Arts Fuse critics select the best in film, dance, visual arts, theater, music, and author events for the coming weeks.

By The Arts Fuse Staff

Film

Israeli American Council Documentary Series
Through July 6
Merkaz IAC 1320 Centre Street Newton, MA

The DOC.IL documentary movie series — from The Israeli House, The Boston Jewish Film Festival & IAC Boston — is an opportunity to watch thought-provoking Israeli documentaries that reveal different facets of Israeli society and their challenges. Each screening will be followed by a discussion. June 24: The Queen Has No Crown; July 6: Tinghir-Jerusalem.

The Complete Jean Renoir
June through August
Harvard Film Archives, Cambridge, MA

The HFA presents a retrospective of works from one the masters of cinema. Arts Fuse feature.

The Provincetown International Film Festival (PIFF)
Through June 18
Provincetown, MA

PIFF is always full of surprises — including some remarkable films — and set in one of the friendliest towns in the Commonwealth. Check the full schedule for listings. Programming includes an awards presentation for Excellence In Acting to Chloë Sevigny (who also directed the featured short film, Kitty) and the Filmmaker On The Edge Award to Sofia Coppola. Aubrey Plaza, who stars in and produced the festival’s closing film, Ingrid Goes West, will receive the festival’s inaugural Next Wave Award.

So This Is Paris
June 18 at 2 p.m.
Somerville Theater, Somerville, MA

When Dr. Giraud (Monte Blue) goes to a neighboring apartment to make a complaint, he is shocked to find his old flame, dancer Georgette Lalle (Lilyan Tashman). Lubitsch’s characters often take a nonchalant attitude to sexual relationships; in his films there’s frequently a predatory relationship between women and men. This is an exercise in bravura filmmaking, and it is recognized by critics as one of Lubitsch’s greatest cinematic achievements. What’s more, it is the first silent film to feature a choreographed dance: the Charleston. Includes live music by Jeff Rapsis!

Abacus: Small Enough to Jail
June 18 at 2 p.m.
Coolidge Corner Theater, Cambridge, MA

Directed by Steve James (Hoop Dreams). Accused of mortgage fraud by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., Abacus became the only U.S. bank to face criminal charges in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. The indictment and subsequent trial forces the Sung family to defend themselves – and their bank’s legacy in the Chinatown community – over the course of a five-year legal battle. This is a special screening featuring a Q&A with members of the Sung family.

The Roxbury International Film Festival
June 21 – July 1
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA

The largest New England film festival dedicated to celebrating films by, for, and about people of color begins with a free screening of Paris Noir: African Americans in the City of Light on June 21, at 5 p.m. The film looks at the group of black American poets, writers, intellectuals, artists, musicians, and entertainers who, in the 1920s and ’30s, were driven to migrate to France by brutal segregation laws in the United States. Associate producer Julia Browne will hold a post-screening discussion. Tickets are required. There are also other notable documentaries this year: the lists includes Tear the Roof Off: The Untold Story of Parliament Funkadelic (Trailer) on June 22 at 8 p.m. Check the full schedule of films and times.

Olancho
June 22 at 7 p.m.
Somerville Theatre, Somerville, MA

Olancho was filmed in the most lawless province in Honduras, the most murderous country in the world. This is the story of a group of musicians who perform there for the powerful drug cartels. Their songs glorify the traffickers who have destroyed their country, and who sometimes threaten the lives of the musicians’ loved ones. But, in a world where the cartels wield ultimate power, do they have any other choice?

Lady Windermere’s Fan
June 30 at 7 p.m.
Harvard Film Archives, Cambridge, MA

This glorious retrospective of the films of Ernst Lubitsch (Arts Fuse feature) includes one of his finest silent films, which stars Ronald Colman. It is a sophisticated adaptation of the Oscar Wilde play that injects the Lubitsch touch into the classic comedy of manners. Set in the upper-crust world of London’s Mayfair, the story revolves around the pampered wife of a British lord who faces “a grave problem”: finalizing the seating chart for the guests at her dinner party. It is also, notably, the first film to have screened at the HFA, back in 1979. Accompaniment by Martin Marks. Full Lubitsch schedule.

— Tim Jackson

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Visual Arts

No Rules: Helen Frankenthaler Woodcuts
July 1 through Sept 24
Manton Research Center, Clark Art Institute, 225 South Street, Williamstown, MA

“There are no rules, that is one thing I say about every medium, every picture… that is how art is born, that is how breakthroughs happen. Go against the rules or ignore the rules, that is what invention is about”– Helen Frankenthaler in a 1994 interview with master printer Ken Tyler. Collaborating with woodcutters and papermakers outside of her studio, she mastered a traditionally graphic, rigid medium to the point that she could create luminous images of abstracted beauty. In tandem with As in Nature: Helen Frankenthaler’s Paintings, an exhibit that explores nature in her paintings, Clark Institute will display 17 of the artist’s large scale prints on loan from the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation and Williams College.

