May 2024 Events Calendar for Los Angeles

Ost-West Musikfest Startet In St. Pölten In Die Nächste Runde

Das Musikfest steht seit 1878 für Völkerverbundenheit, das beweist das diesjährige Programm erneut. Unter dem Motto „Galizien und die Kronländer in Österreich" lädt Violinist und Intendant Gernot Wenischhofer zu acht Konzerten. Denn auch dieses Jahr spielen renommierte internationale und nationale Musikerinnen und Musiker wieder auf. Gestartet wird mit Posaunist Kiril Ribarski und Klavierspielerin Milica Sperovik-Ribarski am Donnerstag, 11. April, um 11 Uhr im Südpark.

„Vor genau 20 Jahren traten sie erstmals beim Musikfest mit größtem Erfolg auf. Es freut mich sehr, dass sie heuer die Saison eröffnen", erzählt der Intendant. Thematisch beleuchtet wird dieses Jahr der historische Kulturaustausch zwischen Wien, als kulturellem Zentrum der Habsburger Monarchie und ihren Kronländern. „So wirkte Carl Mikuli, Schüler von Chopin, in Lemberg als Komponist und Direktor des Konservatoriums", fügt Wenischhofer hinzu. Passend dazu präsentiert das Duo Ribarski" zur Eröffnung Werke von Fryderyk Chopin. „Chopin führte in seinem ersten Konzert in Krakau das Klavierkonzert von Adalberto Gyrowetz, einem österreichisch-böhmischen Komponisten, auf", erklärt Wenischhofer.

Abgerundet wird das Programm laut dem Intendanten mit Arrangements von „Liebesleid & Liebesfreud" sowie Fritz Kreislers berühmtesten Walzern, dessen Eltern aus Galizien stammten. „Man sieht Musik ist völkerverbindend. Wir Musiker sind dankbar, unsere Eigenheiten und Gemeinsamkeiten in der Musik darstellen zu können", freut sich der Violinist.

Die nächste Matinee im Südpark findet am 16. Juni, um 11 Uhr statt. Das zweite Konzert bietet dem Publikum ein sensationelles Recital des ukrainischen Pianisten Denis Javorsky. Alle Konzerttermine sowie Tickets gibt es unter www.Ostwestmusikfest.At.

Musikfest Bremen In Der Wesermarsch Quartet Nevermind Eröffnet Arp-Schnitger-Festival

Erstmals kooperiert das Musikfest Bremen mit dem Landkreis Wesermarsch. Das Quartet Nevermind eröffnet das Arp-Schnitger-Festival in Golzwarden.

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Brake/Golzwarden - Das 35. Musikfest Bremen findet vom 17. August bis zum 7. September statt und entführt in über 45 Konzerten in fesselnde Klangwelten zum Aufhorchen wie zum Träumen. Im Rahmen seiner Konzerte außerhalb der eigenen Landesgrenzen macht das Festival anlässlich seiner erstmaligen Zusammenarbeit mit dem Landkreis Wesermarsch am Dienstag, 20. August, um 19.30 Uhr in St. Bartholomäus in Golzwarden Station. Im Auftaktkonzert des ins Musikfest Bremen integrierten Arp-Schnitger-Festivals stellt sich in der Taufkirche des Orgelbauers das Quartett Nevermind mit seiner eigenen Bearbeitung der legendären Goldberg-Variationen von Johann Sebastian Bach vor.

Der 1991 in Paris geborene Jean Rondeau ist ein begnadeter Solist auf dem Cembalo, der Orgel und dem Klavier, wofür er schon 2016 im Rahmen des Musikfest Bremen mit dem Förderpreis Deutschlandfunk ausgezeichnet wurde. Doch der umtriebige französische Allround-Musiker ist auch Mitbegründer des Quartetts Nevermind, das sich in seiner Begeisterung für Alte Musik, Jazz und Folklore zusammengefunden hat. Mit größter Virtuosität und hörbarer Freude an klanglichen Experimenten setzen sich die vier Mitglieder für das traditionelle Quartett-Repertoire de 17. Und 18. Jahrhunderts für Flöte, Geige, Viola da gamba und Cembalo ein und erweitern es mit eigenen Transkriptionen. Daher darf man gespannt sein, wenn Nevermind in Golzwarden die von Bach fürs Cembalo komponierten mythenumrankten Goldberg-Variationen in einer eigenen Fassung für vier Instrumente präsentiert.

