Symphony Preview: David Robertson and the SLSO offer a preview of their Carnegie Hall concert Saturday and Sunday, March 14 and 15, 2015

Share on Google+

This weekend's classical "double header" continues as David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony in the music of Tchaikovsky, Debussy, and James MacMillan on Saturday and Sunday, March 14 and 15.

Two of the three works on this weekend's program—Tchaikovsky's "Symphony No. 4 in F minor," op. 36, and Debussy's "Nocturnes"—will also be on the bill when the orchestra appears at Carnegie Hall in New York on Friday, March 20th. The third piece is the 2009 "Violin Concerto" by contemporary Scotch composer James MacMillan. In the Big Apple, that will be replaced by "Weave," a brand-new work by Meredith Monk.

James MacMillan
boosey.com

MacMillan, whose "Piano Concerto No. 3" got such an impressive performance from Jean-Yves Thibaudet and Stéphane Denève at Powell Hall last month, is perhaps best known for "Veni, Veni, Emmanuel," his 1992 percussion concerto closely identified with Evelyn Glennie. His style is approachable, colorful, and, while clearly the work of someone who is familiar with the full range of 21st century compositional techniques, disdains the elitism that infects so much "serious" music these days.

Specifically, Mr. MacMillan disdains composers who are “deeply suspicious of any significant move towards tonality, any hint of pulse that is actually discernible, and any music which communicates successfully with a non-specialist audience.” If, in other words, you are weary of music that sounds more like an orchestra tuning up than a deliberate composition, or that seems to have been written more for a grant-funding committee than for a paying audience, Mr. MacMillan is undoubtedly your man.

I haven't heard the "Violin Concerto," but if it's anything like his piano concerto, we should expect writing that conjures up strong visual images. Think movie music, but with much more complexity. We should also expect, as Paul Schiavo writes in his program notes, music that " reflects the Celtic culture with which the composer strongly identifies." "I’ve grown up with fiddle music," recalls Mr. MacMillan in an interview quotes in the notes. "I used to play in folk bands when I was younger, and fiddles were always the core part of that music."

Debussy in 1908
en.wikipedia.org

Debussy's "Nocturnes" should conjure up some images as well, although they'll probably be more like Impressionist paintings with their suggestiveness and subtlety than a Technicolor film. It consists of three short tone poems (total playing time is around 25 minutes) inspired by literary poems by the symbolist writer Henri de Regnier. The composer wrote a fairly detailed program for "Nocturnes," and rather than attempt to paraphrase it, I'm just going to quote it in toto, using the translation from Donald Brook's Five great French composers: Berlioz, César Franck, Saint-Saëns, Debussy, Ravel: Their Lives and Works (thank you, Wikipedia):

The title Nocturnes is to be interpreted here in a general and, more particularly, in a decorative sense. Therefore, it is not meant to designate the usual form of the Nocturne, but rather all the various impressions and the special effects of light that the word suggests. 'Nuages' renders the immutable aspect of the sky and the slow, solemn motion of the clouds, fading away in grey tones lightly tinged with white. 'Fêtes' gives us the vibrating, dancing rhythm of the atmosphere with sudden flashes of light. There is also the episode of the procession (a dazzling fantastic vision), which passes through the festive scene and becomes merged in it. But the background remains resistantly the same: the festival with its blending of music and luminous dust participating in the cosmic rhythm. 'Sirènes' depicts the sea and its countless rhythms and presently, amongst the waves silvered by the moonlight, is heard the mysterious song of the Sirens as they laugh and pass on.

The role of the mythological sirens will be played by the women of the Symphony Chorus.

The concerts will conclude with my favorite Tchaikovsky symphony—his Fourth, in F minor, last heard in Powell Hall three years ago when Christopher Warren-Green was on the podium. He began writing it during a winter of discontent (to paraphrase Shakespeare) in 1876-77. "Since we last met," he wrote to his friend Klimenko, "I am very much changed—especially mentally. Not a kopek's worth of fun and gaiety is left in me. Life is terribly empty, tedious, and tawdry. My mind turns towards matrimony, or indeed any other steady bond. The only thing that has not changed is my love for composing. If he conditions of my life were different, if my desire to create were not balked at every step...I might write something really decent."

"Tchaikovsky with wife Antonina Miliukova"
by Ivan Grigoryevich Dyagovchenko
Licensed under Public Domain
via Wikimedia Commons

His disastrous attempt at marriage in 1877 to a former student, Antonina Miliukova didn't help matters any. He was gay, she didn't get it, and the entire business collapsed after only a few months. The following year, Tchaikovsky would refer to his marriage in a letter to his brother Anatoly as "my brief insanity. That man who in May took it into his head to marry Antonina Ivanovna, who during June wrote a whole opera as though nothing had happened, who in July married, who in September fled from his wife, who in November railed at Rome and so on—that man wasn't I, but another Pyotr Ilyich".

Still, by the beginning of 1878, all that Sturm und Drang had resulted in the creation of "something really decent." Although initially dismissed by critics who were baffled by the first movement's length of (at just over 17 minutes, it takes up about half of the symphony's total time) and unusual structure, the Fourth would gradually gain acceptance and acclaim. It's now one of Tchaikovsky's most popular symphonies.

As well it should be. The composer poured all of his hope and despair into this most compact and dramatically expressive of all his symphonies. From the commanding "fate" motive first intoned by the brasses at the beginning to the nearly hysterical triumph of the finale, this is a piece that grabs you by the lapels and doesn't let go until the end. I've loved this work from the first time I heard it in a recording by Sir John Barbirolli and the Halle Orchestra on my parents' old console stereo some fifty years ago. I think you will as well.

The essentials: David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with violinist Vadim Repin and the Women of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus on Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m., March 14 and 15. The program features Debussy's "Nocturnes," James MacMillan's "Violin Concerto," and Tchaikovsky's "Symphony No. 4." The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Symphony Preview: Dancing the night away with music you know Friday, March 13, 2015

Share on Google+

This weekend local classical fans get a double header with two different St. Louis Symphony concerts: a Whitaker Foundation "Music That You Know" program on Friday, March 13, and music of Tchaikovsky, Debussy, and James MacMillan on Saturday and Sunday, March 14 and 15. David Robertson is at the podium for both.

The Friday program is "Folk Dances: Brahms and Bartók," and it features dance-inspired works with roots in the folk traditions of a half-dozen different countries. This is immensely appealing stuff that doesn't require a lot of advance preparation, so I'm going to limit myself to a few bits of background on each piece to supplement the Fun Facts SLSO blogger Eddie Silva provides in his program notes.

