St. Louis Theater Circle announces nominees for 2014

The St. Louis Theater Circle at the March 2014 awards

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The joint will be jumpin' on Monday, March 23rd, 2015, at COCA. There will be bright lights, video cameras, and a red carpet for the celebs. What's the buzz? Is it the Emmys, Oscars, Grammys, or maybe the Hugos? No to all. It's something uniquely St. Louis.

It will, in fact, be the third annual St. Louis Theater Circle Awards. Created in 2012, the St. Louis Theater Circle is a volunteer organization whose voting members are all theatre critics for local media outlets and web sites, including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Vital Voice, KMOX, KDHX (yes, that would be me; also Tina Farmer), Ladue News, and ALIVE Magazine.

Our mission is to honor St. Louis professional theatre by saluting local actors, directors, and designers in all areas of theatre. The awards are designed to focus attention on the dozens of area theater companies which showcase the work of the work of those theatre professionals. Other cities around the country, such as Phoenix, San Diego, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington D.C., honor their own local theatrical productions with similar awards programs. See below for a complete list of nominees.

We're doing it not with a big, elaborate and expensive formal gala but with a party to which everyone is invited and for which the admission price is a mere $15 ("Cheap," to quote Alfred E. Neuman). For another $15, you have your choice of an open bar or pre-ceremony appetizer buffet. For $26.95, you get both. Check out the With Love Catering site for details and an on-line order form.

That's a deal even the late Steve Mizerany would have found hard to beat. Because, bottom line, the whole point of this is for us to get together with our fellow theatre professionals and audience members and celebrate the lively and diverse scene here in St. Louis.

About those video cameras: the whole shebang is being broadcast and webcast live on HEC-TV Charter channel 989, U-Verse channel 99, and at hectv.org. So while we hope you'll join us in person, you can always settle down with some popcorn and watch us on TV. A previously taped program about the awards, prepared by HEC producer Julie Winkle, will be shown on HEC immediately preceding the festivities.

Local composer and pianist Joe Dreyer (whose latest cabaret show is part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival) will provide musical accompaniment throughout the evening. Professional photographer Jill Ritter Lindberg will photograph it all.

As Mr. Mizerany often said, "come on down!"

The St. Louis Theater Circle Award nominees for 2014:

Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy
All in the Timing, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Blithe Spirit, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
The Liar, St. Louis Shakespeare
Noises Off, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
One Man, Two Guvnors, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Caroline Amos, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Nancy Lewis, Blithe Spirit, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Ruth Pferdehirt, Noises Off, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Jamie Pitt, The Liar, St. Louis Shakespeare
Donna Weinsting, Chancers, Max & Louie Productions

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Paul Cereghino, The Little Dog Laughed, Stray Dog Theatre
Joneal Joplin, Noises Off, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Michael James Reed, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Ben Ritchie, The Liar, St. Louis Shakespeare
Evan Zes, One Man, Two Guvnors, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy
Sarajane Alverson, The Little Dog Laughed, Stray Dog Theatre
Nicole Angeli, The Liar, St. Louis Shakespeare
Nancy Bell, Blithe Spirit, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Teresa Doggett, Shirley Valentine, Dramatic License Productions
Dale Hodges, Noises Off, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy
Ted Gregory, Quills, Max & Louie Productions
Raymond McAnally, One Man, Two Guvnors, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Ben Nordstrom, Reality, HotCity Theatre
Michael James Reed, Blithe Spirit, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Jared Sanz-Agero, The Liar, St. Louis Shakespeare

Outstanding Director of a Comedy
Paul Mason Barnes, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Elizabeth Helman, All in the Timing, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Bobby Miller, Blithe Spirit, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Suki Peters, The Liar, St. Louis Shakespeare
Edward Stern, Noises Off, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Production of a Comedy
All in the Timing, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Blithe Spirit, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
The Liar, St. Louis Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
One Man, Two Guvnors, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama
Death of a Salesman, Insight Theatre Company
The Diary of Anne Frank, New Jewish Theatre
Eat Your Heart Out, R-S Theatrics
The Normal Heart, HotCity Theatre
The Price, New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama
Katie Donnelly, Eat Your Heart Out, R-S Theatrics
Amy Loui, The Diary of Anne Frank, New Jewish Theatre
Susan Pellegrino, A Kid Like Jake, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Susie Wall, Death of a Salesman, Insight Theatre Company
Sharisa Whatley, A Raisin in the Sun, The Black Rep

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama
Jason Contini, Death of a Salesman, Insight Theatre Company
Gregory Fenner, The Whipping Man, New Jewish Theatre
Bobby Miller, The Price, New Jewish Theatre
Tim Schall, The Normal Heart, HotCity Theatre
Eric Dean White, The Normal Heart, HotCity Theatre

Outstanding Actress in a Drama
Andrea Frye, A Raisin in the Sun, The Black Rep
Linda Kennedy, Windmill Baby, Upstream Theater
Kate Levy, The Other Place, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Samantha Moyer, The Diary of Anne Frank, New Jewish Theatre
Em Piro, The K of D: An Urban Legend, Blue Rose Stage Collective

Outstanding Actor in a Drama
Jim Butz, Henry V, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
John Contini, Death of a Salesman, Insight Theatre Company
John Flack, The Normal Heart, HotCity Theatre
Bobby Miller, The Diary of Anne Frank, New Jewish Theatre
Jerry Vogel, Forget Me Not, Upstream Theater

Outstanding Director of a Drama
Fred Abrahamse, Stairs to the Roof, Sudden View Productions
Gary Wayne Barker, The Diary of Anne Frank, New Jewish Theatre
Bruce Longworth, Henry V, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Wayne Loui, Death of a Salesman, Insight Theatre Company
Marty Stanberry, The Normal Heart, HotCity Theatre

Outstanding Production of a Drama
Death of a Salesman, Insight Theatre Company
The Diary of Anne Frank, New Jewish Theatre
Eat Your Heart Out, R-S Theatrics
The Normal Heart, HotCity Theatre
The Price, New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Set Design in a Play
Jim Burwinkel, The Diary of Anne Frank, New Jewish Theatre
Michael Ganio, Other Desert Cities, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Rob Lippert, And Then There Were None, Stray Dog Theatre
Marcel Meyer, Stairs to the Roof, Sudden View Productions
Mark WIlson, The Price, New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design in a Play
Eileen Engel, And Then There Were None, Stray Dog Theatre
Jennifer “JC” Krajicek, The Liar, St. Louis Shakespeare
Marcel Meyer, Stairs to the Roof, Sudden View Productions
Michele Friedman Siler, Blithe Spirit, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Susan Branch Towne, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play
Lonnie Rafael Alcaraz, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Patrick Huber, Stairs to the Roof, Sudden View Productions
John Lasiter, The Other Place, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Bess Moynihan, Mary Shelley Monster Show, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
John Wylie, Henry V, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play
Justin Been, And Then There Were None, Stray Dog Theatre
Barry G. Funderburg, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Fitz Patton, The Other Place, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Rusty Wandall, Henry V, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Rusty Wandall, Opus, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Set Design in a Musical
Rob Lippert, Bonnie & Clyde, New Line Theatre
Robert Mark Morgan, Seussical, The Muny
Michael Schweikardt, The Addams Family, The Muny
James Wolk, Fiddler on the Roof, Stages St. Louis
James Wolk, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical
Amy Clark, Hello, Dolly!, The Muny
Leon Dobkowski, Seussical, The Muny
Andrea Lauer, The Addams Family, The Muny
Sarah Porter and Marcy Wiegert, Bonnie & Clyde, New Line Theatre
Alexandra Scibetta Quigley, Cabaret, Stray Dog Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical
Rob Denton, Seussical, The Muny
Tyler Duenow, Cabaret, Stray Dog Theatre
Rob Lippert, Bonnie & Clyde, New Line Theatre
Matthew McCarthy, Fiddler on the Roof, Stages St. Louis
Matthew McCarthy, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Musical Director
Jeffrey Richard Carter, Bonnie & Clyde, New Line Theatre
Valerie Gebert, Seussical, The Muny
James Moore, Hello, Dolly!, The Muny
Chris Petersen, Cabaret, Stray Dog Theatre
Justin Smolik, Rent, New Line Theatre

