The News and Observer from Raleigh, North Carolina • 114

SUNCAY NOVEMBER 30 2003 Arts Entertainment R-ku-s relcases artsc-alendar 011 I lerecord CLASSICAL A listing of arts-related elents happening in the Triange this wit-A For a more complete listing consult Friday's Ithat's 1p section In a class of her own 3" 7 rtT 0 Rossini and Massenet Yet whatever extraordinary things she did with her voice leaps and trills and runs also knew the value of understatement and measured pacing and diminuendo She never sounded artificial The choices on the disc are Home's own Some of my favorites aren't here: the Page's aria from Massenet's "Les Huguenots" and "Connais-tu le pays- from Thomas' "Mignon" There's nothing from her superb Verdi Requiem with Sold But there's a lot else: arias by Bizet Handel Gluck and Rossini and songs by Nin Schumann and Wagner The Home-Sutherland partnership is recognized in a long scene from 'Norma" The most moving pieces are the smallest in scale Nin's "Jesus" Stephen Foster's "Jeannie With the Light Brown Hair" and Malotte's "Lord's Prayer" The last is so simple and heartfelt you think it could be someone in your church choir singing Or even you on a good day But of course it couldn't Marilyn Horne "Just for the Record: The Golden Voice" in were many fine mezzo-sopranos in the '60s '70s and '80s Marilyn Home's heyday Grace Bumbry Shirley Verrett Christa Ludwig and Janet Baker to name four But line them up and force them to tell the truth and I bet they would all say Marilyn Home was in a class of her own For anyone who needs reminding of that or an introduction if she was before your time comes a double-CD set of selections from Home's big recorded legacy released by Decca to celebrate her 70th birthday in April 'Tm a mezzo who sounds like a soprano" she once told me She had richness and depth in her lower range and sweet purity on top There were no register breaks Her evenness and bright focus like the gleam of sunlight on the edge of a were allied technically to an agility that made her a superb bel canto singer alongside soprano Joan Sutherland and on her own in Decca released Marilyn Home's new double album to mark the singer's 70th birthday in April David Perkins BEYOND BROADWAY WITH LAUREN KENNEDY AND JASON ROBERT BROWN Frioay-Saturctay 8 pm BTI Center Raie-gnS3'4-533Ticketmaster534-4000 HOLIDAY MUSiCAL Transactors irrprov ComPa 111 Oertorrns musica on audence suggestions Friday-Saturday 8 pm Arts-Center 929-2757 HOTEL BETHLEHEM Children's musical by Gamer Arts Association Friday-Saturday 7 pm Dec 72 pm Gamer Auditorium 742 Garner Road $3 662-777L JERUSAIDA Staged reading of Robert Siegets pay by Burning Coal Theatre Company Saturday 11 am Ram Theatre Raieigh donation requested 388-0066 JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR A Broadway Series South production Tuesday-Saturday 8 pm Saturday-Dec 7 2 pm Dec 7 7 pm B11 Center Raleigh $16- S66 Ticketmaster 834-4000 NUNCRACKERS Christmas musical presented by Meredith College Theatre Tuesday-Saturday 8 pm Jones Hat Meredith College Raleigh $648 760-2840 SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE Broadway at Duke Wednesday8 pm Page Auditorium Duke University Durham $32- S40 $13-521 students 684-4444 SHOPPING AND FKING Four young twenty-somethings sell drugs sex and what is left of their souls to survive today 3:15 pm Wednesday-Saturday 8:15 pm Also Friday 11:15 pm Manbites Dog Theater 703 Foster St Durham 682-3343 A TAFFETA '505 CHRISTMAS REUNION By Temple Theatre Dec 11-21 Center for the Performing Arts Sanford 774-4155 ART ACKLAND ART MUSEUM Columbia and