Stage Left: December 2022

Sunday, December 25, 2022

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 26, 2022

Now including both on-line and live events during the pandemic. To get your event listed here, send an email to chuck [at] kdhx.org Your event information should be in text format (i.e. not part of a graphic), but feel free to include publicity stills.

Mark and Anne Burnell

The Blue Strawberry presents Anne and Mark Burnell: Two for the Road on Wednesday, December 21, at 7 pm. “From Paris and Amsterdam to New York, husband and wife team Anne Burnell and Mark Burnell have delighted audiences the world over with their unique vocal harmonies on jazz, pop and blues classics.” The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Jest Mysteries present A Dickens of a Killilng through January 27th, 2023. "Death is in the air as guests join Marilyn Monroe, Babe Ruth, Baaaaa Huuuumbug!!! Ebenezer Scrooge will be back to his old tricks and is bound to make a few enemies at this Christmas Party chock full of Charles Dicken's Characters. Just when Beep (The Minstrel) gets everyone in the Holiday Spirit, Scrooge barges in and starts talking about gruel. Geez, hope no one snuffs Scrooge out before he stops bellowing! Guests will dive into the fictious world of Charles Dickens and join Pip, Martha Cratchit, Oliver Twist, The Ghost of Jacob Marley, Tiny Tim and so many more in this cheerful murder mystery parody of a Holiday Classic. Whether you want to participate a little or a lot, you're sure to have a jolly good time, in jolly olde England, where there is sure to be "A Dickens of a Killing!" The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com

A Christmas Carol

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the second annual production of Michael Wilson’s adaptation of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol through December 30. “At long last, the ghosts of Ebenezer Scrooge’s past, present and future have caught up with him. Now London’s most infamous miser must face down his demons, reconcile the consequences of his choices and experience the power and joy of a miraculous redemption. This magical production will again be directed by Hana S. Sharif, Augustin Family Artistic Director at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and choreographed by Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Artistic Director at The Big Muddy Dance Company. The world of Charles Dickens’ will be brought to life by Tim Mackabee (Scenic Design), Dede Aytie (Costume Design), Seth Reiser (Lighting Design), and Hana S. Kim (Production Design). Chales Coles and Nathan Roberts provide the music and sound design, with musical direction by Tre’von Griffith.” Performances take on the main stage of the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information:

The Twelve Dates of Christmas

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.

Friday, December 23, 2022

Happy classical holidays

Well, here it is Christmas Eve and while it’s unusual to open presents a day early, I have one for you here that just won’t keep: a free Spotify playlist of classical holiday music.

Cally Banham and Cortango
Photo: Celeste Boyer Photography

Of course, my definition of “classical” is, shall we say, fluid. Or just make that idiosyncratic. You might not see some of these are “classical music” in the traditional sense. And some are “classical” only in the fact that the performers are generally considered to be classical musicians.

But what the heck, it’s free, right?

Here are the albums and artists represented.

Apollo’s Fire: Christmas on Sugarloaf Mountain. Known primarily for their performances of Baroque music, this innovative group has been known to branch out into other areas. This particular release “celebrates the ancient Celtic folk carols that were brought to America by the Irish immigrants – and then transformed into soulful Appalachian carols.” It debuted at #3 on the Billboard Classical Chart when it was release in 2018

The Players: Christmas. OK, maybe this oddball ensemble of British buskers led by ex-Roxy Music art-rockers Phil Manzanera and Andy Mackay isn’t really a classical group, but they play with a cohesion and gusto that’s just irresistible. And they all play acoustic instruments, which is good enough for me.

Pro Cantione Antiqua: A Medieval Christmas Feast. I first stumbled on this album way back in the LP days and was immediately captivated by the way it evoked the quiet mystery of the medieval era. For this 1986 disc, the a cappella vocal group partnered up with the Medieval Wind Ensemble.

The Baltimore Consort: Christmas Music (Bright Day Star). I have several albums by this group, which brings an unbuttoned sense of theatricality to early music. I will also confess to being a massive fan of soprano soloist Custer LaRue. This 2009 release is a mix of traditional seasonal tunes, at least some of which are so old they’re new again.

The Waverly Consort: A Renaissance Christmas Celebration. What can I say? I’m a sucker for early music. This 1977 release is a winner. It eventually became the basis for an annual holiday show, “The Christmas Story.”

The Boston Camerata: A Renaissance Christmas. The Boston Camerata’s roots are in early music, but (like many such ensembles) they have also branched out into other areas such as the 2019 “Free America!” disc of Revolutionary War popular songs. I have included their Baroque Christmas album in the playlist as well.

Marie-Claire Alain: Daquin: Noëls pour orgue (Noels for organ). The name of Louis-Claude Daquin (1694-1772) might not be familiar, and with good reason. While famous as a harpsichord and organ virtuoso in his time he does not appear to have been a prolific composer. His twelve “Noëls” are keyboard fantasias on popular French Christmas songs. I first discovered them on a Musical Heritage Society LP back in the 1960s and they still say “Christmas” to me.

Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir: The Joy of Christmas. I had to include at least one big-band carol bash in here. This one dates from 1960 and features the blitzkrieg power of the choral group my late friend Bryce used to refer to as the “Mormon Brass Knuckle Choir.” Unsubtle but fun.

Sir Colin Davis and the London Symphony Orchestra with the John Alldis Choir: An Olde English Christmas. Very much in the same vein as the previous, but with a British slant. Recorded in 1980, it has the advantage of somewhat cleaner sound than the Bernstein disc.

The Gabrielli Consort and Players: A Venetian Christmas. Described as the First Mass of Christmas at St. Mark’s as it might have been celebrated in Venice circa 1600, this 2001 release consists mostly of the antiphonal music of Giovanni Gabrielli (1554/5 – 1612) along with the “Missa ‘Praeter rerum seriem’” by Cipriano de Rore (1516 – 1585).

