Opera

CHICAGO – When the word “Opera” is defined today, the person that would illustrate the word is Renée Fleming. The lyric soprano has done most major female opera roles, and has written a new book … “Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness” … and recently appeared at the Chicago Humanities Festival.

CHICAGO – In one of my trips to New York City, I saw him in the distance on the street (this actually happens often in NYC. Pay attention!). Actor Paul Sorvino, Paulie Cicero of ‘Goodfellas’ legend, as well as many other films/stage/TV/opera work, was unmistakably walking right towards me. “Hey Paulie,” I instinctively said. “Hey,” he said back. Fast forward several years later, Mr. Sorvino was honored by the Chicago Film Critics Awards in 2013, I was a newly minted Chicago Film Critic, and I met him again (see below). Paul Sorvino died on July 25th, 2022, in Jacksonville, Florida. He was 83.

CHICAGO – One of the classic show business turns is the Sister Act, and one of Chicago’s up-and-coming are the Leslie Sister Duo. Kirsten and Regina Leslie have been performing both separately and together for all their lives, and will take their latest iteration to Le Piano in Chicago on November 22nd, 2021. For reservation info, click SISTER ACT.

CHICAGO – For nine seasons, Simon Helberg has graced the television screen as Howard, on the number one comedy hit “The Big Bang Theory.” As the show nears the end of its run, Helberg is breaking out a bit, starting with a vital supporting role opposite Meryl Streep in the new film, “Florence Foster Jenkins.”

CHICAGO – Writer/director Woody Allen continues his film travelogues in “To Rome with Love,” touring The Eternal City with four separate vignettes. An all-star cast – including Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, Alec Baldwin, Penélope Cruz and Woody himself – hit and miss with this varying blend of stories.

CHICAGO – Every once in awhile there’s a relatively smaller studio that just does right by genre fans. It was Anchor Bay for a few years. Now it’s Blue Underground, who have been quietly releasing some horror classics. Two of their best releases hit this week and then again on May 31st in a pair of Dario Argento gems, “Deep Red” and “The Cat O’ Nine Tails.” If you call yourself a horror fan, you should own them both.