Special to The Washington Examiner
-
'Mary T. & Lizzy K.': The Lincoln White House revisited
Barbara Mackay
Published: Sun, Mar 17, 2013
Abraham Lincoln's White House is the setting for the next play at Arena Stage: "Mary T. & Lizzy K." A world premiere, written and directed by Tazewell Thompson, "Mary T. & Lizzy K." tells the story of the relationship between Mary Todd Lincoln and her dressmaker, Elizabeth Keckly....
-
Bellini's 'Norma' at the Kennedy Center
Barbara Mackay
Updated: Mon, Mar 11, 2013
Vincenzo Bellini's "Norma" is a tale of self-interest versus altruism, an opera built around the concept of social upheaval and personal struggle. In its stunning new production of "Norma," intelligently and cleanly directed by Anne Bogart, the Washington National Opera maximizes the causes and...
-
Washington National Opera's 'Manon Lescaut': Puccini's first knocks it out of the park
Barbara Mackay
Published: Wed, Mar 6, 2013
The Washington National Opera's brilliant revival of "Manon Lescaut" demonstrates that as early as 1893, when Giacomo Puccini was writing this, his first popular work, he knew well how to use music to make hearts beat faster and minds sympathize with his characters. "Manon Lescaut" is based on...
-
'The Tempest': Reconciliation in an oceanic setting
Barbara Mackay
Published: Sat, Mar 2, 2013
It's not surprising that Synetic Theater Artistic Director Paata Tsikurishvili wanted to use water in his stunning new wordless production of "The Tempest." Shakespeare's play, after all, takes place on an island. What is surprising are the multiple ways in which Tsikurishvili manages to use...
-
The List for Thursday, Feb. 28
Barbara Mackay
Published: Wed, Feb 27, 2013
Best Music 1. National Symphony Orchestra: Christoph Eschenbach conducts works by Sibelius, Saariaho and Lindberg's Violin Concerto featuring Pekka Kuusisto, part of Nordic Cool 2013 Where: Kennedy Center Concert Hall When: 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday Info: 202-467-4600;...
-
'The Convert': The story of Rhodesia at Woolly Mammoth
Barbara Mackay
Updated: Sun, Feb 24, 2013
Playwright Danai Gurira was raised in Zimbabwe, once called Rhodesia, the country where her intricate play "The Convert," on view at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, takes place. The climax of "The Convert" happens in the mid-1890s, when a perfect storm of antagonism existed among two warring...
-
An emotional relationship roller coaster ride at Teatro de La Luna
Barbara Mackay
Published: Sun, Feb 24, 2013
When Shakespeare wrote, "The course of true love never did run smooth," he might well have been stating the central theme of "Sexo, Pudor y Lagrimas" ("Sex, Shame and Tears"), currently at Teatro de La Luna. Written by Mexican dramatist Antonio Serrano, the play outlines the lives of two couples...
-
'Metaphorphoses' brings ancient myths to life
Barbara Mackay
Updated: Tue, Feb 19, 2013
The extraordinary core of the production of "Metamorphoses" first appeared at Northwestern University in the late 1990s. Later it moved to Broadway, where its creator, Mary Zimmerman, won a Tony Award for best director. Using David Slavitt's translation of the Roman writer Ovid's poetry,...
-
A compelling Latin American saga: The House of the Spirits
Barbara Mackay
Published: Tue, Feb 19, 2013
If you enjoy the magical realism of Chilean writer Isabel Allende, you should head to the GALA Hispanic Theatre for its current production: Caridad Svich's adaptation of Allende's novel "La Casa de los Espiritus (The House of the Spirits)." Svich's play -- an intimate and extended portrait of...
Prev