Eileen

I enjoyed the psychological thriller Eileen at Sundance this year so, now that it is in wide release, I decided to see it again with my nephew after he suggested it last night.  Eileen Dunlop (Thomasin McKenzie) is a lonely and repressed young woman working a thankless job as a secretary at a juvenile detention center in a small town in Massachusetts during the 1960s while caring for her alcoholic and abusive father Jim (Shea Whigham).  Her drab and dreary world is transformed when she meets and becomes infatuated with Dr. Rebecca Saint John (Anne Hathaway), the alluring new prison psychologist.  Rebecca draws Eileen into her orbit but the balance of power shifts between them when they take an interest in Lee Polk (Sam Nivola), an inmate convicted of stabbing his father to death.  This is an atmospheric and stylish slow-burn with a wild twist in the third act (it happens so suddenly that I was shocked the first time I saw it because I had no idea where the narrative was going and several people in the audience last night audibly gasped) but the abrupt ending left me wanting more.  Both Hathaway and McKenzie are outstanding and have great chemistry, especially as the intense connection between their characters is explored with lingering close-up shots of their faces, but Maren Ireland steals the show with a brief but devastating monologue.  I loved the score by Richard Reed Parry because it really adds to the tension and the cinematography brilliantly highlights the desolation all around.  I would ultimately recommend this because it is incredibly unnerving and compelling but I wish that it had gone a little further.

Ballet West's The Nutcracker 2023

Another favorite Christmas tradition (I have so many) is seeing Ballet West's production of The Nutcracker and I had the opportunity yesterday afternoon. I've seen it dozens of times but I love it so much and I eagerly await all of my favorite scenes, especially the party where the Christmas tree is revealed to all of the children and Clara is given a nutcracker by Dr. Drosselmeyer, when everything is magically transformed to an enormous size and the nutcracker defeats the Mouse King with Clara's help, when the nutcracker becomes a handsome prince and takes Clara to the land of the Snow Queen and the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy, and all of the divertissements arranged for Clara's entertainment (my favorites are the Arabian dance because it is so exotic and sensual and the Russian dance because of the sheer athleticism of the leaps and spins).  The highlights for me are always the Pas de Deux between the Snow Queen (Jenna Rae Herrera) and the Snow King (Jordan Veit) at the end of Act I and the Grand Pas de Deux between the Sugar Plum Fairy (Amy Potter) and her Cavalier (Tyler Gum) in Act II.  The choreography by William Christensen is absolutely beautiful (I love it when the Sugar Plum Fairy leaps into the arms of her Cavalier and then leans all the way forward almost touching the ground) and the dancers are always exquisite but, more than that, I think the music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky used in these scenes is some of the most romantic in the classical repertoire.  I am always impressed by how many young dancers appear in this production (there are 75 in each of the four rotating casts through the run) and by how well they perform but I especially enjoyed Cameron Spencer as the naughty Fritz (it seems like every Fritz adds his own bit of business in the party scene) and Mother Buffoon's children (they are adorable especially during their bows).  The sets and costumes were updated several years ago (I love the jewel tones in Act I and the pastels in Act II) but I noticed that the costumes for the Sugar Plum Fairy's attendants changed from monkeys to cats this year.  Everything about this show is magical, from the snow falling in the land of the Snow Queen to Clara's flying sled, and I highly recommend adding this to your list of holiday traditions.  There are evening and matinee performances at Capitol Theatre through December 27 (go here for tickets).

Schumann's "Rhenish" Symphony

The program for last night's Utah Symphony concert was, once again, curated by guest conductor and creative partner David Robinson.  The pieces were selected to evoke images of specific places and I really enjoyed all of them because they reminded me of past journeys.  The orchestra began with En Saga (A Fairy Tale) by Jean Sibelius.  I became familiar with the music of Sibelius on a trip to Finland in 2003 so I already picture that country whenever I hear any of his music but this particular piece conjured of many more images.  I especially enjoyed an effect created by the strings which sounded to me like a frozen wind blowing across a snowy landscape during a hunting party.  I also enjoyed several plaintive themes played by the solo oboe and solo clarinet which I feel represent the yearning of the Finnish people to be free from the yoke of Russia.  Next came Three Pieces in New England by Charles Ives and all three movements are intended to make the listener have a similar experience to ones he had while visiting each place.  The first movement, The "St. Gaudens" on Boston Common, was my favorite because it refers to a bronze statue of Colonel Robert Shaw depicting his march with a unit of Black volunteer soldiers into a massacre at Fort Wagoner and, like Ives, I also had a very poignant reaction to seeing this statue on a trip to Boston.  I really liked the integration of the Civil War songs "The Battle Cry of Freedom" and "Marching Through Georgia" as well as the faint fanfares from the brass representing an attempt by the soldiers to rally.  After the intermission, the orchestra performed Symphony No. 3 "Rhenish" by Robert Schmann.  This was written in response to a day trip taken by Schumann and his wife to Cologne where they viewed the Rhine River.  I loved this piece because I once took a river cruise of the Rhine on a trip to Germany in 1997 and I could see all of the beautiful castles that line the banks and hear the lapping of the water as I listened.  I especially loved the solemn fourth movement with its haunting themes first performed by the horns and trombones and then expanded by the woodwinds and strings.  I recommend taking a musical journey of your own when this program is performed again tonight (go here for tickets).

