Concert Review: Dreamy Shakespearean music with Hans Graf and the St. Louis Symphony February 27 and 28, 2016

Hans Graf

Share on Google+:

We call it a soundtrack now, but back before movies and recorded sound the music that accompanied a dramatic presentation was performed by live musicians and was known as "incidental music." This weekend, as part of its ongoing Shakespeare Festival, the St. Louis Symphony and guest conductor Hans Graf gave us sterling performances of a couple of excellent examples from the mid-nineteenth century.

[Find out more about the music with my Symphony Preview.]

The concerts opened with a brief (six-movement) suite from the score Gabriel Fauré wrote in 1889 for an Odéon Theatre production of "Shylock," a verse adaptation of Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" by the playwright and poet Edmond Haraucourt. The play, which (its title notwithstanding) emphasized the romantic subplot over Shylock's tragedy, quickly dropped from sight. Fauré's music has fared little better and, in fact, this weekend marked its first appearance on the Powell Hall stage.

DeWayne Trainer

It's engaging music, though, painted with the sonic equivalent of pastels and shot through with some lovely instrumental details. Concertmaster David Halen, for example, had elegant solos in the second movement "Entr'acte" and the fifth movement "Nocturne," which accompanies a moonlit love scene in Portia's garden. The winds and brasses also acquitted themselves well in the "Entr'acte" with the noble music that accompanies the entrance of Portia's suitors, and harpists Allegra Lilly and Megan Stout helped set the dreamy atmosphere in the opening "Chanson".

That "Chanson" was the first of two languorous love songs Fauré wrote for the play, and tenor DeWayne Trainer delivered them with great feeling, along with a real sense of what program annotator Paul Schiavo calls Fauré's "quiet rapture." Mr. Graf conducted with a sure hand, bringing out all the delicate shades of this shimmering score.

Maureen Thomas

The main event this weekend, though, was the complete incidental music that Mendelssohn wrote for an 1843 production of Shakespeare's comedy "A Midsummer Night's Dream." The "Overture," "Scherzo," "Nocturne," and (especially) the "Wedding March" are well known, of course, but the rest of the hour or so of music Mendelssohn wrote is rarely heard, probably because it's so closely integrated with the text. Out of that context, some of the brief music cues can sound like disconnected snippets.

Maestro Graf's solution to that problem was to collaborate with playwright John Murrell and Canadian actress Maureen Thomas to create a kind of mini-version of the play in which Ms. Thomas plays all ten of the principal roles, skillfully switching between characters with small but clearly delineated changes in voice, body language, and even accent. Ms. Thomas appeared with the symphony this weekend, turning in a bravura performance that made for a very entertaining evening. The use of special blue lighting and a darkened stage for the "fairy land" sequences were also very effective.

Debby Lennon

Mendelssohn included music for two of the songs in Shakespeare's text: "You spotted snakes," which the fairies sing as a lullaby for their queen Titania in Act II, and "Through the house give gathering light," based on short speeches by Titania and Oberon in the final act. They're irresistibly melodic and were impeccably sung by the women of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus and soloists Laurel Dantas and Debby Lennon. Although both women are sopranos, Ms. Lennon's voice has a rich lower register, which made for a nice contrast with Ms. Dantas's lighter sound. The singers all skipped on and off the stage for their scenes just like the fairies they portrayed, producing some nice chuckles from the audience.

Mr. Graf found lots of interesting moments and elegantly shaped phrases in this music, especially in the coda of the "Overture," and his "Scherzo" was noticeably fleet-footed. He took it at a tempo that might have been risky with a less capable orchestra, but there were no such concerns here. This was, overall, a very coherent and dramatically effective reading.

Laurel Dantas

Mendelssohn's transparent orchestration gives individual members of the band many opportunities to take the spotlight. A couple that stood out for me were provided by Roger Kaza's horns in the "Nocturne" and the duo of Principal Clarinet Scott Andrews and Principal Bassoon Andrew Cuneo in the droll "Funeral March" that accompanies Bottom's absurdly overacted play-within-a-play death scene.

The St. Louis Symphony's Shakespeare-themed concerts continue next weekend as Gilbert Varga conducts the orchestra in selections from Prokofiev's ballet "Romeo and Juliet" and Tchaikovsky's rarely heard "Hamlet" overture. The program includes Shostakovich's "Piano Concerto No. 2 with Denis Kozhukhin as the soloist. Performances are Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m., March 5 and 6; visit the SLSO web site for details.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of February 29, 2016

[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.

Share on Google+

Jeffrey M. Wright

The Presenters Dolan present Jeffrey M. Wright in The 40's: Theirs...And Mine on Saturday, March 5, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "A very popular and immensely likable leading man, Jeff Wright comes back with his sold-out splash. Songs made famous by Comden and Green, Cole Porter, Garth Brooks, Jimmy Webb, U2 and Rodgers and Hammerstein." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

New Line Theatre presents the musical American Idiot, based on the album by Green Day, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, March 3-26. " New Line continues its 25th season with the powerful, high-octane, rock fable AMERICAN IDIOT, based on the powerhouse album by Green Day, a scorching attack on what they saw as the hypocrisy and moral evils of the Bush Administration after the attacks of Sept. 11, as well as the increasingly submissive nature of the American public. The score includes every song from Green Day's hit album American Idiot, as well as several songs from their follow-up release, 21st Century Breakdown, with music by Green Day, lyrics by frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, a book by Armstrong and Michael Mayer, and musical arrangements and orchestrations by Broadway composer Tom Kitt (High Fidelity, Next to Normal, If/Then). The Toronto Star called the show 'the first great musical of the 21st century.'" Performances take place at the Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, three blocks east of Grand, in Grand Center. For more information, visit newlinetheatre.com or call 314-534-1111.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents And Away You Go through March 27. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

Beautiful—The Carole King Musical
Photo: Joan Marcus

The Fox Theatre presents Beautiful—The Carole King Musical running through March 6. "BEAUTIFUL - The Carole King Musical tells the inspiring true story of King's remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. Along the way, she made more than beautiful music, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation." The Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Clueless through April 16. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com

Disgraced
Photo: Peter Wochniak

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar through March 6. "Successful corporate lawyer Amir Kapoor comes from a Pakistani family, but he long ago distanced himself from his roots to embrace life as a slick New Yorker. On course to become a partner at his law firm, Amir's carefully constructed world begins to unravel when unexpected events cause him to question his own beliefs. Raw, turbulent and unsettling, this smart drama reveals hidden attitudes toward modern culture and faith. Winner of the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama." 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!