Cary Wolinsky – Fiber of Life
Through June 25
Fuller Craft Museum, 455 Oak Street, Brockton, MA

The Fuller Craft Center presents a series by National Geographic photojournalist Carl Wolinsky. It  examines the profound importance of textiles on humanity, particularly how their significance transcends boundaries of race, faith, and class. After studying at Boston University in 1972, the photographer began a thirty year exploration of the globe with an enlivening trip to India. His work chronicles silk markets, shorn sheep, and vibrantly colored saris hung out to dry over a holy staircase leading to the Ganges River. An exceptional artist and storyteller, Wolinsky creates transportive imagery that takes viewers on an imaginative journey, ranging from Northern India to Melborne, Australia and Xinjian, China.

Memory Unearthed – The Lodz Ghetto Photographs of Henryk Ross
Through July 30
Linde Family Wing for Contemporary Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA

“I buried my negatives in the ground in order that there should be some record of our tragedy.”  Confined to the Lodz Ghetto in 1940, Henryk Ross was forced to work as a photographer taking photos for identification cards and Nazi propaganda. Placing himself in great peril, he secretly documented the brutality of daily life, providing a provocative, chillingly intimate record of Nazi rule, which would lead to the deportation of thousands to death camps at Chelmno and Auschwitz. In 1944, Henryk buried negatives for upwards to 6000 photographs — over half have been preserved. In this crucial exhibition, the MFA has displayed 200 of these black and white photographs, giving viewers intimate looks into the horrors of history.

Keith Sonnier – Three Neons/ Three Decades
Through October 8
Wadsworth Atheneum Museum, 600 Main St, Hartford, CT

A trailblazer (for over five decades) in the use of industrial neon as a medium for art, Keith Sonnier  has continuously  experimented with illuminated color. The three works on exhibit showcase three decades of his evolving practice. Expanded Sel IV (1979) plays with neon as signage — not in its traditional form, but as a means to serve up artificial blazes of colored luminance that replicate the strokes of Sel Chinese calligraphy.

Xaviera Simmons – Overlay
Through July 1
Johnson-Kulukundis Family Gallery, Byerly Hall, 8 Garden St, Cambridge, MA

After past exhibitions at MOMA and PS1, ‘artist- actress’ Xaviera Simmons set up a studio space in the Radcliffe Schlesinger Library. The result of her visit is an immersive multi-media installation that is being presented via the Radcliffe arts program and the Cambridge Arts Council. The piece is inspired by cookbooks, Feminist protest, BDSM, conferences discussing slavery at Harvard University, her interest in languages, travel notes, and the current political climate. Simmons places historical figures in mysterious landscapes and open-ended, non-linear narratives.

Shih Chieh Huang – Reusable Universes
June 24 through November 12
Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury St, Worcester, MA

Taiwanese artist Shih Chieh Huang left the confines of his Brooklyn studio to make use of the Worcester Art Musuem’s 18-foot ceilings. The result is his most ambitious improvisational show to date — it is made of over 100 moving parts. He draws on contemporary industrial materials: LED lights, mass produced computer fans, and plastics. The exhibition’s robotic, alien-like creations serve as startling bridges between art and technology.

2017 James and Audrey Foster Prize
Through July 9
Paul and Catherine Buttenwieser and Fontene Demoulas galleries, Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, MA

Five exceptionally talented Boston area artists — Sonia Almeida, Jennifer Bornstein, Lucien Castaing-Taylor, Véréna Paravel, and Lucy Kim — will have their work on display at the ICA’s biennial showcase of the 2017 James and Audrey Foster Prize. The media includes painting, sculpture, printmaking, film, and video. Each artist presents a major work, or series of works, that engages the human body.

— Aimee Cotnoir

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Dance

Arrabal
Through June 18
Loeb Drama Center
Cambridge, MA

As a Boston dance critic and live music enthusiast, I can personally vouch for the impressive nature of the A.R.T.’s Arrabal. The show’s coming-of-age narrative integrates lust, history, and the search for one’s identity. The story is told through a succession of tangos, choreography by Julio Zurita and Sergio Trujillo.

Green Street Studios’ Garage Door Festival
June 18 at 12-5 p.m.
Green Street Studios
Cambridge, MA

Ever wonder what happens inside the seemingly quiet brick walls of Green Street Studios? Stop by today to discover what happens when the interior hustle and bustle heads outdoors to the building’s entryway and neighboring lot: there will be dance classes for participants on all levels as well as free performances.

