Tagged: Music

Part One: Queen City Theatre Co.'s Me and Jezebel. We've all had a houseguest who overstayed their welcome. Most do so for a matter of minutes or hours. Hollywood superstar overstayed her welcome by 32 days! Author Elizabeth Fuller met Bette Davis in 1985 and offered to let Ms. Davis stay in her home while there was a hotel strike raging in New York City. Over a month later, Davis finally left but her legacy continued as Ms. Fuller wrote a popular book about the experience. That book is now a play and Queen City Theatre is presenting it. We'll learn more when Charlotte Talks.

What school children learn about history in school can, sometimes, leave something to be desired. And when it comes to the Holocaust it seems there are always new tidbits of information to be learned. The Charlotte Symphony, in partnership with the UNC Charlotte College of Arts + Architecture, is taking a unique education program into local schools that explores music and its connectionto the Holocaust. Certain music and musicians were banned before and during the Holocaust. But some ghettos had full musicals that were put on for the Nazis and many victims used forms of music to keep their spirits up. We’ll explore music and its role in the Holocaust, when Charlotte Talks.

From time to time on this show, we discuss performances of plays, musicals, symphonies or operas composed or created by talented artists who are no longer with us, or who aren't available to join us on the show. On this edition of the show, however, we're joined by a living legend, an American composer and librettist who has been creating famous operas since the 1950's! Carlisle Floyd will join us, along with 4-time Grammy Award-winning American tenor Anthony Dean Griffey. They're in town to do residencies at Wingate University, and while they're here, they'll join us to talk about their craft and their worldwide prominence in opera and music performance, when Charlotte Talks.

Part One: Charlotte Symphony's Classical Idol. The concept behind American Idol is not new. We have always been fascinated by that special talent who comes along and inspires us with their vision and craft. But most American Idol winners are everyday folks with a gift. Classical musicians are highly trained, dedicated and persistent artists who often go unnoticed in the communities they serve with their music. Not in Charlotte. Last year Classical Idol was hatched. It's a friendly competition to raise funds for the Symphony but it's also a way to raise awareness of these incredibly talented musicians in our midst. With offerings from Celtic fiddle to an elementary school choir, Classical Idol has music for everyone.