Arts & Lifestyle
Of Interest ...
Renee Fleming set to
kick off symphony's season
Internationally-acclaimed soprano and
Metropolitan Opera star Ren?e Fleming will open the
Winston-Salem Symphony's 2010 - 201 1 season with
a gala concert of opera arias, art songs and musical the
atre favorites. The concert will be presented at
Reynolds Auditorium. 301 N. Hawthorne Road, on
Monday, Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Fleming
Fleming's program with the
Winston-Salem Symphony will
include selections from Gustav
Mahler's "Riickert Lieder,"
Antonin Dvorak's "Song to the
Moon," and arias from
Giacomo Puccini's "La
Bohfcme." In addition to
accompanying Fleming, the
Winston-Salem Symphony will
perform works by Richard
Strauss, Puccini, Richard
Wagner and Morton Gould.
Often called "the people's diva" for her down-to
earth, remarkably unaffected personality, Fleming has
also been called "the Grace Kelly of Opera" for her
beauty and style, and "La Regina del Metropolitan"
(Opera Chic) a nod to her position as the undisputed
reigning soprano in America today.
With a voice described as "luscious cream and col
oratura diamonds" (New York Post), she has charmed
audiences around the globe in operatic performances,
recital appearances, and on recordings ranging from
opera to rock. Of a 20Q9 recital given by Ms. Fleming
The Seattle Times noted. "If you weren't already in
love with |Fleming| when you arrived. .. then you def
initely left wrapped around her finger. .
Tickets are $30 - $1 25 and may be purchased at the
Symphony Box Office (201 N. Broad Street), by call
ing 336.464.0145 or online at www.wssymphony.org.
Fire dancing duo will give
performance tomorrow
Kara Chambers and Jacob Felder of Exuro
Entertainment will give a fire dancing performance on
Friday, Sept. 3 on a busy downtown street.
The pair will perform two shows, 8:30 and 9:30
p.m . in front of
the Community
Arts Catt, 411
W 4th St. The
caff is located in
between Spruce
and Marshall
streets.
Felder is a
longtime yoga
instructor and
personal fitness
trainer who also
works as a chore
ographer and
PR PW
Performers Kara Chambers
and Jacob F elder.
dance instructor. Chambers began fire performing four
years ago after mastering belly dancing, circus arts,
modern interpretation and a number of other disci
plines. For more information about Exuro
Entertainment, go to www.exuro.org.
Local artist receives fellowship
Eighteen artists in North Carolina are recipients of
the 2010-2011 North Carolina Arts Council Artist
Fellowship Awards in the categories of choreography,
craft, film and video and visual arts. Artists receive a
$10,000 fellowship.
Installation Artist Young Kim of Winston-Salem is
one of the recipients. Kim fabricates site-specific work
using unconventional materials, such as salt and red
clay, to create portraits that are highly temporal and
fragile. A meditation on memory and the human con
dition, Kim's images reinforce our connection to the
cycles and processes of the natural world around us.
This summer. Kim's work is featured as a part of
the group show Coincidental Opposites at the Causey
Contemporary Gallery in Brooklyn. N.Y., and the
ArtPrize competition at the Grand Rapids Art Museum
in Michigan.
Last year, Kim was awarded a $5,000 Curatorial
Award by Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts for
his installation Salt & Earth. He received his bache
lor's in graphic design from Austin Peay State
University in Clarksville, Tenn.. and a master's from
the University of Kentucky in Lexington
Goldberg quits musical
to be with ailing mother
LONDON (APt - Whoopi Goldberg left the
London production of "Sister Act" to fly back to the
U.S. after her mother had a
OoUhrrg
?
stroke.
Goldberg was due to
appear as the Mother
Superior in the convent-set
musical until the end of the
month.
Producers say the 54
year-old star flew home last
Friday after learning of her
mother Emma's illness.
They said "the thoughts
and sincere best wishes of
the producers and the entire
'Sister Act' company are
with her at this difficult
11II1C.
Goldberg is a producer of the stage version of her
hit 1992 movie about an on-the-lam singer who hides
out among a group of nuns It is due to open on
Broadway next year
I I
Nellie Ashford's "Sleppin' Out."
'Nellie's
People'
opens at
Delta Arts
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
"Nellie's People," an exhibition
featuring the paintings and collages of
folk artist Nellie Ashford, opened at
the Delta Arts Center. 2611 New
Walkertown Road, on Tuesday. The
show will be on display through Oct.
15.
Ashford. a native of Charlotte, will
visit the Center on Sunday. Sept. 12 at
3 p.m. to give a lecture during an
opening reception for the exhibit.
Ashford proclaims, "Yes I am a
folk artist. The advantage is. I tell peo
ple, I am allowed to break the rules
that a trained artist dare not do."
Her work can be described as
naive, but each piece is meticulously
constructed with a sophisticated eye to
composition and color. Each of her
pieces recalls her upbringing. She
grew up in rural, small, black commu
nities during the 1940s and 50s.
Several of the 24 works in the show
capture women in daily tasks like
preparing meals. v\ ashing, shopping
and teaching. Ashford clothes each
figure with vintage fabrics, creating in
each collage a feeling of movement
and fluidity.
Ashford - who has earned the
Artist Achievement Award from
Charlotte's Afro-American Cultural
Center - studied at North Carolina
Central University and Shaw
University, where she received a
degree. She spent many years teach
ing in the Mecklenburg school system.
She counts legend John Biggers as one
of her mentors. Ashford's work can be
found throughout the country and
abroad in countries like Canada and
Swaziland.
