St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of March 12, 2018

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The Looking Glass Playhouse presents the comedy Almost, Maine Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, through March 18. "A woman carries her heart, broken into nineteen pieces, in a small paper bag. A man shrinks to half his former size, after losing hope in love. A couple keeps the love they have given each other in large red bags, or compress the mass into the size of a diamond. These playful and surreal experiences are commonplace in the world of John Cariani's Almost, Maine, where on one deeply cold and magical Midwinter Night, the citizens of Almost - not organized enough for a town, too populated for a wilderness - experience the life-altering power of the human heart. Relationships end, begin, or change beyond recognition, as strangers become friends, friends become lovers, and lovers turn into strangers. Propelled by the mystical energy of the aurora borealis and populated with characters who are humorous, plain-spoken, thoughtful, and sincere, Almost, Maine is a series of loosely connected tales about love, each with a compelling couple at its center, each with its own touch of sorcery." Performances take place at 301 West St. Louis Street in Lebanon, Ill. For more information, visit www.lookingglassplayhouse.com.

Anything Goes
Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents Cole Porter's Anything Goes Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm through March 24. "Anything Goes is a masterful mashup of musical comedy, gangster movie, screwball comedy, and social satire, because even in terms of form, anything goes. First opening in a time when John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde, Al Capone, and evangelists Aimee Semple McPherson and Billy Sunday were all national celebrities, this was potent, pointed satire; and it's just as subversive today. The show's evangelist turned nightclub singer Reno Sweeney is equal parts McPherson and infamous speakeasy hostess Texas Guinan (the model for Velma Kelly in Chicago). And though we never meet gangster Snake Eyes Johnson, he's seems a fair double for Dillinger." Performances take place at the Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, three blocks east of Grand, in Grand Center. For more information, visit newlinetheatre.com or call 314-534-1111.

As It Is in Heaven
Photo by Gerry Love

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the drama As It Is in Heaven Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, March 16 - 31. "The tranquility of women living in an 1830's Shaker community in Kentucky is threatened by the arrival of newcomers claiming to see angels." Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.

A Call to Conscience, The Griot Museum of History, and 14th Street Gallery present A Black Woman Speaks Friday and Saturday at 7 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, March 16 - 18. This one-woman show celebrates the life of African-American actress and political activist Beah Richards, who used her artistry to break down racial barriers. The performances take place at the 14th Street Gallery, 2701 N. 14th St. For more information: acalltoconscience.org.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the classic comedy Born Yesterday March 14 - April 8. "Junkyard tycoon Harry Brock swaggers into Washington, D.C., determined to buy a senator or two. The monkey wrench in his schemes is Billie Dawn, his seemingly dim-witted ex-showgirl girlfriend. But when Brock hires a reporter to tutor Billie, she rapidly comes into her own as a force to be reckoned with. This sharp and snappy comedy hilariously skewers Beltway corruption." Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

Caught
Photo by Peter Wochniak

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Caught through March 25. "In the era of 'fake news,' Caught creates a bracingly unique experience that will keep you wondering what's real and what's theatre. An art exhibition by a Chinese dissident is the first phase of a multi-layered puzzle, which presents the audience with an ever-changing set of rules. Chen's piece deftly examines the blurred lines between truth and artifice, both in the theatre and in life." Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

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

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents The Comic Book Killer through April 14. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

Alton Little Theater presents the comedy Exit Laughing Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, March 16 - 25. "EXIT LAUGHING by Paul Elliott has been likened to be part "Golden Girls" and part "Designing Women" in that it relies on characters who are well - 'characters'. And yes the play's initial premise is that we lose good friends and things can get difficult in the later years of life - but WAIT - the play is not at all about death but about living life to the fullest. When the biggest highlight of your life for the past thirty years has been your weekly card night out with the girls, what do you do when one of your foursome inconveniently dies? If you're Connie, Leona and Millie, three southern ladies from Birmingham you do the most daring thing you've ever done. You "borrow" the ashes from the funeral home for one last card game and the wildest, most exciting night of their life begins with a police raid, a stripper, mega-laughs and a whole new way of looking at all the fun you can have when you're truly living. And it turns out that the departed Mary has a lot to say through messages and gifts she has arranged to arrive after her death---she sets in motion a new beginning for her friends and even a recalcitrant daughter comes to understand the difference between living and just existing." Performances take place at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. For more information, call 618.462.6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

Over Due Theatre presents musical Godspell Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through March 18. Performances take place at the Olivette Community Center, 9723 Grandview Drive, in Olivette, MO. For more information, call 314-210-2959 or visit overduetheatrecompany.com.

O'Fallon TheatreWorks presents The Great Gatsby at the O'Fallon Municipal Centre auditorium Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, March 16 - 25. "Based on the classic American novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the O'FallonTheatreWorks' production brings the breathtaking glamour and decadent excess of the Jazz Age to life with an original soundtrack and award-winning set designers. Synopsis: In this Simon Levy adaptation of the novel, self-made millionaire Jay Gatsby passionately and obsessively pursues Daisy Buchanan, the wife of another wealthy man." The O'Fallon Municipal Centre is located at 100 North Main Street in O'Fallon, MO. For more information, visit www.ofallon.mo.us or call 636-379-5606.

The Last Romance
Photo by John Lamb

Insight Theatre Company presents The Last Romance through March 18. "The Last Romance is about an opera-loving American in his 70s who once auditioned for the Met. Currently widowed, he meets an attractive woman named Carol while living with his sister Rose. This humorous and tender play will leave audiences of all ages with the idea that it is never too late to feel alive!" Performances take place at The .ZACK, 3224 Locust in Midtown. For more information, call 314-556-1293 or visit insighttheatrecompany.com.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents Neil Simon's comedy Laughter on the 23rd Floor Fridays through Sundays through March 18. "Inspired by the playwright's youthful experience as a staff writer on Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows, with all the attendant comic drama as the harried writing staff frantically scrambles to top each other with gags while competing for the attention of star madman 'Max Prince'." 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.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Mayhem in Mayberry through April. "Welcome to the 10th annual Mayberry-fest. Everyone is looking forward to the highlight of this event - the Miss Mayberry contest. YOU and Sheriff Andy Trailer will judge the contestants (chosen from the audience) on beauty, poise, cookin' skills and a new category this year - Hog callin'. Will the next Miss Mayberry be the vivacious Dazey Doof from Hazzard County? Or the beautiful hillbilly, Elly May Klumpett? Or will it be the lovely Lois Lame from Smallville? Don't county out the charming Paris Hoosier from Hoosierville. She's the main reason the train stops at Petticoat Junction! Sheriff Andy, Deputy Blarney and Aint Bee invite you to join the fun and the mayhem in Mayberry cause it won't be the same without y'all." The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

Menopause the Musical

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents Menopause the Musical, "a celebration of women and The Change," through March 31. Four women meet while shopping for a black lace bra at a lingerie sale. After noticing unmistakable similarities among one another, the cast jokes about their woeful hot flashes, mood swings, wrinkles, weight gain and much more. The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: playhouseatwestport.com.

