UNICEF’s Concert for Peace
The UNICEF chapter of the University of Louisville is shedding light on the Darfur region of Sudan with a benefit concert on December 1, 2007 at 7:30pm. Grammy-nominated soprano Caroline Worra will join the Asyla Ensemble in Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 4. The UNICEF Concert for Peace will be at St. Francis in the Fields, and will also feature special guest speaker Nick Clooney.
“Meeting Resistance”
How would you feel if the United States was suddenly occupied by another country’s military? What would you do if military tanks rolled down your street? A film by Steve Connors and Louisvillian Molly Bingham discusses what hasn’t been examined before now – how the Iraqis feel about the occupation of their country. Meeting Resistance is traveling the country, and is due in Louisville November 30 through December 2.
Jon Entine
Have you ever wondered what secrets your genes hold? Medical mysteries, hidden ancestors, or clues to your personality quirks? After his sister was diagnosed with a type of breast cancer common to Ashkenazi Jews, author Jon Entine set out on a quest trace the common DNA ancestry of the world’s Jews.
In his latest book, “Abraham’s Children: Race, Identity, and the DNA of the Chosen People”, Entine writes about his search and the possibilities DNA research holds for theories of race, intelligence and identity. Join WFPL’s Robin Fisher as she talks with Entine about his book.
Thanksgivings from WFPL
Some WFPL staff members took a few moments this week to record their holiday musings. As a way to wrap up your Thanksgiving weekend, or start the holiday season, here’s a portion of those thoughts.
Strip Mining and Streams
The nation’s top regulatory office for surface mining wants to change a rule that protects streams and creeks. The OSM says it’s clarifying the 25 year old rule. Critics say it’s being gutted… and putting at risk the future of Appalachia’s water supply and quality. WFPL’s Kristin Espeland has our story.
Homeless Veterans
They served their country and now they are out of the military – why are many veterans homeless and are the numbers shrinking in Louisville? Coalition for the Homeless spokesperson Marlene Gordon speaks with WFPL’s Heidi Caravan about a recent study of the homeless vet population and if the figures are accurate.
Election Day
On Election Day, Kentuckians voted a Democrat into the Governor’s Mansion. Does that mean political power is shifting toward the democrats in the Commonwealth? Or was the result a reaction to the merit system hiring investigation?
Panelists at last week’s Louisville Forum talked about Election Day and what the results mean for Kentucky government.
David Domine
Bourbon, country ham, paw paws and more bourbon. What do these things have in common – why Kentucky of course! Louisville author David Domine uses these ingredients and more in his Kentucky inspired cookbook, “Adventures in New Kentucky Cooking with the Bluegrass Peasant”.
Join WFPL’s Robin Fisher as she talks with Domine about cooking, eating and all the yummy things that make up Kentucky cuisine. Domine’s book is available at area booksellers.
The Louisville Orchestra began 2006 on the brink of bankruptcy and finished the year having brought back music director Jorge Mester and overhauled its administrative staff. This year, it has worked to reach new audiences with untraditional programming, like this weekend’s performance of “Wizard of Oz.” WFPL’s Elizabeth Kramer dropped in on some its rehearsals to bring you this story.
While the wind is whipping outside the Palace Theater Friday morning, the Louisville Orchestra’s new associate conductor — Jason Weinberger — is working with the musicians who fill the stage, in the first rehearsal for “The Wizard of Oz.”
“In four at the beginning of this…” he tells the musicians.
In front of his podium are two monitors, side by side. The left monitor shows a large clock, which Weinberger uses to keep time of the score. On the right, is the movie, in all its Technicolor. Beyond his command center is the full orchestra, including two harps and two pianos.
This production is what the Louisville Orchestra is calling a Wow Event. It began staging these events, special one-off performances, earlier this year with music from “The Lord of the Rings.” This summer it followed up with “Video Games Live,” a performance of game scores accompanied by video projections.
This weekend’s performance of the 1939 classic is another way the organization wants to reach people who haven’t been to the orchestra before and who might go to more performances in the future.
While orchestras throughout the country, and even the world, are venturing into this kind of programming, naysayers complain that it overshadows and undermines classical repertoire. Weinberger disagrees with them.
“I personally think that this is very complementary,” he says. “I know that there are folks on both sides of that question. I believe that this is a fantastic score.”
The score is akin to the classical repertoire because when Harold Arlen composed the music, Hollywood was filled with classical musicians and composers who had come there from across Europe. They included Bernard Hermann, who composed the music to “Psycho,” and Erich Korngold, who created the music for “The Adventures of Robin Hood” starring Errol Flynn. Film composers of the time drew inspiration from the orchestral repertoire.
