Italian Treasures from the Calabria Region: Extended Through December 7

The objects on display represent two major periods: the region’s era as an important Greek colony (sixth- to fourth century B.C.) and the Baroque era (seventeenth–eighteenth centuries), when Calabria was an integral part of the vast Kingdom of Naples.  

On display in the Gilbert Court are five masterpieces of Greek-Roman art from the National Archaeological Museum in Reggio Calabria. The Bronze Head “from Basel” was part of a ship’s cargo of goods looted from the Carthaginians resident in nearby Sicily. The ship was wrecked between 415 and 385 B.C. The Bronze Head, whose features suggest a god or king, resurfaced in 1970 and was first exhibited in Italy in 1996. On display in the Rotunda of the McKim building are five exquisite Baroque silverworks, all used for liturgical purposes, on loan from churches owned by the Fondo Edifici per il Culto. These works include the Chalice Lamezia Terme (late seventeenth–early eighteenth century), which is decorated with eleven small sculptures including figures of Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Anthony of Padua, and Saint Bonaventure.
From the earliest times until today, the culture of Calabria has been vibrantly multi-ethnic, with indigenous traditions blending with those of colonizers and immigrants. The flourishing of the arts began in the eighth century B.C. with the arrival of the Greeks, who developed such an important civilization in the region that Calabria became known as Magna Graecia. A Jewish community, which is still active today, dates to antiquity. It endowed Calabria with one of the oldest synagogues in the West (fourth–sixth centuries in Bova Marina). An Albanian community, which reached Calabria in the fifteenth century, continues to maintain rites and customs that link it to the Greek Orthodox world.

Venezia, Ca’ Pesaro: Kuniaki Kuroki, l’estetica giapponese espressa attraverso il vetro

Non certo repliche ma interpretazioni, le opere di Kuroki colgono l’essenza profonda delle produzioni antiche, esprimendole in nuove forme, attraverso il medium del vetro, di cui il maestro padroneggia alla perfezione tutte le tecniche.
Visitabile con gli orari e il biglietto del Museo, la mostra è organizzata dalla Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia in collaborazione con la Soprintendenza Speciale per il Polo Museale Veneziano e l’Associazione Kuniaki Kuroki, con il patrocinio del Ministero degli Affari Esteri, dell’Ambasciata del Giappone in Italia, del Consolato Generale del Giappone a Milano, della Prefettura di Myazaki, della Camera di Commercio e Industria Giapponese in Italia, dell’Istituto Giapponese di Cultura di Roma, della Fondazione Italia Giappone, della Regione Veneto e della Provincia di Venezia, in collaborazione con R&M Japan Co. e Made in Italy.it, con il sostegno di H.I.S. Highest International Standards, KWE Kintetsu Italia e Savino del Bene.
Un video in mostra darà conto della poetica e della tecnica esecutiva del maestro.
I lavori di Kuroki offrono a Ca’ Pesaro molteplici stimoli: non solo i puntuali collegamenti con opere antiche delle collezioni del Museo d’Arte Orientale, ma anche un’occasione di riflessione sull’approccio all’antico di un autore contemporaneo dell’area culturale dell’estremo oriente.
A Kōrin e alla raffinata decorazione Rimpa si ispira una serie di oggetti - lanterne, vasi, paraventi, incensieri – in vetro a strati con fiori e foglia d’oro; alle Stazioni di Hiroshige si collegano singolari paesaggi di vetro, “quadri” e pannelli, ma anche vasi, scatole, mobili, e ancora lanterne e paraventi, in cui il tema della veduta assume un’insolita caratteristica tridimensionale e la sapiente lavorazione restituisce splendidamente i toni chiari e le sfumature di colore delle celebri stampe ukiyoe.
In tutte le opere in mostra Kuroki utilizza processi di lavorazione assai articolati e complessi con cui il vetro è ottenuto e trattato in modi diversi e arricchito dall’inserzione di foglie d’oro e di platino come nella tradizione del makie, la lacca dorata giapponese.
Il gioco di rimandi è reso prezioso dalla presenza in mostra di due abiti di seta dell’inizio dell’Ottocento, appartenenti alla collezione del Museo d’Arte Orientale, scelti per la puntuale relazione con le opere di Kuroki ed esposti al primo piano, in sala 10. Le loro decorazioni a ricamo (il pavone) e dipinte (le stazioni del Tōkaidō di Kuwana e Kambara) sono sorprendentemente vicine a quelle che Kuroki realizza in vetro.
Il Museo d’Arte Orientale espone anche alcune xilografie originali di Hiroschige appartenenti a una delle più belle serie del Tōkaidō a fogli verticali.
È, quella di Kuroki, un’ottica di atemporalità estetica, in cui si fondono la perizia tecnica - perseguita con sacrale ricerca della perfezione utilizzando il vetro, materiale puro e trasparente ma capace di infinite possibilità di forma e colore - e il rapporto con le radici della più alta tradizione artistica giapponese, in una dimensione che supera la storia ma recupera l’archetipo: una visione iniziale che nella storia si esprime e ritorna, anche in forme e materie diverse.
Note biografiche in cartella stampa.

