A Year In The Light; UW-Madison Spotlights Arts Variety On Campus

by Ted Harks
Box Office Manager

In our staff meetings about upcoming events, one sentiment that often surfaces is a collective marvel at the richness and diversity of Madison's artistic offerings. From music to dance, theater to film and art to design, it's next to impossible to find less than several unique arts-related opportunities one may experience on any given day. The biggest everyday challenge as an arts patron in the Madison community is often deciding which of all the available events to experience.

This is a challenge we not only welcome but are celebrating together not just at the Wisconsin Union Theater but all across the UW-Madison campus.

From September 2010 through August 2011, we are celebrating a Year of the Arts, shining a spotlight upon "the breadth, depth, power, and purpose of artistic exploration and expression at UW–Madison." A quick way to learn more about this ongoing celebration is to visit the website. Another valuable link which I've bookmarked myself is the calendar of events. (Were you aware of just how many opportunities were out there for you? Case in point, I count five unique opportunities to experience cinema, film, opera, theater or craft today alone.) If you ever find yourself with some free time and are tempted to think or say "there's nothing to do around here," the calendar begs to differ with you. Why not seize this opportunity to sample some of your favorite artistic styles or even try something new?

Have you experienced any Year of the Arts events this year? Are there any coming up you are particularly excited about?

The Christmas Truce of 1914: A History

by Nina Reynolds
Theater and Dance Coordinator


The Christmas Truce of 1914 has served as an inspiration to many artists, including Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, and John McCutcheon in the United States and Mike Harding and The Farm in Britain. This December, Cantus brings its own artistic interpretation of this dramatic historical moment to the Wisconsin Union Theater.

It's no wonder this truce has been such an inspiration -- the story of that Christmas is incredibly hopeful and touching.

During World War I, on the 24th of December, 1914, German troops on the Western Front in Ypres, Belgium began decorating their trenches with candles and Christmas trees and singing Christmas carols. The British troops whom they had been fighting responded with their own Christmas carols and soon Christmas greetings were being shouted back and forth between the troops. Eventually both sides met in "No Man's Land" between the trenches and exchanged gifts of food, tobacco, alcohol, buttons and hats. Troops were allowed to gather their deceased and give them a proper burial. In some sectors of the frontline, no shots were fired until after New Year's Day.

Cantus, the amazing male a cappella choral group based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, brings this story to life in their rendition of what happened on the Western Front that night so long ago. Written and directed by Peter Rothstein, this musical is pieced together from postcards, pictures and memorabilia that he has gathered from Europe and from relatives over the years. Although many soldiers didn't live through the war to tell the story themselves, their writings and photographs live on today and their tale of peace in the midst of a terrible war brings hope to all who experience it.

Join us on December 11th for this moving and poignant performance that captures the spirit of the dialogue, merriment, kindness, and song of that December 96 years ago. This is an event for the whole family to share. In fact, up to two youth tickets are only $14 with the purchase of an adult ticket.

Psychograss Performance Canceled

The Wisconsin Union Theater regrets to announce that the April 2011 tour of Psychograss has been canceled due to personal circumstances of one of the musicians. Their scheduled April 9 show in the theater will not take place.

Ticket buyers will receive Wisconsin Union Theater gift certificates for the value of the tickets they bought, good for anything the Campus Arts Ticketing Service box offices sell. The gift certificates will be sent to their home address.

We apologize and regret any inconvenience that this may cause.

Campus Arts Ticketing Online Sales Restored

Click For Tickets Now!

5:15 PM 10/27/10 - We are pleased to let you know that Campus Arts Ticketing online sales have been restored. We thank you again for your patience and your patronage. We appreciate your business and look forward to serving and entertaining you soon.