The Taverner Consort, Choir, and Players: The Carol Album. Lots of very old carols in this 1989 disc conducted by Andrew Parrott. Parrott formed the group back in 1973 to feature English renaissance music.

Various: The Big Christmas Box. Originally a subsidiary label of the now defunct Vanguard Recording Society, The Bach Guild still offers its many “Big Boxes” (so called because they contained anywhere from 3 to 10 hours of music on big boxes of CDs) at its own web site. Most (if not all) are now available as digital downloads both there and at Classic Select World. The Big Christmas Box includes performances by Alfred Deller, the Canterbury Choristers, and even a few music boxes.

The Knights: The Knight Before Christmas. A self-described “musical collective,” The Knights are “flexible in size and repertory” and “dedicated to transforming the orchestral experience and eliminating barriers between audience and music.” This 2021 release demonstrates that with innovative arrangements of a wonderfully varied collection of seasonal songs old and new. It includes one of only two versions of “The Little Drummer Boy” that I can actually listen to.

The Imani Winds: This Christmas. I guess you’d describe the Imani Winds as a contemporary classical/jazz crossover group. They specialize in new music, but this 2008 album consists of traditional carols and Great American Songbook classics.

Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops: Pops Christmas Party. Yeah, I know: how mainstream can you get? But it’s festive as all get out and includes a terrific performance of one of my favorites, Leroy Anderson’s “Christmas Festival.”

Cally Banham and Cortango: Cor Christmas. This is a “home team” thing. Banham is the Principal Cor Anglais (English Horn) with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. For this 2018 solo debut, she’s backed up by her classical/jazz/tango fusion group Cortango as well as the Adam Maness Trio and the Trombones of the St. Louis Symphony. The arrangements are brilliant, which is why the “Little Drummer Boy” on this album is the second of the two versions I can actually listen to.

Maggie Sansone and Ensemble Galilei: Ancient Noels. As the title says, it’s an assortment of medieval and renaissance carols from around the world in which Sansone’s hammered dulcimer is prominently featured.

The Vienna Symphony conducted by Steven Mercurio with vocalists Placido Domingo, Sarah Brightman, Helmut Lotti, and Ricardo Cocciante: Christmas in Vienna V. This was originally issued as “A Gala Christmas in Vienna” in 1998. It’s essentially a holiday “pops” concert from Vienna that includes some more contemporary numbers along with the usual favorites.

Quire Cleveland: Carols for Quire from the Old and New Worlds, V. 3. This is probably the most variety you’ll find in any holiday album anywhere, ranging as it does from “The Coventry Carol” to Tom Lehrer’s “(I’m Spending) Hannukah in Santa Monica.” Seriously. Quire Cleveland is, as the name implies, a Cleveland-based a cappella choir with a wide-ranging repertoire.

New York’s Ensemble for Early Music: A Medieval Christmas. Yes, more Very Early Music from the days of drafty castles and pointless battles. Still lovely stuff.

The Choir of King’s College Cambridge: Benjamin Britten: A Ceremony of Carols, Op. 28. Written for a three-part treble chorus (which usually means a boys choir) and harp, this 1942 composition evokes visions of a medieval Christmas service, complete with a Processional and Recessional.

Orchestre de la Suisse Romande conducted by Ernest Ansermet: Rimsky-Korsakov: Suite from “Christmas Eve.” First performed in 1895, this operatic adaptation of Gogol’s story “Christmas Eve” is rarely seen these days, but you will hear this orchestral suite every now and then.

The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Gavin Sutherland: Victor Hely-Hutchinson (1901 – 1947): “A Carol Symphony.” This four-movement work can be more accurately described as a set of chorale preludes on popular Christmas carols for orchestra. Also on this album are Bryan George Kelly’s “Improvisations on Christmas Carols,” Patric Stanford’s “Christmas Carol Symphony,” and carol arrangements by Philip Lane.

If that looks like a lot of music…well, it is. It’s just a little over a full day of holiday cheer. Grab some eggnog (or whatever) and enjoy. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and happy holidays of all kinds (Kwanzaa, Hanukah, Festivus, Saturnalia, Ramadan or whatever else floats your winter solstice boat).

Sunday, December 18, 2022

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 19, 2022

The Blue Strawberry presents Whitaker Varley and Curt Landes in the lounge on Wednesday, December 21, at 6 pm. “Whitaker Varley has had the pleasure of singing with several St. Louis bands. From large organizations including The Gateway City Big Band and Blue Knights Orchestra to local, royalty jazz greats Trio Tres Bien, the Rat Pack sound is well represented. When paired with Curt Landes, the song book expands to include Elvis and other favorites making for a wonderful evening of entertainment.” The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Stella Katherine Cole

The Blue Strawberry presents Stella Katherine Cole Has Standards This Holiday Season on Wednesday, at 8 pm and Thursday at 7:30 pm, December 21 and 22. “After her sold-out debut, Stella Katherine Cole returns to Blue Strawberry for another evening of standards mixed with a few holiday favorites! Stella is a New York based singer known for her classic vocal style that draws on influences like Sarah Vaughan, Judy Garland, and Ella Fitzgerald. Her rich tone is complemented by the intimate emotionality she brings to every tune. You might know Stella from her social media, where she has grown a following of 280,000 from posting videos of herself singing jazz standards and musical theatre songs. She's currently studying voice under two excellent teachers and mentors; Tony Award winning vocal coach Joan Lader (Cynthia Erivo, Patti LuPone, Madonna, Hugh Jackman) and La Tanya Hall (collaborator of Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, and Burt Bacharach). Listen to Stella’s records and see where she’s playing next on her website, www.stellakatherinecole.com.” The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Chuck Lavazzi and Carol Schmidt