Franklin streets UNC-CH Japanese art and ceramics 966-5736 DUKE UNIVERSITY MUSEUM OF ART East Campus Durham Art from an alumnus' collection through Dec 2L Free Nov 27-28: Closed 684-5135 NC CENTRAL UNIVERSITY' ART MUSEUM Durham Prints by Jacob Lawrence through Dec 12530-6211 NC MUSEUM OF ART 2110 Blue Ridge Road Raleigh "Defying Gravity: Contemporary Art and Flight' through March 7575056 seniors and groups of 10 or more free museum members and ages 12-younger 839-6262 NC STATE UNIVERSITY 3302 Talley Student Center Raleigh SECAC 2003 Exhibition and Photos of Elizabeth Matheson through Dec17 515-3501 ART EVENTS SOMERHILL GALLERY 3 Eastgate East Franklin Street Chapel Hill Holiday Jewelry Reception: today 2-5 pm 968-8868 LEE HANSLEY GALLERY 225 Glenwood Ave Raleigh Holiday exhibit Reception: today 2-5 pm 828-7557 DANCE NUTCRACKER By Carolina Ballet and the NC Symphony tonight through Dec 28 BTI Center 719-0900: Ticketmaster 834-4000 ENLOE HOLIDAY CONCERT Wednesday-Saturday 7 pm Enloe High School 128 Clarendon Crescent Drive Raleigh cgreerwcpsanet THE NUTCRACKER By City Ballet with artists from Carolina Ballet Friday-Saturday 7:30 pm pm Ravenscroft School Raleigh 345-8496 THE NUTCRACKER Tchaikovsky's ballet performed by Triangle Youth Ballet Saturday 7 pm Dec 7 1 and 4 pm Chapel Hill High School 932- 2676 Dec 13 7 pm Dec 14 1 and 4 pm Carolina Theatre Durham $8- $15 560-3030 1 THE LOS ANGELES TIMES rooner Enrique Iglesias kdusually takes more risks with his English-language releases than his smoothly THE LOS ANGELES TIMES rooner Enrique Iglesias usually takes more risks with his English-language releases than his smoothly CONCERTS COLIN ANDREWS Organ concert today 5 pm Duke Croper Duke University Durham Free 660-3300 JOHN BERRY Country singer seasonal music benefit for Toys for Tots today 7 pm Carolina Theatre 309 Morgan St Durham $27 plus a nev4 unwrapped toy 560-3030 DURHAM SYMPHONY Holiday pops Durham School of the Arts Chorale toclaY- 7 PAL Old Durham Armory $10-S30 free 12-younge 560-2736 RALEIGH BOYCHOIR -Christmas in the Air- benefit concert (black-tie optional) for WakeMed Children's Center Monday 7 pm Healthpark Wake Med 3000 New Bern Ave Raleigh $100 donation 881-9259 European carols and Hanukkah songs Dec 19 730 pm Edenton Street United Methodist Church 228 Edenton St Raleigh S11415 828-1588 851-9259 PEACE COLLEGE CHRISTMAS CONCERT College Choir Chamber Singers and Orchestra Monday and Wednesday 7 pm Kenan Recital Hall Peace College Raleigh Free 508-2294 DUKE CHORALE Christmas concert Tuesday 7 pm (seasonal carillon and organ music at 6:30) Duke Chapel Durham Donation of nonperishable food item accepted 660-3300 RJEL With Revis and Sloth Tuesday 8 pm Disco Rodeo Industrial Drive Raleigh $2250425 Ticketmaster 834-4000 FORTUNA A cappella Renaissance chorus Tuesday 8 pm Cathedral of the Sacred Heart 226 Hillsborough St Raleigh Donations accepted 683-9672 UNC JAZZ BANDS Tuesday 8 pm Hill Hall Auditorium UNC-CH 962-1039 DUKE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Music of Stress Mahler and Johann Strauss Jr's Wednesday 8 pm Baldwin Auditorium Duke University Durham Free 660-3300 UNC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Scholarship benefit concert Wednesday 8 Hill Hall NC-CH $2110 962-1039 STEVE KIMOCK WITH TRIPLE FRET Wednesday 9 pm ArtsCenter Carrboro 929-2787 RALEIGH RINGERS Handbell concert Thursday 7 pm White Plains United Methodist Church Cary $5410 467- 9394 Sacred and secular selections at door: Ticketmaster 834-4000 wwwrtorg MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER Holiday concert Thursday 7:30 pm RBC