Welcome to Delaware Today’s arts blog, the spot to dish on the many cultural opportunities available to Delaware audiences. We’ll cover as many genres as possible, and note cool events offered by organizations large and small, in all three counties.
Get ready. Lots of musical and theatrical performances in the weeks ahead. And October is National Arts and Humanities Month. Stay tuned.
Carmen is Lookin’ Good
“Carmen, New Work,” slated for October 10 at The Grand Opera House, is the First State Ballet Theatre’s opener. From what I’m hearing, the performance should be spectacular. Artistic director Pasha Kambalov is restaging Alberto Alonso’s “Carmen” choreography, and Kambalov is known for surprising and innovative elements. According to spokesman Robert Grenfell, “the arrangement of Bizet’s opera score we’re using by 20th century Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin is, if anything, more thrilling than Bizet’s original.” And that’s pretty thrilling.
The professional company will be wearing new, handmade costumes from Russia. “If there were ever a ‘first’ ballet for a non-ballet goer to attend, this is it,” Grenfell says.
The second half of the show will be, “Nonsense in the Sense of Innocence,” by internationally acclaimed choreographer, Viktor Plotnikov. It should be witty and elegant, and the work in five movements is set to music by Beethoven, Chopin, Johann Strauss and Vivaldi. Plotnikov, by the way, has won best choreographer honors in the past five major international ballet competitions.
Contact info: firststateballet.com or 658-7897
Page 2: Artistic Abilities
Artistic Abilities
There’s some special artwork by some special people on display at Wilmington’s Blue Ball Barn on October 8. And it’s for sale.
The Elwyn Art Exhibition features 90 works by 58 artists with cognitive, physical or mental disabilities. Proceeds from the sale will go, in part, to those artists, and also to the programs that help sustain their creative expression. If all goes well at the barn, organizers hope to hold the event at the Delaware Art Museum next year.
The featured works will boast a contemporary feel, and the artists range in age and ability. But the pieces are colorful, vibrant and soulful. Some artists have greatly benefited from art therapy classes at Elwyn Delaware’s Senior Reflections. And for those artists who are nonverbal, art offers them a chance to express themselves. I think you’ll find the work to be quite good.
First Lady Carla Markell is scheduled to attend the event, which includes a silent auction. Wine is courtesy of Moore Brothers Wine Company. The great eats will be by Montrachet Fine Foods.
Contact info: 562-2133, or elwyn.org/DelawareArtShow.html
Page 3: WHYY Not!
WHYY Not!
Wanna’ hear some great music without hitting the bars? Grab your remote.
WHYY is launching a new season of “On Canvas,” a performing arts series with four episodes starting Wednesday, October 7, at 8 p.m. The show won a regional Emmy Award last season.
The first episode features Melody Gardot, a blues and jazz singer-songwriter. Buckwheat Zydeco hits the stage October 14. Subsequent episodes showcase Shemekia Copeland and Rufus Wainwright.
Contact info: whyy.org, or 888-1200
