Wandering Through Chicago's Arts and Culture

I just finished my New Year's film, "Blade Runner." This was the "Final Cut" (number 7 out of 7) and the one that director Ridley Scott really wanted to be released. I found this to be an especially thought-provoking experience. This version has very limited dialog and no narration. It is essentially a series of "experiences" and "scenes" with minimal explanation of why anything is happening. But listen closely to the magnificent score by Vangelis. Since there are few words spoken in the film, it is up to the composer as dramatist to enhance your perceptions of the story. It is, in fact, a very simple story. It is so simple that it really isn't worth telling until one begins to contemplate the ethics behind the science fiction. If one then adds the marvelous special effects (no computer animations in this film) and the musical score, the viewer is left with the feeling of having experienced more of an unbelievable and fantastical adventur...

This past weekend I attended the Carl Schurz High School Centennial Celebration. On Saturday, there were tours of the school and a sock-hop followed by a party at the Abbey Pub. I hadn’t set foot in the building for nearly fifty years. Here are some reactions. Much has not changed. I went in the main entrance and everything seemed to be in place. On the other hand, I can’t remember what door I usually used when I was a student. It was probably a door toward the train station, since I used the old Milwaukee Road commuter trains to go to and from school. The place is really clean. I couldn’t find any graffiti except for a few scratches on the backs of some ancient bathroom stall doors. Lockers are all new looking. Not a mark on them. I walked through the halls, almost all of them, and could hardly remember where I took any classes. I couldn’t even find my home room with certainty. It was probably one of the first two just as you go into the triangle on the North end of the building. Ever...

It has been over a year since I saw this small community group that plays in the Alice Millar Chapel on the Northwestern University campus. They've clearly been busy and it shows in the general improvement in the playing. Of note is the addition of Rachel Taylor as Concertmaster. Ms. Taylor adds strong leadership to the strings and to the violins in particular. Alas, despite the significant improvement, NSCO violins still have a way to go. Some section members still struggle to get the notes out, let alone in tune. Given the improvements Ms. Taylor has made to date, it might not be too much to expect even better future performances. Concerto for Harpsichord in D minor, J.S. Bach BWV 1052 Harpsichord soloist Robert McConnell delivered this venerable Bach work with journeyman skill and sensitivity. There were some problems with the high strings, as noted earlier, that tended to detract from the overall performance. However, Bach being what it is, it is difficult to find a lot of f...

Rush Hour Concerts, the remarkable musical tapas that are the tenderly nurtured brainchild of Artistic Director Deborah Sobol kicks off its tenth season on June 2, 2009 with a pre -performance reception at 5:15 pm followed by a performance of Mozart's incomparable Serenade No. 10 in Bb Major, K 361, the Gran Partita . Motion picture fans will remember the scene in Amadeus where Salieri reflects on Mozart's great masterpiece, concluding "It seemed to me that I was hearing the voice of God." The Mayor has chosen to honor Rush Hour Concerts by declaring June 2, 2009 "Rush Hour Concerts Day in Chicago". The roster of musicians who will perform the thirteen-instrument masterpiece are among the finest in the city, including members of the Chicago Chamber Musicians, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Lyric Opera Orchestra. Given the intimate and acoustically splendid venue provided by St. James Cathedral and the quality of the performers, this is an event that ...

Long one of Chicago's educational crown jewels, Northwestern University boasts of many outstanding accomplishments and traditions from its dual campuses in downtown Chicago and Evanston , Illinois to the North. One of Northwestern's more visible contributions to the community is the Theater and Interpretation Center, located at the South end of NU's Evanston campus adjacent to Lake Michigan. The setting alone makes the trip worthwhile, surrounded by idyllic parks brushed with gentle breezes from nearby Lake Michigan. It is here that Artistic Director Henry Godinez presides over a season of theater, music theater and dance. Part of that season includes a series of main stage productions in the Ethel M. Barber Theater and the Josephine Louis Theater. Their final main stage presentation of the 2008–2009 season, Ghetto, by Joshua Sobol and directed by NU faculty member Daniel Cantor, is typical of the high-quality we have come to expect from TIC's program. The play ...

Chicago Opera Theater is faithful to its slogan: "Opera Less Ordinary". Their last 2009 production, Benjamin Britten's Owen Wingrave is exemplary of that tradition. One is struck almost immediately by the design of COT's production; it's much more elaborate than COT subscribers are accustomed to seeing. Further, set elements move on and off the stage at frequent intervals providing a very fluid setting for the unfolding story. At some points, the movement of some very large set pieces almost seems chaotic. Then, suddenly , the entire scene congeals into a coherent whole with set pieces, singers and actors precisely placed and blocked to advance the story. Another interesting feature of the production is the use of two supernumeraries whose performance is absolutely essential to the telling of the story. The characters are named simply Father and Boy in the program and are played by Blake Montgomery and Mason Baker respectively. They appear immediately as the cur...

I wouldn't be a good student of nonprofit management if I overlooked having a mission. Why create yet another blog? There are thousands, perhaps millions of blogs. Who would want to read anything I wrote? That's where the mission comes in. This blog exists because I need a reference to past experiences and reactions to the many arts experiences I have. It's really that simple! What did I think about such-and-such? When did I attend thus-and-so? What did I experience over yonder? Did I enjoy myself the last time I listened to a symphony by what's-her-name? Friends and others are welcome to read my postings if they choose, but this blog is mainly for me. I'm curious as to where I have been and where I'm going. This blog will provide valuable clues.