Tuesday will be 'Kate Shugak Day' in Palmer

In honor of Anchorage author Dana Stabenow's 17th book being released, Palmer is celebrating "Kate Shugak Day" on Tuesday.

REVIEW

'Onegin' is an operatic high point

Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin" had never been performed in Alaska before Saturday night. It's a difficult piece in many ways, not least intellectually.

Blog: Art Snob

"Star Wars" comes to Anchorage Museum

Few images in cinema match the first on-screen appearance of Darth Vader in the original "Star Wars" film. The faceless, insect-eyed mask, black body armor, commanding cape and flared helmet were reminiscent of a Nazi stormtrooper's gear. Everything screams, "This dude's dangerous!"

REVIEW

Musicians scramble in Rosenthal's absence

In the 40 years since his Alaska debut, I have never known Paul Rosenthal to miss a performance at which he was scheduled to play. But it finally happened. Friday night's opening program in this year's Alaska Airlines Winter Classics chamber music concerts in Anchorage found the series without its founder.

REVIEW

Play's take on death philosophical, hilarious

An outbreak of plays about death has hit Anchorage. Last month Anchorage Community Theatre staged "Heart." This month Cyrano's presents "Tuesdays with Morrie." And, in a frustratingly short run, after premiering in San Francisco, William Bivins' "The Afterlife of the Mind" is having its Alaska debut run at Out North.

REVIEW

Kilcher elegant, but Hawaiian costume drama plods

Fortunately Q'orianka Kilcher has the title role in "Barbarian Princess," the cinematic biography about Hawaii's Princess Ka'iulani, aka Victoria Cleghorn.

Teen artists show their stuff

You get a feel for the energy, curiosity and talent of Alaska's young artists by looking over Laura Hedge's work at the Alaska Region of The Scholastic Art Awards show now on display at the MTS Gallery.

Pride, prejudice, Pushkin

Next Saturday night, for the first time ever, Anchorage Opera will present a Russian language production -- Peter Tchaikovsky's "Eugene Onegin."

ART BEAT

Willow woman in running for Grammy

Tonight's Grammy Awards will find Kirsten Gunlogson, born and raised in Willow, on the edge of her seat.

Blog: Art Snob

REVIEW

Dance program lacks the usual surprises

Alaska Dance Theatre's Winter Repertory Concert is usually the company's biggest performance, the one where they pull out all the creative stops. This year the Repertory Concert was more ADT-Lite than anything else. Friday's production at the Discovery Theatre was more conventional than audiences have seen in awhile.

ART BEAT

Folk Festival events fill the week to come

Guest bluegrass band Brother Mule had the crowd popping Friday night. They give one more show at 9:15 p.m. (more or less) tonight for the Anchorage Folk Festival.

Blog: Art Snob

Alaska film wins award of excellence in competition

"About Face: The Story of Gwendellin Bradshaw," produced by Affinityfilms, Inc., directed by Alaska filmmaker Mary Katzke, has won an award of excellence from The Accolade Competition. The award was given in the Feature Documentary category.

REVIEW

Yup'ik tune at the core of symphony premiere

"Ciuliamta cauyam" by Alaska singer James Afcan of St. Marys received its world premiere in symphonic form in Atwood Concert Hall on Saturday night -- and the composer didn't know it was happening.

ART BEAT

Dueling banjos are new at folk festival

The 21st Annual Anchorage Folk Festival kicks off Thursday. Through the end of the month, something like 500 local folks and national guest artists will celebrate traditional music, dance and storytelling for a combined audience that typically numbers about 10,000.

REVIEW

Clunky acting weakens tale of mystery writer in Alaska

Writers of historical drama since Shakespeare have faced the problem of whether to make their main thrust the history or the drama. The first explains a vanished society in terms that the current society might find relevant; the second explores how individuals past and present respond to and are changed by challenges.

Palmer grad is really into music on the marimba

A rapt audience nodded their heads and tapped their feet to the rhythm last week as Meggie Aube deftly gave Bach's "Chaconne in D Minor" rich new life on the marimba.

'Deadliest Chef' brings his Alaska cred to TV pilot

As a chef, John Stryjewski has cooked his way from one adventure to another, in institutional kitchens, in swanky private ones. Atop wood stoves and over campfires. On oil rigs, boats and trains.

Music awakens art

You may not know the name Gregory Prechel, but if you catch episodes of "The Simpsons," "Futurama," "The Bold and the Beautiful" and so forth, you've probably heard his music.

More about the concert

More about Gregory Prechel

Bartlett graduate returns to perform 'Carmen Fantasy,' a double bass showpiece

In addition to the premiere of Gregory Prechel's "Exposition on the Anchorage Museum, the Anchorage Symphony concert on Jan. 16 will feature a second piece calculated to rouse some extra-musical curiosity -- a concerto for double bass.

ART BEAT

Art awards program for young Alaskans reborn

Throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s, the Alaska Region of The Scholastic Art Awards was the state's premium showcase for the state's teenage artists.

Blog: Art Snob

REVIEW

Poignant comedy questions living and dying

Judd Lear Silverman's play "Heart" has received readings and workshops from New York to California, Florida to Valdez. On Friday night it finally had its premiere at Alaska Wild Berry Theatre.