INFORMAZIONI GENERALI
Sede: Venezia, Ca’ Pesaro - Galleria Internazionale d’Arte Moderna, Santa Croce, 2076
Inaugurazione: venerdì 28 novembre 2008
Apertura al pubblico: 29 novembre – 25 gennaio 2008
Orario: 10/17 (biglietteria 10/16) - chiuso lunedì, 25 dicembre 2008 e 1 gennaio 2009
Biglietti
Ingresso con il biglietto del museo
Intero 5,50 euro
Ridotto 3,00 euro
ragazzi U.E. da 6 a 14 anni; accompagnatori (max. 2) di gruppi di ragazzi, studenti* U.E. dai 15 ai 29 anni; accompagnatori (max. 2) di gruppi di studenti; cittadini U.E. ultrasessantacinquenni; personale* del Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali; titolari di Carta Rolling Venice
Gratuito
Per i residenti e i nati nel Comune di Venezia; bambini 0/5 anni; portatori di handicap con accompagnatore; guide autorizzate; interpreti turistici* che accompagnino gruppi; capigruppo (gruppi di almeno 21 persone previa prenotazione); membri I.C.O.M
*è richiesto un documento

Free (or low-cost) culture in New York

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today outlined dozens of examples of free and low-cost, family-friendly cultural activities occurring throughout the City, and encouraged New Yorkers to take advantage of them. New York City’s museums, parks, theaters, public libraries, recreation centers, Business Improvement Districts, and other venues offer many attractions, including special holiday events, with a free or suggested admission cost. Inspired by New York City’s Just Ask the Locals campaign that encourages visitors to ask New Yorkers about the City, Mayor Bloomberg asked several New Yorkers - Monica Chierici of the Bronx, Yasminda Rivera of East Harlem, Louvinia Pointer of Brooklyn and Sean Sweeney of Staten Island - to name their favorites low-cost cultural activities. With the economy on the decline, today’s announcement is part of a series of initiatives announced by the Bloomberg Administration to help more New Yorkers stretch their paychecks further and weather the storm. The Mayor was also joined by First Deputy Mayor Patricia E. Harris, Cultural Affairs Commissioner Kate D. Levin, Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe, Small Business Services Commissioner Robert W. Walsh, and Wildlife Conservation Society President and CEO Steve Sanderson. The Wildlife Conservation Society operates the Bronx Zoo, where the announcement was held.

“New York City is the cultural capital of the world, and all New Yorkers, regardless of how old they are, what borough they live in or how much they make, have a great opportunity to benefit from it,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “We have invested heavily in New York City’s museums, theaters and parks over the years, and now, especially in this difficult economic time, all New Yorkers should take advantage of them. These institutions are yours to enjoy. Walk through the Henry Moore sculptures at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, take a date to the Brooklyn Museum to see ‘The Black List Project,’ an exhibition that depicts the faces and voices of prominent African Americans like Colin Powell and Toni Morrison, explore some of Staten Island’s historic sites, bring your kids to the Children’s Science Lab at the Queens Public

Library, or take a tour of Gracie Mansion - and do it all for free. The entire nation is facing tough economic times, but with New York City’s vibrant cultural life and world-class parks, there’s no better place to be with your family, especially around the holidays.”

“Most people don’t realize that the City’s support for cultural groups is matched more than tenfold by private contributors,” said Cultural Affairs Commissioner Levin. “During tough economic times, this public-private partnership means that people don’t have to sacrifice what makes living, working and playing in New York City so great. The City’s cultural organizations remain committed to welcoming all New Yorkers, and there are so many ways to participate - visit a museum, see a show, volunteer, become a member or a subscriber.”

“Through the Department of Parks and Recreation, the City Parks Foundation, the Historic House Trust and many non-profit Parks partners, New York City offers an array of low-cost activities for the whole family this season, from ice skating to scavenger hunts to chess lessons,” said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Benepe. “We hope that all New Yorkers will visit our more than 50 recreational facilities, 15 nature centers, 1,200 monuments and 22 historic house museums to enjoy time together without having to spend a lot of money.”

“I encourage New Yorkers to go out during this holiday season and explore the diverse neighborhoods that make this City so unique,” said Small Business Services Commissioner Robert Walsh. The Department of Small Business Services works with New York City’s 60 Business Improvement Districts in all five boroughs, many of which are hosting free events throughout the holiday season. “Locally-based organizations, including many of our Business Improvement Districts, are sponsoring creative, family-oriented activities throughout the five boroughs. Whether it’s a tree lighting ceremony, an outdoor musical performance, or ice skating, there are countless events for you and your family to enjoy.”

New York City offers hundreds of events and exhibits that are free or low-cost to the public. Below is a sampling:

MUSEUMS

Live Jazz, Poetry Jam and “The Black List Project” at the Brooklyn Museum
Explore the documentary exhibition, “The Black List Project,” which depicts the faces and voices of prominent African Americans, such as Colin Powell, Toni Morrison, Serena Williams and Chris Rock. On December 6th, stay for a night of live jazz, a poetry jam by the Welfare Poets and a dance party. 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn. FREE the first Saturday of every month from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM. December 6 events begin at 5:00 PM.

Go “Behind the Screen” at the Museum of the Moving Image
Discover how movies are made, make your own sound effects and create your own flipbook at the “Behind the Screen” exhibit at the Museum of the Moving Image. 35 Avenue at 37 Street, Astoria, Queens. Tuesday through Friday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and Saturday and Sunday, 12:00 NOON to 6:00 PM. FREE through the holiday season.

5,000 Years of History at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Discover ancient Egypt, explore the Temple of Dendur, see how samurai warriors dressed, and take in one of the finest art collections in the world at one of the most renowned cultural institutions. 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street, Manhattan. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 9:30AM to 5:30PM. Suggested admission.

