Where Is Avery? Sep - Oct 2008

6 September 2008

Fri 5 Sep, 8 pm
New Chamber Ballet Season Opening
City Center Studios

Thu 11 Sep, 6 pm – 4 am
9-11 Benefit Concert for the List Project to Resettle Iraqis
DROM

Fri 12 Sep, 8 & 10 pm
John Zorn Improv Night—A Stone Benefit
The Stone

Mon 15 Sep, 7:30 pm
FONT - Jeremy Pelt & Ralph Alessi
Le Poisson Rouge

Tue 16 Sep, 8 pm
Iannis Xenakis: Oresteia
Miller Theatre

Wed 17 Sep, 7:30 pm
With God on Our Side: Evangelicals in U.S. Politics, Muslims in Europe’s
A Conversation between Marcia Pally and Jörg Lau
Galapagos Art Space

Wed 17 Sep, 10 pm
David Lang: Meehan/Perkins (percussion)
The Stone

Sat 20 Sep, 1 pm
Cham! Ritual Dances of Bhutan
Merchant’s Gate, Central Park
(Central Park South and Central Park West, across from Columbus Circle)

Sun 21 Sep, 3pm
Fall for Dance - [bjm danse] Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal; Oregon Ballet Theatre; Madhavi Mudgal; Sheron Wray; Hofesh Schechter Company
City Center

Wed 24 Sep, 9 PM
Droma Gypsy Festival @ DROM
Baba Zula + belly dancer Lale Sayoko

Thu 25 Sept, 8 pm
Fall for Dance - The Suzanne Farrell Ballet; Talia Paz; The Lombard Twins; Kate Weare Company; Garth Fagan Dance
City Center

Sat 27 Sep, 3 pm
NYFF
二十四城 (24 City) (Jia Zhangke, China/Hong Kong/Japan, 2008)

Sat 27 Sep, 8 and 10 pm
Northampton Wools
The Stone

Mon 29 Sep, 6 pm
NYFF
Voy a explotar (I’m Gonna Explode) (Gerardo Naranjo, Mexico, 2008)

Tue 30 Sep, 6 pm
NYFF
Tony Manero (Pablo Larrain, Chile/Brazil, 2008)

Tue 30 Sep, 9:15 pm
NYFF
Corte do Norte (The Northern Land) (João Botelho, Portugal, 2008)

Wed 1 Oct
Droma Gypsy Festival @ DROM
Watcha Clan (France) + Ansambl Mastika (NY)
+ DJ Derek Beres

Sat 4 Oct 11:15 am
NYFF
Lola Montes (Max Ophuls, France, 1955)

Sat 4 Oct, 2:30 pm
NYFF
Night and Day (Hong Sang-soo, Korea, 2008)

Sat 4 Oct, 6:15 pm
NYFF
东邪西毒: 终极版 (Ashes of Time Redux) (Wong Kar-wai, Hong Kong, 2008)

Sun 5 Oct, 3 pm
NYFF
Cztery noce z Anna (Four Nights with Anna) (Jerzy Skolimowski, Poland/France, 2008)

Mon 6 Oct 9:15 pm
NYFF
La mujer sin cabeza(The Headless Woman (Lucrecia Martel, Argentina/France/Italy/Spain, 2008)

Tue 7 Oct, 6:00 pm
NYFF
Che (Steven Soderbergh, France/Spain, 2008)

Thu 9 Oct, 6:00 pm
NYFF
Tokyo Sonata (Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Japan/Netherlands, 2008)

Thu 9 Oct, 9:00 pm
NYFF
Tulpan (Sergey Dvortsevoy, Germany/Kazakhstan/Poland/Russia/Switzerland, 2008)

Sun 12 Oct 11:15 am
NYFF
Let It Rain (Agnès Jaoui, France, 2008)

Sun 12 Oct, 2:30 pm
NYFF
Bullet in the Head (Jaime Rosales, Spain/France, 2008)