Dances of the Spirit: The Works of Isadora Duncan
June 24 at 2-3 p.m.
Mount Auburn Cemetery
Cambridge, MA

In response to the accidental deaths of her two children in 1913, the “mother of modern dance,” Isadora Duncan, created a series of mourning dances. See them performed on the grounds of the tranquil Mount Auburn Cemetery.

And further afield…

Jonah Bokaer
June 21-25
Doris Duke Theatre
Becket, MA

Jacob’s Pillow alumnus Jonah Bokaer returns to the Pillow, presenting some of his most recent choreography. The evening includes Bokaer’s newest work Rules Of The Game, set to an original score by GRAMMY Award-winning artist Pharrell Williams.

Paul Taylor II
June 29, 30, & 31 at 7:30 p.m.
Windhover Performing Arts Center
Rockport, MA

Paul Taylor II completes its annual residency at Windhover Performing Arts Center with evening performances on an outdoor stage (weather permitting). All three nights showcase Taylor’s choreography, while Thursday and Friday will also feature choreography by the late Ina Hahn set to cello.

— Merli V Guerra

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Theater

Camelot, Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. Music by Frederick Loewe Original Production Directed & Staged by Moss Hart Based on The Once and Future King by T. H. White. Adapted by David Lee. New Orchestrations by Steve Orich. Directed by Spiro Veloudos. Music Director, Catherine Stornetta. Choreography by Rachel Bertone. Staged by the Lyric Stage Company of Boston, 140 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA, through June 25.

“Spiro Veloudos closes the season with a fresh new adaptation of this beloved, classic musical. he romantic yet ultimately tragic tale of King Arthur, Guenevere, Lancelot, and the Knights of the Round Table is brought into sharper focus, bursting with some of greatest songs written for the musical stage, including “If Ever I Would Leave You”, “I Loved You Once in Silence”, and the title song “Camelot.””

Arrabal Book by John Weidman. Music by Gustavo Santaolalla / Bajofondo. Choreographed by Julio Zurita. Directed and co-choreographed by Sergio Trujillo. Presented by the American Repertory Theater at the Loeb Drama Center, Cambridge, MA, through June 18.

“A new tango-infused dance theater piece,” this musical “follows one woman’s quest to understand the violence that took her father and disrupted a nation. Told through dance and propulsive music, the show features an ensemble and band, Orquesta Bajofonderos, direct from Buenos Aires, Argentina.” Arts Fuse review

The Midvale High School Fiftieth Reunion by Alan Brody. Directed by Lee Mikeska Gardner. Staged by The Nora Theatre Company at the Central Square Theater, Cambridge, MA, through July 2.

“Tonight, it’s Midvale High School’s class of 1954’s 50th reunion. Tom and Bettina – returning for the first time – are looking for second chances. As the evening revs up to the highly anticipated dance contest, they flash back to formative moments – but are those memories real?” The world premiere production of Brody’s script stars Emmy winning actor Gordon Clapp and Debra Wise. Arts Fuse review

4000 Miles by Amy Herzog. Directed by Nicole Ricciardi. Staged by Shakespeare and Company at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre, through July 16.

“This Pulitzer Prize finalist and Winner of the 2012 Obie Award for Best New Play explores growing up, growing old and the moments in between.” The cast includes Annette Miller and Gregory Bower. Arts Fuse review

Blood on the Snow by Patrick Gabridge. Directed by Courtney O’Connor. Staged by The Bostonian Society at the Old State House, 206 Washington Street, Boston MA, through August 20.

Historical drama with a kick. Gabridge’s play “dramatizes the events immediately following the infamous Boston Massacre and is staged in the Council Chamber of the Old State House, the very room where the discussion took place nearly 250 years ago. This site-specific play sold out its critically-acclaimed World Premiere in the spring of 2016.” This is an opportunity to catch an encore presentation.

Days of Atonement by Hanna Azoulay-Hasfari. Directed by Guy Ben-Aharon. Staged by Israeli Stage at Deane Hall in the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, Boston, MA, through June 25.

An American premiere production of a play that promises to take us deep into the lives of a quartet of women. “Dynamic. Aggressive. Funny. Warm. The Ohana sisters force you into their world. With a deep sense of urgency, these four women gather to figure out where and why their mother is missing. Differences of religious beliefs, professions and class clash. And the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) approaches. Experience these four powerful women at their most vulnerable, struggling to reconnect, forgive and forget.” Arts Fuse review

Ripcord by David Lindsay-Abaire. Directed by Jessica Stone. Staged by the Huntington Theatre Company at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, Boston, MA, through July 2.

