The late work of Louise Bourgeois is on view at the Gropius Bau in Berlin. The overwhelming space, high ceilings, light curators will let it in, never makes Bourgeois seem small. Perhaps a point. 

Mid-Twelfth Century England was a period of turmoil.  The triggering event leading to the instability was the infamous White Ship Disaster of 1120, in which a large number of nobles perished when the boat, carrying 300 passengers, sank after hitting a reef in the English Channel.  Included in that number was Adelin, the only legitimate son of King Henry I of England.  Thus, when the king died in 1135, the battle for his throne, the so-called Anarchy, began.

Guys & Dolls is one of the classics (and I’d say masterpieces) of the Broadway musical. Words and lyrics by Frank Loesser and roster of songs that have become standards. But it isn’t an easy show to put on. I’ve seen at least one poor production on Broadway. That this rather small theater in a relatively remote area has produced such a fine show it is a reason for applause

We happened to be in Dublin for Halloween. In the library of Trinity College there was a special exhibition in honor of Bram Stoker the author of Dracula. The story of the vampire is so familiar that there are no surprises in the hilarious and outrageous production by Berkshire Theatre Group at its Colonial Theatre in Pittsfield. It was a great evening of summer fun.

Phantom by F. W Murnau was presented at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Germany. This version of the film was accompanied by an original score by Wolfgang Mitterer. 

Secondo is a sequel to playwright Jacques Lamarre’s adaptation of the book I Loved, I Laughed, I Made Spaghetti by Giulia Melucci. In the original book, Melucci told of her many romantic adventures with disastrously wrong men for whom she often cooked Italian food or for herself after a breakup.

"One in Two" is an absurdist comedy-drama about an HIV-positive person. A touching and funny production runs through Sept. 4 at Island City Stage in Wilton Manors, near Ft. Lauderdale.

As the title character, Isabel Leonard's voice is well suited - a warm, throaty, and resonant melodiousness. She excels in all of Carmen's famous arias like the Habañera “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle” (Love is a rebellious bird) and the equally memorable Seguidilla “Près des ramparts de Sévilla” (Near the walls of Seville). 

The invariable element of this opera is its formidable music.  Premiered in 1865, Wagner's heroic love story presented difficulty in orchestration and near insurmountable vocal challenges.  The composer led the musical world to the brink of atonalism with uncommon chord structures and harmonies never heard before, that were largely unappreciated at the time.

Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony have developed a specialty: revealing the texture of sound. In a concert at  Elbphilharmonie, an event in the orchestra’s 75th year of touring, they displayed daring and diverse sounds not often heard. The Maestro and the musicians find buried clues to the balanced mix of rhythms, dynamics in detailed performance directions.

Hershey Felder currently plays “Chopin in Paris.”  The great 19th century Romantic composer and pianist may hold special significance to the current imitator, as the living one is also of Polish extraction, though via Canada.  The presentation holds to Felder’s usual high standards and wins praise from audiences.

The 34th edition of the International Dance Festival in Berlin has drawn to a close. From August 5th-27th, 2022, Hebbel am Ufer (HAU) showcased in 10 locations throughout Berlin and with 21 productions what is good, new, and exciting in contemporary dance worldwide.

Duplin’s Grape Stomp returns after a two-year hiatus -- bigger than ever! A jamming concert, plenty of wine from the world’s largest muscadine winery and a chance to taste the family-owned winery’s new, top-secret Christmas wine are just some of the reasons to attend.  

Celia Smith and her sister-in-law Charity Smith had been sending letters to the Arnold Print Works requesting a meeting for their New Idea – Printed Cloth Dolls.  They never received a reply, so with a Sample Doll in hand, they made the trip to North Adams in 1890, but were turned away at the door. Initially the dolls were hand made with cloth scraps. They caught on and sold well. Arnold Print Works agreed to Buy the Partners’ Patented Designs. Royalties were10 Cents per Printed Fabric Yard.  In the 1892 Holiday Season, 200,000 Doll Sheets were Sold.

Charles Giuliano's sister Pip's youthful travels in Asia bring back memories of France in the 70's and my interface with Weltschmer

The group comprised 16 artists of whom nine were men and seven women. They were Magdeleine Arbour, Marcel Barbeau, Paul-Émile Borduas, Bruno Cormier, Marcelle Ferron, Claude Gauvreau, Pierre Gauvreau, Muriel Guilbault, Fernand Leduc, Françoise Lespérance-Riopelle, Jean-Paul Mousseau, Maurice Perron, Louise Renaud, Thérèse Renaud, Jean Paul Riopelle, and Françoise Sullivan.

Co-Directors Jeffrey Mousseau and Paul Ricciardi are proud to announce the 2022 fall season at the Ancram Opera House in Ancram, NY. “We are excited to welcome audiences back to the Opera House for our fall season which includes a highly anticipated revival of Emily Mann’s Obie Award-winning documentary play, Still Life,” says Paul Ricciardi; with Jeffrey Mousseau adding, “the project extends an examination of war and its impact on all of us which we initiated last season with our acclaimed production of An Iliad.”

Some observers of Jonathan Spector’s brilliant new play on cognitive illusion will unconsciously tap into the allegory of the persistence of Trumpism. Kudos to Director Josh Costello for the masterful orchestration of the many moving parts of this complex production.  It is remarkable that a world premiere night could go off so smoothly with such a multitude of ways it could go wrong. 

The appeal of the show draws on the naughty titillation of the fin de siècle cabarets that emerged in the steamy Montmartre district of Paris, where the working set, bohemians, and the demi-monde (the upper class who go slumming), sat side-by-side.  The Moulin Rouge marked the spiritual epicenter, where the can-can was originated and danced by courtesans. 

Death of Classical keeps classical music alive in unusual and inviting locations and attracts the curious who often are unfamiliar with this form of music. Collaborating with the Green-Wood Cemetery in the Angel’s Share series, the audience walked through the beautiful Brooklyn graveyard to its Catacombs for a mesmerizing presentation of songs by a twelfth century composer, herbalist and politician, Hildegard Von Bingen.

Renowned playwright Ronnie Larsen's latest play, The Actors, is wholesome enough for most ages. Many people know Larsen for his gay-themed, risque pieces. A fine production of The Actors is playing through Oct. 2 in an intimate theater in Southeast Florida, near Ft. Lauderdale.

The Ancram Opera House, in collaboration with Playhouse Creatures Theatre Company, presents STILL LIFE,  by internationally renowned playwright, director and producer Emily Mann, and directed by Mann’s good friend and protegee, Jade King Carroll. The play is a searing and revealing documentary play about the immediate aftermath of the Vietnam conflict on a former marine, his wife, and mistress.

The Gorki Theater in Berlin, the most socially engaged stage in Berlin, has opened its season with 'Mother Tongue,' a work by the Argentinian playwright Lola Arias. 

The fall theater scene in Connecticut is starting. It will include everything from hard-hitting comedy/drama such as Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? to Tony-winning musicals – 42nd Street, Fun Home and Sunset Blvd and everything in between. In fact, two shows – the Great Gatsby and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? are getting two productions each.

Jasper, a new play by Grant MacDermott, playwright in residence at Yonder Window Theatre Company, pack a deep punch. Giving birth to a child who is damaged is a blow to parents, who seldom have the skills to deal with cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy and autism. In Jasper, MacDermott  choses not to name the disease. He does not present us with their child.