Johannes Brahms
en.wikipedia.org

Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G minor (1873) – Part of a set of 21 dances that Brahms wrote originally for piano four hands and then later orchestrated, this particular dance has become so popular that it's almost a cliché. It has, as a result, been the butt of a lot of musical jokes, such as Allan Sherman's "Hungarian Goulash No. 5" and the "Rhapsody From Hunger(y)" by Spike Jones (where it gets mashed up with Liszt's "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2").

Brahms thought he was basing this dance on a Hungarian folk tune (as he did for all but three of the other dances) but, in fact, he was using a czardas by Hungarian composer and conductor Béla Kéler. Ah, those carefree days before copyright law!

Juventino Rosas: Sobre las olas (Over the Waves) (1891) – A true "one hit wonder," Mexican composer Juventino Rosas was an Otomi Indian who became a prominent purveyor of salon music in Mexico City. He died at the age of 26 from a fever contracted while touring in Cuba. In his liner notes for a 1981 recording of this piece, the late music critic Andrew Lamb tells us that Rosas dedicated the waltz to a young lady whom he wooed in vain. Fitted up with lyrics by Paul Francis Webster, the main theme became the song "The Loveliest night of the Year". Mario Lanza introduced it in the 1950 film "The Great Caruso."

Ravel: Tzigane (1924) – The title is French for "gypsy," and while this fiercely difficult piece for violin and orchestra doesn't use any actual Hungarian folk tunes, it certainly conjures up the feel of that kind of music. The slow, smoldering romanticism of the opening eventually gives way to a wildly energetic finale that will test the skill of the best violinists.

Hugo Alfvén: Midsommarvaka (Midsummer Vigil), Swedish Rhapsody No. 1, op. 19 (1903) – This is the first of a set of three "Swedish Rhapsodies" from a composer who, while well known in his native land, is rarely heard elsewhere. In his notes for a 1994 recording of the complete rhapsodies, Swedish composer Lennart Hedwall notes that the first rhapsody is an "impression of one of the most important national feasts in Sweden, when the people celebrate the longest day and the brightest night of the year with almost ritual intensity." In 1957 the great Chet Atkins had a major hit with his solo guitar arrangement of the first theme.

Borodin: Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor (1869-70, 1874-87) – Left unfinished at the time of the composer's death in 1887, "Prince Igor" was eventually completed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov. Fortunately, you don't need to know anything about the opera's complex plot to appreciate these colorful dances. Three of the melodies were used by the songwriting team of Wright and Forrest for their 1953 musical "Kismet," where they became "He's in Love," "Not Since Nineveh," and "Stranger in Paradise."

Bartók: Rhapsody No. 1 for Violin and Orchestra (1928-29) – And now for something completely different: Hungarian music based on Hungarian folk tunes collected by a Hungarian composer. Bartók's two rhapsodies were originally written for violin and piano and then later orchestrated. This first one packs over a half-dozen different folk tunes into its roughly eleven minute run time. Like Ravel's "Tzigane," it demands real virtuosity.

Alberto Ginastera
en.wikipedia.org

Alberto Ginastera: Four Dances from Estancia, op. 8a (1941) – In 1941 American dance impresario Lincoln Kirstein commissioned Argentine composer Alberto Ginastera to write "Estancia" ("ranch" in Argentine Spanish), a ballet based on the music and dances of Argentine cowboys, for his company. In April of 1942, celebrated choreographer Agnes de Mille called Aaron Copland and asked him to score a cowboy ballet for her company. Kirsten's company folded in 1942 and the ballet wasn't performed until 1952. De Mille's company did not fold and Copland's "Rodeo" was a huge and immediate hit.

Both "Estancia" and "Rodeo" are now better known for four-movement suites excerpted from their scores. Copland's suite is part of the standard repertoire here in the USA, but Ginastera's didn't get much traction with American audiences until its 2008 recording by Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela under Gustavo Dudamel began getting airplay on classical stations.

Which is a bit surprising, as it's seriously exciting stuff. If you can sit through all twelve minutes of it—especially the exuberant "Malambo" final movement—without getting energized then (to quote a Louis Jordan lyric), "Jack, you're dead."

The essentials: David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with violin soloists Eva Kozma and Silvian Iticovici in a Whitaker Foundation Music That You Know concert on Friday at 8 p.m., March 13. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of March 9, 2015

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

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

Share on Google+

First Run Theatre presents the 13th Annual Reading Festival, featuring staged reading of the finalists of the annual script submission contest, Friday through Sunday, March 13-15. The schedule is: The Other Side by David Hawley Friday at 7 p.m.; Sparrows Fall by Richard T. Young Saturday at 10 a.m.; Waiting for Gabby by Jessica Beaustring Saturday at 1 p.m.; Elly and Hubert by David Hawley Saturday at 3 p.m.; and Gallows Tales by Steve Callahan Saturday at 7 p.m. Performances take place in the Thomas Hunter Theatre at DeSmet Jesuit High School, 233 N New Ballas Road. For more information email info at firstruntheatre.com, or visit www.firstruntheatre.com.

The St. Louis Family Theatre Series presents The Adventures Of Harold And The Purple Crayon March 13 and 14. '"One evening, after thinking it over for some time, Harold decided to go for a walk in the moonlight." So begins Harold and the Purple Crayon, the first of seven delightful picture books by Crockett Johnson, following the zany adventures of an inventive young boy. As it turned out, there wasn't any moon that night nor was there a path to walk on, so Harold simply drew them. And thus his journey began. Resourceful and brave, Harold create the world he wants to explore, using nothing more than a big purple crayon and his sky's-the-limit imagination.' 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.

