Spoleto Review Roundup: Opera and theater and jazz, oh my...
Spoleto Festival USA's stirring first week has spanned genres and topics
In its first week, Spoleto Festival USA has unleashed plenty of artistic fodder to keep Charleston audiences parsing and pondering for weeks to come. Culture South has fanned out to a slew of world premieres, concerts and more. Here’s a roundup of three reviews, all rich in assessments on what’s been on offer. Click each link or check out all of Culture South’s Spoleto coverage here.
‘Ruinous Gods’ melds musical styles in innovative score
“Folding in the timely and the timeless, Chaker’s recitative-rich score swirls around the singing, a blending of styles from ancient chants to a high-energy crowd-pleaser of a number, It is an evolution of Chaker’s previous compositions that were informed by Arabic maqam, Western classical music traditions, Middle Eastern influences, jazz and improvisation. This entrancing new work unfurls in a finely layered sonic tapestry whose varied influences are seamlessly woven together, all the while intensifying with the twists and turns of the tale.”
Read Maura Hogan’s full review here.
Solid performances and a deft text distinguish ‘The Song of Rome’
“Deftly crafted and superbly acted, “The Song of Rome” metes out boatloads of history, but in a way that goes down remarkably easily. Time and again it illuminates how past and present inform one another, even if they don’t change outcomes.”
Read Maura Hogan’s full review here.
Wells Fargo Jazz Series is well underway, with concerts spanning sites
“The inimitable Dianne Reeves, now with her sixth Spoleto appearance, made her way to center stage for the second half of the only set, aptly easing into a rendition of Carla Bley’s “Lawns.” Her magnanimous voice and cool stage presence offered a palpable grounding force to a revivifying musical experience. She was gracious and graceful in her maternal energy, finding obvious joy in creating, while embracing the role of an elder.”