Alpha Players present Neil Simon's comedy The Odd Couple March 16 -25. "This classic comedy opens as a group of the guys assemble for cards in the apartment of divorced Oscar Madison. And if the mess is any indication, it's no wonder that his wife left him. Late to arrive is Felix Unger, who has just been separated from his wife. Fastidious, depressed, and none too tense, Felix seems suicidal, but as the action unfolds, Oscar becomes the one with murder on his mind when the clean freak and the slob ultimately decide to room together with hilarious results as The Odd Couple is born." Performances take place at The Florissant Civic Center Theater, Parker Rd. at Waterford Dr. in Florissant, MO. For more information: alphaplayers.org, or call 314-921-5678.

Tesseract Theatre Company presents the world premiere of Purple Heart City, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m., March 16 - 25. "Nobody has seen Daniel in eighteen months. When he suddenly returns home, hoping to pick life up where he left it, he finds a family hesitant to forgive him and a community that is tired and haunted by a past of having nuclear waste contaminating its creeks and backyards." Performances take place at The .ZACK, 3224 Locust in Midtown. For more information: tesseracttheatre.org.

Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents Ruby Sunrise March 16 - 25. "Illuminating two fascinating moments in America's cultural and political history the play sets off from a farm in Indiana in 1937, as a young girl named Ruby struggles to turn her dream of the first all-electrical television system into a reality. Move to 1957, to a McCarthy-era New York TV studio as Lulu, Ruby's daughter, attempts to get her mother's story told through the medium of television. Groff's script is filled with humor and irony as the story charts the course of the phenomenon of television: from early idealism and sparks of genius, to promises fulfilled and compromises brokered, and beyond." 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.

The Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents Twisted Improv on Friday, March 16, at 8 p.m. at The Steamboat Room, 314 S. Clay in Kirkwood, MO. "Join Adam and his crew for an interactive night of fun and laughter.Beer, wine and food available from Kirkwood Station Brewery." For more information: ktg-onstage.org.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of March 12, 2018

BandTogether's 2014 pops concert

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BandTogether presents A Night of Classics for Those Who Hate Classical Music, their 21st anniversary concert, on Saturday, March 17, at 8 pm. "Do you claim to hate classical music? Attending our concert will change your mind! Spend your St. Patricks Day evening discovering the beauty and wonder of classical music. Gary Reynolds and Jeff Girard will direct our 100-member ensemble to popular pieces such as Ride of the Valkyries, Clair de Lune, Bolero, Carmina Burana, and more." The concert takes place at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: bandtogetherstl.com.

The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis presents Baroque Too on Monday, March 12 at 7:30 pm. "Woodwinds shine in a Baroque program showcasing flute, oboe, bassoon and harpsichord. Woodwinds shine in a Baroque program showcasing flute, oboe, bassoon and harpsichord." The program takes place at the Sheldon Ballroom on Washington in Grand Center. For more information: chambermusicstl.org.

The Chamber Project St. Louis presents Opposition on Friday, March 16, at 8 p.m. Artists working under oppressive situations eloquently implore the world for peace and compassion, while expressing the brutality of their situations. Andriessen writes from imprisonment, and Shostakovich was a free man in name only. The Cellist of Sarajevo tells the story of one man's nightly vigil in his war-torn city." The concerts take place at The Chapel Venue, 6238 Alexander Drive. For more information: www.chamberprojectstl.org.

Left Bank Books welcomes author and pianist Catherine Kautsky, who will sign and discuss her new book, Debussy's Paris: Piano Portraits of the Belle Époque on Monday, March 12, at 7 pm. "Claude Debussy's exquisite piano works have captivated generations with their dreamlike atmosphere and mysterious soundscapes. Written in Paris at the height of the Belle Époque, the music creates a soundtrack for Parisians' enjoyment of such delights as clowns, mermaids, eccentric dances, and the dark tales of Edgar Allan Poe. Debussy's Paris explores how key works reflect not only the most appealing and innocent aspects of Paris but also more disquieting attitudes of the time such as racism, colonial domination, and nationalistic hostility." Left Bank Books is at 399 N. Euclid in the Central West End. For more information: left-bank.com.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Opera Tastings on Tuesday, March 13, at 7 pm. "Delight all of your senses as music from across the history of opera is paired with delicious food and drink, crafted specifically to complement the flavors of the music. Each event takes place at a different venue, and features a unique menu created by some of the region's best chefs, sommeliers, and mixologists. Join us to expand your palate - and your love of music!" The event, which features Chinese cuisine, takes place at the Mandarin House Banquet Hall, 8000 Olive in University City. For more information: experienceopera.org.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Opera Tastings on Wednesday and Thursday, March 14 and 15, at 7 pm. "Delight all of your senses as music from across the history of opera is paired with delicious food and drink, crafted specifically to complement the flavors of the music. Each event takes place at a different venue, and features a unique menu created by some of the region's best chefs, sommeliers, and mixologists. Join us to expand your palate - and your love of music!" The event, which features "inventive continental food and cocktails," takes place at the Jefferson Ballroom at Moulin Events, 2017 Chouteau. For more information: experienceopera.org.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Opera Tastings on Saturday, March 17, at noon. "Delight all of your senses as music from across the history of opera is paired with delicious food and drink, crafted specifically to complement the flavors of the music. Each event takes place at a different venue, and features a unique menu created by some of the region's best chefs, sommeliers, and mixologists. Join us to expand your palate - and your love of music!" The event, which features a chocolate-infused menu", takes place at 23 City Blocks in the Cortex District, 4240 Duncan. For more information: experienceopera.org.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Opera Tastings on Sunday, March 18, at 1 and 7 pm. "Delight all of your senses as music from across the history of opera is paired with delicious food and drink, crafted specifically to complement the flavors of the music. Each event takes place at a different venue, and features a unique menu created by some of the region's best chefs, sommeliers, and mixologists. Join us to expand your palate - and your love of music!" The 1 pm event features food by J's Catering and takes place at A Taste of Elegance, 3900 Goodfellow. The 7 pm event features locally-sourced African favorites and takes place at Turn Restaurant, 3547 Olive in Grand Center. For more information: experienceopera.org.

