Friends in the Lower 48 who caught this innovation last year raved about it, saying the format not only transmitted the music in crystal-clear fashion but the big screen let you savor every detail of, say, Natalie Dessay's Lucille Ball-like antics in "La Fille du Regiment."
While some markets get the presentation live, Anchorage, like other places outside the Eastern time zone, will receive the "Encore" version (some cities get both). This means that our first sampling, "Salome" with Karita Mattila, a performance that took place Oct. 11, will be seen here at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Century 16 theater.
Tickets are $22 for adults, $20 for 62 and older, $15 for students. I was unable to buy tickets online last week. Try your luck at www.fathomevents.com or head for the ticket counter to buy them in advance. You can also get the full schedule for the rest of the season there.
"Salome" -- the tale from the Gospels of a girl who dances dirty for Daddy and wants her boyfriend beheaded, decadently retold by Oscar Wilde and Richard Strauss -- runs about 90 teeth-clinching minutes, during which one scarcely has the chance to breathe. The most famous excerpt is "The Dance of the Seven Veils," though I'm particularly fond of the amusing argument by assorted theologians tossed into the middle of things as a little comic relief. It will be in German with English subtitles.
Ordinarily I favor bringing responsible children to cultural events. I can't recommend "Salome" for small kids, but it is an electric antidote for any teen or adult who dismisses opera as dull. The Met folks may have decided to push the envelope with this new delivery method, at least early on. Our second dose will come with John Adams' modern fable "Doctor Atomic" at 7 p.m. Nov. 19. Later in the season: Anna Netrebko in "Lucia" and Dessay back for "Sonnambula."
Alaskan's card chosen
Anchorage artist Dianne Barske has been named a 2008 Art Search winner by the American Diabetes Association. Her "Make a Joyful Noise," with three birds singing atop three stockings holding peanuts, seed, etc., has been chosen for a holiday card in a competition that drew 347 entrants from across the nation. Barske is one of nine artists to have her work selected.
She is a repeat winner; her work was also chosen in 2002 and 2004.
The card is available through the ADA Gift of Hope catalog. Call 1-800-608-4279 or go to the ADA Web site at www.diabetes.org/giftofhope. Barske will also be present at a First Friday event Nov. 7, 5 to 7 p.m. at Kinley's Restaurant, 3230 Seward Highway. Artwork by Cindy Pendleton and Elise Strauss will also be featured.
Logo sought in contest
The SouthEast Alaska Regional Health Consortium and the Alaska Area Health Education Center invite artists to submit logo designs for the AHEC program. The winning entry will receive a $150 gift card from Costco and other merchandise prizes.
This free contest is open to all amateur Alaska artists (high school or older) and entries must be postmarked or e-mailed by Oct. 31. Entries can be submitted as hard copies or by e-mail with a resolution of 300 dpi in JPG, TIF or PDF format. The logo must work in color or black and white. Find out more about the program at nursing.uaa.alaska.edu/ACRH/AHEC/default.htm.
Contest entries can be submitted by e-mail to stacey.skan-allen@ searhc.org or mailed to Stacey Skan-Allen, c/o SEARHC Human Resources, 3245 Hospital Drive, Sitka 99801. For more information, contact Skan-Allen at 1-907-463-5898.
More online
We had the chance to get to part of Saturday's World Music Festival and all of Alaska Dance Theatre's program. Our reports and room for yours are at adn.com/artsnob.
Find Mike Dunham online at adn.com/contact/mdunham or call 257-4332.
Important warning about e-mails purporting to be from the adn.com staff.