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LETTERS FROM MOZART
Comprised of soloists from the Royal
Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Rotterdam
Philharmonic, the radio orchestras and the
Residentie Orchestra of The Hague, the 13 mem-
bers of the Netherlands Wind Ensemble present a
rare performance of perhaps the most beautiful
work ever written for wind instruments, Mozart's
Serenade No. 10 in B-flat major, also known as
the "Gran Partita," 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10, at
Rackham Auditorium in Ann Arbor.
Between the seven movements of the piece, nar-
rator Bart Schneemann will read from self-revela-
tory letters written by the composer to his father
and sister during his travels and sojourns at vari-
ous European courts.
Just prior to the concert, University Musical
Society Director of Programming Michael
Kondziolka will give a free lecture on Mozart's
"Gran Partita"; it runs 7-7:30 p.m. in the
Michigan League's Hussey Room.
Concert tickets are $20-$42. (734) 764-2538
or www.ums.org .
ISN'T IT ROMANTIC?
If you want to get in the mood for a romantic
Valentine's Day with your significant other —
even if it's only "Puppy Love" — you can hear
singer/songwriter Paul Anka perform that song
Far left:
Peabo Bryson
Left: Paul Anka
Celebrity Jews
NATE BLOOM
Special to the Jewish News
Old-Fashioned Girl
Former Friends. star LISA KUDROW, now filming her
new HBO series sitcom Comeback (about a washed-up
comedy star desperate to reclaim her throne as TV's "It
Girl"), co-stars in the indie film Happy-Endings, which
had its premiere at the recent Sundance Film Festival.
Happy Endings is made up of three separate but
interrelated story lines. In the film's opening scene,
Kudrow is being massaged and turns over to reveal a
breast.
However, the nice Jewish actress told reporter Ruthe
Stein: "It wasn't me. I don't do nude scenes."
Stein responded, "Movie audiences won't know it
2/10
2005
44
and other hits 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 11, at
Music Hall's Fifth Annual Valentine's
Day Concert. Anka will perform with a
27-piece orchestra, and proceeds from
the concert will go to Music Hall's pro-
gramming and educational outreach
efforts. $55-$125. (248) 645-6666.
Then, at 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 14,
Peabo Bryson joins the Detroit
Symphony Orchestra in "Straight From
the Heart," a special concert of the per-
former's romantic chart-topping tunes.
$29-$110. (313) 576-5111 or
www.detroitsymphony.com .
are similar to today yet still set apart
from modern circumstance," he says.
$15-$20/$9 with student ID. (734)
764-2538 or
w-ww. up ro d. music. umich. edu .
CELEBRATING DANCE
In observance of Black History
Month, the Detroit Opera House pres-
Arts Editor
ents three contemporary ballet compa-
nies, in two performances each, spot-
lighting works by renowned black choreogra-
phers.
The Dayton Contemporary Dance Company,
which holds the largest and most comprehensive
LOVE) SHAKESPEARE STYLE collection of classic works by African-American
choreographers, performs a four-part program
Featuring some of Shakespeare s most vivid
7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 15-16,
poetry and quoted lines, Romeo and Juliet, a cele-
featuring works by Sir Warren Spears, Bebe
bration of pure and romantic love tragically cut
Miller, Asadata Dafora and Ronald K. Brown and
short by the rashness and folly of youth, has fasci-
Donald McKayle.
nated audiences for more than 400 years.
The Philadelphia Dance Company presents
A true theater classic, it has inspired directors
Philadanco, a program highlighting African-
and designers to repeatedly find truths in its text
American men in dance through the work of Eleo
for contemporary audiences. The play also has
Pomare and Christopher Higgins, 7:30 p.m.
inspired more than 20 film adaptations, two
Thursday and 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17-18. $23-$66
operas, a Broadway musical and countless dance
The San Francisco-based Alonzo King's LINES
interpretations.
Ballet present a two-part program, Who Dressed
Romeo and Juliet will be performed in a
You Like a Foreigner? and Before the Blues, featur-
University of Michigan Department of Theatre
ing music by composer/musician Pharaoh Sanders
and Drama production 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8
and narration by actor Danny Glover, 8 p.m.
p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday,
Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19-20.
Feb. 10-13, at the Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre in
Tickets for all performances run $23-W and
Ann Arbor. Director Philip Kerr sets this telling
are sold individually, but patrons purchasing tick-
in 1930s Italy, emphasizing the time period
ets for two of the ballet companies will receive the
through costume design and references in the
third at no additional cost. Specially priced student
scenery.
tickets also are available. For tickets, call (313)
"By choosing the 1930s, we refer to an era
237-7464 or go to ww.michiganopera.com.
where conflict and the elements of social change
GAIL ZIMMERMAN
isn't you."
But that wasn't the point, said Kudrow "My hus-
band and my child will know."
Kudrow added that she got to pick her stand-in. "I
wanted it to be someone I wouldn't mind people
thinkinc, was me,"' she said.
Another segment of Happy Endings stars "indie film
queen" MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL as a fortune hunter
after millionaire TOM ARNOLD's money.
Yes, Arnold is Jewish. He converted to Judaism when
he married ROSEANNE BARR and remained a prac-
ticing Jew even after their divorce. He discovered, after
he began studying to convert, that his late paternal
grandmother was Jewish.
Bye, Johnny
It's been a few weeks, but I didn't want the death of an
amazing cultural figure to pass without saying a word
about Johnny Carson's Jewish connections.
As many noted, Carson projected the image of the
Midwestern all-American boy whom everyone liked. In
turn, if Johnny liked a performer, he could usually
transfer some of his popularity; the TV audience would
laugh or cheer along with Carson.
In some sense, Johnny acted as a conduit to America
for an astonishing number of Jewish comedians. If they
learned how to make Johnny laugh, their material was
universal enough for most of the heartland.
It's worth noting that Carson's idol was JACK
BENNY, a Jewish comedian who was closer in style to
Carson than to many of the brash "Borscht Belt"
comics.
Like Carson, Benny was a fairly laidback guy from
the Midwest. He pioneered the type of comedian —
the Johnny Carson-type — who could get laughs by
reacting to the funny things happening to him.
Reportedly, one of the few times Carson wept as an
adult was when Benny died.
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.