Elephant's Graveyard
Photo: Joe Angeles

The Performing Arts Department at Washington University presents Elephant's Graveyard Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, February 26 - March 6. "Something went very wrong when Sparks Traveling Circus arrived in the small Appalachian town of Erwin, Tennessee in 1916. Join us for this unbelievable, yet true, story about the desire for spectacle and Old Testament-style retributive justice in America." Performances take place in the Edison heatre in the Mallinckrodt Student Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, visit pad.artsci.wustl.edu or call 314-935-6543.

The Presenters Dolan presents Emily West on Thursday and Friday, March 3 and 4, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "A finalist in the 2014 America's Got Talent show, a grad of the Grand Olde Opry and the chicest rooms on both coasts, Emily West is as stunning with a plaintive ballad as she is with a powerhouse anthem. " The performances take place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Improv Shop presents Heartbreak running through March 19. "Heartbreak is an improvised serial show where we explore, in depth, the stages of doomed relationships. Watch characters go from strangers to friends, friends to lovers, and from lovers to heartbreakers. Heartbreak. It doesn't happen all at once." The Improv Shop is at 510 North Euclid in the Central West End. For more information on this and other Improv Shop shows: theimprovshop.com.

St. Charles Community College presents the comedy Lend Me a Tenor Wednesday through Sunday, March 2-6. "The harried impresario, the haughty socialite Board Chair, the Italian superstar opera singer, his shrewish wife, the young lovers ... all get farcical treatment in this non-stop, door-slamming, hilarious comedy. Set in a fancy hotel suite in 1934, the Cleveland Opera Company is poised to present the world-famous tenor, Tito Morelli, as the lead in their history-making production of Othello.” Performances take place in the FAB Theater in the Donald D. Shook Fine Arts Building on the campus at 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in Cottleville, MO. For more information, call 636-922-8050 or visit stchas.edu.

Robert Breig

The Presenters Dolan present Robert Breig in Making Every Moment Count-The Music of Peter Allen on Sunday, March 6, at 3 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Robert Breig celebrates the life and times of Peter Allen, a giant of live performance in the 70s and 80s. Judy Garland discovered him in 1964, at age 20, performing in a trio at the Hong Kong Hilton. (Allen was Australian.) He left immediately to go on tour with Garland, and soon after married her daughter, Liza Minelli. Thus anointed, he started performing in small cabarets in New York, including Reno Sweeney, the Continetental Baths and the Bitter End. His grew so popular that he regularly sold out the 6,000-seat Radio City Music Hall. His signature songs were "I Go to Rio" and "Quiet Please, There's a Lady Onstage." If you don't know his music or performance genius, check out the video of Peter Allen below." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The St. Louis Art Museum presents a high-definition video broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera's production Puccini's Manon Lescaut on SaturdayMarch 5, at 11:55 a.m. "Soprano Kristine Opolais and tenor Roberto Alagna join forces in Puccini's obsessive love story. Opolais sings the title role of the country girl who transforms herself into a Parisian temptress, while Alagna is the dashing student who desperately woos her. Director Richard Eyre places the action in occupied France in a film noir setting. “Desperate passion” is the phrase Puccini himself used to describe the opera that confirmed his position as the preeminent Italian opera composer of his day. Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi leads the stirring score." The live digital HD video broadcast from New York takes place in The Farrell Auditorium at the Art Museum in Forest Park. For more information: slam.org.

The Hettenhausen Center for the Arts presents the Mcendree College Theatre Department production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream on Thursday through Saturday, March 3-5. The Hettenhausen Center for the Arts is at 701 College Rd., at Alton St. on the McKendree University campus in Lebanon, IL. For more information: www.thehett.com.

Christ Memorial Productions presents Once Upon a Tree Friday sand Saturday at 7:30 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, March 4-6. "Once Upon a Tree is an original dramatic production that presents glimpses into the life of Christ with an emphasis on Christ's sacrificial gift of love for all people. Once Upon a Treeuses powerful musical scores and a full orchestra to bring the dramatic interpretation of The Greatest Story Ever Told to life. The production focuses on the Gospel as recorded by Luke, and depicts a world of passion, faith, deceit, truth, power, murder, and undying love. Pepper Choplin's musical scores and other powerful songs are incorporated into this dramatic musical presentation, and is directed by Dianne Mueller." Performances take place at Christ Memorial Lutheran Church, 5252 South Lindbergh. For more information, visit CMPShows.org or call 314-631-0304.

Zi

The Emerald Room Cabaret presents magician Zi in Playing With Impossibilities on Friday and Saturday, March 4 and 5, at 8 p.m. "When was the last time you were truly blown away by a Magic show? Curious about what Mentalism means? There will be no rabbits in hats or doves from sleeves here! Instead, come experience jaw-dropping moments as Zi amazes and delights with feats of the mind, and makes you reconsider the true depths of what we are capable of! Watch as everything from how we think to how we connect with each other become charged with an element of the supernatural, and come witness as things happen that should be utterly impossible. Watch as the impossible becomes a playground. " The performances take place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: buzzonstage.com/st-louis

On Saturday, March 5, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents author Salman Rushdie, composer Jack Perla, and OTSL General Manager Timothy O'Leary in a panel discussion of the opera Shalimar the Clown, based on Mr. Rushdie's novel. Opera Theatre will be presenting the world premiere the opera as part of its 2016 season in June. The event takes place at the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington. For more information: opera-stl.org/shalimarevents.

Winter Opera St. Louis presents Verdi's Il Trovatore Friday at 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM, March 4 and 6. Performances take place at The Skip Viragh Center for the Arts at Chaminade College Preparatory School, 425 S. Lindbergh. For more information, visit winteroperastl.org.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents the comedy The Underpants by Carl Sternhiem, as adapted by Steve Martin, March 4-13. "Louise and Theo Markes, a couple whose conservative existence is shattered when Louise's bloomers fall down in public. Though she pulls them up quickly, Theo thinks the incident will cost him his job as a government clerk. Even though it does not result in the feared scandal, it does attract two infatuated men, each of whom wants to rent the spare room in the Markes' home. Oblivious of their amorous objectives, Theo splits the room between them, happy to collect rent from both of them." Performances take place in the Guild theatre at Newport and Summit in Webster Groves, MO. For more information: theatreguildwg.org or call 314-962-0876.