Afflicted: Daughters of Salem
Photo: Victoria Lafferty

Metro Theatre Company and the Missouri History Museum present Afflicted: Daughters of Salem by Laurie Brooks through March 22. "Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam, Mercy Lewis, Mary Warren, and Betty Paris meet deep in the dark woods of Puritan New England at night. Denied all outlets for imagination and all hope for the future, the girls unite in a secret society - Allies are found, promises made and broken, power taken. When the girls force the slave Tituba to tell their fortunes, they ignite a crucible of events that burns out of control, leading straight to the infamous Salem Witch Trials. Through their secrets, gossip and accusations these girls become some of the most notorious teens in history." Performances take place in the Lee Auditorium at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. For more information: mohistory.org.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Buyer and Cellar March 11-29. "Inspired by Barbra Streisand's coffee table book, My Passion for Design, this uproarious fictional account of celebrity eccentricity takes us into Babs' basement, where she houses her unique collections in a small street of shops. An underemployed actor becomes the caretaker, interacting with Barbra in moments both hilarious and surprisingly tender. A runaway hit in New York, this one-man show takes us into the ultimate fantasy of a star-struck dreamer as he fills the oddest of odd jobs." Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

Jerry Springer the Opera
Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the St. Louis premiere of the musical Jerry Springer the Opera Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, through March 18. "The New Line season continues with one of New Line's wildest and most ambitious projects, JERRY SPRINGER THE OPERA, the smash-hit, multi-award winning musical that ran to unprecedented rave reviews and standing ovations at the National Theatre in London, after a sold-out run in London's West End. The Sunday Times called it “a shocking, irresistibly funny masterpiece.” With music by Richard Thomas, and book and lyrics by Thomas and Stewart Lee, this is an audacious, fearless piece of theatre that brilliantly and hilariously dissects the cultural forces that have kept Jerry Springer on the air all these years, the lives of quiet desperation that explode into public view in Springer's weirdly nonjudgmental, national confessional." Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Road. . For more information, visit newlinetheatre.com or call 314-534-1111.

The Presenters Dolan present Ben Nordstrom in Living in the Moment on Friday and Saturday, March 13 and 14, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "As one of the most popular and sought after performers in town, Ben performs everywhere - Stages, the MUNY, the Rep, and many of our professional companies. He has wholeheartedly embraced cabaret, and cabaret is lucky to have him." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

Linda Kennedy

The Presenters Dolan present Linda Kennedy in Melody/Movement on Thursday, March 12, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. " She has presence. She holds the stage. Leading lady Linda Kennedy makes her solo cabaret debut. Linda Kennedy was recently recognized as St. Louis Best Actress in 2014 by the Riverfront Times. In 2012, Ms. Kennedy received a Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award from the Arts and Education Council. She has been the Artistic Associate with the Black Rep for years, where she has played many leading roles. She has frequently appeared in Upstream Theatre productions. Linda is a two-time Kevin Klein nominee." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

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

The Black Rep presents Paul Robeson March 11-29. "In Phillip Hayes Dean's biographical two-man play, the legendary actor, singer and political activist Paul Robeson sings songs and tells stories of his multi-faceted career, from triumphs in Show Boat and The Emperor Jones, to his fight for racial equality to accusations of Communist involvement." Performances take place at the Emerson Performance Center at Harris-Stowe State University in midtown. For more information: theblackrep.org.

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

The Fox Theatre presents a new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Phantom of the Opera through March 15. The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents the drama Radium Girls March 13-22. "In 1926, Grace Fyler has a supportive family, a steady boyfriend, and a good factory job. She and her girlfriends paint luminous watch dials with the newly invented radium-based paint. After some of the girls begin to experience symptoms of a mysterious illness, Grace questions whether the paint is to blame. She quits her job but she, too, develops symptoms. Grace takes action and sues her employer. Her chief adversary is former employer, Arthur Roeder, an idealistic man who cannot bring himself to believe that the same element that shrinks tumors could have anything to do with the terrifying rash of illnesses among his employees. Inspired by true events, Radium Girls is a touching and powerful story of corporate greed and the courage of one individual determined to make a difference." Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre of the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road. For more information, call 314-821-9956 or visit ktg-onstage.org.

Sight Unseen

New Jewish Theater presents Sight Unseen March 12-29. “Jonathan Waxman, a Brooklyn Jew, has become a wealthy, critically acclaimed artist so popular that collectors will buy his work "sight unseen." In London for a major retrospective of his work, Jonathan impulsively decides to journey to the countryside to visit his former model and lover Patricia in the Norfolk farmhouse where she lives and works with her archeologist husband, Nick. In the process, we begin to question the tangled relationships of art, money, love and inspiration. It is also a commentary on the sacrifices entailed in getting older - and getting ahead.” 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.

The Looking Glass Playhouse presents the Steel Magnolias Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., March 12-22. Performances take place at 301 West St. Louis Street in Lebanon, Ill. For more information, visit www.lookingglassplayhouse.com.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents the classic comedy You Can't Take it With You Fridays through Sundays through March 15. Performances take place in the Guild theatre at Newport and Summit in Webster Groves, MO. For more information: theatreguildwg.org or call 314-962-0876.

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

Brian Owens' Sam Cooke tribute is two shows in one

Brian Owens

Share on Google+:

Who: Brian Owens
What: Sam Cooke at the Copa
Where: The Gaslight Cabaret Festival at The Gaslight Theatre, St. Louis, MO
When: March 5, 2015

Brian Owens' "Sam Cooke at the Copa," which opened the spring edition of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival, was really two shows in one.

The first and longer of the two was a faithful re-creation of the titular 1964 LP. The second show—the one with the real emotional punch—came towards the end, when Mr. Owens interrupted the LP and took a few minutes to tell us what Cooke's music meant to him and why, complete with short a cappella versions of Cooke's hits "Cupid," "Wonderful World," and "Chain Gang."

He then went back for the last three numbers from Cooke's original set, after which he brought his father up on stage for a powerful duet rendition of "A Change is Gonna Come," originally recorded by Cooke in January of 1964 but not released until after his murder in December of that year. It would go on to become an anthem for the Civil Rights movement.

The first show was a solid nightclub act, polished and entertaining. The second—especially that powerful closer—was real cabaret, with a compelling personal story and a strong emotional core. Both went over very well with the sold-out house.

Recorded in July 8, 1964, during a two-week engagement at the Copacabana nightclub in New York, "Sam Cooke at the Copa" is typical of the sort of thing black artists did back then when they played venues where the audience was mostly white. The set list mixed Great American Songbook standards with Cooke's hits and a couple of songs from what was then a hot trend: protest folk music. Cooke's own band was augmented with Joe Mele's 16-piece Copacabana Band, producing a sound somewhere between classic R&B and "big band" styles. Cooke's unique voice and personality tied it all together.

Mr. Owens used a smaller band (nine pieces) but otherwise stuck closely to the material on the LP, right down to the between-song patter. He even sounded a bit like the later Mr. Cooke, especially in his head voice and falsetto registers. What he didn't do, though, was settle for a straight celebrity impersonation. He brought his own personality to it all, so the result was more an homage than anything else.

