Well played: Growing up, Lindsey Stirling could not decide between dancing and playing the violin, so she chose both and developed a unique act mixing hip-hop, pop, and classical music. At 23, she landed a slot on the fifth season of “America’s Got Talent,” competing as a hip-hop violinist. The competition was tough—Jackie Evancho and […]
Colorful spins: Nut cho ordinary take on the classical holiday tradition, Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker is a fantastic visual extravaganza that uses puppetry from around the globe, including Russia, the Czech Republic, and South America. Dubbed the Gift of Christmas tour, the show uses over 200 costumes, and Wes Anderson’s concept designer Carl Sprague […]
Favorite things: In September, Brian Clowdus, known for producing outdoor, site-specific theatrical feats, had his most successful musical event to date with a staging of The Sound of Music on the slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains that drew almost 10,000 attendees. Julie Trammel Key (Maria), Jayme Alilaw (Mother Abbess), and Blake Burgess (Captain von […]
Green light: Climate protesters seek ‘radical action’ The protesters chanted a straightforward call and response as they marched on the Downtown Mall: “What do we want?” “Climate justice!” “When do we want it?” “Now!” Drums, tambourines, and mandolins accompanied the chants. The group held handmade signs with slogans ranging from “No Pipeline” to “That awkward […]
By Spencer Philps A host of issues have emerged in recent months that look to complicate the James River Water Authority’s plans to construct a water pump station at the confluence of the James and Rivanna rivers. The site, today referred to as Point of Fork, is also the location of Rassawek, the historic capital […]
Joy to the world: A global musical journey plays out in O Beauty: A Baroque Christmas from Around the World featuring traditional folk music alongside high Baroque composers from Poland, Germany, Spain, Mexico, England, and the United States. Three Notch’d Road is joined by Peter Walker and Katelyn Aungst for a seasonal celebration inspired by […]
Feeling good: The annual Little White Party, held in honor of World AIDS Day, can trace its origins to the 1980s when an East Village disco launched the New York City White Party with a requirement that partygoers dress in all white to support the idea that having HIV does not make a person dirty […]
Lifetime record: Born in 1932, Willard Gayheart recalls the early influence of hearing the 1936 recording of Mainer’s Mountaineers’ “Maple on the Hill.” “I listened to that record over and over,” he says. “I just couldn’t get enough of it.” So it may come as a surprise that the accomplished guitarist and songwriter only recently […]
By Ramona Martinez In “Time to Get Ready: fotografía social,” a National Museum of Mexican Art exhibit on view at The Fralin Museum of Art, you will find all the classic elements one expects in a “good” photography show. Maria Varela’s photographs are compositionally sophisticated and emotionally intimate. They are candids, yet they look like […]
By Alexis Gravely Christa Bennett is no stranger to community advocacy. After earning a master’s degree from King’s College London in international relations with a focus on human rights, she directed an organization focused on ending the genocide in Sudan. She’s worked on community development projects in Rwanda and lobbied the British Parliament. Since moving […]