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.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of February 29, 2016

The Spektral Quartet

Share on Google+:

New Music Circle and the Wasington University Music Department present The Spektral Quartet in concert on Saturday, March 5, at 7:30 PM. "Founded in 2010, the Spektral Quartet is widely regarded as one of Chicago's most charismatic and forward-thinking chamber ensembles. The group's creative approach to concert format, often shifting the role of audience member from spectator to participant, has earned it a loyal following within and beyond Chicago's city limits." The event takes place at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: www.newmusiccircle.org.

Gilbert Varga conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and piano soloist Denis Kozhukhin in music by Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, and Shostakovich Saturday at 8 p.m.and Sunday at 3 p.m. March 5 and 6. The program is part of the Symphony's four-week Shakespeare Festival. "Prokofiev's most recognized and haunting score from one of the greatest love stories of our time, Romeo and Juliet is full of radiant textures and heart-breaking tenderness. Denis Kozhukhin makes his STL Symphony debut performing Shostakovich's light-hearted and energetic Piano Concerto No. 2, written as a birthday gift for the composer's son." The program also includes Tchaikovsky's tone poem Hamlet. Performances take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand.For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Arianna String Quartet

The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents The Arianna String Quartet in Octet! on Friday, March 4, at 8 PM. "The Arianna Quartet welcomes the internationally acclaimed St. Petersburg String Quartet to St. Louis for a special evening of great music among friends. The Arianna Quartet kicks off the concert with a performance of Beethoven's robust Quartet in E-flat Major, Op.74, the "Harp", with the St. Petersburg Quartet following in a performance of Shostakovich Quartet No.9, a deeply personal and reflective work of immense scope. To cap the evening, the Arianna and St. Petersburg Quartets take the stage together for a performance of Felix Mendelssohn's jubilant String Octet, the ultimate party piece among friends!" The Touhill Performing Arts Center in on the University of Missouri at St. Louis campus. For more information: touhill.org.

The University City Symphony Orchestra presents The Seeds Continue to Flower on Sunday, March 6, at 3 p.m. "The UCSO proudly presents the 2015-2016 Season: Black Art Matters. The third concert of the season, "The Seeds Continue to Flower," expands on our in-depth look at symphonic music's African roots. We present George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue," followed by James P. Johnson's "Yamekraw—Negro Rhapsody," featuring pianist Richard C. Alston. The finale will be "The Score," "a soundtrack in search of a movie," by contemporary composer Clovice A. Lewis. The performance of the piece will feature the composer as cello soloist, and projections of artwork by local elementary students, created in response to listening to Lewis' piece in their classrooms. Join Maestro Leon Burke III before the concert for a pre-concert talk in the auditorium at 2:15pm." The performance takes place at the Performing Arts Center in Haertter Hall at John Burroughs School, 755 S Price Rd. For more information: ucso.org.

Theatre Review: "Beautiful—The Carole King Musical" lights up the stage with 1960s nostalgia

Aldon Music
Photo: Joan Marcus

Share on Google+:

"Beautiful—The Carole King Musical" is a bright, fast-paced jukebox of a show loosely based on the early years of Carole King's songwriting career, culminating with her emergence as a singer in her own right with her best selling Tapestry LP and subsequent Carnegie Hall concert in 1971. You won't get much in the way of insight into King's life or her songwriting process here, but with so many polished production numbers and a nostalgic score of '50s and '60s hits, that hardly matters. The show is pure fun, and the bits of pop music trivia in Douglas McGrath's book only add to the appeal.

"Beautiful" opens with teenaged Carol Klein anxious to get out of Brooklyn and into the music business. She changes her name to Carole King and takes her skill as a pianist, along with will would be her first big hit "It Might as Well Rain Until September," to rock entrepreneur Don Kirshner's Aldon Music at the fabled Brill Building in Manhattan. There she's hired on the spot and meets her first songwriting partner (and first husband) Gerry Goffin. Before long, they're cranking out hits and entering into friendly competition with fellow Aldon employees Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.

The Drifters
Photo: Joan Marcus

For reasons that the slender plot never makes entirely clear, Goffin goes off on a self-loathing plunge into extramarital affairs and drugs that leads to divorce, although he and King somewhat implausibly reconcile as friends just before her big 1971 Carnegie Hall concert at the end of the show. But never mind; you don't go to a show like this for the story. You go for the music. And, with over two dozen nostalgic hits, "Beautiful" has plenty of those to offer.

It also has plenty of standout performances, beginning with Abby Mueller in the title role. She really nails King's somewhat shy and self-effacing persona while still letting us see the resilient core that allowed King to persevere despite romantic and personal setbacks. And she has King's vocal style down pat. Her performances of "Beautiful" or "It's Too Late" could pass for the originals. Yes, it's part celebrity impersonation, but it's also solid acting.

The Shirelles
Photo: Joan Marcus

There's a lot of virtuoso celebrity impersonation in this show, in fact, and it's done so well that it was clearly easy for the opening night audience to suspend disbelief and respond to the actors playing the various pop icons as though they were the real things. Leading the pack are Josh A. Dawson, Paris Nix, Noah J. Ricketts, and Dashaun Young as The Drifters with their intricate and fluid choreography in hits like "Some Kind of Wonderful," "Up on the Roof," and a flashy "On Broadway." The quartet of Ashley Blanchet, Britney Coleman, Rebecca E. Covington, and Salisha Thomas also shine as the elegant and sexy Shirelles in "Will You Love Me Tomorrow."

Ms. Convington also plays the fictional singer Janelle Woods, who is apparently a stand-in for Goffin's real-life lover Jeanie Reavis, and Ms. Blanchet has an appealing high energy solo as Little Eva in "The Loco-Motion." Little Eva, as it turns out, was King and Goffin's baby sitter before the song made her a star. That's one of those "I never knew that" bits of music trivia that pop up throughout the evening.

L-R: Curt Bouril, Liam Tobin, Abby Mueller,
Ben Fankhauser, Becky Gulsvig
Photo: Joan Marcus

As The Righteous Brothers, Andrew Brewer and John Michael Dias (who also has a funny recurring cameo as Neil Sedaka) had a powerful number on opening night with "You've Lost The Lovin' Feeling" (Mark Banik and Ryan Farnsworth take over those roles later in the run) and Liam Tobin made an equally powerful impression as well as the self-destructive Goffin. He'll play that role through the end of February, after which he will be replaced by Andrew Brewer.