A Christmas Carol at HCTO 2023

Last night I went to my third peformance of A Christmas Carol this season and this time it was HCTO's version.  To say that I loved it would be an understatement!  This is a brand new production featuring the most faithful adaptation of the novel by Charles Dickens that I have ever seen because the playwright, Rodger Sorenson, employs a technique known as "Chamber Theatre" which includes both the dialogue and the narrative descriptions.  This technique is brilliant because it brings the words written by Dickens very vividly to life!  Ebenezer Scrooge is played by Ric Starnes and the rest of the cast is comprised of a large ensemble who narrate the story, portray the rest of the characters, bring the minimal set pieces and props on and off stage, provide sound effects, and perform all of the musical interludes.  This approach is simple but incredibly effective.  I especially enjoyed how the scenes at Fezziwig's warehouse, the Cratchit home, Fred's house, and the graveyard are staged because they make great use of the ensemble and the small and intimate space. I loved all of the music, particularly the inclusion of "Wexford Carol" and "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella" because they are favorites of mine, but the use of "Lacrymosa," performed by the violin (Naomi White) and cello (Risa Bean), as Belle releases young Ebenezer and "Coventry Carol" as the Cratchits mourn the loss of Tiny Tim are incredibly affecting.  The set is very simple but the costumes are anything but!  The gowns, capes (I think capes and cloaks should make a comeback), and bonnets worn by the women and the topcoats and waistcoats worn by the men are gorgeous and feature elaborate embellishments.  Starnes gives a beautiful performance because all of the emotions that Scrooge feels as he is shown his past, present, and future are clearly visible on his face and in his delivery.  His reactions to Nan, Belle, and Tiny Tim are especially poignant but it is his simple interaction with a caroler busking on the street after his transformation that brought me to tears.  I also enjoyed David Matthew Smith's performance as Bob Cratchit because he is so emotional in the scene where he mourns the death of Tiny Tim and Ryann Bailey Wawro's performance as Belle because her facial expressions in the scene where she is wooed by young Ebenezer are so funny.  Jack Jewkes is adorable as Tiny Tim, especially when he sings "What Child Is This?," but Lilly Anderson absolutely steals the show as Fan and Sara Cratchit!  This is definitely my favorite production of A Christmas Carol (and I have seen a lot of them) and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here).  It runs through December 23.

Lower Lights Christmas Concert 2023

I really love hearing Christmas music performed live so one of my favorite traditions is attending the Lower Lights Christmas concert every year.  I went to their first show of the season at Kingsbury Hall last night and I absolutely loved it!  The Lower Lights is a supergroup of amazing musicians, many of whom are popular in their own right, who periodically come together to record and perform folk and bluegrass renditions of hymns and Christmas songs (Sarah Sample called the group a band of misfits last night).  I really love their sound and I especially love all of their arrangements of Christmas songs (any Christmas song that features steel guitars, mandolins, and banjos is automatically great in my opinion).  The concert began with "I Saw Three Ships," "Angels We Have Heard On High," and "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem."  Then Kiki Sieger sang a beautiful version of "Pretty Paper" (which is new to their set), Dominic Moore and Paul Jacobsen performed an incredibly poignant acoustic rendition of "Happy X-Mas (War Is Over),"  and Debra Fotheringham (who is back with the group this year) sang "A Cradle in Bethlehem" while accompanying herself on electric guitar.  The crowd last night was one of the most subdued I've seen at a Lower Lights concert but they got a lot more animated during the next set which featured "Trouble the Water," "When the Roll is Called Up Yonder," and "Just a Closer Walk With Thee." Cherie Call sang a lovely version of "Away in a Manger" and then she was joined by Kiki Sieger and Marie Bradshaw for "Still, Still, Still" which was a highlight of the show for me because the three of them harmonize so well together and they always give me goosebumps!  Next came an instrumental version of "Carol of the Bells" and then Dustin Christensen, who has a beautiful voice, performed "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."  There was an incredible violin solo by Megan Nay during "Maybe This Christmas" and then the crowd was on their feet once again for rousing renditions of "Go Tell It On The Mountain" and "Children, Go Where I Send Thee."  Sarah Sample asked the audience to dance in the aisles during "White Christmas" and then sang a tender version of "I'll Be Home For Christmas."  The whole group continued with "Mary's Boy Child," "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful," and "The River Jordan."  Another highlight was when they got down with an epic performance of "Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel" with lots of extended solos from everyone in the band!  They ended their main set with "Calling You" and "May The Circle Be Unbroken" featuring lots of audience participation.  During the encore they performed a hilarious version of "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" (which is a tradition), "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," and "Once in Royal David's City" (one of their best known Christmas songs).  They concluded, as they usually do, with an audience sing-along to "Silent Night."  This concert never fails to give me a huge dose of Christmas cheer and I loved every minute of it!  There are three more shows and I highly recommend getting a ticket to one of them (go here).