Spectacular symphony, breathtaking art
By C.S. GILBERT
Glorious, glorious! Superlatives fail in the attempt to describe the South Florida Symphony Orchestra’s MasterWorks concert last week at Tennessee Williams Theater. “How marvelous was the music?!?” enthused Liz Young, executive director of the Florida Keys Council of the Arts. “I loved the whole program,” which consisted of favorites Ravel’s Bolero, the Barber Piano Concerto and Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.
Sometimes The Vulture feels, and has said in print, that locally a standing ovation is the obligatory Key West farewell, earned or no. But there has probably never before been the sustained, three-or-four-bows standing ovation given Maestra Sebrina Maria Alfonso and her musicians for their truly spectacular performance. “It’s amazing that little Key West has such an excellent symphony,” commented my son, Shad Neiss, when the applause finally died down. “We’re so lucky.” Indeed.
SFSO concerts range from wonderful to out of this world, so we can assume their pops concerts will be tops, as well. The Grammy-nominated total tribute group The WannaBeatles will appear backed by the entire orchestra on February 5 at 7:30 p.m. at TWT. Call (954) 522-8445 quickly for tickets; this show should sell out.
Turning back to fine arts and crafts, there have been remarkable openings in the past week; in addition to beloved Michael Palmer’s at Gingerbread Square there were new shows at Lucky Street and Cocco and Salem, which richly deserves to be included in the pantheon of local galleries already noted as providing a new show practically every week in Season (Gingerbread and Lucky Street).
Another classy fave is Harrison Gallery, showing during Walk on White on each third Thursday. There is currently a truly stunning showing of creations simply called scrolls by Bob Schmitt, paired in some cases with raku pottery by Miles Friedan, who led the literary seminar for years. The artists are “friends and collaborators for three decades” and here they “dive within to provide striking visual metaphors for who the light gets in,” explained Helen Harrison. “Student and teacher of Chinese brush painting, Schmit depicts nine gates of a spiritual journey, transforming the aesthetic of traditional Chinese scrolls into digital internal landscapes. Frieden’s sculptures expose a multitude of stories, usually embedded in relationships . . .(and) bring delight, beauty and healing.”
One of the scrolls was created as theme art for this year’s seminar. All are wonderful. Run, don’t walk, to catch this show before it ends Jan. 31; afterword only a few selections will be on view.
Another Walk on White favorite is Stone Soup, where Will Fernandez never fails to delight with the variety of his ceramics. The Vulture just fell in love with a manta ray!
You don’t have to be in the market for fine art; just to gaze is sublime. Nance Frank’s Gallery on Greene is yet another very interesting gallery. Also lovely: Letty Nowak’s Lemonade Stand Gallery on Petronia St. showing Vincent Pomilio through Jan. 30.
Key West’s art galleries, as well as its music, are varied and excellent. We are truly blessed.
The Vulture regrets being so time-challenged as to miss the grand opening of Grace, said to be a gorgeous, artisan boutique where Debra Butler Designs was located. Stay posted.
That’s all for now; gotta fly!
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Connie makes me wish I’d been there for Sebrina’s symphony performance! It surely must have been one of the most outstanding performances she and her orchestra have performed to date! Brava!