Campus Arts Ticketing Online Sales Down Temporarily

4:30PM 10/27/10 - We are currently experiencing technical issues with our online sales system. If you are trying to purchase tickets online through our system and are unable to connect, please know that we are aware of the problem and working to restore service as soon as possible. Unfortunately it may be as late as tomorrow (10/28) before a solution may be implemented.We are terribly sorry for any inconvenience this interruption in service may cause. We ask that you contact our box office during business hours at 265-ARTS to purchase tickets or else try back later. As soon as we are aware that service has been restored, we will leave an update for you here. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

The Eddie Palmieri Latin Jazz Band presents an All-Star Line-up

By Ben Ferris
Isthmus Jazz Series Coordinator

My excitement grows as we get closer to the Friday, Nov. 5th Eddie Palmieri Latin Jazz Band concert here at the Wisconsin Union Theater. In addition to the grammy-award winning Mr. Palmieri himself, the band is certainly a powerful and creative ensemble.

Growing up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Brian Lynch has become a very influential trumpeter, composer and bandleader. Mr. Lynch played in the Horace Silver Quintet, the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra, and Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. In addition to this impressive history, he is also an educator and leads/instructs the NYU Afro-Caribbean Jazz Ensemble. I encourage everyone to check out his latest, the Unsung Heros Project, Volumes 1, 2 and 3.


Alongside Mr. Lynch on the front-line is tenor saxophonist Louis Fouche, who has recorded and composed with Christian Scott and is currently performing with the Jon Batiste and Curtis Brothers bands.

Three percussionists tour with the band, Jose "Cochise" Claussell, Vicente Rivero and Orlando Vega. Mr. Claussell works with his brother Joe Claussell who is a DJ in New York. Mr. Rivero is a talented dancer and spent 16 years with the Sonora Ponceña band in addition to Tito Puente, La Lupe, Joe Cuba and Tito Rodríguez. Mr. Vega began playing congas at age four, and first played with Eddie Palmieri at age 18.

Bassist Luques Curtis is the final talented and busy member of the band. Mr. Curtis studied on full scholarship at Berkley School of Music in Boston, and has performed with Ralph Peterson, Christian Scott, Sean Jones, Gary Burton, Stefon Harris, Donald Harrison, Etienne Charles, Albert Rivera, Elio Villafranca, Francisco Mela, and others. I encourage you to check out his new CD, recorded with his brother Zaccai in the Curtis Brothers Quartet, titled "Blood, Spirit, Land, Water, Freedom."

So if for some strange reason Mr. Palimieri was not reason enough to come out on Friday, Nov. 5, don't miss him with this All-Star Ensemble.

I ♥ the Archives: Marcel Marceau

Is anyone else out there having a case of the Mondays? If so, hopefully this image will put a little smile on your face. Mimes always seem to tickle my funny bones, and this is just what I needed to see today.

Here is an image of Marcel Marceau from our archives. He was here 3 times in the 1960s with his partner, Pierre Verry. In fact, he performed on this day 50 years ago! He was also here in November 1965 and February 1968.

Marceau began touring internationally in the 1950's and worked almost without pause. He toured every year since then, and continued to teach, paint, write, and create. We're lucky to have had him here!

I ♥ the Archives

The hills are alive! Yes, indeed - that is the Trapp Family Singers (think: Sound of Music) you are looking at. They graced our stage on February 22nd and 23rd, 1946.

Not surprisingly, the Union Theater is still alive with musicals! In fact, Spring Awakening is coming up this weekend - Saturday the 23rd at 7pm and Midnight, and Sunday the 24th at 7pm.

Classical Music and Young Audiences: Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra's Peter Thomas Straddles Two Worlds

Stevens Point native Peter Thomas loves rock 'n roll - and he's a cellist for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. As one of the only native Wisconsinites in the orchestra, Thomas has the exciting opportunity to play for his home crowd. In fact, he says playing for the MSO has been a dream job. "I went back home for my family, so being in Milwaukee allows me to be close to them. Plus, I get to be a part of one of the largest non-profits in Wisconsin."

Thomas is in a unique position. As one of the youngest members of the MSO, Thomas is straddling the sometimes seemingly unrelated worlds of classical music and pop culture. This has given him an important role in the world of classical music: connect the beautiful but sometimes stale art form of classical music to younger crowds.