Ben Fankhauser radiates nerdy charm as the hypochondriac Barry Mann and gets to rock out impressively with "We Gotta Get Out of This Place." Becky Gulsvig gives Cynthia Weil lots of happy, brassy energy and joins voices beautifully with Mr. Fankhauser in "He's Sure the Boy I Love" and "Walking in the Rain." Curt Bouril and Suzanne Grodner round out the strong principal cast as the fast-talking Don Kirshner and King's acerbic mother Genie.

Director Marc Bruni and choreographer Josh Prince keep the action moving at a brisk pace, shifting easily between colorful production numbers and intimate dramatic moments. Derek McLane's scenic design and Peter Kaczorowski's lighting help accomplish that with multiple levels of brightly illuminated panels that that slide back and forth to quickly shift scenes. The orchestrations and arrangements by Steve Sidwell and Jason Howland serve the original hits well while still sounding very contemporary.

"Beautiful—The Carole King Musical" will be lighting up the stage at The Fabulous Fox in Grand Center through March 6. If you're old enough to remember these classic songs, the show is not to be missed. But even if you just discovered them on iTunes after hearing your grandparents gas on about them, I think you'll find this lively and loving tribute to one of the 20th century's great singer/songwriters pretty irresistible—and maybe even beautiful.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of February 26, 2016

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.  I'm publishing early this week since some of these shows

Share on Google+:

New This Week:

Beautiful—The Carole King Musical
Photo: Joan Marcus

The Fox Theatre presents Beautiful—The Carole King Musical opening on Tuesday, February 23, and running through March 6. "BEAUTIFUL - The Carole King Musical tells the inspiring true story of King's remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. Along the way, she made more than beautiful music, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation." The Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

My take: Abby Mueller shines in the title role of this bright, fast-paced jukebox musical loosely based on the early years of Carole King's songwriting career, culminating with her emergence as a singer in her own right with her best selling Tapestry LP in 1971. The performers playing pop idols like The Drifters, The Shirelles, Little Eva, and The Righteous Brothers, though, really steal the show. There's just enough plot to keep things going without getting in the way of a nostalgic score that highlights hits by King and her first songwriting partner (and first husband) Gerry Goffin as well as equally well-known tunes by their fellow songwriters at Adlon Music, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil. Go and enjoy.

Webster University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents Molière's comedy The Miser Wednesdays through Sundays through February 28. "Molière's classic comedy introduces us to Harpagon, a man so consumed by greed that he is set on sacrificing the happiness of his children in marriages of convenience. But Harpagon's son and daughter, Valère and Mariane, will plot against their father to marry those they love instead. Molière treats the age-old conflict between love and money with unparalleled and sparkling wit." Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hilton center on the Webster University campus. For more information, events.webster.edu or call 314-968-7128.

My take: The Webster Conservatory is one of the best college theatre groups in town, often producing work of real professional quality. As Steve Callahan writes in his review for KDHX, "director Rick Dildine and his student cast are placing before us a toothsomely light soufflé...As usual with Conservatory productions there are very strong performances—and excellent diction—from the student actors."

The Presenters Dolan present Ken Haller in The TV Show on Friday, February 26, at 7 p.m. "Ken performs songs written for TV from "Sesame Street" to "Smash," from "Cinderella" to "Animaniacs," from "Moonlighting" to "The Monkees." And of course, there will be songs with lyrics you love ("Mary Tyler Moore"), lyrics you never knew existed ("Bewitched"), and lyrics you can't get out of your head (the Barry Manilow Commercial Jingle Extravaganza!). KDHX's Chuck Lavazzi calls it "a tremendously entertaining and often extremely funny romp through TV land." The performance takes place in The Emerald Room at The Monocle Bar, 4510 Manchester in The Grove neighborhood. For more information: presentersdolan.com.

My take: A cabaret show based on classic TV songs and themes? Like activating the Bolonium Interface Device on "Star Trek", it's a crazy idea but it just might work! Since Ken has already quoted me in his promotional material, you might as well read the complete review of the first performance of this show in 2012 at the KDHX web site. Ken has been a fixture of the local cabaret scene for a while now and is one of our most reliably polished performers.

The Stage@KDHX presents Tim Schall: 1961 on Friday, February 26, at 8 PM. "In 1961 the Beatles debuted at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, Bob Dylan entered the Greenwich Village folk scene, 19 year old Carole King wrote her first #1 hit, Moon River won the Oscar for Best Song and in February of that year Tim Schall was born! Join Tim as he celebrates his birthday in a show dedicated to the music of his natal year." Carol Schmidt is pianist and music director for the show, with Michele Isam on percussion, vocals, and sax and Ben Wheeler on bass. The Stage@KDHX is in the KDHX building at 3524 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: ticketfly.com.

My take: I saw this show the first time around back in 2014. It was a polished, well-paced, and exceptionally entertaining evening back then. Since then Tim and music director Carol Schmidt have been refining the arrangements and have added the multi-talented Michele Isam (with Ms. Schmidt, the other half of the local jazz/pop/rock duo Jasmine from many years ago), so this is clearly one you don't want to miss.

Held Over:

And in This Corner...Cassius Clay

Metro Theatre Company and the Missouri History Museum present And in This Corner...Cassius Clay by Idris Goodwin through February 28. "This is the story of young Muhammad Ali as he struggles with racism and segregation in Jim Crow Louisville, Kentucky, how a chance encounter with police officer Joe Morgan (later to become his first coach) sets him on the path toward becoming a legendary boxer and how finally he learns that it is not enough to achieve personal success, one must also work for the good of others." Performances take place in the Lee Auditorium at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. For more information: mohistory.org.

My take: "Goodwin's script is crafted to draw in audience members of all ages," writes Shannon Cothran at KDHX, "and he has succeeded with "In This Corner...." A mixture of poetry and prose, the play manages to tell the story of a boy who becomes a champion despite living within a culture of hate while showing us the flaws that make him human." I've been very impressed with Goodwin's work at the Humana Festival in Louisville in 2012 and in 2014, so I'm not surprised to hear that the playwright has struck gold again.