Center Raleigh Ticketmaster 834-4000 CARY TOWN BAND Christmas music Thursday 7:30 pm Glenaire 200 Cornwall St Cary Free 467-7336 DUKE JAZZ ENSEMBLE With guest trumpeter Nicholas Payton Thursday 8 pm Baldwin Auditorium Duke University Durham $5-5510 684-4444 A COUNTRY CHRISTMAS Country Music Showcase with special guest Bill Leslie of WRAL-TV Thursday-Saturday 7 pm Saturday 2 pm Johnston County Community College US 70 Smithfield $10209-2099 AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS By Longleaf Opera and Durham Savo yards with NCCU Theatre Thursday Saturday 8 pm Dec 7 2 pm University Theatre NCCU Durham 560-5170 NC SYMPHONY Holiday pops Thursday 8 pm Carolina Theatre Durham 733-2750 UNC WIND ENSEMBLE AND SYMPHONY BAND Thursday 8 pm Hill Hall UNCCH Free 962-1039 UNC JAZZ COMBOS Friday 4 pm Hill Hail Room 107 UNC-CH 962-1039 DUKE UNIVERSITY CHAPEL CHOIR Handel's 'Messiah" Friday 7:30 pm Saturday 2 pm Dec73 pm Duke University Chapel Durham 684-4444 'MESSIAH" SING-IN Join 1000-member audiencechorus and the Raleigh Symphony Orchestra Friday 8 pm Edenton Street United Methodist Church 228 Edenton St Raleigh Food donations benefit Urban Ministry Food Bank 832-7535 HIGHER GROUND Dance Band Friday 8 pm Hayti Heritage Center Durham includes buffet 683-1047 UNC OPERA WORKSHOP With Baroque Ensemble Friday-Saturday 8 pm Play-makers Theater UNC-CH Free 962-1039 JOHNNY CUNNINGHAM AND SUSAN MCKEOWN Celtic Friday 8 pm Community Church Coffeehouse106 Purefoy Road Chapel Hill door 621-1919 NCSU'S HOLIDAY CONCERTS Friday and Saturday 8 pm Stewart Theatre Each 515-1100 NC JAZZ REPERTORY ORCHESTRA Concert for fami lies Saturday 11 am free for students: Big Band Cavalcade 4 pm Hill Hall UNC-CH S5412 962-1449 SILVER FANTASY SILVER PIPES AND SILVER WINDS FLUTE CHOIRS Holiday concert Saturday 3-4 pm Triangle Town Center Raleigh Free 781-3225 DUKE STRING SCHOOL Holiday Festival Saturday 3 4 and 7 pm Baldwin Auditorium Duke University Durham Free 660-3300 DURHAM JAZZ Traditional jazz instrumentals and vocals Saturday 3:30 pm Prime Outlets Mall Morrisville Free 383-3933 NORTHEAST PIEDMONT CHORALE Seasonal music Saturday 7:30 pm Southeastern Baptist Seminary Wake Forest GENERAL ASSEMBLY CHORUS Seasonal songs Raleigh Boychoir Saturday 8 pm BTI Center Raleigh $10415 $15- S20 door 854-0090 THEATER BABES IN TOYLAND Musical by North Raleigh Arts and Creative Theatre today and Dec 7 14 3 pm Friday-Saturday Dec 12-13 7 pm 7713-51 Lead Mine Road Greystone Shopping Center Raleigh 866-0228 COUNTRY Kathy Mattea "Joy for Christmas Day" 12 Vathy Mattea earned a IS-Grammy for her 1993 Christmas album "Good News" This season's "Joy for Christmas Day" (Narada) continues 7) along 1 1' same 0 musical a44 lines 1 with a mix of Kathy Lutc traditional and newly penned carols and songs With her rich vibrant voice Mattea presents an 11-song program emphasizing the spiritual side of Christmas She begins traditionally with "Christmas Collage" which weaves "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" "We Three Kings" and "What Child Is This" in and around each other amid a chorus of guitars bells violin and penny whistle Other familiar fare includes "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and "Angels We Have Heard on High" which is given a contemporary arrangement with string-driven rhythmic flourishes "0 Come All Ye Faithful" begins with a full chorus that resembles a high church choir and shifts gears with a Hammond B3 and a rhythm and blues vibe The new songs are pleasant even if they are not destined to become classics Written originally for theater "Unto Us a Child