“In this deliciously inappropriate new comedy, cantankerous Abby is forced to share her room in assisted living with endlessly chipper Marilyn. The two women make a seemingly harmless bet that quickly escalates into a dangerous and hilarious game of one-upmanship, revealing hidden truths that neither wants exposed.” The cast includes Nancy E. Carroll and Annie Golden. Arts Fuse review

Fat Pig by Neil LaBute. Directed by Juliet Bowler. Staged by Flat Earth Theatre at the Mosesian Center for the Arts (formerly known as the Arsenal Center for the Arts), 321 Arsenal Street in Watertown, MA, through June 24.

“Smart, sexy and fat, Helen lives in a world that judges her for her weight. Her new, conventionally thin, boyfriend Tom quickly becomes enamored with her despite the condemnation of his shallow, often convincing friends that threatens their relationship.” LaBute is adept at pushing hot buttons — so this may have some kick.

Penny Penniworth: A Story of Great Good Fortune by Chris Weikel. Directed by Sarah Gazdowicz. Staged by the Titanic Theatre Company at the Central Square Theater, Cambridge, MA, through June 25.

The New England premiere of “a tale of true love thwarted, fortunes lost, grieving recluses, cruel deception, and finally, love regained. Artfully poking fun at Dickens classics such as Great Expectations and Oliver Twist, four actors portray a dazzling array of characters in this fast-paced, comic romp.”

I loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti, adapted by Jacques Lamarre from the memoir by Giulia Melucci. Directed by Ilyse Robbins. Staged by the Stoneham Theatre, 395 Main Street, Stoneham, MA, through June 25.

A one-woman show starring Kerri Jill Garbis that is made to appeal to foodies and romance addicts: “For Giulia, an Italian New Yorker trying her best to navigate life as a single gal, a new date provides the perfect opportunity to show off her cooking skills. As she prepares a three-course dinner from scratch – utilizing real ingredients and an actual working kitchen to prepare a meal that will be served to eight members of the audience – she recounts stories of good Italian food and bad boyfriends.”

Sonia Flew by Melinda Lopez. Directed by Lois Roach. Staged by the Wellesley Repertory Theatre at the Ruth Nagel Jones Theatre, Alumnae Hall, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, through June 25.

A revival of Lopez’s acclaimed family drama: “Sonia’s parents, fearful of the new government, sent their only daughter from Cuba to the United States in 1961. Set in Minneapolis and Havana, a story of family unfolds across the generations as Sonia—now raising two children with her Jewish husband—struggles to come to terms with her past, her lost parents, her own children, and her adopted country.”

Dusty and the Big Bad World by Cusi Cram. Directed by MJ Bruder Munafo. At the Vineyard Playhouse, 24 Church Street, Vineyard Haven, MA, June 30 through July 29.

This could be interesting: “Based on a 2005 scandal in the world of children’s television known as ‘Bustergate,'” the script is “a darkly funny, no-holds-barred yet even-handed look at PBS, government censorship, gay marriage, and what it takes to ultimately step up and fight for what you believe in.”

I and You by Lauren Gunderson. Directed by Kristen van Ginhoven. Staged by the Chester Theatre Company in Chester Town Hall, 15 Middlefield Road in Chester, MA, June 28 through July 9.

“Anthony arrives at Caroline’s door bearing a beat-up copy of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, an assignment from their English teacher. Due tomorrow. As the two let their guards down, this seemingly straightforward poetry project unlocks a deeper mystery that has brought them together.”

The Effect by Lucy Prebble. Directed Sam Weisman. Staged by the Gloucester Stage Company at 267 East Main Street, Gloucester, MA, through July 8.

The New England premiere of what could be seen as a romantic thriller: “Tristan and Connie, volunteers in a controlled drug test, fall in love, but is their chemistry real or induced?” The cast includes Lindsay Crouse, Brad Hall, Susannah Hoffman and Mickey Solis.

Everything is Established by Hannah Kenah. Directed by Brenda Withers. Staged by the Harbor Stage Company at 15 Kendrick Avenue on Wellfleet Harbor, MA, through July 8.

“After a wealthy landowner dies, his bewildered servants and mail-order bride struggle to confront a newly unregimented world.” The script is proffered as a wild comedy about class, courage, and the conflicted clown in all of us.”​ A regional premiere whose cast includes Robin Bloodworth, Danielle Slavick, and Brenda Withers.

The Whipping Man by Matthew Lopez. Directed by Howard Millman. Staged by the Peterborough Players at 55 Hadley Road, Peterborough, NH, June 21 through July 2.