Disgraced
Photo: Peter Wochniak

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar through March 6. "Successful corporate lawyer Amir Kapoor comes from a Pakistani family, but he long ago distanced himself from his roots to embrace life as a slick New Yorker. On course to become a partner at his law firm, Amir's carefully constructed world begins to unravel when unexpected events cause him to question his own beliefs. Raw, turbulent and unsettling, this smart drama reveals hidden attitudes toward modern culture and faith. Winner of the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama." 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: The playwright who gave us the brilliant Invisible Hand at the Rep Studio back in 2012 it again with a powerful portrayal of the problems immigrants face, especially when they're part of a demonized and poorly understood minority. How much can you assimilate before you lose your own identity? And is it ever enough for people who will always see you as the "other" no mater what you do or say? We learn from history that we do not learn from history, which makes this a very relevant play these days.

The Dispute
Photo: Valerie Goldston

YoungLiars present The Dispute: A Spectacle for Lovers and Fighters running through February 26. "It's 1744 (sort of) and an exasperated playwright with a wicked case of writer's block accidentally launches the world's first reality entertainment. Four self-absorbed teenagers, raised in total isolation, are turned loose on each other to figure out who committed the first infidelity - men or women. Baroque Farce, Euro-Dance, and The Dandy Warhols collide in this new adaptation of Marivaux's classic comedy where Courtship Etiquette turns into Mortal Combat and the only true love is the one in the mirror. The creative team that brought you Whammy! The Seven Secrets to a Sane Self and other HotCity favorites make their debut as YoungLiars. Performances take place in the fourth floor ballroom at the Centene Center for Arts and Education, 3547 Olive Street in Grand Center. For more information: youngliarsdispute.brownpapertickets.com.

My take: Composed largely of young actors who were part of the late HotCity Theatre, YoungLiars is certainly taking risks with this innovative first production, which decants an 18th century comedy into some colorful new bottles. "All in all," writes Steve Callahan at KDHX, "this debut promises great things from The Young Liars. It's filled with quite wonderful style and artifice. "

Gidion's Knot
Photo: John Lamb

St. Louis Actors' Studio presents Gidion's Knot through February 28 at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle. "Over the course of a parent/teacher conference, a grieving mother and an emotionally overwhelmed primary school teacher have a fraught conversation about the tragic suicide of the mother's son, Gidion. Gidion may have been bullied severely-or he may have been an abuser. As his story is slowly uncovered, the women try to reconstruct a satisfying explanation for Gidion's act and come to terms with excruciating feelings of culpability." For more information, call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org.

My take: This appears to be a good weekend for hard-nosed dramatic examinations of big social and political issues, with both this show and the Rep's Disgraced. "Director Lee Anne Mathews has tackled the difficult script with sensitivity and a subdued confrontational approach," writes Steve Allen at Stage Door St. Louis. "It works well in easing the audience into this slippery subject matter and gives the proper amount of tension on stage. Playwright Johanna Adams has fashioned a difficult script that opens a lot of conversation about a problem that is all too often ignored- the high suicide rate among younger people." "Playwright Johnna Adams has written a compelling and riveting if also highly disturbing drama that pushes the two performers in its one act and 75 minutes to emotional exhaustion, along with the audience," writes Mark Bretz at Ladue News.

Symphony Preview, February 27 and 28, 2016: Incident report

The phrase "incidental music" seems to imply something of secondary importance. But in reality, music written to accompany a non-musical play is often essential and not infrequently outlives the play for which it was written. Productions of Ibsen's "Peer Gynt," for example, are vanishingly rare, but Grieg's incidental music has become justly famous.

Gabriel Fauré in 1895
en.wikipedia.org

Which brings us to the first set of pieces on the St. Louis Symphony's all-Shakespeare program this weekend. The second of four regular season concerts dedicated to the work of the Bard of Avon, this one opens with the SLSO premiere of music written by Gabriel Fauré for an Odéon Theatre production of "Shylock," a verse adaptation of Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" by the playwright and poet Edmond Haraucourt. The play, which (its title notwithstanding) emphasized the romantic subplot over Shylock's tragedy and quickly dropped from sight. Fauré's music has fared little better.

And that's a shame, because there is some very appealing stuff here. The "Entr'acte" that accompanies the entrance of Portia's suitors, for example, has real nobility, as does the "Epithalame" wedding night music, although in the latter piece it’s the kind of gracious nobility that you hear in (for example) the middle section of Holst's "Jupiter" movement from "The Planets." The soaring violin line in the "Nocturne" that accompanies a moonlit love scene in Portia's garden is, in the words of Jean-Michel Nectoux (in "Gabriel Fauré: A Musical Life"), "one of Fauré's most moving inspirations." And the concluding "Final" (marked "allegretto vivo") brings everything to a cheerful conclusion with a reunion of all the lovers—which tells you how far Haraucourt had deviated from Shakespeare.

Fauré's music may have languished in obscurity at least in part because of the poor performances it got at the Odéon. "Shylock," writes Mr. Nectoux, "received its first performance at the Odéon on 17 December 1889 and was played fifty-six times altogether. The critics praised the beauty of the décor, directly inspired by the palaces of Venice, but for the most part passed over Fauré's music in silence. He conducted the orchestra himself, but had his forebodings: 'For the first three performances,’ he wrote to Elisabeth Greffulhe, 'I'll have a reasonable little theatre orchestra. But from the fourth night onwards the Odéon's economic cutbacks begin to take effect: several of the good players are being dropped and instead they're hiring all the useless, feeble, and superannuated hacks they can scrape together from the Luxembourg quarter. I can see there's a bumpy ride ahead!'"

I think we can safely say that there will be no such issues this weekend.

Taking up the rest of the concert will be the complete incidental music Mendelssohn composed for Shakespeare's comedy "A Midsummer Night's Dream." In this case, both the play and some of the music written for it have retained their popularity over the centuries, with Mendelssohn's "Overture," "Scherzo," "Nocturne," and (of course!) the "Wedding March" firmly ensconced in classical music's roster of Greatest Hits.

