Chuck's Choices for the weekend of January 31, 2020

New this week: cabaret, contemporary drama, and an amazing one-woman show.

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New This Week:

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My Name is Asher Lev
Photo by John Gitchoff

New Jewish Theater presents My Name is Asher Lev Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 4 and 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm through February 9. "My Name is Asher Lev follows the journey of a young Jewish painter torn between his Hassidic upbringing and his desperate need to fulfill his artistic promise. When his artistic genius threatens to destroy his relationship with his parents and community, young Asher realizes he must make a difficult choice between art and faith. This stirring adaptation of a modern classic presents a heartbreaking and triumphant vision of what it means to be an artist." 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: Reviews for this one have been good as well, but rather than give you a sampling, here's a longer quote from Michelle Kenyon's review at her blog that seems to sum it up well: "New Jewish Theatre's latest production is a compelling showcase for excellent local actors. It's also a fascinating look at one person's struggle to find his place in two different worlds that seem at odds with one another. My Name is Asher Lev is a well-structured, almost poetic look at an artist's journey of self-discovery, and his relationship with his art, his faith, his family, and the world around him."

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Songs for Nobodies
Photo by John Lamb

Max and Louie Productions presents Songs for Nobodies, starring Debbie Lennon, Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, and Sundays at 3 pm through February 2. "This one-woman powerhouse performance, starring Debby Lennon, weaves the music of legendary divas Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Billie Holiday, Edith Piaf, and Maria Callas throughout a mosaic of stories told by the everyday women who had unexpected life-changing encounters with these musical icons." Performances take place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: maxandlouie.com

My take: After seeing this last night, I have come to the conclusion that there is nothing Debby Lennon can't do. If she were to walk on water, I would not be surprised. As it is she plays 10 different roles including five legendary singers with unique vocal and performance styles (Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Edith Piaf, Billie Holiday, and Maria Callas) with uncanny accuracy. Which is pretty close to miraculous. This is one you really should not miss.

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Kristen Goodman

The Blue Strawberry presents Kristen Goodman in Unrequited on Friday, January 31, at 8 pm. "St. Louis's own versatile vocalist and local musician, Kristen Goodman, is presenting an unforgettable evening of cabaret featuring some of the most beautiful, heartbreaking songs of Broadway and popular music. From Cole Porter to Stephen Sondheim, from Joni Mitchell to Sara Bareilles, Kristen has curated a night of songs that vary widely in their styles, yet express the common human experience of grief, loss, and unrequited love. Kristen will be joined by the talents of Ron Bryant on keys, Andy Hainz on bass, Dustin Sholtes on drums, and guest vocalist Cindy Minnis." The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: www.bluestrawberrystl.com.

My take: Kristen Goodman is a fine singer and solid cabaret artist. I probably won't get to see this myself, but based on what I have seen her do in the past, I have no hesitation recommending this show.

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Wildfire
Photo by ProPhotoSTL

Upstream Theater presents Wildfire through February 9. "Claudette, Claudia, Claudine, Carol, Callum, and Caroline have more in common than names that begin with C-they are haunted by a family history of childhood trauma, which unfolds across three generations-and then loops back … to the future. They do what they can to survive. Sometimes by baking cookies, sometimes by playing fantasy games, and sometimes by smashing a hammer into a TV. Highly absurd, terribly funny and beautifully constructed, WILDFIRE is a mix of ferocious black comedy and a humanistic worldview which recognizes that seemingly unremarkable lives can experience extraordinary fates." Performances take place at the Marcelle Theatre in Grand Center. For more information, including show times: upstreamtheater.org.

My take: The concept behind this show is intriguing, and reviews have generally been quite good. At the Post-Dispatch, for example, Calvin Wilson describes this as a "strange and wonderful comedy...which is not only incredibly imaginative but also outrageously hilarious." KDHX's Jacob Juntunen calls it "a fast-paced, fun, darkly humorous production." It's clearly not a conventional work, but maybe that's all the more reason to go.

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Held Over:

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Madam
Photo by Caroline Guffey

Fly North Theatricals presents the new musical Madam through February 2. "ELIZA HAYCRAFT - She built an EMPIRE of brothels based on three simple rules. . . RESPECT, CONSENT, and PAY UP FRONT! In 1870 - she was the richest and most powerful woman in the City of St. Louis! But in 1870, Eliza Haycraft was dying. . . And the richest and most powerful men in the City of St. Louis. . . They were hellbent on taking it all away from her. With a score by STL-based composer Colin Healy (The Gringo, Forgottonia) described as 'power swing', fusing elements of modern pop and musical theatre with traditional St. Louis blues and swing revival, you can move-and-be-moved by this turbulent story about the right to be remembered, the meaning of love, and the power of 'no.'" Performances take place at the .ZACK, 3224 Locust in Grand Center. For more information: https://flynorththeatricals.com/events.

My take: New scripts are always welcome (as our new theatre companies), and a couple of our local critics are very taken with both the show and the production. "Madam," writes Michelle Kenyon on her blog, "takes a look at a once-prominent but now more obscure figure in St. Louis history, fashioning a story around her that proves to be a vehicle for a memorable score and strong performances. Even though some of the plot elements are predictable, it proves to be a thoroughly entertaining theatrical experience." "While the acting is solid," writes Mark Bretz at Ladue News, "what really distinguishes in this production of Madam are the standout vocal performances by the cast. The women in particular have stellar voices which beautifully shape Healy's lyrics and successfully navigate his sometimes intricate melodies."

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The Thanksgiving Play
Photo by Phil Hamer

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents The Thanksgiving Play through February 9. "Four earnestly progressive theatre-makers want to create a politically correct Thanksgiving play that is historically accurate, avoids all possible stereotypes and doesn't offend anyone. Guess how long it takes for everything to fly off the rails? This wickedly hilarious satire hurtles into glorious chaos, skewering both its characters' pretensions and the traditional "Thanksgiving story."" Performances take place in the Studio Theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

My take: The best of intentions can be taken to silly extremes. I have seen it happen in real life, so the premise of this comedy strikes me as fairly plausible. As Ann Lemmons Pollack writes in her blog, playwright Larissa FastHorse is "really tired of how history is so often wrong, being written by the winners, and how strongly people cling to the errors despite information to the contrary. Her attempt to set things straight on the subject of Thanksgiving, rather than a this-is-what-really-happened line, is a comedy to remind us to think more about the real story of Thanksgiving, and, by inference, a lot of other things...Great fun, considerable laughter, and ninety minutes with no intermission. " "FastHorse's satire is incisive but affectionate," writes Calvin Wilson at the Post-Dispatch, "maintaining a tone somewhere between 'Doonesbury' and Dorothy Parker. And her comically flustered characters are at once quirky and recognizable."

