Jerry’s kids, and grandkids, revel in ‘Jerome Robbins’ Broadway’
“Jerome Robbins’ Broadway 30th Anniversary Celebration,” a lovingly assembled, heartfelt 90-minute program presented in the Guggenheim Museum’s “Works & Process” series, was several events bundled into one. It was a loving coda to the Jerome Robbins Centennial; an enthusiastic alumni reunion; and a celebration of a landmark Broadway production exactly 30 years after its opening ...
Charles White, at our city’s artistic center LACMA
Charles White in his Los Angeles studio, 1970 photo: Robert A. Nakamura The Pacific Standard Time art extravaganza that blanketed Southern California in 2011 brought much-needed, new focus to the art currents that circulated in post-World War II Los Angeles. Those surveys, as fine as they were (there were some glorious shows), implored further explorations. ...
Albert Finney, a renegade who influenced a generation of actors 1
Feb
20
2019
Albert Finney, Night Must Fall (1964) Our very good friend of arts·meme, Mike Kaplan, sends a heartfelt tribute to the great English actor who passed away on February 7, 2019. Writes Mike, Albert Finney (1936-2019) was a giant talent. His vibrant, unpredictable, mischievous, challenging presence was as seismic a change for a generation of actors ...
Pre-performance panel discussion with Martha Graham creatives led by arts·meme’s Debra Levine
Feb
18
2019
· birthday wish from martha graham dance company Yes, arts·meme got a special tenth birthday card last year from the Martha Graham Dance Company. Many women in dance reserve a special place in their heart for Martha Graham. Typical for dancers of my generation, my first modern-dance class was in the Graham technique. (It was ...
REVIEW: Simmering with Ate9 dance company at The Wallis
“Let it simmer.” With those words, the music savant Michael Jackson directed his band in This Is It, a documentary capturing his final, unrealized rock concert. MJ’s instrux came to my mind while watching the dance splendor choreographer Danielle Agami unveiled at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts this weekend. The Israeli-born Los ...
Weather report: It’s raining female artists in Los Angeles
Feb
15
2019
Nadezhda Tolokonnikova in live performance with PussyRiot at The Broad Stage, photo by Ben Gibbs We’ve had some crazy tumultuous storms lately in Los Angeles, a weather pattern augured to continue as women are seizing the stages of the city’s performing arts centers. For a mighty wind of female fabulousness — and fury — has ...
Forgive me, Annie Leibovitz 2
Feb
13
2019
annie leibovitz, hauser & wirth los angeles, feb 13 2019 Annie, hello. I’m a writer. I’m not a good photographer. I would be … but my hands shake slightly. It ruins the picture. Nonetheless, this morning when you led a press tour through your new show at Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles, I simply had ...
Baritone Rod Gilfry, soon soloist in David Lang ‘the loser’
gilfry as ‘the narrator‘ in david lang’s ‘the loser’ soon at l.a. opera Ed. note: An interview with L.A. Opera guest singer Rod Gilfrey by Gary Murphy first published in the “Bravo” newsletter of the Opera League of Los Angeles.♣ ♣ ♣ ♣ After reprising his role as Mr. Potter in Jake Heggie’s opera adaptation ...
She imagined, she designed and she built: Julia Morgan 2
Feb
12
2019
Cali’s renowned female architect and her mansion by the sea for Marion Davies All she did was to conceptualize, design and build Hearst Castle in San Simeon, as the West Coast corollary of Versailles. It wasn’t much. It took no time at all — 28 years. There on a high cliff overlooking the Pacific, in ...
Laurie Sefton’s tasty dance offerings for Clairobscur
“Concert Walls” (2018) choreography by Laurie Sefton This evocative dance photo speaks to me, for, like many fellow Americans, I have walls on my mind. How I wish I didn’t. The image is of Concert Walls, a work from the attractive, diverse repertory of Clairobscur Dance Company, whose resident choreographer Laurie Sefton states with certitude, ...