“Why do we expect people to come to us?” he says. “We’ve got to bring the music to them. The more we bring music to people, the more response we get.” Thomas has done his own part by playing electric cello in his indie-rock band I'm Not a Pilot. Let’s not moralize too much on the issue: playing in an indie-rock band is fun. “It’s great socializing,” he says, and it’s an opportunity to break out of the more strict nature of a professional orchestra.

But Thomas is doing his part to promote classical music. “It gives the younger crowd exposure to instruments played in an orchestra. I want them to say, ‘that was cool. I like the cello, maybe I’ll go to the symphony.’ And I don’t expect them to go right away, you know? It’s just a way of planting the seed for later.”

You’ll be able to hear more of the cello when Thomas and the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra come to the Wisconsin Union Theater on November 21st under conductor Edo de Waart.  “It’s amazing playing with him,” Thomas reports. “The sound he brings out of the string section alone is incredible.”

Help Thomas and the MSO bring classical music to a younger crowd. This is a family savings event, so youth tickets are only $14 with the purchase of an accompanying adult ticket. As always, UW Student tickets are only $10!

“Classical music is like caviar for some,” Thomas concludes. “You’re not just going to like caviar the first time you eat it. But the more exposure people get to classical music, the more inspired they will become.”

Sit Back and Let the Experts Do the Driving: A Rocky Mountain Adventure

By Nina Reynolds
Dance & Theater Coordinator

Every other summer when I was little, my family would pack up our trailer for a road trip to see places all over the country. By far the longest drive we ever made was a whopping 22 hours to visit Yellowstone National Park and other attractions out West. The long 6-7 hour days in the car, squashed between my two rowdy brothers, was all worth it once we witnessed the excitement of erupting geysers and the wildlife (buffalo!) that came right up to the road. The stunning landscapes were like nothing we had ever seen...or dealt with! Let's just say my dad will think twice before he attempts to drive a trailer around the steep tight twists of the Rockies again. Our very own Rocky Mountain adventure was exhilarating, educational, and absolutely breathtaking.

Now it's your turn to experience the wonders of the West! But lucky for you, John and Jodie Holod will do all of the nerve-racking trailer maneuvering on those steep mountainsides for you and, like I did as a child, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride. Let them guide you on an adventure that you'll never forget. This tour of the Rockies has something for every age and interest. Whether you are into beautiful scenery (lakes, waterfalls, canyons, mountainsides), fascinating wildlife (elk, bison, wolves fish), science (geysers, geothermal pools, lava formations), or history and culture (Native American culture, prehistoric rock art, cowboys of the "Wild West"), this travel film will satisfy your inner desire to explore. And you don't even have to leave your seat!

If you are ready to be inspired, educated, and stunned, join us on November 29 or 30 at 7:30pm at the Union Theater. Also remember that you can enjoy the buffet dinner before the film. Come and see what it's all about, and maybe this time next year, you'll be setting out on your own Rocky Mountain adventure!

Spring Awakens in Less Than Two Weeks

Whispers of winter chills may be teasing at our autumn air outside, but nearly 1800 people already have committed themselves to one of three hot opportunities next weekend and that number is only going to grow.

Spring Awakening is nearly here!

Even if you've missed the prior memos, we definitely do not want you to miss the show. Check your calendars. Opportunity One: Saturday the 23rd at 7pm. Opportunity Two: Saturday the 23rd at midnight. Opportunity Three: Sunday the 24th at 7pm. Pick your preference. Click the link. Snap up your favorite seats and prepare for a pre-Halloween treat.

If you've been putting off your purchase don't be tricked into waiting too much longer. Seats are selling quickly. Plan today to share in the experience with us next weekend. We hope to see you there!

