A partnership of Arts Alive! and the Foreign Film Series
Imagine early 1920s Paris – a small, intimate theatre plays host to new and avant-garde cinema, specifically, the silent surrealist films of the day. The entire town seems to be present: the bourgeoisie, the big thinkers of the time, the aristocracy, and the escapists. They’ve all gathered to experience this cutting-edge art and later, will reconvene at the local cafes to discuss and debate the merits of the film, the actors, and the director.
Fast-forward 80 years. Continuing this early French tradition, a similar scene plays out as The Hot Club of San Francisco presents Silent Surrealism, an evening of silent surrealist films with live gypsy jazz. The program includes several short silent films by Charlie Bowers such as Now You Tell One and It’s a Bird, as well as films by James Sibley Watson and Harold Shaw. The Hot Club accompanies these films with the distinctive music made famous by Stephane Grappelli, Django Reinhardt, and the Hot Club de France. Silent Surrealism is a brilliant multi-media trip back to a time when the artistic and literary style emerged as a means of expressing the imagination…when writers and filmmakers were more interested in the implications of words and images and providing the audience with the opportunity to vicariously experience the unknown or unimaginable.
The Hot Club of San Francisco is an ensemble of accomplished and versatile musicians celebrating the music of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli’s pioneering Hot Club de France. The ensemble borrows the all-string instrumentation of violin, bass and guitars from the original Hot Club, but breathes new life into the music with innovative arrangements of classic tunes and original compositions from the group’s superb lead guitarist Paul Mehling.
Film Titles: Now You Tell One~It’s a Bird~ The Fall of the House of Usher~ The Land Beyond Sunset.
In cooperation with the San Francisco Silent Film Festival
JITRO
THE CZECH GIRLS CHOIR, featuring a special appearance by the Milwaukee Children’s Choir
JITRO, meaning "Daybreak" in Czech, is more than just a concert choir from Hradec Kralove, in the Czech Republic. It is an organization of 500 children in seven preparatory ensembles, of which only the best 25 or 30 qualify to tour.
For 35 years they have been admired all over the world for their tonal brilliance, superb intonation, distinctive rich blend of sound and energetic vitality. Jitro is today seen as one of the best children's choirs anywhere in the world.
America's love of Jitro was re-born when the choir was invited to sing at the National Convention of the American Choral Directors Association in San Antonio, Texas in 1993. Standing ovations were given by thousands of professional American conductors in the auditorium.
In 2003 Jitro achieved the absolute victory, competing with one hundred seventy-one choruses from all over the world at the international Songs Festival in Olomouc, Czech Republic. Jitro was granted six golden medals.
Bill Blagg III Suspended Reality
He's been changing reality, one city at a time, with his unique brand of interactive, high-energy, magic and illusion!
Experience an unforgettable night of magic & illusion with one of the nation’s top magical stars…Bill Blagg III! Bill is taking the art of magic to new heights by combining grand scale magic & illusions along with special effect lighting, and his unmatched personality to create one of the most unbelievable, interactive, magic experiences witnessed today.
Audience volunteers will float mysteriously in mid-air, others will vanish, and so much more! Witness over 90 minutes of live action-packed grand-scale magic and illusions that will have you rubbing your eyes in disbelief!
VIP Tickets include a pre-show meet & greet with Bill and crew. A souvenir laminated VIP pass, free 8x10 photo, backstage admission, and a special VIP member performance prior to the show! VIP SEATING IS LIMITED!
Grammy Award winners Eric Tingstad and Nancy Rumbel have performed, recorded and toured together for over 22 years with 19 albums to their credit.
Eric and Nancy began their collaboration in1985. Their debut album, The Gift, quickly became a holiday classic. In 1998, American Acoustic was honored as "Acoustic Instrumental Album of the Year." And in 2003 they received a Grammy Award for Acoustic Garden. A new album by Eric, Southwest, is a 2007 Grammy Award Nominee.
Historic preservation and the environment are just a couple of the many special interests Eric and Nancy share and lend their names to - all part of their love for nature, beauty, and creativity that takes center stage in their music.
Barrage
Barrage – A high-octane fiddle-fest that features an international, multi-talented cast performing an eclectic mix of music, song and dance.
“Barrage is too Wow for Words !” – Denver Post
Their world tour featuring their new show “High Strung”. Barrage performances offer up a diverse fusion of cultures, musical styles and incredible performance vitality. The music of Barrage continues to evolve—combining contemporary world music influences, layered vocal arrangements and pulsating modern beats and rhythms. The cast delivers the new show “High Strung” with amazing energy and musical virtuosity that will take your breath away.
“After an evening of performing jigs on rocket fuel, its no wonder that more than a few horsehairs snapped on their bows” – LA Daily News
NATALIE STOVALL
This newcomer on the national music scene is explosive! With an amazing voice and a high-energy act, Natalie and her band will leave you singing and dancing. Whether performing her own unique arrangements of some of the top country songs, or belting out her own original compositions, she’ll leave you breathless at her incredible talent. She’s traveling all over the U.S., popping up on radio stations across the country, wow-ing college and community audiences along the way – and she’s not even out of her 20’s yet!
Natalie appears at UW-Parkside as a partnership between Arts Alive! and the UWP Student Activities Office.
Always an audience favorite – the founding members of this ground-breaking recorder ensemble reunite to celebrate highlights from 30 years of extraordinary success – with their astonishing battery of recorders. Their final U.S. tour!
“If there is a better recorder ensemble . . . I have yet to hear it.” GRAMOPHONE
Since its formation the Amsterdam Loeki Stardust Quartet has explored the boundaries of the recorder consort. Their unusual name refers to a melody played on their very first rehearsal. It expresses affection for unusual repertoire in addition to the classic consort music of the Renaissance and Baroque periods. The group has assembled a unique collection of over a hundred Renaissance, Baroque and modern recorders, ranging from an 8-inch sopranino to a sub-contrabass measuring over nine feet. The quartet’s recordings have confirmed its reputation as the world's most innovative and exciting recorder consort.
IN THE MOOD
IN THE MOOD, a 1940s Musical Featuring the Music That Moved the Nation’s Spirit
15th Anniversary Tour
Back at UW-Parkside By Audience Request!
Much more than a concert, IN THE MOOD takes a retro look at the life and time of America’s greatest generation. A generation that was listening and dancing to the same kind of music. With music and dance that combined up-tempo big band rhythms to mellow intimate ballads, the mood was set to inspire a future filled with hope, promise and prosperity. This was a time like no other in our Nation’s history, a time when music moved the Nation’s spirit. Come experience the swing, rhythm, jazzy, brassy, sentimental and romantic music of this important time. Through its musical influence, it became part of the official entertainment for the World USO’s 50th commemoration of the WW II events. IN THE MOOD is written and directed by Washington, DC’s John Moran with choreography by New York City’s Thomas Mills with creative and musical insights selected by Washington, DC’s musical producer Bud Forrest. The revue features the In the Mood Singers and Dancers with the sensational String of Pearls big band orchestra with arrangements, costumes and choreography as authentic as it gets.
The Original Highwaymen
What started out as a Saturday night party band turned into a folk ensemble that has endured for nearly fifty years. With hits like Michael Row The Boat Ashore, Cotton Fields, and The Gypsy Rover, the Original Highwaymen are icons of American folk music. Relive the 1960’s to experience music as powerful now as it was then.