This drama has been making the rounds of regional theaters: “It is April, 1865 and the Civil War is drawing to a close. Caleb DeLeon, a Jewish Confederate soldier, returns wounded from the battlefield to his home in Richmond only to find it in ruins. The house has been abandoned by everyone except Simon and John, two former slaves, who were raised as Jews in the DeLeon home. As the three men reunite, they uncover deep-buried secrets… ties that bind them together and that, ultimately, could cost each man his freedom.”

The Roomate by Jen Silverman. Directed by Mike Donahue. Staged by Williamstown Theatre Festival in its Main Stage, Williamstown, MA, June 27 through July 16.

It is billed as “a comedy about self-discovery.” “Empty-nested and alone in her Midwestern home, Sharon (S. Epatha Merkerson) takes on a roommate, Robyn (Jane Kaczmarek), who has just arrived from New York City. Before she has even unpacked, Robyn challenges everything about Sharon’s way of life. Book clubs, 80s pop music, and the occasional shared toke complicate their unlikely but enduring relationship, even as they venture into dangerous territory.”

The Model American by Jason Kim. Directed by Danny Sharron. Staged by Williamstown Theatre Festival in its Nikos Stage, Williamstown, MA, June 28 through July 9.

World premiere of a play whose subject sounds promising: “In 2017, what does it take for an immigrant to achieve the American Dream?” “Young, Latino, gay and unapologetically ambitious, Gabriel (Hiram Delgado) arrives in New York seeking work, friendship, love and mentorship. But, before he can move forward, he must honestly determine if he is running toward success or away from what he left behind.”

— Bill Marx

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Jazz

Earprint
June 18 at 7:30 p.m.
Lilypad, Cambridge, MA.

Here’s a strong last-minute recommendation (since you won’t see this notice before Sunday afternoon): head over to the Lilypad to hear Earprint, who assay a wonderful post-Ornette, post-Dave Douglas, post-Steve Coleman combination of sharp writing and free-form gestalt — or, as they call their “chordless” ensemble, “kitchen-sink minimalism.” Born at New England Conservatory a while back, they’re making some very nice waves indeed. The band is saxophonist Kevin Sun, trumpeter Tree Palmedo, bassist Simón Willson, and drummer Dor Herskovits.

Bryant/Hofbauer/William/Rosenthal
June 19 at 8:30 p.m.
Outpost 186, Cambridge, MA

Expect maximum experimentation pulled off with maximum poise by former Prime Time keyboardist Dave Bryant, guitarist Eric Hofbauer, bassist Jacob William, and drummer Eric Rosenthal.

Tierney Sutton Band
June 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Regattabar, Cambridge, MA.

Singer Tierney Sutton and her long-time bandmates know how to create jazz from modern pop with integrity, warmth, and compelling invention. (Their latest, “The Sting Variations,” features a fetching mash-up of the Police’s “Driven to Tears” and Miles Davis’s “So What.”) The other members of the band are pianist Christian Jacob, bassist Trey Henry, and drummer Ray Brinker.

Robert Glasper Experiment
June 23 at 9 p.m.
The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA.

Keyboardist and composer Glasper, who previously had fronted a strictly acoustic piano trio, broke through in 2012 with his electric Experiment’s “Black Radio,” which featured guest artists like Eykah Badu, Lupe Fiasco, and Lalah Hathaway. But it’s worth hearing the Experiment without the star-power vocalists, all the better to appreciate the Vocoder and alto saxophone of Casey Benjamin and the J Dilla-inspired hip-hop grooves usually laid down by bassist Derrick Hodge and either Chris Dave or Mark Colenburg on drums. (The show is officially sold out, but you can find a way.)

Daniel Carter/Jeff Platz Quartet
June 24 at 8 p.m.
Third Life Studio, Somerville, MA.

Distinguished saxophonist/flutist/multi-instrumentalist Daniel Carter emerged in the ’70s and eventually established a resume that included not only such avant-jazz stalwarts as William Parker, Hamid Drake, and Matthew Shipp, but also indie-rock and category-defying types like Yo La Tengo, Thurston Moore, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Vernon Reid, and DJ Logic. Carter himself has a particularly vibrant sound on alto saxophone. He’s joined by electric guitar maverick Jeff Platz (with whom Carter released Past and Present Futures in 2013), bassist Damon Smith, and drummer Matt Crane.

Bill Charlap Trio
June 29 at 7:30 and 10 p.m.
Regattabar, Cambridge, MA.