Catch a Birdseye View of New York on Your Own Two Feet at the Queens Museum of Art
Find your neighborhood and explore others within the Panorama of the City of New York, a 9,335-square-foot architectural model of the City that includes every single building constructed before 1992 in all five boroughs - a total of 895,000 individual, miniature structures. Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens. Wednesday - Friday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 NOON to 5:00 PM. Suggested admission.

Identity by Design: Indigenous Dress at the National Museum of the American Indian
Observe intricate Native American women’s dresses and accessories from the early 1800s to the present. One Bowling Green, Lower Manhattan. Open everyday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM (8:00 PM on Thursdays). FREE.

PERFORMING ARTS

Learn to Tango at the Brooklyn Public Library
Learn the fundamentals of the world’s favorite partner dance or hone your moves at the Brooklyn Public Library. Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn. December 6 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM for beginners and 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM for advanced dancers. FREE.

Be Broadway Bound with TKTS
Purchase discount same-day tickets to Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals and plays at the spectacular new TKTS booth in Times Square or one of the other locations. Broadway and 47th Street, Manhattan; Front and John Streets, Lower Manhattan; and 1 Metro Tech, Downtown Brooklyn. Open every day, times vary.

Date Night at BAMCafé
Enjoy an evening with family and friends on Fridays at BAMCafé. This Friday is Funk Buddha Hip Hop Holiday night, featuring Akim Funk Buddha. 30 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn. FREE on Friday evenings at 9:00 PM.

Music, Theatre and Birds of Prey at the New Children’s Center at The New York Public Library
Enjoy musical retellings of “Peter and the Wolf” and “Pinkalicious,” watch a performance of “A Christmas Carol,” and encounter hawks, owls, falcons and other species up close, and much more at a two-day family festival of free events to celebrate the opening of the new Children’s Center at The New York Public Library. 476 Fifth Avenue, Manhattan. Varied events on November 28 and 29. Call 311 for information. FREE.

Magic and Mystery at the Queens Public Library
Enjoy a unique blend of mind-reading, dynamic feats of escape and breathtaking illusions by master magician, mentalist and escape artist Michael Lee at the Queens Public Library Elmhurst branch. 86-01 Broadway, Elmhurst. November 29 at 3:00 PM. FREE.

Peter Pan at the Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre
This fresh retelling of the children’s classic has been adapted for the stage with an original score, hand-crafted marionettes, and a new setting in New York City. Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre in Central Park near the West 81st Street entrance. $8 for adults and $5 for children.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Ice Skating in New York City
Grab your skates and head to one of the City’s six ice skating rinks listed below:

Abe Stark Rink, Brooklyn. Admission: $8, skate rental: $5.
Kate Wollman, Brooklyn. Admission for adults: $5, children/seniors: $3, skate rental: $5.50.
Lasker Rink, Manhattan. Admission for adults: $4.50, children/seniors: $2.25, skate rental: $4.75.
The Pond at Bryant Park, Manhattan. Admission: FREE, skate rental: $12.
Wollman Rink, Manhattan. Admission varies, call 311 for information.
War Memorial Rink, Staten Island. Admission: $8, skate rental: $5.
Henry Moore Sculptures at the New York Botanical Garden
Take the stroller or a friend to see the iconic, monumental sculptures of world-renowned artist Henry Moore installed across the Garden’s 250-acre campus. Bronx River Parkway at Fordham Road. Bronx. FREE on Wednesday and Saturday mornings from 10:00 AM to 12:00 NOON

Jenny Holzer Illuminates the Guggenheim
Jenny Holzer’s newest work - a light exhibition commissioned to mark the completion of the Guggenheim’s three-year restoration project - casts writings and poems directly onto the facade of Frank Lloyd Wright’s landmark building comprised of the artist’s own writings and numerous poems. 1071 Fifth Avenue at 89th Street, Manhattan. Fridays through December from sunset to 11:00 PM, with a special showing on New Years Eve. FREE.

Broadway Billboards at Socrates Sculpture Park
Preview sets from Lincoln Center’s 2009 November performances, designed by artist Robin Rhode, whose larger than life Promenades adorn the Park entrance. 32-01 Vernon Boulevard and Broadway, Queens. Open everyday from 10:00 AM to sunset. FREE.

Post-Turkey Super Hike through the Northern Trails of Van Cortlandt Park
Those looking to get rid off those extra calories from the holidays or just enjoy the autumn outdoors, should join the Parks Department Urban Park Rangers-led hike through the northern trails of Van Cortlandt Park. Broadway and Mosholu Avenue, Bronx. November 29 at 11:00 AM. FREE.

Star Trek in the Woods of Inwood Hill Park
Join the Urban Park Rangers for a nighttime exploration of the woods of Inwood Hill and the skies above. West 218th Street and Indian Road, Manhattan. November 29 at 9:00 PM. FREE.

Turkey Count Hike in Pelham Bay Park
If you’ve still got turkey on the brain, join the Urban Park Rangers on its annual turkey count for a “hunt” for this elusive bird on the Siwanoy Trail. The Bartow-Pell Mansion at 895 Shore Road, Bronx. November 30 at 10:00 AM. FREE.

Winter Scavenger Hunt through Fort Greene
Explore the nooks and crannies of Fort Greene while searching for hidden treasures. There will be two courses: one for families with kids, and a more challenging one for adults, with prizes awarded to the best hunters. Fort Greene Visitors Center in Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn. December 21 at 11:00 AM. FREE.

SCIENCE AND NATURE ACTIVITIES

Sparkling Stones and Unusual Insects at the Staten Island Museum
Families, discover the prehistoric treasures of natural science five days a week at the Staten Island Museum. 75 Stuyvesant Place, Staten Island. Open everyday, 12:00 NOON to 5:00 PM on weekdays and 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on weekends. Suggested admission.