Thu 16 Oct, 8 and 10 pm
Berangere Maximin
The Stone

DATES TBD

10-20 Sept, 7:30 pm
The Passion Project
PS 122

12-27 Sep, 8 pm
The Two Sisters
Ontological-Hysteric Incubator

25-28 Sep, 8 pm
Verdensteatret - Louder
PS 122

1-4 Oct, 7:30 pm
Lar Lubovitch Dance Company
Dance Theater Workshop

15-18 Oct, 7:30 pm
Trajal Harrell
Dance Theater Workshop

24 Oct-1 Nov, 8 pm
Caleb Hammond’s 1000 Wolves
Ontological-Hysteric Incubator

27 Oct – 1 Nov, 8 pm
DanceNOW
Dance Theater Workshop

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Posts for peace, sound environmental stewardship, humane economic policy and promotion of human health and creativity. About the blogger.

Comments and Links Appreciated!

2008 New York Film Festival

31 August 2008

46th New York Film Festival
26 Sep - 12 Oct, 2008

A strong list - more than half without distributors. Among the must-sees:

二十四城 (24 City) (Jia Zhangke, China/Hong Kong/Japan, 2008)
Sat 27 Sep, 3 pm

Voy a explotar (I’m Gonna Explode) (Gerardo Naranjo, Mexico, 2008)
Sun 28 Sep, 9 pm; Mon 29 Sep, 6 pm

Tony Manero (Pablo Larrain, Chile/Brazil, 2008)
Mon 29 Sep, 9:15 pm; Tue 30 Sep, 6 pm

Corte do Norte (The Northern Land) (João Botelho, Portugal, 2008)
Tue 30 Sep, 9:15 pm

Cztery noce z Anna (Four Nights with Anna) (Jerzy Skolimowski, Poland/France, 2008)
Fri 3 Oct, 9:30 pm; Sun 5 Oct, 3 pm

Lola Montes (Max Ophuls, France, 1955)
Sat 4 Oct 11:15 am

Night and Day (Hong Sang-soo, Korea, 2008)
Sat 4 Oct, 2:30 pm

东邪西毒: 终极版 (Ashes of Time Redux) (Wong Kar-wai, Hong Kong, 2008)
Sat 4 Oct, 6:15 pm; Sat 4 Oct, 12 midnight

The Windmill Movie (Richard P. “Dick” Rogers, USA, 2008)
Sun 5 Oct, 6:00 pm

Afterschool (Antonio Campos, USA, 2008)
Mon 6 Oct, 6:00 pm; Wed 8 Oct, 9:00 pm

La mujer sin cabeza(The Headless Woman) (Lucrecia Martel, Argentina/France/Italy/Spain, 2008)
Mon 6 Oct 9:15 pm; Wed 8 Oct, 6:00 pm

Che (Steven Soderbergh, France/Spain, 2008)
Tue 7 Oct, 6:00 pm

Tokyo Sonata (Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Japan/Netherlands, 2008)
Thu 9 Oct, 6:00 pm; Sat 11 Oct, 9:15 pm

Tulpan (Sergey Dvortsevoy, Germany/Kazakhstan/Poland/Russia/Switzerland, 2008)
Thu 9 Oct, 9:00 pm; Sat 11 Oct, 6:00 pm

Let It Rain (Agnès Jaoui, France, 2008)
Fri 10 Oct, 9:45 pm; Sun 12 Oct 11:15 am

Bullet in the Head (Jaime Rosales, Spain/France, 2008)
Sun 12 Oct, 2:30 pm

Serbis (Brillante Mendoza, Philippines/France, 2008)
Sun 12 Oct, 5:15 pm

The Wrestler (Darren Aronofsky, USA, 2008)
Sun 12 Oct, 8:30 pm

The Day Shall Dawn (Pakistan, 1959)
Sat 11 Oct, 6:30 pm

Also a sidebar of films by Nagisa Oshima and the 12th annual Views from the Avant-Garde. Visit the festival website for details.