Portrait of Mendelssohn by
James Warren Childe
(1778–1862), 1839
en.wikipedia.org

"One of the major miracles of Mendelssohn's life," wrote British broadcaster and music critic John Amis for the English Decca recording of the complete "Dream" music in 1969 (issued here in the states on the London lablel), "was his composition at the age of seventeen of the Overture...one of the minor miracles of his life was that he was able to pick up the threads sixteen years later to write the rest of the incidental music... The Overture, opus 21, was composed in 1826 out of sheer enthusiasm, with no particular performance in mind; the Incidental music, opus 61, was commissioned by King Frederick William IV for a production of the play at Potsdam in 1843."

It helps that, at 17, Mendelssohn was already such an accomplished composer that there’s little audible difference between the Overture and the rest of the music.

When hearing a work as familiar as the "Overture," it’s easy to become complacent and lose track of what a very well-crafted piece of music it is. As Paul Schiavo reminds us in his program notes, the "Overture" presents us with a nearly perfect distillation of the major elements of Shakespeare’s play. Within less than twelve minutes Puck and company scamper through the twilight, the four mismatched lovers swoon, the Duke rides to the hunt, Peter Quince and the Mechanicals dance, and the magically altered Bottom brays. The "Scherzo" and "Nocturne" are also vividly evocative of, respectively, the opening scene of Shakespeare’s Act II (which introduces Puck and the other fairies) and the enchanted sleep of the lovers in Act IV.

Hearing all fourteen of the pieces Mendelssohn wrote for the play, though, gives you a real appreciation of just how closely the music and text are integrated. If you're familiar with the script, you can easily visualize the scenes as you hear the score. And even if you're not, Mr. Schiavo has provided a detailed description of how it all fits together. Or you can read the whole thing on line.

One of my favorite bits is the setting for two sopranos and four-part women's chorus of the song "You spotted snakes," which the fairies sing to lull the queen Titania to sleep in Act II, scene 2:

You spotted snakes with double tongue,
Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen;
Newts and blind-worms, do no wrong,
Come not near our fairy queen.
Philomel, with melody
Sing in our sweet lullaby;
Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby:
Never harm,
Nor spell nor charm,
Come our lovely lady nigh;
So, good night, with lullaby.
Weaving spiders, come not here;
Hence, you long-legg'd spinners, hence!
Beetles black, approach not near;
Worm nor snail, do no offence.
Philomel, with melody, & c.

The theme for "Philomel with melody..." is, as Mr. Amis noted, "surely one of the most captivating tunes ever written." Captivating tunes abound here, in fact. If you've never heard the complete score, I think you'll find this a happy journey of discovery.

The Essentials: Hans Graf conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus along with soloists Laurel Dantas, soprano; Debby Lennon, mezzo-soprano; DeWayne Trainer, tenor; and actress Maureen Thomas Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. February 27 and 28. The program is part of the Symphony's four-week Shakespeare Festival. Performances take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of February 22, 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.

Share on Google+

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents And Away You Go through March 27. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

And in This Corner...Cassius Clay

Metro Theatre Company and the Missouri History Museum present And in This Corner...Cassius Clay by Idris Goodwin through February 28. "This is the story of young Muhammad Ali as he struggles with racism and segregation in Jim Crow Louisville, Kentucky, how a chance encounter with police officer Joe Morgan (later to become his first coach) sets him on the path toward becoming a legendary boxer and how finally he learns that it is not enough to achieve personal success, one must also work for the good of others." Performances take place in the Lee Auditorium at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. For more information: mohistory.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Beautiful—The Carole King Musical
Photo: Joan Marcus

The Fox Theatre presents Beautiful—The Carole King Musical opening on Tuesday, February 23, and running through March 6. "BEAUTIFUL - The Carole King Musical tells the inspiring true story of King's remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history. Along the way, she made more than beautiful music, she wrote the soundtrack to a generation." The Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Clueless through April 16. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com

St. Louis University Theatre presents The Dead, "a charming, intimate musical based on the James Joyce short story," through February 28. Performances take place in Xavier Hall, 3373 West Pine Mall. For more information, call 314-977-3327 or visit slu.edu/utheatre.

Disgraced
Photo: Peter Wochniak

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar through March 6. "Successful corporate lawyer Amir Kapoor comes from a Pakistani family, but he long ago distanced himself from his roots to embrace life as a slick New Yorker. On course to become a partner at his law firm, Amir's carefully constructed world begins to unravel when unexpected events cause him to question his own beliefs. Raw, turbulent and unsettling, this smart drama reveals hidden attitudes toward modern culture and faith. Winner of the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama." 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!

YoungLiars present The Dispute: A Spectacle for Lovers and Fighters running through February 26. "It's 1744 (sort of) and an exasperated playwright with a wicked case of writer's block accidentally launches the world's first reality entertainment. Four self-absorbed teenagers, raised in total isolation, are turned loose on each other to figure out who committed the first infidelity - men or women. Baroque Farce, Euro-Dance, and The Dandy Warhols collide in this new adaptation of Marivaux's classic comedy where Courtship Etiquette turns into Mortal Combat and the only true love is the one in the mirror. The creative team that brought you Whammy! The Seven Secrets to a Sane Self and other HotCity favorites make their debut as YoungLiars. Performances take place in the fourth floor ballroom at the Centene Center for Arts and Education, 3547 Olive Street in Grand Center. For more information: youngliarsdispute.brownpapertickets.com. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Performing Arts Department at Washington University presents Elephant's Graveyard Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, February 26 - March 6. "Something went very wrong when Sparks Traveling Circus arrived in the small Appalachian town of Erwin, Tennessee in 1916. Join us for this unbelievable, yet true, story about the desire for spectacle and Old Testament-style retributive justice in America." Performances take place in the Edison heatre in the Mallinckrodt Student Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, visit pad.artsci.wustl.edu or call 314-935-6543.

KTK Productions presents Farce of Nature through February 28. "From the successful writing team of Jones Hope Wooten, comes the Texas premiere of the newest, Southern-fried comedy! Meet the Wilburn family of Mayhew, Arkansas, and spend an outrageously funny day at The Reel 'Em Inn--finest little fishing lodge in the Ozarks. Can the lodge be saved from gangsters, love-starved females, jealous husbands, ruthless corporate executives, bad Swedish accents, a cranky, senior citizen maid packing heat, a jittery man masquerading as a woman, and vicious critters right outside the door? By the delightfully chaotic climax of this one remarkable day, love has blossomed, truths have been revealed and the lives of all - family, guests and gangsters alike - change in incredible and surprising ways in this laugh-'til-your-sides ache comedy!" Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church, 4716 Macklind. For more information: kurtainkall.org or call 314-351-8984.