The real Brian Owens came across most clearly, though, in that "second show" monologue and especially in "A Change is Gonna Come." Joining with his father in close harmony, Mr. Owens poured his heart into that performance in a way that demolished the "third wall" the Cooke tribute show had (unavoidably) created. Towards the end he asked the audience to sing the refrain while, one at a time, the band members stopped playing and left the stage. Finally, there was only Mr. Owens, his father, and all of us singing "I know a change is gonna come."

That, to me, was real magic.

The Gaslight Cabaret Festival runs through April 11 at the Gaslight Theater in the Central West End. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of March 9,2015

David and Miran Halen

Share on Google+:

The Bach Society of St. Louis presents Bach and His Passions, a free lecture by Dennis Sparger on Saturday, March 14, at 10 a.m. at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 2030 Union Road in south St. Louis county. For more information: bachsociety.org.

The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis presents Salut D'Amour—Celebrating with David and Miran Halen, on Tuesday, March 10, at 7 p.m. as part of a benefit evening for the Chamber Music Society. "The evening will offer a short concert featuring the Halens in the acoustically perfect Sheldon Concert Hall beginning at 7:00 PM. For those who choose the VIP Ticket Package, the program will be followed by a dinner in the Sheldon's Spiering Room. Co-Chairs of the Host Committee are Tom and Carol Voss who invite you to join us in acknowledging and celebrating the many contributions this very special couple has made to St. Louis. " The Sheldon Concert Hall is at 3648 Washington. For more information: chambermusicstl.org.

First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood presents a concert by The Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis on Sunday, March 15, at 7 p.m. "The Metropolitan Orchestra takes listeners to France from the graceful flowing melody of Faure's Pavane to the descriptive Scènes pittoresques by Massenet to the powerful Symphony No. 3 by Saint-Saëns. Bill Stein will be the organist in the mighty "Organ Symphony". Playing on a new Casavant Frères pipe organ with 4,357 pipes the audience will feel this majestic instrument when the 32 foot pipe is given life at the opening of the finale movement of the Saint-Saëns. Music Director Allen Carl Larson will be joined by Assistant Music Director Wendy Lea on this evening of French masters." First Presbyterian Church is at 100 East Adams in Kirkwood. For more information: metro-orch.org.

Second Presbyterian Church presents the Greenville College Choir on Sunday, March 15, at 4 p.m. " The choir has recently performed with the St. Louis Kingsbury Ensemble, the Illinois Music Educators Conference, and the American Choral Directors Association." The church is at 4501 Westminster Place in the Central West End. For more information: secondchurch.net.

The St. Louis Children's Choirs present a joint concert with Drake University on Friday, March 13, at 7:30 p.m. "Join The St. Louis Children's Choirs and Drake University for an evening of song sharing at Parkway United Church of Christ in Town and Country. Children's Choirs ensembles will include Concert Choir and Chamber Singers." The performance takes place at Parkway United Church of Christ, 2841 N. Ballas Road. For more information: slccsing.org.

Eva Kozma

David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with violin soloists Eva Kozma and Silvian Iticovici in a Whitaker Foundation Music That You Know concert on Friday at 8 p.m., March 13. "Bask in the joyous sounds of some of the finest folk dances like Ginastera's Four Dances from Estancia, Borodin's Polovtsian Dances and Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 5." The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with violinist Vadim Repin and the Women of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus on Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m., March 14 and 15. The program features Debussy's "Nocturnes," James MacMillan's "Violin Concerto," and Tchaikovsky's "Symphony No. 4." The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents a classical open stage night on Monday, March 9, from 7:30 – 9 PM. "Come by yourself or bring your quartet. Sight read through a Beethoven quartet or use this as an opportunity to put the finishing touches on that Hindemith Viola Sonata you have been working on. All ages and skill levels are welcome. We have a 6' grand piano and an accompanist." The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents Denise Stookesberry, mezzo-soprano, and Mary Beth Wittry, piano, in An Evening Of Song From A Mother's Perspective on Thursday, March 12, at 8 p.m. The program features "lullabies from the 19th century, the hauntingly beautiful song cycle "The Confession Stone" by contemporary Canadian composer Robert Fleming, and a variety of songs sung by famous mothers from the modern musical theater repertoire." The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents Manuela Kaymakanova (violin) and Diana Umali (piano) on Saturday, March 14, at 8 p.m. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of March 6, 2015

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

Share on Google+:

New This Week:

Family Musical Theater presents Love Is in the Air, a fund-raising cabaret starring Kay Love and Jeffrey M. Wright, on Saturday, March 7, at 7:30 p.m. The performance takes place at the Ivory Theatre, 7622 Michigan. For more information, visit familymusical.org or call 314-571-9579.

My take: Key and Jeff are terrific singers with solid acting credentials—an unbeatable combination for cabaret, in my book. The show also happens to be a fund-raiser for the Kidney Foundation as well as for Family Musical Theatre, which makes it all the more worthwhile.

Otello

Winter Opera St. Louis presents Verdi's Otello, based on the Shakespeare tragedy, Friday at 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM, March 6 and 8. Performances take place at The Skip Viragh Center for the Arts at Chaminade College Preparatory School, 425 S. Lindbergh. The opera is sung in Italian with project English supertitles. For more information, visit winteroperastl.org.

My take: Within only a few seconds, the pounding, wind-swept chords and offstage thunder that open Verdi's Othello set the stage for what will follow: a story of how violent passion destroys a hero even as the violent storm described by the chorus fails to destroy his warship. The hero is Othello, of course, and in both Shakespeare and Verdi it's violent emotion, abetted by self-doubt, that brings the Lion of Venice down from the heights of triumph to the depths of self-hatred, murder, and suicide. Verdi gave us some of his best work in his Shakespeare operas, and it has been a while (over 16 years) since we have seen opera locally, so Winter Opera's production is welcome. And the Viragh Center is one of the best opera venues in town.

The Presenters Dolan present Joe Dreyer and Rosemary Watts in Transitions on Saturday, March 7 at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Rosemary Watts and Joe Dreyer premier their new show "Transitions" at the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. The first couple of St. Louis cabaret brings a brand new show to the Gaslight stage, and their large and fashionable following." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

My take: Joe is a highly-respected music director here in town and his wife Rosemary is a fine singer. Together, they are an irresistable team on stage.

