Die Schopfung (Haydn)

Yale Schola Cantorum, Yale Baroque Ensemble, and Juillard415 joined forces under the baton of Masaaki Suzuki for a fabulous performance of Joseph Haydn's Die Schopfung (The Creation).  Soloist Jessica Petrus (soprano), Steven Soph (tenor), John Taylor Ward (bass), and Megan Chartrand (soprano) were excellent.

A perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Highly recommended.

The Realistic Jones (Eno)

Fascinating Will Eno play that foregrounds the multiple layers of meaning in every utterance.  Great acting brought together by forceful direction.

When Yale Rep takes chances like this one, I hope the plays success with audiences and critics will encourage them to take many more chances.

Highly recommended.

The Kid with a Bike (Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne)

This film has all the components of an overly-sentimental heart-tugger: abandoned boy, single foster parent, a brush with the law, etc.  The Dardennes avoid the temptation and create instead a singular movie about the dangers of loving and trust, a movie that ultimately argues that the dangers not only test love's temper but they make the love all that much truer.  It was a difficult movie to watch because the difficulties were so palpably real.  I was equally a difficult movie to forget for the same reason.

Highly recommend.

Bully (Lee Hirsch)

Very distressing documentary.  Query: why not title it "Bullied"? 

Recommend.

Being Shakespeare (Simon Callow)

Much better than I would have expected.

Recommend.

New Music New Haven

Another wonderful performance by NMNH, and another reason why New Haven is a great place to live.

Highly Recommended.

De Profundis (Yale School of Music)

 A program of music for low instructions, my favorite timbre. There's not a flute that I wouldn't trade for a bassoon, a violin for a cello, or a trumpet for a trombone.  Thus this program was ready-made for my tastes with nary a flute or violin or trumpet.

Heinrich Schutz. Absalon, fili mi
Mozart. Duo for bassoon and cello in B-flat major, K 292
Jacob Druckman. Valentine
Sergei Prokofiev. Scherzo Humoristique, Op. 12b
Bach. Prelude and Fugue in D minor
Bruckner. Two Aequale
Penderecki. Serenata for three cellos; Capriccio for solo tuba
Sofia Gubaidulina. Concerto for bassoon and low strings

Recommend