The flamboyant bon vivant Noël Coward excelled in many aspects of the performing arts, but he is best remembered today as a playwright who exposed the foibles of English society in several between-the-wars, comedy-of-manners plays.  The last of these was “Blithe Spirit.”  Many of us, having seen the movie and perhaps productions of the play as well, may wish to pass on seeing this war horse once again.  That would be a mistake.  City Lights has produced a sparkling rendition that hits the mark on every measure.

The Jean Paul Riopelle Foundation, in collaboration with the Department of Canadian Heritage and Culture pour tous, is proud to announce the Canadian artists who have been selected to realize 9 cultural mediation projects as part of the Riopelle Dialogues Program, one of the most ambitious cultural mediation programs ever seen in Canada.

Rafael Mahdavi, is a global artist who lives and works in France and Greece. Some years ago he commuted from Wellesley to Paris. At that time I curated an exhibition simultaneously for New England School of Art/ Suffolk University and Boston's French Library. We have been in touch ever since. This is an update on the latest work.

Cicely Carew, Venetia Dale, and Yu-Wen Wu have been named the recipients of the 2023 James and Audrey Foster Prize Exhibition. Their exhibition at the ICA, on view August 24–January 2, will encompass a wide range of media—from sculpture and installation to time-based media and works on paper.

The American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA) has announced the six finalists for the 2023 Harold and Mimi Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award. ATCA presents the honor annually. The presentation will take place on May 7 at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, Calif as part of the annual Pacific Playwrights Festival.

Images Cinema presents its 14th annual farming and food film festival: Fresh Fest. Fresh Fest seeks to connect local farmers and food producers with the community around important conversations that impact all of us.

Noche Flamenca creates a diverse theatrical body of performance through song, music, and dance that expresses a rigorous, spell-binding aesthetic in the form of flamenco; one that exceeds the highest artistic expectations.

The Clark Art Institute recently added three new paintings to its permanent collection, enhancing its holdings of works by women artists. The paintings, two by Marguerite Gérard and one by Evelyn De Morgan, are the first by either artist to enter the Clark’s collection.

Those familiar with 42nd Street Moon will see how this offering fits the company’s modus operandi. Obviously, it is a musical, and one that calls for a large ensemble, but with limited orchestration and minimal staging, all of which suit the company. But for that, you get Sondheim – witty, and sometimes searing lyrics, creative rhythms, often delivered in patter style, and great music. The music, however, is a little off the composer’s beaten path – a bit more conventional Broadway and a bit less dissonance.

The Boston Symphony Orchestra  announces that Elvis Costello and The Imposters with Charlie Sexton as special guest have joined the lineup for the Popular Artists Series at Tanglewood. This will be the 2003 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee’s first appearance at Tanglewood.  

The producers of Art Bath, who dance together at the Metropolitan Opera, are warm individuals who make inspired selections for programs that range from conventional songs accompanied by live, drawn art to wild Moroccan sintir music which inspires accompanying clapping and ululation in joy. 

 Pixies’ concerts are well-known for being “one-of-a-kind,” as the band has no pre-determined set lists, the “next song” is the one that “feels right," so you’ll never see the same show twice. And the song choices go deep.

Send-ups can be tricky, since pastiche, and particularly farce, can wear thin. But “Ruthless! The Musical” pushes all the right buttons, offering a bright script and bouncy music with clever and provocative lyrics. Altarena Playhouse gives it a rousing rendition that is enjoyable from start to finish. The casting and acting are superb, and the creative elements sparkle.

The Irish Rep has mounted a superb production of Samuel Beckett's difficult and riveting Endgame. It features Bill Irwin, know for his Beckett interpretations, and renowned Shakespearean actor John Douglas Thompson. The hit show will be live streamed for its final performances,

WORKING celebrates the everyday laborers who create purpose in their lives by doing their life’s work. Ever wonder what your teacher is really thinking? Does your waiter really want you to, “enjoy your meal”? Witness these often unsung employees take center stage and tell their side of the story.

Lawrence Brownlee came to Carnegie Hall to present a program he has developed called Rising.  In the second part of his show, Jasmine Barnes, Branson Spencer, Damien Sneed, Shawn Okpebholo, and Joel Thompson, young up-and-coming composers, set poems to their music.  Carlos Simon offered vocalese

Palm Beach Dramaworks is poised to perform August: Osage County. The production runs from March 31 thru April 16. Playwright Tracey Letts won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play for August: Osage County. The director and a cast member say that despite its three-plus hours, the play flies by.

FreshGrass, MASS MoCA’s annual three-day festival of bluegrass and roots music, announces the initial 2023 lineup, featuring Dropkick Murphys Acoustic—playing songs from their two albums with the lyrics of Woody Guthrie - plus acoustic arrangements of all your DKM favorites—Lukas Nelson + POTR, Sierra Ferrell, Rhiannon Giddens...

Though The Art of Burning is described as a comedy, it is really a drama centering on Patricia (Patti) who is about to be divorced from Jason, after a many year marriage (they have a 16-year-old daughter).

Maltz Jupiter Theatre triumphs with its production of the infrequently produced musical, "Oliver!" This production is the company's largest yet. Maltz's production runs through April 2.

Larence Brownlee tours with Rising, a program of songs based on poems of the Harlem Renaissance and music by composers of color. He is at Carnegie Hall on March 23rd.

Like Sutton Hoo, King Tut’s Tomb, and Scythian Gold, the most exhilarating archeological finds are often the discoveries of beautifully crafted metal objects. A gorgeous shiny object suggests riches of untold value, something precious with which to feather our nests. Viewing the Fuller Craft Museum’s compelling show Creative Alloys is a bit like peeking at an elegantly revealed excavation filled with treasures.

In its essence, the opera is an intimate triangle of love, predation, betrayal, and murder. Yet the intimacy of “Tosca” plays against a grand canvas of three unrelated settings, which LVO executes deftly.

Long Beach Opera presented an intriguing new music and dance performance, The Horse. Created and performed by Chris Emile, Cody Perkins wrote the music and vocals are by Alexis Vaughn. When you arrive, you are impelled to look around Rancho Los Cerritos.  The area is wooded, a lone rabbit makes its way to a tree, looks around and across the road. It bounds off into the woods.

Friends have asked for reports about our Antarctic cruise. I have broken it into categories for picking and choosing. It was a 9-day journey on Atlas Ocean Voyages, a new luxury brand, on the World Navigator. We had previously decided to give the Antarctic a miss because of the potential misery of four days on the Drake Passage. Then we learned of "Fly the Drake" (i.e., launching the cruise from South Georgia Island rather than Argentina or Chile) and became interested.