Arts Fuse critics select the best in film, dance, visual art, theater, music, and author events for the coming weeks.
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Latest in Visual Arts
Visual Arts Review: “Collecting Stories” — Yarns Worth Viewing
Almost every painting here is a discovery worth making.
Latest in Music
Music Interview: From Bass Goddess to Singer/Songwriter — Tal Wilkenfeld
With the release of her second solo album, Tal Wilkenfeld has become more than a bass virtuoso: she’s a sensitive songwriter, expressive singer, and capable guitarist.
Latest in Dance
Dance Review: “See You Yesterday” — Airing Nightmares
The horrors portrayed in See You Yesterday are facts, but this show does not yet address the meaning a new generation can make of those facts.
Latest in Television
Television Review: “This is Not Happening” — Standup Comedy Gets Real
This Is Not Happening serves up welcome shots of honestly and reality that hit you in the most ticklish parts of your own amusingly flawed, hilariously stupid humanity.
Latest in Books
Book Review: “Uninhabitable Earth” — Incentivizing Survival
We will find out how much the future of the earth matters in the next Presidential election.
Latest in Theater
Theater Review: “We Live in Cairo” — A Well-Intentioned But Amateurish Musical Take on The Arab Spring
Do musicals with honorable intentions deserve a pass when it comes to quality?
Latest in Film
Film Commentary: “Between the Lines” Eulogizes the Beginning of the End of Boston’s Alt-Weekly Era
Even 42 years ago, disillusionment was setting in among the workers at alt-weekly papers like The Real Paper and The Boston Phoenix.
Latest in Food
Book Feature: Joan Nathan — Sitting at “King Solomon’s Table”
There are 170 recipes in King Solomon’s Table . Joan Nathan, a sort of culinary archeologist, tracks down the details of their origins to Biblical times.
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THE ARTS FUSE TURNS TWELVE! — Our Spring Appeal
Precious few independent online arts publications make it to double digits. Please give us the resources we need to persevere at an essential cultural task.
Classical CD Reviews: Theodore Kuchar Collected Recordings, Eduard Strauss Centennial Edition vol. 2, and Railroad Rhythms
Railroad Rhythms is one of the year’s delights: unexpected, well played, and thoroughly charming. Theodore Kuchar is a conductor who seems to know precious few limitations; Eduard Strauss, despite his champions, turns out to have been a competent writer of music for the day.
Jazz CD Review: Ralph Peterson and the Messenger Legacy — Hard Bop, Revived
Once again, drummer Ralph Peterson pays fine homage to Art Blakey’s tradition of joyous, hard-edged bashing jazz.
Visual Arts Review: Play It Loud — Admiring the Tools that Made the Tunes
Play It Loud is porn for musicians and fans who fetishize the tools of the trade.
Classical CD Reviews: Andris Nelsons conducts Shostakovich, Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Cello Concerto, Project W
Arguably, the strongest entry in the BSO’s complete Shostakovich symphony cycle thus far; Esa-Pekka Salonen’s 2016 Cello Concerto is emotionally direct and, at times, simply gorgeous; the resurgence of interest in the music of Boston-educated composer Florence Price is a good thing.
Classical CD Reviews: Stanford’s Mass “Via victrix”, Pablo Heras-Casado conducts Mendelssohn, and Anna Shelest plays Rubinstein
Charles Villiers Stanford’s bold Mass Via victrix is finally heard; Pablo Heras-Casado wraps up his survey of the Mendelssohn symphonies in high style; Anna Shelest completes her performance of Anton Rubinstein piano concertos.