The Cabaret Project and The Blue Strawberry present the Gala Holiday Edition of the Singers Open Mic Tuesday, December 20, from 7 to 9:30 pm. “Chuck Lavazzi is your host, with pianist and music director Carol Schmidt. If you plan to sing bring sheet music or a chart in your own key, and perform your favorite Broadway, pop, or jazz tunes. Medium/up-tempo songs are encouraged but not required. Holiday songs strongly encouraged but not required. Or you can just relax, have a drink and dinner or a snack, and enjoy the music. No admission or cover, but there is always a tip jar! All proceeds go to The Cabaret Project, a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to promoting, developing, and sustaining the art cabaret in St. Louis." The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Jest Mysteries present A Dickens of a Killilng through January 27th, 2023. "Death is in the air as guests join Marilyn Monroe, Babe Ruth, Baaaaa Huuuumbug!!! Ebenezer Scrooge will be back to his old tricks and is bound to make a few enemies at this Christmas Party chock full of Charles Dicken's Characters. Just when Beep (The Minstrel) gets everyone in the Holiday Spirit, Scrooge barges in and starts talking about gruel. Geez, hope no one snuffs Scrooge out before he stops bellowing! Guests will dive into the fictious world of Charles Dickens and join Pip, Martha Cratchit, Oliver Twist, The Ghost of Jacob Marley, Tiny Tim and so many more in this cheerful murder mystery parody of a Holiday Classic. Whether you want to participate a little or a lot, you're sure to have a jolly good time, in jolly olde England, where there is sure to be "A Dickens of a Killing!" The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com

A Christmas Carol

The Twelve Dates of Christmas

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.

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Symphony Review: Mozart, Romantic and elegant, with Glover and the SLSO

Musicologist Theodore E. Heger (1939–1977), has described Mozart’s five symphonies as “among the great masterpieces of symphonic literature.” The validity of that assessment was apparent from the performances of the Symphony No. 36 in C major, K. 425 (“Linz”), and the Symphony No. 38 in D major, K. 504 (“Prague”), by Dame Jane Glover, DBE, and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra last weekend (December 9 through 11) as part of an all-Mozart evening.

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

Dame Jane Glover
Photo courtesy of the SLSO

As the Music Director of the London Mozart Players from 1984 to 1991 and the author of a book on Mozart (“Mozart's Women: His Family, His Friends, His Music,” 2005), Glover has a good feel for the composer’s work. Certainly her previous two appearances here with Opera Theatre (“The Magic Flute” in 2014 and “Don Giovanni” in 2011) have demonstrated her Mozartian credentials. This past weekend’s performances only enhanced them.

Both symphonies are solid examples of the Classical style firmly established by Mozart’s friend and supporter Joseph Haydn, at least as far as their musical architecture goes. There’s even a fair amount of counterpoint that reminds us of how much Mozart admired the music of Bach. But, especially in his final symphonies, Mozart imbued that standard Classical model with a degree of emotional power that looked forward to the more unbuttoned Romantic era.

Glover’s interpretations, to my ears, emphasized that proto-Romantic sensibility. But they did so with subtle changes of emphasis here and there, stronger dynamic contrasts, and other tweaks that often made me think of early Beethoven as much as late Mozart. It’s the sort of thing that could only be done by someone who has thoroughly internalized the music. The fact that Glover conducted both works without a score only underlined that point.

A few examples will suffice for illustration. The second movement of the “Linz” flowed along gracefully while still bringing out the profound melancholy of the development section. The use of natural (valveless) horns (the contemporary valved horn wasn't invented until well after Mozart's death) gave a boisterous feel to opening of the Menuetto third movement (nice work there by Thomas Jöstlein and Spencer Park) that contrasted well with the more refined sounds of the oboes and bassoons in the trio. The final movements of both the “Linz” and “Prague” had plenty of energy. And the dramatic, portentous Adagio opening of the latter’s first movement was neatly balanced by the invigorating Allegro that followed.

On the podium, Glover conducted with the fluidity of a Tai Chi master along with the same gestural clarity we got from guest conductor Xian Zhang in an early 20th-centure program a couple of weeks ago, and her communication with the orchestra was impeccable. I was left with the impression that working with her might have been a congenial experience.

David Halen
Photo courtesy of the SLSO

There seemed to be congeniality as well in the easy give and take between Glover and SLSO Concertmaster David Halen— the soloist—in the Violin Concerto No. 4 in D major, K 218, that concluded the first half of the program. I have praised Halen’s mix of solid technique and emotional depth in the past and now find myself doing so again. The former was apparent in his exceptional performance of the first movement cadenza and the latter in the Andante second movement, which took us on an emotional journey from sad to wistful to, finally, resigned. The mood shifts of the final movement were elegantly handled by both him and Glover.

In fact, “elegant” is as good a word as any to describe the entire evening. It wasn’t electrifying but it was immensely satisfying.

Next at Powell Hall: The holidays rule for the rest of December. Kevin McBeth conducts the orchestra, the IN UNISON Chorus, and guest artist Sheléa in the annual “Gospel Christmas” concert on Thursday, December 15, at 7:30 pm.

The weekend of December 16 through 18 brings five performances of the another annual event, the "Mercy Holiday Celebration." This year Byron Stripling conducts, plays the trumpet, and sings (not, presumably, all at once) in a program of holiday favorites. The program repeats Tuesday and Wednesday, December 20 and 21, at 7:30 pm at Lindenwood University’s Scheidegger Center in St. Charles.

Next, it’s a pair of seasonal film events. “Home Alone in Concert” on December 22 and 23 is sold out at this time, but tickets are still available for “Elf in Concert” on Thursday and Friday, December 29 and 30, at 7:30 pm.