Neal Richardson

The Presenters Dolan present Neal Richardson in Pennies from Heaven on Friday, March 6 at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Neal is one of St Louis's authorities on musical theater and the Great American Songbook. He has music directed or accompanied the cabaret shows of Julia Murney, Megan McGinnis, Ben Nordstrom, Tim Schall, Jeffrey Wright, Ken Haller and Katie McGrath, among many others. Neal has taught musical theatre at Webster University for the last 15 years. His credits include The Spitfire Grill, OKLAHOMA!, Pippin, Violet, Nine, Into the Woods, A New Brain, Spring Awakening, Carousel and others. He is also a musical director and arranger for the MUNY. As a nationally noted arranger for Hal Leonard, Neal is responsible for the vocal selections of over 30 Broadway shows as well as arrangements for solo piano, including a collection of Radiohead songs." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

My take: I would be lying if I said I could be objective about Neal. He was the music director and co-creator for my show Just a Song at Twilight back in 2010 and over the years since then I have watched him gradually emerge from behind the piano and start taking center stage as a singer in his own right. I'm really looking forward to his first solo show.

Held Over:

Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Terrence Rattigan's The Winslow Boy through March 8. "When young Ronnie Winslow is expelled from military school for stealing a five-shilling postal order, his father wages an exhaustive fight to clear his son's name. What begins as a private matter quickly becomes a larger question of the rights of the individual against the power of the state. Though the legal battle jeopardizes his health and the reputation of the entire family, Arthur Winslow is determined that right will prevail, no matter what the sacrifice." Performances take place on the mainstage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

My take: Terrence Rattigan's work seems to have fallen into obscurity in the decades since his death in 1977. Which is a pity, as his better-known plays are very well-constructed pieces, filled with subtle touches and well-rounded characters. Appearing in Separate Tables several years ago at Act Inc reminded me of what great dialog and situations he wrote. We saw the show last weekend and I must say that director Steve Woolf and his forces are doing this play up proud. "A splendid cast and keenly sharpened direction," writes Chris Gibson at broadwayworld.com, "combine to provide a very compelling piece of theatre." "The show is thoughtfully directed by Steven Woolf," says Tina Farmer at KDHX, "and features fully engaged, well-developed performances by a strong ensemble."

Symphony Preview: Wagner and friends with David Robertson and Christine Brewer Friday and Saturday, March 6 and 7, 2015

Share on Google+

This August, Union Avenue Opera will present the last installment of its four-year traversal of Richard Wagner's "Ring" operas: "Götterdämmerung" ("Twilight of the Gods"). This weekend David Robertson, soprano Christine Brewer, and the St. Louis Symphony are presenting "Brünnhilde's Immolation," the final scene of that opera. Think of it as something of a preview.

Wagner in 1871
en.wikipedia.org

Of course, Union Avenue will be using a reduced version of the score prepared by British composer Jonathan Dove. At Powell Hall you'll get the Full Monty (or maybe the Full Richard) with a massive orchestra that includes four (count 'em, four) Wagner tubas (instruments in the euphonium range but with smaller bells and French horn mouthpieces), eight horns, a bass trumpet and a pair of harps. You'll also be getting a highly regarded soprano with a penchant for big, powerful roles in Christine Brewer.

That's a good thing, because in the "Ring" operas Wagner writes vocal lines that are very long and closely integrated with the orchestra. "It is the avoidance of cadence or period in this manner," writes British critic John Warrack in the Norton "History of Opera", "that earns the vocal line the term unendliche Melodie [literally "endless melody"]. The demands made upon singers in articulating such lines are enormous, both of sheer stamina but also in the necessity of a close understanding of the issues involved".

To do Wagner justice, in other words, you need to be not only a powerful and technically skilled singer, you have to be a capable actor as well. Ms. Brewer's substantial operatic resume should serve her well here.

And that immolation scene is nothing if not dramatic. The stage directions in the libretto call for vassals to build a funeral pyre and place the body of the treacherously slain Siegfried on it. Brünnhilde sets the pyre aflame, jumps on her horse, and together they leap into the flames. Everything goes up in smoke, the Rhine overflows its banks, and finally Valhalla itself is incinerated. It's Armageddon on a cinematic scale, calling for all the skills a stage designer can muster.

I'm not sure how Union Avenue will manage it, but this weekend the performance will be accompanied by projections created by S. Katy Tucker. She provided some mood-setting visuals to go with an all-American program last fall, so it will be interesting to see what she does with the Wagner.

The second half of this weekend's concerts will be taken up with one very big work: the "Symphony No. 3" of Anton Bruckner (1824-1896), in its final 1889 revision. Bruckner was a gushingly avid admirer of Wagner and, in fact, dedicated this symphony to him, so its placement on the program makes both musical and historical sense. Personally, I'm glad to see it simply because I don't think Bruckner's symphonies get as much attention as they deserve.

"Anton Bruckner arrives in Heaven". Bruckner is greeted by (from left to right):
Liszt, Wagner, Schubert, Schumann, Weber, Mozart, Beethoven, Gluck,
Haydn, Handel, Bach. (Silhouette drawing by Otto Böhler)
en.wikipedia.org

Writers of music criticism seem unable to discuss the symphonies of Anton Bruckner without invoking the imagery of the Gothic cathedral. Perhaps that's because they so strongly suggest a connection between the material and ethereal planes—great blocks of sound alternating with moments of otherworldly beauty. In Bruckner's music you can hear both great, heaven-storming power and quiet mystery. Time seems to act differently in a Bruckner symphony, with each movement incorporating so much emotional depth that it can feel both shorter and longer than the clock indicates. Amazing stuff, really.

Alas, as René Spencer Saller relates in her program notes, the audience at the premiere of the first version of Bruckner's third in 1877 (with the composer at the podium) didn't hear any of that. "Calling the concert a disaster," she writes, "is an understatement: think nightmare fuel, the stuff of suicide notes. He was set up to fail. Although he was a good chorus director, Bruckner had virtually no experience conducting a symphony orchestra, and this was a huge and demanding work. Even worse, he was leading—or attempting to lead—openly hostile musicians who seemed determined to make him a laughingstock."

Wagner's endorsement of his younger protégé probably didn't help. "It was after Wagner had espoused his cause," observed conductor and Bruckner booster F. Charles Adler in a 1938 radio broadcast, "accepting the dedication of the Third Symphony and hailing him as the greatest symphonic writer after Beethoven, that his trials really began. The critics who had praised his early efforts turned, and could find no words virulent enough to express their distaste. One went to far as to cry: 'Bruckner composes like a drunkard!' Orchestras and conductors refused his works as unplayable. Everywhere fun was poked at him and his music. To a man of Bruckner's timidity it was nearly fatal. But somehow he did survive it."