Outstanding Choreographer
Stephen Bourneuf, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Stages St. Louis
Denis Jones, Grease, The Muny
Gary John LaRosa, Fiddler on the Roof, Stages St. Louis
Ralph Perkins, Hello, Dolly!, The Muny
Zachary Stefaniak, Cabaret, Stray Dog Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical
Cabaret, Stray Dog Theatre
Fiddler on the Roof, Stages St. Louis
Hands on a Hardbody, New Line Theatre
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Stages St. Louis
Seussical, The Muny

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical
Rachel Hanks, First Lady Suite, R-S Theatrics
Sara Kapner, The Addams Family, The Muny
Teressa Kindle, Grease, The Muny
Mamie Parris, Hello, Dolly!, The Muny
Sarah Porter, Bonnie & Clyde, New Line Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical
Patrick Kelly, Assassins, November Theater Company
Rob McClure, Hello, Dolly!, The Muny
Joseph Medeiros, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Stages St. Louis
Whit Reichert, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Stages St. Louis
Luke Steingruby, Rent, New Line Theatre

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Lavonne Byers, Cabaret, Stray Dog Theatre
Kari Ely, Fiddler on the Roof, Stages St. Louis
Abigail Isom, Seussical, The Muny
Beth Leavel, Hello, Dolly!, The Muny
Larissa White, Bonnie & Clyde, New Line Theatre

Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Rob McClure, The Addams Family, The Muny
Ben Nordstrom, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Stages St. Louis
Matt Pentecost, Bonnie & Clyde, New Line Theatre
Bruce Sabath, Fiddler on the Roof, Stages St. Louis
John Tartaglia, Seussical, The Muny

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Justin Been, Cabaret, Stray Dog Theatre
Michael Hamilton, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Stages St. Louis
Scott Miller and Mike Dowdy, Hands on a Hardbody, New Line Theatre
Scott Miller and Mike Dowdy, Bonnie & Clyde, New Line Theatre
Rob Ruggiero, Hello, Dolly!, The Muny

Outstanding Production of a Musical
Bonnie & Clyde, New Line Theatre
Cabaret, Stray Dog Theatre
Hands on a Hardbody, New Line Theatre
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Stages St. Louis
Seussical, The Muny

Outstanding New Play
Jennifer Blackmer, Human Terrain, Mustard Seed Theatre
Rebecca Gilman, Soups, Stews and Casseroles: 1976, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Nick Otten, Mary Shelley Monster Show, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
Stephen Peirick, Four Sugars, Stray Dog Theatre
Lia Romeo, Reality, HotCity Theatre

Special Awards.  Note that these are not nominees; awards will be given to both.
Donna Northcott, St. Louis Shakespeare
Agnes Wilcox, Prison Performing Arts

Symphony Preview: Bach family values at Powell Hall Friday and Saturday, January 30 and 31, 2015

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As anyone who has ever taken a "music depreciation" course knows, Johann Sebastian Bach was almost as prolific a father as he was a composer. This weekend, Nicholas McGegan leads the St. Louis Symphony in a concert that's a genuine Bach family affair, featuring music by both J.S. Bach and two of his musical sons.

"Statue of J.S. Bach in Leipzig" by Zarafa
at the English language Wikipedia.
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
via Wikimedia Common

Bach and his two wives, Maria Barbara and Anna Magdalena, had a total of twenty children, ten of whom survived to adulthood (yes, child mortality in 18th century Germany was fierce). Four of the ten went on to careers as composers and the two represented in this weekend's concerts—Carl Philipp Emanuel and Johann Christian—went on to eclipse dad in popularity, at least during their lives.

But that, as they say, was then. Now, performances of the music of Bach's offspring are relatively rare. According to bachtrack.com, for example, J.S. Bach was the third most performed composer in 2014. The kids didn't even make the top ten. No surprise, then, that the "Sinfonia concertante in C major for Flute, Oboe, Violin, Cello, and Orchestra" by J.C. on the bill this weekend is getting its SLSO premiere and the "Sinfonia in D Major" by C.P.E. hasn't been heard here since 1987.

C.P.E. Bach was born in 1714, when his dad was not quite 31. By the time he began composing in his 20s, musical styles were changing. While still heavily influenced by his father's strict contrapuntal principles, C.P.E. wrote music that was much more expressive and dramatic than anything J.S. would ever have considered. He was a proponent of something called empfindsamer Stil (literally, "sensitive style"), an approach characterized, in the words of the Encyclopedia Britannica, by "an emphasis upon the expression of a variety of deeply felt emotions within a musical work." In that respect, C.P.E. looks forward not only to the Classical period but to the Romantic as well.

"Bach Carl Philipp Emanuel 1"
by Franz Conrad Löhr (1735–1812)[1]
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin,
Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Gemäldegalerie, M.589.
Licensed under Public Domain
via Wikimedia Commons

Even today, some of his music has a decidedly "modern" feel. C.P.E. Bach's compositional style, as musicologist Ann Richards has written, "is miles away from the elegance and balance we associate with this period. Timelines are crisscrossed, he is endlessly stopping and starting, wrong-footing the listener and causing his audience to reconsider its relation to the music. In that sense, it's very postmodern, a kind of meta-music." As you'll hear this weekend, C.P.E.'s "Sinfonia in D Major" (which dates from around the time of the American revolution) is typical, filled with the idiosyncratic and unconventional touches that characterize his work.

Right around the time that C.P.E. was writing that "Sinfonia", J.C. Bach was writing his contribution to this weekend's program, the "Sinfonia concertante in C major for Flute, Oboe, Violin, Cello, and Orchestra." J.C. Bach was born towards the end of J.S. Bach's life. His father was fifty when J.C. was born and would die when the boy was only fifteen. As a result, his music owes less to J.S. than does that of his older sibling. J.C. wrote mostly in the "galante" style, which Merriam Webster concisely defines as "a light and elegant free homophonic style of musical composition in the 18th century with rococo ornamentation as contrasted with the serious fugal style of the baroque era." Galante music pretty much abandoned counterpoint in favor of melody and accompaniment. It would, when combined with a renewed interest in counterpoint, form the basis of the Classical style that would find its greatest expression in the instrumental works of Haydn and Mozart.

