No rest for the wicked, the weary, the musical, the theatrical, the sleepy, the curious or for a Buckeye.
August might be quiet for the local arts scene...Quiet compared to the riches enjoyed by this city in symphony, theater, opera, ballet and chamber music 10 months out of the year. I suspect while many of us are napping during the dog days, most of our arts partners are rehearsing.
ProMusica Chamber Orchestra: Picnic with the Pops may be winding down after another stellar
summer at the Columbus Commons, but ProMusica is beginning a third season of free outdoor concerts at the Franklin Park Conservatory.
Hunkmeister conductor David Danzmayr leads the region's most acclaimed chamber orchestra. I tend to agree its worth the price of admission just to look at the fella. Summer bonus: our own Boyce Lancaster usually on hand as your concert host.
BYOB. August 6th, 8th and 9th at Franklin Park
Actor's Theatre The company's first season following the untimely death of founder director John Kuhn. Actor's Theatre goes from success to successes in free performances at Schiller Park, the usual excellence no doubt inspired by John's memory. Still time to see Moliere's The Miser August 6-August 26. The Company moves to Columbus Commons in September for the annual hoot All the Great Books Abridged, September 11-20, Fridays through Sundays.
The Ohio State Fair doesn't need my help ...
Opera Columbus and Ballet Met are rehearsing a fantastic collaboration for performances in the Southern Theater . Fan-tastic as in fantasy. You know the old line, "It's a pageant!" Rameau's 18th century opera-ballet Armide is a fantastic pageant. A sorceress enchants her countless lovers, written to music intended to please Louis XIV at Versailles. At least King Louis better have been pleased, since he was baroque era France's answer to General Patton meets Woody Hayes. Louis wore gaudier clothes, and his court was all about excess. Armide brings together a sexy fair tale, two great local companies, song and music you can dance to. This collaboration between Edwaard Liang and Opera Columbus's diva-directress Peggy Kriha Dye will rivet fannies to seats unless you want to get up and join in the dance. September 17, 18, 20
Columbus Symphony prepares for the 2015-2016 season, the first planned by Music Director Rossen Milanov. He isn't kidding around. Carl Orff's Carmina Burana gets it off to a roaring start. A 20th century take on medieval love lyrics, modern translations of which could not be printed in a newspaper or spoken on air. Brush up on your Provencal and Latin.. Better yet, let this grab you:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdIpoE2LEps
That's not Rossen and our band, but they too are well worth the price of admission. And remember Carmina Burana is only the first of a year's worth of programs! October 2, 3 Ohio Theater
By the way, if anyone deserves to be a butter sculpture at the Fair, it's Rossen Milanov. I'm just sayin'.
