Thursday, December 17, 2009

A rather slim weekend of things to do

Ah, yes it’s that time of the year when the holidays bring up – well not much.
Everyone is busy shopping and eating and drinking, but if you aren’t bogged down by all that, there’s still plenty to do.
For a listing of more events that are continuing look at the arts calendar in the right hand column.

Thursday, Dec. 18



See the art and the movie
The DVD of the documentary “Herb & Dorothy” just came out. And who you ask are Herb and Dorothy?
They’re the New York couple who on the salaries of a librarian and post office employee amassed a very fine collection of art. Early this year the couple donated 50 artworks each to 50 museums in all 50 states. The Columbia Museum of Art was the recipient in South Carolina.
An exhibition of those artworks, mostly minimalist and conceptual pieces, are on display at the museum until Jan. 17. The handsome exhibition includes pieces by Edda Renouf Richard Tuttle, Charles Clough, Peggy Cyphers, Don Hazlitt, Steve Keister, Cheryl Laemmie, Michael Lucero and many other contemporary artists.  (I happen to be very taken with pieces by Renouf's whose "Jan. 1984 #7" is pictured.)
This art can be a little hard to fathom for those not familiar with this sort of work. For me, though, this collection is much more accessible and better than I thought it would be. And it's a real education.

 Sandlappers sing “American Graces”
 The Sandlapper Singers along with voices from Satchel Ford Elementary, Crayton Middle and S.C. Flora High schools perform holiday songs.
Listen for the rattling rafters at Dreher High School, Devine Street and Millwood Avenue, at 7:30. Tickets are $5, $12 and $15. Go to www.sandlappersingers.org 

Saturday, Dec. 19


Opera at Sandhills
As unlikely as it sounds, you can head to booming Northeast Columbia to hear and see the Metropolitan Opera’s “Tales of Hoffman.” This is one of the live in-theater broadcasts the Met started doing a couple of years ago that have been a big hit everywhere – including here.

This is a new production of the 1881 opera by Jacques Offenbach. Directed by Bart Sher the production debuted in early December to great reviews. It features rising star Joseph Calleja in the title role and his first major role at the Met opposite Anna Netrebko. James Levine conducts.

The opera tells, largely in sometimes surrealistic flashbacks, of several of Hoffman’s doomed love affairs. This production emphasizes the weirdness.
The live broadcast takes place at 1 p.m. at Regal Sandhill Stadium 16. Tickets are $22
It will be re-broadcast Jan. 6 at 6:30. Go to http://www.metoperafamily.org or http://www.fandango.com

Sunday, Dec. 20 
Artists collaborate live (and so can you)





Michael Krajewski of Columbia and Justice Littlejohn of Greenville have a show in Charleston that composed or art each made as well as some the duo made together.
The show opened last month at the City Gallery at Waterfront Park and has gotten a good reponse.
Today at 3 the duo will give a talk at the gallery and then create a new work together. Those who attend the talk can do the same if they wish, so bring an art partner.
  The gallery is right behind the pineapple fountain in the park on the Cooper River downtown. The show is up through Jan. 3.
Call (843)  958-6484.

Monday, Dec. 21
Sing along
To Handel's "Messiah" at the Washintgon Street United Methodist Church at 7. 727-5611

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