is Born" is a simple yet strong celebration of the Prince of Peace "Straw Against the Chill" is a soft lilting lullaby that serves as both history lesson and tribute And the praise-worthy "Baby King" pulses with the kind of call-and-response refrain that energizes some of the best gospel "Joy for Christmas Day" may not bring Mattea another Grammy But with its modern treatment of Christmas classics and its new celebrations it makes a nice addition to the seasonal playlist along 1 same 144 musical lines rN with a KAthv mix ot tradi- JAll Janice Berle "Agents of Change" 12 Janice Borla is not the best- known or the best-selling of jazz vocalists But as founder and director of a vocal jazz camp that recently celebrated its 15th anniversary she may be exerting more influence than her reputation would appear to indicate Perhaps "Agents of Change" 1 jazz) the title of 4- her latest album is a statement of purpose or simply wishful thinking In either case Borla sets a high standard for the traditional art of scat singing and employing the voice as an ensemble instrument or solo horn She's closer to Norma Winstone (the British singer whose wordless vocals are part of the trio Azimuth with trumpeter Kenny Wheeler and pianist John Taylor) than to Ella Fitzgerald And she's emotionally satisfying and technically superb with bull's-eye intonation and a solid tone throughout her range "Agents of Change" exudes atmosphere Joe Henderson's "Black Narcissus" with lyrics by Borla creates a charged open minor key mood The singer's scat singing runs clean direct and free of frills Pianist Bill Evans' "Remembering the Rain" also with lyrics by Borla is another impressionistic performance with Dan Haerle's piano and Bob Bowman's bass echoing Evans' harmonic romanticism "The Peacocks" (music by Jimmy Rowles lyrics by Winstone) the highlight of the album paints a perfect film noir portrait Borla gets inspired support not only from Haerle Bowman and drummer Jack Mouse but also from vibist Brad Stirtz and guitarist Famed Hague Trumpeter Art Davis and soprano and tenor saxophonist Rich Fudoli also contribute on several tracks although Fudoli's flitting ethereal soprano solos seem overly busy And "Battle Report" with collective improvisation doesn't quite work But everything else is fine Owen Cord le POP Britney Spears "In the Zone" noes anybody besides me think I there's something creepy about the public led by the tabloid media giving so much thought to Britney Spears' journey through puberty to where she is now: an honest-to-God non-virginal woman? I mean it's OK if you happen to be her age but really Not that she isn't entirely complicit in the voyeurism she inspires As airheaded as she may appear Spears is like many of her peers on the Billboard Top 20 very calculating and very ambitious That's what is so off-putting about her The main reason for her success was not talent it was her im---77'71-1 age It was be- 41 ing at the right $Ifk 1- place at the right 11 time ir whether as a Mouseketeer a teen nymphet or a sexy calendar woman for a nation sick of Jennifer Lopez Hype notwithstanding Spears is not the new Madonna although "In the Zone" has definite Madonna-like moments (especially the "Material "Brave New Their collaboration "Me Against the Music" unfortunately is embarrassingly hackneyed and the video is horrible Poor Madonna comes off like an aging porn actress who's allowed only one sex scene in a soft-core flick But Spears is more talented than you thought Besides "Me Against the Music" the only other real stinker is Kelly's "Outrageous" She co-wrote most of the songs on