THEATER
CHRIS JONES sees local stages filled with comedy, stars, and reminders of the real world.
AS FALL BEGINS, the world appears peculiarly unmoored. It’s likely, then, that we’ll look to our local theater in the coming weeks for a paradoxical mixture of escape, engagement and explication.
That might be asking too much. But given its typical scale and diversity, Chicago theater looks well positioned to at least offer balm, challenge, ideas and a few laughs.
It’s a lively looking fall, heavy on comedy and new work, but with an ample sprinkling of camp fare such as “Bark” (a musical from a pooch’s perspective) and “The Awesome ’80s Prom,” a description that might be tough to live up to onstage.
Along with Jackie Mason, “Plaid Tidings” and “Orpheus Descending” (now there’s a self-canceling trio to conjure), the prodigious fall schedule contains numer-ous shows with the potential both to take our minds off hurricanes and war — and also to focus them on those very things.
“BEYOND GLORY”: Since theaters often preach to the liberal choir, decent contemporary plays about the struggles of war and the sacrifices of the military are almost non-existent. And given the current climate, that’s an egregious omission. Stephen Lang’s “Beyond Glory,” a solo, self-directed piece wherein actor-director Lang explores the persona of eight soldiers from a variety of conflicts, is the noble exception. Through Oct. 9. at the Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St., 312-443-3800.
“DISGRUNTLED EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK”: There are celebrity Second City alumni — and then there are the true geniuses whom only insiders know about. Ron West — one of the sharpest comic directors in the country — falls into the latter category. After giving us the hysterical original Second City production of “Romeo and Juliet: The Musical” at Chicago Shakespeare in 2004, West’s latest project looks at the existential perils of office life through a sketch-comedy prism. Part of Second City Theatricals’ shrewd new attempt to market its work by theme, this world-premiere Skokie engagement is slated to kick off a national tour. Sept. 15-24 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. 847-673-6300.
“LAST OF THE BOYS”: Steppenwolf’s nervy 30th anniversary season — composed entirely of new work — gets under way with a tried-and-true name. With plays such as “Private Eyes” and “Lonely Planet,” the Seattle-based Stephen Dietz has been a reliable supplier of stellar fare to regional theaters for two decades. His lack of major Broadway successes means that Dietz is often underrated. But his plays are invariably both emotionally resonant and plotted with skill. His iconically American latest play deals with a trailer, beer and a Vietnam vet. Sept. 15 to Nov. 13 at the Steppenwolf Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St., 312-335-1650.
“DAVE GORMAN’S GOOGLEWACK ADVENTUTRE”: Question: What’s a Googlewack? Answer: The result when two search words are entered into the Google search system and come back with only one hit. Coming to Aurora’s re-energized downtown Copley Theatre, Gorman’s Aussie, geek-friendly touring discussion of Googlese won the award for best one-person show in Aspen last year and has since been a hit all over the Google-using world. Sept 28-Oct. 2 at the Copley Theatre, Paramount Arts Center, Aurora. 630-896-6666.
“ST. COLM’S INCH”: Chicago playwright Robert Koon penned the terrific work “Vintage Red and the Dust of the Road” back in 2002. His latest play shares the same director — Anna C. Bahow. Koon’s “St. Colm’s Inch” hinges on a traffic accident that leaves a young woman dead and her ex-husband trying to figure out his life. That’s typical Koons: he’s a writer compelled both by past familial fights and the possibility of reconciliation; Sept. 29 to Nov. 6 at Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W. Chicago Ave. 312-633-0630.
“HORTENSIA AND THE FIELD OF DREAMS”: Warm, emotional and evocative, playwright Nilo Cruz won the Pulitzer Prize for his 2003 effort “Anna and the Tropics,” which was a big hit at Victory Gardens. This Midwestern premiere of his latest work follows the journey of Cuban-born siblings when they visit their home-land from the United States for the first time since 1961; Nov. 4 through Dec. 18 at Victory Gardens, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. 773-871-3000.
“700 SUNDAYS”: Billy Crystal’s one-man autobiography had bigger Broadway grosses than any non-musical in history. Its all-too-brief Chicago engagement — by far the hottest ticket of the fall — not only is a rare theatrical infusion of genuine A-list star power, but also is a chance to see one of the greatest comic talents of his generation in reflexive mood. The title, by the way, refers to the amount of time Crystal got to spend with his late father, who died when Crystal was 15. Nov. 8-20 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St. 312-902-1400.
“THE BOY FRIEND”: This revival tour of the 1954 Sandy Wilson musical — which originated this summer at the Goodspeed Opera House — comes with an unusual calling card. Its director is none other than Julie Andrews, star of the original Broadway production a jaw-dropping half-century ago. Andrews won’t be on the stage, of course; Broadway actress Jessica Grove is playing the lead. But advance word on the show — which is schlepping around the country already — is encouraging. Nov. 15 to 20 at the Chicago Theatre, 125 N. State St. 312-902-1500.
“A MARVELOUS PARTY: A NOEL COWARD REVUE”: Northlight Theatre’s B. J. Jones — ever the restless soul — tracked down Graham Payne (Noel Coward’s longtime partner) at his home in Switzerland and persuaded him to let Northlight come up with an all-new Coward revue for three performers. Although the Coward estate routinely denies such requests, Payne agreed to the idea. And “A Marvelous Party” should be the result. Dec. 7 to Jan. 28 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. 847-673-6300.
“MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING”: A perfect match for the holiday season, Shakespeare’s most complex comedy offers not only the familiar banter between Beatrice and Benedick, but a sometimes-mournful and spiritually reflective meditation on love, trust, betrayal and salvation. Fans of Canada’s Stratford and Shaw festivals are pleased to see director Marti Maraden making her Chicago Shakespeare Theater debut. Dec. 10 to Feb. 26 at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Navy Pier. 312-595-5600.
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cjones5@tribune.com
DANCE
SID SMITH looks ahead to a major anniversary, a vision in movement, tradition and a handful of holiday treats.
The city’s premier ballet company turns 50 and its leading contemporary troupe launches a new annual fall engagement. There’s a bit of tradition (Joffrey Ballet), beloved innovation (Merce Cunningham), contemporary vision (Bebe Miller), performance art (Pilobolus), fun-filled frolic (Giordano Jazz Dance, the Chicago Rhythm Project) and a mix of them all (Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Dance Chicago 2005).
For the holidays, there’s “The Nutcracker” and, looming in February, the long-overdue Chicago premiere of Matthew Bourne’s “Swan Lake.”
THE OTHER DANCE FESTIVAL: A lively and unpredictable showcase of the city’s smaller, pluckier troupes, expanding this year to three weekends. Participants include the Chicago Moving Company, Breakbone Dance Co., Hedwig Dances, Lucky Plush Productions, Same Planet Different World, Mad Shak Dance Company and the irresistibly named The Humans; Sept. 15-30 at Hamlin Park Fieldhouse, 3035 N. Hoyne Ave.; 773-880-5402.
HUBBARD STREET DANCE CHICAGO: In this first of what’s to become an annual fall engagement, the troupe presents the Chicago premiere of artistic director Jim Vincent’s “Uniformity” and a new work by up-and-coming choreographer Alex Ketley; Sept. 28-Oct. 2 at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive; 312-334-7777.
BEBE MILLER COMPANY: The multidimensional artist returns with “Landing/Place,” featuring digital imagery, live music and real-time video projections, some shot here in Chicago; Oct. 6-8 at the Dance Center of Columbia College, 1306 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-344-8300.
LUNA NEGRA DANCE THEATER: The busy troupe makes its Harris Theater debut with new works by artistic director Eduardo Vilaro and the Washington Ballet’s Septime Webre; Oct. 8 at the Harris; 312-334-7777.
GIORDANO JAZZ DANCE CHICAGO: The fall engagement of the popular troupe includes the premiere of former Joffrey Ballet dancer Davis Robertson’s “Being One”; Oct. 14-15 at the Harris; 312-334-7777.
PILOBOLUS DANCE THEATRE: In what’s turning out to be an annual outing, the legendary group returns with a lineup including its dazzling 1980 masterpiece (and Cirque du Soleil fore-runner) “Day Two”; Oct. 14-15 at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St.; 312-902-1500.
JOFFREY BALLET: The company launches a two-year celebration of its 50th anniversary with an engagement of Frederick Ashton’s “The Dream,” Jiri Kylian’s “Return to a Strange Land” and Gerald Arpino’s “Celebration”; Oct. 19-30 at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress Pkwy.; 312-902-1500.
MERCE CUNNINGHAM DANCE CO.: Perplexing, hypnotic and still groundbreaking, the great dancemaker returns with two separate programs, including “Split Sides,” “Sounddance,” “Suite for Five” and last year’s “Views on Stage,” a collaboration with Brazilian sculptor Ernesto Neto; Oct. 28-29 at the Harris. 312-334-7777.
DANCE CHICAGO 2005: The fall off-Loop bonanza, with nine programs and more than 100 companies; Nov. 5-Dec. 4 at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave.; 773-935-6860.
CHICAGO HUMAN RHYTHM PROJECT: The tap organization takes a big step with “Global Rhythms,” featuring international tap repertory troupes; Nov. 18-26 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave.; 312-397-4010.
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sismith@tribune.com
MUSIC
GREG KOT has a busy calendar filled with superstar acts and more than the usual helping of hot, fresh faces.
As the concert season moves indoors, the shows usually get riskier and more aesthetically ambitious; that buzz you hear is coming from the direction of indie-rock upstarts Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, which makes its Chicago debut Sept. 23.
But this fall has a larger than usual quota of major acts on the road, including Paul McCartney, Daddy Yankee and System of a Down. And though reunions of long-missed bands aren’t always what they’re cracked up to be, it’s difficult to deny the return of the dB’s, the Meters and the Smoking Popes.
FARM AID: The 20th anniversary of this charity concert promises to be some-thing special. Besides the big show at Tweeter Center with perennials Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and the Dave Matthews Band joined by Wilco, Buddy Guy and other performers, a handful of more intimate club and theater shows are expected to precede the finale next weekend. Sept. 18 at Tweeter Center, Tinley Park, $30, $65, $85; 312-559-1212.