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New York Turkish Festival

14 August 2008

New York Turkish Festival
Central Park, NYC (5th Avenue & 97th Street)
24 August 2008, 10 am - 9 pm

Music, Turkish tea, Turkish coffee, Turkish food, baklava!
Art, Turkish oil wrestling, language lessons & more. Not to be missed.
What is Turkish oil wrestling?

Visit www.nyturkishfestival.org for more attractions.

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Tonic Recommends: Barbez & Shelley Hirsch at (Le) Poisson Rouge

31 July 2008

Barbez / Shelley Hirsch
(Le) Poisson Rouge
158 Bleecker Street
12 August 2008, 7:30 pm

Melissa of the now-legendary Tonic sends a heads-up about an important NYC engagement.

From the promo material:

Barbez weaves a haunting, unique mosaic of old-world cabaret, Eastern European folksong, contemporary classical and experimental rock into a stunningly beautiful and personal soundscape. For this rare hometown performance the group will be presenting music from its most recent release on Tzadik, Force of Light, inspired by Holocaust poet and survivor Paul Celan mixed in with new work from a forthcoming record as well as a few older pieces. With Pamelia Kurstin (theremin), Danny Tunick (marimba, vibes), Dan Kaufman (guitars), Peter Hess (clarinets), Catherine McRae (violin), Andrew Jones (bass), and John Bollinger (drums).

Shelley Hirsch, avant-vocalist extraordinaire will be performing a series of hallucinatory vocal accompaniments to classic pieces by legendary film composer Bernard Herrmann as well as new work inspired by the 15th century queen of Spain and Inquisition proponent, Isabella, which will be accompanied by Dan Kaufman on nylon string guitar.

What’s not to like? Tickets are available from Brown Paper Tickets, everybody’s favorite fair trade ticketing service. You know I’ll be there!

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Latin Choreographers Festival 2008

22 July 2008

Theatro IATI
Instituto Arte Teatral Internacional
64 East 4th Street
New York, NY
24-27 July

Curated by festival founder Ursula Verduzco (Mexico City/New York), the program presents the work of eight choreographers. The entire program is performed on each of the four days of the festival.

In this intimate and privileged space, the holy spirit of dance is evoked with technical perfection and emotive art. Those in attendance are lucky (tickets are limited to 100 seats).

DUETO (1985)
Choreography: Annabella Gonzalez (Mexico/New York)
Music: Melchior Schildt
Dancers: Lucia Campoy, Juan Ignacio Echazarreta

LA TIERRA DE MI SER (premiere)
Choreography: Karina Lesko (Costa Rica/New York)
Music: Mercedes Sosa
Costumes: Karina Lesko
Dancers: Katie Scibienski, Amanda Mattar, Virma Caramia, Karina Lesko, Francesco La Macchia

…NO NOS DEJES CAER EN TENTACION…
Choreography: Yesid Lopez (Colombia/New York)
Music: Slava Grigoryan
Dancers: Jaqlin Medlock, Karina Lesko, Lindsey Kelley

ITZAMA
Based on a Mayan ritual dance
Choreography: Javier Dzul (Mexico/New York)
Music: Antonio Zepeda
Costume Design: Javier Dzul
Dancer: Javier Dzul

WATASHI NO OMOIDE (2007)
Excerpts
Choreography: Benjamin Briones (Mexico/New York)
Music: Samurai
Costumes: UBcostumesdancewear
Dancers: Heidi Green, Ursula Verduzco, Richard Ye

SCARRED (2007)
Choreography: Frances Ortiz (Puerto Rico/New York)
Music: John Mackey
Dancer: Alexandra Gonzales

TENGO ALGO QUE DECIRTE…
Choreography: Yesid Lopez (Colombia/New York)
Music: Slava Grigoryan
Dancer: Saki Masuda