Symphony Preview: It was a dark and stormy night

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) concerts this weekend (Friday and Saturday, January 31 and February 1) open with a pair of works by two composers who, despite significant differences in temperament and musical style, were close friends.

Manfred on the Jungfrau
Painting by John Martin, 1837

The concerts open with the overture to Robert Schumann's 1848 "Manfred: Dramatic Poem with Music in Three Parts," Op. 115. Based on Byron's "Manfred: A dramatic poem," Schumann's complete "Manfred" consists of the overture we'll hear this weekend along with 15 additional numbers for orchestra, choir, and soloists, dramatizing scenes from Byron's three-act work.

The titular Manfred is not the animated sidekick of Tom Terrific but rather a brooding count living in the Alps and tormented by guilt for somehow (it's never really clear how) causing the death of his beloved Astarte. He summons seven spirits from the deep, hoping to be granted forgetfulness. They can't manage it, but the demonic spirit Nemesis does summon up the shade of Astarte. She grants Manfred the forgiveness that will allow him to die.

In the last scene the spirits return to convince the dying Manfred to join them by preying on his guilt. Manfred, however, isn't having any of it:

Thou didst not tempt me, and thou couldst not tempt me;
I have not been thy dupe nor am thy prey,
But was my own destroyer, and will be
My own hereafter.--
Back, ye baffled fiends!
The hand of death is on me-- but not yours!

An elderly Abbot offers to pray for him, but Manfred rejects all forms of spiritual intervention. He will be his own man to the end. "Old man! 't is not so difficult to die," he exclaims. And proves it by promptly expiring. "He's gone," cries the Abbot; "his soul hath ta'en its earthless flight -- /Whither? I dread to think -- but he is gone."

That would be when the curtain would descend if "Manfred" were an actual play. But, although written as a script complete with scene descriptions and minimal stage directions, "Manfred" was actually an example of the genre known as "closet drama": a play never meant to be staged but rather to be read, either silently or aloud. Schumann, however, fully intended his version to be performed.

Presented for the first time in 1852 at the Leipzig Gewandhaus, Schumann's "Dramatic Poem" never really caught on with audiences, probably because Byron's deliberately archaic poetry didn't translate well into German and partly because (as Judith Chernaik writes in a recent biography of the composer, "Schumann insisted that the work was not an opera, a Singspiel, or a melodrama, but 'a dramatic poem with music' which he considered 'completely new and unprecedented.''' It was, in short, a hard sell and, given the number of performers required, expensive to produce to boot.

The overture, on the other hand, has pretty much entered the standard repertory, even though the SLSO hasn't played it in over 32 years. Its appeal is not hard to understand, packed as it is with stormy drama.

The overture opens with three powerful chords which quickly yield to a slow, brooding introduction suggesting the opening scene ("a Gothic Gallery. --Time: Midnight") in which Manfred ponders the limits of human knowledge and prepares to summon the spirits. Trumpets announce the dramatic main theme, the tempo quickens to "Leidenschaftlich" ("impassioned"), and the music becomes anguished and filled with dark conflict. Lyrical interludes suggest memories of the lost Astarte. Finally, there's a massive climax (the final confrontation with the spirits?) that yields to what Shakespeare might have called "a dying fall" as Manfred slowly shuffles off this mortal coil in a few soft closing chords. The final moments suggest that he has passed in neither hope nor despair, the master of his own fate to the end.

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

Schumann identified strongly with Byron's tormented heroes. Indeed, Ms. Chernaik suggests that the composer, who contracted syphilis at an early age, might have identified with Manfred's guilt as a result. "What is unquestionable," she writes, "is that the figure of the solidary nobleman, Byron's alter ego, guilty and despairing, spoke him in a profoundly personal way, inspiring some of his greatest music."

Up next is the Piano Concerto No. 2 in D minor by Felix Mendelssohn from 1837. It opens, like the "Manfred" overture, on "a dark and stormy night" as descending runs in the piano fight it out with a dramatic ascending theme in the orchestra. The exchanges become shorter and more insistent until the orchestra wins out. The piano uses that dramatic theme as the basis for a more lyrical second subject but, this being a movement in classical sonata form, the minor key drama forcefully returns at the end, only to die out, within a few measures from fortissimo (very loud) to piano (soft). The piano takes over again with a gently rising theme and mini-cadenza that leads without pause to the gentle second movement.

That theme, which starts out sounding very much like transformation of the dark melody of the first movement, slowly changes in a way that produces, in the words of Zoran Minderovic at allmusic.com, "a hypnotic atmosphere of tranquil meditation, mystery, and melancholy."

The pace picks up again in the Presto scherzando final movement as the key shifts to D major, but now there's a playful and almost terpsichorean grace to the piano part that's reflected in the interchanges with the orchestra. The opponents of the first movement have morphed into friendly dance partners in the third.

Unlike "Manfred," in short, there's a happy ending.

Mendelssohn found the composition process unusually difficult with his second concerto. Commissioned in 1837 by the Birmingham Music Festival for a performance that fall, the concerto was almost forgotten by Mendelssohn as he went on an extended honeymoon with his new bride, Cécile Jeanrenaud. "With his mind and body otherwise occupied," writes Georg Predota at Interlude, "he wasn't very excited about the prospect of having to travel to London and Birmingham and wrote to his friend Karl Klingemann, 'I really should compose a concert for England, but haven't even started yet; for some reason this is proving to be very difficult.'" He finished it just in time for the September premiere (where he was the soloist) but, as Mr. Predota notes, "even then he was not satisfied, as he wrote to the pianist and composer Ferdinand Hiller in December 1837, 'I believe you would abhor my new piano concerto.'"