Bernard Labadie conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and soprano soloist Lydia Teuscher Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, March 16 and 17. The program consists of Haydn's Symphony No. 99, the Symphony in C minor by Henri-Joseph Rigel, and opera and concert arias by Mozart. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Gemma New

Gemma New conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in Pinocchio's Adventures in Funland on Sunday, March 18, at 3 pm. "Travel to funland with the SLSO and actors from The Black Rep and dancers from COCA as they bring to life the enchanting tale of Carlo Collodi's most beloved marionette, all while entertaining, educating and introducing your family to the riches of live music. This concert will also feature excerpts from other childhood favorites including The Barber of Seville Overture and Flight of the Bumblebee!" The concert takes place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Wind Symphony performs on Wednesday, March 14, at 7 PM. The performance takes place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the University of Missouri - St. Louis campus. For more information: stlwindsym.org.

The St. Louis Wind Symphony peforms on Sunday, March 18, at 3 pm. The performance takes place in the Keating Theatre at the Viragh Center on the Chaminade College Preparatory School campus in Ladue. For more information: stlwindsym.org.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of March 9, 2018

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

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New This Week:

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The Looking Glass Playhouse presents the comedy Almost, Maine Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, March 8 - 18. "A woman carries her heart, broken into nineteen pieces, in a small paper bag. A man shrinks to half his former size, after losing hope in love. A couple keeps the love they have given each other in large red bags, or compress the mass into the size of a diamond. These playful and surreal experiences are commonplace in the world of John Cariani's Almost, Maine, where on one deeply cold and magical Midwinter Night, the citizens of Almost - not organized enough for a town, too populated for a wilderness - experience the life-altering power of the human heart. Relationships end, begin, or change beyond recognition, as strangers become friends, friends become lovers, and lovers turn into strangers. Propelled by the mystical energy of the aurora borealis and populated with characters who are humorous, plain-spoken, thoughtful, and sincere, Almost, Maine is a series of loosely connected tales about love, each with a compelling couple at its center, each with its own touch of sorcery." Performances take place at 301 West St. Louis Street in Lebanon, Ill. For more information, visit www.lookingglassplayhouse.com.

My take: This is a charming set of romantically comic one acts with a strong dose of a kind of magical realism. We did the local premier of this a few years back at West End Players Guild and the show has been cropping up here and there ever since. I haven't seen the Looking Glass production, but I can attest to the fact that the play itself is first-class stuff.

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Anything Goes
Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents Cole Porter's Anything Goes Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm through March 24. "Anything Goes is a masterful mashup of musical comedy, gangster movie, screwball comedy, and social satire, because even in terms of form, anything goes. First opening in a time when John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde, Al Capone, and evangelists Aimee Semple McPherson and Billy Sunday were all national celebrities, this was potent, pointed satire; and it's just as subversive today. The show's evangelist turned nightclub singer Reno Sweeney is equal parts McPherson and infamous speakeasy hostess Texas Guinan (the model for Velma Kelly in Chicago). And though we never meet gangster Snake Eyes Johnson, he's seems a fair double for Dillinger." Performances take place at the Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, three blocks east of Grand, in Grand Center. For more information, visit newlinetheatre.com or call 314-534-1111.

My take: Cole Porter’s 1934 hit has undergone at least three major revivals (and, to quote Tom Lehrer in a radically different context, "God knows how many between"), each one of which involved significant alternations in the script and score. The New Line production has apparently gone back to the original book (a collaborative effort among Guy Bolton, P. G. Wodehouse (of Jeeves and Wooster fame), Howard LIndsay, and Russel Crouse)—whch is perhaps the most radical thing one can do with this show at this point. It's apparently working; Steve Callahan at KDHX calls it a "triumph" while over at Ladue News, Mark Bretz says the production "blends silly comedy, stylish music and effervescent performances in a winning combination which cleverly utilizes all hands on deck." I guess I need to reserve a ticket.

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Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble presents The Aphra Behn Emerging Artists Showcase Friday through Sunday at 8 pm March 9-11. "The APHRA BEHN EMERGING ARTISTS' SHOWCASE is a festival of new plays written and directed by female artists. The festival is named for the British spy, playwright, poet, translator, and fiction writer from the Restoration Era. As one of the first English women to earn her living by writing, Aphra Behn broke cultural barriers and serves as a literary role model for later generations." Performances take place at The Centene Center for the Arts and Education, 3547 Olive in Grand Center. For more information: slightlyoff.org.

My take: What could be more appropriate for Women's History Month than the Aphra Behn Showcase? SATE has an impressive track record of producing new and innovative theatre in St. Louis.

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L'Elisir d'Amore
Photo by Wylde Brothers Productions

Winter Opera St. Louis presents Donizetti's comedy L'Elisir d'Amore (The Elixir of Love) Friday at 7:30 PM and Sunday at 3 PM, March 9 and 11. Performances take place at The Skip Viragh Center for the Arts at Chaminade College Preparatory School, 425 S. Lindbergh. For more information, visit winteroperastl.org.

My take: Based on Eugène Scribe's libretto for Daniel Auber's popular comedy Le philtre from 1831, Felice Romani's libretto for L'Elisir d'Amore is the story of Nemorino, a humble peasant smitten with the wealthy and beautiful landowner Adina. She, though, is more taken with the macho Sergeant Belcore. In desperation, Nemorino buys a love potion (actually just some cheap wine) from the traveling quack Dr. Dulcamara. Complications, as they say, ensue. But all ends happily for everyone—including Dr. Dulcamara who, as the curtain descends, is still fleecing the suckers. Done well, this is great fun and the score boasts one of the most famous tenor arias in the repertoire, "Una furtiva lagirma" ("A furtive tear"). This Elisir is set in St. Louis's Italian-American Hill neighborhood during World War II and Nemorino is now an ice cream vendor—which suggests that someone at Winter Opera liked the 2014 Opera Theatre production concept as much as I did. Soprano Gina Galati (Adina) and bass Andrew Potter (Dulcimara) have both displayed a winning combination of vocal brilliance and fine comic timing in the past, so that bodes well for this production.

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The Last Romance
Photo by John Lamb

Insight Theatre Company presents The Last Romance through March 18. "The Last Romance is about an opera-loving American in his 70s who once auditioned for the Met. Currently widowed, he meets an attractive woman named Carol while living with his sister Rose. This humorous and tender play will leave audiences of all ages with the idea that it is never too late to feel alive!" Performances take place at The .ZACK, 3224 Locust in Midtown. For more information, call 314-556-1293 or visit insighttheatrecompany.com.

