THE NOSE
THE NOSE is making its long-awaited Met debut this month, directed by William Kentridge and conducted by Valery Gergiev
The Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center
Between West 62nd & 65th Sts. and Columbus & Amsterdam Aves.
March 18 & 25, $15 standing room - $375
212-362-6000
www.metoperafamily.org
Prior to the March 11 performance of THE NOSE at the Metropolitan Opera House, artist and mensch William Kentridge could be seen in the Met lobby greeting friends and fans as everyone awaited the second night of his production of THE NOSE, which had made its highly anticipated Met debut on March 5. Kentridge brings that same mensch spirit to his absurdist version of Dmitri Shostakovich’s absurdist opera, based on Nikolai Gogol’s absurdist short story about a young man who wakes up one day to discover that his nose has disappeared. The story, which deals with political hierarchy, social division, and the perils of bureaucracy, is set in 1830s St. Petersburg, but it also relates to Kentridge’s native South Africa under apartheid. Kentridge’s multimedia production features black-and-white animation, lofty sets that suddenly appear well off the ground or are dragged around by characters, and a Russian constructivist collage that serves as a backdrop for much of the action.
Kentridge, who designed the stunning sets with Sabine Theunissen, infuses the opera with the same playful humor evident in Shostakovich’s controversial score, which ranges from classical to folk to polka and includes a three-minute percussion intermezzo, all under the inventive baton of Valery Gergiev. Paulo Szot, who won a Tony for his role as Emile De Becque in Lincoln Center’s production of SOUTH PACIFIC, plays the noseless Kovalyov, but it is often difficult to hear his too-soft delivery. The cast of more than seventy also includes Andrei Popov as the police inspector, Vladimir Ognovenko as barber Ivan Yakolevich, and Gordon Gietz as the Nose. The English subtitles are projected onto the bottom of the set, sometimes hard to read or blocked by the performers, although they are also occasionally blasted onto the backdrop collage in unusual ways. THE NOSE is an unconventional opera, with unconventional sets, an unconventional score, and an unconventional length, clocking in at a mere 104 minutes, and it is playing to an unconventional audience of regular opera aficionados as well as fans of Kentridge, whose work is being celebrated all over the city this month, with a retrospective at MoMA, a drawing show at Dieu Donné, screenings with live music at the World Financial Center, and other special events and appearances. Be sure to stop by Gallery Met before the show to see “Ad Hoc,” a small display of Kentridge’s preparatory sketches, notes, costume cutouts, and a three-dimensional sculpture of Shostakovich.
TIBET IN NEW YORK
SECRET LIVES OF THE DALAI LAMA by Alexander Norman (Doubleday Religion, February 2010, $15)
www.broadway-books.crownpublishing.com
Those Brits do tell a ripping yarn! And what better subject than Tibet, the nation once mythologized as Shangri-La? Alexander Norman is a British scholar and writer at Oxford; the Dalai Lama is a world-renowned Nobel Peace Prize–winning, sometimes controversial Tibetan spiritual leader. And a temporal leader. And a monk. And . . . Well, what, exactly? Westerners are often awed by Tenzin Gyatso, the current incarnation of Chenrezig, the bodhisattva of compassion, and frequently mistake him for something like the Pope of Buddhism, or at least of Tibetan Buddhists. Not so, not so at all, and Norman explains the how and why in SECRET LIVES OF THE DALAI LAMA. Norman’s excellent book looks at the whole span of Tibetan history and culture through the prism of the Dalai Lama. Trying to explain exactly who and what the Dalai Lamas (all fourteen of them) are and have been to the Tibetan people and the world creates a tome that does not shy away from troubling aspects of the society and its history while still conveying the magic and wisdom of Tibetan culture. (In fact, the current Dalai Lama even contributes the foreword.)
The book sparkles with insightful flashes of history, art, monastic life, magic and folklore, politics, military history, foreign affairs—the Tibetan world as a whole, warts, jewels, and all. Face it: Any book that starts with a politically motivated murder in the Dalai Lama's compound in 1997 and proceeds to a discussion of both the doctrine of dependent origination (emptiness, or shunyata) and the living embodiment of compassion could be either dry or sensationalist. But not this one; Norman is too expert a storyteller and so devoted to the tale that one can’t help but be swept along—surprised, touched, exhilarated, and, finally, awed.