Even Mendelssohn's friend Schumann wasn't very impressed--unusual, given how much he praised the composer's work in general. As he wrote in the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik (which he had founded three years earlier):

This concerto, to be sure, will offer virtuosos little in which to show off their monstrous dexterity. Mendelssohn gives them almost nothing to do that they have not already done a hundred times before. We have often heard them complain about it. And not unjustly!...It resembles one of those works thrown off by the older masters while recuperating from one of their great exertions." (cited in Schumann on music: a selection from the writings, edited by Henry Pleasants)

For many years, the Concerto No. 2 was largely eclipsed by the more popular Concerto No. 1. As SLSO program annotator Thomas May points out, however, "contemporary performers have been reclaiming the Second Concerto and making a persuasive case that Schumann's verdict sells the music short by a considerable measure."

Sleeping Beauty at the Royal Ballet, 2008
By scillystuff from UK
Sleeping Beauty, CC BY 2.0, Link

The SLSO last presented it in 2007 with Jonathan Biss at the keyboard. This week's soloist is Saleem Ashkar, who has an unusual background for a successful classical pianist. "Born into a culture where Classical music played very little to no part at all," writes Mr. Ashkar (an Israeli-born Palestinian Christian), "my love for this music and eventual obsessive pursuit of it, was a journey, very much into the unknown, both mentally and practically. I simply had no path to follow!" Given that he made his Carnegie Hall debut at the age of 22 and has performed with orchestras such as the Wiener Philharmoniker, Royal Concertgebouw, London Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, and Orchestre National de Lyon, it would seem that the path he has forged for himself has certainly not led him astray.

The concerts this weekend conclude with music that requires little in the way of an introduction: a suite from Tchaikovsky's 1890 ballet "Sleeping Beauty" assembled by guest conductor Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider. Based on Charles Perrault's retelling of the classic tale of an enchanted princess sleeping in a castle surrounded by impenetrable thorns, the ballet got a lukewarm reception from Tsar Alexander III at its premiere, but has been embraced by audiences all over the world.

Tchaikovsky's music even made its way on to the screen when George Bruns adapted large chunks of it for Walt Disney's 1959 animated version of "Sleeping Beauty." The "Grande valse villageoise" (which we'll hear this weekend) actually became a popular tune, "Once Upon a Dream," with lyrics by Jack Lawrence and Sammy Fain. Trust me, you'll recognize it.

The Essentials: Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider conducts The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, along with pianist Saleem Ashkar on Friday at 10:30 am and Saturday at 8 pm, January 31 and February 1. Performances take place at Powell Symphony Hall in Grand Center.

This article originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Review: Oh, what a lovely war!: La fille du régiment at Winter Opera

Donizetti wrote so many popular operatic tragedies that it's easy to forget that his long list of operas includes a fair number of comedies. His 1840 opéra comique (i.e. an opera with spoken dialog) La fille du régiment is one of the most popular, and the Winter Opera production last weekend (January 24 and 26), despite some obvious flaws, demonstrated why that's the case.

Andrew Potter, Isaac Frischman, Gina Galati

Originally written as a quick replacement for a delayed opera by another composer, La fille was initially greeted with indifference by the Parisian public and hostility by Berlioz (then music critic for the Journal des débats)--mostly because he was annoyed by what he saw as Donizetti's domination of the Parisian opera scene. Audiences quickly came around, however, and over the years the title role has become a favorite of high-flying sopranos from Jenny Lind to Joan Sutherland.

Marie, the titular daughter, is a war orphan adopted as a baby by the rather tender hearted French soldiers of the 21st Regiment. Now a beauty with the voice of an angel and a colorful military vocabulary, she loves and is loved by Tonio, who saved her from toppling off an Alp. Their love is opposed initially by her guardian, Sergeant Sulpice, and the other soldiers (who mistake Tonio for a spy), and then by the snobbish Marquise de Birkenfeld who, in a classic comic opera revelation, turns out to be Marie's long-lost mother. All ends happily, of course, with plenty of rousing ensembles and solo vocal fireworks along the way.

Andew Potter and Gina Galati

Make no mistake, a production of this work depends heavily on the singing and acting skills of the singers in the three principal roles of Marie, Tonio, and Sulpice. Fortunately for Winter Opera, they had a strong trio in those parts.

Tenor Isaac Frishman was a fine Tonio. He handled the demanding air "Pour mon âme,” with its (in)famous nine high Cs, with real polish, and proved equally effective in the more dramatic "Pour me rapprocher de Marie" in the second act. Winter Opera General Director Gina Galati was a convincingly tomboyish Marie. When I saw the show on Sunday afternoon, though, her voice seemed less strong than it has in the past and she seemed to strain for some of the high notes-of which there are quite a few in this demanding coloratura part.

Still, she and Mr. Frishman blended well vocally and had convincing chemistry on stage. And given Ms. Galati's exemplary work in the past (most recently in Union Avenue's Glory Denied last August), I'm inclined to treat this as an outlier.

Gina Galati, Andrew Potter, Joy Hermalyn

Bass Andrew Potter, who has done plenty of first-rate comedy work for Winter Opera in the past-most recently as the wily Dulcamara in their 2018 L'elisir d'amore--once again demonstrated that infallible combination of vocal authority and comic timing that has apparently made him the company's "go to" guy for basso buffo roles. His imposing stature (he's well over 6 feet tall) also had the advantage of making Mr. Frishman and Ms. Galati look, in comparison, like the youngsters they are supposed to be.

Mezzo Joy Hermalyn's broadly played Marquise of Berkenfield might not have been to everyone's liking, but I found her willingness to sacrifice vocal purity for the sake of theatrical effect refreshing and very effective. Baritone Gary Moss, another Winter Opera regular, turned in yet another fine bit of slapstick comedy as the Marquise's fussy butler Hortensius.

Members of the chorus

The chorus was small but mighty as it so often is at Winter Opera. Since no choral director is listed, I assume the credit must go to conductor Edward Benyas and, of course, to the company's stalwart ensemble singers.

Winter Opera's equally small but cohesive orchestra played very well, with especially fine work by Tricia Jostlein and Nancy Schick on horns. Their solo at the beginning of the overture was perfect. Trumpets Jason Harris and Dawn Weber deserve praise as well. Mr. Benyas's tempi felt a bit on the slow side at times, but overall his account of the score felt right.