My take: I've been an admirer of playwright Joe DiPietro since I performed in the local premiere of his comedy Over the River and Through the Woods many years ago, so I have no hesitation recommending his work here. Besides, how can I resist a comedy about late-life love that involves opera? Based on Tina Farmer's review for KDHX, you probably won't be able to resist it either. "Anchored by veteran actor Joneal Joplin and featuring arias from Clark Sturdevant," she writes, "the production is a warm and tenderhearted diversion that feels instantly familiar and comfortable. And, while the show successfully makes a case for the benefits of remaining active and curious as we age, the lessons about love and friendship are delivered in a way that’s applicable to any one, at any age."

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Held Over:

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Menopause the Musical

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents Menopause the Musical, "a celebration of women and The Change," through March 31. Four women meet while shopping for a black lace bra at a lingerie sale. After noticing unmistakable similarities among one another, the cast jokes about their woeful hot flashes, mood swings, wrinkles, weight gain and much more. The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: playhouseatwestport.com.

My take: This popular ensemble show has been around for a while now, having premiered in 2001 in Orlando, Florida, in a 76-seat theatre that once housed a perfume shop. It's last visit at the Westport Playhouse was ten years ago, and it seems to have lost none of it's comic shine. "Who will enjoy this," asks Ann Lemmons Pollack in a review of the show last year, "beyond women of what they call un age certain? People of both genders around them unless they have no sense of humor. That includes family, friends and co-workers. One of life's cruel jokes is that the menopause hits many households about the same time adolescence does. Here's something to tide us over." Since this is effectively a remounting of that same production, I think I'm on safe ground putting it on the hit list, as I did last January.

Symphony Preview: War, what is it good for?

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

Benjamin Britten

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That most pernicious of human inventions, organized warfare, lurks in the background of the three major works that Cristian Macelaru will conduct in this weekend's St. Louis Symphony Orchestra concerts. It was the direct inspiration for one, indirectly responsible for another, and may (or may not) have been the idea behind the third.

The piece that opens this weekend's concerts, Benjamin Britten's 1940 "Sinfonia da requiem," is the most directly related to war. That's because, as Richard Freed points out in program notes for the Kennedy Center, "Britten was a dedicated pacifist, and actually a conscientious objector during World War II. In composing this work he undertook to register his personal feelings about war by calling his symphony a requiem and giving its three movements headings taken from the Roman Catholic Mass for the Dead--looking ahead, in a sense, to the War Requiem he would compose several years after the end of that war." Britten himself left no doubt about this when he was quoted in an April 27, 1940, piece in the New York Sun (quoted in Mervyn Cook's "Britten: War Requiem"): "I'm making it just as anti-war as possible ... I don't believe you can express social or political or economic theories in music, but by coupling new music with well-known musical phrases, I think it's possible to get over certain ideas ... all I'm sure of is my own anti-war conviction as I write it."

That didn't sit well with the Japanese government, which had commissioned the work (along with several others) as part of a celebration of the 2600th year of its reigning dynasty, and they ultimately rejected it. Given that they had already invaded China and would soon ally themselves with Germany and Italy, that's perhaps not too surprising.

It's certainly a powerful piece of music, opening with a dramatic bang on the tympani that sets the pace for the relentless death march of the first movement, subtitled "Lacrymosa" (all three movements take their titles from sections of the Catholic requiem mass). The "Dies irae" second movement is an eerie dance of death, and it's only in the final movement, "Requiem aeternam," that the mood turns to peace and (to quote Mr. Freed again) "balances the outrage and grief of the opening slow movement with a gesture of consolation and peace." We could certainly use some of that right now.

Camille Saint Saëns in 1900

Unlike the "Sinfonia," Saint Saëns's Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor, op. 61, wasn't written as a response to the horror of war, but it does indirectly owe existence to a particular conflict: the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71. The conflict ended with a French defeat which, in turn, led to a nationalist movement among French composers, as discussed in Aspen Music Festival program notes:

Following the shock of French defeat in the Franco Prussian War (including months of a debilitating siege of Paris in late 1870 and early 1871), Saint Saëns was one of the leaders of a movement to reestablish French art, particularly with the aim of promoting musical forms that seemed to have been dominated for decades by German composers. This meant the abstract instrumental forms of symphony and concerto. Since the early part of Berlioz's career forty years before, there had been virtually no French composers interested in large form concert music, instead the opera and ballet attracted the attention of composers and audiences. Shortly after the Siege of Paris had been lifted, Saint Saëns founded the Société Nationale de Musique, with the motto "ars gallica," to promote new French music, especially in the abstract genres. In addition to Saint Saëns himself, the Society included in its organizing committee Fauré, Franck, and Lalo. Over the years the Society sponsored premieres of important new works by leading French composers.

By this time Saint Saëns had already composed three piano concertos and two violin concertos, but these early works were relatively light in character with frivolous finales that suited the prevailing mood of the frivolous Second Empire so well characterized by the flippant operettas of Jacques Offenbach. The later concertos--including the last two for piano, the Cello Concerto, and the Third Violin Concerto, are altogether more serious.

The Concerto No. 3 declares its dramatic nature from the first notes, as the soloist enters with a forceful, ascending theme over tremolo strings; no conventional orchestral introduction here! The second theme offers some lyrical contrast, but overall this is a movement that displays what the Aspen Festival notes describe as "a careful gradation of intensity and brilliance that was rare in French scores of the day."

The second movement is a gently rocking barcarolle that concludes with a delicate duet for clarinet and violin harmonics (that flute-like sound produced by lightly touching the strings instead of fully depressing them) that's a classic example of Saint Saëns's skill as an orchestrator. The finale has a Spanish flair that reminds us of the fact that the work was written with the great composer and violin virtuoso Pablo de Sarasate in mind.

It is, in short, a concerto that calls for both technique and artistic sensitivity. I look forward to seeing what Canadian violinist James Ehnes, this weekend's soloist, does with it. Reviewing his 2009 recording of the complete Paganini "Caprices," The Times (London) said that he displayed "playing of phenomenal control, allied to musicianship of the highest order," which certainly bodes well.

Finally, a few words about the Symphony No. 4 in F minor, written in 1931 by Ralph Vaughan Williams. It's a harsh, angry, and unapologetically dissonant work that took many listeners by surprise, particularly when compared with the apparent tranquility of his Symphony No. 3 ("A Pastoral Symphony") from 1921. As World War II began to heat up in the years following its 1935 premiere, some began to see it as a response to the rise of Fascism, although according to Vaughan Williams's biographer Michael Kennedy (in "The Works of Ralph Vaughan Williams," 1980) the composer himself explicitly disavowed that connection.

