http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts?disp=comments en-US http://backend.userland.com/rss 60 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:17:59 +0000 Larkinart c177706@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ Thank you very much for mentioning my art work in this article, I appreciate it! I just want to clear up one thing, though...The piece isn't really intended to be terribly sinister- the Gorgon figure holding the rabbit is its protector and champion and not its captor. It's subject to interpretation of course, as is all art. I just thought I'd share my own intention behind the piece. Special thanks also to Two Vaults Gallery for putting on a great show! I just want to clear up one thing, though...The piece isn't really intended to be terribly sinister- the Gorgon figure holding the rabbit is its protector and champion and not its captor.
It's subject to interpretation of course, as is all art. I just thought I'd share my own intention behind the piece.
Special thanks also to Two Vaults Gallery for putting on a great show!]]> http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/08/26/rabbitual_takes_over_two_vaults#c177706 Sat, 29 Aug 2009 20:07:37 +0000 Taveler c177365@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ After nearly five decades of travelling to numerous opera houses all over the world I finally made it to the “Seattle Ring” and attended the first cycle in 2009. The sets and costumes follow the verdict a rock is a rock, a tree is a tree and a sword is a sword; so what. The staging and directing is not really worth mentioning. The cast is mainly unimpressive, although the north-western audience heavily applauds their local “celebrities”; on top of their list an average and superficial interpretation of Wotan by Grimsley. Margaret Jane Wray’s Sieglinde is screechy, short on top (if she makes the high notes at all!). She is obviously at the end of her career. The best performances come from the “guests”: Andersens Siegfried (gave his two performances in the way I know and like from him, notwithstanding some weak high notes due to his illness), Skeltons Siegmund (one of those now popular more lyrical tenors approaching the role) and Bairds Brunnhilde (simply the best wagnerian soprano in at least two decades). The major annoyance nevertheless comes from the pit. An in itself unbalanced orchestra works its way with insensitivity through the score (especially harsh were the woodwinds and brass) not paying attention to the stage, led by a conductor who doesn’t seem to care. This “green” ring in Seattle is provincial and altogether a huge disappointment. The sets and costumes follow the verdict a rock is a rock, a tree is a tree and a sword is a sword; so what. The staging and directing is not really worth mentioning. The cast is mainly unimpressive, although the north-western audience heavily applauds their local “celebrities”; on top of their list an average and superficial interpretation of Wotan by Grimsley. Margaret Jane Wray’s Sieglinde is screechy, short on top (if she makes the high notes at all!). She is obviously at the end of her career.
The best performances come from the “guests”: Andersens Siegfried (gave his two performances in the way I know and like from him, notwithstanding some weak high notes due to his illness), Skeltons Siegmund (one of those now popular more lyrical tenors approaching the role) and Bairds Brunnhilde (simply the best wagnerian soprano in at least two decades).
The major annoyance nevertheless comes from the pit. An in itself unbalanced orchestra works its way with insensitivity through the score (especially harsh were the woodwinds and brass) not paying attention to the stage, led by a conductor who doesn’t seem to care.
This “green” ring in Seattle is provincial and altogether a huge disappointment.
]]> http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/08/11/valkyries_and_warriors_storm_mccaw_hall#c177365 Sat, 15 Aug 2009 03:24:34 +0000 ThinkerDem c176448@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ Stephanie Blythe sets an extremely high standard for her colleagues, no matter what the opers, but I do not understand how Ms. Ponnekante could fail to mention the fine singing and deeply insightful artistry of characterization of Greer Grimsley's Wotan. Stuart Skelton has a robust and ringing heldentenor voice that easily surmounts the Wagnerian orchestra, but commenting only on his "astounding breath control" is like saying a chef wields a "mean knife" while ignoring the flavor of the main dish. Margaret Jane Wray was not to blame for Sieglinde's "wimpiness", As an unwilling bride, and oppressed wife trained to stand beside the dinner table until invited by her master to sit, and later ordered to "prepare my evening drink and await me in bed", she "knew her place"--she'd better! Her "Du Bist der Lenz" was exquisitely powerful. Janice Baird's Brunnhilde is testimony to the scarcity of Wagnerian sopranos. She seemed to be saving both dramatic and vocal capital for the final father-daughter scene with such stinginess that her "Ho, Jo, To, Ho," was "Ho,Jo HO,HUM". Ms. Baird is svelte and presentable, but lacks the vocal "heft" and presence to convince as the Valkyries' leader and Wotan's favorite warrior daughter. The orchestra was magnificent, and Stephen Wadsworth's direction evoked humanity from both the mortals and and gods whose faults and foibles gave them dimension. I do wish Wadsworth would "lose" the severed body parts of heroes brought home to Valhalla and displayed by the Valkyries, causing titters from some of my neighbors, and that dead heroe slung over the shoulder of one flying goddess was clearly a dummy--unless we're meant to believe dead heroes were spared the "rigor" of "mortis". http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/08/11/valkyries_and_warriors_storm_mccaw_hall#c176448 Sat, 01 Aug 2009 06:52:38 +0000 samwatkinson c175440@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ Don't forget the Beyond Borders art festival in Longbranch! http://www.twowaters.org/TWAA/events/beyondtheborders.shtml
http://www.twowaters.org/TWAA/events/beyondtheborders.shtml