Deeply Personal, Breathtaking, and Sensational: Jerusalem String Quartet doing Haydn, Debussy and Brahms

By Shawn Werner
Concert Series Coordinator

Quickly (if not already) becoming one of the most notable string quartets in the world today, the young Jerusalem String Quartet is astounding audiences at some of the foremost venues around the world, including Carnegie Hall in New York City, Wigmore Hall in London, the Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels, and many more, including Sydney, Australia.  The quartet has made several recordings and its album of Schubert’s Death and the Maiden and Quartettsatz won an ECHO Classic Award in 2009 and was Editor’s Choice in the July 2008 edition of Gramophone Magazine.

The three works that the quartet will play here are deeply personal, breathtaking, and sensational.  The Jerusalem String Quartet, I feel, will play in such a way that it will seem as if they are giving you a private concert, speaking to you through the music.  You will leave as a different person. 
 
Hayden’s Quartet in F-Minor, Op. 20, No. 5 is by far the most emotionally energetic and powerful of his opus 20 quartets.  In the first movement, the violin initiates a haunting melody that cannot be mistaken – it lingers throughout the entire quartet.  The music unfolds without any disruptions, with the ending of one phrase being the start of another; cadences are non-definite.  The movements are dance movements, but the characters of each are far removed and undanceable, while a little section of F major offers some respite, but even this moment is defeated in tone.  The last movement is a dramatic fugue that takes on a Beethovenian influence in the dynamics with one moment being piano and the next being fortissimo.  The end is a dramatic finale as the first violin and cello battle towards the end.

Debussy’s sole string quartet, Op. 10, is quite transcendental and offers a complete change in character compared to the Haydn quartet.  All four movements are cyclic, connected by thematic material offering an exotic sound.  The piece was greatly influenced by Javanese gamelan and Borodin music.  The finale is dramatic with notes flaring in succession, building and building until the final g minor cadence.

Brahms' Quartet in C-Minor, Op. 51, No. 1, like the Haydn and Debussy quartets, is glued together by thematic material throughout.  The piece as a whole carries a huge weight to it that cries out in frustration.  The quartet contains a somber attitude throughout with massive themes and heavy harmonies that will take you by the arm and make you feel what the music is feeling.  It is a truly gripping quartet that you will definitely fall in love with. 

The quartet is made up of 1st violinist Alexander Pavlovsky, 2nd violinist Sergei Bresler, voilist Ori kam, and cellist Kyril Zlotnikov.

Alexander Pavlovsky has established his reputation as a highly accomplished chamber musician and soloist, giving masterclasses all over Europe including the Royal Academy of Music in London.  He is currently a faculty member at the Jersualem Academy of Music and Dance.

Sergei Bresler is a featured soloist and chamber musician for major orchestras around the world, including the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra.  He has given masterclasses at major conservatories including the Cleveland Institute of Music and the Royal Academy of Music in London.

Ori Kam, who was recently hailed by the New York Times as "an attractive, engaging presence on stage," has performed as soloist and with numerous major orchestras since his debut at the age of 16 with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Zubin Mehta.

Kyril Zlotnikov is an outstanding cello virtuoso who has won many awards.  Besides being a chamber musician, Zlotnikov has appeared as a soloist continuously for many of the world’s leading orchestras and  shared the stage with artists such as Pierre Boulez , Daniel Barenboim, Mitsuko Uchida, Tabea Zimmerman, Nikolaj Znaider, Lang Lang and Richard Stoltzman.

These downright brilliant musicians will perform a concert you will not want to miss!  They are sure to keep you in complete amazement and leave you deeply moved by their musical mastery and poise.

Shedding Light on the Concert: John Barker on the Pre-Concert Lectures

by Kiley Groose
Performing Arts Director

We asked John Barker to enlighten us a bit about his and Perry Allaire's pre-concert lectures, offered an hour before each Concert Series event. Here's what he had to say:

What do people have to look forward to during the Jerusalem String Quartet pre-concert lecture?

The simplest answer is good music, well-played. The goal of the pre-concert lectures is to help audience members enjoy the concert with some sense of insight into the pieces. Every pre-concert lecture hopes to shed some light on what people will hear at the concert. It is also an educational experience that can help listeners become familiarized with the music. 