No one digs deeper into the craft and heart of the Great American Songbook than pianist Bill Charlap. Personally, I wish he’d offer the kind of solo recital I heard him play some years ago — just him, the piano, and, as I recall, no amplification. But you also can’t beat his very fine longstanding trio, with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington (no relation).

Black Art Jazz Collective
June 29 at 8 p.m.
Scullers Jazz Club, Boston, MA.

This collective of established leaders and rising stars explores the hard-bop tradition with a book of well-turned originals. The players include trombonist James Burton, trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, saxophonist Wayne Escoffery, pianist Xavier Davis, bassist Vicente Archer, and drummer Jonathan Blake.

— Jon Garelick

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Classical Music

Chameleon Arts Ensemble — All B’s!
June 18 at 5 p.m.
At the Shalin Liu Performing Arts Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA

Beethoven’s Variations for cello and piano on Ein Madchen oder Weibchen, Op. 66; Bartók’s Contrasts for clarinet, violin and piano, Sz. 111; Berio’s Folk Songs for soprano, flute, clarinet, viola, cello, harp and percussion; Bloch’s Quintet No.1 for piano and strings

2017 SoHIP Summer Series
June 20 through August 3 at 8 p.m.
Tuesdays at 8 p.m. at St. Anne’s in-the-Fields, Lincoln, MA
Wednesdays at 8 p.m. at the Chapel at West Parish, Andover, MA
Thursdays at 8 p.m.at First Lutheran Church, Boston, MA

This Society for Historically Informed Performance series includes “music from the Middle Ages through Brahms, including long-time series favorites Seven Times Salt and 7 Hills Renaissance Wind Band, newcomers Twa Corbies, the lush low notes of James Williamson and Tutti Bassi, and the brilliant clarinet and strings of Ensemble ad Libitum.”

Lorelei Ensemble
June 23 at 8 p.m.
At the Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA

Lorelei is an all-professional vocal ensemble, comprising nine women whose expertise ranges from early to contemporary repertoire, and whose independent careers as soloists and ensemble singers range across the globe. The program includes D. Lang’s “I live in pain”; P. Gilbert’s “Tsukimi” (commissioned by Lorelei, 2013); W. Billings’s “Africa”; D. Maiben’s “Vermont”; J. Shank’s “Saro” (commissioned by Lorelei, 2014); J. Bornfield’s “Reconstructed (Wrath & Brother, Sister, Mourner)” (commissioned by Lorelei, 2014). Lorelei is currently in residence at Boston University’s Marsh Chapel.

Newton Baroque: “A Memorial of Georg Philipp Telemann on the 250th Anniversary of his Death”
June 25 at 5 p.m.
At the Second Church in Newton, 60 Highland Street, West Newton, MA

On this all-Telemann program: Concerto in G Major for 3 Oboes and 3 Violins TWV 44:43; Overture in F for Strings, Oboes and Horns, TWV 55: F3; Schmekt und Sehet Cantata for Soprano, Oboe and Continuo, TWV 1:1252; Herzlich tut mich verlangen, Cantata for SATB and Strings.

Aston Magna presents “Arias and Sinfonias from Biblical Oratorios”
June 29 at 7 p.m.
At the Brandeis University/Slosberg Music Center, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA
July 1 at 6 p.m.
At Saint James Place, 352 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA (The July 1 Great Barrington concert is followed by Aston Magna’s 45th Birthday Celebration at the Aston Magna Estate.)

Soprano Dominique Labelle performs with the Aston Magna string ensemble in a program that includes music by Caldara, Handel, Purcell, and Clerambault.

Boston Guitar Festival presents guitarist Eliot Fisk
July 1 at 8 p.m.
At Jordan Hall/New England Conservatory, 30 Gainsborough Street, Boston, MA

Eliot Fisk and friends present a premiere arrangement of Villa-Lobos’ Guitar Concerto, for guitar and string quartet, followed by South American favorites from the repertoire of Alirio Diaz, and the full cycle of Villa-Lobos’ beloved Etudes.

— Susan Miron

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Rock, Pop, and Folk

Sera Cahoone with Patrick Coman
June 18 (doors at 6:30, show at 7)
ONCE Lounge, Somerville, MA

Sera Cahoone was 12 years old when she started playing drums in her hometown of Littleton, CO. She later relocated to Seattle, where she joined the band Carissa’s Wierd (sic). Following that band’s 2003 split, members Mat Brooke and Ben Bridwell joined Band of Horses. Cahoone drummed on that group’s Everything All the Time in 2006 and contributed vocals to 2016’s Why Are You OK. Other credits include work with Patrick Park and Grand Archives, but she has been most productive as a solo artist, having released three highly acclaimed albums following her eponymous 2006 debut. Cahoone comes to Somerville on June 18 to promote From Where I Started, a new 11-track collection on which each song is as stunningly beautiful as any other. Patrick Coman, a Tulsa native-turned-local boy/organizer of the New England Americana Festival/For the Sake of Song host, will open the show.