Space out at the New York Hall of Science
Visit the rocket park and use microscopes to examine tiny organisms that were seen for the first time over 300 years ago at the New York Hall of Science’s Microbial Zoo. 47-01 111th Street, Queens. Fridays from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM and Sundays from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. FREE.

Swing with the Lemurs at the Bronx Zoo
Bundle up the kids and head to the Bronx Zoo, where the penguins roam and the lemurs swing all day at the new Madagascar exhibition. 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx. “Pay-As-You-Wish” donation for admission every Wednesday from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Children’s Science Lab at the Queens Public Library
Parents, bring your children ages 6-11 to hands-on activities and exciting lessons all about science, including growing crystals, studying metamorphosis with a butterfly release, and this Saturday, studying chemical processes through the making of butter for the Thanksgiving table. Queens Public Library Central Branch, 89-11 Merrick Boulevard, Jamaica. November 29 at 12:00 NOON. FREE.

Winter Survival Lessons at Prospect Park
Join the Urban Park Rangers as they reveal the astonishing winter adaptations that resident animals use to survive the frigid temperatures and give a lesson in how to identify animal tracks in snow and mud. Kate Wollman Rink in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. December 6 at 11:00 AM. FREE.

TOURS AND CLASSES

Take a Tour of Gracie Mansion
Visit the historic country home of Archibald Gracie built in 1799 that later became the home to New York City Mayors, starting with Fiorello La Guardia in 1942. Finish with cider in the Ballroom. FREE tours on December 5 from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM; call 311 to reserve a spot. Other tours are offered on Wednesdays at 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM at a cost of $7 for adults, $4 for seniors and always FREE for students.

Fort Totten Tunnel Tour
Discover the tunnels, hidden chambers and other forgotten and mysterious parts of Fort Totten with a lantern-armed guide from the Join the Parks Department Urban Park Rangers. Fort Totten Visitor Center at Ordnance and Lee Roads in Queens. November 29 at 1:00 PM. FREE.

Go Behind the Scenes at Grand Central Terminal
Join the Municipal Art Society of New York for a historical tour of the Beaux-Arts landmark Grand Central Terminal. Meet at the information booth on the main concourse at Grand Central Terminal at 42nd Street and Park Avenue, Manhattan. Wednesdays from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM. Suggested admission.

Candlelight Tour: Winter at the Dyckman Farmhouse Museum
View the farmhouse by the glow of “candlelight” and learn more about holiday and winter preparations in an early 19th-century Manhattan farmhouse. 4881 Broadway at 204th Street, Manhattan. December 7 and 27 at 4:00 PM. FREE.

Flushing’s Historic Holiday House Tour
The Historic House Trust hosts a holiday tour of five museums and historic sites: the Queens Historical Society at the Kingsland Homestead, the Quaker Meeting House, Flushing Town Hall, Voelker-Orth Museum, and the Lewis H. Latimer House. The tour includes a guided trolley ride with a local historian, who will be narrating the ride, and each site will be festively decorated, have various holiday activities for the whole family, and serve holiday refreshments. Jump on at 143-35 37th Avenue, Queens. December 14 at 1:00 PM. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12.

A Shoreline Holiday Trolley Tour
Join Parks & Recreation, the Historic House Trust, and the Preservation League of Staten Island for a trolley tour of Staten Island historic sites in all of their historic holiday finery. You’ll be able to shop at the Kitchen Marketplace and visit Father Christmas at Conference House’s “Colonial Christmas” celebration. Snug Harbor Building C, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island. December 14 at 10:00 AM. Free.

Learn to Cook, Play Chess or Record Music at a New York City Recreation Center
Explore the art of cooking at our culinary classes at Von King Recreation Center in Brooklyn, learn the ins and outs of chess with your whole family at the Greenbelt Recreation Center on Staten Island, mix your own music at the state-of-the-art recording studio at the Brownsville Recreation Center in Brooklyn, or attend any of the myriad events and classes at one of New York City’s many recreation centers. Yearlong memberships are free for children under 18, $10 for seniors and $75 for adults. Call 311 for more information.

HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES

Holiday Crafts and Stories at the Queens Public Library
Create placements and a turkey centerpiece, sing songs and hear stories celebrating the upcoming holidays of Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanza, and New Year’s. For Children ages 6-11. Children’s Room, Queens Public Library Central Branch, 89-11 Merrick Boulevard, Jamaica. December 16 at 4:00 PM. FREE.

Gifts of the Season: Tales for Chanukah, Christmas and Kwanzaa at the Brooklyn Public Library
Storyteller Robin Bady tells stories from three different traditions that explore and celebrate the gift of giving from the heart. Central Library, Dweck Center, Grand Army Plaza. December 20 at 1:00 PM. FREE.

“Babes in Toyland” and “The Nutcracker” at Queens Theater in the Park
Enjoy this musical and ballet, both of which have become holiday traditions for many. Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Toyland on November 30 at 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM. Nutcracker on December 29 and 30 at 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM. $12 per person.

Holiday Music Concert with Bronx Arts Ensemble at the Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum
The Bronx Arts Ensemble will perform a festive holiday program featuring costumed singers and a double reed band (oboe, oboe d’amore, English horn and bassoon). The performance tells the story of the Dutch Sinterklass—a colonial celebration in Old Nieuw Amsterdam, hosted by the Historic House Trust. December 13 & 14 at noon. FREE.