Norman was supposed to come to New York City for several talks and book signings, but those events were unexpectedly canceled. But that doesn't mean there's not a whole bunch of other things to do in relation to Tibet and its spiritual leader. The Dalai Lama himself will be teaching May 20-23 at Radio City Music Hall, discussing Nagarjuna’s Commentary on Bodhicitta and Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life (tickets on sale now, $100-$360) and also giving a public lecture on “Awakening the Heart of Selflessness” (tickets on sale March 18, $25-$40). From March 14 to 20, the Maysles Institute’s Tibet in Harlem 2: Origins series features screenings of Sherwood Hu’s PRINCE OF THE HIMALAYAS (March 14, followed by the opening-night reception), Duan Jinchuan’s 16 BARKOR SOUTH STREET (March 15), Dorje Tsering Chenaktsang’s TANTRIC YOGI and ANI LHACHAM (March 16), Padma Tseten’s THE SILENT HOLY STONES (March 17, followed by a Q&A with the director), Sonam’s MILAREPA (March 18), Tseten’s THE GRASSLAND and Rigdan Gyatso’s THE GIRL LHARI (March 19, followed by a panel discussion and reception with Tseten and Gyatso), and Tseten’s THE SEARCH (March 20, followed by a Q&A with Tseten and the closing-night reception). The Maysles Institute will also host a short film showcase on March 22 featuring works by Tibetan filmmakers from around the world, with a number of the directors and actors present for a postscreening Q&A.
Evan Brenner will perform one-man show THE BUDDHA PLAY at Village Zendo on March 19
On March 19 at Village Zendo, you can catch a special one-night-only performance of Evan Brenner's one-man show, THE BUDDHA PLAY—THE LIFE OF BUDDHA, which uses original texts to examine the “Triumph & Tragedy in the Life of the Great Sage.” At Tibet House, “Modern Buddhist Visions: Paintings by Pema Namdol Thaye” continues through April 16, comprising mandalas, tangkas, sculptures, and 3-D artworks. And at the Rubin Museum,“Bardo: The Tibetan Art of the Afterlife” runs through September 6, along with other exhibitions and special programs.
WILLIAM KENTRIDGE & THE NOSE
The Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center
Between West 62nd & 65th Sts. and Columbus & Amsterdam Aves.
March 5-25, $15 standing room - $375
212-362-6000
www.metoperafamily.org
In spring 2007, William Kentridge’s magical production of Mozart’s THE MAGIC FLUTE dazzled audiences at BAM. Now, as part of numerous events across the city celebrating the multifaceted career of the South African artist, his highly anticipated adaptation of Shostakovich’s version of Gogol’s 1836 short story THE NOSE will have six performances at the Metropolitan Opera this month. The multimedia presentation, conducted by Valery Gergiev and featuring baritone Paulo Szot as Kovalyov and tenors Andrei Popov as the police inspector and Gordon Gietz as the Nose, was designed by Kentridge with Sabine Theunissen. Tickets are going fast in the lower-priced sections, so act quickly if you’d rather pay $150 or less rather than as much as $375. In addition, Kentridge’s NOSE-related drawings and collages are on view at the Gallery Met, his limited edition SHEETS OF EVIDENCE book is on display at Dieu Donné through March 27, he will be in conversation with Paul Goldberger discussing “Learning from the Absurd” at the New York Public Library on March 12, “Sounds from the Black Box: The Music of Philip Miller for the Films of William Kentridge” screens at the World Financial Center, with live music by Ensemble Pi, March 21-22, and the major retrospective “William Kentridge: Five Themes” runs at MoMA through May 17.
TICKET GIVEAWAY: THE IRISH CURSE
THE IRISH CURSE
Soho Playhouse
15 Vandam St. between Sixth Ave. & Varick St.
Opens March 17, $59
212-691-1555
www.theirishcurse.com
Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, THE IRISH CURSE returns to New York City, examining a problem that not even Viagra, Cialis, or Enzyte can cure. Winner of the Overall Excellence Award for Outstanding Playwrighting at the 2005 Fringe Festival, THE IRISH CURSE follows the travails of four men who meet weekly in a church basement to discuss their, er, rather embarrassing red nose, short hose problem. But when a new guy joins the group, everyone is forced to look at themselves and their situation in a whole new way. The production, which opens March 17 at the Soho Playhouse, was written by Martin Casella, directed by Matt Lenz, and stars Dan Butler, Roderick Hill, Scott Jaeck, Brian Leahy, and Austin Peck.
All tickets are $59, but twi-ny has four pairs of free tickets to give away to this ED comedy. Just send your name and daytime phone number to contest@twi-ny.com by Monday, March 15, at 3:00 pm to be eligible to win; you must be at least twenty-one years of age to enter, and all winners will be chosen at random. Bottoms up!