DB’S: The power-pop quartet of Chris Stamey, Peter Holsapple, Gene Holder and Will Rigby made two remarkable albums in the early ’80s, then drifted apart. Now the original lineup is back together for the first time since 1982 and recording new songs. Their first concerts in more than 20 years take place in Chicago, 6 p.m. Saturday at the Hideout Block Party, 1354 W. Wabansia Ave., $10, 773-227-4433; and 10 p.m. Saturday at House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn St., $20, 312-923-2000.
FRANZ FERDINAND: The Scottish quartet that helped put the groove back in indie-rock returns with its much anticipated second album, “You Could Have It So Much Better,” and its national tour kicks off Sept. 20 at the Aragon Ballroom, 1106 W. Lawrence Ave., $30; 312-559-1212.
CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH: There’s more noise on the Internet about this Brooklyn combo than any indie band since the Arcade Fire. Find out if the hype is justified as it opens for the National, 10:30 p.m. Sept. 23 at Schubas, 3159 N. Southport Ave., $12 (sold out); 773-525-2508.
SYSTEM OF A DOWN: Metal’s most adventurous mainstream band headlines with emerging progressive-rockers Mars Volta, Sept. 30 at Allstate Arena, Rosemont, $32.50, $37.50, $45, 312-559-1212.
DADDY YANKEE: Reggaeton — the danceable mix of reggae, hip-hop and Latin groove — is all the rage in the clubs, and Puerto Rico’s Raymond Ayala, a.k.a. Daddy Yankee, is the genre’s first major star, Oct. 8 at Allstate Arena, Rosemont, $45-$90; 312-559-1212.
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE: Fresh off a headlining gig at Lollapalooza, this Seattle quartet is primed for a breakout year on the heels of its major-label debut, “Plans,” Oct. 12 at Riviera, 4746 N. Racine Ave., $22.50; 773-275-6800.
PAUL MCCARTNEY: The former Beatles bassist has a kicking new band and is touring more frequently, this time behind his latest album, “Chaos and Creation in the Back Yard,” Oct. 18-19 at United Center, 1901 W. Madison St., $49.50-$250; 312-455-4500.
METERS: The original lineup of this legendary New Orleans funk quartet — Art Neville, Zigaboo Modeliste, George Porter Jr. and Leo Nocentelli — is back on tour for the first time in 25 years, Nov. 11-12 at House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn, $60; 312-923-2000.
SMOKING POPES: One of Chicago’s finest pop-punk bands reunites as part of the 15th-anniversary celebration by Flower Booking, the concert agency of choice for countless indie-rockers, Nov. 11 at Metro, 3730 N. Clark St., 773-549-4140.
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gkot@tribune.com
COMEDY
ALLAN JOHNSON notes that there’s more than the usual funny bunch hitting the stand-up circuit.
The fall comedy season in the Chicago area features some of the most eclectic names in recent years. The acts range from veteran crowd-pleasers and edgy masters of their game, to new-generation comics who are now just coming into their own.
These theater performances are in addition to the abundance of local headliners, nationally touring comedians and emerging talent that routinely play in area comedy clubs and other outlets in and around Chicago every week.
GEORGE CARLIN: It’s amazing how, at almost 70, Carlin is still as relevant and as feisty as comedians more than half his age. Friday at 7 and 9:30 p.m., Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan; 847-782-2366.
THE LINCOLN LODGE: One of the prime spots for alternative comedy in Chicago, the Lodge begins its sixth season by expanding to Thursdays starting Oct. 6, in addition to its regular Friday shows. Thursdays and Fridays at 9 p.m., the Lincoln Restaurant, 4008 N. Lincoln Ave.; 773-296-4029 or www.thelincolnlodge.com.
ROSEANNE: The self-styled “domestic goddess,” whom we haven’t heard from since a failed reality series several years ago, makes a rare stand-up appearance. Oct. 21 at 8 p.m., Rialto Square Theatre, 102 N. Chicago St., Joliet; 815-726-6600.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Another talented, caustic comedian who rarely goes out on stage is performing an afternoon and evening show. Oct. 23 at 5 and 8 p.m., Braden Auditorium, Illinois State University, University Street and College Avenue, Normal; 309-438-5444.
WAYNE BRADY AND DREW CAREY: The stars of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” make separate appearances. Brady — Nov. 5 at 6 and 9 p.m., Paramount Theatre, 23 East Galena Blvd., Aurora; 630-896-6666; Carey — Nov. 12 at 7 and 10:30 p.m., Star Plaza Theatre, 8001 Delaware Pl., Merrillville, Ind.; 219-769-6600 or 773-734-7266.
Also be on the lookout for:
THE ACERBIC WIT OF ROBERT KLEIN: Wednesday and Thursday, Zanies; 312-337-4027; and Friday and Saturday, Zanies-Vernon Hills, Vernon Hills; 847-549-6030.
THE HOLLYWOOD-OBSESSED KATHY GRIFFIN: Saturday, Centre East, Skokie; 847-679-9501.
THE RICH COMEDY OF RICHARD JENI: Oct. 1, Paramount Theatre, Aurora; 630-896-6666.
THE PROP WIZARDRY OF CARROT TOP: Oct. 6 and 7, Genesee Theatre, Waukegan; 847-782-2366; and Oct. 8, Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet; 815-726-6600.