The festivities conclude with another annual event, the "New Year’s Eve Celebration." Stephanie Childress conducts the orchestra and soloists Mikaela Bennett (soprano) and Jeff Kread (tenor) in performances at 2 and 7:30 pm on Saturday, December 31st.

Sunday, December 11, 2022

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 12, 2022

Matthew Hempel and Mark Howell

The Blue Strawberry presents magicians Matthew Hampel and Mark Howell on Monday, December 12, at 7 pm. “Matthew Hampel has be performing since he was 5 years old in circuses around the country with his family. He has had the privilege to learn comedy and magic from some of the best in the world. Mark Howell is a Magician, Hypnotist, and Speaker sharing his unique talents across the Midwest for over 20 years." The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

ERA Theatre presents The Residents of Craigslist: a fundraising event Wednesday through Saturday, December 14-17, at 8:00 pm. “‘The Residents of Craigslist' is a one-act theatrical work that realizes the classified advertisements website Craigslist as a full yet lonely house containing a myriad of people – its residents. This is a fundraising event. Doors are at 6:30 p.m. Silent auction and 50/50 raffle. ERA's 'The Residents of Craigslist' begins at 8 p.m. Auction and 50/50 raffle winners announced at 9:45 p.m. For mature audiences only. Includes foul, sexually explicit, and discriminatory language.” Performances take place in the 4th Floor Ballroom at the Centene Center for the Arts, 3547 Olive St. in Grand Center. For more information: www.eratheatre.org.

The Fabulous Fox presents presents A Prairie Home Companion Christmas Show with Garrison Keillor on Thursday, December 15th, at 7 pm. “There’ll be humor, music, holiday cheer, singing, laughing, and, of course, all the latest News from Lake Wobegon. Among those joining Garrison: Heather Masse (jazz singer who is known as one-third of The Wailin’ Jennys) Maria Jette and Richard Dworsky, leading a band featuring guitar wizards Pat Donohue and Dean Magraw. Sound effects ace Fred Newman, and actors Sue Scott and Tim Russell (the man of a thousand voices) round out the troupe.” The Fabulous Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: https://www.fabulousfox.com.

Cirque Dreams: Holidaze

The Fabulous Fox presents Cirque Dreams: Holidaze on Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 11:00 am, 3:00 pm, and 7:30 pm, December 16 and 17. “CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE dazzles with a brilliant and whimsical family holiday spectacular. This annual tradition wraps a Broadway-style production around an infusion of contemporary circus arts. The show features an ensemble of aerial circus acts, sleight-of-hand jugglers, fun-loving skippers, breath-catching acrobatics, and much more. Imaginative and fun for the whole family, CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE features a world-renowned cast of performers accompanied by an original music score.” The Fabulous Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: https://www.fabulousfox.com.

The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Jest Mysteries present A Dickens of a Killilng through January 27th, 2023. "Death is in the air as guests join Marilyn Monroe, Babe Ruth, Baaaaa Huuuumbug!!! Ebenezer Scrooge will be back to his old tricks and is bound to make a few enemies at this Christmas Party chock full of Charles Dicken's Characters. Just when Beep (The Minstrel) gets everyone in the Holiday Spirit, Scrooge barges in and starts talking about gruel. Geez, hope no one snuffs Scrooge out before he stops bellowing! Guests will dive into the fictious world of Charles Dickens and join Pip, Martha Cratchit, Oliver Twist, The Ghost of Jacob Marley, Tiny Tim and so many more in this cheerful murder mystery parody of a Holiday Classic. Whether you want to participate a little or a lot, you're sure to have a jolly good time, in jolly olde England, where there is sure to be "A Dickens of a Killing!" The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com

Jerry's Girls
Photo: Greg Lazerwitz

New Jewish Theatre presents Jerry’s Girls: The Jerry Herman Review Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 4 and 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm, through December 18. “The musical brings together composer/lyricist Jerry Herman’s “greatest hits” - from his many smash productions to some of his lesser well-known musicals. From Mame to Milk and Honey, Hello Dolly! To La Cage Aux Folles, Jerry’s Girls lovingly revisits the shows and their music. New Jewish Theatre’s production features an ensemble cast of five local female performers: Kelsey Bearman, Molly Burris, Christina Rios, Greta Rosenstock and Lisa Rosenstock. Burris is returning to New Jewish Theatre after appearing earlier this season in Dear Jack, Dear Louise. The rest of the cast will be performing at New Jewish Theatre for the first time.” Performances take place at the SFC Performing Arts Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information: jccstl.com.

A Christmas Carol

Forget Me Not
Photo: Patrick Huber

Ride the Cyclone
Photo: John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents Ride the Cyclone: The Musical Thursdays through Saturdays through December 17. There are additional performances 8 PM Sunday, December 11 and Wednesday, December 14. “The lives of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster. When they awake in limbo, a mechanical fortune teller invites each to tell their story to win a prize like no other — the chance to return to life. A funny, moving look at what makes life worth living.” Performances take place at Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee in Tower Grove East. Tickets are only offered in physically distanced groups of two or four. For more information: www.straydogtheatre.org.

Stages Performing Arts Academy presents Big the Musical (TYA) Thursday and Friday at 7:30 pm and Saturday at 2 and 7:30 pm, December 15-17. “Josh Baskin is sick of being an awkward kid. At a carnival, he makes a wish to the Zoltar machine to become “big“ and to his shock, his wish is granted. After an understandably awkward beginning, Josh is forced to do “adult” things, like getting a job and managing relationships. In the end, he discovers that there’s much more to being an adult than he’s bargained for and learns that we must all grow up at our own pace and in our own time.” Performances take place at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: stagesperformingartsacademy.ticketleap.com/big.