]]> http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/07/31/critic_s_picks_this_week_51#c175440 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 23:38:51 +0000 Raindancer10 c175398@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ It's great to see LIVE MUSIC events in Tacoma. I'm sick of everywhere you go because the owners are too cheap to hire Real LIVE MUSIC so they go and hire DJ's and one has too listen to wanna be singers all night. Also, catering to kiddie hip hop is old. We as baby boomers want our REAL LIVE music back! I hope this doesn't step badly on toes but then again we love to rock n roll still. Actually the cost isn't that much more and changing out to LIVE MUSIC probably would draw more people. http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/07/31/critic_s_picks_this_week_51#c175398 Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:19:28 +0000 Rosemary Ponnekanti c175047@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ Thanks for commenting, Lynn. I'm always the first to tell people that a review is an opinion, however informed and constructive, and everyone has their own (opinion, that is.) I would love it if more people put their opinion on the blog to balance mine! http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/07/26/joel_show_iv_a_mix_of_the_good_the_bad_a_1#c175047 Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:55:32 +0000 lynndin c174966@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ A friend and I saw the Sunday afternoon performance (and perhaps an afternoon show will always feel more informal) and we really enjoyed it. We marveled at the clean dancing moves of Joel, who've I 've had the pleasure to see dance with Specturm. We guessed that his goal was to present a varied entertainment featuring both seasoned and beginning dancers as a service to the community. Although Daniel's performance seemed casual, we felt it fit well in the program. I really enjoyed seeing this side of his work (he's such a talented artist) and we both completely enjoyed his unique blend of singing, moving with Joel, and playing of the guitar. We guessed that his goal was to present a varied entertainment featuring both seasoned and beginning dancers as a service to the community. Although Daniel's performance seemed casual, we felt it fit well in the program. I really enjoyed seeing this side of his work (he's such a talented artist) and we both completely enjoyed his unique blend of singing, moving with Joel, and playing of the guitar.]]> http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/07/26/joel_show_iv_a_mix_of_the_good_the_bad_a_1#c174966 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 23:02:23 +0000 Ebjornson c173746@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ Great news for the Grand. Let's hope The Grand Impromptu Gallery can find another good space downtown. http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/07/16/grand_to_expand_impromptu_to_move#c173746 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:44:19 +0000 Kathleen Merryman c173728@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ Hurrah! Eat your freakin' cornflakes! Eat your freakin' cornflakes!]]> http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/07/15/the_angry_housewives_come_back_26_years_#c173728 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:45:32 +0000 nonstopjoe c172104@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ So, who's ever going to see the proposed re-design? Why would more people be in the area in the future than in the past? http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/06/29/tacoma_art_museum_narrows_down_list_of_p#c172104 Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:10:32 +0000 possum1 c172036@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ AND, where is this money coming from ? Julie (Andeson), and the Ladenburg Crime Family ?
Julie (Andeson), and the Ladenburg Crime Family ?

]]> http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/06/29/tacoma_art_museum_narrows_down_list_of_p#c172036 Sun, 21 Jun 2009 05:04:59 +0000 MartinVirtualTours c171192@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ See my image at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/martinvirtualtours/3644244799/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/martinvirtualtours/3644244799/]]> http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/06/03/water_forest_returns_to_tacoma#c171192 Mon, 15 Jun 2009 03:38:49 +0000 Rosemary Ponnekanti c170356@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ Thanks for the clarification, Heide. But to further clarify: since you prefer not to publish your address (which I totally understand!) readers do, in fact, have to RSVP to all events to find out the address, at least initially. http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/06/10/small_art_fun_space_the_telephone_room#c170356 Sun, 14 Jun 2009 22:17:58 +0000 heide_fll c170349@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ On behalf of the Telephone Room Gallery, I would like to clarify: There is an opening on Wednesday, June 17 for Jeremy Mangan's show "The Badman." No RSVP is required for this event. The rumored beer mug ice-carving event in conjunction with Jeremy Mangan's show is scheduled for July 24, and it does require an RSVP (and a confirmation from us) to thetelephoneroom@gmail.com. Thanks. Hope to see you soon! There is an opening on Wednesday, June 17 for Jeremy Mangan's show "The Badman." No RSVP is required for this event.
The rumored beer mug ice-carving event in conjunction with Jeremy Mangan's show is scheduled for July 24, and it does require an RSVP (and a confirmation from us) to thetelephoneroom@gmail.com.
Thanks. Hope to see you soon! ]]> http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/06/10/small_art_fun_space_the_telephone_room#c170349 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:26:15 +0000 ldozy1234 c169928@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ Beautiful and wonderful gift to the community! Thank you. http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/06/05/new_mural_at_wheelock_library_right_out_#c169928 Thu, 04 Jun 2009 10:15:05 +0000 whitman411 c169218@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ Poorly conceived and engineered from the beginning. The boy did not bump into the piece, he walked up and pushed it over. The sad thing is that for the sake of art this thing was built in the first place. No tip-over analysis was done. The City should have asked for a refund, but instead, spent almost as much as the original installation "fixing" the thing. The money would have been better spent getting the mayor a better hairpiece.
The money would have been better spent getting the mayor a better hairpiece. ]]> http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/06/03/water_forest_returns_to_tacoma#c169218 Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:38:54 +0000 tree_guy c169204@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ $382,000 would fill a lot of potholes. http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/06/03/water_forest_returns_to_tacoma#c169204 Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:25:18 +0000 kevin22262 c169201@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ I have been waiting years for this to return! http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/06/03/water_forest_returns_to_tacoma#c169201 Wed, 13 May 2009 06:33:10 +0000 NineInchNachosII c166728@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ This is a tragedy. The Helm was the best art gallery ever. http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/05/12/farewell_helm_gallery#c166728 Wed, 13 May 2009 00:27:31 +0000 jeffernet c166686@http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/ This was an awesome year for the film competition. Thanks to everyone that supports this year over year. "Calming Heads" is on both YouTube and Vimeo: http://www.vimeo.com/4558422
"Calming Heads" is on both YouTube and Vimeo:
http://www.vimeo.com/4558422]]> http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/arts/2009/05/11/and_the_winner_is_1#c166686