The Classic "Swan Lake" at Met Opera House

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Parent Category: Film and the Arts

Category: Reviews

Published on Sunday, 07 July 2024 09:16

Written by Jack Angstreich

Catherine Hurlin and James Whiteside in Swan Lake. Photo: Rosalie O’Connor.

At Lincoln Center’s Metropolitan Opera House on the afternoon of July 4th, I had the privilege to attend a superb performance of American Ballet Theater’s marvelous production of Swan Lake which has a glorious score by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky—here admirably conducted by Charles Barker—and enthralling choreography by former Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie after that of the immortal Marius Petipa along with Lev Ivanov. The wonderful sets and lovely costumes were designed by Zack Brown, and the very effective lighting by Duane Schuler.

The spectacular lead role of Odette-Odile was brilliantly danced by the surely ascendant principal, Catherine Hurlin. Her partner as Prince Siegfried was an exceptionally good James Whiteside, here performing at his unusual finest. Cy Doherty and Andrii Ishchuk were effective in the divided role of von Rothbart, the evil sorcerer.

The secondary cast was also remarkable and I will here highlight the most significant individuals that were featured. Fangqi Li, Sunmi Park and Carlos Gonzalez (who doubled as Benno, the prince’s friend) collectively realized the exquisite Pas de Trois from Act I while the interlude of the Cygnettes in Act II—one of the most dazzling in the ballet—was here executed by Lauren Bonfiglio, Erica Lall, Hannah Marshall, and Kotomi Yamada. The comparably beautiful dance of the Two Swans was bewitchingly enacted by Sierra Armstrong and Remy Young. The main roles in the delightful set of divertissements from Act III were also enchantingly incarnated: Anabel Katsnelson, Bonfiglio again, Rachel Richardson and Zimmi Coker were the Hungarian, Spanish, Italian and Polish Princesses respectively; Paulina Waski and Kento Sumitani were the stars in the Czardas; Isadora Loyola, João Mengussi, Luciana Paris, and Patrick Frenette excelled in the Spanish Dance; and Luigi Crispino and Melvin Lawovi enlivened the Neapolitan Dance. The main actors in non-dancing parts included Claire Davison as the Queen Mother and Clinton Luckett as Wolfgang, tutor to the prince (as well as the Master of Ceremonies in Act III). The extraordinary corps de ballet was characteristically accomplished.

The artists received a rapturous and greatly deserved standing ovation.

Director Thomas G. Waites Makes Much out of Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” This Summer

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Parent Category: Film and the Arts

Category: Reviews

Published on Thursday, 04 July 2024 17:21

Written by Brad Balfour

Play: Much Ado About Nothing
Director: Thomas G. Waites
Cast: Aislinn Evans, Kaitlyn Mitchell, Artur Ignatenko, Jake Minevich, Jordan Elizabeth Gelber, Stephanie Londoñ, Dillon John Collins, Jacque Coqueran, Gilbert Cole, Surge, Breanna Neomi, Matt Ugly McGlade , Arnie Mazur, John Galligan, Luis Guillen, Bettina Schwabe, Brandon Thomas Lima, David Manganiello, Cedric Allen Hills 

Dates: June 7 – July 7th, 2024
Place: The Gene Frankel Theatre
24 Bond Street
New York, New York 10012

www.thomasgwaites.com

No matter how many times I’ve seen or read William Shakespeare’s considerable catalog of writings, I am confounded by them in one way or another. For that reason alone, another opportunity to witness one of his plays being produced is worth the experience — if only to view his words in action through a new form again. Such was the experience of seeing this production of ”Much Ado About Nothing” — twice. And given that it was co-produced and directed by Thomas G. Waites made it all the more worth seeing.

Mostly cast with members of his TGW Acting Studio, this production offered a great opportunity of seeing it voiced by these mostly young actors who perform a comedy of heft in front of live audiences. As directed by Waites, he makes sure that this is a solid team who interacts well with each other and the audience.

The noted actor, director, and instructor has coached countless actors including Alfred Molina, Vinnie Pastore, Vinessa Shaw, and Oliver Hudson. Originally from Philadelphia, he’s a graduate of  The Juilliard School, where he studied alongside Robin Williams, Christopher Reeve, Frances Conroy, and others. As an actor, he has starred in The Clan of the Cave Bear as well as …And Justice For All, The Thing, Light of Day, and The Warriors. Waites made his Broadway debut in Teaneck Tanzi opposite Deborah Harry and Andy Kaufman. Other Broadway credits include Awake and Sing! with Frances McDormand and Harry Hamlin, King Richard III starring Al Pacino, and Howard Korder’s Search and Destroy. Among his cohorts is star Kelsey Grammer who joined Waites in producing this version of “Much Ado About Nothing” which he calls “a delightful romp.” It’s also presented by Grammer’s Faith American Brewing Company.

Set in Messina, an enclave in Sicily, the play revolves around two romantic entanglements that emerge when a group of soldiers arrive in town. The first, between Claudio and Hero, is nearly scuttled by accusations of infidelity by villain Don John. The second, between Claudio’s friend Benedick and Hero’s cousin Beatrice, takes center stage as the play continues, with both characters’ wit and banter providing much of the humor. Benedick and Beatrice are tricked into confessing their love for each other, and Claudio is tricked into believing that Hero is not a virgin. The play twists words to prompt exposure of the secrets and trickery that form the backbone of the play’s comedy, intrigue, and action.

