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CLASSICAL NOTES

Featuring Cantor Stephen Dubov and soprano
Crystal Weber, accompanied by the Bel Canto
Choral Society Choir, A Rainbow of Musical
Colors, a concert of classical, Jewish and popular
melodies, will be performed 7:30 p.m. Saturday,
Nov. 20, at Congregation Chaye Olam in
Bloomfield Township. $18; available at the door.
(248) 851-7485.
Chamber Music Society of Detroit opens its
three-concert piano series 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20,
with a performance by Polish pianist Krystian
Zimerman, playing works by Mozart, Ravel and
Chopin, at Seligman Performing Arts Center in
Beverly Hills. $23-$75. (248) 855-6070.
The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra presents
Polish Polonaise, a concert celebrating Polish music
and featuring pianist Anton Nel performing
Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, 8 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 20, at the Michigan Theatre in Ann
Arbor. $10-$38. (734) 994-4801.
The Verdi Opera Theatre of Michigan presents
the Rackham Symphony Choir with the
Birmingham Bloomfield Symphony Orchestra in a
concert style performance of Verdi's La Traviata 7
p.m. Sunday, Nov. 21, at the Ford Community Arts
Center in Dearborn. $30. (313) 272-0334.
University Musical Society hosts Canadian sopra-

Celebrity Jews

NATE BLOOM
Special to the Jewish News

Chasid Punk

p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, at Detroit's State
no Measha Brueggergosman in her UMS
Theatre. $32.50-$45. (248) 645-6666.
recital debut, combining both art song
Cher brings her "Never Can Say
and cabaret, 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23, at
Goodbye" Farewell Tour to the Palace of
the Lydia Mendelssohn Theater in Ann
Auburn Hills 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20;
Arbor. $25-$35. (734) 764-2538.
disco icons The Village People open the
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra per-
show. $59.50-$79.50. (248) 645-6666.
forms Elaine Lebenbom's Reflections on a
Rainbow, as well as Mozart's Piano
GAIL ZIMMERMAN
Concerto No. 20 and Tchaikovs ky's
Arts Editor
ON THE STAGE
Symphony No. 1 ("Winter Dreams"), 8
p.m. Friday, 8:30 p.m. Saturday and 3
University of Michigan campus groups
p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26-28, at the Max M. Fisher
Musket and UAC present the musical Dreamgirls 8
Music Center. Ticket information:
p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov.
www.detroitsymphony.com
19-21, at the Power Center in Ann Arbor. $13/gen-
eral admission. (248) 645-6666.
Who doesn't love the Radio City Rockettes? The
Radio City Christmas Spectacular takes the stage at
Detroit's Fox Theatre with 52 performances running
The Jeff Haas Quintet performs contemporary
Nov. 26-Dec. 26. Call for show times. $20.50-
arrangements of jazz classics by composers from
Berlin to Brubeck 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 20,
$65.50. (313) 471-6611.
at the Firefly Club in Ann Arbor. $15. (734) 665-
Meadow Brook Theatre stages its annual perform-
ances of Charles Nolte's adaptation of Charles
9090.
Dickens' A Christmas Carol Nov. 26-23. Call for
The Ark in Ann Arbor hosts folk veteran Matt
Watroba's Annual Friday After Thanksgiving
show times. $20-$36. (248) 377-3300.
Concert 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 26. $15. (734) 761-
1800.
LAUGH LINES
Playing all of his hit songs from his CD Deja Vu
All Over Again, John Fogerty takes the stage 6:30
Former Detroiter comedian Mike Young performs

Pon/RocK/JAzz/FoLK

decision whether he would remain a part of the
Chasidic world or leave it behind for punk music.
You can listen to the NPR story at:
http://vvvvwthislife.org/pages/descriptions/04/268.htrn1

Barenaked Chanukah

Not being a Chasid has made it a
Tina Fey, the funny (but not Jewish)
lot easier for STEVEN PAGE, the
comedian on Saturday Night Live, is writing
lead singer of the popular band
a movie script about the true story of a
Barenaked Ladies, to reconcile being
Brooklyn Chasidic musician who became
on the rock circuit while still being a
friends with a veteran punk rocker and the
practicing,
if not Orthodox Jew. Page
band they eventually formed. The title,
arranges
things
so that he is able to
Curly Oxide and Vic Thrill, is based on the
celebrate
the
High
Holidays with his
respective stage names of Chaim, the
family back in Toronto if the band is
Chasidic rocker, and Billy Campion.
on tour.
The unlikely story of Curly Oxide was
It's not surprising, then, that the
broadcast last June on NPR's This American
band's
new holiday CD, Barenaked For
Steven
Page:
Life, hosted by IRA GLASS. Chaim had
the
Holidays,
features three Chanukah
Singing
about
hardly seen TV or heard any secular music
songs:
"Hanukkah
Blessings,"
Chanukah.
,
when, in the late 1990s, he became a friend
"Hanukkah,
Oh
Hanukkah,"
and "I
of Campion's. He started hanging out at
Had
a
Little
Driedel."
Campion's apartment, watching TV for hours on
The band performs Saturday, Dec. -18, at
end and absorbing musical influences like a
Masonic Temple Theatre in Detroit.
sponge. Eventually, .he joined Campion onstage in
full Chasidic regalia.
Well, a genuine Chasid on the underground
Pretty Great
New York rock scene proved to be an incredible
Chanukah, of course, celebrates the victory of
novelty draw, and "Oxide" was an audience
the
Jews over the Syrian-Greeks, who inherited
favorite.
part
of the empire of Alexander the Great and
Eventually, however, Chaim had to make a clear

11/19

2004

50

tried to impose their religion and culture on the
Jews. Well, after 2,300 years, Alexander is back
with the release, on Nov. 25, of OLIVER
STONE's film Alexander (Stone is Jewish on his
father's side).
Alexander has been called the most influential
non-Jewish figure in the history of Judaism. His
conquest of Judea in 329 B.C.E. let in a flood of
Greek influence on Jewish life that endures, in
some ways, until today
However, Alexander, unlike his successors, treat-
ed the Jews well and didn't interfere with their reli-
gious practice. JOSEPHUS even records an almost
certainly not true account of Alexander prostrating
himself before the high priest of the Jerusalem
Temple.
In any event, the life of Alexander filled Jewish
literature for a millennium — with many stories in
the Talmud and tales in medieval Jewish literature.

Too Bad

DAVID BLUETHENTHAL was cut from the
Sacramento Kings the day before the season began,
thus ending the hope for a renewed Jewish pres-
ence in the NBA. His prospects were not helped
by the fact that the Kings are only fielding 13
players this season (not the regulation 15) because
of money problems. Li

Nate Bloom is the Califorrzia-based editor qf
www.Jewhoo. coin

FYI: For Arts and Life related events that you wish to have considered for Out & About, please send the item, with a detailed description of the event, times, dates, place, ticket prices and publishable phone number, to:
Gail Zimmerman, JN Out & About, The Jewish News, 29200 Northwestern Highway, Suite 110, Southfield, MI 48034; fax us at (248) 304-8885; or e-mail to gzimmerman@thejewishnews.com Notice must be received
at least three weeks before the scheduled event. Photos are appreciated but cannot be returned. All events and dates listed in the Out & About column are subject to change.