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Tours
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Theater Review: WONDERFUL JOE (Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes at The Nimoy
RONNIE BURKETT HAS THE WORLD ON A STRING You haven’t lived until you’ve seen Santa as a beer-bellied, Silverlake bear puppet twerking in a nightclub with Jesus and the Tooth Fairy. Wonderful Joe, presented by Ronnie Burkett, OC, and his Theatre of Marionettes this past weekend at The Nimoy in Westwood, was an experience I…
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Opera Review: ELĪNA GARANČA (Recital Tour at BroadStage)
On the auspicious evening of Friday, May 10, 2024, the audience at BroadStage in Santa Monica was graced with a recital of exceptional caliber, featuring the illustrious mezzo-soprano ElÄ«na GaranÄa, whose performance was augmented by the symphonic grandeur of a full orchestra. ElÄ«na GaranÄa, whose reputation as a preeminent mezzo-soprano in the classical music sphere is…
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Art Exhibit Review: AUSCHWITZ. NOT LONG AGO. NOT FAR AWAY. (International Tour at The Castle in Boston)
INCONCEIVABLE. SHOCKING. NECESSARY. Visitors to the exhibit Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. — now stopping at The Saunders Castle at Park Plaza in Boston as part of a world tour — are able to view more than 700 artifacts, photographs, personal stories, and other information on display. Among the artifacts are hundreds of…
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Music Review: VíKINGUR ÒLAFSSON: THE GOLDBERG VARIATIONS (Colburn Recital at Disney Hall)
FINDING GOLD IN GOLDBERG VI once said in a review of pianist Víkingur í“lafsson that if you want to see a modern-day Glenn Gould-like master at the keys, here’s your chance. Well, the test really came the other night when í“lafsson returned to Disney Hall for his rendition of Bach’s Goldberg Variations, which many claim…
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Jazz Concert Review: DUETS: DIANNE REEVES, CHUCHO VALDÉS, JOE LOVANO (International Tour at Berklee)
TWO MEN AND A LADY: JAZZ ROYALTY TIMES THREE Celebrity Series of Boston’s 2023–2024 season is drawing to a close and among the final performances was the excellent Duets, featuring Dianne Reeves (vocals), Chucho Valdés (piano), and Joe Lovano (tenor saxophone). The evening began with Valdés alone with his grand piano on the stage of…
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Dance Review: MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE (North American Tour at New York City Center)
A SHOW THAT SENDS OUT AN S.O.S. Director-choreographer  Kate Prince, founder of London-based hip hop dance troupe  ZooNation, created a story about survival, hope, and love. Inspired by  Sting’s hits,  Message in a Bottle premiered on London’s West End in February 2020 and revived a year later before being interrupted by COVID. Produced by Sadler’s Wells  and  Universal Music UK, it…
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Concert Review: ANNA LAPWOOD (Organ Recital at Disney Hall)
LAPPING UP LAPWOOD British organist Anna Lapwood brought gold sparkles to her LA Phil debut at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the final stop of her 2024 US tour (her international tour continues). She could hardly contain her excitement, calling the hall’s organ “so much more than I ever hoped it could be!” Lapwood, the 28-year-old…
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Jazz Concert Review: HERBIE HANCOCK (Disney Hall)
STILL CRAZY AMAZING AFTER ALL THESE YEARS Piano/keyboard legend Herbie Hancock, whose trailblazing role introducing synthesizers and new audio technologies to jazz and funk make him one of the most influential musicians in jazz history, made it to Walt Disney Concert Hall on April 20 2024. A 14-time GRAMMY Award-winner, Hancock has been in the creative…
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Concert Review: NO MORE WATER / THE FIRE NEXT TIME; THE GOSPEL OF JAMES BALDWIN (Meshell Ndegeocello presented by CAP UCLA at United Theatre on Broadway)
MESHELL, MY BELL “Free like a bird,” the Swahili meaning of the eclectic singer-songwriter and rapper Meshell Ndegeocello’s last name (pronounced N-dee-gay-o-cello), describes the essence of her No More Water/The Fire Next Time; The Gospel of James Baldwin performance at The United Theatre on Broadway presented by CAP UCLA. Inspired by American writer and civil rights…
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Concert / Event Review: KRONOS QUARTET & GHOST TRAIN ORCHESTRA PLAY MOONDOG (The Town Hall in New York City, Tuesday April 16, 2024 at 8pm)
IT’S SO GOOD THAT I’M HOWLING AT THE MOONDOG Moondog’s music is magical and timeless, it has the power to take us to faraway places. I am here to tell you about the extraordinary concert, Kronos Quartet & Ghost Train Orchestra Play Moondog, the collaboration between The Kronos Quartet, breaking down music boundaries as they…