Scott Loebl's brightly colored set and Felia Davenport's equally vivid costumes helped contribute to the comic atmosphere, giving everything the look of a 1950s Warner Brothers cartoon.

Joy Hermalyn

My biggest issue was with Audrey Chait's direction. For reasons which escape me, she had the cast singing in the original French but speaking in English, which made little sense and tended to induce a kind of linguistic whiplash. The pacing of the spoken interludes also felt sluggish and some of the comic business felt more intrusive than funny. All of which is a bit surprising, considering what a great job she did with the aforementioned L'elisir d'amore.

Winter Opera's season continues March 6 and 8 with Puccini's rarely-seen La fanciulla del west (usually referred to as "The Girl of the Golden West"), which will be getting its St. Louis premiere. Set in the American west circa 1850, it's a work I've always wanted to see staged, so it looks like I'm finally getting my wish. For more information, visit the Winter Opera web site.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of January 27, 2020

New entries this week include drama, cabaret, and children's theatre.

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Myriad Productions presents Sam Shepard's Buried Child Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2:00 pm, January 31 - February 9. "A scene of madness greets Vince and his girlfriend as they arrive at the squalid farmhouse of Vince's hard-drinking grandparents, who seem to have no idea who he is. Nor does his father, Tilden, a hulking former All-American footballer, or his uncle, who has lost one of his legs to a chain saw. Only the memory of an unwanted child, buried in an undisclosed location, can hope to deliver this family." Performances take place at The Olive Tree, 1211 South Newstead Avenue in The Grove. For more information: www.eventbrite.com

CSZ St. Louis presents The ComedySportz Show on Saturday nights at 7:30 pm. The show is "action-packed, interactive and hilarious comedy played as a sport. Two teams battle it out for points and your laughs! You choose the winners the teams provide the funny!" Performances take place on the second floor of the Sugar Cubed, 917 S Main St. in St Charles, Mo. For more information: www.cszstlouis.com.

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents Dress the Part January 29 - February 15. "The Q Brothers return to high school in a new hip-hop musical based on Shakespeare's Two Gentleman of Verona. Proteus and Valentine are high school football stars at Verona College Prep who learn a thing or two about love, friendship and loyalty. Over twenty characters are played by two actors who never leave the stage in this 75-minute wild ride." Performances take place at The Ready Room in the Grove neighborhood. For more information, including dates and times: sfstl.com.

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents the interactive comedy Flanagan's Wake running through March 21. "The hit show from Chicago, Flanagan's Wake, is the hilarious interactive show that brings Flanagan's Irish family to St. Louis where they will memorialize his passing. Audiences participate in this comedic memorial with plenty o' pints, crazy sing-a-longs, telling of witty tales and mourn the passing of one of their own: Flanagan. Audiences will pay their respects to glowering Mother Flanagan and to poor grieving fiancée, Fiona Finn. Listen to a eulogy written by County Sligo's best-known writer, Mickey Finn, and tip a pint with Brian Ballybunion, himself a weaver of tales. You can cross yourself with the blessings from St. Gregory's parish priest, Father Damon Fitzgerald, or cross your fingers that local pagan Kathleen Mooney doesn't cast a spell on you. Mayor Martin O'Doul will preside over the proceedings with an iron hand (and a parched throat)." The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: playhouseatwestport.com.

The Looking Glass Playhouse presents the musical A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through February 2. "When the low-born Monty Navarro finds out that he's eighth in line for an earldom in the lofty D'Ysquith family, he figures his chances of outliving his predecessors are slight and sets off down a far more ghoulish path. Can he knock off his unsuspecting relatives without being caught and become the ninth Earl of Highhurst? And what of love? Because murder isn't the only thing on Monty's mind…. " Performances take place at 301 West St. Louis Street in Lebanon, Ill. For more information, visit www.lookingglassplayhouse.com.

A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder

Vivre Theatre presents the musical A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder through February 1. "When the low-born Monty Navarro finds out that he's eighth in line for an earldom in the lofty D'Ysquith family, he figures his chances of outliving his predecessors are slight and sets off down a far more ghoulish path. Can he knock off his unsuspecting relatives without being caught and become the ninth Earl of Highhurst? And what of love? Because murder isn't the only thing on Monty's mind…. " Performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center in Florissant, MO. For more information: www.facebook.com/events

Metro Theatre Company presents Ghost Fridays at 7 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, February 2 through March 1. "Metro Theater Company presents the rolling world premiere of a new play adapted by Idris Goodwin from Jason Reynolds's award-winning best-seller for young readers. Running is all that Castle Cranshaw, a.k.a. “Ghost,” has ever known, but he runs for all the wrong reasons until he meets Coach, who sees something in him: raw talent. The story follows Castle as he tries to stay on track, literally and figuratively, harnessing his aptitude for speed on an elite local track team while battling the difficult realities of his past and present. Ghost also highlights the importance of allyship. As his teammates become friends and Coach stands in as a father figure, Castle finds a place where he belongs. " The performances take place at The Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square in Grand Center. For more information: metroplays.org.

Alton Little Theater presents the classic drama Inherit the Wind Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, January 31 - February 9. "The compelling classic of American Theater based upon the trial which pitted Clarence Darrow against William Jennings Bryan. A story as relevant today as it was in the 1920's because this moving and meaningful play is, at heart, addressing the freedoms of every American." Performances take place at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. For more information, call 618.462.6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

Jersey Boys

The Fox Theatre presents the musical Jersey Boys opening Thursday, January 30, and running through Sunday, February 2. The musical is based on the careers of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. "This is the story of how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide - all before they were thirty!" The Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

The Blue Strawberry presents Lola Kirstine and the Ryan Marquez Trio on Saturday, February 1, at 8 pm. "The best thing to come out of St. Louis since toasted ravioli, Lola Kristine is a singer, pianist and songwriter based in Los Angeles, California. Known as “the little girl with the big voice,” Lola has been staggering audiences her whole life with the depth of soul she possesses in both her timeless songwriting and penetrating singing. Hearing her sing feeds your soul and reconnects you with what is right in the world." The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: www.bluestrawberrystl.com.