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Rather than anticipating World War II, many have seen the Symphony No. 4 as a reflection of the composer's experiences in World War I. This point is made tellingly by Byron Adams, in his notes for the American Symphony Orchestra . Pointing out that that "it may take veterans many years to process the horror they have witnessed in combat," he goes on to observe how this apparently played out in music Vaughan Williams wrote after The War to End All Wars:

The returning veteran initially seeks peace and regularity, as the natural response of violent indignation is put off as being too painful. In the case of Ralph Vaughan Williams, his searing experiences as a middle-aged stretcher-bearer and later as an artillery officer in the trenches of the First World War cast a shadow over his life thereafter. In the first years after his demobilization in 1919, he composed a series of scores--the "Pastoral" Symphony, the Mass in G minor and the one-act opera Shepherds of the Delectable Mountains--beneath whose deceptively placid surfaces lies muted but excruciating grief. Only in the1930s, when it seemed as if no one recalled the bitter lessons of the First World War, did Vaughan Williams explode with the controlled fury of his galvanic Fourth Symphony.

The fourth symphony also owes a debt to Beethoven. The composer himself (quoted by Elizabeth Schwartz at WQXR) admitted that he "cribbed ... the opening of my F minor Symphony deliberately from the finale of [Beethoven's] Ninth Symphony." British musicologist Oliver Neighbour, quoted in Mr. Adams's notes, actually suggested that the Vaughan Williams Fourth essentially rewinds the Beethoven Ninth in that "whereas Beethoven is able to dismiss his cacophony and turn to a vision of the brotherhood of man, Vaughan Williams's own Symphony ends where it began."

To me, the Vaughan Williams Fourth has always felt like a kind of aural afterimage of Beethoven's Fifth in that where Beethoven moves, over the course of his four movements, from aggression to triumph, Vaughan Williams proceeds to nihilistic despair. You can hear this most obviously in the transition from the third to the fourth movements. In both cases, the Scherzo fades to a ghostly end and then gradually builds to a big, imposing finale, but while Beethoven's final movement builds to a blaze of glory, Vaughan Williams's finale exhausts itself in what Mr. Adams describes as "a minatory parody of a triumphal march."

Both works are big, dramatic, and compelling, but after listening to the Vaughan Williams, I feel like I have just seen a Shakespearean tragedy in which (to quote Edgar Allan Poe) the hero is "the conqueror worm." That's why my favorite recording of the work is the live 1962 performance by Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic, which follows up the final angry notes of the symphony with Vaughan Williams's beautiful "Serenade to Music" for vocal soloists and orchestra. With a text taken from the discussion of music from Act V of "The Merchant of Venice," it's the ideal antidote.

The Essentials: Cristian Macelaru conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and violin soloist James Ehnes Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, March 10 and 11. Also at Powell Hall this weekend: Grammy Award-winning singer and rapper Wyclef Jean joins the orchestra for "A Night of Symphonic Hip-Hop" on Friday, March 9th, at 7:30 pm. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of March 5, 2018

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The Looking Glass Playhouse presents the comedy Almost, Maine Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, March 8 - 18. "A woman carries her heart, broken into nineteen pieces, in a small paper bag. A man shrinks to half his former size, after losing hope in love. A couple keeps the love they have given each other in large red bags, or compress the mass into the size of a diamond. These playful and surreal experiences are commonplace in the world of John Cariani's Almost, Maine, where on one deeply cold and magical Midwinter Night, the citizens of Almost - not organized enough for a town, too populated for a wilderness - experience the life-altering power of the human heart. Relationships end, begin, or change beyond recognition, as strangers become friends, friends become lovers, and lovers turn into strangers. Propelled by the mystical energy of the aurora borealis and populated with characters who are humorous, plain-spoken, thoughtful, and sincere, Almost, Maine is a series of loosely connected tales about love, each with a compelling couple at its center, each with its own touch of sorcery." Performances take place at 301 West St. Louis Street in Lebanon, Ill. For more information, visit www.lookingglassplayhouse.com.

Anything Goes
Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents Cole Porter's Anything Goes Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm through March 24. "Anything Goes is a masterful mashup of musical comedy, gangster movie, screwball comedy, and social satire, because even in terms of form, anything goes. First opening in a time when John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde, Al Capone, and evangelists Aimee Semple McPherson and Billy Sunday were all national celebrities, this was potent, pointed satire; and it's just as subversive today. The show's evangelist turned nightclub singer Reno Sweeney is equal parts McPherson and infamous speakeasy hostess Texas Guinan (the model for Velma Kelly in Chicago). And though we never meet gangster Snake Eyes Johnson, he's seems a fair double for Dillinger." Performances take place at the Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, three blocks east of Grand, in Grand Center. For more information, visit newlinetheatre.com or call 314-534-1111.

Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble presents The Aphra Behn Emerging Artists Showcase Friday through Sunday at 8 pm March 9-11. "The APHRA BEHN EMERGING ARTISTS' SHOWCASE is a festival of new plays written and directed by female artists. The festival is named for the British spy, playwright, poet, translator, and fiction writer from the Restoration Era. As one of the first English women to earn her living by writing, Aphra Behn broke cultural barriers and serves as a literary role model for later generations." Performances take place at The Centene Center for the Arts and Education, 3547 Olive in Grand Center. For more information: slightlyoff.org.

Caught

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Caught March 7 - 25. "In the era of 'fake news,' Caught creates a bracingly unique experience that will keep you wondering what's real and what's theatre. An art exhibition by a Chinese dissident is the first phase of a multi-layered puzzle, which presents the audience with an ever-changing set of rules. Chen's piece deftly examines the blurred lines between truth and artifice, both in the theatre and in life." Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

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

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents The Comic Book Killer through April 14. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

Winter Opera St. Louis presents Donizetti's comedy L'Elisir d'Amore (The Elixir of Love) Friday at 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM, March 9 and 11. Performances take place at The Skip Viragh Center for the Arts at Chaminade College Preparatory School, 425 S. Lindbergh. For more information, visit winteroperastl.org.

Over Due Theatre presents musical Godspell Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, March 9 - 18. Performances take place at the Olivette Community Center, 9723 Grandview Drive, in Olivette, MO. For more information, call 314-210-2959 or visit overduetheatrecompany.com.

The Last Romance
Photo by John Lamb

Insight Theatre Company presents The Last Romance through March 18. "The Last Romance is about an opera-loving American in his 70s who once auditioned for the Met. Currently widowed, he meets an attractive woman named Carol while living with his sister Rose. This humorous and tender play will leave audiences of all ages with the idea that it is never too late to feel alive!" Performances take place at The .ZACK, 3224 Locust in Midtown. For more information, call 314-556-1293 or visit insighttheatrecompany.com.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents Neil Simon's comedy Laughter on the 23rd Floor Fridays through Sundays, March 9 - 18. "Inspired by the playwright's youthful experience as a staff writer on Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows, with all the attendant comic drama as the harried writing staff frantically scrambles to top each other with gags while competing for the attention of star madman 'Max Prince'." 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.