J.C. Bach is sometimes referred to as the "London" Bach because he spent so much time there, eventually becoming music master to King George III's wife Charlotte. Unlike his older brother, J.C. outlived his earlier professional success. The galante style began to go out of style in the 1770s and J.C., swindled out of his wealth by his steward, died in poverty. Fortunately, Queen Charlotte covered the expense of his funeral and set up a small pension for his widow.

Johann Christian Bach, painted in London by
Thomas Gainsborough, 1776
(National Portrait Gallery, London)
en.wikipedia.org

There are three pieces by J.S. Bach on the bill as well: the "Sinfonia" (essentially the overture) to his secular cantata "Non sa che sia dolore" (BWV 209), the "Concerto in D minor for Oboe, Violin, and Strings" (BWV 1060), and his popular "Orchestral Suite No. 3."

Apparently written for the Leipzig Collegium Musicum (of which Bach was then the director) in 1729, the suite is an appealing collection of four dances preceded by a short "French overture" (the name possibly refers to the fact that the form first appears in the operas of Jean Baptiste Lully) with its characteristic majestic opening followed by a main section. As Paul Schiavo points out in his program notes, it's the most popular of the four suites, with a second movement that has become famous all on its own under the title "Air on the G String."

"At the season's New Year's Eve concert," recalls SLSO Principal Trumpet Karin Bliznik in an interview in the program book, "David Robertson excerpted and dedicated the Air--movement II of the Suite--to one of our ailing but now recovering colleagues. What a great reminder of the universal healing elements of classical music." She's also happy about the prominent role played by her instrument in the suite, reminding us that this is "the first of the orchestral suites to include not just one but three trumpets."

Finally, a quick note about guest conductor Nicholas McGegan. A specialist in what was once called "early music" Mr. McGegan is, as I have noted before, one of the most ebullient podium personalities you are ever likely to see. He bounds on to the stage, his face alight with a cherubic smile, his body language was saying: "this is going to be FUN!" If you think Baroque music is a stodgy business, you've never seen it conducted by Mr. McGegan.

The essentials: Nicholas McGegan conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in a program of music by the Johann Sebastian Bach family on Friday at 10:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. and Saturday at 8 p.m., January 30 and 31. Soloists are Andrea Kaplan and Jennifer Nitchman, flutes; Jelena Dirks and Philip Ross, oboe; Asako Kuboki and Ann Fink, violin; and Melissa Brooks, cello. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of January 30, 2015

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

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New This Week:

Imagining Madoff
Photo: Eric Woolsey

New Jewish Theater presents Imaginaing Madoff through February 8. "A fantasia conjured by the playwright featuring an imagined conversation between unrepentant Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff and Holocaust survivor, poet and investment client Solomon Galkin. In an all-night study session, these two Jewish men find themselves in a moral showdown as they banter about a myriad of subjects from baseball, to the Talmud, to human decency and the story of Abraham and Isaac. The play concerns itself with the terrible beauty and magnificent danger of absolute faith, either in God or men. As an audience, we share a sense, even to the end, that we can change what's already past. It is a moral investigation." Performances take place in the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theater at the Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive in Creve Coeur. For more information: www.newjewishtheatre.org or call 314-442-3283.

My take: This is the sort of thing that could become a pedantic "talking heads" exercise, but apparently both Deb Margloin's script and the NJT production avoid those pitfalls. "The attention to detail," writes Tina Farmer in her KDHX review, "both factual and fiction, ensures that the entire script feels authentic even though its centerpiece, the nightlong conversation between Galkin and Madoff, features a fictional character. Regardless, the show is a fascinating look into the minds of both Madoff and Galkin, the curiosities, passions and affronts that guided each man and caused their paths to cross and become so thoroughly entwined."

Clayton Community Theatre presents James Goldman's The Lion in Winter Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, through February 8. "Sibling rivalry, adultery, and dungeons - Lion in Winter, by James Goldman, is a modern day classic. Comedic in tone, dramatic in action - the play tells the story of the Plantagenet family who are locked in a free for all of competing ambitions to inherit a kingdom. The queen, and wealthiest woman in the world, Eleanor of Aquitaine, has been kept in prison since raising an army against her husband, King Henry II. Let out only for holidays, the play centers around the inner conflicts of the royal family as they fight over both a kingdom, as well as King Henry's paramour during the Christmas of 1183. As Eleanor says, "every family has its ups and downs," and this royal family is no exception." Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. For more information, call 314-721-9228 or visit placeseveryone.org.

My take: A product of the 1960s (it opened on Braodway and was the basis for a successful film adaptation in 1968), Goldman's comedy-drama refuses to become dated, possibly because the underlying issues are timeless, the characters are so well drawn, and the dialog crackles with the kind of literacy that has become far too rare in more recent plays and films. As an illustration of the danger of allowing nations to be run by dynasties, it also carries a warning that is still timely today. "Director Sam Hack," writes Bob Wildox at KDHX, "has assembled a strong cast for the Clayton Community Theatre production and has handled them well."

Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Safe House through February 8. "In 1843 Kentucky, the Pedigrews hold a unique place in their community as free people of color. While one brother has dreams of opening his own business as a cobbler and creating a life for his family, the other risks everything in an effort to help slaves escape. Inspired by the lives of his ancestors, playwright Keith Josef Adkins tells a gripping and heart-wrenching story of love, freedom and survival." Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

My take: "Occasionally," writes Tina Farmer at KDHX, "a play sneaks up on you, grabbing you at some visceral, emotional level and knocking you down. The Studio at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis' current production is that kind of a play. Deeply thoughtful, and grounded in history, "Safe House" challenges assumptions, providing a seldom seen glimpse of the old south, delivered in richly textured, carefully developed performances." With Confederate apologists and historical revisionists trying to whitewash (you should pardon the expression) the ugly history of slavery in America, it once again falls to the power of Art to remind us of just how great a moral cancer that institution was. This show is a nice counterpoint to the Rep's mainstage offering, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?"

Held Over:

Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?, based on the classic film, through February 1. “A progressive couple's proud liberal sensibilities are put to the test when their daughter arrives home bursting with excitement and an unexpected fiancé. Expectations and reality collide when questions of race, fear and cultural beliefs are staring them directly in the face. A new adaptation of the award-winning film explores family and acceptance and asks which has the greater hold on our hearts.” Performances take place on the mainstage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

My take: Reviews have been very positive for this show. Writing for Broadwayworld.com, for example, Chris Gibson calls it "an engaging and thoroughly entertaining theatrical experience that I cannot recommend highly enough." "Under Seth Gordon's expert direction," writes Malcom Gay at the Riverfront Times, "the Rep's cast teases the nuances from Kreidler's adaptation, delivering a powerful, immersive performance that - if not exactly challenging to an audience already won over to its essential argument - masterfully navigates the shifting waters of race, class, familial acceptance and personal responsibility as they move to overrun the narrow cultural channels that have defined them." Other critics have been equally enthusiastic. I saw the show last weekend and I agree that a winner is coming to dinner.