Neben Anna Besson an der Traversflöte, Louis Creac'h an der Violine und Robin Pharo auf der Viola da Gamba wird Jean Rondeau abwechselnd auf einem Cembalo und einem Orgelpositiv spielen. „Mit diesem Konzert bringen wir ein hochkarätig besetztes Programm in den Landkreis Wesermarsch, das in der Taufkirche Schnitgers ein besonderes musikalisches Erlebnis zu werden verspricht", erklärt Musikfest-Intendant Prof. Thomas Albert.

Bis 14. April gilt ein Frühbucher-Rabatt von 15 Prozent auf alle Karten in den regulären Preiskategorien. Karten sind telefonisch beim Ticket-Service in der Glocke (Tel.

0421 / 33 66 99, Mo-Fr 12-18 Uhr, Sa 11-14 Uhr) sowie in allen Eventim- und Nordwest Ticket-Vorverkaufsstellen (www.Nordwest-ticket.De) und im Webshop unter www.Musikfest-bremen.De erhältlich. Kinder und Jugendliche bis einschließlich 18 Jahre zahlen für jede Veranstaltung sechs Euro. Last Minute (nach Verfügbarkeit): Schüler*innen, Studierende, Freiwilligendienstleistende und Auszubildende bis 30 Jahre erhalten ab 30 Minuten vor Konzertbeginn an der Abendkasse Tickets zum Preis von zwölf Euro.

From Boxing To Big Band To 'Taxi': Tony Danza To Talk Personal Life And Career At Musikfest Cafe

For more than 45 years, actor and singer Tony Danza has been one of the world's most beloved entertainers. Whether it's his celebrated performances on shows like "Taxi" and "Who's The Boss," his extensive movie and Broadway credits, or even rubbing elbows with the likes of legends like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and songwriter Sammy Cahn, Danza has firmly established himself as a multi-generational icon.

But for all you know about Tony Danza, one of the things you might not know is that prior to becoming an actor, Danza envisioned himself as a teacher, even earning a bachelor's degree in education. Before finding a job teaching, he made a living as a professional boxer until fate stepped in and took his life in a whole new direction.

This is a small example of the stories fans can expect to hear on Friday, when Tony Danza brings his acclaimed "Standards &Stories," to the Musikfest Café in Bethlehem.

The show combines Danza's love of performing the timeless music from the Great American Songbook while interweaving stories from his personal and professional life. Who knows, there may even be a dash of soft shoe dancing and ukulele performances as well.

I recently spoke with Danza about his show and more in this exclusive new interview.

Q: How did the idea to do a show called "Standards & Stories" come about?

Tony Danza: Back in 1993 I hit a tree while skiing and almost killed myself. When I came back from it I said to myself, "I'm getting a second chance. What haven't I done yet?" By then I had already been tap dancing for about 10 years and realized what I wanted to do was be a song and dance man. So I called up my agent and said I wanted to try it and wrote it up. It's called "Standards & Stories," which is pretty self-explanatory. It's some of the greatest songs ever written played by a four-piece band led by Joe Davidian that will knock your socks off. Then I tell my stories: some professional, some personal, and a story about my mother that I'm very excited to tell. I try to make a connection with the audience and have them relate to the songs. People really seem to enjoy it and we have a great time playing it.

Where does your love of The Great American Songbook come from?

