MuseFlashes

By Compiled by BONNIE WELLS

Published on August 18, 2006

'The Poppy Field, by Lisbeth Zwerger, is included in 'The Wonderful Art of Oz,' an exhibition of artistic interpretations of L. Frank Baum's classic story, on view at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst through Oct. 22. The array includes entries by Barry Moser, Chris Van Allsburg and Eric Carle. In conjunction with the exhibit, the museum will show the film 'The Wonderful World of Oz Storybook' Sunday at 1 p.m.

Rock reunion concert at the Majestic Theater

Amherst's resident rock star, Mitch Chakour, performs with former bandmates for their first area performance in 17 years Monday night at 8 p.m. at the Majestic Theater in West Springfield. The concert by Mitch Chakour Family & Friends from the Mohegan Sun All-Stars features Cliff Goodwin, Deric Dyer, Marty Richards, Leon Pendarvis, Wolf Gianandes, and Chakour's children Alex and Alecia, playing a mix of original and cover tunes.

Chakour and Goodwin began playing music together in high school, and formed a series of bands, including Mitch Chakour and the Mission Band. At the age of 19, Chakour was part of the house band at Joe's Place, a blues club in Cambridge, where he played alongside such legends as Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters. He's also taken the stage at the White House, Carnegie Hall and the Royal Albert Hall in London. Chakour spent five years as musical director for Joe Cocker, touring the world, performing, recording and filming.

Goodwin also played with Cocker as well as Robert Palmer. Dyer performed with Tina Turner, and Richards with Gary Burton and Peter Wolf of J. Geils Band fame. Pendarvis, in addition to being musical director of 'Saturday Night Live' also performed with Luther Vandross.

Tickets for the concert are $21 and $23, available by calling the Majestic at (413) 747-7797.

Moscow Ballet has new host school in Hadley

A Russian ballerina will present a series of master ballet classes this month at East Street Ballet in Hadley, in advance of this year's touring production of Moscow Ballet's 'Great Russian Nutcracker.'

For the first time, East Street Ballet, under the direction of Ruth and Noble Barker, will serve as the host school for the touring production, taking over the reins from Amherst Ballet which has coordinated the local cast for several years.

The Barkers are no strangers to the production. In 1994 when Noble Barker was director of New Haven Ballet in Connecticut, that school hosted the Russian company during it's very first tour in this country.

Area dancers ages 7 to 14, will have the opportunity on Sept. 30 to audition for supporting roles in 'The Great Russian Nutcracker,' and, on Dec. 18, to perform with the world-renowned Russian dancers, accompanied by a live orchestra, at the Fine Arts Center at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

'It's a marvelous opportunity for the children to dance alongside professional dancers and a special experience to work with a live orchestra,' Noble Barker said.

This month's classes will be taught by Moscow Ballet's Natalia Polyakova at the East Street Ballet studios, located at 47 East St. in Hadley.

Polyakova is a graduate of the Ballet Academy of Dance and the Moscow State University of Culture and Arts, both in Moscow. She is a former soloist with Moscow City Ballet and the Moscow State Children Musical Theater.

For the past three years, she has worked as a dance teacher coordinator and soloist with Moscow Ballet where she has performedmajor roles in 'The Nutcracker,' 'Cinderella' and 'Swan Lake.'

Polyakova's master classes for ages 9 and 10 will be held Aug. 22 and 29; classes for ages 10 and 11 will be Aug. 23 and 30. All four classes run from 4:15 to 5:30 p.m. The cost is $15 per class or $25 for two.

A 'Swan Lake workshop for intermediate/advanced students will be held Aug. 21 to 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with a student demonstration Aug. 21. The cost is $325.

A 'Giselle' workshop, also for intermediate/advanced students, will be held Aug. 28 to 31 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., also with a student demonstration The cost is $260. The cost to attend both workshops is $500. Single classes are also available.

For information about classes or auditions, call East Street Ballet at 586-3888.

—KATHLEEN MELLEN

Amherst art teacher exhibits in Brookline

Metalsmith and enamelist Margaret Langdell, who teaches at the Amherst Community Arts Center as well as the Hartsbrook School in Hadley and the Brookline Arts Center, is one of 16 artists contributing to 'Enamels: Facing the Future,' an exhibition at the Brookline Arts Center through Aug. 31.

Langdell, a working metalsmith and enamelist since 1991, graduated from the Jewelry Program at North Bennet School in 2000. She runs her own studio and is a published writer on the subject of enameling. The BAC show features pieces from her series incorporating the sinuous lines and dreamlike images of art nouveau.

