Classical review | Cantus men’s vocal ensemble at the Folly
No weak link in the polished performance of music from eight centuries, several styles.
Dance review | ‘The Sun Also Rises’ by the Washington Ballet
Dance drama of ‘The Sun Also Rises’ doesn’t quite succeed but comes incredibly close to doing so.
Charismatic Tenors charm audience at the Midland
Four engaging young Canadians known as the Tenors beguiled a capacity crowd Friday night at the Midland Theatre with a polished road show that covered musical territory from immortal tenor arias to American religious music to Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan to Broadway tunes and to original material.
UMKC’s orchestra of gamelans rings with golden tones
The combination of gold metalwork with blue paint on the wood has a serene and ennobling effect. One could look at it for hours. But when the hammers come out and the otherworldly tinkling and chiming begin, the effect is truly mesmerizing.
Free discovery concert presents 18-year-old piano prodigy
The Harriman-Jewell Series presents Jan Lisiecki, an 18-year-old pianist who already has released three recordings and has been packing concert halls around the world. He’ll give a free recital Friday at the Folly Theater.
‘Hey-Hay, Going to Kansas City’: William Whitener’s final production a celebration of American music, dance
Kansas City Ballet ended its 55th season with a celebration of American dance, music and hometown talent in “Hey-Hay, Going to Kansas City.” This vibrant company offered an exhilarating trio of pieces on Friday night, including the world premiere of Karole Armitage’s “Energy Made Visible.”
The newest Russia house, under scrutiny and over budget
Russia is opening the first opera house to aspire to international significance since the time of the czars. It has accordingly been the object of tremendous scrutiny, particularly after more than 10 years of development, many architects and a government-financed budget that exploded to nearly 10 times the initial estimate.
A Night of Tango: Bach Aria Soloists, special guests shine in Kauffman concert
The most striking element of the Kauffman Center’s “A Night of Tango” was not necessarily the superb talent of the musicians on stage, but the sense of a community eager for the passion and connection inherent to tango.
Choreographer incorporates jazz, art in world premiere for KC Ballet
In her world premiere work with the Kansas City Ballet and Bobby Watson, choreographer Karole Armitage puts her “drastic classicism” into play, along with inspiration from the the painter Jackson Pollock.
Hal Holbrook, ‘Memphis’ and ‘Addams Family’ on Lied Center season for 2013-14
The Lied Center of Kansas will mark its 20th anniversary season with an eclectic mix of musical theater, world music and classical performances — including the legendary Hal Holbrook, who returns to the area with his signature performance of “Mark Twain Tonight.”
KC Symphony presents two nights of movie scores, with clips
The Kansas City Symphony, led by its assistant conductor, Aram Demirjian, will accompany the screening of classic clips from the films of Alfred Hitchcock and Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals in Helzberg Hall.
Ballet meets broad humor in the dance world
A ballet troupe of men in drag dancing on pointe, chest hairs sticking out from their tutu bodices and pratfalls sprinkled throughout their choreography. Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, which will dance Saturday in Yardley Hall at Johnson County Community College, not your typical company.
Paganini to Prince: Daniel Bernard Roumain makes violin cool
Hip-hop violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain, a classically trained composer/performer, comes to Kansas City this week to perform and encourage school-age musicians. He spends quite a bit of his time revving up the next generation.
Lyric Opera’s ‘The Mikado’ sets just the right tone
The Lyric Opera of Kansas City offered a sturdy and representative evening of light opera with the debut Saturday of its production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Mikado,” a fusion of English mores and Asian aesthetic, mocking rigorous social pretensions and befuddling bureaucracy.
Friends of Chamber Music’s 38th season to span centuries
Next fall brings the 38th season of the Friends of Chamber Music, and its lineup of award-winning artists, just announced, will span more than seven centuries of music.
Tango inspires Bach aficionados
Hector del Curto, probably the finest bandoneon player in the world, will bring his deep knowledge of tango when Bach Aria Soloists present “A Night of Tango” on Saturday at Helzberg Hall.
Kansas City artists create a daring ‘Darwin’ chamber opera
The new collaborative work about Charles Darwin, long in the making, takes evolution as a given while presenting the extraordinary events of Darwin’s life in artistic form. “Darwin,” blending music, dance and design, will premiere April 26-27 at Union Station.
‘Truly memorable year’ planned for UMKC conservatory’s first events at Kauffman center
Most of the concerts in the 2011-2012 University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory’s Conservatory Artist Series will be at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. “We’re thrilled to be a part of this historic moment,” Peter Witte, conservatory dean, said.
