Composer Engelbert Humperdinck’s 1893 storybook Opera, Hansel and Gretel, based on The Grimm Brother’s tale of the same name is the current fare at the Civic Center on Feb. 14th and 16th. This is the third time in the opera’s history producing Humperdinck’s work. [Carol Davis]
Puppets, opera combine in ‘Hansel and Gretel’ Read More »
Carol Davis, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
There is a new exhibit at the San Diego Art Institute (SDAI) that should appeal to many tastes as it is an innovative show that pairs artists and scientists together. What a brilliant idea to combine art and science together! The new installation, “Illumination,” paired 16 artists with seven scientific institutions, along with ten artists doing their own interpretation of science, nature, and technology. The curator of this show, Chi Essary, did a wonderful job pairing the artists with their scientific counterparts. [Mimi Pollack]
Scientists and artists collaborate in SDAI exhibit Read More »
Mimi Pollack, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County
Like many Jews of his generation, he had changed his name to avoid revealing that he was born Issur Danielovitch, the son of poor Jewish immigrants who lived in Amsterdam, New York. Even before that, he adopted the Americanized surname of his uncle Avram Demsky and preferred Isadore over Issur. {Lawrence Baron, Ph.D]
Kirk Douglas: Star of David and Hollywood Read More »
Lawrence Baron, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials
International collage artist Michael Anderson is presently enjoying a solo show, the first in four years, at Arts & Leisure gallery on New York City’s Upper East Side. Armageddon Yacht is an exhibition of sixteen recent works, all featuring Anderson’s unique and inimitable style. Whereas most collage artists make use of magazines, Michael uses exclusively street posters gathered from around the world, which allows for work on a much greater scale than is typically associated with collage. His pictures are at once unmistakable and visceral, sweeping, playful and ironic. [Sam Ben-Meir, Ph.D]
Michael Anderson and the Armageddon Yacht Read More »
Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Sam Ben-Meir, USA
Violinist Anat Almani concluded the recent January 28 TICO concert with an impressive performance of the Tchaikowsky Violin Concerto. Her solid technique brought a beautiful patina to the high passages in the first movement; the second movement was a study of muted sweetness; and the final movement lunged forward with unbridled energy. [Eileen Wingard]
Former child prodigy returns to TICO as soloist Read More »
Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County
I think we all should congratulate Mayor Catherine Blakespear and three other members of the Encinitas City Council who voted their hearts, and not their fears, in the recent battle over providing safe overnight parking spaces to 25 homeless families who are forced to sleep in their cars. [Donald H. Harrison]
Congratulations Encinitas City Council, JFS & Leichtag Foundation Read More »
Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, USA
As Yoav Talmi continues to receive accolades for his guest conducting throughout the world and his inspiring teaching at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Tel Aviv University, the internationally acclaimed maestro is also garnering increased recognition as a world class composer. His recent CD, Yoav Talmi COMPOSITIONS, released by the Israel Music Institute and produced with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Sport, contains three of his large compositions, De Profundis, a four movement work for mixed choir and orchestra; Animi Motus, a four movement work for orchestra with children’s or women’s choir; and Elegy for strings, timpani and accordion (Dachau Reflections). [Eileen Wingard]
Conductor Yoav Talmi a classical composer Read More »
Eileen Wingard, International, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County
Only a few moments after her audience had sat in stunned silence hearing about how the mother of Fanny Krasner Lebovits sacrificed her life so her youngest child should not have to go alone to her death, a cell phone tinkled from somewhere in the front of the audience. [Donald H. Harrison]
Crying and laughing with a Holocaust survivor Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, International, Jewish History, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County
… They first performed at the Los Angeles Holocaust Museum in 2019. This year, in observance of the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp they will premiere the first public performance of a piece composed for them by Laurence Sherr of Kennesaw State University in Georgia. Sherr has a specialty in music of the Holocaust. The program will be cosponsored by the German and Italian Counsels of Los Angeles. Audiences should be prepared for remarkable music, by a remarkable globe-trotting couple. [Oliver Pollak, PhD]
Jewish melody infuses German, U.S. chamber music Read More »
Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Oliver Pollak
For the first time in over two decades a painting by Marc Chagall will be going up for auction in Israel. Tiroche Auction House will be hosting the Israeli & International Art auction on January 25th – featuring paintings by a number of Israeli masters, including Reuben Rubin, and Yosl Bergner. The highlight of the evening however is Chagall’s Jacob’s Ladder (1970-1974), a theme to which the artist would return at least a dozen times in paintings and drawings. [Sam Ben-Meir, PhD]
Jacob’s Ladder by Chagall up for auction Read More »
International, Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Sam Ben-Meir
Just north of Presidents Way and across the street from the Veterans Museum lies the World Beat Cultural Center. Housed in what used to be a water tower, this cylindrical building is filled inside and out with brightly painted murals celebrating the many cultures of the world. Inside, you will find a vegan café, an art gallery, reggae concerts and classes in the arts. What better place to celebrate Martin Luther King Day? [Eric George Tauber]
World Beat Center honors the dream Read More »
Eric George Tauber, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego CountyThe Israeli pianist, Shai Wosner, shone in Beethoven’s Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 1, No. 3, as he collaborated with violinist, Jeff Thayer, concertmaster of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, and Yao Zhao, the orchestra’s principal cellist. The concert, part of the San Diego Symphony’s celebration of Beethoven’s 250 anniversary of his birthday, featured three of the composer’s early works. It took place on Tuesday evening, January 14, at the new Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center on Fay Street in La Jolla. [Eileen Wingard]
Wosner, Thayer, Zhao shine in Beethoven’s Piano Trio Read More »
Eileen Wingard, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County
In charge of these auditions in this show is the director, Zach, (Jeffrey Ricca) who barks out orders to this chorus of those wannabe chosen. He does this by relentlessly probing, questioning, and eliminating while all the while getting under their collective skins by having each one give a brief background of themselves as the “I Hope I Get It” mantra is chanted in the background. This is the heart of A Chorus Line. One by one Zach prods, encourages and yells out orders from some place in the back of the ‘theatre’ for information from each with the usual suspects and personalities standing out over and above the others. [Carol Davis]
Welk Village revives ‘A Chorus Line’ Read More »
Carol Davis, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Theatre, Film & Broadcast
Between Jan. 21 and March 11, American Jews may participate in the selection of U.S. delegates to the World Zionist Congress, which will meet in Jerusalem from Oct. 20-22 to help set policy for three major Jewish organizations: the World Zionist Organization, the Jewish National Fund, and the Jewish Agency for Israel. The Congress’s policy decisions will influence how approximately $1 billion is allocated. [Donald H. Harrison]
Balloting begins Jan. 21 for World Zionist Congress Read More »
Donald H. Harrison, Jewish Religion, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, San Diego County, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA