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Book Review: Love, Death, the Beatles, and James Bond — Britain, for Better or Worse

February 7, 2023
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There’s no question the Beatles come out of John Higgs’ superb book Love and Let Die looking far better than James Bond. Love tends to play better than death and it’s easier to root for working class underdogs than Establishment snobs.

Jazz Album Review: Singer Jo Lawry’s “Acrobats” — Pulling Off the Hardest Thing

February 7, 2023
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Left to her own devices for a change to pick the material, the format, and the musicians, singer Jo Lawry has chosen with grace and guts.

Music Commentary: The Place Between “Classical” and “Jazz” Becomes a Destination

February 6, 2023
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2022 was a year in which hybrid musical forms reached more Boston audiences than ever before. 2023 promises to open even more doors. The Place Between is no longer dangerous territory, a detour, or a side road. It has become a destination in itself.

Book Review: Film Director Preston Sturges — The Reluctant Auteur

February 6, 2023
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This incisive, compelling, and spirited analysis of the screwball maestro’s life and oeuvre illuminates the art of an overlooked genius.

Opera Review: Guerilla Opera’s “The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage”

February 5, 2023
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Part rescue narrative and part comedic superhero story, this production offers a delightful visual and musical adventure.

Flipping a Coin: The Significance of Anna May Wong’s Quarter

February 4, 2023
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What emerges from even a cursory study of Anna May Wong’s life is that her complexity and depth were rarely acknowledged but she used her intelligence to control the narrative as much as she could.

February Short Fuses — Materia Critica

February 3, 2023
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Each month, our arts critics — music, book, theater, dance, television, film, and visual arts — fire off a few brief reviews.

Sundance Film Festival Review: “Beyond Utopia” — Escape (for Some) from North Korea 

February 3, 2023
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Beyond Utopia is a grim reminder that, against growing odds, people keep leaving North Korea, or try to. It may be a while before another family agrees to film the journey out.

Theater Review: “Made in China 2.0” — The Art of Taking Risks

February 3, 2023
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Made in China 2.0 is valuable as an act of theatrical witnessing, the voice of a rebel who is facing considerable challenges from the powers that be.

Classical Concert Review: The Harlem Quartet at the Shalin Liu Performance Center

February 2, 2023
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Hey, any string quartet that has performed and recorded with Chick Corea (in the album “Hot House”) is ok by me.

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