John Goberman, who created public television’s “Live from Lincoln Center” in 1976, is a fan of the music from this era. He first staged “The Wizard of Oz” with the National Symphony Orchestra several years ago and has since taken it to cities throughout the country and to the United Kingdom, Australia and Korea.
“This is a way of hearing symphonic music in an engaging way that you wouldn’t be able to hear it otherwise,” Goberman says.
Those working in classical music these days recognize that most people have trouble merely listening to music in our visually saturated culture. Weinberger is one of them. He thinks the visuals in the “Wizard of Oz” can help people become more aware of the power of listening.
“What I find interesting is in talking to students, you know, for the most part, their sense of hearing is a harder thing for them to tap into,” Weinberger says. “I guess I should say their sense of listening is a harder thing to tap into than what they see. And I think that’s true generally across the population these days.”
The orchestra can’t measure its success in teaching people the power of listening, but it has been measuring the success of these Wow Events by audience size.
Brad Broeker, the orchestra’s CEO, says the one performance of Video Games Live filled about 90 percent of the 2,400 seats in Whitney Hall. He predicts that the two performances of “The Wizard of Oz” will fill half of Palace, which seats 2,700.
Louisville’s Air
Louisville residents have been breathing polluted air for years. Now… there’s hope of improving air quality as several city programs take shape or move into their next phase. One targets the tiny particles that come from burning fossil fuels, called fine particulates. Another tackles toxic chemicals. WFPL’s Kristin Espeland reports on the programs’ progress in this two-part series.
Comment on Kentucky
It’s the end of an era at Kentucky Educational Television. For 33 years, Al Smith has hosted the public affairs program “Comment on Kentucky”. His last broadcast as host of the show is Friday, but Smith will hardly be leaving his profession as a writer and journalist. He spoke with WFPL’s Rick Howlett.
Learning to Read
Although he could only recognize “sight words,” Stephen McCrocklin managed to graduate from high school and college. After scoring low on one portion of the medical school exam, McCrocklin decided to get help with his reading difficulties. The result not only led him to change careers, it led McCrocklin and his wife to open the Langsford Learning Centers to help others with reading problems. He spoke with WFPL’s Heidi Caravan.
“Rhett Butler’s People”
In the novel “Gone with the Wind”, when Rhett Butler said “Frankly Scarlett, I don’t give a damn” and walked out the door, did you ever wonder where he went? Author Donald McCaig not only wondered what became of Rhett, he also wondered where Rhett had come from in the first place. And just who were Rhett Butler’s people?
McCaig was so curious he eventually found himself writing the second authorized sequel to Gone with the Wind. WFPL’s Robin Fisher talks with McCaig about his new novel, the aptly titled “Rhett Butler’s People”.
The nation’s top regulatory office for surface mining wants to change a rule that protects streams and creeks. The Office of Surface Mining says it’s clarifying the 25 year old rule. Critics say they’re gutting it, and risking the future of Appalachia’s water supply and quality. WFPL’s Kristin Espeland has our story.
On a recent crisp fall night, citizens packed a lecture hall in Hazard Community College for a contentious public hearing. Many came to tell representatives from the office of surface mining that they think the proposed rule change is dangerous. They brought charts and bottled water samples to show how many streams mining had damaged or buried. And how their wells and even lower creeks are drying up. Local resident Herbie Smith stepped up to the podium to name streams he says could soon be lost.
Election Coverage
Louisvillians will vote Tuesday on a ballot measure that would increase the city’s occupational tax and remove the Louisville Free Public Library from the umbrella of Metro Government. WFPL’s Stephanie Sanders brings us the details of the referendum and consequences that come with voting for it – and against it.
Plus, a look at Kentucky’s gubernatorial candidates from an environmental perspective, profiles of the candidates for lieutenant governor and a round-up of other statewide races.
Festival of Faiths
Now in its 12th year, Louisville’s annual Festival of Faiths take place this week. The theme is “Birth and Creation,” it’s part of a four-year series on different life cycles through the lens of various faith traditions.
WFPL’s Stephanie Sanders spoke with Mark Steiner of the Center for Interfaith Relations about this year’s event and the history of the Festival in Louisville.
Con Lehane
The hard-boiled detective novel has a rich history. From Dashiell Hammett to Ross MacDonald, the detectives have been hot on the trail of the criminals while watching out for the dames.
Writer Con Lehane carries on this tradition with his reluctant detective – bartender Brian McNulty. Join WFPL’s Robin Fisher as she talks with Lehane about his new book “Death at the Old Hotel: A Bartender Brian McNulty Mystery”.
Lehane will be in Louisville Thursday evening at 7:00 for a book signing at Carmichael’s Bookstore on Frankfort Avenue. Mr. Lehane will also be part of the 2007 Kentucky Book Fair in Frankfort, KY on Saturday, November 10th.
