09/19/11

The Arts Buzz: A blog about the Delaware Symphony Orchestra, OperaDelaware and Kennett Symphony Orchestra, with the Delaware Art Museum and Brandywine River Museum

What do we love most about fall? An earnest start to the arts season, and no weekend could start it better than this one.

Symphony, Opera and Symphony Again

First on your list: The Delaware Symphony Orchestra Classical Series begins Friday, Sept. 23, with pianist Vassily Primakov joining the orchestra for  “From Superhuman to Superman,” a program of Rachmaninov, Strauss DSO promises “herculean feats of pianistic prowess. “ If that kind of line doesn't hook you, who knows what would. The concert begins at 8 p.m., with a pre-concert lecture at 7 p.m. See it at The Grand Opera House. For more, call 656-7422, or visit delawaresymphony.org

Good fortune continues for music lovers with the OperaDelaware...

Posted at 02:00 PM | Permalink | Comments: 0

09/12/11

The Arts Buzz: A blog about Newark Film Festival and WilmFilm, Reel Life, Howard Pyle at Brandywine River Museum, Photo Month 2011 and the Lewes Artists' Studio Tour

Celebrating Cinema

Get to Cinema Center 3 in Newark now for the heart of the Newark Film Festival, or wait till the weekend, when it moves to Delaware Art Museum as WilmFilm. Newark or Wilmington, you can see documentary gems such as Werner Herzog's "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" and Richard Press' "Bill Cunningham New York" about the famous fashion photographer, and "Saint of 9/11," which tells of Father Mychal Judge, the only priest to die in the terrorist attacks. There are plenty of indies, foreign and limited-release flicks, so you'll find something to suit your taste. New this year: OUTflix for those interested in LGBT issues. Check the full schedule of films, times and location at newarkfilm.com.

The Reel...

09/05/11

The Arts Buzz: A Blog about John McGiff at Gallery 919, The Brandywine Arts Festival, a free event at Delaware Art Museum, "Damn Yankees" at the New Candlelight Thetre and more

A Painter's Painter

I will never forget interviewing John McGiff in the summer of 1999. Then, as now, he was an art teacher at St. Andrew's School (though since elevated to co-chair of the arts department) who worked extra hard to get his students to experience the world in new ways. In a market on a field trip, he would ask the students to sample the olives, then instruct them to, "really taste the olive. What does it taste like?" Art was less about technical proficiency or talent than about experience. At the time, McGiff was mildly obsessed with experiencing the farms around Middletown before they were developed into big neighborhoods and strip malls, painting barns in various lights as Monet painted the cathedral at Chartres. At the same time, in...

Posted at 10:02 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/29/11

The Arts Buzz: A blog about The Delaware Divas, "Farm Work by Jamie Wyeth" at Brandywine River Museum, and "Adrift" photos by Jim Graham at The Station Gallery in Greenville.

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

First The Ronettes. Then The Runaways and The Go-Go’s. Now The Delaware Divas. The First State has its first girl group, and the local music scene may never be the same.

Meet Suzanne Ludwig, Kathy Layfield and Heather Auger, the distaff members of No Stringz Attached, who have branched out on their own—while staying attached to the male Stringz—to play music their way while promoting a couple of very fine causes.

Have these girls gone...

Posted at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0

08/22/11

The Arts Buzz: A blog about world music at Longwood Gardens, The Freeman Stage and The Amazing Kreskin

World Beat

Longwood Gardens is the place to be over the next few days, with several stellar—and surprising—performances.

Wednesday, Aug. 24 brings the Gipsy Kings, with their progressive, pop-oriented flamenco sounds. There’s a reason why they’ve sold 14 million records over the past 25 years: There’s no other group quite like them. Since they released the single “Bamboleo” in 1987, they’ve dominated the world music charts. See why. Tickets are $49-$139, through Ticketmaster, or by calling Ticketmaster Express at (866) 448-7849. Additional fees apply. (Garden Pass Members receive $5 off. Call Central Ticketing at 610-388-1000 for your discount code.)

More on the world beat: Quebec folk group Le Vent du...

Posted at 09:46 AM | Permalink | Comments: 0