The Twelve Dates of Christmas

The Westport Playhouse presents writer/actor Mark Rodgers in Discover DaVinci and Michaelangelo—the Titans Experience on selected dates through December 30. “Over 100 successfull Broadway shows, Includes an art installation and self-guided tour of DaVinci's models, artwork, and more...including our new unique theatrical 40' Video Wall!” The Westport Playhouse is in the Westport Plaza Business and Entertainment District. For more information: thewestportplayhouse.com.

The Westport Playhouse presents Jennifer Theby Quinn in The Twelve Dates of Christmas on selected dates through December 23. “After seeing her fiance kiss another woman at the televised Thanksgiving Day Parade, Mary's life falls apart -- just in time for the holidays. Over the next year, she stumbles back into the dating world, where "romance" ranges from weird and creepy to absurd and comical. It seems nothing can help Mary's growing cynicism, until the charm and innocence of a five-year-old boy unexpectedly brings a new outlook on life and love. This heartwarming one-woman play offers a hilarious and modern alternative to the old standards of the holiday season” The Westport Playhouse is in the Westport Plaza Business and Entertainment DistrictFor more information: thewestportplayhouse.com.

Winter Opera presents Holidays on the Hill Monday through Wednesday at 7 pm, December 12-14. “Get in the holiday spirit with Winter Opera Saint Louis! Join us for a delicious four-course dinner and a fun-filled holiday concert sung by Winter Opera Artists. Tickets are $85 and include dinner, meal tax, gratuity, and performance. Beverages not included. Seats fill up fast so reserve yours today! Tickets are non-refundable. All proceeds to benefit Winter Opera’s Sixteenth Season” Holidays on the Hill takes place at Dominic’s on the Hill, 5101 Wilson Avenue. For more information: www.winteroperastl.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.

Friday, December 09, 2022

Symphony Preview: More notes, Mozart!

History tells us that Handel’s “Messiah,” which the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus performed last weekend (December 2–4), was written in only 24 days. This weekend (December 9–11), Dame Jane Glover conducts the orchestra in an all-Mozart program that opens with the Symphony No. 36 in C major, K. 425 (“Linz”), which was dashed off in 20 days less than that. And yet it, like “Messiah,” is widely regarded as a masterpiece.

[Preview the music with my commercial-freeSpotify playlist.]

That old corporate cliché about having to choose between getting a thing done fast or getting it done right clearly does not apply to some of history’s great composers.

Mozart, as drawn by Doris Stock, 1789

The Symphony No. 36 carries the nickname “Linz” because Mozart wrote it during a visit to that town in 1783, on his way back to Vienna after a visit to Salzburg with his wife Constanze. There they stayed with Count Thun and his wife, who were avid supporters of the arts. The countess had met Mozart back in 1762 (when he was seven and she was 18). By 1781 she had become a major patron.

The countess, it must be said, was a fairly accomplished musician. The noted English music historian and composer Charles Burney (in his “The Current State of Music in Germany,” 1773) described her as “a most agreeable lady of very high rank, who, among other talents, possesses as great skill in music as any person of distinction I ever knew; she plays the harpsichord with that grace, ease, and delicacy which nothing but female fingers can arrive at.”

But I digress.

“When we reached the gates of Linz,” Mozart wrote to his father ”we found a servant waiting there to drive us to Count Thun’s…. I really cannot tell you what kindnesses the family are showering on us. On Tuesday, November 4th, I am doing a concert in the theatre here and, as I have not a single symphony with me, I am writing a new one at break-neck speed, which must be finished by that time.”

Why a new symphony? There were two good reasons. First, it was common for audiences to expect new works on a regular basis. The preference for “decomposing composers” didn’t become a thing until the mid-19th century.

The second good reason was that Mozart didn’t learn about the November 4th concert until he arrived in town—on October 31st. He had brought no sheet music with him. So, as Joshua Weilerstein says in the episode of his “Sticky Notes” podcast on the Symphony No. 36, Mozart apparently decided that “rather than try to copy out parts from memory from one of his old symphonies, he would instead write something completely new.”

This weekend’s program notes have an excellent synopsis of the music. Between that and my Spotify playlist, you should be amply prepared to appreciate the way in which Mozart managed to stuff plenty of surprises and inventive ideas into what is, on the surface, a typical Classical-era work. As a bonus, the recordings of the two symphonies on the playlist are by Glover and the London Mozart Players, where she was the artistic director from 1984 until 1991.

One interesting tidbit about the “Linz”: the original manuscript has been lost. This has resulted in what Weilerstein calls “a game of sheet music telephone [that] has resulted in many contradictions in this piece, over matters as trivial as a bowing or phrase marking, to matters as big as a tempo marking.” For many years, for example, the second movement tempo marking was believed to be Poco Adagio, but copies of the score that Mozart sold to the Fürstenberg court at Donaueschingen in 1786 show the tempo as a slightly faster Andante, which imparts a more dance-like feel to the movement. These days, Andante is the preferred tempo.

The concerts will close with Mozart’s next symphony, No. 38 in D major, K. 504 (there is no Symphony No. 37 as such). It, too, bears the name of the city in which it was first performed: Prague. It was written in 1786 and had its premiere on January 19, 1787, at the Nostitz Theater during a visit to the city by the composer, who was much admired by the Bohemian public. The score calls for an unusual number of winds (two each of oboes, flutes, bassoons, horns, and trumpets) which might or might not be an intentional tribute to the sterling reputation of Bohemian wind players in the late 18th century.

