Author: Glenda Rice Collins

Philbrook REVIEW: Blooms Beckon while Surprises Intervene

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From Art in Bloom to The Leap into The Sun & a Nick Cage Soundsuit the Unexpected Awaits

By Glenda Rice Collins (Updated April 14, 2024)

Tulsa, Okla., USA — Last Weekend’s Art in Bloom at Philbrook Museum of Art served as the appetizer to a feast of an ever-inspiring array of eye candy and surprises as visitors stroll through the stately old mansion and reserve time for the resplendent formal gardens outdoors. The recent extravaganza of indoor blooms served to whet the appetite for current events NOW!

TODAY: ¡Descubra!: Celebrating Cultural Identities

Sunday, April 14
1:00pm – 5:00pm—FREE!*
*Capacity is limited. Advance tickets are highly recommended. View Events Details at: https://philbrook.org/calendar/descubra-celebrating-cultural-identities-2024-04-14/ Today celebrates the ongoing special exhibition Collidoscope: de la Torre Brothers Retro-Perspective Continuing through April 25

Collidoscope: de la Torre Brothers Retro-Perspective—a title that plays with the words “kaleidoscope” and “retrospective”—features dozens of colorful multi-media blown-glass objects and elaborately framed lenticular prints that span the spectacular, genre-defying careers of artists and brothers Einar and Jamex de la Torre. Born in Guadalajara, Mexico (1963 and 1960, respectively), Einar and Jamex de la Torre have for decades lived, worked, and collaborated on both sides of the San Diego/Tijuana border. 

Surprises Intervene!

As I ventured into Philbrook last Sunday to catch a view of the temporary creative display of blossoms indoors, I was stopped in my ever-rushing footsteps to ponder some surprising and unexpected visual delights as I entered the first familiar gallery located on the indoor blooms-exhibit pathway.

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On Collaboration: Preston Singletary ‘in his own words’ at Oklahoma City Museum of Art

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Raven and the Box of Daylight continues through April 28, 2024

By Glenda Rice Collins

Oklahoma City, OK, USA — At a recent Oklahoma City Museum of Art news media preview, multi-media artist, diligent glass designer and evocative contemporary musician Preston Singletary responded to my questions by giving enthusiastic credit to the importance and power of COLLABORATION! (Videos follow).– His dazzling Raven and the Box of Daylight immersive exhibition opened here November 11.

The same day, Singletary was featured during the innovative Native Sound Summit at the First Americans Museum and in a public, evening discussion with Dr. Miranda Belarde-Lewis during the intermission of his 10-piece band’s, Khu.éex’ Performance presentation.

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Review: “Diego Rivera’s America” enriched by recent SoNA concert at Crystal Bridges museum

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By Glenda Rice Collins

Bentonville, Ark., USA — Masterfully curated by award-winning Mexican conductor and educator Felipe Tristán to evoke themes from Diego Rivera’s “quintessential nationalist style,” the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA), under the baton of SoNA music director Paul Haas, presented the recent, impressive concert collaborative, I Paint What I See, featuring diverse music by six distinguished Mexican composers who represent a contrasting variety of significant styles and evolving themes found in Mexican classical music. Bravo!

The June 30 evening concert took place in the scenic Great Hall of the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, where the Diego Rivera’s America exhibition continues through July 31, 2023.

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REVIEW: Contemporary Dance Oklahoma brings music to life in ‘electric’ Carmina Burana; Norman Phil & OMTA Up Next

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By Glenda Rice Collins

Norman, Okla., USA — Powered by  a 160-voice chorus, 40 exuberant members of Contemporary Dance Oklahoma, a chamber orchestra with two concert grand pianos, and University of Oklahoma School of Music distinguished faculty soloists:
Lori Ernest, soprano, Joel Burcham, tenor and Leslie Flanagan, bass-baritone, Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana spectacular soared to new heights with extraordinary synergy at the Paul F. Sharp Concert Hall at OU’s Catlett Music Center April 28. Bravo!!!

UP NEXT, June 1, the Norman Philharmonic presents a concert of “sublime music” by Beethoven and Mozart, in conjunction with the Oklahoma Music Teachers Association (OMTA) State Conference, June 2 – 3, 2023: “Music for Life,” at Catlett Music Center in the OU Arts District. Pre-registration deadline is May 24. Details follow later in this Review.

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Adjmi’s Marie Antoinette Dazzles at OU with Contemporary Flair

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By Glenda Rice Collins

Norman, Okla., USA — Portraying the iconic royal who was “…not raised, but built to be this thing,” Elyssa Armenta mesmerizes with details of Marie’s teenage marriage into the realms of whimsical 1770’s-1790’s French customs and expectations, in David Adjmi’s contemporary spin on history, as his Marie Antoinette continues this weekend at the University of Oklahoma. Evan Wolfe uniquely captures the essence of the somewhat befuddled, and sexually reluctant Louis XVI, as final OU University Theatre performances evolve April 27 – 29 at 8 p.m. and April 30 at 3 p.m. in the Weitzenhoffer Theatre, 563 Elm Ave. in the OU Arts District.