Madam
Photo by Caroline Guffey

Fly North Theatricals presents the new musical Madam through February 2. "ELIZA HAYCRAFT - She built an EMPIRE of brothels based on three simple rules. . . RESPECT, CONSENT, and PAY UP FRONT! In 1870 - she was the richest and most powerful woman in the City of St. Louis! But in 1870, Eliza Haycraft was dying. . . And the richest and most powerful men in the City of St. Louis. . . They were hellbent on taking it all away from her. With a score by STL-based composer Colin Healy (The Gringo, Forgottonia) described as 'power swing', fusing elements of modern pop and musical theatre with traditional St. Louis blues and swing revival, you can move-and-be-moved by this turbulent story about the right to be remembered, the meaning of love, and the power of 'no.'" Performances take place at the .ZACK, 3224 Locust in Grand Center. For more information: https://flynorththeatricals.com/events.

Mojada: A Medea in Los AngelesPhoto by Cory Weaver

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Mojada: A Medea in Los Angeles by Luis Alfaro through February 2. " The Greek tragedy Medea is reborn through the experiences of a young immigrant family living in modern day Los Angeles. Shrouded in evocative mysticism, this tale of love, loss and transformation pulses with an escalating sense of danger. In this fresh retelling, Medea and Jason grapple not only with their own star-crossed marriage, but with the weight of the sacrifices demanded in the battle between assimilation and tradition." Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org

My Name is Asher Lev
Photo by John Gitchoff

New Jewish Theater presents My Name is Asher Lev Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 4 and 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm through February 9. "My Name is Asher Lev follows the journey of a young Jewish painter torn between his Hassidic upbringing and his desperate need to fulfill his artistic promise. When his artistic genius threatens to destroy his relationship with his parents and community, young Asher realizes he must make a difficult choice between art and faith. This stirring adaptation of a modern classic presents a heartbreaking and triumphant vision of what it means to be an artist." 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.

Norm Lewis

Jazz St. Louis and The Cabaret Project present Broadway's Norm Lewis on Wednesday and Thursday, January 29 and 30, at 7:30 p.m. "Don't miss the Tony nominated star of Porgy and Bess, Once on This Island, Phantom of The Opera, Les Mis, NBC's Jesus Christ Superstar, TV's Scandal, PBS' Live From Lincoln Center, and the films Sex and The City 2, The Winter's Tale." Performances take place at the Ferring Jazz Bistro on Washington just east of the Fox in Grand Center. For more information: www.thecabaretproject.org.

The St. Louis Family Theatre Series presents Owen and Mzee, the Musical Sunday, February 2 and Saturday, February 8 at 2 pm. “The amazing true story of the orphaned baby hippo and 130-year-old giant turtle whose remarkable friendship touched millions around the world. The inspiring true story of two great friends, a baby hippo named Owen and a 130-yr-old giant tortoise named Mzee. When Owen was stranded after a tsunami, villagers in Kenya worked tirelessly to rescue him. Then, to everyone's amazement, the orphan hippo and the elderly tortoise adopted each other. Now they are inseparable, swimming, eating, and playing together. Adorable photos e-mailed from friend to friend quickly made them worldwide celebrities. Here is a joyous reminder that in times of trouble, friendship is stronger than the differences that too often pull us apart." Performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 314-921-5678 or visit www.florissantmo.com

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Phantom of the Grand Ole Opry February 1 through April 26. "Millions of people flock to the Grand Ole Opry House to see Tammy Whino's one woman show, "Stand By Your Man." Here, amid the fried chicken, line dancing and dinner theatre, Tammy is the Queen of the Grand Ole Opry. Or is she? When she is found murdered, many suspect the Phantom because everyone knows the house is haunted. Or could the murderer be Billy Ray Serious, Naomi Dudd, and we can't forget about Nelson Willy?" For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

Polkadots the Cool Kids Musical

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis's Imaginary Theatre Company presents the children's musical Polkadots The Cool Kids Musical Saturdays at 10:30 am and 12:30 pm through February 2. "The "Squares Only" town of Rockaway turns upside down when Lily Polkadot arrives. As the first Polkadot in an all Square school, Lily faces an almost impossible task of gaining acceptance from her peers. From daily bullying to segregated drinking fountains, everything seems hopeless until Lily meets Sky, a shy Square boy whose curiosity for her different skin leads to an unexpected friendship. Inspired by the events of The Little Rock Nine, this musical serves as a colorful history lesson, reminding us that our differences make us awesome, not outcasts." Performances take place on the Mainstage at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus on January 25 and February 1, and at the Missouri History Museum on February 2. For more information: repstl.org.

Songs for Nobodies
Photo by John Lamb

Max and Louie Productions presents Songs for Nobodies, starring Debbie Lennon, Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, and Sundays at 3 pm through February 2. "This one-woman powerhouse performance, starring Debby Lennon, weaves the music of legendary divas Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Billie Holiday, Edith Piaf, and Maria Callas throughout a mosaic of stories told by the everyday women who had unexpected life-changing encounters with these musical icons." Performances take place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: maxandlouie.com

First Run Theatre presents the 2020 Spectrum One-Act Play Festival Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through February 1. Performances take place at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive in Clayton. For more information, call (314) 352-5114 or visit www.firstruntheatre.com.

The Thanksgiving Play
Photo by Phil Hamer

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents The Thanksgiving Play through February 9. "Four earnestly progressive theatre-makers want to create a politically correct Thanksgiving play that is historically accurate, avoids all possible stereotypes and doesn't offend anyone. Guess how long it takes for everything to fly off the rails? This wickedly hilarious satire hurtles into glorious chaos, skewering both its characters' pretensions and the traditional "Thanksgiving story."" Performances take place in the Studio Theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

Kristen Goodman

The Blue Strawberry presents Kristen Goodman in Unrequited on Friday, January 31, at 8 pm. "St. Louis's own versatile vocalist and local musician, Kristen Goodman, is presenting an unforgettable evening of cabaret featuring some of the most beautiful, heartbreaking songs of Broadway and popular music. From Cole Porter to Stephen Sondheim, from Joni Mitchell to Sara Bareilles, Kristen has curated a night of songs that vary widely in their styles, yet express the common human experience of grief, loss, and unrequited love. Kristen will be joined by the talents of Ron Bryant on keys, Andy Hainz on bass, Dustin Sholtes on drums, and guest vocalist Cindy Minnis." The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: www.bluestrawberrystl.com.