Bruckner not only survived but triumphed. The first performance of his "Symphony No. 7" in 1884 was a rousing success and the composer lived to see himself lionized worldwide. The music of the two other greatest post-Wagnerian composers—Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss—may be more popular these days, but Bruckner is nevertheless firmly established as one of the great late-19th century symphonists.

Photograph of Gabriel Fauré
by Eugène Pirou, c. 1900
en.wikipedia.org

The concerts will open with the "Elegie for Cello and Orchestra," Op. 24, by Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924). Like Bruckner, Fauré was an admirer (albeit a less ardent one) of Wagner. Unlike the older composer, Fauré was not much influenced by Wagner in his own music, opting for a more restrained style and shorter, less grandiose musical structures. "Whereas Wagner was the undisputed king of his self-invented 'universal music drama,'” writes Ms. Saller, "Fauré excelled in exquisite miniatures: chamber music, art song, piano pieces." His best-known large work—the 1890 "Requiem in D minor," Op. 48, clocks in at a modest 35 minutes or so and is characterized by a radiant and transparent sound that's miles away from Bruckner's massive sound cathedrals.

Still, the sad and wistful tone of the "Elegie" should work well as a preparation for the prolonged Wagnerian death scene that will follow it. "Fauré 's preference for light orchestral scoring," writes Dr. Beth Fleming in program notes for Symphony Silicon Valley, "is the ideal envelope for the rich, resonant tone of the 'cello, and in this beautiful work the solo voice controls the situation from the first moment to the last. Over steady chords reminiscent of a dirge, the 'cello melody leads the listener through a rapturous lament that begins dramatically and gradually becomes more quiet and resigned. The orchestra speaks alone for a time in a contrasting melody and is eventually joined by the 'cello, which takes over in a magnificent cadenza before the return of the original funereal section. Eventually the 'cello seems to sing itself into silence. The result of this tiny work is an impeccable moment of pure musical poetry."

The essentials: David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with Christine Brewer, soprano, and Bjorn Ranheim, cello, on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., March 6 and 7. The concerts feature Bruckner's "Symphony No. 3" and the "Immolation Scene" from Wagner's " Götterdämmerung" ("Twilight of the Gods"). The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Art in the blood: Puccini's "Tosca" at Chicago Lyric Opera

Mark Delavan and Hui He in Act II
Photo: Michael Brosilow

Share on Google+

Who: Lyric Opera of Chicago
What: Puccini's Tosca
When: February 27-March 14, 2015
Where: Civic Opera House, Chicago

Chicago opera lovers are getting a "twofer" with this season's production of Puccini's 1900 political melodrama "Tosca." Originally created by British director John Caird for the Houston Grand Opera in 2010 and later revived for Los Angeles, Lyric's "Tosca" opened on January 24th, closed on February 5th, and then re-opened with new singers in the principal roles of Tosca, Cavaradossi, Scarpia, and Spoletta on February 27th for a run that concludes March 14th.

We caught the newer version on opening night, and it's a winner. Cavaradossi and Tosca are very strong, Scarpia is thoroughly creepy, and both dramatic and musical values are first-rate. I'm not completely convinced by all of the choices made by Mr. Caird or set and costume designer Bunny Christie, but they're certainly interesting, and they feel entirely consistent with the intent of Puccini and his librettists. And that, of course, is the important thing.

Anyone seeking an example of how an operatic classic can have contemporary resonance need look no further than the character of the villainous Baron Scarpia. A textbook case of how an elaborate display of public piety can be a false front for lust and violence, Scarpia also provides us one of the great moments of Italian opera in the final scene of Act I as he plots the seduction and betrayal of Tosca while the crowd celebrates High Mass.

Hui He in Act I
Photo: Michael Brosilow

It's a great argument for the separation of Church and State and one of the best examples of dramatic irony you'll ever see. Mr. Caird stages it very effectively here, with Scarpia looking down on the pious crowd from a scaffold as his declaration of lust for Tosca joins with their heartfelt Te Deum. It reminds us that Scarpia sees himself as above both morality and the law.

That means you need a strong Scarpia for the drama of "Tosca" to work, and Lyric certainly has one in baritone Mark Delavan. He has a big, bold voice and a fine understanding of the character's psychology. Scarpia, he observes in his program bio, is "an arch-conservative, but one who doesn't understand the purpose of the law." His Scarpia is an energetic, sociopathic sensualist who is as fascinating as he is repellent – an essential combination, if we're going to get any satisfaction out of seeing Tosca stab him and then curse him as he dies in Act II.

And speaking of Tosca, soprano Hui He makes a strong impression as the singer whose passionate attachment to her lover, the painter Cavaradossi, leads her to betray both him and the political prisoner Angelotti, with tragic results for all concerned. She has a wonderfully supple voice that can whisper and cry with equal power and accuracy. Her "Vissi d'arte" in Act II brought cries of "brava" from the house, and they weren't the first ones of the evening.

Spanish tenor Jorge De León is a wonderfully passionate Cavaradossi who sounded equally comfortable with both the lyrical and dramatic musical aspects of his character—not surprising from someone whose signature roles include Radames in "Aïda." He and Ms. He also had the kind of onstage chemistry that made their passionate affair credible.

Tenor David Cagnelosi gave Scarpia's henchman Spoletta a bit more depth than I have seen in some other productions, and his body language imbued the character with a kind of ferret-like grace.

Bass-baritone Dale Travis is a comically pompous Sacristan. He's the only bit of comic relief in the opera's otherwise grim verismo mix of passion, deceit, and violence, so a strong performance here is always welcome.

Rounding out this very strong cast are bass-baritone Richard Ollarsaba as a haunted Angelotti, Opera Theater of St. Louis favorite Bradley Smoak as the thuggish Sciarrone, and Anthony Evans-Clark as the Jailer.

Child soprano Annie Wagner makes a strong impression in a role that is essentially Mr. Caird's invention: a white-gowned figure who appears to Tosca in at key dramatic moments and sings the little Act II song which, in the original libretto, is sung by a shepherd boy offstage. Mr. Caird says the character is intended to represent "a child Madonna and the ghost of Tosca's innocence." That's one of those choices I mentioned at the top of the review, but it's still a provocative idea.