At-home viewing will be available with video-on-demand. To learn more and to purchase tickets please visit www.ou.edu/finearts/universitytheatre. 

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On Scene at OU: Oklahoma Festival Ballet, from early Balanchine to Yanowsky’s ‘Train of Thought,’ a tribute to Hope — Stellar musicians and vocals featured on program

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By Glenda Rice Collins

Norman, Okla., USA — A uniquely fulfilling opportunity to compare the early works of both New York City Ballet choreographic icons George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins continues on stage at the Donald W. Reynolds Performing Arts Center this weekend at the University of Oklahoma, with final Oklahoma Festival Ballet performances at 8 P.M. April 7, and 3 p.m., Saturday, April 8. Performances will be held in the Elsie C. Brackett Theatre, 563 Elm Ave., on the OU Norman campus.

This production, like a breath of springtime, is suitable for all audiences.

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Bountiful Ballet Footnotes Unmasked, Part 1: Tulsa Ballet Revives ‘Tchaikovsky: The Man Behind the Music’ this weekend

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By Glenda Rice Collins

Tulsa, Okla., USA – Just three years ago, in March 2020, as the COVID 19 pandemic lockdown went into full effect, Tulsa Ballet employees geared up to make and widely share much-needed health-protective (and scarce) masks made from humanitarian efforts in their costume department.

Now, following recently dazzling 2022-23 season world premieres of unmasked, seductive Carmen and elaborately-staged Cinderella productions, Tulsa Ballet artistic director Marcello Angelini brings us Ma Cong‘s poignant and beautiful masterpiece, Tchaikovsky, the Man Behind the Music, March 23-26 at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center.

Cong’s brilliant-tribute ballet made its World Premiere just four years ago on March 29, 2019 here. the performance then called “…simply, a triumph,” by the Tulsa World, just a year before the pandemic lockdown. Creative genius now prevails once again!

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The Frida Effect: Final Days at Philbrook for Kahlo-Rivera Mexican Modernism exhibits

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*Community Dialogue Opportunity Scheduled for September 10:

How Frida Taught us to Paint Our Realities — Details follow.

By Glenda Rice Collins (Updated September 2, 2022)

Tulsa, Okla., USA — Last call: FRIDA KAHLO, DIEGO RIVERA, AND MEXICAN MODERNISM continues through September 11, 2022 at Philbrook Museum of Art, featuring: exemplary originals of iconic Frida’s paintings, videos of her beloved Casa Azul residence, and garden (as shown in banner image above), examples of her authentic, heritage-inspired attire, wall-sized reproductions of Rivera’s famed murals, and the couple’s unique Mexican garden-inspired influences visible throughout Philbrook’s vast gardens this summer.

The Philbrook gardens currently bloom with Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera-inspired plantings, and quotes. Photo by Glenda Rice Collins.

Born into a privileged Mexican lifestyle, the well-educated Frida Kahlo studied to be a doctor, but suffered severe injuries and life-long pain from a traffic accident in her youth, becoming broken, at times bedridden, and yet determined to express herself through her groundbreaking paintings, activism and political involvements. (See also: https://glendaricecollins.com/2019/10/11/the-art-of-recovery-part-ii-inspiration-from-frida-kahlos-garden-path/).

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VIP’s add Drama to Tulsa Opera Red Carpet Salome Debut

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By Glenda Rice Collins

Tulsa, Okla., USA – A “sold-out” special gathering of Tulsa Opera VIP’s became part of the dazzling staged drama last night at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center, as Richard Strauss’s Salome was celebrated on the Chapman Music Hall stage, as never before! 

For director, set and costume designer Thaddeus Strassberger, this event marked both a debut, and a grand triumph, as sets, characters, musicians and special effects heralded outstanding visionary creativity with an immersive audience experience extraordinaire. Bravo!

Salome, starring Julia Mintzer in her Tulsa Opera debut,  continues with a Sunday matinee, May 1 at 2:30 p.m., with impressive lobby festivities beginning at 1:50 p.m.

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OKC Lyric Theatre Homecoming Performances Continue with ‘Head Over Heels’ Hijinks

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By Glenda Rice Collins

Oklahoma City, Okla., USA — From a high-profile, expanded American Indian-themed outdoor Distant Thunder world premiere to a current COVID pandemic-delayed homecoming return to the indoor Plaza Theater, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma continues to celebrate dramatic diversity with the ongoing Head Over Heels musical production, continuing through April 30, 2022.

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