Wildfire
Photo by ProPhotoSTL

Upstream Theater presents Wildfire through February 9. "Claudette, Claudia, Claudine, Carol, Callum, and Caroline have more in common than names that begin with C-they are haunted by a family history of childhood trauma, which unfolds across three generations-and then loops back … to the future. They do what they can to survive. Sometimes by baking cookies, sometimes by playing fantasy games, and sometimes by smashing a hammer into a TV. Highly absurd, terribly funny and beautifully constructed, WILDFIRE is a mix of ferocious black comedy and a humanistic worldview which recognizes that seemingly unremarkable lives can experience extraordinary fates." Performances take place at the Marcelle Theatre in Grand Center. For more information, including show times: upstreamtheater.org.

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 Calendar.

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 January 27, 2020

Music for a variety of different ensembles is available for your listening pleasure this week, from a trombone group to the full orchestra with piano soloist.

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The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis

The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis presents Mozartiana, a concert of chamber music by Mozart, Monday and Tuesday, January 27 and 28 at 7:30 pm. The performances take place at the Sheldon Concert Hall in Grand Center. For more information: chambermusicstl.org.

The Community Music School of Webster University presents the Young People's Concert Orchestra on Sunday, February 2, at 2 pm. The Community Music School is at 535 Garden Avenue on the Webster University campus. For more information: webster.edu/cms.

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra presents a Pulitzer Series concert on Tuesday and Wednesday January 28 and 29, at 7:30 PM. The concert features contemporary chamber works performed by members of the string section of the SLSO. The performance takes place at the Pultzer Center for the Arts, 3716 Washington. Note that the January 28 concert is currently sold out. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Pianist Saleem Ashkar

Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider conducts The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, along with pianist Saleem Ashkar on Friday at 10:30 am Saturday at 8 pm, January 31 and February 1. The program consists of Schmnann's Manfred Overture, Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 2, and a suite from Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty ballet. Performances take place at Powell Symphony Hall in Grand Cente. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Second Presbyterian Church presents The Trombones of the St. Louis Symphony on Sunday, February 2, at 4 pm. "The Trombones will present works they have commissioned from composers with strong St. Louis roots including Caleb Burhans (Alarm Will Sound) and Adam Maness (The 442s). They also will perform their own arrangements of works by Giovanni Gabrieli, Sergei Prokofiev, and others." The church is at 4501 Westminster Place in the Central West End. For more information: secondchurch.net.

The Sheldon Concert Hall presents St. Louis Symphony Principal Flute Mark Sparks, along with cellist Valentina Takova and pianist Peter Henderson, in a chamber music concert on Wednesday, January 29, at 8 pm. The program includes music by Bach, Phillippe Gaubert, and Verne Reynolds. The performance takes place at the Sheldon Concert Hall in Grand Center. For more information: thesheldon.org.

The University City Symphony Orchestra presents Slavic Soul on Sunday, November 24, at 3 pm, with a pre-concert talk at 2:15 pm. "Please join us in celebrating Slavic cultures with Russian violist Ivan Numerov. Mr. Numerov will excite audiences as he performs Niccolò Paganini's Violin Concerto No. 4, arranged for viola by E. Petrov. Also on the concert will be Ludwig van Beethoven's overture to The Creatures of Prometheus, and Wind Serenade by Antonín Dvorák” The performance takes place at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: ucso.org.

Pianist Aaron Diehl

The Department of Music at Washington University presents pianist Aaron Diehl in a concert of music by American composers on Friday, January 31, at 7:30 pm.   The program includes works by Copland, Gershwin, James P. Johnson, Duke Ellington and Jelly Roll Morton, and takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: https://music.wustl.edu/events.

The Department of Music at Washington University presents contemporary chamber group Alarm Will Sound on Saturday, February 1, at 7:30 pm.  "The program includes music by A. Pyper and Lucrecia Dalt as well as Hexactinellida by Chelsea Komschlies. A. Pyper joins Alarm Will Sound as singer and violinist for the world premiere of her new work, Descansos. Descansos are roadside memorials that mark where a loved one has died. Pyper’s work reflects on the composer’s own life experience growing up as a gay woman in a Mormon family, and trying to mark and move on from those spots in life where loss and trauma have occurred." The concert takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: https://music.wustl.edu/events.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of January 24, 2020

New cabaret, opera, musical theatre, and comedy shows join the list this week, along with a special event at Powell Hall

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New This Week:

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Sara Shepherd

The Blue Strawberry presents Female on Fire - A Celebration of Female Singer/Songwriters with singer Sara Sheperd along with Scott Sheperd on piano and Dave Black on guitar on Saturday, January 25, at 8 pm. "Sara Sheperd most recently just finished her run in Beautiful- the Carole King musical on Broadway understudying Carole King, Genie Klein, and the roles of Betty and Marilyn. She was also a part of the Original Broadway Company and was the dance captain for the production. Other Broadway and National Tour credits include Cry-Baby, the musical and Legally Blonde, the musical. Favorite regional credits include Fanny Brice in Funny Girl (Drury Lane), Jo in Little Women (John W. Engeman Theatre), Nancy in Oliver! (Human Race). She is a proud CCM graduate and also earned a Presidential Scholar in the Arts award in 2004." The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: www.bluestrawberrystl.com.

My take: I'm going to recommend this one purely on the basis of the strength of the concept and of Ms. Sheperd's theatre credits. "We'll be jamming out to all styles from jazz to swing to musical theatre to rock/pop," she writes on her Facebook page. "Would love to see your faces there if you're in the area!" Could be an offer you can't refuse. And, as I have noted in the past, the Blue Strawberry is an excellent cabaret room with a good drinks list and first rate kitchen.