THE IMPERSONATIONS OF RICH LITTLE: Oct. 15, Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet; 815-726-6600.
THE AGGRESSIVE STAND-UP OF EDDIE GRIFFIN: Oct. 22, Cadillac Palace Theatre; 312-977-1700.
“THE VIEW’S” PLAIN-SPEAKING JOY BEHAR: Oct. 29, Centre East, Skokie; 847-679-9501.
THE MEMORIES-INVOKING STAND-UP OF SINBAD: Nov. 4, Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet; 815-726-6600.
THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL BENT OF JACKIE MASON: Nov. 25-Nov. 27, Centre East, Skokie; 847-679-9501.
THE CHAMELEON-LIKE PAULA POUNDSTONE: Dec. 31, Paramount Theatre, Aurora; 630-896-6666.
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axjohnson@tribune.com
CLASSICAL
JOHN VON RHEIN anticipates a long goodbye, more Mozart and intriguing concerts tucked away in lofts and churches.
This is the season when classical music in Chicago pops the champagne corks to honor two familiar institutions — Daniel Barenboim in his 15th and final season as music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on his 250th birthday anniversary.
Barenboim himself will preside over the bulk of the CSO’s Mozart fest — 11 works in all, including three piano concertos that he will conduct from the keyboard. Among the more intriguing of the orchestra’s programs will be December subscription concerts featuring original choreography performed by Hubbard Street Dance Chicago to Mozart’s music; Pinchas Zukerman will conduct.
More Mozart will figure prominently in the season schedules of Lyric Opera (“The Magic Flute,” December and January), Music of the Baroque (Requiem Mass this month and an all-Mozart concert on the composer’s actual birth date, Jan. 27) and the Orion Ensemble (four programs, beginning Oct. 16). While the CSO celebrates its long and close association with Barenboim, a search committee will continue its hunt for his successor.
Otherwise, the big news at the CSO is the introduction of two new concert series, “Beyond the Score” and “Bach and Beyond,” designed to pull in a younger, more diverse public while giving more seasoned subscribers a change from the same old, same old. Back again will be two non-subscription series that drew solid audiences last year “Afterwork Masterworks” and “Friday Night at the Movies.”
Some of the fall’s most intriguing and worthwhile concerts again can be found in modest city lofts and small suburban concert halls and churches. Sponsor organizations such as Music in the Loft, Northeastern Illinois University, Ravinia (with its Rising Stars series), Chamber Music Society of the North Shore, Lyon & Healy and the Music Institute of the North Shore are making certain that some of the most deserving young classical talent gets to perform for Chicago-area audiences.
In short, a rich musical banquet awaits Chicagoans. If there’s a crisis in classical music, listeners won’t be seeing or hearing it here.
TIPPETT’S “THE MIDSUMMER MARRIAGE”: In lieu of presenting an American opera this season, Lyric Opera is mounting the first major modern production in the U.S. of the British composer’s magnum opus. The company’s contribution to the Tippett centenary will be in the hands of two English knights, both ardent champions of their countryman’s music: Lyric music director Andrew Davis and stage director Peter Hall. The story closely parallels that of Mozart’s “Magic Flute” (which Lyric will present in December and January), concerning the mystical journey two sets of lovers must undergo before achieving true happiness. Lyric’s high-powered cast includes Janice Watson, Stacey Tappan, Catherine Wyn-Rogers, Hugh Smith, Kurt Streit, Peter Rose and Kevin Langan; nine perfor-mances, Nov. 19 to Dec. 16 at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; 312-332-2244.
ST. PAUL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA: The University of Chicago Presents series launches a unique partnership with one of the most visionary of the nation’s small orchestras. The initial phase of the orchestra’s three-year campus residency will include a concert series, a family event, coaching of student musicians/composers and an educational outreach program in three South Side public schools. Concerts are planned for fall, winter and spring. The first of them will bring Jeffrey Kahane as conductor and piano soloist in Mozart works; Nov. 4 at Mandel Hall, 1131 E. 57th St.; 773-702-8068.
CECILIA BARTOLI: The number of major vocal recitals at Orchestra Hall has dwindled in recent seasons because Chicago simply doesn’t command a public large enough to pay the freight. But the return of the entrancing Italian mezzo-soprano should pack the auditorium with connoisseurs of her very special artistry. She will join with Italy’s La Scintilla Chamber Orchestra to present a Baroque program titled “Handel and Friends” — those friends being Scarlatti, Paisiello, Vivaldi, Gluck and others; Oct. 16 at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-294-3000.
“BEYOND THE SCORE”: The three-concert Sunday afternoon series by the Chicago Symphony might appear gimmicky, but it’s actually a worthy attempt to build bridges of understanding between the listener and the music itself. The first half of each program will use visual imagery and narration to examine the afternoon’s musical selection. “Ein Heldenleben” (“A Hero’s Life”) is the subject of the initial concert, with the young British conductor Daniel Harding, in his CSO debut, sharing his insights into the Richard Strauss tone poem; Nov. 13 at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-294-3000.