Audience members will hear about the history of the compositions and how each piece is structured.

How long have you been doing the pre-concert lectures?

I’d really have to do some research for a precise answer. I would roughly say at least a dozen years, and probably more.

What interested you in starting the pre-concert lecture?

I was invited by Michael Goldberg, former Union Theater director, and I was happy to join forces with a former student, Perry Allaire.

Why should people come to the pre-concert lecture?

You get new insights into the music, its backgrounds, and its features of content and structure. If you are better informed, you will likely enjoy more. Sometimes the pieces being performed aren't recorded already, and we have to use similar pieces to show the structure and meaning of the piece.

What was your most memorable lecture/concert and why?

Somehow, I only remember the ones where I blundered in some way or another.

What event on the concert series are you most looking forward to?

I guess each one has its attractiveness. Each concert is so different that you have to look at them on a case-by-case basis.

Who would you like to see in future seasons on the concert series and why?

The Emerson Quartet. Alysa Weilerstein. Really fine musicians like that. Forget about guitar guys, celebrities like Yo-Yo Ma, or choral groups that program horrible contemporary pieces.

Do you agree with John Barker on "guitar guys,celebrities like Yo-Yo Ma, or choral groups that program horrible contemporary pieces"? Please feel free to comment.

I ♥ the Archives: Yesterday Brangelina

Hello Archive Lovers!

71 years ago on this day, the Union Theater opened its doors with Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew. Do you know who was the famous actor/actress duo that starred it in? I'll give you a hint - they were *the* Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie of the day. I'll give you another hint - one of them was born in Milwaukee.

Please let us know how well YOU know the Union Theater's past in the comment area below. A CD to your liking will be raffled among all those who responded correctly by noon on Wednesday, 10/13/10.

Informed Performances - Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel

by Ted Harks
Box Office Manager

Have you ever listened to an instrumental song without knowing anything about it yet found it made you feel a certain way, very intensely? Did it make you feel excited, perhaps? Anxious? Sad to the point of tears? Or ready to face the day? If you've had that experience before, have you ever then wondered if the composer intended to make you feel that way?

Many of my favorite musical works convey heartfelt messages or tell fantastic stories, often without words. The best composers, I think, are those who can successfully express their subject matter with music alone to any audience willing to listen. Even without context, masterpieces move people.

But context matters.

If I listen to a high-paced classical masterwork composed 200 years ago and it makes me think of traveling aboard a jet fighter, I may be picking up on the composer's intent to convey speed but, given when the song was written, I'd be completely misplacing the source of that speed. In other words, learning more about the composers themselves as well as when, where and for whom they composed their works can enrich listening experiences, allowing listeners then to better judge just how successful a composer is at telling their musical tales.

Keyboard Conversations® with Jeffrey Siegel offers a unique opportunity to learn that context while also getting to see and hear the music performed live. Siegel offers commentary, performs works in their entirety for his audiences and leads a post-performance Q&A session. Celebrate Robert Schumann's 200th birthday with Siegel on November 9th at Mills Concert Hall as he performs works by this beloved composer. Bring your kids for only $14. And UW-Madison students, thanks to the generous donations of many of our patrons, your tickets are free!

To Bring or not to Bring the Kids to Spring Awakening - An Insight for Parents

By Danielle Boyke
Project Assistant

When I came on board as the new Union Theater Project Assistant this fall, the first thing I did was check the Season schedule for theater. I love theater - the plays and musicals that bring our human experience to the stage in dynamic, beautiful, and entertaining ways. I saw our first theater offering was Spring Awakening, Broadway hit, winner of eight Tony awards, the tour that's causing a sensation all across the country. Fantastic! Sign me up! I definitely don’t want to miss out on this.

