Art, Music, and Dance in the Lone Star state
Here in Houston, it isn’t just the bronze commemorative star in front of Jones Hall that honors the legendary German conductor Christoph Eschenbach. Loyal fans in the city honor him with their presence and rapt attention. The orchestra members honor him with their finest performances. For music-loving Texans, he is a hero in the truest sense, and we live in a time where authentic heroes are far and few … [Read more...]
After more than three decades of observing that holiday über-warhorse, The Nutcracker, one would think my exhaustion had reached its limits. Seven of those years were spent dancing in various permutations of the ballet, 12 more were spent writing reviews and labored newspaper features about it. In recent years, my essays have focused primarily on the nature of that exhaustion, using humorous language. And then, December rolls around. I find … [Read more...]
As I watched Nico Muhly’s new opera Dark Sisters last weekend in New York, at the same time his Quiet Music for solo piano was being performed in Houston by Aperio’s Michael Zuraw. I would have loved to attend both performances. Muhly’s work figures prominently right now on my MP3 player, and it’s been a while since I’ve been so taken with the work of a young composer (he is 30-years-old). I first encountered Muhly’s work two … [Read more...]
Contemporary dance prevails this autumn in Houston, with two events in particular focusing on themes of color, literal and figurative. They are major works that suggest a new, prosperous and invigorating period in this city’s dance scene. The premiere of choreographer Karen Stokes and composer Bill Ryan’s The Secondary Colors in Houston (see my preview story in Houston Chronicle at the sidebar) was not only a chance to hear some … [Read more...]
I’ve had an extraordinary and most unexpected experience in the concert hall. In a time where symphony orchestras appear to be losing audiences, Houston Symphony is gathering a new one. Last night at Jones Hall, a nearly sold-out house enjoyed a screening of the Wachowski Brothers’ The Matrix with Don Davis, a formidable composer in various genres, conducting his original score for the film played live by orchestra, chorus and … [Read more...]
I had never seen Jack Ferver dance, but I remembered him as Jimmy Tickles in Strangers With Candy, still my favorite program ever aired on Comedy Central, when he appeared last week in Texas. Well-known in New York, his works with titles such as Death is Certain, Rumble Ghost, and When We Were Young and Filled with Fear have caused a considerable buzz in contemporary dance circles. We were extremely lucky in Houston to have the world premiere … [Read more...]
Houston artist Wayne Gilbert makes paintings out of cremated human remains. Most people who have observed his work wonder first where he obtained the material, which he mixes into nearly-colorless resin before applying with a palette knife to stretched canvas. The recent summer day we spoke in his vast home and studio, Gilbert told me that he had just come from the grocery store, and in the parking lot an acquaintance had offered his … [Read more...]
Infinite Movement Ever Evolving’s recent premiere of Maurice Causey’s Grim Eye made me feel like I was in 1990s Berlin. In particular, I thought of a Depeche Mode record party I attended one December night in a smoke-filled warehouse in Kreuzberg. This is not to suggest that either iMEE or Causey are in any way old-fashioned. On the contrary, when young people in Houston want to see a ballet embodying their lifestyle and emotional concerns, … [Read more...]
Since June 16, when I reviewed The Station Museum of Contemporary Art's WITNESS TO WAR: GEORGE GITTOES, I've been corresponding with the artist. Earlier today, Gittoes wrote, "I am presently editing the films in Stavanger which is on the North sea side of Norway. I return to Afghanistan on 5th of September." The show at The Station continues until September 18. Our recent correspondence focused on artist responses to the … [Read more...]
In the past weeks, on either side of Bissonnet Street in Houston’s museum district, there’s been a striking contrast in human presence and absence. The joyous Stan VanDerBeek retrospective at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, co-curated by Bill Arning and João Ribas, is full of images of people. The Charles LeDray show at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, workworkworkworkwork, feels more like a ghost town. Or perhaps, a set of spaces … [Read more...]
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