Marilyn Maye

Jazz St. Louis and The Cabaret Project present cabaret legend Marilyn Maye on Wednesday and Thursday, March 7 and 8, at 11 am and 7:30 pm "Marilyn Maye is an iconic entertainer whom Ella Fitzgerald praised as one of her absolute favorite singers. Maye has performed with legends including Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Bucky Pizzarelli, and Michael Feinstein. Recently, Maye also brought her theatrical energy to The Appel Room at Lincoln Center in a triumphant run with an 18-piece big band. She is a famously engaging crowd-pleaser and one of the remaining geniuses from the golden age of show business. Still at the top of her game, this award-winning Grammy nominated singer holds the record for appearances by a singer on the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson - 76 times!" Performances take place at the Ferring Jazz Bistro on Washington just east of the Fox in Grand Center. For more information: jazzstl.org.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Mayhem in Mayberry through April. "Welcome to the 10th annual Mayberry-fest. Everyone is looking forward to the highlight of this event - the Miss Mayberry contest. YOU and Sheriff Andy Trailer will judge the contestants (chosen from the audience) on beauty, poise, cookin' skills and a new category this year - Hog callin'. Will the next Miss Mayberry be the vivacious Dazey Doof from Hazzard County? Or the beautiful hillbilly, Elly May Klumpett? Or will it be the lovely Lois Lame from Smallville? Don't county out the charming Paris Hoosier from Hoosierville. She's the main reason the train stops at Petticoat Junction! Sheriff Andy, Deputy Blarney and Aint Bee invite you to join the fun and the mayhem in Mayberry cause it won't be the same without y'all." The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

Menopause the Musical

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents Menopause the Musical, "a celebration of women and The Change," through March 31. Four women meet while shopping for a black lace bra at a lingerie sale. After noticing unmistakable similarities among one another, the cast jokes about their woeful hot flashes, mood swings, wrinkles, weight gain and much more. The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: playhouseatwestport.com.

The St. Louis Writers' Group presents a reading of the play Tired Finally by Kathleen Gamble on Monday, March 5, at 6:30 pm. "This is a true story of a little girl whose family faced death daily at the hands of her father. Either they would escape or she would have to do the unthinkable...kill him." The event takes place upstairs at Big Daddy's, 1000 Sidney in Soulard. For more information: www.stlwritersgroup.com.

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.

Review: Spring forward

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

Christian Arming
Photo by Shumpei Oshugi

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Spring arrived early this year, both outdoors and inside Powell Hall, as guest conductor Christian Arming led the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Friday night (March 2, 2018) in an inventive take on Schumann's "Spring" symphony, followed by an intriguingly idiosyncratic Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 by soloist Rémi Geniet.

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

It was the dead of winter when Schumann wrote his Symphony No. 1 in B-flat major in January of 1841, but it was springtime in the composer's heart. He had just married the love of his life, Clara Wieck, the previous September, and he responded to this happy turn of events with a massive outpouring of music, including some of his best-known song cycles. You can hear that in the symphony which, after a brief, dramatically stormy introduction, bursts into pure joy and which it continues to express for the next half-hour.

Conducting with big, fluid gestures (and sometimes singing along with the orchestra), Mr. Arming found an impressive variety of emotional levels in this music. The build from the majestic introduction to the Allegro molto vivace of the first movement was neatly done, and the coda had impressive energy. The Larghetto second movement was lovingly sculpted (summoning up images of Schumann's love for Clara), the third movement Scherzo was bracing, with marked contrasts among its sections, and the finale overflowed with vernal cheer. The expressive range of Mr. Arming's interpretation was wide, making Schumann almost feel like Mahler at times.

I feel like a broken record (remember those?) writing this, but the orchestra played beautifully for Mr. Arming, with fine work by Roger Kaza's horns (a good thing, since Schumann gave them some important work to do). There were also excellent solos by (among others) Principal Flute Mark Sparks, Associate Principal Oboe Philip Ross, Principal Clarinet Scott Andrews, and Associate Principal Bassoon Andrew Gott.

The Tchaikovsky concerto that followed intermission was also wide-ranging in its scope, thanks in part to the intensely personal performance of Mr. Geniet. Yes, he displayed solid technique, with plenty of power as well as a delicacy of touch, but what made his performance memorable was his ability to find new ideas in this well-known warhorse. His first movement cadenza, in particular, had such a wide dynamic and expressive range that it felt rather like a mini-sonata. Critics have praised Mr. Geniet in the past for his ability to shine new light on established classics, and he certainly did that Friday night.

Rémi Geniet
Photo by Jean Baptiste Millot

The performance was received with an enthusiastic standing ovation by the audience, which was rewarded by an ethereal encore that gave Mr. Geniet another chance to demonstrate that delicacy of touch: the "Cradle Song," the first of Tchaikovsky's Op. 16 "Romances" for voice and piano, in a transcription by Rachmaninoff. It was the last thing Rachmaninoff wrote, in fact, which made it both touching and sad.

The concert opened with a high-contrast reading of Smetana's symphonic poem "Sárka," the third of the six works that make up the epic cycle "Má vlast" ("My Homeland"). It's a vivid bit of musical story telling from an episode in the legendary Czech "Maiden's War" in which the legendary female lieutenant of the title seduced the warrior Ctirad and then, with the help of her fellow fighters, slaughtered him and his men in their sleep. Smetana's writing is colorfully descriptive and Mr. Arming's interpretation was cinematic in its scope, with an appropriately fiery finale.

Both Mr. Arming and Mr. Geniet were making their St. Louis debuts Friday night. Based on what I saw and heard, I'd say they made a very good first impression and I hope to see them here again.

Next at Powell: Grammy Award-winning singer and rapper Wyclef Jean joins the orchestra for A Night of Symphonic Hip-Hop on Friday, March 9th, at 7:30 pm. Christian Macelaru conducts the orchestra on Saturday at 8 and Sunday at 3 pm, March 10th and 11th, with a program of Britten, Saint-Saëns, and Vaughan Williams. James Ehnes is the violin soloist.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of March 5, 2018

The Bach Society at St. Stanislaus Church

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The Bach Society of St. Louis presents a performance of the oratorio Eternal Light by Howard Godall, composer of the score for Downton Abbey, on Sunday, March 11, at 3 pm. “In this modern requiem, the chorus is accompanied by harp, piano and strings. Guest soloists include: soprano Sharleen Joynt, tenor Don Frazure and bass-baritone Dashon Burton.” The performance takes place at First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood, 100 East Adams Ave. For more information: www.bachsociety.org.