Evan Dando with Jason Loewenstein
June 22 (doors at 8, show at 8:45)
ONCE Ballroom, Somerville, MA

Since the 1996 release of Car Button Cloth by The Lemonheads, the extent of local boy Evan Dando’s new original material has been limited to the 2003 solo album Baby I’m Bored and the self-titled 2006 “reunion” album by his old band, which was—as music journalists say—a solo effort in all but name. Still, Dando’s back catalog guarantees him a worldwide audience whenever the spirit moves him, or when the deluxe edition release of his one previous record gives him cause to do so without having to write anything new. Assuming that he has better luck upon his arrival in the United States than he recently did attempting to enter New Zealand, Dando will entertain a hometown crowd in Somerville on Thursday.

​Gina Sicilia
June 23 (doors at 7, show at 8)
9 Wallis, Beverly, MA

Blues singer Gina Sicilia released her first album, Allow Me to Confess, the same year that she graduated from Temple University in her native Philadelphia. A decade later, Sicilia’s resume includes four more LPs and two EPs. Now a Nashville resident, she is currently on a nationwide tour in support of her new album, Tug of War, which features modern blues takes on the genre’s classic themes of romantic and financial woe, as well as an unexpected cover of a Beatles song. Sicilia will follow up dates in New Hampshire, New York, and New Jersey with a Friday night stop at Beverly’s 9 Wallis.

Richard Thompson
June 24 (show at 8)
Nock Middle School Auditorium, Newburyport, MA

I recently read a blurb from a review of the 1969 movie Midnight Cowboy that said, “So extraordinarily good, it’s hard to give it adequate praise.” That is how I feel about each of the many Richard Thompson concerts that I have been to since seeing him for time—two times, actually—in 2004 and most recently in April. The fact that this nonpareil wordsmith and guitarist will be captivating a middle school auditorium audience on Saturday is further evidence, if not definitive proof, of the absurdity of the world in which we live. There may be many good reasons to make a summer weekend excursion to Newburyport, but a performance by Richard Thompson is among the best reasons to visit any village, town, or city during any season.

Daryl Hall & John Oates and Tears for Fears with Allen Stone
June 24 (show at 7)
TD Garden, Boston, MA

The first cassette tape that I ever owned (it was gift from my mother) was Private Eyes by Daryl Hall & John Oates. I was familiar with some of the duo’s songs already, but that point on, they became an integral part of the soundtrack to my 1981-1985 childhood. In the latter year, the English duo Tears for Fears splashed into the American mainstream with Songs From the Big Chair, which added “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” “Shout,” and “Head Over Heels” to the “Most Memorable Songs of my Youth” list. On June 24, these two decade-defining acts will transport folks my age or within a few years in either direction back to their halcyon days.

​Spiral Stairs with Grooms and Vic Firecracker
June 25 (doors at 9, show at 9:30)
Great Scott, Allston, MA​

Born Christopher Scott Kannberg, Spiral Stairs was a co-founder of and guitarist for indie-rock royalty Pavement. It has been eight years since his first and only other solo album, time that included a Pavement reunion tour, but he has returned this year with Doris and the Daggers, which has an unmistakable late-70s/early-80s new wave aural flavor to it. A 2017 reconvening of his former band is currently a mere possibility, but Kannberg’s June 25 show at Great Scott is a sure thing.

Air Traffic Controller and Jared & the Mill with Fast Romantics
June 25 (doors at 7, show at 8)
The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA

Music lovers can snap up Air Traffic Controller’s new album, Echo Papa, on Friday. On Sunday, they can see the multi-Independent Music Award winning-duo celebrate its release at The Sinclair.

Woods
July 2 (doors at 7, show at 8)
Brighton Music Hall, Allston, MA

The Brooklyn quintet Woods has released an average of an album per year since its 2007 debut, At Rear House. Critical and audience reception has remained invariably enthusiastic with each new offering, and there remains no general consensus of if or when the band reached its peak. This year’s Love Is Love is a 6-song, 32-minute collection that Woods intended to act as a salve in the aftermath of the 2016 election. In addition to playing keyboards for the July 2 Brighton Music Hall headliners, John Andrews fronts opening act The Yawns, who unveiled its own album (Bad Posture) this past March.