Friends of Coltrane to
recreate Harlem's heydey
CHRONICLE STAFF REPOR1
The Friends of John
Coltrane will present
"Harlem Nights: A Musical
Celebration of the Harlem
Renaissance."
This fundraising event
will be held at Centennial
Station. 121 S. Centennial
Street in High Point on
Saturday. Sept. 25. Proceeds
from this fundraiser will be
dedicated to implementing
the International John
Coltrane Jazz and Blues
Festival in High Point.
"Harlem Nights" is a cel
ebration of the music and
dance of the Harlem
Renaissance. A group of per
formers from Greensboro
will take on the personas of
greats like Flla Fitzgerald.
Lena Home. Billie Holliday.
Cab Calloway and Sarah
Vaughn. Although these
musicians preceded John
Coltrane. they added to the
great influence of his music.
Coltrane. who often col
laborated with fellow leg
ends Miles Davis and
Thelonious Monk, is known
as the pioneer of the "free
jazz" sound of the '50s and
'60s. He was only 40 when
he died of liver cancer in
1967. but Coltrane continues
to be one of the most influ
ential and best-selling
Atlantic Record* Photo
\'.C. native the late John Coltrane.
names in ja//.
Many members of The
Friends of John Coltrane.
worked for years to make
the John Coltrane statue
outside of High Point City
Hall a reality . The statue was
dedieated on Sept. 20. 2006.
near what would have been
Coltrane's SOth birthday.
There will be two
'Harlem Nights" shows. The
1 p.m. show that will
include lunch: and a 6:30
p.m. show that will include
dinner and an after-party.
General admission tickets
are $35.
Tickets can be purchased
through the High Point
Theatre. 220 E. Commerce
Ave., by phone, 336-887
3(X) I ; in person: or online at
u. w w.highpointtheatre com
For more information
about The Friends of John
Colt rune, visit
w H w.friendsofjohncoltrane .
com .
'Bad' Boys
Phuitvby Baglio PtH*<?graphy
Who's Bad - The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Band will perform Sept. 10 at the
iMwrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum annex. The 9 p.m. show will take the audi
ence on a musical journey of the life of the King of Pop. who died a little more than a
year ago. The hand includes: ( from left ) Syk Baglio (drums), Darion Alexander < hass),
Patrick Cross (guitar), Taalih York (lead vocals), Joseph Bell (lead vocals). Yamsi
Tadepalli (saxophone) and Kay McCall (trumpet). General admission seating is
$17.50; group tickets are $13 SO. For group tickets, call 336-734-158 6. For more infor
mation, go to whoshadmusic.com or www.ljvm.com.
Artist Q co-starring in 'Bouncers'
Play will he the first at new Hanesbramls Theatre
CHRONICLE STAFF REPORT
Charlotte spoken word up-and-comer Quentin "Q" Talley will star
in "Bouncers." the first play that will be staged in the new
Hanesbrands Theatre, one of the venues in the neu Milton Rhodes
Center for the Arts
"Bouncers" is a dramatic comedy centered around working class
British bouncers It will run from Sept
5 - 25. Winston-Salem natives Ben
Baker, Travis Smith and Lee Spencer
will star alongside Talley. the 2(MW
Metrolina Theatre Association emerg
ing artist of the year.
A native of Greenwood. SC., f
Talley has been a major figure on the
national poetry slam circuit. He has
shared the stage with Bishop Desmond
Tutu. Nikki Giovanni. Cee-Lo. MC
Lyte. Ted Turner and Tavis Smiley .
He has released his second album
and one-man show entitled. "Take
Cover." As an actor, he recently per
formed as Armpit in "Holes" with
Children's Theater of Charlotte; as
Blue in "Blue" at Actor's Theater of
Charlotte; and Benjamin in "The Mojo
and The Sayso" with his own On Q
P* P**?>
Que nli n "Q" Talley
Productions.
He founded On Q Productions in Charlotte to produce classic, con
temporary and original performance works that reflect the experi
ences of minorities, especially African Americans
Now on its third year, the company has produced works ranging
from "For Colored Girls," "Dutchman." "Day of Absence" and "In the
Blood " Last year, the company made its mark with the original pro
duction. "Miles & Coltrane: Bluet which premiered to sold-out
audiences in New York City and Edinburgh. Scotland at the i avt to
Edinburgh Festival and Fringe Festival.
For ticket information, contact the Haneshrands Theatre at J.I 6
747-1414 or visit www.rhodexartscenter.org .
PR Phou>
The three current members of the Commodores.
Commodores to play Aggie event
("MRONICn M \l l Rf lHlRI
The Commodores will headline N.C A&T's Alumni
Homecoming concert on Iriday. Oct. 8 at the Koury
Convention Center. 3121 High Point Road in Greensboro A
buffet reception will start at 7 p.m . followed by the concert at
8
l or over three decades, the Commodores have been a force
in the music industry Fhe group was formed in 1^68. when
the members were students at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama
After being discovered by Barry Ciordy. the Commodores
embarked on a career with Motown. They would eventually
go on to sell more than bO million records worldwide.
The group's string of hits include "Brick House. "Easy."
"Machine Ciun." "Oh No" and "Sail On." The Commodores'
I486 single. "Night Shift" earned the group its first Grammy
award This recognition was even more significant since it
occurred after the departure of group member Lionel Richie, a
Motown legend in his own right
Reserved table seating prices are $5,000. $2,500 and
S 1 ,2<M> Individual tickets are $100.
h or ticket information, visit the N.C. AAT Ticket Office or
call .1.14 -774V. ' '