The Ambivalences of ‘Don Giovanni’
Opera’s most famous libertine, who embodies freedom not only from social and political constraints but from sexuality, religion, and morality itself, has always been a disturbing figure.
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Libraries and 50 Years of Hip-Hop
Not every musical genre can pinpoint the date and location of its start, but hip hop is distinctive in that way. Hip hop was born in the Bronx on August 11, 1973 when graffiti artist and b-girl Cindy Campbell threw a back-to-school party and had her brother Clive, who performed under the name DJ Kool Herc, play music in the recreation room of an apartment building at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue. Celebrations and other events are marking the 50th anniversary, and libraries are playing a part in ways that would have been unimaginable decades ago. What was once a fringe genre slowly gained commercial dominance and cultural legitimacy. Although “rap” and “hip hop” are sometimes used interchangeably, the former refers just to the vocal style while the latter incorporates the whole culture, which also includes DJing, break dancing, and graffiti art.
Tuesday Evening Concert Series Selects New Executive Director
After a nationwide search, the Tuesday Evening Concert Series has announced a new executive director. He is David J. Baldwin, an experienced professional in artist management and music series development. He will begin work on September 5, following a move to Charlottesville from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Baldwin succeeds Karen Pellón, who retired June 30 from the post she held for 32 years.
On a High Note, French Piano Virtuoso Joins Local Players for an Evening of Jazz Excellence
John D’earth knows Charlottesville music. Since settling in town in 1981, he’s come to define the local jazz scene—and beyond—with his considerable crossover into pop genres, and reach as a music teacher. So when D’earth decides to bring a French jazz pianist stateside for a local residency, culminating with a show alongside himself and the University of Virginia Jazz Ensemble at the Paramount Theater on April 28, the ears of jazz aficionados and casual music fans alike perk up.
Current Names WTJU's Lewis Reining a “Rising Star in Public Media”
Current, the source for news about public media, announced its first cohort of early and mid-career employees to be recognized as Rising Stars in Public Media who are making a mark on their organizations and communities. “There’s so much talent in public media,” said Current Executive Director Julie Drizin. “We wanted to recognize exceptional individuals and raise their profiles on a national level.”
A Treasured Collection of Illustration & Whimsy
A great book collection doesn’t assemble itself. It requires a person with a singular focus, a discerning eye, and a bibliophile’s unwavering devotion. Josephine Lea Iselin, a retired attorney who practiced law for 35 years and was a partner in the New York law firm of Lankenau Kovner Kurtz & Outten, specialized in intellectual property, litigation, and trusts and estates. She also assembled, over the course of many years, one of the finest collections of 19th-century French and English caricature and graphic humor in private hands, and one that would be almost impossible to duplicate today.
VAFF to Continue 2023 Year-round Film Series
The Virginia Film Festival will continue its popular VAFF at Violet Crown Series this summer with a pair of highly acclaimed films including director Charlotte Regan’s inventive father-daughter comedy Scrapper and Fremont, the story of a young Afghan refugee adjusting to her new land.
Queer Behavior: Scott Burton and Performance Art by David Getsy Wins the 2023 Robert Motherwell Book Award
David J. Getsy (Eleanor Shea Professor of Art History, Department of Art) received the 2023 Robert Motherwell Book Award for outstanding publication in the history and criticism of modernism in the arts, given by the Dedalus Foundation, for his book 'Queer Behavior: Scott Burton and Performance Art.' The award carries a $10,000 prize for its author.
Multi-Emmy Award Winning Producer, Annette Banks, Visits Charlottesville’s Indie Short Film Series on July 8
The Indie Short Film Series returns to Vinegar Hill Theatre on Saturday, July 8, 7pm in the heart of Charlottesville, Virginia. This installment features 7+ short films, including the Multi-Emmy Award Winning producer and director, Annette Bank’s, FREEDOM HOUSE AMBULANCE: The First Responders. The film was produced for WQED, Pittsburgh’s PBS affiliate.
Will AI Inspire Hip-Hop Artists — Or Displace Them?
Perspective by A.D. Carson and Felicia Angeja Viator • In April, a hot new track began circulating online, first appearing on streaming services including Spotify and Apple Music and then shared widely on social media platforms. The song, “Heart on My Sleeve,” was a fresh collaboration between pop royalty — rapper Drake and singer the Weeknd — with beats by esteemed producer Metro Boomin. Or so it seemed.
Virginia Theatre Festival Announces Full Cast and Creative Team for Season-opening Production of Cabaret
The Virginia Theatre Festival has announced the full cast and creative team for its season-opening production of Cabaret. Set to open on July 7 in Culbreth Theatre at the University of Virginia, 'Cabaret' will be directed and choreographed by Matthew Steffens, who returns to VTF and to his alma mater fresh from the Broadway and touring smash hit revival of 'Into the Woods'. The award-winning musical features a book by Joe Masteroff, music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and is based on the play by John Van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood.
Flying the Flag Darkly: Staff and Students Use Art To Ask Gun Violence Questions
The melancholy painting “Dark Flag,” rendered in tones of black and dark gray, is a richly textured American flag and a meditation on the tragedy of gun violence in America.