Family Affair Holiday Party at the Bronx Museum of the Arts
Celebrate the holiday season with activities for children ages 5 - 11 and their families that will include art-making, food, and guided tours of Street Art, Street Life - an exhibition documenting street art from the 1950s to the present. 1040 Grand Concourse, Bronx. December 13 from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. FREE, but participants should register in advance.

BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT EVENTS

Many BIDs have events in addition to those listed below; call 311 for further details.

Holiday Season Kick-off in Downtown Flushing
Listen to carolers and enjoy free food and drink at the Downtown Flushing Transit Hub BID’s Holiday Season Kick-off. 136-50 Roosevelt Avenue, Flushing. November 24 at 5:00 PM. FREE.

Ninth Annual Winter’s Eve at Lincoln Square
Performances by the Bacon Brothers, Father Goose, Hazmat Modine and Boogaloo Brasileiro, $1 to $4 food tastings from 25 restaurants, street performers, ice sculptors and more. Broadway between Columbus Circle and 68th Street, Manhattan. December 1 from 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM. FREE.

Holiday Tote Giveaway at Union Square
Pick up a free holiday tote and join the revelers in Union Square. Union Square Park, Manhattan. Daily through December 24; Monday - Friday from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Saturday from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM and Sunday from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM. FREE.

Bronx Council on the Arts’ Bronx Culture Trolley
Participate in a variety of free family activities including art exhibitions, a book signing party and a poetry reading, and ride the trolley, which will feature holiday medleys. Hostos Community College, 450 Grand Concourse at 149th Street, Bronx. December 3 at 5:00 PM. FREE.

Downtown Brooklyn Free Musical Performances
Enjoy hot beverages and a variety of musical performances offered through the Shop Downtown Brooklyn program of the MetroTech BID, Fulton mall Improvement Association, and Court Livingston Schermerhorn BID. December 3, 6, 10 and 17; call 311 for times and locations. FREE.

Sunset Park Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony
Enjoy local entertainment by BCAA Youth Chorus, St. Agatha School Chorus, Grupo Cultural Dances of Sunset Park and others at the Sunset Park Business Improvement District’s Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony. 5th Avenue and 60th Street, Sunset Park. December 4 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. FREE.

Fourth Annual “Sparkling the Heart of Fordham”
Enjoy holiday lighting and musical performances by the Learning Tree and Fordham University Gospel Choirs at the Fordham Road BID’s annual holiday event. East Fordham Road and East Kingsbridge Road, Bronx. December 5 at 7:00 PM. FREE.

Miracle on Madison
Enjoy an array of performances and free food and drink at the Madison Avenue BID’s annual “Miracle on Madison,” where the street is open to pedestrians only and a portion of retail sales are donated to The Children’s Aid Society. Madison Avenue between 57th Street and 86th Street, Manhattan. December 7 from NOON to 5:00 PM.

Alliance for Downtown New York Zuccotti Park Tree Lighting and Concert
Celebrate the holiday season at Zuccotti Park with free refreshments and performances by The Parish Choir and Trinity Choristers and a festive holiday tree lighting. Zuccotti Park at Broadway and Liberty Street, Lower Manhattan. December 10 at 5:30 PM. FREE.

Brooklyn Heights Community Carol Sing and Tree Lighting
Join Brooklyn Heights’ Grace & Spiritus Chorale for the Montague Street BID’s community sing along Montague Street. Montague Street at Montague Terrace. December 10 from 5:30 PM to 6:45 PM. FREE.

Lights of Hope Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony at Jackie Robinson Park
Join the 11th annual tree lighting event which will feature carolers, toy distribution to youth participants, and free food and drink. Jackie Robinson Park, 89 Bradhurst Avenue at 146th Street. December 11 at 5:00 PM. FREE.

Community League of the Heights Tree Lighting Ceremony
Warm up with hot chocolate and donuts and join in the singing at the Community League of the Heights Tree Lighting Ceremony. Pagan Iyanka Park at Broadway at 157th Street, Inwood Heights. December 11 at 5:00 PM. FREE.

Metropolitan Opera Celebrates its 125 Anniversary with Recreations of High Points in its History

The Metropolitan Opera celebrates its 125th anniversary year with a unique gala performance on March 15, 2009 at 6:00 p.m., featuring Met stars in recreations of historic classic productions and high points in the company’s past. Music Director James Levine conducts the evening of 26 staged scenes that, with the use of projections, and scenic and costume recreations, will evoke the Met’s illustrious history.

The gala also celebrates the 40th anniversary of the debut of Plácido Domingo, who will be a featured performer. He will be joined by Met stars including Roberto Alagna, Aleksandrs Antonenko, Kim Begley, Stephanie Blythe, Joseph Calleja, Natalie Dessay, Renée Fleming, Juan Diego Flórez, Angela Gheorghiu, Marcello Giordani, Maria Guleghina, Thomas Hampson, Ben Heppner, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Maija Kovalevska, Mariusz Kwiecien, Waltraud Meier, Susanne Mentzer, James Morris, René Pape, Sondra Radvanovsky, John Relyea, and Deborah Voigt.

Phelim McDermott and Julian Crouch, the creators of last season’s hit production of Satyagraha, have conceived the sets, stage direction, and projections to integrate historic, archival elements into a unique theatrical experience. Leo Warner and Mark Grimmer of Fifty Nine Productions are designing the elaborate projections as they did for both Satyagraha and the recent Met premiere of John Adams’s Doctor Atomic (with sets by Julian Crouch). The projections will include such retrospective elements as the proscenium of the old Met Opera House, playbills, archival photos, original set designs, and pieces of scenery, as well as colorful animation. Catherine Zuber, who designed the costumes for the Met’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Doctor Atomic, is in charge of costumes for the production, guiding both the recreations and creating new designs where needed. Peter Mumford, lighting designer for the Met productions of Madama Butterfly and Peter Grimes, designs the lighting for this gala as well.