Photo: Carol Rosegg

The Fox Theatre presents Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella January 20 - February 1. "With its fresh new take on the beloved tale of a young woman who is transformed from a chambermaid into a princess, this hilarious and romantic Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA combines the story's classic elements - glass slippers, pumpkin, and a beautiful ball along with some surprising twists. More than just a pretty face with the right shoe size, this Cinderella is a contemporary figure living in a fairytale setting. She is a spirited young woman with savvy and soul who doesn't let her rags or her gowns trip her up in her quest for kindness, compassion and forgiveness. She longs to escape the drudgery of her work at home and instead work to make the world a better place. She not only fights for her own dreams, but forces the prince to open his eyes to the world around him and realize his dreams too." The Fox is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, fabulousfox.com.

My take: Based on Rodgers and Hammerstein's famous made-for-television musical from 1957, this retooled stage version has a new book by playwright Douglas Carter Beane (best known for his comedy As Bees in Honey Drown). "More than just a pretty face with the right shoe size" says the official press release, "this Cinderella is a contemporary figure living in a fairytale setting. She is a spirited young woman with savvy and soul who doesn't let her rags or her gowns trip her up in her quest for kindness, compassion and forgiveness. She longs to escape the drudgery of her work at home and instead work to make the world a better place. She not only fights for her own dreams, but forces the prince to open his eyes to the world around him and realize his dreams too." At Ladue News, Mark Bretz calls it "effervescent and charming" while the Post-Dispatch's Judy Newmark says it "looks like a storybook come to life."

Concert review: Beethoven premieres show off the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Friday and Saturday, January 23 and 24, 2015

David Robertson

Who: The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus conducted by David Robertson
What: An all-Beethoven concert
Where: Powell Symphony Hall, St. Louis
When: Friday and Saturday, January 23 and 24, 2015

If the 1807 premiere of Beethoven's "Mass in C major" at the court of Prince Nikolaus Esterházy had been as good as the performance we got from David Robertson and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Friday night, the prince might have been less of a jerk with the composer afterwards.

[Find out more about the music with my symphony preview and the SLSO program notes.]

As it was, the shoddy effort by an ill-prepared and apathetic chorus left the prince baffled. "My dear Beethoven," he remarked, "what have you written there?" Beethoven was not amused, and it would be a number of years before the work began to gain a following.

Even so, it has never gotten the same attention as Beethoven's other major choral works—especially the earlier "Christus am Ölberge," ("Christ on the Mount of Olives") and the later "Missa Solemnis"—and this weekend's performances were the first by the SLSO. Which makes the high quality of what we heard Friday night that much more impressive.

The chorus carries most of the burden in the mass, and Amy Kaiser's forces were more than equal to the occasion, displaying that mix of power and finesse that I have come to expect from them. This was especially apparent in the "Credo," the longest and most elaborate of the five sections and the dramatic heart of the work. It's a remarkably exuberant declaration of faith from a man who was not necessarily all that devout, and the symphony choristers gave it a thrilling reading. They were equally at home in the more lyrical passages, especially the hushed "donna nobis pacem" that concludes the sometimes stormy "Agnus dei."

The score calls for four soloists, but they serve a mostly ancillary role, adding decoration and emphasis. That said, we had a quartet of very solid voices here in the persons of soprano Kate Reimann, mezzo-soprano Johanna Nordhorn, tenor Keith Boyer, and bass-baritone Jeffrey Heyl. All four are chorus members as well as familiar figures on the local opera and concert scene, and acquitted themselves well.

There was wonderful work from the orchestra here also. There are some important and very exposed solo passages in the "Agnus Dei," and they came through with wonderful clarity Friday night.

The other big Beethoven piece on the program was the genial "Symphony No. 8" in F major, Op. 83. Written at the same time as the more popular and flashy Seventh, the symphony is, in the words of the Philadelphia Orchestra's Christopher H. Gibbs, "a shorter, lighter, and far more good-humored work than its imposing neighbors, the relentless Seventh and the towering Ninth." Listening to this witty and playful music, it's hard to believe that it was written at a time when the composer was embroiled in an ugly and ultimately futile quarrel with his brother over the latter's love life.

Here, as in the "Mass" Mr. Robertson appeared to have incorporated some of the ideas of the HIP (Historically Informed Performance) set into his approach to "big band" Beethoven. Aside from the tympani (which appeared to be reproductions of the kind of smaller drum Beethoven would have recognized) the instruments were all modern and the ensemble was larger than it would have been in Beethoven's time, but the performances had the kind of snap and drive that I tend to associate with guys like Roger Norrington. I have heard this same influence in the past—most recently in his Mozart "Jupiter" last week. As a fan of the HIP approach, I'm all for it.

Mr. Robertson seemed especially in tune with the whimsical spirit of the Eighth symphony. I'm all for that as well.

The concerts opened with a truly rara avis, the "Three Equali for Four Trombones," written at the request of Franz Xaver Glöggl, the music director of the Linz Cathedral, for an All Soul's Day celebration in 1812. They constitute, in the words of New York Philharmonic annotator James M. Keller, "one of the most curious items in [Beethoven's] entire catalogue." The three short chorales gave four members of the SLSO trombone section a rare chance to take the spotlight, and they delivered the goods.

As an old trombone player myself I am, I suppose, a bit biased, but I must admit that it was a pleasure to hear the precision with which Timothy Myers, Amanda Stewart, Jonathan Reycraft, and bass trombonist Gerard Pagano (who could easily win a G.B Shaw look-like contest) played and even breathed in unison. Yes, I know the two go together, but it's still marvelous to see.

Next at Powell Hall: The regular season continues next week as Nicholas McGegan conducts the orchestra in a program of music by the Johann Sebastian Bach family on Friday at 10:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. and Saturday at 8 p.m., January 30 and 31. Soloists are Andrea Kaplan and Jennifer Nitchman, flutes; Jelena Dirks and Philip Ross, oboe; Asako Kuboki and Ann Fink, violin; and Melissa Brooks, cello. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of January 26, 2015

CMSSL at the Sheldon Ballroom

The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis presents "Baroque'n Strings" on Monday and Tuesday, January 26 and 27, at 7:30 PM. "Special Guest Artist – Nicholas McGegan, harpsichord with harpsichordist Charles Metz, guitarist Beau Bledsoe, and bassoonist Felicia Foland." The concert takes place at The Sheldon Ballroom, 3648 Washington. For more information: chambermusicstl.org.

Nicholas McGegan conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in a program of music by the Johann Sebastian Bach family on Friday at 10:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. and Saturday at 8 p.m., January 30 and 31. Soloists are Andrea Kaplan and Jennifer Nitchman, flutes; Jelena Dirks and Philip Ross, oboe; Asako Kuboki and Ann Fink, violin; and Melissa Brooks, cello. "The masterpieces of Johann Sebastian Bach and family are highlighted in this program led by St. Louis audience favorite Nicholas McGegan. Seven of the STL Symphony's own musicians take center stage as soloists in this program of classics from the Baroque era including J.C. Bach's Sinfonia concertante for Flute, Oboe, Violin, Cello and Orchestra" The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Peter Henderson

The Sheldon Concert Hall presents "Sheldon Classics: Africa" on Wednesday, January 28, at 8 p.m. "St. Louis Symphony principal percussionist Will James is joined by pianist Peter Henderson and other members of the St. Louis Symphony for music inspired by the rhythms and sounds of Africa. Will James will play two works for solo marimba, and Peter Henderson will play music by Scott Joplin, William Grant Still and St. Louis' own Fred Onovwerosuoke." The Sheldon is at 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: thesheldon.org.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents "Unfinished Business: An Evening of French and German Song" on Saturday, January 31, at 8 p.m. "Join tenor Phil Touchette and pianist Jon Garrett for an evening of French and German artsong for which Phil has been chomping at the bit to finally perform in public! The evening begins with six songs of Henri Duparc (including "L'invitation au voyage" and "Phidylé"), followed by Robert Schumann's "Dichterliebe" (Op. 48) and will conclude with opera arias by Mozart, Franz Lehár and Engelbert Humperdinck." The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of January 26, 2015

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's events web site.

