Culture

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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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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OKC: Get your GLOW on at Scissortail Park this weekend

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Compiled by Glenda Rice Collins — Updated April 7, 2022

Community Celebration at Scissortail Park to feature lighted hot air balloons and drones!

Scissortail Springtime in the Park at Dusk: Photo by Glenda Rice Collins.

Oklahoma City, Okla. USA–In conjunction with the currently engaging GLOW interactive, lighted exhibition (continuing through April 10) Allied Arts and Inasmuch Foundation will present a community celebration on Friday, April 8, 7 – 11 p.m. at Scissortail Park, –featuring: a hot air balloon night glow, a synchronized drone light show, glow-in-the-dark art from local makers, live performances, music, food trucks and more. The event is free and open to all ages.

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Ballet: Where Have all the Tutus Gone?

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By Glenda Rice Collins

Oklahoma City, Okla., USA – Oklahoma City Ballet’s recent Future Voices choreographic showcase world premieres responded to familiar pop music history, as well as the classics, for inspiration.

The short, dramatic works were inspired by such themes as: sudden death, Analog Form, and jukebox memories, all in contemporary mode, up-close and personal in the same studio where they rehearse – the Inasmuch Foundation Theater at their home base. –Has spare costuming created a ‘tutu dilemma?’ 

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OU theatre scene illuminates a “Mad Forest”

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By Glenda Rice Collins

Norman, Okla.–Written by Caryl Churchill, Mad Forest is a gripping account of the Romanian Revolution of 1989 as told by the young and the old, the wealthy and the working class, and by humans, animals and spirits in a mesmerizing play that illuminates the complexities of human nature during troubled times. We do indeed live in a mad, mad world, it seems, as the story unfolds with some intense surreal accounts, both subtle and overt.

Inspired performances continue tonight at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. in the A. Max Weitzenhoffer Theatre of the University of Oklahoma.

Live Stream is available for select performances at a single view price of $10.

Visit theatre.ou.edu for more information.

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Ansel Adams in Our Time: New Views Reflected Politically

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Iconic images illuminate current social issues through a contemporary lens.

By Glenda Rice Collins

Bentonville, Ark., USA — With memorable images of vast American landscapes now threatened with climate change and exploitation, Ansel Adams in Our Time continues at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, through January 3, 2021. The changing landscapes are now reflected among works by his notable peers, past and present.

“All Art is Political” –Hank Willis Thomas

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