CONTEMPORARY DANCE
Wisdom—Fall Dance Concert (CSN Performing Arts Center, November 30, December 1)
A star of a royal soap opera, Mother Teresa and Comet Hale-Bopp combine in an exploration of a woman who was a princess, a dancer and a tireless supporter of the artform. And somehow the Heaven’s Gate suicides get thrown in for good measure as CSN’s resident Concert Dance Company, the CSN Dance Ensemble, special guests and choreographer Kelly Roth revive this 1997 work to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death.
Paul Taylor Dance Company (Ham Hall, UNLV, October 13)
One of the most sought-after choreographers in the dance biz, Taylor has work seen in ballet and modern companies throughout the world. In October, he brings his own company of dancers to Las Vegas. This is a rare opportunity to see a combined program of Taylor classics and new works uniting the company’s superb dancers with Taylor’s famed choreographic musicality.
BALLET
2007–2008 season, Nevada Ballet Theatre (Don Quixote, October 5–7; The Nutcracker, December 14–27, both at the Judy Bayley Theatre, UNLV)
In October, NBT presents Don Quixote, a full-length ballet very loosely based on the Cervantes novel. Okay, there’s Don Quixote, Sancho Panza and maybe a windmill, but the resemblance ends there. Nevertheless, the music-by-the-yard score is enjoyable, and the good-humored ballet is a lot of fun. And at year-end, NBT’s cozy and charming Nutcracker is scheduled to delight holiday audiences.
FLAMENCO
Spanish Nights on the Lake (Lake Las Vegas, September 14-15)
Nights are still pleasant for mid-September in the Las Vegas Valley—perfect for the outdoor performances of the seductive and sensual movement and fiery passions of flamenco. Special guests Omayra Amaya and Emmy-winning dancer Yaelisa, along with her company Yaelisa & Caminos Flamencos, will be accompanied by guitarists Adam del Monte, Pedro Cortes and Jason “El Rubio” Mcguier, singer Jesus Montoya and a crowd of musicians. So if you’re looking for a surefire way to get her/him in the
mood ...
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Las Vegas Philharmonic Musical Director David Itkin
Las Vegas Philharmonic
• September 29: Berlioz, Mendelssohn, Brahms, with guest artist Kiril Laskarov, violin.
• November 17: Shostakovich, Ravel, Schubert. with guest artist Ilya Yakushev, piano.
(All at Ham Hall, UNLV.)
This year, the Las Vegas Philharmonic welcomes its new musical director, David Itkin. Known for his ability to engage and build a symphony audience, Itkin will speak about the music at preconcert talks this year. As some of the lineup includes less-familiar works by well-known composers, this is a cool way to learn about the music. No test or homework required.
Denyce Graves, mezzo-soprano (Ham Hall, October 26)
Denyce Graves is considered an operatic superstar, best known for her interpretation of that sexy siren Carmen—probably one of the hottest Carmens ever, Graves has the unique ability to vamp the tenor, sing the song and pull her skirt up over her head with her teeth. Now that’s talent! Seriously, she is one of the top mezzos around, and her concert appearance should be on every opera lover’s calendar.
Sixth Annual International New Music Festival (September 28-30, CSN)
Tired of Bach, Brahms and Beethoven? This three-day festival brings composers and performers together to experience live contemporary chamber music. Festival Director D. Gause has gathered groups as varied as Clarion Synthesis (clarinet, keyboards and electronics), world-renowned duo-pianists Duo Gastesi-Bezerra, recording artist/composer Mark Ford (a marimba specialist) and bass clarinetist Henri Bok for a weekend that looks to be alternately provocative, exciting, and unusual.
THEATER
Las Vegas Little Theatre’s 2007–2008 season has a lot to recommend it. Two of the highlights are:
• Lone Star and Laundry & Bourbon by James McClure (October 5-14, Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff Drive)
This comic double bill by James McClure takes place in Maynard, Texas, in 1974, and provides a snapshot of life in small-town America in the post-Vietnam War era. Both plays address the issues of war damage and resistance to change with a lightly satiric touch, and their relevance to today’s antics in the Middle East makes them an interesting choice for Las Vegas’ oldest little theater group.
• Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire (November 2-18, Las Vegas Little Theatre)
The unsentimental Pulitzer Prize-winning play tells the story of a 4-year-old boy who is killed in a car accident and how those left behind cope with the isolation of grief. It takes the audience through the dark moments experienced by the parents and their search for a degree of normalcy and hope. Not a laugh-fest, but some nights are for thinking.
Gum and The Mother of Modern Censorship by Karen Hartman (November 9-18, CSN Performing Arts Center)
The two one-act plays take place in nonspecific, unidentified fundamentalist countries, presumably in the Middle East. In Gum, the title candy provides an extended metaphor for the oppression of women within Middle Eastern culture (it’s complicated). As a contrast in tone, The Mother of Modern Censorship frames its absurdist look at the same society within the confines of a bureaucratic office environment. The CSN productions focus on thought-provoking material and are always worth a look.