— Blake Maddux

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Roots and World Music

Jay Caldwell & the Gospel Ambassadors
June 18
Charles St. AME Church, 551 Warren Street, Dorchester, MA

The Delaware-based gospel singer known for his signature song “Take Off Your Shoes” comes to Boston every Father’s Day. This year he’s celebrating his 50th anniversary. Local gospel luminaries Test-a-mony, Bishop Harold Branch, the Spiritual Encouragers and the Spirit Gospel Singers will also sing.

Flamenco!
June 22
Beat Brasserie, Cambridge, MA

Barcelona-bred piano virtuoso Olivia Pérez Collellmir is joined by dancer Yosi Karahashi and singer Virginia Garcia Alves.

Noche de Música Colombiana
June 30
Arts at the Armory Cafe, Somerville, MA

The N&P Colombian Duo (string harpist Nicolas Castañeda Lozano and violinist Pilar Zorro) explore their native country’s vast stringed instrument tradition. Joining them will be singer, songwriter, and bassist Naty Hernandez.

Water Seed
June 30
Plough & Stars, Cambridge, MA

Like many funk heroes before them, Water Seed hail from New Orleans, but they spend most of their lives on the road. Their up to date boogie-rock sound will please both neo-soul and Chic-era disco fans alike.

— Noah Schaffer

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Author Events

Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland
The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.
June 19 at 7 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30)
First Parish Church, Cambridge MA
Tickets $34.75 with book, $5 without

Neal Stephenson is celebrated for his experimental, ideas-driven novels such as Snow Crash and the Cryptonomicon cycle, which means this collaboration with an acclaimed historical fiction novelist on a book about a time travel machine that radically reimagines the foundations of the modern world makes perfect sense. The eponymous D.O.D.O. uses the translation of ancient documents to prove that magic is not only real but has been consciously manipulated by adepts for centuries.

Dan Drezner
The Ideas Industry: How Pessimists, Partisans, and Plutocrats are Transforming the Marketplace of Ideas
June 20 at 7 p.m.
Newtonville Books, West Newton MA
Free

The tradition of the public intellectual is long and noble, but lately it has fallen into terminal (?) disrepair. A new kind of socially-appointed thinker has taken over that turf: the “thought leader.” Focusing their energies on pushing one big idea — usually pertaining to management or “innovation” — they are usually found orating at a TED talk or at an ideas conference. The catch is that these so-called public ‘thinkers’ are funded by private interests who have the bottom line in mind, not a free exchange of ideas.

Arundhati Roy
The Ministry of Utmost Happiness: A Novel
June 20 at 7 p.m. (Doors open at 6)
Old South Church, Cambridge MA
Tickets are $29.75 w book, $5 without

After winning the Booker Prize with her well-loved novel The God of Small Things, Arundhati Roy went into relative obscurity, mostly devoting her time to activism. Twenty years later, Roy is back with a new novel that examines her native India, applying her strident leftism with a light touch.

Jamie Bartlett
Radical Chasing Utopia: Inside the Rogue Movements Trying to Change the World
June 22 at 7 p.m.
Porter Square Books, Cambridge MA
Free

There have always been subcultures in every society that push towards utopian goals, however eccentrically defined. Journalist Jamie Bartlett takes the reader into the very different worlds of transhumanists, Islamic radicals, and the citizens of Libralland, the world’s first libertarian nation. What do these often wildly different groups have in common? Bartlett investigates the striking similarities among very different ideologies.

Sherman Alexie
You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me
June 23 at 7 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30)
First Parish Church, Cambridge MA
Tickets are $28.75, including a copy of the book, $5 without

The critically acclaimed, bestselling author writes about his mother’s dramatically troubled life. She drank to the point of nearly ruining her family. She survived a violent past, but constructed an elaborate lie to cover it up. Alexie uses his novelist’s skills to examine the complexities of his mother’s life.

Ann Beattie
The Accomplished Guest: Stories
June 27 at 7 p.m.
Harvard Book Store, Cambridge MA
Free

Called the John Cheever of her generation, Ann Beattie has a new collection of stories. The volume travels up and down the east coast, from Maine to Key West, exploring the theme of movement and receiving visitors. Each story deals subtly with loss, accented by Beattie’s signature mordant humor.

Alexandra Fuller
Quiet Until the Thaw
July 6 at 7 p.m.
Odyssey Bookshop, South Hadley MA
Free

Fuller is the author of the acclaimed Don’t Lets Go to the Dogs Tonight which told the story of her African childhood. This time she focuses on contemporary Native American issues, by telling the Cain and Abel inspired story of two Lakota cousins, Rick Overlooking Horse and You Choose Watson. They are connected through ancestry and landscape, but deal with the injustices perpetrated on their people in strikingly different ways.

— Matt Hanson