Jorge De León and Hui Hein Act III
Photo: Michael Brosilow

Bunny Christie's visual designs underscore the political subtext of "Tosca" by moving the action forward into what Mr. Caird calls "a darker and more brutal world, closer to our own and to the period in which the opera was composed." The church in which Cavaradossi is working in Act I, as a result, is partly in ruins, either from war or neglect. Scarpia's Act II lair is a warehouse filled with looted works of art, suggesting that his desire to possess Tosca is just an extension of his need to possess anything of beauty. And the final act takes place not on the roof of the Castel Sant'Angelo but rather in a massive, grim prison. A large window upstage symbolizes the freedom for which Tosca and Cavaradossi yearn, but which they will find only in death.

Unusual choices? Yes, but they're theatrically valid and, more to the point, they work—and do so while honoring the intent of opera's creators.

Puccini's rich, dramatic score is well served by Russian conductor Dmitri Jurowski, making his Lyric Opera debut. Judging from his biography, Mr. Jurowski's musical interests are wide-ranging, and his work here shows great assurance in the late Romantic Italian repertoire.

Lyric Opera's "Tosca" runs through March 14 at the Civic Opera House in the Chicago Loop. For more information: lyricopera.org.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of March 2, 2015

Share on Google+

The St. Louis Children's Choirs present a Family and Friends Concert on Saturday, March 7, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 8, at 3 p.m. "Experience the joy of young voices united in song! This concert will feature multi-cultural selections in a variety of styles, traditions and languages – performed by the Children’s Choir 1B/1UC, Chorale 2A/2UC, Chamber Singers, and the select touring Concert Choir. The performance takes place at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City.  For more information: slccsing.org.

David Robertson

David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with Christine Brewer, soprano, and Bjorn Ranheim, cello, on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., March 6 and 7.  The concerts feature Bruckner's "Symphony No. 3" and the "Immolation Scene" from Wagner's " Götterdämmerung" ("Twilight of the Gods").  "Described as heroic in nature, Bruckner's Third Symphony showcases his love for the grand and majestic and is regarded by some as his artistic breakthrough. Credited by the Los Angeles Times as “the ideal modern Wagnerian soprano,” Christine Brewer returns to Powell Hall after a year-long hiatus for a powerful Wagner performance. This production features video and lighting elements by S. Katy Tucker, a renowned artist known for her design work at Carnegie Hall, the San Francisco Opera, Sydney Symphony and more."  The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center.  For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents The Perihelion Ensemble on Thursday, March 5, at 8 p.m.  "The Perihelion Ensemble is an eclectic group of performers including some of the area’s greatest improvisers, experimentalists, and St. Louis’s own Poet Laureate Michael Castro." The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood.   For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Arianna String Quartet

The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents The Arianna String Quartet on Friday, March 6, at 8 PM.  " In an evening dedicated to experiencing contemporary sounds and musical languages that transcend time, the Arianna joins forces with internationally acclaimed pianist Einav Yarden. See this brilliant artist’s St. Louis concert debut! SOFIA GUBAIDULINA: String Quartet No.2 (1987); LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN: Große Fuge, Op.133; ROBERT SCHUMANN: Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, Op.44 with Einav Yarden, piano."  The Touhill Performing Arts Center in on the University of Missouri at St. Louis campus.  For more information: touhill.org.

The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents Chamber Music with Alla Voskoboynikova and David Halen on Sunday, March 8, at 5 PM.  "The program includes Beethoven Kreutzer Sonata, Brahms Regen-Sonate, Shostakovich and more… Meet the artists at the lobby of the Lee Theater after the concert!"  The Touhill Performing Arts Center is on the University of Missouri at St. Louis campus.  For more information: touhill.org.

Washington University presents Bosnian Journeys: Generations on Tuesday, March 3, at 7:30 p.m. "Produced in collaboration with the Bosnia Memory Project, this powerful concert weaves personal narrative with Sevdah, the folk music tradition of Bosnia, to tell the stories of our Bosnian neighbors in St. Louis. The concert includes a performance of Albinoni’s Adagio in G minor, a piece played by Vedran Smailović, “the Cellist of Sarajevo,” at multiple sites of destruction during the siege of Sarajevo to honor those who lost their lives. Doors open at 7pm, and no tickets or reservations are required. Featuring musicians from the STL Symphony.  The performance takes place in the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus.  For more information: music.wustl.edu.

Washington University presents an evening of solo piano music provided by the students of the Washington University Department of Music on Monday, March 2, at 8 p.m.  The program features music by Brahms.  The performance takes place at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City.  For more information: news.wustl.edu.

Winter Opera St. Louis presents Verdi's Otello Friday at 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM, March 6 and 8.  "Winter Opera proudly presents Verdi’s Grand Opera OTELLO, based on the Shakespeare tragedy; “I kissed thee ere I killed thee, no way but this, / Killing myself, to die upon a kiss.” (William Shakespeare, Othello). Starring Adam Herskowitz (Metropolitan Opera) as Otello, Jacqueline Venable Simmons (San Francisco Opera) as Desdemona, and Nelson Martinez (Florida Grand Opera) as Iago. Sung in Italian with English supertitles. Orchestra conducted by Steven Jarvi. " Performances take place at The Skip Viragh Center for the Arts at Chaminade College Preparatory School, 425 S. Lindbergh.  The opera is sung in Italian with project English supertitles. For more information, visit winteroperastl.org.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of March 2, 2015

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

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

Share on Google+

The St. Louis Family Theatre Series presents The Adventures Of Harold And The Purple Crayon March 8, 13, and 14. '"One evening, after thinking it over for some time, Harold decided to go for a walk in the moonlight." So begins Harold and the Purple Crayon, the first of seven delightful picture books by Crockett Johnson, following the zany adventures of an inventive young boy. As it turned out, there wasn't any moon that night nor was there a path to walk on, so Harold simply drew them. And thus his journey began. Resourceful and brave, Harold create the world he wants to explore, using nothing more than a big purple crayon and his sky's-the-limit imagination.' 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.

Metro Theatre Company and the Missouri History Museum present Afflicted: Daughters of Salem by Laurie Brooks March 6-22. "Abigail Williams, Ann Putnam, Mercy Lewis, Mary Warren, and Betty Paris meet deep in the dark woods of Puritan New England at night. Denied all outlets for imagination and all hope for the future, the girls unite in a secret society - Allies are found, promises made and broken, power taken. When the girls force the slave Tituba to tell their fortunes, they ignite a crucible of events that burns out of control, leading straight to the infamous Salem Witch Trials. Through their secrets, gossip and accusations these girls become some of the most notorious teens in history." Performances take place in the Lee Auditorium at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. For more information: mohistory.org.