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Highly Recommended Opera Recital: ELĪNA GARANÄŒA (Tour at Santa Monica’s BroadStage)
ONE-NIGHT ONLY: ELĪNA GARANÄŒA RECITAL Mezzo-soprano ElÄ«na GaranÄa will be returning to Santa Monica’s BroadStage for a performance as part of their Celebrity Opera Recital series bringing noted opera talents to the BroadStage, offering local audiences an opportunity to experience high-caliber operatic performances.. The event will take place on Friday, May 10, 2024, at 7:30…
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Concert Review: PATTI LUPONE: A LIFE IN NOTES (Tour)
A LEGEND IN THE LIMELIGHT Patti LuPone’s Enchanting Evening at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion “Music holds a transformative power, the ability to encapsulate a moment in crystalline clarity,” proclaimed a visibly moved Patti LuPone, moments after her arrival on stage for her international tour stop at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to a resounding welcome, setting…
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Theater Review: SOLO: A SHOW ABOUT FRIENDSHIP (Gabe Mollica at Calderwood Pavilion in Boston and on Tour)
THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR Up-and-coming storyteller Gabe Mollica has brought his “sweet not sappy” 90-minute Solo: A Show About Friendship to Boston after 80 Off-Broadway performances and an excerpt on This American Life, the NPR radio show and podcast. Directed by noted monologist and queer disability activist Greg Walloch, and written as well as…
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Concert Review: YO-YO MA, CELLO; KATHRYN STOTT, PIANO (Tour Reviewed at Symphony Hall, Boston)
AN EVENING WITH FRIENDS Yo-Yo Ma, superstar of the cello and more importantly, of bringing together music of disparate cultures, performed with his long-time musical partner Kathryn Stott at Boston’s Symphony Hall last night. Stott has announced her intention to retire from performing at the end of the year, so this was likely the last…
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Theater Review: FUNNY GIRL (National Tour)
KATERINA MCCRIMMON IS A BRIGHT NEW FUNNY GIRL BUT THE TOUR IS LIKE BUS-AND-TRUCK Funny Girl is a captivating musical that tells the story of Fanny Brice, a renowned comedienne and entertainer during the early 1900s. This production delves into her journey to fame, her tumultuous relationship with gambler Nick Arnstein, and her remarkable resilience…
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Cabaret Review: KEN PAGE (“Right Here, Right Now” at Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood)
PAGE BY PAGE Anyone who gets a standing ovation merely by entering the room has undoubtedly accomplished something great. Ken Page’s illustrious career and sterling character earned him such a welcome from a room full of friends, colleagues, and admirers at the top of his cabaret show Right Here, Right Now, presented at the Catalina…
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Theater Review: ALADDIN (Broadway San Diego at the Civic Theatre)
I DREAM OF GENIE Ready to spend a little time in the ancient Arabian town of Agrabah? It’s the classic story with Aladdin (Adi Roy), Jasmine (Senzel Ahmady), and of course the genie (Marcus M. Martin). Disney’s 1992 hit animated musical movie became an instant classic, in part because of Robin Williams’ unforgettable voicing of…
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Concert Review: PATTI LUPONE: A LIFE IN NOTES (Tour)
A NIGHT OF HIGH NOTES The beloved and versatile award-winning musical theater star Patti LuPone delighted those who packed Boston’s Symphony Hall last evening with a series of high notes, low notes, and everything in between with her musical memoir, A Life in Notes, conceived and directed by Scott Wittman and written by Jeffrey Richman. Accompanied…
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Theater Interview: BRENT BARRETT (Now Appearing with The Four Phantoms in Concert)
An extravagant celebration of the iconic music of Broadway and more, The Four Phantoms in Concert brings together — you guessed it — four actors who have played the lead role in The Phantom of the Opera. Making a stop at The McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert on April 6, The Four Phantoms are Brent…
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Highly Recommended Concert: KRONOS QUARTET & GHOST TRAIN ORCHESTRA PLAY MOONDOG (The Town Hall in New York City, Tuesday April 16, 2024 at 8pm)
FLY ME TO THE MOONDOG Kronos Quartet and the jazz-chamber ensemble Ghost Train Orchestra will perform Music of Moondog at The Town Hall on Tuesday, April 16 at 8 p.m. The concert will be the first time both ensembles collaborate to present their album Songs and Symphoniques: The Music of Moondog live in New York City. The performance will also feature David Byrne, and…















