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The MFA announces its spring schedule, opens its doors on Martin Luther King Day
Concertizing The Museum of Fine Arts has announced a typically eclectic spring schedule of music and performance, with a mix of classical music, early music, world music, classic pop, and jazz. The series begins January 19 with the six-piece Dutch wind ensemble Nachtmusique playing music of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, plus lesser-known composers like Johann Christian Bach and Franz Krommer. On January 26, the Boston Museum Trio (Daniel Stepner, violin; John Gibbons, harpsichord; Laura Jeppesen, viola da gamba) is joined by soprano Dominique Labelle and flutist Christopher Krueger in a program called ÒLa Belle FranceÓ that will comprise sonatas by Couperin and LeClair, a French suite by J.S. Bach, ClŽrambeau’s LŽandre et HŽro, and Monteclair’s pastoral cantata Pan et Syrinx. On February 2, it’s the Mystical Arts of Tibet tour, with a troupe of dancers and multiphonic singers from the Drepung Loseling Monastery. Soprano Nancy Armstrong, baritone Robert Honeysucker, violinist Daniel Stepner (who usually plays a Baroque instrument but on this occasion goes for electric!), and Laura Jeppesen on viola da gamba perform their traditional Valentine’s Day concert (this time on the Eve), with selections from George Gershwin and Cole Porter. On February 23, the great kora master Mamadou Diabate is joined by a traditional ensemble from his native Mali. Haitian ÒCreole QueenÓ Emeline Michel brings in her band on March 23. John Gibbons plays a selection of Beethoven, including the Moonlight and PathŽtique sonatas, on the MFA’s 18th-century Broadwood Grand pianoforte on April 6. Repatriated former Paris exile Steve Lacy continues to storm his new home town with ÒTen Dukes and Selections from the Beat Suite,Ó which will be a mix of Ellington and his own settings of beat poetry, in duo with his wife, vocalist Irene Aebi, on April 20. In an especially intriguing program, French soprano Anne AzŽma, a renowned interpreter of early vocal music, will perform with her ensemble Provence Mystique in a program called ÒThe Minstrels of God: Sacred Songs of the Middle Ages.Ó But expect the three-person ensemble to take on a wide range of the troubadour tradition, including storytelling and poetry, as they span the traditions of courtly love and the Christian liturgy with ancient instruments including hurdy-gurdy, vielle, and psaltery. That’s on May 4. The series concludes on May 11 with the Museum Trio joined by Julie Leven on Baroque violin and tenor Jeffrey Thompson in ÒBach and His Compatriots,Ó which will include pieces by Buxtehude and Biber and SchŸtz’s Symphonia Sacra. All concerts except the Valentine’s Eve performance are Sunday afternoon at 3. Tickets are $20, or $16 for members; call (617) 369-3300. Martin Luther King Day Open House We’re not sure what if any connection there is between Martin Luther King and the French Impressionists, but we’re sure he’d appreciate seeing great art made available to people of all colors who might not otherwise be afford to afford the price of admission, so it’s worth noting that on Monday January 20, visitors will be admitted to ÒImpressions of Light: The French Landscape from Corot to MonetÓ for just $5. Families will also be able to enjoy the other exhibitions plus family activities and performances by gospel artist Freda Battle and the Temple Worshippers as well as jazz saxophonist Andre Ward, all from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Call (617) 267-9300. Wine, women, song, and . . . more wine January may not be the cruelest month, and with our arts institutions back in full swing it’s by no means the most boring, but it certainly is a dark and dreary affair. There’s light at the end of the tunnel, however, in the form of the 12th annual Boston Wine Expo, which will take place February 1 and 2 at the World Trade Center Boston and Seaport Hotel. Describing itself as Òthe largest consumer wine event in the country,Ó the expo promises a Grand Tasting that will showcase Òmore than 440 international and domestic wineries from 18 countries pouring more than 1800 different wines.