There are few reasons. First, my timing in life was unbelievable. I grew up in Brooklyn during the '50s and then moved to Long Island and live an idyllic, suburban life for a few years. I went to the mid-west in 1968 and later trained as a fighter in New York in the '70s in New York at Gleason's Gym which at the time was the mecca of boxing. I moved to Hollywood in 1978 and when I got there I ended up becoming friends with Sammy Cahn, the great songwriter, who took me into the group and I become one of the guys. But my love for that music really comes from my mother. She was a big [Frank] Sinatra and that kind of music fan. I gravitate to it, and do you know why? It's the words. There's a song in the show I do by Sammy Cahn called "Please Be Kind" that goes, "this is my first affair, so please be kind"…"handle my heart with care, please be kind"… and this is the line I love — "this is all so grand, my dreams are on parade." That song gets to me and that's what I try to do with the audience: make a connection, have them relate to the stories and also get a few laughs.

You mentioned being a boxer before moving to Hollywood. What inspired the transition into acting for you?

In Hollywood every day someone gets a break, but not everyone gets a show like "Taxi." We [surviving cast members] were on The View recently and they asked me how I did it because I had never acted before. I told them it's because they [the cast] welcomed me with open arms. Think about it. These are trained actors who worked hard and got a series on the most popular network at the time [ABC] right after the #1 show on TV ["Three's Company"] with the best Emmy-winning writers from "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." But there's only one thing… we found this fighter in New York. He's never acted before and we're going to put him in the show [laughs]. But they all welcomed me with open arms and I got that chance to thrive.

How it all happened was that a guy walked into the gym one day looking to make a pilot about a young fighter. I was in there boxing and the next thing I know he comes over and asks if I'd like to read. About six months later, by some crazy, circuitous, lucky thing, I found myself in [series creator] Jim Brooks' office reading with Mandy Patinkin for a show called "Taxi."

What was it like moving from an ensemble cast in "Taxi" to being the lead in "Who's The Boss?" Also, do you have an update on a series reboot?

It was another break for the good guys. It was like going to Harvard Law School and becoming a lawyer. I went to school with "Taxi" and then when I got to "Who's the Boss" I just applied what I had learned. There's been talk about a new show going on for quite a while now. It's not a reboot, it's a sequel. The script is terrific and we're just waiting for someone to go, "Come on! Let's make it!" There's good vibes in the air so we'll see what happens. But what I'm doing and having a great time with now is playing a bad guy on the Starz series, "Raising Kanan," which is a Power Book series now going into its fourth season.

You originally had plans of becoming a teacher and in 2009 had the opportunity to teach 10-grade English at Philadelphia's Northeast High School. What influenced your decision?

I've always had a romantic notion about teaching because I worry about kids. When I was turning 60, I decided I finally wanted to try it and see what it was like. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. The truth is there are millions of miracles happening every year because of dedicated teachers. I even wrote a book about it called "I'd Like to Apologize to Every Teacher I Ever Had: My Year as a Rookie Teacher at Northeast High." The thing I do now is kind of an offshoot of it. In 2011 me and my partner developed a teen acting program called Youth Acting Through Performance. We stayed for two years and then went to the Police Athletic League here in New York City where we've engaged over 5,000 kids. I also have a thing called Cops and Kids Chorus where NYPD officers sing with the kids. We just sang at Radio City Music Hall opening for The Rockettes. This year we have a 501c3 and a wellness component where I take kids shopping and then we go home, get on a Zoom call, and cook together.

Of all of the highlights of your career, what stands out to you as most memorable?

That might take a while to ponder. I mean, I met and sang for Sinatra, hung out with Dean Martin and have been with Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé. Work wise, "Taxi" was unbelievable. But I was recently at a Comic Con in Salt Lake City signing autographs when a guy walked up to me with his daughter, who was about 29. He told me how they used to watch "Who's The Boss" together. I was obviously flattered and said, "Oh, wow, that's great!" He said, "No.. No. You made me a better father." I looked at his daughter and she was nodding her head in agreement. With all of the influence we had with "Who's The Boss," I always worried about the message every week and wanted to make sure we took some responsibility. I'm really proud of that show.

James Wood is a freelance writer. You can reach him at jimmywood@gmail.Com

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