Gidion's Knot
Photo: John Lamb

St. Louis Actors' Studio presents Gidion's Knot through February 28 at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle. "Over the course of a parent/teacher conference, a grieving mother and an emotionally overwhelmed primary school teacher have a fraught conversation about the tragic suicide of the mother's son, Gidion. Gidion may have been bullied severely-or he may have been an abuser. As his story is slowly uncovered, the women try to reconstruct a satisfying explanation for Gidion's act and come to terms with excruciating feelings of culpability." For more information, call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Improv Shop presents Heartbreak running through March 19. "Heartbreak is an improvised serial show where we explore, in depth, the stages of doomed relationships. Watch characters go from strangers to friends, friends to lovers, and from lovers to heartbreakers. Heartbreak. It doesn't happen all at once." The Improv Shop is at 510 North Euclid in the Central West End. For more information on this and other Improv Shop shows: theimprovshop.com.

The Florissant Fine Arts Council presents the one-woman play The Lady With All the Answers on Sunday, February 28, at 2 p.m. at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker Road at Waterford Drive in Florissant, MO. "For decades, renowned advice columnist Ann Landers answered countless letters from lovelorn teens, confused couples and a multitude of others in need of advice. No topic was off-limits. Landers regaled her readers with direct, insightful and often humorously honest responses. Over the course of a long night in 1975 Chicago, "the lady with all the answers" for others grapples with a dilemma of her own. While revisiting favorite columns on such topics as nude housekeeping and the correct way to hang toilet paper, Ann composes the most important letter of her life. As she shares her struggles to complete the column with us, we learn as much about ourselves as we do about the wise, funny, no-nonsense woman whose daily dialogue with America helped shape the social and sexual landscapes of the last half-century." For more information: florissantfinearts.com.

Webster University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents Molière's comedy The Miser Wednesdays through Sundays through February 28. "Molière's classic comedy introduces us to Harpagon, a man so consumed by greed that he is set on sacrificing the happiness of his children in marriages of convenience. But Harpagon's son and daughter, Valère and Mariane, will plot against their father to marry those they love instead. Molière treats the age-old conflict between love and money with unparalleled and sparkling wit." Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hilton center on the Webster University campus. For more information, events.webster.edu or call 314-968-7128. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Gitana Productions presents New World, an original one-act play by Lee Patton Chiles about three refugee women from Afghanistan, Bosnia and the Republic of the Congo. The play is based on interviews and documented accounts of three women who came to St. Louis hoping to create a new world by healing old world wounds. Performances are Thursday, February 25, at noon at St. Louis Community College at Meramec in the Meramec Theater, 11333 Big Bend; and Sunday, February 28, at 4:30 p.m. at Parkway United Church of Christ, 2841 North Ballas Road, in Town and Country. A Q and A session with the participation by the Center for Survivors of Torture and War will follow each performance. For more information: gitana-inc.org.

The Monocle presents an open mic night Wednesdays from 9:00pm to midnight. "Musical Theater actor? Cabaret singer? Balladeer? Belter? Coloratura soprano? Crooner? Student? Teacher? Performer? Fan? Come on down and sing. All are welcome. Ron Bryant is your accompanist. Bring your sheet music"." The monocle is at 4510 Manchester in The Grove neighborhood. For more information: themonoclestl.com.

Lion's Paw Theatre Company presents Plays on the Menu, a reading of the plays Johnny and Rosie by Quincy Long, Prague Summer by Rich Orloff, and The Way to Miami by Donald Steele, on Tuesday, February 23, at noon at The Hearth Room at The Hawken House, 1155 South Rock Hill Road; and on Wednesday, February 24, at noon at St. Louis Artists' Guild, 12 North Jackson in Clayton. The readings include lunch. For more information: lionspawtheatre.org.

The Emerald Room Cabaret presents The Rocky Horror and a Little Bit More Cabaret on Friday and Saturday, February 26 and 27, at 8 p.m. "Enjoy the hits of the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" live! Now a monthly tradition at The Emerald Room at The Monocle! " The performances take place in The Emerald Room at The Monocle Bar, 4510 Manchester in The Grove neighborhood. For more information: www.buzzonstage.com/st-louis.

Jefferson College presents the Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew Thursday through Sunday, February 25-28. The performance takes place at the Jefferson College Fine Arts Theatre on the campus in Hillsboro, MO. For more information, visit jeffco.edu or call 636-481-3369 or 636-789-3000 ext. 3369.

The Presenters Dolan present Ken Haller in The TV Show on Thursday, February 25, at 8 p.m. "Ken performs songs written for TV from "Sesame Street" to "Smash," from "Cinderella" to "Animaniacs," from "Moonlighting" to "The Monkees." And of course, there will be songs with lyrics you love ("Mary Tyler Moore"), lyrics you never knew existed ("Bewitched"), and lyrics you can't get out of your head (the Barry Manilow Commercial Jingle Extravaganza!). KDHX's Chuck Lavazzi calls it "a tremendously entertaining and often extremely funny romp through TV land." The performance takes place in The Emerald Room at The Monocle Bar, 4510 Manchester in The Grove neighborhood. For more information: presentersdolan.com.

The Stage@KDHX presents Tim Schall: 1961 on Friday, February 26, at 8 PM. "In 1961 the Beatles debuted at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, Bob Dylan entered the Greenwich Village folk scene, 19 year old Carole King wrote her first #1 hit, Moon River won the Oscar for Best Song and in February of that year Tim Schall was born! Join Tim as he celebrates his birthday in a show dedicated to the music of his natal year." Carol Schmidt is pianist and music director for the show, with Michele Isam on percussion, vocals, and sax and Ben Wheeler on bass. The Stage@KDHX is in the KDHX building at 3524 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: ticketfly.com.

Lindenwood University presents the musical Violet through February 27. "As a girl, Violet was struck by a wayward axe blade when her father was chopping wood, leaving her with a visible scar across her face. With enough money finally saved she's traveling across the 1964 Deep South towards a miracle - the healing touch of a TV evangelist that will make her beautiful. Though she may not succeed in having the scar on her face healed, Violet is able to repair those that are lying deeper than her skin, and on the way she meets a young African-American Soldier whose love for her reaches far past her physical 'imperfections.'" Performances take at the black box theatre at the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts on the Lindenwood campus in St. Charles, MO. For more information, call 636-949-4433 or visit lindenwood.edu/center.