MOZART’S REQUIEM: Both the CSO and Music of the Baroque will venture Mozart’s unfinished master-piece this season, but MOB is first at the starting gate. Music director Jane Glover will conduct the orchestra, chorus and vocal soloists in concerts that include Mozart’s very first symphony (K.16) and the incidental music to “Thamos, King of Egypt,” K.345; Sept. 25 and 30 at Millennium Park’s Harris Theater, 205 E. Randolph Drive; 312-551-1414.
PUCCINI’S “MANON LESCAUT”: Puccinians have been clamoring for a return of this tuneful tearjerker, absent from the Lyric Opera repertory for 28 years. It returns to the Lyric in a new production by director Olivier Tambosi and set and costume designer Frank Philipp Schlossmann. I’d like to see the mighty Met top Lyric’s cast, which is headed by soprano Karita Mattila as the tragic heroine and Vladimir Galouzine as her lover, Des Grieux. That veteran Puccinian Bruno Bartoletti will conduct; 10 performances, Oct. 31 to Dec. 3, at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; 312-332-2244.
MONTEVERDI’S “VESPERS OF 1610”: Two of Europe’s leading early-music groups, Tragecomedia and Concerto Palatino, will bring one of the central glories of 17th Century sacred music, Claudio Monteverdi’s “Marian Vespers,” to Rockefeller Memorial Chapel. The performance, directed by Tragecomedia’s founder and lutenist, Stephen Stubbs, opens the Howard Mayer Brown International Early Music Series; Oct. 7 in the chapel at 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave., University of Chicago; 773-702-8068.
CHICAGO HUMANITIES FESTIVAL XVI: This year’s festival, titled “Home and Away,” places a greater emphasis on classical programming than previous editions. Composer Bright Sheng and playwright David Henry Hwang will discuss their collaboration in “The Silver River,” a fusion of Western and Chinese musical and theatrical traditions, Nov. 5 in Northwestern University’s Thorne Hall, 375 E. Chicago Ave. Ars Antigua compares the works Mozart composed at home with those inspired by his travels, Nov. 12 at Quigley Seminary Chapel, 103 E. Chestnut St. The delectable soprano Elizabeth Futral sings opera arias by George Frideric Handel, Nov. 13 at the Field Museum’s Simpson Theater, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive East.; 312-661-1028.
JOHN CAGE’S “MUSICIRCUS”: The Chicago Composers Forum has enlisted performers from some 25 local musical groups and music schools to take part in what looks to be the fall’s freakiest “new music” event. In accordance with avant-garde guru Cage’s belief that “art is life” (and vice versa), performances of music, poetry, theater, dance, video and performance art, etc., will take place simultaneously over four hours throughout the Museum of Contemporary Art. There will be no admission charge and everyone is invited to stroll through the sonic environment at his or her own pace; 1 to 5 p.m. Sept. 25; MCA, 220 E. Chicago Ave.; 773-523-5511.
BEETHOVEN PIANO CONCERTOS AND SONATAS: The poetic young Russian pianist Evgeny Kissin will join conductor Andrew Davis and the Chicago Symphony for performances of the five Beethoven piano concertos. They will present the first three works on Oct. 20; their programs Oct. 22 and 25 will pair the Fourth Concerto with the “Emperor” Concerto; Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-294-3000. Fifteen piano students of DePaul University’s AmerKlavier Studio will take turns playing all 32 Beethoven sonatas in an eight-day festival of free concerts under the supervision of studio director Eteri Andjaparidze; Oct. 30 to Nov. 6 at the DePaul University Concert Hall, 800 W. Belden Ave.; 773-325-7260.
Other noteworthy events:
PIERRE-LAURENT AIMARD: The compelling French pianist delivers recital programs as thoughtfully conceived as they are elegantly executed. He returns to Chicago to perform Ravel’s virtuosic “Gaspard de la Nuit” along with Schumann’s “Carnaval” and pieces by Debussy and Gyorgy Kurtag; Nov. 6 at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-294-3000.
ROSSINI’S “LA CENERENTOLA”: Last heard at Lyric Opera in 1983, this bel-canto version of the Cinderella tale will mark the season’s most anticipated operatic debut — that of the acclaimed Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Florez, portraying Don Ramiro. Mezzo-soprano Vesselina Kasarova will sing the title role, with Bruno Campanella conducting this revival; 10 performances, Oct. 5 to Nov. 4 at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; 312-332-2244.
“BACH AND BEYOND”: The subscribers wanted the CSO to perform more Baroque and classical works. Management listened. The orchestra will dedicate three subscription programs to 17th and 18th Century fare, under specialist conduc-tors Nicholas McGegan, Frans Bruggen and Helmuth Rilling. McGegan will launch the new series Oct. 27 at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-294-3000.
LYON & HEALY HALL: The handsomely refurbished, 170-seat auditorium in Chicago’s West Loop looks to be an important new venue for chamber music. The first event of the hall’s new six-concert series will be hosted by pianist Charles Wadsworth and performed by Wendy Chen, piano, Jose-Franch Ballester, clarinet, and John Sharp, cello; Oct. 29 at Lyon & Healy Harp Factory, 168 E. Ogden Ave.; 800-595-4849. The Rembrandt Chamber Players also will take up residency for three concerts this season, beginning Dec. 6; 312-360-3145.