ARMORY ARTS WEEK: SITE FEST ’10
Multiple locations in Bushwick
March 6-7, 1:00 – 9:00 (music continues past midnight)
Suggested donation for certain events $5, day pass $10, weekend pass $20
www.artsinbushwick.wordpress.com
For something a little different during Armory Arts Week, head out to Brooklyn for two days of open studios, gallery openings, live performances, and more at the second annual SITE Fest. Organized by Arts in Bushwick, the festival has three primary theater, dance, and performance art hubs — 3rd Ward on Morgan Ave., Chez Bushwick on Boerum St., and the Grace Exhibition Space on Broadway — while Goodbye Blue Monday will be home base for much of the live music, curated by ionSOUND. Among the performers scheduled to appear are Kung Fu Crimewave, Larkin Grimm, Meng-Hsuan Wu, Homunculus Mask Theater, Yoo & Dancers, Jenny Vogel, Synthesis Dance Project, HoverBound, the Movement Farm, Ling-Fen Chien, and the Omen Project. There will also be site-specific installations, interactive performances, artist talks, film screenings, sketch comedy, and panel discussions at such satellite sites as the Bushwick Starr, English Kills Gallery, the Petri Space, Bushwick Music Studios, House of Yes, Brooklyn Fireproof Gallery, and many others.
BROADWAY TICKET GIVEAWAY: LOOPED
Lyceum Theatre
149 West 45th St. between Sixth Ave. & Broadway
Tickets: $25-$226.50
www.loopedonbroadway.com
Born in Huntsville, Alabama, in 1902, Tallulah Bankhead, she of the unforgettable deep, scratchy voice, had an up-and-down fifty-year career onstage, in the movies, and on television, appearing in such films as George Cukor’s TARNISHED LADY, Alfred Hitchcock’s LIFEBOAT, and Otto Preminger’s A ROYAL SCANDAL as well as being a popular guest on such shows as THE TONIGHT SHOW, THE MERV GRIFFIN SHOW, and THE RED SKELTON SHOW in addition to hosting her own program, THE BIG SHOW. She also played Black Widow in two episodes of BATMAN in 1967, and her stage work included such hits as THE LITTLE FOXES and PRIVATE LIVES. Matthew Lombardo’s new comedy, LOOPED, directed by Rob Ruggiero, brings Talullah back to Broadway in a none-too-flattering way; the play is set in 1965 as Bankhead (Valerie Harper), somewhat looped herself, is looping dialogue for what would be her final film, Silvio Narizzano’s DIE! DIE! MY DARLING!, in which she starred as “one mean mother-in-law” along with Stefanie Powers and Donald Sutherland.
“If you really want to help the American theater,” the perpetually scandal-ridden Bankhead, daughter of a politician who became Speaker of the House, once said, “don’t be an actress, dahling. Be an audience.” Although it costs $25 to $226.50 to be part of the LOOPED audience, twi-ny is giving away three pairs of tickets to see the show. Just send your name and daytime phone number to contest@twi-ny.com by Tuesday, March 2, at 12 noon and you’ll be eligible to win. All entrants must be twenty-one and older, and winners will be selected at random.
QUARTET v4.0
WaxFactory revisits its history and lays a course for its future with QUARTETv4.0 at Abrons Arts Center
WaxFactory YEAR 11 RETROSPECTIVE
Abrons Arts Center, Henry Street Settlement
466 Grand St. at Pitt St.
February 24-28, $15
212-352-3101
www.henrystreet.org
www.waxfactory.org
www.performingrevolution.org
The SoHo-based experimental theater company WaxFactory is celebrating the completion of its eleventh year with a series of programs that look back at the company’s founding, in 1998, as well as ahead toward its future. The “Year 11 Retrospective” began in January with the presentation of BLIND.NESS (LOVE IS A FOUR-LETTER WORD) as part of P.S. 122’s COIL festival and continues this week with WaxFactory’s new version of QUARTET v4.0, based on Heiner Müller’s controversial adaptation of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’s 1782 novel LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES. Part of the New York Public Library’s Performing Revolution in Central and Eastern Europe, the multimedia production, which uses surveillance cameras, live video capture, and real-time editing and processing, was conceived and directed by Ivan Talijancic and stars Erika Latta and Todd Thomas Peters. The celebration concludes next month with the American premiere of the company’s DELIRIUM 27, directed by Latta and running March 24-28 at Abrons Arts Center.