Met General Manager Peter Gelb said, “We would like this to be a celebration of both the music and the rich theatrical history of the old and new Met, which is why we are going beyond the traditional gala format. This will be more than the typical gala parade of singers.”

James Levine said, “This is going to be one of the most engaging and enjoyable galas that we have ever done, both for the performers and the audience. Joined by some of the great artists of today, we will pay tribute to the Met’s glorious history, touching on legendary moments we all wish we had heard, and reliving some whose memory we treasure. It’s sure to be fascinating.”

The gala program also affords a preview of future casts with many stars singers performing arias or ensembles from works they are scheduled to sing in upcoming Met seasons, many in new productions. Examples include René Pape singing the Death Scene from Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov, Stephanie Blythe as Amneris in a duet from Aida, Mariusz Kwiecien in an aria from Don Giovanni, Plácido Domingo singing the title role in a duet from Simon Boccanegra, Deborah Voigt and Ben Heppner in the Siegfried final scene, and Natalie Dessay in the title role of La Traviata.

Highlights include four excerpts from Faust, the opera that opened the Met on October 22, 1883, performed in costumes based on that production; an aria from Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West, which had its world premiere at the Met in 1910 with Enrico Caruso in the tenor lead, with the staging and costumes evoking a well-known photograph from the original performance; the conclusion of Parsifal, which had its first (unauthorized) presentation outside of Bayreuth at the Met in 1903 with costumes based on that production; the final duet from Carmen with a recreation of Rosa Ponselle’s famous costume designed by Valentina for the 1935 revival; the overture from Die Zauberflöte using animation to bring the renowned 1967 production designed by Marc Chagall to life; the finales of both Das Rheingold and Siegfried, in homage to the first Der Ring des Nibelungen cycle given in America at the Met in 1889; and three tenor arias from Puccini operas saluting the productions of Franco Zeffirelli.

Yves Saint Laurent sponsors the 125th Anniversary Gala benefit. The French fashion house sponsored last season’s new production gala event for La Fille du Régiment at the Met.

Annual Christmas Tree and Neapolitan Baroque Crèche

The Museum will continue a long-standing holiday tradition with the annual presentation of its Christmas tree, a favorite of New Yorkers and visitors from around the world. A vivid eighteenth-century Neapolitan Nativity scene—embellished with a profuse array of diminutive, lifelike attendant figures and silk-robed angels hovering above—will adorn the candlelit spruce. Recorded music and lighting ceremonies will add to the enjoyment of the holiday display.
The exhibit of the crèche is made possible by gifts to The Christmas Tree Fund and the Loretta Hines Howard Fund.

The Metropolitan Opera Opens the Met Opera Shop

The 1,600 square foot store, designed by Sam Trimble, will house both a music room and retail space.  The shop’s design takes cues from details of the opera house, including a crystal chandelier and a bronze entryway echoing the stage proscenium.
The music room will be a destination for classical CDs and DVDs, including the soon-to-be released DVD of The Met: Live in HD transmission of The Magic Flute, the Met’s first self-produced DVD and that is available only at the opera shop.  Six listening stations will let customers sample a vast selection of current and classic opera recordings, and two 60-inch screens will highlight scenes from various Met productions. 
Highlighting the impressive collection of unique products found at the Met Opera Shop are the sputniks, the wood and metal spheres holding the famous Swarovski crystals; they were part of the original Met lobby chandeliers which were refurbished this summer.  These objets d’art come in three different sizes.
The Met is partnering with companies and artisans from around the world to create a line of unique products for the retail space.  With prices ranging from a $5 Met pen and pencil collection to a large $2,500 sputnik, the Met Opera Shop will have something for everyone who loves opera.  Among the unique merchandise to be found only at the Met Opera Shop are:
·         Jewelry inspired by architectural elements of the Met
·         Jigsaw puzzles of scenes from classic Met productions
·         Swarovski crystal opera glasses in three colors
·         Pewter proscenium flasks 
·         Gold letterpress note card collection
·         Madama Butterfly figurines and mobiles created by Kazuhiko Tanaka
·         Gold and white Met-branded stationery collection
·         La Maison du Chocolat box
·         Moleskin notebooks embossed with the Met’s gold curtain motif

The shop will be open 10am – 10pm, Mondays through Saturdays, and 12pm – 6pm on Sundays.  On some late performance nights, the shop will stay open through the second intermission. For more information about the Met Opera Shop, visit www.metopera.org or call 212-580-4090

Presidential Proclamation on Thanksgiving Day: “A time to …express gratitude for all that we have been given”

Every Thanksgiving, we remember the story of the Pilgrims who came to America in search of religious freedom and a better life.  Having arrived in the New World, these early settlers gave thanks to the Author of Life for granting them safe passage to this abundant land and protecting them through a bitter winter.  Our Nation’s first President, George Washington, stated in the first Thanksgiving proclamation that “It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor.”  While in the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln revived the tradition of proclaiming a day of thanksgiving, asking God to heal our wounds and restore our country.

