Events

‘SoNA Beyond’ Concerts continue following ‘Exquisite Transformations’ at Crystal Bridges museum; Siloam Springs venue next!

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By Glenda Rice Collins — Updated July 21, 2024.

Upcoming event July 23: A free SoNA Beyond Carnival of the Animals concert in Siloam Springs, Ark.

Bentonville, Ark. —  Themes of Creativity, Beauty in Nature, Music, Dance & Diversity mingle as record-breaking crowds of mesmerized attendees continue to experience the ongoing “Exquisite Creatures” exhibition at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, through July 29. The related transformative powers of music were masterfully expressed during the recent Symphony of Northwest Arkansas (SoNA) —SoNA Beyond “Exquisite Transformations” concert in the museum’s Great Hall.

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STARSTRUCK at OKCMOA: ‘Edith Head: Hollywood’s Costume Designer’ exhibition continues with Gossip Tours & Films

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Related events: Gossip Tours scheduled for July 20 & September 14. New showtime added for July 20 “Vertigo” film feature.

By Glenda Rice Collins

Oklahoma City, Okla., USA — Highlighting Edith Head’s rule over Paramount and Universal Studios’ costume departments for decades, the much-anticipated exhibition “Edith Head: Hollywood’s Costume Designer” at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art provides a unique venue for revisiting many memorable movie moments from the past through often elaborate costume designs, videos, gossip tours and a featured films series. Organized by OKCMOA and presented by The Ann Lacy Foundation, this unique exhibition will not travel beyond Oklahoma City.

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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: 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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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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Art in Bloom blossoms this weekend at Oklahoma City Museum of Art

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Annual Festival of Flowers — On view for one weekend only, April 8 – 10!

Compiled by Glenda Rice Collins

Oklahoma City, Okla., USA —Art in Bloom 2022 features 13 fresh floral sculptures – each one an interpretation of a work of art on view at the museum. These living sculptures are being created by 13 local florists for the short-term exhibition, opening tomorrow.

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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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