Recommended: “Never Stand Still” on Great Performances Friday night
An award-winning documentary on the influence and importance of Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival will broadcast on PBS Friday night. Legendary dancers and choreographers appear alongside new innovators to reveal the passion, discipline, and daring of the world of dance in Never Stand Still, directed by Ron Honsa. This documentary, filmed at the Pillow and narrated by Bill ...
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet takes on Cayetano Soto 2
You’re seated amidst a smallish audience in a theater in the middle of the country. You’re not in New York, you’re not in London. But you’re watching an advancement the art of classical ballet. It’s the premiere, this past weekend in Aspen, Colorado, of a new work by Cayetano Soto for Aspen Santa Fe Ballet ...
Fabulous: Gary Lucas to accompany Spanish “Dracula” @ Cinefamily
Jul
19
2013
The uncannily talented virtuoso guitarist Gary Lucas keeps coming up with amazing projects. The latest to arrive in Los Angeles is Gary’s guitar-plus accompaniment of “Dracula” (1931)—not the Tod Browning/Bela Lugosi blood-sucking variety, but “Dracula”‘s Spanish-language doppelganger. Unbeknownst to many film fans, a second, alternate, version of “Dracula” was filmed at Universal, by night, using ...
The temerity of Tamara, at Golden Legend Gallery 1
We recently heard from arts·meme friend, Gordon Hollis, proprietor of Golden Legend Gallery in Beverly Hills who alerted us to a unique print in a rare book he is handling. Svetlov, Valerien. Thamar Karsavina. London: Beaumont, 1922. First edition. No. 16 of 120 copies, specially signed by Karsavina, with hand-tinted illustrations, and specially bound in ...
Gomes transcends in Balanchine’s “Apollo” for ABT
Jul
12
2013
It was not just “awesome,” but indeed a privilege to watch Brazilian-born Marcelo Gomes, a great personal favorite, stretch his lovely long limbs as the Greek god, Apollo, in George Balanchine’s plotless ballet dating from 1928. In the dance the young man encounters and frolics with three muses, Calliope, the muse of poetry, Polyhymnia, the ...
Koehler on Cinema: Clips
Film writer Robert Koehler’s latest feature, “Clips,” offers tips & tidbits for the harried cinephile. Speaking of Criterion’s two-disc DVD/Blu-ray edition of “l’Avventura,” Barnes and Noble is currently offering its semi-annual 50% sale on titles in this most distinguished of video catalogues. Usually, due to the expenses incurred with restorations, research and the considerable background ...
Koehler on Cinema: L’avventura
When asked last year by Sight & Sound magazine, the venerable film journal of the British Film Institute that publishes a once-per-decade list of the best films of all time (from polls of critics, filmmakers, scholars and programmers), to contribute my own list, it was a struggle. Where to place one of the Anthony Mann/James ...
While in Moscow, California dreamin’: ABT’s Ivan Vasiliev
Jul
10
2013
We very much enjoy seeing this photo of the divine Ivan …That would be Ivan Vasiliev, heading to Los Angeles for weekend performances with American Ballet Theatre. Here’s Ivan, caught by the camera pouring CALIFORNIA wine at a recent Moscow dinner party. On his teeshirt: True Believer Los Angeles, California That is so righteous. We ...
Balanchine visits Grand Park, courtesy of Los Angeles Ballet
Perhaps it was City Hall — imposing, authoritarian, standing “at attention” behind Grand Park’s platform stage — that riveted the crowd. People were afraid that if they misbehaved, they’d get busted. Or blame it on Balanchine. A huge throng of more than 3,000 respectful onlookers serenely watched Los Angeles Ballet present a double-bill of works ...
Herb Alpert, son of Los Angeles, honored with National Medal of Arts
Jul
8
2013
On July 10, 2013, President Barack Obama will recognize Herb Alpert for lifetime contribution to the arts with one of the 12 Medal of Arts bestowed annually by the White House. Herb Alpert is a music legend, as a performing artist in both jazz and popular realms, and as an industry producer. He is an ...