EL VIAJE
Excerpt
Based on the Mayan legend of a witch

Choreography: Javier Dzul (Mexico/New York)
Music: John McDowell
Costume Design: Javier Dzul
Dancers: Robin Dzul, Javier Dzul

LIFE STEPS
Choreography, Music, Costumes: Jaciel Neri (Mexico)
Dancer: Jaciel Neri

ABSENCE (2002)
Choreography: Ursula Verduzco (Mexico/New York)
Music: Hugo Diaz
Costumes: UBdancewear
Dancer: Megan Phillip

MUGA (2008) (premiere)
Excerpts
Choreography: Benjamin Briones (Mexico/New York)
Music: Layne Redmond
Costumes: UBcostumesdancewear
Dancers: Heidi Green, Ursula Verduzco, Richard Ye

FRAYED ENDS
Choreography: Frances Ortiz (Puerto Rico/New York)
Music: Rachmaninoff, YoYo Ma
Dancers: Nicole Corea, Rafael Ferreras

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Swami Chidvilasananda’s Enthusiasm

29 June 2008

She’s the real deal, I think.

Here are some quotations:

The Indian scriptures hold the faculty of speech in great esteem. To speak beautifully, sweetly, eloquently, kindly, lovingly, you invoke the goddess of speech, Saraswati.

Even if you are filled with sorrow, offer a smile to others. Others’ sorrows are much deeper than yours. Be happy.

Isn’t there something incredibly touching about a gentle breeze? Doesn’t your heart expand and grow still beside a gentle brook? What is the effect of a gentle rain, so soft, so mist-like?… A gentle look from a tiger, the gentle rays of the morning sun, the gentle movement of an eagle gliding through the air. All these creatures and forces have the capacity to be fierce and tumultuous. Yet when they reveal their gentleness, your heart leaps up into ecstasy.

Read her book and visit her website.

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Istanbul and…?

24 June 2008

Visiting Turkey for 11 days at the end of August. Istanbul, obviously, and one other region. Not the southern shores, which may be too crazed in summer. That leaves a hard choice among the Aegean coast, Cappadocia, and the far east:

Aegean Coast

  • “Along the coast between Antalya and Fethiye,” “outdoor activities, historic ruins, and extraordinary natural sites converge”[1]
  • “Healthy Aegean cuisine” - “heaven” for vegetarians; “the local wine may be the best you’ll taste in Turkey without having to spend a fortune”[2]
  • “Hop in hot springs or jump in cool waterfalls in the middle of pine forests”[2]
  • For those with a good imagination and love of the Iliad, Troy is a “magnificent site,” “highly suggestive with its remnants of massive, rough-hewn walls, a paved chariot ramp, and strategic views over the coastal plains to the sea”; others may find “an unimpressive row of trenches with piles of earth and stone”[2]
  • Pergamum (Bergama) has the Asklepion, “believed to have been the world’s first full-service health clinic”[2]
  • Ephesus (Efes) is “the showpiece of Aegean archeology”… “probably the most evocative city in the eastern Mediterranean, and one of the grandest reconstructed sites in the world”[2], “second only to Pompeii” as an introduction to ancient Roman civilization[1]; the Ephesus Museum (Efes Müzesi) is “one of the most important in Turkey”[1]
  • Aphrodisias “is one of the largest and best preserved archaeological sites in Turkey”[2]
  • Bodrum’s nightlife is “legendary”[1]

Turkey Travel Planner summary.

Cappadocia & the Interior

  • Cappadocia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • “The region hosts the accumulated history of some 11,000 years of human habitation, a claim matched by few other places on earth”[2]
  • “Some of Cappadocia’s finest hotels are tucked into elaborately appointed caves”[2]
  • Ankara has the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations (Anadolu Medeniyetieri Müzeli), “the finest archaeological collection in all of Turkey”[1]
  • The interior is also the “center of the great Hittite Kingdom… the ancient site of Hattuşaş constitutes one of the most important archaeological sites in Turkey”[1], and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Turkey Travel Planner summary.