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Upstream Theater presents Bashir Lazhar by Évelyne de la Chenelière January 30 - February 12. "An Algerian refugee in Montreal is hurriedly hired as a substitute for a class of sixth graders who, like him, have experienced recent trauma. As he devotes his heart and soul to his students, his unorthodox methods challenge a system embedded in routine. A timely and poetic piece about grief and healing, love and survival. In 2011 the play was adapted into the Oscar-nominated film Monsieur Lazhar." The play stars J. Samuel Davis with live music by Farshid Soltanshahi Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, including show times: upstreamtheater.org.

Hard Road Theatre Productions presents Drinking Habits Friday and Saturday at 7:30 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, January 30-February 1. "Set in the present day outside the small town of Shady Glenn, USA, Drinking Habits revolves around a couple of nuns who, unknown to their Mother Superior, have been secretly making wine and selling it to the village locals in order to keep their convent open. Problems begin when the threat of a possible early frost could ruin their harvest. Meanwhile, Mother Superior is in a tizzy when she believes a spy from Rome is coming to shut her convent down. Throw in a couple of nosy reporters, a new member to the convent, a local “magical” priest, and a simple groundskeeper and you end up with several mistaken identities, some tender romances, and tons of laughs." Performances will be held at Highland High School Kennel, 12760 Troxler Avenue in Highland, IL. For more information: www.hardroad.org.

Circus Harmony presents Giubilante Saturday at 2 and 7 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, January 31 and February 1. Performances take place at City Museum, 701 N. 15th Street. Show admission is free with museum admission. For more information: circusharmony.org.

(L-R): Anderson Matthews and Richard Prioleau
©Photo by Jerry Naunheim Jr

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?, based on the classic film, through February 1. "A progressive couple's proud liberal sensibilities are put to the test when their daughter arrives home bursting with excitement and an unexpected fiancé. Expectations and reality collide when questions of race, fear and cultural beliefs are staring them directly in the face. A new adaptation of the award-winning film explores family and acceptance and asks which has the greater hold on our hearts." Performances take place on the mainstage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Imagining Madoff
Photo: Eric Woolsey

New Jewish Theater presents Imaginaing Madoff through February 8. "A fantasia conjured by the playwright featuring an imagined conversation between unrepentant Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff and Holocaust survivor, poet and investment client Solomon Galkin. In an all-night study session, these two Jewish men find themselves in a moral showdown as they banter about a myriad of subjects from baseball, to the Talmud, to human decency and the story of Abraham and Isaac. The play concerns itself with the terrible beauty and magnificent danger of absolute faith, either in God or men. As an audience, we share a sense, even to the end, that we can change what's already past. It is a moral investigation." Performances take place in the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theater at the Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive in Creve Coeur. For more information: www.newjewishtheatre.org or call 314-442-3283.

Clayton Community Theatre presents James Goldman's The Lion in Winter Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, through February 8. "Sibling rivalry, adultery, and dungeons - Lion in Winter, by James Goldman, is a modern day classic. Comedic in tone, dramatic in action - the play tells the story of the Plantagenet family who are locked in a free for all of competing ambitions to inherit a kingdom. The queen, and wealthiest woman in the world, Eleanor of Aquitaine, has been kept in prison since raising an army against her husband, King Henry II. Let out only for holidays, the play centers around the inner conflicts of the royal family as they fight over both a kingdom, as well as King Henry's paramour during the Christmas of 1183. As Eleanor says, "every family has its ups and downs," and this royal family is no exception." Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. For more information, call 314-721-9228 or visit placeseveryone.org.

 The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Murder in Mayberry. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Phantom of the Grand Ole Opery through April 26. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

The cast of Safe House
©Photo by Eric Woolsey

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Safe House through February 8. "In 1843 Kentucky, the Pedigrews hold a unique place in their community as free people of color. While one brother has dreams of opening his own business as a cobbler and creating a life for his family, the other risks everything in an effort to help slaves escape. Inspired by the lives of his ancestors, playwright Keith Josef Adkins tells a gripping and heart-wrenching story of love, freedom and survival." Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

New Line Theatre Off Line presents Shootin' the Sh!t: An Adult Cabaret on Saturday, January 31, at 8 PM. The evening will include great songs from contemporary and classic shows, including New Line productions. Featured performers will be Zachary Allen Farmer (Bonnie & Clyde, Next to Normal, Bukowsical, Hair, Night of the Living Dead, High Fidelity, Love Kills, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson), Todd Schaefer (Hands on a Hardbody, Bat Boy, Evita, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Rocky Horror Show, Sunday in the Park with George), and Jeffrey M. Wright (High Fidelity, Hands on a Hardbody, Next to Normal, Assassins, Grease, I Love My Wife). The show is directed by Mike Dowdy. The performance takes place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: www.newlinetheatre.com or 314-534-1111.

The Looking Glass Playhouse presents the the Mel Brooks musical Young Frankenstein Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., January 29 - February 8. Performances take place at 301 West St. Louis Street in Lebanon, Ill. For more information, visit www.lookingglassplayhouse.com.

Would you like to be on the radio? KDHX, 88.1 FM needs theatre reviewers. If you're 18 years or older, knowledgeable in this area, have practical theatre experience (acting, directing, writing, technical design, etc.), have good oral and written communications skills and would like to become one of our volunteer reviewers, send an email describing your experience and interests to chuck at kdhx.org. Please include a sample review of something you've seen recently.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of January 23, 2015

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

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New This Week:

Winter Opera St. Louis presents Mascagni's L'Amico Fritz Friday at 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM, January 23 and 25. "A woman, a man, and a bet between friends. What will it take for Suzel and Fritz to admit they love each other?" Performances take place at The Skip Viragh Center for the Arts at Chaminade College Preparatory School, 425 S. Lindbergh. The opera is sung in Italian with project English supertitles. For more information, visit winteroperastl.org.

My take: Although nowhere near as well-known as Mascagni's one big hit, the tragic one-act Cavalleria Rusticana, L'Amico Fritz is considered by many critics to be musically superior, even though its comic libretto is considerably lighter. Nobody gets killed here and everything ends happily. I don't think the opera has ever been performed in St. Louis, so this may be your first (and possibly) only chance to see it on a local stage. Winter Opera's theatre is one of the best in town for musical theatre; it's a pity the shows don't run longer.

Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents the comedy Fox on the Fairway through January 25. "Filled with mistaken identities, slamming doors, and over-the-top romantic shenanigans, The Fox On the Fairway is a fast-paced and charmingly madcap adventure about love, life, and man's eternal love affair with golf." Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre of the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road. For more information, call 314-821-9956 or visit ktg-onstage.org.