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.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of February 22, 2016

The Polish Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra

Share on Google+:

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis presents The Polish Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra in an all-Tchaikovsky program on Sunday at 8 p.m., February 28, at the cathedral at 4431 Lindell. "Founded in 1945 on the heels of postwar Polish independence, The Polish Baltic Philharmonic is the largest music institution in northern Poland. The orchestra is visited not only by local music-lovers but by cosmopolitan Polish and international patrons alike. This is the place for those who enjoy art of the highest quality. The Philharmonic organizes symphonic concerts, recitals, and chamber music soirées performed by the most prominent Polish musicians as well as by many world-famous artists." For more information: www.cathedralconcerts.org.

Eliot Unitarian Chapel presents a Friends of Music concert on Sunday, February 28, at 3 PM. The program features Grieg's Peer Gynt Suite along with music by Antonio Vivaldi, Robert Chamberlin, George Oldroyd, Denis Bédard and Richard Purvis. The featured performers are Mark Overton, alto saxophone; Robert Chamberlin, organ; and Jan Chamberlin, glockenspiel. Chiann-yi Yawitz will perform Serge Prokofiev's Piano Sonata no. 6. The concert takes place at Eliot Unitarian Chapel is at 100 South Argonne in Kirkwood. For more information: fomcstl.org.

The St. Louis Children's Choirs present a Family and Friends Concert on Saturday, February 27, at 2 and 7 p.m. "Experience the joy of young voices united in song! This concert will feature multi-cultural selections in a variety of styles, traditions and languages and is part of the American Arts Experience-St. Louis. With performances by the Children's Choir 1A, Chorale 2A/2UC, Choristers, and Chamber Singers.' The performances take place at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: slccsing.org.

Hans Graf conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus along with soloists Laurel Dantas, soprano; Debby Lennon, mezzo-soprano; DeWayne Trainer, tenor; and actress Maureen Thomas Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. February 27 and 28. The program is part of the Symphony's four-week Shakespeare Festival. "Journey to the land of forbidden love with Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Hans Graf leads the enchanting incidental music to Shakespeare's beloved play, with actress Maureen Thomas portraying vignettes from the drama on the Powell Hall stage. Mendelssohn's fairytale music is paired with Fauré's incidental music, Shylock, taking its genesis from The Merchant of Venice and providing moments of great beauty, signature of the beloved French composer. " Performances take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand.For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Peter Henderson

The Sheldon Concert Hall presents Sheldon Classics: The Fench Connection on Wednesday, February 24, at 8 PM. "Pianist Peter Henderson is joined by St. Louis Symphony principals Jelena Dirks, oboe, and Andrew Cuneo, bassoon, for "French Connection," featuring Poulenc's Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano and Faure's Piano Trio, Op. 120. Henderson will also perform solo piano works by Ravel." The Sheldon is at 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: thesheldon.org.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents Songs Without Words, a concert of solo saxophone works by Christopher Braig on Wednesday, February 24, at 8 p.m. "Saxophonist Christopher Braig presents a solo recital on tenor and soprano saxophones titled "Songs Without Words" featuring works by Pucinni, Ellington, and Marley. Christopher Braig is an active performer and jazz instructor and is a member of the Webster University Jazz faculty." The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents The Persied String Quartet in Czech Masters on Saturday, February 27, at 8 p.m. "What comes to mind when you think of Czech music? Perhaps simple folk tunes of the rural countryside, or the unusual harmonies and dark timbres of folk instruments? Or is it the lively dances and hopping rhythms? On February 27th we celebrate the works of two celebrated Czech composers: Bedrich Smetana and Antonin Dvorak. Working around the same time, they helped create a new awakening of Czech Nationalism through music. We know you'll enjoy the rousing Polkas, sad Dumky, and soaring lyrical Romances as we perform Smetana's String Quartet No. 1, 'From My Life', and Dvorak's String Quartet No. 10, op. 51." The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

Theatre Review: Ayad Akhtar's "Disgraced" at the Rep powerfully portrays the agony of the immigrant

Photo: Peter Wochniak

Share on Google+:

We are, as the late JFK once wrote, a nation of immigrants. Yet we never seem to get comfortable with the idea. Today's huddled masses yearning to breath free often become tomorrow's angry nativists howling to build walls. A century ago the "violent foreigners" were Italian; now they're Mexican. Sixty years ago the followers of a dangerous "foreign" religion were Jewish. Now they're Islamic. We never seem to learn.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis's production of Disgraced by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Ayad Akhtar drops us right in the middle of the whirlpool of suspicion and ignorance that swirls around Islamic immigrants in America today. As the play opens, corporate lawyer Amir Kapoor has it all. Having renounced his religion as irretrievably violent and having distanced himself from his devout Pakistani family, he's on the fast track to partnership at a posh New York City firm.

That all changes when his wife Emily—an artist who has become fascinated with Islamic themes in her work—asks him to look into the case of an imam who has been accused of sending funds to terrorist organizations. Amir resists. He's not a criminal lawyer, he points out, and besides he's not convinced of the imam's innocence. Emily gets her way, though, and as her world and Amir's begin to unravel, she soon discovers the truth of the old saying about being careful what you wish for.

Photo: Peter Wochniak

The Rep's production is flawless, with precise direction by Seth Gordon and outstanding performances by a fine ensemble cast, headed by John Pasha as Amir. Mr. Akhtar puts the character through a wringer in ways that bring Shakespeare's Othello to mind, but Mr. Pasha is entirely up to the challenge. Supporting him in fine style are Leigh Williams as Emily, Rachel Christopher as Amir's coworker Jory, Jonathan C. Kaplan as Jory's ethically challenged museum curator husband, and Fahim Hamid as Amir's nephew Abe, who suggests that Amir has lost his way.

The playwright who gave us the brilliant Invisible Hand at the Rep Studio back in 2012 it again with a powerful portrayal of the problems immigrants face, especially when they're part of a demonized and poorly understood minority. How much can you assimilate before you lose your own identity? And is it ever enough for people who will always see you as the "other" no mater what you do or say? We learn from history that we do not learn from history, which makes this a very relevant play these days.

Performances of Disgraced continue through March 6 on the mainstage at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. It's an intense and thought-provoking work. I recommend it highly. For ticket information, visit the Rep's web site.