the album and a catchy bunch they are She's a better rapper than Madonna and she shows a lot of sass and rhythmic facility on "Showdown" "Early Mornin' (produced by Moby) and the great Arab music-inspired "Toxic" The hokey ballad "Everytime" proves rather endearing because Spears actually communicates genuine emotion for a change "In the Zone" is catchy and quite enjoyable But someone should tell Spears that there are other interesting things about being a woman besides sexuality Danny Hoolep I 1 POP Enrique Iglesias "7" 12 romantic Spanish ones and "7" (Interscope) his seventh collection mines the '80s with a sense of adventure even broader than 2001's "Escape" Unfortunately this derivative pastiche of that era's rock new wave and folk-pop spiced with modern electronic-dance flavors is about as imaginative as the album title Although Iglesias and his song doctors seemingly threw every lick that crossed their minds into these hackneyed songs they should've tried harder Right now everyone from fringy dance acts to mainstream pop stars is regurgitating the '80s and in much more interesting ways than merely aping Don Henley the Cars Me Shake and Tom Petty Ample doses of cowbell on such numbers as the ACDC-esque Rock Me" kick up strong whiffs of arena-rock but without the raw sexual vibe Indeed despite Iglesias' lover-boy persona the tunes aren't very sexy: Even the torchy ballad It" feels more processed than heated Nothing here has the slightly haunting charm of something like his "Bailamos" For all the endless layers and varied textures the single "Addicted" lards a watery echoing ballad with Beatles flourishes and Coldplaylike prog-pop the slick ultra-plush production only numps up the mediocrity Natalie Nichols 7 I Jack Bernhardt BOOKS MARGARET HOFFMAN "Dead in the Water" today 11 am-4 pm Dalton Crabtree Valley Mall Raleigh 787- 1003 Sunday 11 am-4 pm Waldenbooks Crabtree Valley Mall Raleigh 782-5661 Monday 7 pm Quail Ridge Books Ridgewood Shopping Center Raleigh 828-1588 MICHAEL MALONE "The Last Noel: A Novel" Tuesday 7 pm Quail Ridge Books Ridgewood Shopping Center Raleigh 828-1588 A Life in Music" Tuesday7 pm The Regulator Bookshop 720 Ninth St Durham 286-2700 ANNE BYRN "The Dinner Doctor" Tuesday 7:30 pm Barnes Noble 760 SF Maynard Road Cary 467-3866 MICHELE BOWAN "Second Sunday" Wednesday 7 pm Quail Ridge Books Raleigh 828-1588 TOM STUMPF AND KENNETH RECKFORD Read Dr Suess' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" in English and Latin Wednesday 4 pm Bull's Head Bookshop UNC-CH 962-5060 PHILIP GUM CF Martin and His Guitars 1796-1873" Thursday 7 pm Quail Ridge Books Raleigh 828-1588 MIKE JARVIS "Skills for Life: The Fundamentals You Need to Succeed" Friday 7 pm The Regulator Bookshop Durham 286-2700 BARBARA RUSH "Lights of Hanukkah" Saturday11 am McIntyre's Pittsboro542-3030 AMY ROGERS-Hungry for Home: Stories of Food from Across the Carolinas" Saturday 1 pm Market Street Books Maps Southern Village Chapel Hill 9335111 CAROL CRANE is for Tar Heel: A North Carolina Alphabet" Saturday 2 pm Quail Ridge Books Raleigh 828-1588 GEORGE HUMPHRIES "North Carolina" Saturday 7 pm The Regulator Bookshop Durham 286-2700 ROBERT KINERK "Clorinda and Slim and Miss Prim" Dec 7 2 pm Cameron Village Library Raleigh 856-6723 playlist pectations at a more personal level on "Try" promising a lover her best intentions One of the best moments comes on "Saturdays" a look 1 back on Furtado's days clean- ing rooms at a motel with her mother The song is simple in to lyrics and sound but it fea- 1 tures a fun giggly moment -EA from Furtado and a yearning dreamy