Act Two Theatre presents Kander and Ebb's Chicago: A Musical Vaudeville through March 8. "In roaring twenties Chicago, chorine Roxie Hart murders a faithless lover and convinces her hapless husband Amos to take the rap...until he finds out he's been duped and turns on Roxie. Convicted and sent to death row, Roxie and another “Merry Murderess” Velma Kelly, vie for the spotlight and the headlines, ultimately joining forces in search of the “American Dream”: fame, fortune and acquittal. This sharp edged satire features a dazzling score that sparked immortal staging by Bob Fosse." Performances take place in the St. Peters Cultural Arts Centre at 1 St Peters Centre Blvd, St. Peters, MO 63376. For more information: act2theater.com.

Edie's Fairytale Theatre presents The Emperor's New Clothes on Saturday, March 7 at 11 a.m. and Thursday, March 12, at 10:30 a.m. Performances take place at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar. For more information: brownpapertickets.com.

Christ Memorial Productions presents the Stephen Schwartz musical Godspell Friday sand Saturday at 7:30 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, March 6-8. Performances take place at Christ Memorial Lutheran Church, 5252 South Lindbergh. For more information, visit CMPShows.org or call 314-631-0304.

St. Charles Community College presents The Heiress Wednesday through Sunday, March 4-8. Performances take place in the Donald D. Shook Fine Arts Building on the campus at 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in Cottleville, MO. For more information, call 636-922-8050 or visit stchas.edu.

Kerith Thompson as Jerry Springer

New Line Theatre presents the St. Louis premiere of the musical Jerry Springer the Opera Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, March 5-18. "The New Line season continues with one of New Line's wildest and most ambitious projects, JERRY SPRINGER THE OPERA, the smash-hit, multi-award winning musical that ran to unprecedented rave reviews and standing ovations at the National Theatre in London, after a sold-out run in London's West End. The Sunday Times called it “a shocking, irresistibly funny masterpiece.” With music by Richard Thomas, and book and lyrics by Thomas and Stewart Lee, this is an audacious, fearless piece of theatre that brilliantly and hilariously dissects the cultural forces that have kept Jerry Springer on the air all these years, the lives of quiet desperation that explode into public view in Springer's weirdly nonjudgmental, national confessional." Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Road. . For more information, visit newlinetheatre.com or call 314-534-1111.

COCA presents The Little Prince March 6-14. “This musical play, with book by John Scoullar, music by Rick Cummins and based on the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, features COCA Theatre Company (CTC) student actors in tandem with St. Louis professionals. They bring this delightful story of the disenchanted pilot to life, along with the tales he hears about from the young prince from a faraway star. The Little Prince is an immersive, theatrical interpretation with whimsical characters and colorful stories that appeal to the castaway in all of us - and shed light on what really matters. Recommended for ages 5 and up.” COCA is at 524 Trinity in University City. For more information, call (314) 725-6555 or visit www.cocastl.org.

Family Musical Theater presents Love Is in the Air, a fund-raising cabaret starring Kay Love and Jeffrey M. Wright, on Saturday, March 7, at 7:30 p.m. The performance takes place at the Ivory Theatre, 7622 Michigan. For more information, visit familymusical.org or call 314-571-9579.

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

Winter Opera St. Louis presents Verdi's Otello, based on the Shakespeare tragedy, Friday at 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM, March 6 and 8. Performances take place at The Skip Viragh Center for the Arts at Chaminade College Preparatory School, 425 S. Lindbergh. The opera is sung in Italian with project English supertitles. For more information, visit winteroperastl.org.

Neal Richardson

The Presenters Dolan present Neal Richardson in Pennies from Heaven on Friday, March 6 at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Neal is one of St Louis's authorities on musical theater and the Great American Songbook. He has music directed or accompanied the cabaret shows of Julia Murney, Megan McGinnis, Ben Nordstrom, Tim Schall, Jeffrey Wright, Ken Haller and Katie McGrath, among many others. Neal has taught musical theatre at Webster University for the last 15 years. His credits include The Spitfire Grill, OKLAHOMA!, Pippin, Violet, Nine, Into the Woods, A New Brain, Spring Awakening, Carousel and others. He is also a musical director and arranger for the MUNY. As a nationally noted arranger for Hal Leonard, Neal is responsible for the vocal selections of over 30 Broadway shows as well as arrangements for solo piano, including a collection of Radiohead songs." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

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

The Fox Theatre presents a new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Phantom of the Opera March 4-15. The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

Brian Owens

Jefferson College presents Neil Simon's comedy Rumors March 5-8. "The Deputy Mayor of New York and his wife are celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary. Guests arrive to find their unconscious host bleeding and his wife missing. Hoping to avoid a scandal, his lawyer concocts a story to hide what is assumed to be the truth. But as the rest of the guests arrive, the story grows awry with everyone complicit in a hilarious cover-up that no one even really understands." Performances take place at the Jefferson College Fine Arts Theatre on the campus in Hillsboro, MO. For more information, visit jeffco.edu or call 636-481-3369 or 636-789-3000 ext. 3369.

The Presenters Dolan present Brian Owens in Sam Cooke at the Copa on Thursday, March 5, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Brian Ownens brings a tribute to The King of Soul in his momentous 1964 Copacabana set. Brian comes back to St. Louis and the Gaslight after a tour of Japan. Brian has appeared on ABC's “Good Morning America” and BET's “Jazz Dicovery.” Exceptionally talented, and based in St. Louis." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Presenters Dolan present Joe Dreyer and Rosemary Watts in Transitions on Saturday, March 7 at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Rosemary Watts and Joe Dreyer premier their new show "Transitions" at the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. The first couple of St. Louis cabaret brings a brand new show to the Gaslight stage, and their large and fashionable following." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Winslow Boy
Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Terrence Rattigan's The Winslow Boy through March 8. "When young Ronnie Winslow is expelled from military school for stealing a five-shilling postal order, his father wages an exhaustive fight to clear his son's name. What begins as a private matter quickly becomes a larger question of the rights of the individual against the power of the state. Though the legal battle jeopardizes his health and the reputation of the entire family, Arthur Winslow is determined that right will prevail, no matter what the sacrifice." Performances take place on the mainstage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents the classic comedy You Can't Take it With You Fridays through Sundays, March 6-15. Performances take place in the Guild theatre at Newport and Summit in Webster Groves, MO. For more information: theatreguildwg.org or call 314-962-0876.

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