I also noticed the disclaimers. Spring Awakening is for a “mature audience.” It brings up “tough topics of discussion.” So what does this mean for you, our audience, when deciding if you should bring your teens to the show? Because if they’ve heard of it, there’s a good chance they’ll want to see it.

Spring Awakening is based on an 1891 play by German author Frank Wedekind. The production is still set in that era, but the score is a modern rock musical: fiery, contemporary anthems with explosive guitar riffs and powerful driving lyrics. The story revolves around a group of teenagers as they traverse that rough era of sexual self-discovery and coming-of-age anxiety that every teen experiences. Along the way it touches on such taboo topics as abortion, suicide, homosexuality, masochism and incest, but it handles these difficult subjects with humor and dignity. It celebrates the vibrancy and passion of youth as the characters come to terms with the world around them.

Such topics are often addressed on TV shows such as Teen Mom, The Secret Life of Teenagers, GLEE or Gossip Girl and many parents feel the production is a good way to open up a dialogue and to help their teens understand and navigate issues that they may be confronted with on a daily basis. Due to the nature of the language and the themes, we consider the production "rated R”, but we leave it to the discretion of parents to decide what they feel is appropriate for their own children. The video included here can give you an idea of how other parents have felt after the performances.

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGlqMLQ6RCU&feature=related

Spring Awakening's rough language and rock music may not be for everyone, but its critical success and fan following are a testament to the outstanding quality of the show. I’m thrilled for the opportunity to see this amazing hit musical here on the Wisconsin Union Stage.

 To buy tickets, call the Box Office at 608-265-ARTS (2787), fax your order at 608-265-5084, buy online for Saturday here or here and for Sunday here, or purchase in person at the Campus Arts Ticketing box office in Memorial Union, 800 Langdon St. or Vilas Hall, 821 University Ave. Reduced price tickets for UW-Madison students with valid ID are limited to the first 200 buyers for the 7pm shows, but are unlimited for the midnight show. Tickets are selling fast, so be sure to purchase yours today!

Long Live The Latin Sun King

by Ted Harks
Box Office Manager

If your career as a pianist, percussionist, and composer spans 50 years, you're bound to pick up a few things along the way. If you are Latin and African/Caribbean jazz legend Eddie Palmieri, your contributions and collections include such things as over 40 recorded albums, nine Grammy Awards, credit for fathering modern salsa music, and nicknames like Pancho Rompeteclas ("Jack the Keyboards-Buster") and the Latin Sun King.

We're pleased to welcome Eddie Palmieri back to the Wisconsin Union Theater stage this November to kick off the 2010-11 Isthmus Jazz Series in a masterful style. He will be accompanied among others by gifted trumpeter Brian Lynch with whom he collaborated on the 2006 release Simpático, which netted Palmieri Grammy number nine.

Don't take my word (or his nicknames) as the sole indicators of his unspeakable skills. Check out these video samples, then treat yourself to a high-energy experience with some tickets to the November show on sale now.



Eddie Palmieri - La Libertad


Eddie Palmieri/Brian Lynch - The Palmieri Effect

Alert to Joan Baez Concert Patrons!

You are likely to have challenges arriving on time at the Baez concert. To ensure you have a great experience at the performance we’d like to inform you of the following and suggest you allow additional time for traveling and parking.

•    Road construction:  Please note that Langdon St. remains one way westbound from Lake St to Park St and Park St. is one way south between Langdon St. and University Ave. 

•    Parking:  For those that purchased advance parking for lot 6 (Helen C. White): you are allowed to turn north at the corner of Park and Langdon.  If you have not purchased parking for this location we strongly encourage you to park either in the Lake St. ramp, Lot 46, located on Lake St. between Johnson and University Ave, or Lot 83 under the Fluno Center (enter on Francis St). See the Parking map located here:  http://www.uniontheater.wisc.edu/parking.pdf

•    Homecoming Parade:  Starts at 5:30pm and ends at 7pm.  The parade will cause additional congestion near the Memorial Union.