ANDRAS SCHIFF: The superb Hungarian pianist has long been one of today’s most persuasive exponents of J.S. Bach’s keyboard works. He will share his latest thoughts on Bach’s towering masterpiece, the “Goldberg” Variations, in a recital kicking off the Sara Lee Piano Series; Oct. 9 at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-294-3000.
LAURIE ANDERSON’S “THE END OF THE MOON”: This performance by NASA’s first artist-in-residence is part travelogue, part personal theorizing, part history — and all Anderson. The artist-composer, playing violin and keyboard, draws on her recent research and travels to explore the possibilities of time and space travel; Nov. 20 and 21 at Fullerton Hall, Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-575-8000.
BIZET’S “CARMEN”: The ever-popular opera will begin and end the Lyric Opera season with mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves reprising the role with which she made her company debut six years ago. Her co-stars will be Neil Shicoff as Don Jose, Ildebrando D’Arcangelo as Escamillo and Andrea Rost as Micaela. Andrew Davis conducts; eight performances, Sept. 24 to Oct. 21 at the Civic Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive; 312-332-2244. Lyric will present five more performances, with different principal singers, March 9-25.
NEWBERRY CONSORT: For an unusual program titled “Crouching Dragon, Hidden Viol: Music for a Chinese Banquet,” consort regulars and Chinese traditional musicians Betti Xiang and Wei Yang will reconstruct an evening of Eastern and Western chamber music that might have been heard in the imperial chambers of Beijing’s Forbidden City during the 17th Century; Sept. 29 to Oct. 2, Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton St.; other locations; 312-255-3700.
SUNDAY SALON SERIES: The innovative series of free musical programs in Preston Bradley Hall has become the place to catch worthwhile performers and unusual repertory you won’t hear anywhere else. The fall concert slate includes eighth blackbird, Sept. 25; a staged performance of Monteverdi’s madrigal cycle “Il Ballo delle Ingrate,” Oct. 2; New Millennium Orchestra, Oct. 23; and the Bella Voce chamber choir, Oct. 30; Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.; 312-744-6630.
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jvonrhein@tribune.com
ARCHITECTURE
BLAIR KAMIN makes no small plans for a wide variety of the new and renewed in the city and suburbs.
Chicago has a typically jam-packed architecture scene this fall, with new towers reshaping the skyline, old gems getting polished and star architects lecturing and appearing on panels. The lively lineup extends to the suburbs and around the nation, where new museums are opening. And, of course, there’s the plan to build a skyscraper taller than Sears Tower.
WILL CALATRAVA’S TOWER FLY? Expect the civic debate to heat up over Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava’s proposed twisting tower along the lakefront. The developer, Chicago’s Christopher Carley, is scheduled to meet with city planning officials Tuesday. The 2,000-foot-tall hotel and condominium skyscraper will likely need a height variance from the city.
THE MAYOR’S CURVY NEW HOME. The 57-story Heritage at Millennium Park flaunts curving concrete walls that pick up on the explosive energy of Frank Gehry’s Jay Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park. Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley will be among the residents. The architect is John Lahey of Solomon Cordwell Buenz & Associates of Chicago.
A WINDOW ON THE SKYLINE. The 40-story One South Dearborn office building, which opens in November, arrives with a distinctive top: A large, win-dowlike opening, carved into the upper portion of the building’s glass wall. It glows
like a lantern at night. The architects are Rick Keating of Pasadena, Calif., and Chicago’s Jim DeStefano.
RESTORING A SULLIVAN GEM. A restoration of Louis Sullivan’s masterful Carson Pirie Scott store at 1 S. State St., led by Chicago preservation architect Gunny Harboe of McClier, will bring back key exterior details, including a terra cotta cornice, that were removed after World War II. Watch for it in late November.
SHAPING MEMORIALS. Prominent designers take part in a Sept. 19 Art Institute of Chicago panel on memorial architecture. They are New York’s Peter Eisenman (the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin); Providence, R.I.’s, Friedrich St.Florian (the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.); London’s Neil Porter (the Princess Diana memorial fountain in London) and Chicago’s Stanley Tigerman (the planned Illinois Holocaust Memorial in Skokie). Tickets for the 6 p.m. event are $15. Call 312-443-7300.
RETURN OF THE CHICAGO SEVEN. The maverick architects of the 1970s, who challenged the modernism of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and demonstrated a pluralistic view of Chicago architecture, reunite to discuss the future of design. They’ll speak at the Museum of Contemporary Art Sept. 27 at 6 p.m. Free to the public, but reservations are recommended. Call 312-397-4010.
MIES IS MORE (NOT A BORE) Robert Venturi, the eminent Philadelphia architect, once took his own shot at Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, quipping “Less is a bore.” He later took it back. Now he seems poised to really take it back with a Nov. 9 lecture “Mies is More — Learning From Mies” at the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Crown Hall, 3360 S. State St. The 6 p.m. lecture, part of the Chicago Humanities Festival, is free, but reservations are required. Call 312-494-9509.
“THE DONALD” AND OTHER SUPERTALL TALES. Adrian Smith and William Baker, the Skidmore, Owings & Merrill of Chicago architect-engineer team for the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago and the supertall Burj Dubai skyscraper in the United Arab Emirates, lecture on those buildings at the Chicago Architecture Foundation, 224 S. Michigan Ave., on Sept. 27. Tickets for the 6 p.m. event are $20. Call 312-922-3432.
