shimmering blue gray gown with her hair swept into an updo, River’s expressive vocals and her stirring countenance brings out the surreal poignancy of this tragic romance.  Based on a poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley, Il Tramonto has a moving story behind it and possibly inspired by a real life disaster in Indonesia. 

Mezzo-soprano Krista River Photo credit to A Far Cry

A Far Cry recalled how music has been “cathartic journey” and like many in the arts and beyond, the love for the arts has been tested, especially in the last few years.  Joined by promising musicians in New England Conservatory, NEC Prep, and Project STEP, A Far Cry brought this concert to a robust and wondrous close with Vicente Lusitano’s Aspice Domine and Ralph Vaughan Williams’s Fantasia on a Theme, the latter dedicated to an inspiring teacher that encouraged young musicians to pursue their musical aspirations.  Highlighted by a duo of skilled violinists, this group of musicians brought A Far Cry’s 15th season to a glorious close with a mix of fragility, power, and a stirring finale.

Students in Project STEP Photo credit to Project STEP/A Far Cry

A Far Cry will cap off their 15th season with a Spring Soiree on June 1 at the Nathaniel Allen Center for Arts and Culture in Newton, MA.  The event includes a sneak peek of next season, outdoor cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a charity auction with the option to attend in person or virtually.  Click here for more information and here for a look at A Far Cry’s upcoming season.

REVIEW:  Boston Ballet’s elegant and edgy ‘DREAMstate’ a fascinating departure from reality

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

From classically fanciful to electrifying to distinctive, unconventional artistry, the Boston Ballet’s DREAMstate is an astute exploration of the delicate nature of dreams and a fascinating escape from reality.  Aside from Boston Ballet’s traditional Nutcracker in December, Mikko Nissinen’s DREAMstate is the first live and in person return to Boston Ballet’s regular season since the pandemic.  Excitement was in the air and the Boston Opera House was full.

Boston Ballet in George Balanchine’s Chaconne © The George Balanchine Trust; photo by Liza Voll; courtesy of Boston Balle

Boston Ballet’s DREAMstate continues through Sunday, March 27 at live and in person at the Citizen’s Bank Opera House in Boston, MA.  The show is approximately two hours with two intermissions and the final piece contains partial nudity.  Click here for more information and tickets.

Rolling Stones tribute DEVIL’s/eye Photo credit to Boston Ballet

Though all three Boston Ballet pieces had its highlights, the stellar world premiere of Boston Ballet’s tribute to the Rolling Stones, DEVIL’S/eye was the most uniquely compelling.  Weaving in live concert elements and classic hits such as Can’t You Hear Me Knocking, Paint it Black and much more, dancers take the stage in shadow bathed in purple, red, yellow, pink, and blue glimmering from an incredible, multi-functional sound system lit by Brandon Stirling Baker.  With exhilarating choreography and edgy and exotic costume design both by Stephen Galloway, lively dancers in silk, sequins, fishnets and windswept hair complete the full glamour of a rock and roll concert showing off thrilling, contemporary freestyle moves.  The entire performance is an electrifying spectacle as dancers let loose to the Stones concert footage with epic alicicone spins, but a brief pause in the guitar-tinged, horn-infused rhythms showing off each dancer’s glowing silhouette cannot be properly conveyed here and those sensational moments are best witnessed in person.

George Balanchine’s Chaconne brings to life a regal and fanciful daydream to the heavenly sounds of the Christoph Willibald von Gluck opera, Orfeo ed Euridice.  Elegantly adorned in a flowing and ethereal skirt and crown by Barbara Karinska in front of tranquil green blue backdrop, the always fresh-faced and charming Viktorina Kapitonova performed a beautiful and romantic pas de deux with Lasha Khozashvili, dressed in white.  Khozashvili lifts and leads Kapitonova delicately as they sporadically intertwine.  The piece is primarily playful as dancers bow and sway in gleaming, royal costumes as they float along this lighthearted daydream, the flutter of slippers sweeping across the stage.

Misa Kuranaga and Patrick Yocum in George Balanchine’s Chaconne © The George Balanchine Trust; photo by Liza Voll; courtesy of Boston Ballet

The final piece is probably one of the most unconventional performances the Sleepless Critic has ever witnessed with the Boston Ballet because after a brief intermission, the piece begins before the music starts and dancers are already in motion as the rehearsal blurs into the performance.