•    Homecoming Fireworks:   Launched from Alumni Pier at approximately 7:30pm. Please remember that the concert starts at 8:30pm to accommodate the fireworks. 

•    Finally, this is a sold-out concert so it would be good to arrive a little early to allow us the time to seat everyone on time.

It will surely be an evening to remember.
 
Enjoy!

So you think you know Vietnam?

Buddy Hatton is presenting his film “Vietnam – Land of Surprises” on October 25 and 26 here at the Union Theater. He isn’t kidding about the surprises part. For instance, a huge cultural tradition in Vietnam is performing puppet shows. Fairly normal, right? Except that these puppet shows are done in the water! After perusing YouTube, I can officially say that these performances are absolutely delightful. The puppeteers maneuver puppets around a waist deep water stage decorated with highly detailed cloths and banners. A live band with vocalists plays traditional Vietnamese music to accompany the action on stage. Sometimes, the shows even feature fireworks and explosions. Sweet!

If that isn’t surprising enough for you, take a peek at the beautiful Ha Long Bay. Filled with thousands of limestone islands, this lovely bay is home to some 200 species of fish and 450 different types of mollusks. The islands are made of limestone that has dissolved into various shapes, some of which are vaguely identifiable. Dragon Island, Roof Island and Elephant Island are some of the more classically named islands, but all in all almost 1000 of the small islands have been given names.

And while the film itself looks to be fascinating, I have to admit that I’m excited for the food. The pre-show buffet features cold Vietnamese spring rolls, Vietnamese grilled chicken curry, fried rice noodles with Pangasius (Vietnamese catfish), and the most appealing to me, banana layer cake, plus so much more!

Come check out the film on October 25 and 26 to discover some of the surprises of Vietnam for yourself.

Early Start and Reduced-Price Youth Tickets for Concert Series

by Shawn Werner

We want to remind you that all Concert Series-related events will now be starting at 7:30PM on the day they are scheduled, not 8:00PM.  Also, every Concert Series event has a pre-concert lecture starting at 6:30PM, an hour before the concert.  The lecture might cover things like why Jerusalem String Quartet is playing such a romantically eclectic program (Haydn, Debussy and Brahms in that order!), or why Debussy only composed one string quartet and why there are four movements. You might learn how Javanese gamelan music influenced Debussy’s string quartet! 

Even more so, maybe you’re wondering why Brahms went through TWENTY (that’s right!) string quartet rough drafts before composing his Quartet in C-Minor, Op. 51, No. 1 – crazzzy! If John Barker, who will give the pre-concert lecture for Jerusalem String Quartet, doesn’t discuss it, you can ask him about it! Find the location of the lectures at Today In The Union.

Finally, did you know that you can bring your children to concerts for only $14??? This is an incredible deal! So do tell your friends and family members who might be interested in bringing the kids and possibly make a classical music lover out of them!  You can buy up to two youth tickets with each adult ticket for all the Concert Series performances and a number of other shows throughout the season!

I ♥ the Archives

Happy Monday to you all!

If you aren't aware, the legendary Joan Baez is coming to the Wisconsin Union Theater THIS FRIDAY, October 8th (woah!). It's going to sell out, so I highly recommend purchasing your tickets as soon as you are finished reading this.

The WI Union Theater records indicate that she was here on March 16, 1962 and October 26, 1971 at the Field House.

I could not find any images of her in our archives from these times, but I did come across this This vintage poster is from 1971. Check it out!

Who do you want to see in next season's Concert Series?

Hey there!  My name is Shawn Werner and I am the current Concert Series Coordinator for the Wisconsin Union Theater.  I am a junior here at UW-Madison, studying piano performance.  In my role as the Concert Series Coordinator, I have been excitingly researching classical artists for the 2011-2012 season.  This is where you, the Concert Series Subscriber comes in—I need your help!  I am very interested in knowing who YOU want to perform in the theater.  Please reply to this blog with your suggestions, write me a letter, email me at werner719@gmail.com, stop by the theater office, stalk me down, or contact me in any other way you can think of!