My take: Best known for his wildly popular comedy Lend Me a Tenor, Ken Ludwig seems to be a dab hand at farce. "Director Lyndsay Somers Hick," says KDHX's Tina Farmer, "makes the most of the expansive set’s many entrances, repeatedly employing a slapstick chase element the actors gleefully embrace and the audience continuously responds to. Solid casting and a willingness to play big for laughs results in a light and fluffy farce in which everyone ends up happy, the characters and the audience." This is the sort of thing KTG does well, so it should be plenty of good, clean, fast-paced fun.

COCA Theatre Company presents the musical Mirette Friday through Sunday, January 23-25. "COCA Theatre Company (CTC) presents Mirette, with book by Elizabeth Diggs, music by Harvey Schmidt, lyrics by Tom Jones and based on the book Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully. Mirette is an imaginative, musical adaptation of the award-winning children's book, set in late 19th century Paris. A willful young girl is delighted when she discovers her mother's new boarder is none other than the Great Bellini, whose glorious tightrope-walking days were cut short when he lost his nerve. Demonstrating an innate talent for balancing, she convinces the reluctant Bellini to teach her his craft. Mirette is directed by Chris Limber, with musical direction by Phil Woodmore and circus staging by Josh Routh." COCA is at 524 Trinity in University City. For more information, call (314) 725-6555 or visit www.cocastl.org.

My take: Yes, that's the Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones who produced one of the longest-running musicals in history, The Fantasticks. Chris Limber is a veteran actor and director here in St. Louis as well as a cabaret performer, so I think you can expect a polished production of this rarely-seen musical.

Emily C. Johnson

The Chapel Venue presents Emily C. Johnson in New Girl in Town: A Cabaret at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 24. The pianist and music director is Maggie McCarthy and the show features guest appearances by singers Sarah Dowling, Kevin Urday, Kendra Moore, Lillian Johnson, Eileen Engel, Sara Rae Womack, and Rachel Kuenzi. The Chapel is at 6238 Alexander in Clayton. For more information: thenewgirlstl.weebly.com.

My take: Emily gave us a preview of her show at the Cabaret Project open mic this past Wednesday, with sparkling performances of "Taylor the Latte Boy" (by the talented team of Heiser and Goldrich) and "The Trolley Song" (from Meet Me in St. Louis). The Chapel is a nice, intimate space that works well for cabaret, and it charges nothing for artists to perform there, so every dime of every ticket sales goes straight to the performers. Your ticket price includes two drinks at the bar as well. Such a deal.

Photo: Carol Rosegg

The Fox Theatre presents Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella January 20 - February 1. "With its fresh new take on the beloved tale of a young woman who is transformed from a chambermaid into a princess, this hilarious and romantic Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA combines the story's classic elements - glass slippers, pumpkin, and a beautiful ball along with some surprising twists. More than just a pretty face with the right shoe size, this Cinderella is a contemporary figure living in a fairytale setting. She is a spirited young woman with savvy and soul who doesn't let her rags or her gowns trip her up in her quest for kindness, compassion and forgiveness. She longs to escape the drudgery of her work at home and instead work to make the world a better place. She not only fights for her own dreams, but forces the prince to open his eyes to the world around him and realize his dreams too." The Fox is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, fabulousfox.com.

My take: Based on Rodgers and Hammerstein's famous made-for-television musical from 1957, this retooled stage version has a new book by playwright Douglas Carter Beane (best known for his comedy As Bees in Honey Drown). "More than just a pretty face with the right shoe size" says the official press release, "this Cinderella is a contemporary figure living in a fairytale setting. She is a spirited young woman with savvy and soul who doesn't let her rags or her gowns trip her up in her quest for kindness, compassion and forgiveness. She longs to escape the drudgery of her work at home and instead work to make the world a better place. She not only fights for her own dreams, but forces the prince to open his eyes to the world around him and realize his dreams too." At Ladue News, Mark Bretz calls it "effervescent and charming" while the Post-Dispatch's Judy Newmark says it "looks like a storybook come to life."

Held Over:

Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?, based on the classic film, through February 1. “A progressive couple's proud liberal sensibilities are put to the test when their daughter arrives home bursting with excitement and an unexpected fiancé. Expectations and reality collide when questions of race, fear and cultural beliefs are staring them directly in the face. A new adaptation of the award-winning film explores family and acceptance and asks which has the greater hold on our hearts.” Performances take place on the mainstage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

My take: Reviews have been very positive for this show. Writing for Broadwayworld.com, for example, Chris Gibson calls it "an engaging and thoroughly entertaining theatrical experience that I cannot recommend highly enough." "Under Seth Gordon's expert direction," writes Malcom Gay at the Riverfront Times, "the Rep's cast teases the nuances from Kreidler's adaptation, delivering a powerful, immersive performance that - if not exactly challenging to an audience already won over to its essential argument - masterfully navigates the shifting waters of race, class, familial acceptance and personal responsibility as they move to overrun the narrow cultural channels that have defined them." Other critics have been equally enthusiastic. I saw the show last weekend and I agree that a winner is coming to dinner.

Symphony Preview: Old Beethoven is new again at Powell Hall, January 23 and 24, 2015

"Beethoven Letronne" by Blasius Höfel
Licensed under Public Domain
via Wikimedia Common

This weekend two of the three works on the St. Louis Symphony program are making their first appearances on the Powell Hall Stage. That's not exactly news; the SLSO has given local audiences a good many local and even world premieres over the years. What's remarkable is that this time the local premieres are by Beethoven.

The SLSO has performed plenty of Beethoven in its 135 seasons, but never the 1807 "Mass in C Major" or the even rarer "Three Equali for Four Trombones" from 1807.

At around 43 minutes, the "Mass" is the big work on the program—although still not all that long as settings of the Latin mass go. In fact, the composer was striving for tranquility and simplicity, rather than the kind of high drama that would mark his much later (and more popular) "Missa Solemnis". As René Spencer Saller writes in her program notes, "the beauty of the Mass resides in its many deceptively simple details: the block harmonies of the choir, the flickering dissonances and sudden shifts from very loud to soft, the celestial tessitura (those sustained spells when the contraltos are clinging to the upper reaches of their register sound a lot more effortless than they are). Instead of the epic scope of Mozart's and Haydn's Masses, all that Holy Roman grandeur, Beethoven set his sights on the human scale."

The mass was written on commission from Prince Nikolaus Esterházy for his wife's name day. This put Beethoven in august company—Esterházy had ordered masses from Hummel and Haydn for the same occasion in the past—but when he got to the Esterházy Palace in Eisenstadt for the rehearsals he found himself treated as a poor relation, relegated to substandard housing and assigned an orchestra and chorus who appeared apathetic and incompetent.

The premiere was a disaster. "After the first performance of the Mass," write Cal Tech's Jeff McMillan and Donna Akutagawa, "the Prince reportedly said, 'My dear Beethoven, what have you written there!', evidently in a condescending tone. Beethoven immediately became irritated by this, and he left the Prince's court on the same day of the performance. The score was then dedicated to Prince Ferdinand Kinsky instead." The popularity of the piece has recovered a bit since, but it's still dwarfed by the "Missa Solemnis."