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Winter Opera St. Louis presents Donizetti's comedy La Fille du Régiment Friday at 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM, November 8 and 10. "Army life is all Marie, the régiment's canteen girl, knows after being abandoned as a baby and saved by the soldiers. She has fallen in love with prisoner-turned soldier Tonio, but after a chance encounter with her long-lost aunt, the Marquise of Berkenfield, Marie reluctantly leaves the régiment. Will Marie stay with the Marquise and live a life of luxury or will the regimental songs call her back to the soldier she loves?" 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.

My take: Donizetti's tragic operas are so well known that it's easy to forget his comedy hits. This 1840 romp has long been a favorite of audiences and performers alike, and has been a reliable vehicle for star sopranos from Jenny Lind to Joan Sutherland. I don't think there has been a local production of this since the two excellent versions from Union Avenue Opera in 2010 and Opera Theatre in 2011, so we're due for another one. I plan to attend Sunday, but I'm happy to recommend this now based on the strength of the material and of Winter Opera's recent work.

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Madam
Photo by Caroline Guffey

Fly North Theatricals presents the new musical Madam through February 2. "ELIZA HAYCRAFT - She built an EMPIRE of brothels based on three simple rules. . . RESPECT, CONSENT, and PAY UP FRONT! In 1870 - she was the richest and most powerful woman in the City of St. Louis! But in 1870, Eliza Haycraft was dying. . . And the richest and most powerful men in the City of St. Louis. . . They were hellbent on taking it all away from her. With a score by STL-based composer Colin Healy (The Gringo, Forgottonia) described as 'power swing', fusing elements of modern pop and musical theatre with traditional St. Louis blues and swing revival, you can move-and-be-moved by this turbulent story about the right to be remembered, the meaning of love, and the power of 'no.'" Performances take place at the .ZACK, 3224 Locust in Grand Center. For more information: https://flynorththeatricals.com/events.

My take: New scripts are always welcome (as our new theatre companies), and a couple of our local critics are very taken with both the show and the production. "Madam," writes Michelle Kenyon on her blog, "takes a look at a once-prominent but now more obscure figure in St. Louis history, fashioning a story around her that proves to be a vehicle for a memorable score and strong performances. Even though some of the plot elements are predictable, it proves to be a thoroughly entertaining theatrical experience." "While the acting is solid," writes Mark Bretz at Ladue News, "what really distinguishes in this production of Madam are the standout vocal performances by the cast. The women in particular have stellar voices which beautifully shape Healy’s lyrics and successfully navigate his sometimes intricate melodies."

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Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
Photo courtesy of the SLSO

Joshua Gersen conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in Concert, Thursday through Saturday at 7 pm, and Sunday at 2 pm, January 23-26. "The battle for the galaxy intensifies in the intergalactic adventure of the unfolding saga Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back In Concert. Travel to a galaxy far, far away and experience the iconic film on the big screen at Powell Hall as the SLSO performs the score live." Performances take place at Powell Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

My take: No, it's not theatre, strictly speaking. But the combination of a film on Powel Hall's big screen and a live orchestra playing the score has a theatrical impact that's hard to beat. You will certainly hear that John Williams score in a way that can't be duplicated in a movie theatre, no matter how good their sound system might be. And speaking of sound systems, recent upgrades in the one at Powell Hall have made dialog much easier to understand. The films also include captioning these days, which is a real boon to the hard of hearing who can appreciate the music but can sometimes find dialog hard to hear over a full symphony orchestra. I have been to many of these film events over the years and they're always fun. You can buy popcorn and drink specials at the Powell Hall bars along with their usual menu of libations and snacks, so go and enjoy.

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The Thanksgiving Play
Photo by Phil Hamer

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents The Thanksgiving Play through February 9. "Four earnestly progressive theatre-makers want to create a politically correct Thanksgiving play that is historically accurate, avoids all possible stereotypes and doesn't offend anyone. Guess how long it takes for everything to fly off the rails? This wickedly hilarious satire hurtles into glorious chaos, skewering both its characters' pretensions and the traditional "Thanksgiving story."" Performances take place in the Studio Theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

My take: The best of intentions can be taken to silly extremes. I have seen it happen in real life, so the premise of this comedy strikes me as fairly plausible. As Ann Lemmons Pollack writes in her blog, playwright Larissa FastHorse is "really tired of how history is so often wrong, being written by the winners, and how strongly people cling to the errors despite information to the contrary. Her attempt to set things straight on the subject of Thanksgiving, rather than a this-is-what-really-happened line, is a comedy to remind us to think more about the real story of Thanksgiving, and, by inference, a lot of other things...Great fun, considerable laughter, and ninety minutes with no intermission. " "FastHorse’s satire is incisive but affectionate," writes Calvin Wilson at the Post-Dispatch, "maintaining a tone somewhere between “Doonesbury” and Dorothy Parker. And her comically flustered characters are at once quirky and recognizable."

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Held Over:

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Circus Harmony: Legato (2018)

Circus Harmony presents Fluente: An Underseas Circus Adventure Saturdays at 2 and 7 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, January 18 - 26. "This captivating show is an undersea circus adventure. All the acts are co-created with the amazing Circus Harmony students, staff and guest teaching artists - a number of whom are successful alumni. Like it's home, City Museum, this circus show is not just for children! While the age range of the performers is 8 to 21 years old, these young people perform professional level circus arts. That is why a number of them have gone on to perform with some of the most prestigious circus companies around the world! Fluente will feature new acts created especially for this production and new music from the Circus Harmony Band under the direction of Jeffrey Carter." Performances take place at City Museum, downtown. For more information: circusharmony.org/fluente/

My take: Circus Harmony does excellent outreach work that demonstrates how the arts can make a big difference in the community. If you've ever seen a Circus Flora show, of course, you've seen some of Circus Harmony's students at work as The St. Louis Arches, but the organization's reach and mission go far beyond that. "Circus Harmony," according to their web site, "teaches the art of life through circus education. We work to build character and expand community for youth of all ages, cultures, abilities and backgrounds. Through teaching and performance of circus skills, we help people defy gravity, soar with confidence, and leap over social barriers, all at the same time." Since their 2001 Circus Salaam Shalom, which brought Jewish and Muslim kids in St. Louis together, Circus Harmony has been advancing its philosophy of "peace through pyramids, harmony through hand springs" to "inspire individuals and connect communities."