Maria Wilhelmine,
Countess Thun-Hohenstein
by Heinrich Friedrich Füger
Public Domain

Mozart would write only three more symphonies after No. 38. Taken as a group, symphonies 35¬–41 are, in the words of musicologist Theodore E. Heger (1939–1977), “among the great masterpieces of symphonic literature.” Listening to these works now, it’s clear that they simultaneously honor the Classical-era symphonic ideal while paving the way, intentionally or not, for the Romantic-era symphony that would be jump-started by Beethoven.

In between the two symphonies (and just before intermission) we’ll hear the Violin Concerto No. 4 in D major, K. 218. Given Mozart’s reputation as a pianist, it’s easy to forget that he was no slouch as a violinist. His first real job in Salzburg was concertmaster at the court of Archbishop Colloredo and while his acrimonious departure from that gig is the stuff of legend, he nevertheless composed five highly regarded concertos for the violin: the first in 1773 and the other four in the space of only eight months in 1775.

Mozart himself played the Concerto No. 4 at an informal concert he had given in the Heiligkreuz Monastery near Augsburg in 1777. “In the evening at supper,” he wrote to his father, “I played the Strasbourg Concerto. It flowed like oil: everyone praised the beautiful, pure tone.” This weekend’s soloist, SLSO Concertmaster David Halen, has received his share of similar critical praise in the past. I look forward to seeing what the does with the concerto.

Footnote: The “Strasbourg” nickname refers, according to composer and former BBC radio producer Misha Donat, to the “musette-like episode” in the final movement which “closely resembles a popular tune used by [Carl Ditters von] Dittersdorf in the Ballo Strassburghese of one of his symphonies.”

Next at Powell Hall: Dame Jane Glover conducts an all-Mozart program consisting of the Symphony No. 36, K. 425 (“Linz”), the Violin Concerto No. 4 (with Concertmaster David Halen as soloist), and the Symphony No. 38, K. 504 (“Prague”). Performances are Friday at 10:30 am, Saturday at 8 pm, and Sunday at 3 pm, December 9–11. The Saturday concert will be broadcast live on St. Louis Public Radio and Classic 107.3.

Thursday, December 08, 2022

Symphony Review: Laurence Cummings' "Messiah" walks in darkness

'Tis the season for Handel's "Messiah." This past weekend (December 2-4), Laurence Cummings conducted the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (under guest choral director Patrick Dupré Quigley) in three traditional, Baroque-sized performances of Handel’s Greatest Hit.

Laurence Cummings
Photo: Robert Workman

Every conductor, in my experience, assembles their own “Messiah” from the 57 separate numbers Handel wrote. Handel himself had no hesitation about doing so. That means every “Messiah” is slightly different.

Cummings’s “Messiah” was less celebratory and more reverential than previous versions I have seen at Powell Hall. It felt more informed by the Passion aspect of the piece than, say, the bracing version Bernard Labadie gave us back in 2015 or even the more dramatic Matthew Halls “Messiah” from 2018. That made the work no less compelling, though, and added a sense that we were on a journey from darkness into light. Besides, any “Messiah” that doesn’t seriously mess with Handel is welcome at what Dickens calls “this festive season of the year.”

First performed on April 13th, 1742, in Dublin, “Messiah” was, at least during Handel’s lifetime, generally regarded as appropriate for Easter rather than for Christmas. After all, only the first of its three sections is devoted to the Annunciation. Part two is all about the Passion and the Resurrection (which is why it concludes with the famous “Hallelujah” chorus), while Part 3 deals with Judgement Day. So, even though it was part of the SLSO’s Christmas programming, this was ultimately a “Messiah” that would have been an equally good fit for Lent and Easter.

Jonathon Adams
Photo: Ayako Nishibori

The tone was set in the opening “Sinfonia.” It’s a typical example of what’s called a “French overture,” with a slow introduction followed by a more lively, dance-like fugal section. Cummings’s tempos were on the slow side for both, signaling the more solemn intent of the performance. The following two numbers—“Comfort ye, comfort ye my people” and “Ev’ry valley shall be exalted”—reinforced that feeling, thanks to tenor John Matthew Myers’s commanding stage presence, ringing voice, and clear communication of the text.

All four of the soloists, in fact, had strong, flexible voices. Baritone Jonathon Adams was an authoritative “voice of God” in “Thus saith the Lord,” “Why do the nations so furiously rage together” and, with the crystal-clear accompaniment of trumpeters Julian Kaplan and Austin Williams, “The trumpet shall sound.” Soprano Amanda Forsythe had fewer solos, but they were all tremendously effective. The entire “There were shepherds abiding in the fields” sequence radiated joy and featured some stunning top notes. She, Adams, and Myers all clearly knew their parts well, and reached out to draw the audience into the emotional core of their songs.

The alto role was sung by countertenor Key’mon Murrah—an unusual but by no means unprecedented substitution that goes back to Handel’s time. Like his fellow soloists he had a solid voice with a particularly impressive high end and, also like the other soloists, he had a good feel for the Baroque concept of vocal ornamentation—something that’s not always a given with contemporary singers. He did not, however, seem to be as comfortable with the music as the others, and appeared to be much more dependent on his copy of the score, rarely engaging with the audience.

Amanda Forsythe
Photo: Arielle Doneson

The chorus does most of the heavy lifting in “Messiah,” and here the SLSO chorus continued living up to the high standards it set during the tenure of Amy Kaiser, who retired at the end of the 2021-2011 season. Enunciation was crisp, with even the most heavily melismatic sections wonderfully clear. Examples include “For unto us a child is born” and the contrary movement of the vocal lines in “All we like sheep have gone astray” (one of the many examples of Handel’s word painting).

The singers delivered the more emotionally charged numbers with fervor, including “Glory to God in the highest” and the excessively famous “Hallelujah” that concludes Part 2. And they did it without overwhelming the orchestra even though, with over 70 singers, they were twice the size of the band.