The "Three Equali," on the other hand, remain stuck in obscurity. They were composed at the request of Franz Xaver Glöggl, the music director of the Linz Cathedral, for an All Soul's Day celebration in 1812 and, in the words of New York Philharmonic annotator James M. Keller, constitute "one of the most curious items in [Beethoven's] entire catalogue." They're rarely heard these days, if only because it's hard to find a spot on most concerts for a five-minute suite for four trombones (in this case, two altos, a tenor, and a bass).

As for the term "equale," Mr. Keller notes that Glöggl "may have originated the term in the sense it is used here, to describe a mourning piece played by an ensemble of similar instruments...Such pieces were apparently specific to Austria, and especially to Linz. Apart from Beethoven's, the only other equale we are likely to encounter today are those composed (again for trombone ensembles) by two composers from Linz: Wenzel Lambel (who wrote ten, for three or four trombones) and Anton Bruckner (who produced two, for three trombones)." As a former trombonist myself, I'm rather looking forward to this little rarity.

"Metronom Mälzel 1815"
Photo by Andreas Praefcke
Licensed Under Public Domain
via Wikimedia Commons

In the same year that Beethoven wrote the "Four Equali," he also supposedly knocked out "Ta ta ta," (WoO 162) a comic canon whose lyrics are a tongue-in-cheek tribute to what was then the latest in musical technology: the metronome. This now-commonplace timekeeping device was, back in 1812, still under development in the workshop of Johann Mälzel. Beethoven, so the story went, learned of it during a party at Mälzel's and was very taken with the idea and improvised the canon on the spot. He then used the little "tick-tock" melody as the basis for the second movement of the symphony he was writing: the eighth in F major, Op. 93. Which, as it happens, is the other big work on the program this weekend.

The story may or may not be true. In "The Symphony, a Listener's Guide" Michael Steinberg presents it as real while Wikipedia, expressing what now appears to be the majority view, insists that the story is apocryphal and that the melody is actually a reference to Haydn's "Clock" symphony. Regardless, both the movement and the canon are whimsical fun.

For some time now, it has been commonly accepted that, starting with the "Eroica," Beethoven's symphonies tended to fall into pattern in which big, heaven-storming works alternated with more genial and modest pieces, with the latter suffering in popularity by comparison. Beethoven often wrote (and premiered) his symphonies in pairs, so the contrast may have been deliberate.

Certainly the Eighth, which was written at the same time as the Seventh, fits the pattern. As the Philadelphia Orchestra's Christopher H. Gibbs has written, the Eighth "is a shorter, lighter, and far more good humored work than its imposing neighbors, the relentless Seventh and the towering Ninth. According to his student Carl Czerny, in comparison with the extraordinary enthusiasm that greeted the Seventh Symphony there was initially a puzzled reaction in Vienna to the Eighth. 'That's because it is so much better' was Beethoven's alleged response."

In my feckless youth, I was inclined to prefer Beethoven's grander odd-numbered symphonies to their more modest companions. These days, I'm becoming more of an even-numbered person, especially when it comes to the unfailingly charming Fourth and Eighth. Let me know whether or not you agree by leaving a comment or two below.

The essentials: David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus along with Kate Reimann, soprano; Johanna Nordhorn, mezzo-soprano; Keith Boyer, tenor; and Jeffrey Heyl, bass-baritone in an all-Beethoven program featuring the "Mass in C Major" and "Symhony No. 8" Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., January 23 and 24. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Review: Mostly Mozart with the St. Louis Symphony

Richard Goode

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Who: The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Robertson with pianist Richard Goode
What: Music of Mozart, Lutoslawski, and Tippett
When: January 17 and 18, 2015
Where: Powell Hall, St. Louis

[Find out more about the music in my symphony preview post.]

We may never know who first applied the nickname "Jupiter" to Mozart's last symphony—American musicologist Daniel Heartz posits that it was impresario Johann Peter Salomon—but it's not hard to see why the name stuck.

Scott Andrews

The music has a kind of Olympian power and grandeur, along with a degree of structural clarity that makes it possibly the ideal Classical symphony. It's music brimming with vitality and optimism. It never fails to impress, especially when played with the kind of assurance and vigor David Robertson and the SLSO gave it this past Sunday.

Granted, this was modern, "big band" Mozart (although Thomas Stubbs was apparently using smaller period-reproduction tympani), but the performance had the kind of vitality I associate with smaller "original instrument" ensembles. The strong tempo and dynamic contrasts I have come to associate with Mr. Robertson were all there as usual, as was the attention to orchestral detail. The result was an impressive reading that reminded me of how much the "Jupiter" looks forward to the Romantic era while crystallizing the Classical style.

Kristin Ahlstrom

The other big Mozart work on the program—the "Piano Concerto No. 17" from 1784—fared just as well. Soloist Richard Goode played with a delicacy and fluid grace that was the aural equivalent of good Champagne—smooth, but bubbly and piquant. Mr. Goode was clearly wrapped up in the music, often singing or humming to himself (inaudibly, at least from the dress circle) and generally showing signs of intense concentration and pleasure.

The orchestra responded well to Mr. Robertson's direction and played impeccably. Mozart put a lot of reliance on the winds in this concerto, and the SLSO players did not disappoint. They sounded splendid, especially in the emotional depths of the second movement.

Shawn Weil

Strong orchestral playing also characterized the two twentieth-century pieces that made of the rest of the program. The concert opened with a dazzling performance of Witold Lutoslawski's playful 1955 "Dance Preludes" by SLSO Principal Clarinet Scott Andrews. Quoted in the program notes, Mr. Andrews describes this brief (ten minute) piece as "very fun, rhythmic, based on the Polish folk tradition, but without taking direct quotations from folk music." Certainly that spirit of fun was present in the playing of both Mr. Andrews and the orchestra; there was even an occasional chuckle from some of us in the audience at the composer's little winks and nods.

David Kim

Sir Michael Tippett's "Fantasia Concertante on a Theme of Corelli" from 1953 (which opened the second half of the concert) is more substantial stuff. Scored for two string orchestras along with two solo violins and a solo cello, it takes an excerpt from the "Concerto grosso, op. 6, no. 2" by Arcangelo Corelli (published in 1741) and uses it as the foundation for an elaborate structure consisting of seven variations, a fugue, and a blissful finale.

The two violin soloists have perhaps the most challenging music, often trading licks like country fiddlers, but Kristin Ahlstrom and Shawn Weil (both members of the SLSO strings) were more than up to the task. The solo cellist doesn't get as many flashy passages, but SLSO Assistant Principal Cello David Kim did well by it. The solid, polished sound of the symphony strings back them up under Mr. Robertson's incisive direction.

Next at Powell: David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus along with Kate Reimann, soprano; Johanna Nordhorn, mezzo-soprano; Keith Boyer, tenor; and Jeffrey Heyl, bass-baritone in an all-Beethoven program featuring the "Mass in C Major" and "Symphony No. 8" Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m., January 23-25. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of January 19, 2015

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's events web site.