quality that is hard to 1 4-ti-) POP Nally Furtado "Folklore" 12 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (In "Folklore" (Dream- Works Records) her first album in three years Nelly Furtado creates dance music with a string arrangement makes banjoes sound cool and gets in touch with her Portuguese roots all with stellar results Her multiplatinum debut "Whoa Nelly!" may have had its moments but it often sounded superficial However "Folklore" is crawling with the singer's thoughts on fame love happiness and kti lop soil Albums to be released in local stores on Tuesday Trace Adkins Comm "n' on Elephant Man "Good 2 Go" Melissa Ferrick "70 People at 70000 Feet" Glossary "How rmwwww to Handle Our Midnights" Hot Rod Lincoln "Tokyo Bop" Alicia Keys "The Diary of Alicia Keys" Kinky "Atlas" '14111111111111- Comprehensive arts and recreational calendars are published every Friday in the What's Up section with daily highlights in the Life etc section These calendars are searchable on the Web at wwwcalendartrianglecom Other useful contact info follows: Raleigh Convention and Conference Center Complex and BIl Center for the Performing Arts including Memorial Auditorium Meymandi Concert Hall Fletcher Opera Theater and Kennedy Theatre (919) 831-6060 wwwraleighconventioncom Ticketmaster: (919) 834-4000 wwwticketmastencom NCSU Ticket Central: (919) 515-1100 wwwncsthedaarts It Duke University box office: (919) 684-4444 wwwticketsdukeedu RBC Center: (919) 861-2323 wwwrbc-centercom UNC box office: (919) 962-1449 wwwunceduideptsunion Alltel Pavilion at Walnut Creek: (919) 831-6666 wwwalltelpavilloncom Carolina Theatre: (919) 560-3030 wwwcarolinatheatrcorg NC Symphony: (919) 733-2750 wwwncsymphonyorg RBC Center: (919) 861-2323 wwwrbc-centercom It UNC box office: (919) 962-1449 wwwunceduideptsunion Mel Pavilion at Walnut Creek: (919) 831-6666 wwwalltelpavilloncom Carolina Theatre: (919) 560-3030 wwwcarolinatheatreorg NC Symphony: (919) 733-2750 wwwmcsymphonyorg ignore The aforementioned banjoes pop up more than once but they are most present on "Forca" featuring Bela Fleck and named for a bit of Portuguese he tuguese slang that Furtado says trans- 11C Larnival Pose a Question" "The Diary of Alicia Keys" On the first single "Powerless (Say will be released Tuesday lates as "keep going" or "kick ass" What You Want)" Furtado confronts so- Bruce Lorgren Like the rest of "Fblklore" the song ciety's tendency toward stereotyping "Red Shift" does exactly that deciding that "this life is too short to live Movietooe "Sand and the Stars" it just for you" The singer deals with ex- Rachel Kipp Paul Wright "Hy Away" HOW TO REACH US I Arts Entertainment Suzanne Brown (919) 829-4766 subrownnewsobservercom 111 What's UN David AIR (919) 829-4768 dalkInewsobservercom I Calendar Sabrina Ballenger (919) 829-4627 listingskewsobservercom i HOW TO REACH US I Arts Entertainment Suzanne Brown (919) life On the first single "Powerless (Say What You Want)" Furtado confronts society's tendency toward stereotyping deciding that "this life is too short to live it just for you" The singer deals with ex 829-4766 subrownnewsobservercom 111 Wnat'S slang that Furtado says translates as "keep going" or "kick ass" Like the rest of "Fblk lore" the song does exactly that Rachel Kipp UN David AIR (919) 829-4768 dalfflnewsobservercom Calendar Sabrina Ballenger (919) LA Carnival "The Diary of Alicia Key! "Pose a Question" will be released Tuesda) Bruce Lorgren "Red Shift" Movietone "Sand and the Stars" Paul Wright "Fly Away" "The Diary of Alicia Keys" will be released Tuesday 829-4627 listingspnewsobservercom.