The Far East

  • During the summer, the region “is usually less rainy… but still quite cool compared to the rest of Turkey”[2]
  • Lake Van - “As in Israel’s Dead Sea, the water is rich in natural minerals and very alkaline; you’ll be remarkably buoyant in the startlingly blue water”[2]
  • “A perfect cone rising to the sky from the flat plains around it, Ararat is quite a sight to behold… an extinct volcano covered with snow even in summer, [it] soars dramatically 16,850 feet above the arid plain surrounding it”[2]
  • “On the tranquil, uninhabited islet of Akdamar, among the wild olive and almond trees, stand the scant remains of a monastery which includes the truly splendid Church of the Holy Cross”[2]
  • “The ruins at Ani are what draw most people to this remote area of Turkey… a mix of severe mountains, tiny Kurdish settlements, and fields of wildflowers”[2]
  • The region appears to be one of the least light-polluted places on Earth - the night sky must be mind-blowing!

Turkey Travel Planner summary.

References:
1. Frommer’s Turkey. 4th Edition, 2006.
2. Fodor’s Turkey. 6th Edition, 2007. Recommended!

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Where is Avery? June-July 2008

19 June 2008

Too many great films! I’ll try to see these:

ACCURACY OF DEATH, aka SWEET RAIN (Japan, 2008)
FINE, TOTALLY FINE (Japan, 2007)
THE INUGAMI FAMILY (Japan, 1976)
M (Korea, 2007)
MAD DETECTIVE (Hong Kong, 2007)
MURDER OF THE INUGAMI CLAN (Japan, 2006)
PRINCESS OF NEBRASKA (U.S., 2007)
PUBLIC ENEMY RETURNS (Korea, 2008)
SAKURAN (Japan, 2007) [Berlinale post]
SPARROW (Hong Kong, 2008)
SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO (Japan, 2007)
THEN SUMMER CAME (Japan, 2008)

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All-Star Playlist, Summer 2008

15 June 2008

Limiting the list to the capacity of a standard CD:

Breit
Pelleas und Melisande

Arnold Schoenberg
Berliner Philharmoniker
Herbert von Karajan
Schoenberg, Berg, Webern

Stay Golden
Au Revoir Simone
Cooperative Music

Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos)
Martin Hoffman; Woodie Guthrie
The Byrds
The Byrds (Boxed Set)

The Prayer
Bloc Party
A Weekend in the City

New York, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down
Mahoney; Murphy; Pope
LCD Soundsystem
Sound of Silver

Across the Universe
Fiona Apple
Across the Universe

Wait for Me
Maggie Cheung
Clean (Music from the Picture Soundtrack)

Prelude in E Minor
Frédéric Chopin
Jorge Bolet
Bolet Live at Carnegie Hall

Requiem, Op. 48 (Pie Jesu)
Gabriel Fauré
Oxford Camerata
Broken Flowers: Music from the Film

Mawaca
Ahkoy Te - Hotaru Koi
DP/Adaptacao: Magda
Musicadobrasil

Safety Bricks
Kevin Drew
Spirit If…

Wake Up
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine

I’ve Been Out Walking
Jim White; Nina Nastasia
You Follow Me

Luka
Suzanne Vega
Tried and True

Window Sill
Arcade Fire
Neon Bible

Operator
Ron “Pigpen” McKernan
Grateful Dead
American Beauty

Innocent When You Dream [Barroom]
Tom Waits
Franks Wild Years

Pricked in the Heart
Matthew Friedberger
The Fiery Furnaces
Widow City

Methodology note: Library is 80 GB and growing (in WMA format). I listen, rate and randomly pick from the best.

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Three Asian Film Festivals, Summer NYC

14 June 2008

June and July, New York is the place to be:

New York Asian Film Festival (20 June - 6 July)
Japan Cuts (2 July - 13 July)
Asian American International Film Festival (10 July - 19 July)

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