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Alton Little Theater presents the comedy Alone Together Thursday through Sunday, January 22-25, at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. "In the hilarious Broadway comedy, Alone Together, Mom and Dad have spent the last thirty years raising three active sons. How they looked forward to the peace, the quiet and the privacy of an empty nest. After considerable comic turmoil and revelation of deep feelings, the nest is finally emptied. Peace now? Quiet? Not for long. All three sons come charging back home after experiencing some hard knocks in the real world, and Mom and Dad have quite a time pushing them out again." For more information, call 618.462.6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

Winter Opera St. Louis presents Mascagni's L'Amico Fritz Friday at 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM, January 23 and 25. "A woman, a man, and a bet between friends. What will it take for Suzel and Fritz to admit they love each other?" Performances take place at The Skip Viragh Center for the Arts at Chaminade College Preparatory School, 425 S. Lindbergh. The opera is sung in Italian with project English supertitles. For more information, visit winteroperastl.org.

Carol Schmidt

The Cabaret Project and 88.1 KDHX present the monthly Cabaret Open Mic Night on Wednesday, February 18, from 7 to 10 PM at the Tavern of Fine Arts. The special guest Master of Ceremonies this month is Cabaret Project Executive Director Tim Schall and the music director is Carol Schmidt. If you're planning to sing, be prepared to do one or two songs and bring music, preferably in your key. It's also recommend that you have your song memorized. At least one of the two songs should be medium or up-tempo. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt at Waterman in the Central West End. There's free parking in the lot right across the street. For more information, visit tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com or call 314-367-7549.

Hard Road Theatre Productions presents Drinking Habits Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, January 23-31. "Set in the present day outside the small town of Shady Glenn, USA, Drinking Habits revolves around a couple of nuns who, unknown to their Mother Superior, have been secretly making wine and selling it to the village locals in order to keep their convent open. Problems begin when the threat of a possible early frost could ruin their harvest. Meanwhile, Mother Superior is in a tizzy when she believes a spy from Rome is coming to shut her convent down. Throw in a couple of nosy reporters, a new member to the convent, a local “magical” priest, and a simple groundskeeper and you end up with several mistaken identities, some tender romances, and tons of laughs." Performances will be held at Highland High School Kennel, 12760 Troxler Avenue in Highland, IL. For more information: www.hardroad.org.

Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents the comedy Fox on the Fairway through January 25. "Filled with mistaken identities, slamming doors, and over-the-top romantic shenanigans, The Fox On the Fairway is a fast-paced and charmingly madcap adventure about love, life, and man's eternal love affair with golf." Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre of the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road. For more information, call 314-821-9956 or visit ktg-onstage.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Circus Harmony presents Giubilante Saturdays at 2 and 7 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, January 24 - February 1. Performances take place at City Museum, 701 N. 15th Street. Show admission is free with museum admission. For more information: circusharmony.org.

(L-R): Anderson Matthews and Richard Prioleau
©Photo by Jerry Naunheim Jr

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?, based on the classic film, through February 1. "A progressive couple's proud liberal sensibilities are put to the test when their daughter arrives home bursting with excitement and an unexpected fiancé. Expectations and reality collide when questions of race, fear and cultural beliefs are staring them directly in the face. A new adaptation of the award-winning film explores family and acceptance and asks which has the greater hold on our hearts." Performances take place on the mainstage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

New Jewish Theater presents Imaginaing Madoff January 22 - February 8. "A fantasia conjured by the playwright featuring an imagined conversation between unrepentant Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff and Holocaust survivor, poet and investment client Solomon Galkin. In an all-night study session, these two Jewish men find themselves in a moral showdown as they banter about a myriad of subjects from baseball, to the Talmud, to human decency and the story of Abraham and Isaac. The play concerns itself with the terrible beauty and magnificent danger of absolute faith, either in God or men. As an audience, we share a sense, even to the end, that we can change what's already past. It is a moral investigation." Performances take place in the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theater at the Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive in Creve Coeur. For more information: www.newjewishtheatre.org or call 314-442-3283.

Clayton Community Theatre presents James Goldman's The Lion in Winter Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, January 22 - February 8. "Sibling rivalry, adultery, and dungeons - Lion in Winter, by James Goldman, is a modern day classic. Comedic in tone, dramatic in action - the play tells the story of the Plantagenet family who are locked in a free for all of competing ambitions to inherit a kingdom. The queen, and wealthiest woman in the world, Eleanor of Aquitaine, has been kept in prison since raising an army against her husband, King Henry II. Let out only for holidays, the play centers around the inner conflicts of the royal family as they fight over both a kingdom, as well as King Henry's paramour during the Christmas of 1183. As Eleanor says, "every family has its ups and downs," and this royal family is no exception." Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. For more information, call 314-721-9228 or visit placeseveryone.org.

COCA Theatre Company presents the musical Mirette Friday through Sunday, January 23-25. "COCA Theatre Company (CTC) presents Mirette, with book by Elizabeth Diggs, music by Harvey Schmidt, lyrics by Tom Jones and based on the book Mirette on the High Wire by Emily Arnold McCully. Mirette is an imaginative, musical adaptation of the award-winning children's book, set in late 19th century Paris. A willful young girl is delighted when she discovers her mother's new boarder is none other than the Great Bellini, whose glorious tightrope-walking days were cut short when he lost his nerve. Demonstrating an innate talent for balancing, she convinces the reluctant Bellini to teach her his craft. Mirette is directed by Chris Limber, with musical direction by Phil Woodmore and circus staging by Josh Routh." COCA is at 524 Trinity in University City. For more information, call (314) 725-6555 or visit www.cocastl.org.

 The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Murder in Mayberry. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

Emily C. Johnson

The Chapel Venue presents Emily C. Johnson in New Girl in Town: A Cabaret at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 24. The pianist and music director is Maggie McCarthy and the show features guest appearances by singers Sarah Dowling, Kevin Urday, Kendra Moore, Lillian Johnson, Eileen Engel, Sara Rae Womack, and Rachel Kuenzi. The Chapel is at 6238 Alexander in Clayton. For more information: thenewgirlstl.weebly.com.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Phantom of the Grand Ole Opery through April 26. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

The Fox Theatre presents Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella January 20 - February 1. "With its fresh new take on the beloved tale of a young woman who is transformed from a chambermaid into a princess, this hilarious and romantic Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA combines the story's classic elements - glass slippers, pumpkin, and a beautiful ball along with some surprising twists. More than just a pretty face with the right shoe size, this Cinderella is a contemporary figure living in a fairytale setting. She is a spirited young woman with savvy and soul who doesn't let her rags or her gowns trip her up in her quest for kindness, compassion and forgiveness. She longs to escape the drudgery of her work at home and instead work to make the world a better place. She not only fights for her own dreams, but forces the prince to open his eyes to the world around him and realize his dreams too." The Fox is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, fabulousfox.com. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The cast of Safe House
©Photo by Eric Woolsey

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Safe House January 21 - February 8. "In 1843 Kentucky, the Pedigrews hold a unique place in their community as free people of color. While one brother has dreams of opening his own business as a cobbler and creating a life for his family, the other risks everything in an effort to help slaves escape. Inspired by the lives of his ancestors, playwright Keith Josef Adkins tells a gripping and heart-wrenching story of love, freedom and survival." Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

Peabody Opera House presents the Seasame Street Live: Let's Dance! Thursday through Sunday, January 22-25. For more information, visit peabodyoperahouse.com or call 314-622-5420.

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