Today, as we look back on the beginnings of our democracy, Americans recall that we live in a land of many blessings where every person has the right to live, work, and worship in freedom.  Our Nation is especially thankful for the brave men and women of our Armed Forces who protect these rights while setting aside their own comfort and safety.  Their courage keeps us free, their sacrifice makes us grateful, and their character makes us proud.  Especially during the holidays, our whole country keeps them and their families in our thoughts and prayers.

Americans are also mindful of the need to share our gifts with others, and our Nation is moved to compassionate action.  We pay tribute to all caring citizens who reach out a helping hand and serve a cause larger than themselves.

On this day, let us all give thanks to God who blessed our Nation’s first days and who blesses us today.  May He continue to guide and watch over our families and our country always.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 27, 2008, as a National Day of Thanksgiving.  I encourage all Americans to gather together in their homes and places of worship with family, friends, and loved ones to strengthen the ties that bind us and give thanks for the freedoms and many blessings we enjoy.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-first day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

GEORGE W. BUSH

“Venice rocks!”: Hard Rock International sceglie Venezia

Hard Rock International annuncia per il 18 dicembre una nuova apertura di Hard Rock Cafe in Italia. La famosa multinazionale fondata a Londra nel 1971 e che oggi conta 123 Hard Rock Cafe e 9 Hotel Casinò in 48 paesi nel mondo, dopo l’apertura a Roma nel 1998, sceglie come nuova sede italiana Venezia a pochi passi da Piazza San Marco. Hard Rock arriva nello stile consono ad un marchio che ha sempre mantenuto desta l’attenzione non solo alla cultura rock ma ad un rapporto con il territorio fatto di rispetto e valorizzazione delle risorse presenti. 
400 metri quadri di spazio disposto su due piani, 120 posti a sedere, il vibrant bar, un rock shop con l’esclusivo merchandise a edizione limitata, per finire una straordinaria vista sullo spazio Gondole di San Marco. Hard Rock, nell’allestimento della nuova location ha deciso di mantenere invariate le caratteristiche tipiche del palazzo, ed anzi, ne ha valorizzato le eccellenze architettoniche e di arredamento tipiche veneziane: il pavimento, i candelabri muranesi fatti a mano proprio per Hard Rock, assieme ai cimeli della musica internazionale di Hard Rock adorneranno la location che prevede un piano destinato al Cafe e il secondo al ristorante. 
“Venezia è una città straordinaria che vanta scenari spettacolari, meraviglie architettoniche con una storia ed una cultura molto ricche” commenta Hamish Dodds, President e CEO di Hard Rock International. “Siamo lieti di poter portare ai veneziani e ai turisti l’esperienza nel rock ‘n’ roll di Hard Rock unica nel suo genere”.
“L’apertura di Hard Rock Venezia rappresenta un importante tassello di un puzzle che l’amministrazione locale sta creando al fine di modernizzare l’atteggiamento delle persone a questa città antica - commenta il Vice Sindaco di Venezia, Michele Vianello -. Hard Rock diventa quindi uno dei simboli di rinnovo della nostra città. Come rappresentanti dell’amministrazione locale siamo certi che questo nuovo business alimenterà soddisfazione ed entusiasmo sia per i veneziani che per i numerosi  turisti che accanto al tradizionale tour per i musei veneziani, potranno apprezzare anche il museo di musica contemporanea”.
 
Come sempre infatti Hard Rock Cafe Venezia metterà in mostra alcuni cimeli musicali appartenenti alla collezione Hard Rock, che per la città di Venezia includeranno le memorabilia di artisti amati e famosi in tutto il mondo come Shakira, John Lennon, Metallica e molti altri. Sono attesi anche alcuni manoscritti degli Oasis, a firma di Noel Gallagher, una giacca indossata da Johnny Rotten dei Sex Pistols.
Per più di 37 anni, Hard Rock ha offerto ai suoi ospiti  classici americani nell’atmosfera intrisa di rock ‘n’ roll. Hard Rock Cafe Venezia sarà quindi la location ideale per firme di cucina famosa nel mondo, con i leggendari hamburger Hard Rock, piatti affumicati e alla griglia e alcuni delizie amate dagli italiani, come l’insalata caprese e il tiramisù. Accanto al cibo Hard Rock saranno proposti drink speciali come  l’Hurricane Cocktail, il Margarita, un Rock Menu alternativo con bevande non alcoliche accanto ai celebri Wildberry Smoothies e il Crushed Velvet Martinis. E ovviamente, non poteva mancare, la versione rock del cocktail più tipico di Venezia l’Hard Rock Spritz.
Il Venice Cafe Rock Shop offrirà un interessante ed esclusivo merchandise da collezione con oggetti e abiti esclusivi ispirati al rock ‘n’ roll. Per Venezia, in particolare, è prevista una linea disponibile solo presso la sede veneziana: i fans potranno comprare la spilla Hard Rock Venezia a edizione limitata.
Dalla data di fondazione, nel 1971, Hard Rock ha sostenuto numerosi progetti a sfondo sociale nel mondo. Anche Hard Rock Venezia sarà coerente a questo stile. In ogni “città Hard Rock”, lo staff ha una precisa priorità: diventare “partner” della comunità del luogo attraverso progetti di valore sociale. Hard Rock Cafe vuole intessere uno scambio propositivo con il territorio che lo ospita. Un atteggiamento che anche a livello internazionale si esprime attraverso iniziative filantropiche  come le campagne di prevenzione e informazione sul cancro al seno, fino alle cause sociali sostenute da personaggi famosi del rock con l’annuale Signature Series program.