This version, set in 1940s Italy, plays on the notion of the hot Italian lover and a penchant for the promiscuous — or hints thereof — with a masquerade ball and weddings galore. A sort of feel-good comedy about honor, love and sex, it also demonstrates the confusion that goes along with such concerns. Several roles are alternated between a rotating cast of leads including Aislinn Evans and Kaitlyn Mitchell as Beatrice, Artur Ignatenko and Jake Minevich as Benedick and Jordan Elizabeth Gelber and Stephanie Londoño as Hero.

In addition, the cast features Dillon John Collins (Claudio), Jacque Coqueran (Don Pedro), Gilbert Cole (Leonato), Surge (Don John), Breanna Neomi (Margaret), Matt Ugly McGlade (Borachio), Arnie Mazur (Dogberry), John Galligan (Verges), Luis Guillen (Antonio), Bettina Schwabe (Ursula), Brandon Thomas Lima (Conrade), David Manganiello (Sexton), and Cedric Allen Hills (Balthazar). The production features original music and score by Cedric Allen Hills who does a remarkable job enhancing the production with supporting sounds.

The courtship of Hero and Claudio, mostly in verse, contrasts with the prickly sparring between Benedick and Beatrice, mainly in prose. This dramatic interplay forms the backbone of the story but it’s Shakespeare’s layering of various characters and their implied back stories that make this tragic-comedy both intriguing and confounding.

Hero’s honor, though tainted by rumor, is rescued by truth, part of the story’s philosophical underpinning and rationale for this theatrical fabulation’s existence. While there’s playful flirting, sexual innuendo, and comic relief, the actors — particularly the two sets of romantic leads — makes this production worth experiencing. Ending in a double wedding that’s sometimes more silly than romantic — makes Much Ado’s conclusion ultimately about something: love.

Album Review—Paul McCartney and Wings, "One Hand Clapping" (Capitol)

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Parent Category: Film and the Arts

Category: Reviews

Published on Wednesday, 03 July 2024 19:20

Written by Kevin Filipski

When Paul McCartney released his first Archive Collection set in 2010—Band on the Run, often considered his greatest post-Beatles work (for me, it’s just behind Ram)—he included One Hand Clapping, a long-unseen 50-minute TV documentary from 1974 about Wings, including interviews and live performances at Abbey Road. The quality of the video and audio was lacking, but at least it was officially released (bootlegs had proliferated for awhile).

 

 

Fourteen years later, remixed by Steve Orchard, the music from One Hand Clapping gets a shiny new audio release—little can apparently be done for the video quality that was seen on the archive set—and McCartney fans can listen to this superbly played, often raw collection of live songs, comprising solo Paul, Wings, that other band he was in and a few vintage tunes.

 

 

The band—comprising Linda on keyboards and backing vocals, stalwart Denny Laine on guitar and vocals, Jimmy McCullough on guitar, Geoffrey Britton on drums and Paul on nearly everything else—begins with the percolating instrumental, “One Hand Clapping,” followed by boisterous run-throughs of Wings and solo classics “Jet,” “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Band on the Run,” “Live and Let Die,” “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five,” “Let Me Roll It” and “Junior’s Farm.” A hard-hitting “Hi Hi Hi” closes the performance.

In between, amid several song snippets and medleys like “The Long and Winding Road”/”Lady Madonna” and “C Moon”/Little Woman Love,” Paul—either by himself or with his crack band—takes on old favorites like “Baby Face” and “Blue Moon of Kentucky” along with two hidden gems from 1971’s much-maligned Wild Life: the title track and “Tomorrow.” On his truncated solo rendition of “Let It Be,” Paul accompanies himself on harmonium, giving it a more funereal feel. Laine gets his sole lead-vocal turn with a solid take of the early Moody Blues hit, “Go Now.”

When Paul tosses out the wittily tongue-in-cheek “I’ll Give You a Ring,” some fans might be surprised that it emerged a full eight years before it appeared as the B side of the single of “Take It Away” from Tug of War. But here it is, already fully formed, another example of Paul pulling perfect pop melodies out of thin air, then apparently sitting on them since he’s also written other memorable tunes in the meantime.

Another underappreciated classic, the taut rocker “Soily,” is best known as the incendiary encore on 1976’s Wings Over America. That Paul decided to have “Soily” climax the shows on his first world tour since leaving the Beatles shows how much faith he had in it—and his band—at the time. (Let’s forget that he hasn’t included it in his setlists since.) Although I prefer the balls-out version on Wings Over America with Paul at his screaming best, this energetic blast through it is no slouch either.

My lone quibble: If the 83-minute performance can’t fit on one CD, why not include the six additional songs from the sessions that Paul played solo versions of—’50s chestnuts “Twenty Flight Rock,” “Peggy Sue” and “I’m Gonna Love You Too” alongside the Beatles’ “Blackbird” and Paul’s “Blackpool” and “Country Dreamer”—on the CD release as well as the “special” vinyl edition? It always seems bizarre to prioritize vinyl over digital in 2024.