TAKING FLIGHT IN GLENVIEW. The Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago opens its new Glenview home to the public Oct. 20. Designed by Laurence Booth of Chicago’s Booth Hansen, the new building has a dramatic, V-shaped roof, which, Booth says, is intended to wash the building’s ceiling with natural light and intrigue children.
NEW MUSEUMS ELSEWHERE. In San Francisco, the de Young museum opens its copper-faced building by Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron on Oct. 15. The High Museum of Art in Atlanta opens a three-building expansion by Italian architect Renzo Piano, designer of the Art Institute of Chicago’s expansion, on Nov. 12.
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bkamin@tribune.com
ART
ALAN ARTNER draws on a modest list of shows for this season that promise, surprise and enlightenment.
The fall season in art is not what it once was. In the last few years, our largest art museums have opened important exhibitions in spring and summer that run well into autumn, with the result that most bigger new shows come only after the turn of the year. This is the case in 2005, with “Toulouse-Lautrec and Montmartre” at the Art Institute of Chicago until Oct. 10 and “Dan Flavin: A Retrospective” at the Museum of Contemporary Art through Oct. 30.
My 10 selections, then, are mostly but not exclusively modest exhibitions that will heat up the season slowly. For that reason, I have appended five other shows taking place in the suburbs. All should take us nicely to what we’ve been calling the “second season,” which will merit another look in January.
“PETER WELZ/WILLIAM FORSYTHE: WHENEVER ON ON ON NOHOW ON/AIRDRAWING”: a collaborative multichannel video installation by the contemporary German artist and choreographer plus gestural drawings derived by the artist from the footage; Sept. 18-Oct. 30 at Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago, 5811 S. Ellis Ave.; 312-702-8670.
“BEYOND GREEN: TOWARD A SUSTAINABLE ART”: works by American and European artists and artists’ groups that balance environmental, social, economic and aesthetic concerns; Oct. 6-Jan. 15 at Smart Museum of Art, 5550 S. Greenwood Ave. 773-702-0200.
“STAGES OF MEMORY” AND JEFF WOLIN’S “VIETNAM WAR VETERANS: PORTRAITS AND TEXT”: the 30th anniverary of the fall of Saigon is commemorated by a group show interpreting distant memories and portraits that incorporate personal narratives; Oct. 13-Dec. 17 at Museum of Contemporary Photography, 600 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-663-5554.
“UKRAINIAN MODERNISM: 1900-1930”: the little-known role of the Ukraine in the development of the 20th Century avant-garde; Oct. 21-Jan. 8 at Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.; 312-346-3278.
“TROPICALIA: A REVOLUTION IN BRAZILIAN CULTURE”: an examination of the counter-cultural movement from the late 1960s and early 1970s that affected all the arts and continues to influence Brazilian artists today; Oct. 22-Jan. 8 at Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave. 312-280-2660.
“POMPEII: STORIES FROM AN ERUPTION”: casts of human remains found in volcanic debris and hundreds of objects presented to illuminate ancient inhabitants’ lives; Oct. 22-March 26 at Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive; 312-665-7100.
“FRANCIS PICABIA: WORKS ON PAPER”: drawings and other works on paper by a pioneering modernist who had a long association with the Arts Club of Chicago; November-March at Arts Club, 201 E. Ontario St., 312-787-3997.
“JULIO GONZALEZ: SCULPTURE AND DRAWINGS FROM THE IVAM COLLECTION”: 40 sculptures and drawings by one of the major modern artists from the first half of the 20th Century; Nov. 16-Jan. 8 at Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.; 312-346-3278.
“FOR HEARTH AND ALTAR: CERAMICS FROM THE KEITH ACHEPOHL COLLECTION”: works drawn from one of the few American collections that views African ceramics as an art form; Dec. 3-Feb. 20 at Art Institute, 111 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-443-3600.
“THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO LEGENDS AND LEGACY AWARD: ELIZABETH CATLETT”: an exhibition of the African-American artist’s prints in conjunction with her receiving the museum’s first Legends and Legacy Award; Nov. 13-Feb. 11 at Art Institute, 111 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-443-3600.
Plus 5 more in suburban venues:
“MARION MAHONY GRIFFIN DRAWINGS: THE FORM OF NATURE,” “PATHS TO THE PRESS: PRINTMAKING AND AMERICAN WOMEN ARTISTS, 1910-1960,” “ORBITAL OBSESSIONS”: exhibitions honoring a draftsman who worked with Frank Lloyd Wright, a half-century of female printmak-ers and video pioneer Steina Vasulka; Sept. 23-Dec. 11 at Northwestern University’s Mary and Leigh Block Museum, 40 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston; 847-491-4000.
“KEITH ACHEPOHL: GARDENS OF EARTH AND WATER”: the American printmaker focuses on the subjects of seashells and plants in works of many techniques that will be installed in an unusual way; Oct. 1-Jan. 15 at Elmhurst Art Museum, 150 Cottage Hill Ave., Elmhurst; 630-834-0202.