Torna Libri a San Giorgio con le opere di Antonio Vivaldi

Il libro ha il privilegio di essere il primo a descrivere l’intero corpus dei melodrammi di Antonio Vivaldi pervenutici, presentando al lettore i libretti e quanto è sopravvissuto della musica di quarantacinque sue opere, le circostanze in cui furono prodotte, il loro successo o il loro fallimento, le loro successive riprese e la loro diffusione in tutta Europa.
Il testo analizza i contributi dell’impresario, del librettista, del compositore, dei cantanti e di ogni altro soggetto coinvolto nella creazione di queste affascinanti opere d’arte.

Calder’s Inventive Jewelry Featured in Metropolitan Museum

During his lifetime, Calder produced approximately 1,800 unique pieces of brass, silver, and gold body ornaments, often embellished with found objects such as beach glass, ceramic shards, and wood. Calder Jewelry will feature approximately 90 works-necklaces, bracelets, earrings, brooches, and tiaras-many of which were made as personal gifts for the artist’s family and friends. The exhibition was organized by the Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, Florida, and the Calder Foundation, New York.
Among the most dramatic works in the exhibition are three large and dynamic pieces of Calder jewelry that were donated to the Metropolitan Museum in 2006 by Chicago collector Muriel Kallis Steinberg Newman. The recent gift of Muriel Newman’s magnificent Calder jewelry to the Metropolitan made it clear to us that the subject deserved the extended examination that this exhibition affords. I am certain that our audience will delight in Calder’s inventiveness and be seduced by his virtuosic technique and lighthearted humor, - remarked Gary Tinterow, Engelhard Curator in Charge of the Metropolitan Museum’s Department of Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary Art.
As early as 1906, at the age of eight, Alexander Calder fashioned jewelry for his sister’s dolls from scraps of fine copper wire found on the street. In 1928, while continuing to explore wire sculpture, Calder created one of his earliest pieces of jewelry as an adult -a necklace with a dangling, abstracted fly. He created jewelry with increasing frequency through the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s and continued to make jewelry until the end of his life.
Calder possessed an uncanny ability to synthesize a variety of influences from the world around him to create often simple, always meaningful, and ultimately modern jewelry. In the early 20th century, many avant-garde artists began to collect African tribal art and to reference it in their paintings and sculptures. Likewise, Calder’s brooches, tiaras, and
necklaces have more in common with the pectorals, collars, diadems, and neckpieces made by ancient cultures than traditional western European jewelry. For example, Calder repeatedly incorporated the spiral -a typical motif in late Bronze Age artifacts- into his jewelry, as well as his wire figures, drawings, paintings, and other decorative arts. The artist’s personal collections, which included objects from African, Oceanic, and Precolumbian cultures, substantiate his eclectic taste.
Calder’s exploration of jewelry in the 1930s also coincided with his burgeoning interest in Surrealism. As his largest and most dramatic ornaments are unwieldy to wear, Calder’s jewelry may be seen as a Surrealistic strategy to entrap the wearer into participating in an art performance or being metamorphosed by the object. Among those who wore his jewelry were sophisticated art aficionados and artists, such as Peggy Guggenheim, Mary Rockefeller, French actress Jeanne Moreau, and Georgia O’Keeffe.
His sculptural art, regardless of category, has less to do with solidity than with lightness, air, motion, and graceful formal relationships. Calder’s sense of economy, balance, and adaptability, so characteristic of the artist’s much larger and more familiar mobiles and stabiles, extends to his jewelry. While Calder’s more diminutive avant-garde creations converged closely with the aesthetics of the modern age, they remain unmistakably Calder.
Calder Jewelry was organized by Alexander S. C. Rower, Director of the Calder Foundation, and Mark Rosenthal, Adjunct Curator of Contemporary Art at the Norton Museum of Art. The exhibition is organized at the Metropolitan Museum by Jane Adlin, Associate Curator in the Department of Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary Art.
The exhibition is accompanied by a book published by the Calder Foundation and distributed by Yale University Press ($65 hardcover, $50 softcover). The book is edited by Alexander S. C. Rower and Holton Rower and features essays by Jane Adlin and Mark Rosenthal on the relationship of Calder’s jewelry creations to the history of jewelry and the artist’s other endeavors as a sculptor.
The Metropolitan Museum will offer an array of education programs in conjunction with Calder Jewelry. A Saturday at the Met program on February 7, 2009, to be introduced by Jane Adlin, will include a lecture by Mark Rosenthal, a screening of the short film Calder’s Circus, and a conversation between Alexander S. C. Rower and Marla Prather, Special Consultant in the Department of Nineteenth-Century, Modern, and Contemporary Art.
The Museum will also offer education programs for families and teachers, and the exhibition will be featured on the Museum’s website at www.metmuseum.org.
Calder Jewelry was previously on view at the Norton Museum of Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It will also travel to the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin (March 31-June 22, 2009).

VISITOR INFORMATION
Hours
Fridays and Saturdays 9:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m.
Sundays, Tuesdays&Thursdays 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Met Holiday Mondays in the Main Building:
December 29, 2008;
January 19, February 16, and May 25, 2009
Met Holiday Mondays sponsored by CIT 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
All other Mondays closed; Jan. 1, Thanksgiving, and Dec. 25 closed
Suggested Admission (Includes Main Building and The Cloisters on the Same Day)
Adults $20.00, seniors (65 and over) $15.00, students $10.00
Members and children under 12 accompanied by adult free
Advance tickets available at www.TicketWeb.com or 1-800-965-4827
For more information (212) 535-7710; www.metmuseum.org
No extra charge for any exhibition.