The Radio Arts Foundation presents Kaleidoscope - Next Generation Artist Concert, featuring 10-year-old local virtuoso pianist Jerry Chang, on Sunday, March 11, at 3 pm. The concert will include chamber ensembles from the Community Music School of Webster University and features works by Mozart, Mendelssohn, Dvorak, Haydn, Smetana, Bach, Beethoven, Chopin and Bartok. A wine and cheese reception will follow the concert, which takes place at the Centene Auditorium 7700 Forsyth. For more information: rafstl.org.

Grammy Award-winning singer and rapper Wyclef Jean performs with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra on Friday, March 9, at 7:30 pm. "From his time with the chart-topping band The Fugees to his long solo career, the 'hip hop guitarist' will highlight his hits spanning three decades creating a perfect blend between classical and hip-hop. The concert takes place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Christian Macelaru

Cristian Macelaru conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and violin soloist James Ehnes Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, March 10 and 11. The program consists of Britten's Sinfonia da requiem, Saint-Saëns's Violin Concerto No. 3, and Vaughan William's Symphony No. 4. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

St. Louis University presents a Faculty Showcase on Wednesday, March 7, at 7 pm. The concert features instrumental and vocal solos and duets by members of the factuty of the Music Program in the Fine and Performing Arts Department. The concert takes place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square, across the street from Powell Hall. For more information: slu.edu/arts.

The Sheldon Concert Hall presents St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster David Halen, along with members of the SLSO, in Debussy and Friends on Wednesday, March 7, at 8 p.m. The concert features works by Debussy, Ravel, and their contemporaries. The Sheldon is at 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: thesheldon.org.

The Sheldon Concert Hall presents lutenists Paul O'Dette and Ronn MacFarlane on Saturday, March 10, at 7:30 pm. "Paul O'Dette is currently Director of Early Music at the Eastman School of Music and Artistic Director of the Boston Early Music Festival. His 100+ recordings includes John Dowland Complete Lute Works. Grammy-nominated lutenist Ronn McFarlane was founding member of the Baltimore Consort, is a favored guest artist with multiple early music ensembles worldwide, and a recent composer for his early instrument, the solo lute." The Sheldon is at 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: thesheldon.org.

The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents the US Navy Concert Band on Wednesday, March 7, at 7:30 pm. "The United States Navy Concert Band, the premier wind ensemble of the U.S. Navy, presents a wide array of marches, patriotic selections, orchestral transcriptions and modern wind ensemble repertoire. As the original ensemble of the Navy Band, the Concert Band has been performing public concerts and participating in high-profile events for more than 90 years." The Touhill Performing Arts Center in on the University of Missouri at St. Louis campus. For more information: touhill.org.

The Arianna String Quartet

The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents The Arianna String Quartet: Hungarian Rhapsody on Friday, March 9, at 8 p.m. "The ASQ welcomes internationally acclaimed pianist Tian Ying to the Touhill for a collaborative evening with a distinctly Hungarian flavor! Known for his imaginative style and sound, Mr. Ying opens the evening with Chopin's Nocturne in C minor, Op.48 and Franz Liszt's alluring Concert Paraphrase, based on last act of Giuseppe Verdi's iconic opera, Rigoletto. The Arianna Quartet follows with a performance of Bela Bartok's Quartet No.2, and then joins forces with Mr. Ying in a performance of Johannes Brahms' resplendent Piano Quintet in F minor, Op.34." The Touhill Performing Arts Center in on the University of Missouri at St. Louis campus. For more information: touhill.org.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a senior recital by Ban Klawson, saxophone, on Friday, March 9 at 7 pm. David Rusk is pianist for the program, which includes music by Bach, Robert Muczynski, and Rudy Wiedoeft. The concert takes place in the Recital Hall at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu or call 314-935-5566.

Symphony Preview: Spring is coming

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

Ctirad and Šárka
Painting by Věnceslav Černý

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It's an evening of Romantic blockbusters this weekend (March 2 and 3, 2018) as Christian Arming makes his conducting debut with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in a program that includes Tchaikovsky's popular Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23, with Rémi Geniet (also making his local debut) as soloist.

The concerts will open with the symphonic poem "Sárka," the third of the six works that make up Smetana's epic cycle "Má vlast" ("My Homeland"). It's an interesting choice, in that it's based on a fairly bloody bit of Czech legend.

The story comes from the tale of the legendary "Maiden's War" which may (or may not) have taken place in the 6th or 7th century. First described in the twelfth-century "Chronica Boëmorum" and later in the fourteenth-century "Dalimil's Chronicle," this literal war between men and women was supposedly sparked by the death of Libuse, the last in a line of matriarchal rulers of Czech society. Here's Vaclav Ledvinka, director of Prague's city archives, describing what Czech legend says happened as a result:

When Libuse died, the matriarchal system of power came to an end, and a patriarchal system was introduced, with the arrival of Prince Premysl, the forefather of the Premyslid dynasty, which later ruled the Czech Lands for several hundred years. The women were apparently furious at this change, and this led to a civil war between Czech women and men.

One of the fighters in that civil war was Sárka, a lieutenant of the fierce warrior woman Vlasata. In the legend, Sárka seduces the warrior Ctirad and then, with the help of her fellow Amazons, slaughters him and his men in their sleep.

Smetana's tone painting is fairly literal and concludes with a particularly violent orchestral outburst. "The music is vivid and suspenseful," writes René Spencer Saller in her program notes, "with sharply contrasting motives: churning tempests reminiscent of The Flying Dutchman reveal the heroine's rage, a sinuous clarinet suggests her seductive wiles, a march represents the advancing male army, and rumbling bassoons mimic the snores of the doomed men." I keep hoping the SLSO will perform all of "Má vlast" one of these days (the orchestra's complete recording with Walter Susskind is still one of my favorites) but meanwhile it's good to hear bits of it now and then.

Next on the program is Robert Schumann's Symphony No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 38, known as the "spring" symphony-even though it was composed in the dead of winter, during an amazingly productive four days at the end of January, 1841. The symphony comes from a happy time in Schumann's life-he had just married his one great love, Clara Wieck, the previous September-and it's not hard to hear that joy in this energetic and sunny work.