“LOOKING BACK, LEAPING FORWARD: CONNECTING THE AGES”: 20 accomplished Chicago sculptors invite 20 younger artists to exhibit and create a work with them; Oct. 1-Nov. 1 at Suburban Fine Arts Center, Sheridan Road at Park Avenue, Highland Park; 847-432-1888.
“DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE”: six area artists create narrative photographs, paintings and computer-generated images to address social dysfunction in the heartland from a male point of view; Oct. 23-Nov. 20 at Evanston Art Center, 2603 Sheridan Rd., Evanston; 847-475-5300.
“REGINALD COLEMAN: A RETROSPECTIVE”: 30 years of paintings and works on paper by a Lake County artist who creates abstract geometric compositions with subtle nuances of color; Nov. 11-Dec. 16 at Robert T. Wright Gallery, College of Lake County, 19351 W. Washington, Grayslake; 847-543-2240.
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aartner@tribune.com
JAZZ
HOWARD REICH riffs on sounds from around the world that will make their way here in the next few months.
Every jazz season swings briskly in Chicago, but this fall looks particularly active.
Among festivals alone, listeners can hear the sounds of Brazil (World Music Festival), Japan (Asian American Jazz Festival), Cuba (Jazz en Clave Latin Jazz Festival) and avant-garde Chicago (Englewood Jazz Festival).
Add to the equation a thriving club and concert scene, and there will be tantalizing listening ahead.
NICHOLAS PAYTON QUINTET: One of the most gifted trumpeters to have emerged from New Orleans in the past 15 years, Payton plays Tuesday through Sept. 18 at the Jazz Showcase, 59 W. Grand Ave.; 312-670-2473.
ENGLEWOOD JAZZ FESTIVAL: The annual event has become a focal point for new ideas in music, this time featuring Corey Wilkes & Abstrakt Pulse, the Dennis Winslett Quartet and Alto Summit, with Jimmy Ellis, Ernest Dawkins, Winslett and Greg Ward; 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Hamilton Park Cultural Center, 513 W. 72nd St.; 773-434-9095.
ORQUESTRA IMPERIAL: One of several promising shows at the annual World Music Festival, a “Brazilian Night” will present this sprawling ensemble of sing-ers and instrumentalists; 6:30 p.m. Monday in the Pritzker Pavilion of Millennium Park, near Randolph Drive and Michigan Avenue; 312-742-1938.
ASTRAL PROJECT: New Orleans’ most enduring contemporary jazz band plays Chicago every fall, but this time the show should convey particular poignancy; 9 p.m. Sept. 23 and 8 p.m. Sept. 24 at the Green Mill Jazz Club, 4802 N. Broadway; 773-878-5552.
CHICAGO JAZZ ORCHESTRA: Two of the city’s top reed players — Larry Combs and Eric Schneider — will play “A Tribute to Artie Shaw,” with the CJO led by Jeff Lindberg; 3 p.m. Sept. 25 in the Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State St.; 312-409-3947.
ASIAN AMERICAN JAZZ FESTIVAL: The 10th annual edition of this indispensable festival will unfold in several venues. Francis Wong’s Legend and Legacies Big Band will play at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1, and “The Chicago Taiko Legacy,” featuring several drum ensembles, will start at 3 p.m. Oct. 2 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave.; 312-397-4010. Violinist Jason Kao Hwang will perform with Wong and bassist Tatsu Aoki at 2 p.m. Oct. 8 in the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E.Washington St.; 312-744-6630. And Jeff Chan’s “big fUn philharmonic: Chicago-style” will share the bill with the Japanese swing group Soul Food Cafe and Chicagoans Steve Hashimoto and Yoko Noge, 8 p.m. Oct. 8 at HotHouse, 31 E. Balbo Drive; 312-362-9707.
DAVE DOUGLAS: A jazz visionary of unpredictable interests, trumpeter Douglas will perform new music inspired by the silent film actor Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle; 7 p.m. Oct. 8 at the Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave.; 773-728-6000.
CHICAGO JAZZ ENSEMBLE: The city’s top repertory band, under the direction of trumpeter Jon Faddis, will present “An Evening With Cedar and Corky,” focusing on pianist Cedar Walton and harmonica virtuoso Corky Siegel, with new compositions from Walton; 8 p.m. Oct. 8 in the Getz Theatre, 64 E. 11th St.; 312-344-6269.
GONZALO RUBALCABA: The new jazz series at the Auditorium Theatre gets off to a quick start with the mighty Cuban pianist Rubalcaba, appearing on a double bill with the Chuchito Valdes Afro-Cuban Ensemble; 8 p.m. Oct. 15 at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress Pkwy.; 312-922-2110.
JAZZ EN CLAVE LATIN JAZZ FESTIVAL: Several major performers will convene for the event, including Paquito D’Rivera, Fareed Haque, Arturo O’Farrill and Jerry Gonzalez; Nov. 9-14 at HotHouse, 31 E. Balbo Drive; 312-362-9707.
DIANNE REEVES: Reeves commands an uncommonly sumptuous voice, which she’ll display alongside vocalists Fontella Bass and Rokia Traore in “Billie and Me,” a tribute to Billie Holiday; 8 p.m. Nov. 11 at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.; 312-294-3000.
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hreich@tribune.com
METROMIX PLANNER
For a complete list of the season’s events, go to metromix.com.
