Travel

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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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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Oklahoma City Ballet, at 50, spins ‘Future Voices’ this week at Inasmuch Theatre

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By Glenda Rice Collins

Oklahoma City, Okla., USA — Oklahoma City Ballet’s upcoming Future Voices public performances, March 17-20, 2022, will showcase inspired new work from talented young choreographers, “up close” in the 190-seat Inasmuch Foundation Theater at the Susan E. Brackett Dance Center, the company’s architecturally-noteworthy Classen Blvd. headquarters.

The showcased new works provide a transitional program in which to reflect on recent contemporary ballet premieres, current company progress, and preparations to contrast and celebrate a few iconic classics soon across Oklahoma this spring. —A Unique Opportunity for Choreographic Study continues! Continue reading →