It doesn't start that way, mind you. The Introduction to the first movement, marked Andante un poco maestoso, is a solemn invocation of grey winter skies, reflecting the opening stanza of "Frühlingsgedicht," the Adolf Böttger poem that inspired the composer:

Du Geist der Wolke, trüb und schwer
Fliegst drohend über Land und Meer
Dein grauer Schleier deckt im Nu
Des Himmels klares Auge zu

You spirit of the clouds, grey and heavy
Looming over land and sea
Your obscure veil obscures in a frozen moment
The clear eye of heaven

But this isn't "Game of Thrones," and winter is going rather than coming. An exuberant horn call leads to the main Allegro molto vivace and spring bursts out in all its glory, mirroring the final stanza of the poem:

O wende, wende deinen Lauf-
Im Thale blüht der Frühling auf!

O turn, O turn and change your course-
In the valley spring blooms forth!

From there on it's springtime for Schumann.

Ms. Saller has a nice, compact analysis of the symphony in her program notes, but if you want a closer look, check out conductor Kenneth Woods's detailed commentary, written to accompany his own recording of the work with the Orchestra of the Swan. That's where I got the information on the Böttger poem.

The concerts will conclude with the excessively popular Tchaikovsky concerto, a work which has not lacked for fine performances by the SLSO in recent years. That includes the unorthodox but compelling Kirill Gerstein version in 2013 and the volcanic Yefim Bronfman approach in 2011.

The soloist this time around is the young (mid-twenties) French pianist Rémi Geniet, whose recent recital at the Morgan Library got a glowing write-up from the New York Music Daily blog, which heaped praise on both his technical facility and (perhaps more relevant for this weekend) his ability to shine new light on established classics. It will be interesting to hear his perspective on a well-loved warhorse like the Tchaikovsky.

Finally: if you're wondering why there's no Sunday afternoon concert, that's because Resident Conductor Gemma New will lead the SLSO Youth Orchestra Sunday at 3 pm with a program of Britten's "Soirées musicales," Tchaikovsky's "Capriccio Italien," and Sibelius's Symphony No. 2. You probably know that last two pieces, but you might not be familiar with the Britten. It's a brilliantly re-imagined collection of five pieces by Rossini, orchestrated in a witty and fanciful style. Ms. New and her young players should have a good time with it, as will you.

The Essentials: Christian Arming conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and piano soloist Rémi Geniet Friday and Saturday at 8 pm March 2 and 3. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of March 2, 2018

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

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New This Week:

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August: Osage County
Photo by Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Performing Arts Department at Washington University presents Tracy Letts's drama August: Osage County Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through March 4. "A vanished father, a pill-popping mother and three sisters harboring shady little secrets. When the large Weston family unexpectedly reunites after Dad disappears, their Oklahoman family homestead explodes in a maelstrom of repressed truths and unsettling secrets. Mix in Violet, the drugged-up, scathingly acidic matriarch, and you've got a major new play that unflinchingly - and uproariously - exposes the dark side of the Midwestern family." The performances take place in the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information, call 314-935-6543 or visit pad.artsci.wustl.edu.

My take: This might just be the ultimate dysfunctional family comedy/drama, both because of its operatic length (three hours, with intermission) and because Letts tosses in just about every trope imaginable. I'm not a big fan of the script, but Steve Callahan, writing for KDHX, has a lot of praise for the production. "The Wash U student cast," he writes, "is led by Peggy Billo, a brilliant Equity 'ringer' who gives a truly bravura performance as Violet. Helen Fox is most impressive as Barbara, her mother's chief antagonist and others in the cast do excellent work. Director Andrea Urice has done masterful work with this enormously demanding script."

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Chicago

The Fabulous Fox presents Kander and Ebb's Chicago Friday at 7:30 pm, Saturday at 2 and 7:30 pm, and Sunday at 1 and 6 pm, March 2 - 4. "CHICAGO has everything that makes Broadway great: a universal tale of fame, fortune and all that jazz; one show-stopping song after another; and the most astonishing dancing you've ever seen. It's no surprise that CHICAGO has wowed audiences from Mexico City to Moscow, from Sao Paulo to South Africa" The Fox is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

My take: "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen; you are about to see a story of murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, and treachery - all those things we all hold near and dear to our hearts. Thank you." Those are the first lines spoken in Chicago, and they're a microcosm of both the story line and the attitude of the show. If you didn't know it was over forty years old, you might be justified in thinking Chicago had been written yesterday. The story of murderess Roxie Hart—whose bogus change of heart makes her on overnight sensation with the celebrity-obsessed press and public—is as current as the latest bogus Facebook meme. And it provides an opportunity for satirical pot-shots at judges, lawyers, celebrity hounds and, of course, the celebrities themselves. When I first saw this show, I thought it was deeply cynical. Now it just feels realistic.

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That Uppity Theatre Company presents Playhouse Emissions: Climate Change Theatre on Sunday, March 4, at 11 am. 'There is overwhelming scientific consensus that climate change is real, human-caused and will have catastrophic effects. Yet, it is still a struggle to educate and motivate the public to take action. This free special Arts Festival Platform will reprise several of the vignettes and performances seen at the Ethical Society last fall, produced by That Uppity Theatre Company Producing Artistic Director Joan Lipkin (Ethical Society Ethical Humanist of the Year Awardee) and Pamela Reckamp. As shared by some of the leading actors in St. Louis including John Flack, Don McClendon, Elizabeth McCormick, Pamela Reckamp and Donna Weinsting, the plays were selected from over 25 cultures, including perspectives from low-lying nations threatened by sea-level change and countries facing severe heatwaves, floods or droughts. The Platform will also include performances from Ashley Tate and the Ashleyliane Dance Company." The event takes place at the Ethical Society, 9001 Clayton Road.

My take: Speaking of realism, here's theatre dedicated to raising awareness about a very real threat to human civilization (not that we don't already have plenty). That Uppity Theatre Company remains our preeminent local theatre company with a conscience.

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Held Over:

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Menopause the Musical

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents Menopause the Musical, "a celebration of women and The Change," through March 31. Four women meet while shopping for a black lace bra at a lingerie sale. After noticing unmistakable similarities among one another, the cast jokes about their woeful hot flashes, mood swings, wrinkles, weight gain and much more. The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: playhouseatwestport.com.

My take: This popular ensemble show has been around for a while now, having premiered in 2001 in Orlando, Florida, in a 76-seat theatre that once housed a perfume shop. It's last visit at the Westport Playhouse was ten years ago, and it seems to have lost none of it's comic shine. "Who will enjoy this," asks Ann Lemmons Pollack in a review of the show last year, "beyond women of what they call un age certain? People of both genders around them unless they have no sense of humor. That includes family, friends and co-workers. One of life's cruel jokes is that the menopause hits many households about the same time adolescence does. Here's something to tide us over." Since this is effectively a remounting of that same production, I think I'm on safe ground putting it on the hit list, as I did last January.