Altan Dugaraa, Sarah Wroth, Yury Yanowsky in Jiří Kylián’s Bella Figura; photo by Gene Schiavone, courtesy of Boston Ballet

 Jiri Kylian’s Bella Figura, a fan favorite, often departs from reality and the structure of how a performance would normally flow.  In many ways, it bucks tradition as the dancers float and slide between closing curtains as Seo Hye Han, topless, wraps herself in only a black stage curtain.  Bella Figura has some captivating choreographed indignation and intensity as Ji Young Chae struggles not to be held or controlled by Paul Craig, shaking Craig away.  Bella Figura seems an abstract piece with haunting and mysterious elements as female dancers are manipulated in sharp, robotic movements.   It seems Bella Figura represents the vision of a perfect female specimen as women bend under the intensity and pressure to be perfect.  In gathering rich red skirts, men and women, all topless and all looking the same, glide along the stage.  It is a memorable, distinctive performance as the piece continues even as the music concludes.

 Boston Ballet’s DREAMstate continues through Sunday, March 27 at live and in person at the Citizen’s Bank Boston Opera House.  Click here for more information and tickets.

REVIEW: A Far Cry makes a luminous and powerful onstage debut at South Shore Conservatory with ‘Circle of Life’

Posted on by The Sleepless Critic

Forgive me for being excited.  This was the first music concert the Sleepless Critic has attended since 2020 and by none other than a Grammy-nominated group during the final days of summer.  For A Far Cry, it was not only this renowned chamber orchestra’s debut at the South Shore Conservatory, but their first set of live performances to kick off their 15th season after last season was done entirely virtually. 

Elegantly dressed in flowing dresses and suits, this Boston-based group of musicians couldn’t have been more thrilled to take the outdoor stage in front of a live audience again as the skies grew dark, the crickets chimed in, and the Amphitheater’s twinkling lights began to burn. 

Tackling life’s tumultuously journey from sweeping birth to a peaceful end, A Far Cry opened their new season with Circle of Life at South Shore Conservatory’s Jane Carr Amphitheater on Saturday, September 18 in Hingham, Massachusetts.  Click here to find out where A Far Cry will perform next.

Gearing up for A Far Cry that evening Photo courtesy of the South Shore Conservatory

A Far Cry’s Grace Kennerly offered a warm introduction as all 18 ‘criers’ took the stage for their opening work arranged by Alex Fortes of Bela Bartok’s Traditional Lullabies and For Children arranged by Leo Weiner.  This work of sweeping, wondrous, and charming lullabies also delivers bursts of foreboding and urgency through a solo violin.  Its soft, soothing strings create a dreamlike quality as the movement gallops toward exuberance and a sense of adventure.

A particular highlight of the concert lies within Franghiz Ali-Zaheh’s Shyschtar:  Metamorphoses for String Orchestra which is described as ‘the development of oneself in the teenage years.’  Instantly captivating, Metamorphoses evokes strife and a mysterious urgency, almost sounding like something borrowed from Hitchcock.  The carefully-timed violin plucking, occasional vocalizing, and haunting tapping enhances the work’s thrilling and suspenseful rhythms as the work builds to a searing climax before it takes an unexpectedly poignant tone and draws toward its eerie conclusion. 

A Far Cry’s Jason Fisher introduced Antonin Dvorak’s stirring Serenade for Strings.  This work carries its own quiet excitement as Dvorak wrote it while he and his wife were expecting.  It has occasional undertones similar to a wedding march and like Lullabies, a dreamlike quality and a gentle building of anticipation.  The lengthiest movement, Serenade for Strings delivers chirping peacefulness and quiet interludes with a touch of melancholy as it builds to an uproarious, gallivanting glee.

Karl Doty’s Castles, though it is Circle of Life’s shortest work, packs a no less powerful punch.  It has a vibrancy and incandescence that comes together in a rush.  With its occasional vocalizing, it evokes vitality, strength and a degree of reminiscing as this piece was written when Doty returned to his childhood home.

To complete the Circle of Life, A Far Cry performed Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 16 in F Major, Op. 135.  It’s a combination of a quiet musing, searing rhythm, and an intangible foreboding of the inevitable.  However, this piece also evokes a settling and resignation of what is to come.

Kicking off their 15th season on a powerful note with the exploration of life’s journey, A Far Cry will continue in October.  Click here for A Far Cry’s upcoming performances and here for more information on South Shore Conservatory’s upcoming events.