Ó Mary Ewing-Mulligan, author (with her husband, Ed McCarthy) of Wine for Dummies, will be the special guest. The seminar line-up ranges from ÒPriorato and Monsant/Spain’s Hottest Region (Literally)Ó and ÒNaturalmente Italiano: A Crash Course on the Regional Specialties of ItalyÓ to ÒGreat Cheeses of New EnglandÓ and ÒMy Big ‘Modern’ Greek Wine SeminarÓ; there’ll also be a Sunday Brunch at 11 a.m. and a Vintner’s Dinner Sunday at 7 p.m., plus continuous celebrity-chef demonstrations and, of course, the Cigar Lounge. Hours for the public (this is a trade show as well) are from 1 to 5 each day. Grand Tasting tickets are $60 for one day and $82 for two, but that’s only if you purchase them before January 24, after which the price goes up to $70 and $92. Admission to seminars, the Sunday Brunch, and the Vintner’s Dinner is by separate ticket; call (877) 946-3976 or go to www.wine-expos.com. Remember that over its history the Wine Expo has donated more than $400,000 to the Floating Hospital for Children’s Summer Camp Program for Children with Disabilities, so part of your admission fee will be going to charity. And those who want to make a real weekend of it should note that on Friday January 31 the Anthony Spinazzola Foundation will be presenting its 18th annual Gala Festival of Food & Wine, a black-tie celebration Òfeaturing 120 of the Boston area’s best chefs preparing signature dishes from their restaurants and 80 winemakers from around the world pouring their finest wines.Ó You’ll be able to dance to the sounds of Soul Kitchen, and there’ll be a Cigar, Beer, and Port Room with a jazz quartet. Tickets are $175 per person; call (781) 344-4413 or visit www.spinazzola.org. Jazzing The Regattabar has just announced a slew of new shows through June (for a January-through-March forecast, see our ÒWinter PreviewÓ in the January 3 Arts section, or go to www.concertix.com). These include an all-too-rare appearance by the Boston–New York straddling quartet Guaranteed Swahili on February 18; the Ron Carter Quartet with Stephen Scott on February 20; local guitar man Eric T. Johnson with saxophonist George Garzone and a quartet on February 26; the Bruce Gertz Quintet supergroup with Jerry Bergonzi, John Abercrombie, Joey Calderazzo, and Adam Nussbaum on March 1; the Either/Orchestra on March 4; the Charles Mingus Big Band March 7 and 8; the Garrison Fewell Trio with Khan Jamal and Cameron Brown on March 11; the Christian McBride Band with Geoff Keezer and Ron Blake March 13-15; Los Hombres Calientes with Irvin Mayfield and Bill Summers March 21 and 22; the Matt Wilson Quartet on March 27; the Lello Molinari Project with George Garzone, Jeff Galindo, Frank Carlberg, Mick Goodrick, and Bob Gullotti on April 1; pianist Fred Hersch and vocalist Norma Winstone on April 2; vocalists Jim Porcella and Ida Zecco paying tribute to Louis Prima and Keely Smith on April 3; the Chris Potter Quartet with Bill Stewart on April 4; Kendrick Oliver’s New Life Jazz Orchestra with Monica Lynk and special guest Kevin Mahogany on April 5; the Mili Bermejo Trio on April 8; the Mike Stern Quartet with Terri Lyne Carrington April 10-11; Kenny Barron’s ÒCanta BrasilÓ project April 17-19; the Michel Camilo Trio April 25-26; Cuba’s Orquesta Arag—n on April 28; the Steve Lacy/Danilo PŽrez duo May 2 and 3; the Dave Holland Quintet May 7-10; keyboardist/composer Ben Schwendener with his group on May 13; the Aardvark Jazz Orchestra on May 14; Rebecca Parris and her quintet on May 16; Eddie Palmieri and his 11-piece Orquesta May 22-24; pianist Donal Fox’s ÒInventions in BlueÓ with vibist Stefon Harris May 29-30; vocalist Patrice Williamson on June 5; the Duke Robillard Band on June 6; the Luciana Souza Quartet with Bruce Barth on June 7; and vocalists Chiara Civello on June 13 and Titilayo on June 14. Previously announced by the R-Bar’s Watermusic affiliates was Sonny Rollins at the Berklee Performance Center on April 12. You can get more information about all these shows, and tickets, at (617) 876-7777.
Issue Date: January 9 - 16, 2003
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