Henion Bakery hosts vibrant, eclectic show

Saturday is the last day to catch a vibrant and eclectic group show of art by ServiceNet mental health clients at the Henion Bakery in Amherst. The exhibit was organized by senior counselor Lee Shuer as part of the agency's creative programs, which include art, music and photography.

'This is the second show they've had here,' said bakery owner David Henion, taking a break last week from an impromptu pottery lesson he was giving to a visitor. 'The work tends to be vivid and intense.'

Among the 50 pieces in the show titled 'Feed Your Eyes' is a series giving a nod to the bakery's array of luscious comestibles. Muffins, apples and croissants turn up in a range of media and are mentioned in the group's artists statement:

'What you see around you are expressions of love, longing, laughter, sadness and of course, snacks. We had a lot of fun drawing and painting our [snacks] still life, and even more fun eating it.'

There are also audubon-quality bird portraits in pen and ink and watercolors; a series of harmonious flung paintings in blue and silver on bright white canvas as well as several done with subtle mauve and blue accents on a dark gray wash. There are poems and pencil drawings, abstract collage, a colorful wooden wall clock with raised numerals and much more in a wide range of media and subject matter.

The bakery is located at 174 N. Pleasant St. in Amherst.

—BONNIE WELLS

The Nacul Center calls for artists

The Nacul Center Gallery seeks artists interested in claiming a wall for as much as a yearlong exhibition. Starting in October, the gallery at 592 Main St. in Amherst will switch from monthly exhibits to the new continuously running group show.

'There seems to be a lot of interest in it,' said Tullio Inglese, the Amherst architect who owns the Nacul Center and coordinates the gallery, 'Many of the walls are taken already.'

Local artists who have signed on include Jozan Treston, Lorna Ritz and Dix McComas.

Including the upstairs area, 12 walls are available for displays. Exhibiting artists are free to rotate work in and out over the course of the installation.

Inglese will review work by interested artists in August and September. The group show opens October 1 with a reception during the Amherst Art Walk Oct. 5, from 5 to 8 p.m. The gallery commission is 30 percent of sales.

Interested artists should call the gallery at 256-8025.

—BONNIE WELLS

Burnett Gallery invites applications for 2007

The Burnett Gallery at Jones Library in Amherst is accepting applications now for its exhibition season running from June, 2007 through May, 2008. Individual artists, pairs, or groups from Amherst and surrounding towns are welcome to submit application for a monthlong exhibition of two- or three-dimensional works.

The gallery, located on the second floor at the library at 43 Amity St. in Amherst, is dedicated to exhibitions reflecting a variety of media, styles, cultural viewpoints and levels of artistic experience.

Applications are available at the library or online at joneslibrary.org. The deadline for return of submissions is Monday, Oct. 16.

So you want to sing!

The Hampshire College Chorus invites students, staff, faculty and members of the community to a special first rehearsal for new members on Tuesday, Sept. 5, from 5 to 5:45 p.m. in the Recital Hall of the Music and Dance Building on the Hampshire College campus in South Amherst, Members should have a good sense of pitch but the ability to read music is not required. The group regularly rehearses on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4 to 6 p.m. For more information, call (413) 559-5482 or email Lainee123@aol.com.

The Hampshire Young People's Chorus holds auditions for singers ages 8-15 on Tuesdays, Sept. 5 and 12, at the Immanuel Lutheran Church, 867 N. Pleasant St., Amherst. Rehearsals are held on Tuesdays in Amherst. For more information or to schedule an audition, call 253-7346.

Wings, a chorus for women, directed by Morning Star Chenven, welcomes new and experienced singers to join its fall season, which starts Sept. 6, with rehearsals on Wednesdays from 7:30 to 9 p.m. A monthly fee is charged for participation. For more information, call (413) 665-9806.

Broadway in Amherst comes to Mullins Center

Season tickets are now available for the 2006 Broadway in Amherst series, which begins Nov. 6 with Mel Brooks' 'The Producers' at the Mullins Center on the campus of the University of Massachusetts.

The five-show musical series includes 'Cirque Dreams: Jungle fantasy,' a colorful dream in an enchanted forest, performed on stage and in the air; 'Joseph and the Amazing Techniciolor Dreamcoat,' with the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber; 'Jesus Christ Superstar,' starring Ted Neeley, who performed the title role in the movie; and 'Riverdance,' a celebration of Irish music, song and dance.

Season tickets range from $133 to $209 and are available in two packages, the Classic series including the first four musicals, and the Premiere series, which adds 'Riverdance' to the array. For information and subscriptions call (877) 858-0300.

Please send arts news items to Museflashes, in care of Bonnie Wells, Amherst Bulletin, 55 University Drive, Amherst, 01002. Or email them to bwells@gazettenet.com.