Much as Handel did in his day, Cummings conducted from one of two harpsichords, with Mark Shuldiner backing him up on the second instrument. Shuldiner switched to the positif organ for the choruses, which allowed Cummings to use both hands to conduct the singers and the orchestra. The organ had a surprisingly hefty sound despite its small size, which added a nice sense of weight to the choral sections.

John Matthew Myers
Photo: Fay Fox

Cummings displayed a good feel for the theatrical aspects of “Messiah.” Prior to “Messiah” Handel had been known for his many operas. Switching to sacred subjects didn’t dilute his dramatic edge, so a little staging never hurts. Cummings had the soloists seated at the far sides of the stage when they weren’t singing, allowing them to make theatrical entrances and exits for their moments in the spotlight. It was a nice touch and spared the singers from having to stay seated front and center when the focus wasn’t on them.

Placing the trumpets up in the dress circle for the jubilant “Glory to God in the highest” was another nice touch, allowing the Good News to literally descend “from on high.”

Last but by no means least, let’s hand out some holly wreathes to the members of the SLSO for their excellent work as both soloists and ensemble members. A tip of the holiday hat is due to, among others, Assistant Concertmaster Erin Schreiber in “If God be for us,” Principal Tympani Shannon Wood in “Hallelujah,” and oboes Philip Ross and Xiomara Mass in the choral passages.

Key’mon Murrah
Photo: SLSO

The bottom line is that “Messiah” is a work that supports a wide variety of arrangements and interpretations. Every performance I have seen at Powell Hall since I started covering the SLSO on a regular basis over a decade ago has been faithful to the score’s Baroque roots, and yet each one has been a winner it its own unique way. The Cummings “Messiah” made a fine addition to that illustrious list.

Next at Powell Hall: Dame Jane Glover conducts an all-Mozart program consisting of the Symphony No. 36, K. 425 (“Linz”), the Violin Concerto No. 4 (with Concertmaster David Halen as soloist), and the Symphony No. 38, K. 504 (“Prague”). Performances are Friday at 10:30 am, Saturday at 8 pm, and Sunday at 3 pm, December 9-11. The Saturday concert will be broadcast live on St. Louis Public Radio and Classic 107.3.

Sunday, December 04, 2022

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 5, 2022

The Black Mirror Theatre Company presents The Fever by Wallace Shawn Tuesday through Saturday at 8 pm, December 6-10. “Winner of the 1991 Obie Award for Best Play, Wallace Shawn’s The Fever is an unconventional meditation on how our lives of comfort and privilege are celebrated at the expense of others’ poverty and oppression. Mature Audiences.” Performances take place at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: https://www.blackmirrortheatre.org.

The Blue Strawberry presents Coming Home for Christmas with singer Shelby Ringdahl and pianist/music director Ron McGowan on Friday, December 9, at 7:30 pm. “Returning to Blue Strawberry after a sold out performance in February, Shelby Ringdahl is thrilled to bring her brand new Christmas show to St. Louis! After a career as a professional performer in New York City, a year as Miss Missouri and all the tours in between, this show weaves all your holiday favorites together with the stories and songs that lead us home for Christmas. Featuring holiday classics like "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas'', "White Christmas" ,"I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm" and a live performance of her hit single, "Merry Ol' Missouri", this show is the perfect start to your holiday season. Broadway World says, "Shelby Ringdahl deserves praise for her show-stopping vocals" while St.Louis' KDHX says, "Thanks to Ms. Ringdahl, an entertaining evening was had by all."” The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Steve Ross

The Blue Strawberry presents Steve Ross on Saturday, December 10, at 7:30 pm. “When Steve Ross takes the takes the stage, the world comes right. Steve conjures a world between the great wars so complete that we believe we are its inheritors. The world of Cole Porter and Noel Coward and the Gershwins. A world of wordplay and word joy, melody and rhyme, gaiety and glamour, cocktails and charm, snappy wit and sharp dress.” The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

The Blue Strawberry presents a Singers Open Mic on Tuesday, December 6, from 7 to 9:30 pm. “Focusing on Pop, Standards old and new, Broadway and Musical Theater. But Anything Goes! Bring sheet music in your key.” Ken Haller and Chuck Lavazzi are your hosts with Ron McGowan at the piano. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Jazz St. Louis presents A Swingin’, Soulful Christmas with Denise Thimes Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30, December 7 and 8. “One of the most cherished voices of modern jazz, Denise Thimes, has drawn comparisons to Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, and all those who came before her – but with a voice uniquely her own. Now splitting time between St. Louis and Chicago, Thimes is a favorite of audiences wherever she goes! Don’t miss her soulful take on your favorite Christmas classics!” Performances take place at Jazz St. Louis, 3536 Washington Avenue in Grand Center. For more information: jazzstl.org.

The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Jest Mysteries present A Dickens of a Killilng through January 27th, 2023. "Death is in the air as guests join Marilyn Monroe, Babe Ruth, Baaaaa Huuuumbug!!! Ebenezer Scrooge will be back to his old tricks and is bound to make a few enemies at this Christmas Party chock full of Charles Dicken's Characters. Just when Beep (The Minstrel) gets everyone in the Holiday Spirit, Scrooge barges in and starts talking about gruel. Geez, hope no one snuffs Scrooge out before he stops bellowing! Guests will dive into the fictious world of Charles Dickens and join Pip, Martha Cratchit, Oliver Twist, The Ghost of Jacob Marley, Tiny Tim and so many more in this cheerful murder mystery parody of a Holiday Classic. Whether you want to participate a little or a lot, you're sure to have a jolly good time, in jolly olde England, where there is sure to be "A Dickens of a Killing!" The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com

Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre presents It’s a Marvelous Life! Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through December 10. “From the people who brought you Jurassic Park: The Musical, The One-Hour Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, Glen Or Glenda, The One-Hour Valley Of The Dolls, Plan 9 From Outer Space, and The Ten Commandments: Live!: They said it couldn’t be done. (Who are “they”? We have no idea. But we’re about to prove them wrong!) Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre presents the onstage spectacle It’s a Marvelous Life! Original script by Rob McLemore and Jaysen Cryer, directed by Artistic Director Donna Northcott. Poor George Bailey…I mean Steve Rogers! All he ever wanted to do was build things and see the world and save Democracy from deviant warlord Thanos, evil trickster Loki, and the Nazis.”Performances take place at the Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood Park. For more information: https://www.stlshakespeare.org.