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Two Trains Running
Photo by Phil Hamer

The Black Rep presents August Wilson's Two Trains Running through January 26. "In August Wilson's masterpiece, history unfolds around everyday lives against the backdrop of the civil rights movement. Long-time regulars gather at the local diner in Pittsburgh's Hill District to gossip, flirt and play the numbers. Now the owner must decide whether to let the city take over his building or sell it to a shrewd, local businessman. Part of Wilson's trailblazing American Century Cycle, Two Trains Running paints a compassionate and unforgettable portrait of ordinary people in the midst of transformation." Performances take place at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information: theblackrep.org.

My take: Critical reaction to this has been rather ecstatic. "In St. Louis," writes Calvin Wilson at the Post-Dispatch, "standing ovations have become routine and are often unmerited. But in this case, that gesture is much deserved." At KDHX, Jacob Juntunen calls it "an exquisite production of a superb script by one America's most important playwrights." And at Ladue News, Mark Bretz writes that director Ed Smith "weaves a masterpiece of a production through the expert utilization of his cast and technical staff." 'Nuff said.

Review: Love is all around us

In his introductory remarks at the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) concert this Sunday (January 19th), Maestro Stéphane Denève noted that the first work on the program, Wagner's "Siegfried Idyll," was played at Mr. Denève's wedding, where his Best Man just happened to be this weekend's piano soloist, Jean-Yves Thibaudet. "Love is in the air," he declared. As a unifying theme for the concert, it wasn't bad.

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

Jean-Yves Thibaudet
Photo courtesy of the SLSO

Certainly the "Siegfried Idyll" was a labor of love. It was written as a birthday/Christmas present for Wagner's wife Cosima (born on December 24th), and was first performed on the stairs of the Wagner family home in Tribschen on Christmas morning 1870 as a surprise for the sleeping Cosima. The musicians were just over a dozen members of the Tonhalle Orchester Zürich. Wagner hadn't planned on publishing it, but financial considerations obliged him to do so in 1878 in an expanded version for 35 players, which is the one usually performed today.

Love was certainly apparent in Mr. Denève's interpretation, which often lingered affectionately over orchestral details. The sense of emotional warmth was enhanced by solos by Principal Oboe Jelena Dirks, Principal Flute Mark Sparks, and Julian Kaplan on trumpet. Wagner requires the sole trumpet to sit quietly until nearly the end of the piece, at which point he bursts forth with a sunny 12-bar theme that would later make its way into Wagner's opera "Siegfried." So Mr. Kaplan gets points for patience as well as musicianship. There was nice work by Roger Kaza and Chris Dwyer in the horn section as well.

Up next was the Second Piano Concerto by Wagner's father-in-law, Franz Liszt. Unfolding in six separate sections played without pause over around 20 minutes, the work is essentially monothematic in that all the melodic material, varied as it sounds, derives from a theme presented in sweet, simple form by a small choir of woodwinds at the very beginning. Its moods run the gamut from touchingly expressive to dramatically flashy to nobly martial (marziale un poco meno allegro) in the penultimate section.

That means the soloist has to be sensitive to the changes in tone as well as technically proficient (that latter being a sine qua non when it comes to anything by Liszt). Mr. Thibaudet was, not surprisingly, more than up to the task. Whether caressing the keys in the lyrical adagio sostenuto assai opening, setting off the musical fireworks of the allegro agitato assai that followed, or making the piano sing in the bel canto style duet with Principal Cello Daniel Lee in the allegro moderato section, he was unfailingly in synch with the spirit for the score--as was Mr. Denève on the podium.

Mr. Thibaudet responded to the enthusiastic applause with a brief encore: the "Waltz in G-flat" (a.k.a. the "Kupelweiser Waltz"). Composed (but never actually written down) by Franz Schubert for the wedding of his friend Leopold Kupelweiser in 1826, it was played by generations of the family until Richard Strauss was finally asked to write it down in 1943. It's a charming little thing, and was a nice aural "palate cleanser" after the Liszt concerto.

Anna Clyne
Photo by Jennifer Taylor, annaclyne.com

The second half of the program opened with "This Midnight Hour" by contemporary British composer Anna Clyne. First performed in 2015, the work opens with agitated passages in the low strings that suggest a chase scene from a suspense film before morphing into a tipsy dance that requires the strings to use some unorthodox techniques (e.g., some players using no vibrato, others playing slightly out of tune) to imitate the sound of an accordion. The accordion fights it out with the "chase" music before finally lapsing into a sweetly nostalgic melody that almost sounds like something Edith Piaf would have sung. A final bang from the bass drum brings everything to an abrupt finish.

It's an engaging piece that demonstrates that newer music need not sound like a mathematical exercise. In an interview last February, Mr. Denève said that it was "very important that the audience understand that the new music we will perform is music that I believe they can love... that is often very tonal and that has a lot of melodies." "In the Midnight Hour" certainly lived up to that promise, with an impressively virtuosic performance by the band that was received warmly by the audience.

The concert closed with a suite of music from the wonderfully lush and engaging score of Richard Strauss's bittersweet 1911 romantic comedy "Der Rosenkavalier" ("The Knight of the Rose"). The 1945 suite, which was created with Strauss's approval but apparently not with his actual participation, has become familiar to music lovers over the decades. The version of it played Sunday, however, was one created by Mr. Denève in which the order of the selections has been rearranged to more closely track the arc of the libretto. That means that the suite ends with the touching final trio that closes the opera instead of the big, noisy waltz that concludes the original suite.

Having just seen the opera relatively recently, I have to say I found Mr. Denève's approach preferable to the 1945 version in many ways, especially when played and conducted with such authority and such a fine feel for the dramatic line of the original story. There were well-deserved individual curtain calls for Ms. Dirks, Mr. Sparks, and Mr. Kaplan, as well as Mr. Kaza's horns and Principal Clarinet Scott Andrews.

Next at Powell Hall: It's time to go to the movies with "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in Concert," as the SLSO plays the score to accompany a showing of the film on the big screen at Powell Hall Thursday through Sunday, January 23 through 26. Former New York Philharmonic Assistant Conductor Joshua Gersen will be on the podium. Only "limited view" seats are available right now and can be purchased only by calling the box office at 314 534-1700.

This article originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.