Jerry's Girls
Photo: Greg Lazerwitz

A Christmas Carol

Forget Me Not
Photo: Patrick Huber

The St. Louis Actors’ Studio presents Forget Me Not written and directed by Kyle Marlett Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 3 pm through December 18. “Forget Me Not is the journey of one human figuring out what it means to be remembered. We’ve all experienced the feeling that there’s not enough time. We sometimes wonder what will happen after we’re gone, how will our stories be told, and how can we leave a lasting impact? Kyle asks all of these questions of himself and seeks to find the answers with you. Kyle Marlett is running out of time. All his life, he’s felt the overwhelming need to leave a mark on the world. It’s a lifelong pursuit that leads him to magic, this show, and this moment, right now. Prepare to witness stunning visuals, impossible illusions and raw storytelling as Kyle examines our time on earth and the connections between all of us. Why are we here? What do we leave behind?” Performances take place at The Gaslight Theater on North Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: www.stlas.org.

The St. Louis Writers' Group presents a reading of How Heaven Works by Dennis Fisher on Tuesday, December 6 at 6:30 p.m. “Larry has developed some problems with the law, his mother is dying, and his friends want him to make big life decisions by asking the opinion of a magic eight ball. He knows he is in trouble when he realizes the magic eight ball is wiser than his friends.” The reading takes place at Big Daddy’s, 1000 Sidney in Soulard. For more information, visit the St. Louis Writers' Group Facebook page.

The Sheldon Concert Hall presents Tim Schall, with pianist and music director Carol Schmidt, in That Time of Year Tuesday and Wednesday, December 6 and 7, at 10:30 am. ‘Tim Schall returns with a lighthearted, swinging take on one of his favorite holiday traditions - the music of the season! Since his last Sheldon appearance, Schall sang at Jazz at Lincoln Center as part of the 2019 New York Cabaret Convention and is happy to sing for his hometown audiences again. Featuring standards such as “I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm,” “Silver Bells,” “Let It Snow,” and more, this special holiday event invites you to enjoy the classic music of “that time of year when the world falls in love.” Enjoy complimentary coffee and pastries at 9 a.m. in the newly-renovated Konneker room, just before these one-hour concerts.’ Performances take place at the Sheldon Concert Hall in Grand Center. For more information: thesheldon.org.

Ride the Cyclone
Photo: John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents Ride the Cyclone: The Musical Thursdays through Saturdays through December 17. There are additional performances 8 PM Sunday, December 11 and Wednesday, December 14. “The lives of six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster. When they awake in limbo, a mechanical fortune teller invites each to tell their story to win a prize like no other — the chance to return to life. A funny, moving look at what makes life worth living.” Performances take place at Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee in Tower Grove East. Tickets are only offered in physically distanced groups of two or four. For more information: www.straydogtheatre.org.

Webster Conservatory presents Seminar by Theresa Rebeck Fridays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm through December 11. “In Seminar, a provocative comedy from Pulitzer Prize–nominee Theresa Rebeck, four aspiring young novelists sign up for private writing classes with Leonard, an international literary figure. Under his recklessly brilliant and unorthodox instruction, some thrive and others flounder, alliances are made and broken, sex is used as a weapon, and hearts are unmoored. The wordplay is not the only thing that turns vicious as innocence collides with experience in this biting comedy.” Performances take place in the Stage III Auditorium on the Webster University campus in Webster Groves. For more information: www.webster.edu

The Christians
Photo: Ellie Schwetye

West End Players Guild presents Lucas Hnath’s The Christians through December 11. “The Christians examines what happens when Pastor Paul, the leader of an evangelical mega-church, announces to his congregation that he has come to doubt a core belief of Christian doctrine. Pastor Paul expects this sermon to be controversial; he does not expect the reaction to the sermon to threaten the congregation’s destruction. Playwright Hnath, the son of a minister who was raised in the Seventh Day Adventist church, presents the story with respect and sincerity. As New York Times theatre critic Charles Isherwood noted, “none of the characters are depicted as being fanatical, hypocritical or lacking in intelligence, which is too often the case when pious Christians are depicted onstage. Mr. Hnath grants his characters the dignity of sincere belief, even as his play raises probing questions about how and why religion can be a divisive, if not abusive, social force.” Ellie Schwetye returns to WEPG to direct The Christians.” West End Players Guild this season will employ touchless ticketing, socially-distanced seating and indoor masking of all patrons and front-of-house staff and volunteers. Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union in the Central West End. For more information: westendplayers.org.

The Twelve Dates of Christmas

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.

Stage Left

Sunday, December 25, 2022

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 26, 2022

Friday, December 23, 2022

Happy classical holidays

Sunday, December 18, 2022

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 19, 2022

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Symphony Review: Mozart, Romantic and elegant, with Glover and the SLSO

Sunday, December 11, 2022

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 12, 2022

Friday, December 09, 2022

Symphony Preview: More notes, Mozart!

Thursday, December 08, 2022

Symphony Review: Laurence Cummings' "Messiah" walks in darkness

Sunday, December 04, 2022

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 5, 2022

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