A member of our SLSO posted a link to this blog on his FaceBook profile, and when I took a moment to read it, I found myself staring into space for almost 20 minutes.  Why does Art, in any form, matter?  It does, we know that, but this is a rich exploration from an artists perspective.  Worth a read, and our "gift" to you this holiday season.  Happy Holidays, and Happy Reading.  Art, does indeed, matter.

There is a richness to the arts offering in St. Louis during the Holidays.  It's really a treasure.  While natives may take it for granted, it's not so in other towns.  The obligatory concert here and there, and maybe a holiday-themed show or two are standard fare.  But in our 'Lou, arts organizations pull out all the stops and give us a festive feast!

I admit, I am a big fan of Dickens.  Though Pickwick is my favorite, A Chrismas Carol is as good a way as any to get into the spirit.  We went to see it at the Fox last night and it was a really nice performance.  I think, though, that my preference is still the play version.  But the story, with carols incorporated, was a wonderful way to get in the spirit.  "Scrooge" played for humor which was really fun to see, giving this version a lightheartedness that I think Dickens needs to truly be appreciated.  He was, after all, the ultimate Victorian smart-ass.

Handel's Messiah is on tap this weekend at Powell Hall.  Anyone who wants to see it done right needs to get on down to the SLSO and catch it.  While it's not something I'm personally fond of, the SLSO production is a sight to see.  It's one of those things you should see at least once in your life.  There is power and majesty to spare in Handel's marvelous music which the musicians give a luster all their own.  If you're going to see it, see it this weekend.

Another nugget is the spectacular Holiday Brass concert coming up next week.  The sounds of the best brass players in the city, including the SLSO's own Principal Trumpet Susan Slaughter, ringing through the gothic rafters of the Cathedral is an incredible experience. 

There's more merriment to be had, use ArtsZipper to find all the holdiay nooks and crannies.  Like Blind Boys of Alabama at the Sheldon, or the Nutcracker at the Touhill, Erin Bode's Holiday concert at Mad Art (she was just at the Sheldon with David Halen, it was great!) or A Christmas Story at the Rep.  And if you're really feeling spontaneous, drop in on one of the local high school productions, choir concerts abound.

Jazz or Blues?  Or both?  I'm not sure I know the difference, though I'm sure wiki or Nicholas Payton could tell me.  All I know is that there's a haunting overtone to blues music that defines it for me.  While jazz, just has free-wheeling zing in it, sometimes lurking outside the melody, but it gets you moving.  That's me, that's how I hear it.  Which is why I had a great time at the library listening to Nicholas Payton's latest album "Into The Blue."  There was a little of both on that album.  Payton will be at the Sheldon for a one-evening performance on November 7th.  His trumpet is a smooth highlight, slipping in and out of the songs, a little energy here, a little counterpoint there.  It's pretty beautiful stuff, some of it delightfully unexpected, though most of it is pretty snazzy with his trumpet dancing with some strong rhythms and carrying phrases that will sound spectacular in the Sheldon (with all due respect to the public library's audio equipment).  And go a little early to the Sheldon, dig a little deeper into the heart of the music by stopping into the Legends of St. Louis Blues Music exhibition in the History of Jazz Gallery.  Payton may be from New Orleans, but there's always little bit of St. Louis in anything that sounds like the blues, no matter how you define it.

Nicholas Payton plays the Sheldon on Saturday night, November 7th at 8pm.  Tickets available at Metrotix

Late September (and sometimes early October) always heralds the start of the new arts season.  There are Opening Nights all over town this month and there's nothing quite like the vibe of an Opening Night.  There's something just a touch glamorous, a certain spark to being there on opening night.  The artists are on their toes, the staff is eager to welcome you back, the venues are all spiffy, the performances are polished and ready to show off.  So snoop around on the ArtsZipper calendar, or take a look at the partial list below, and make plans to add an Opening to your social calendar this year.  You'll be glad you did!

• Grand Center hosts an annual party to celebrate, Dancin' in the Streets, on September 26th
• The Fox Theater opens Phantom of the Opera on September 30th
• The Saint Louis Symphony opens with Mahler 5 on September 25th
• The Sheldon opens their Jazz series on October 3rd
• The Touhill kicks off with Big Bag Voodoo Daddy on October 18th
• Lindenwood's new PAC - the J. Scheidegger Center - opens with Cats on October 9
• DanceSTL starts later, in November, with Complexions on November 6
• The Florissant Civic Center opens 09/10 with Steve Lippia as "SIMPLY SINATRA" on September 20

Mary Poppins rolls into the FOX Theater on August 14th for a 3-week run.  Actor Karl Kenzler, a St. Louis native, plays the role of father George Banks, so we asked him for some perspective on this Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious show:

 What's your connection to Saint Louis?

I have a lot of fond memories of St. Louis as I lived in Kirkwood until the age of six.  Years later, I saw my first Broadway play at the Fox Theater in St. Louis.  It was Cameron Mackintosh's LES MISERABLES.  So, it's a real homecoming on two levels for me.  I'll get to perform in my childhood hometown.  And I'll be performing at the theater where I saw my first Broadway musical.

What sparked your interest in performing on Broadway?

I had always had an interest in acting as a kid.  I took lessons from a very young age and performed in plays after school.  My mom raised me on her own and once I expressed an interest, she quickly learned that the theater is an unbeatable babysitter.

Have you read any of the books by PL Travers how does the show differ from the book(s) and/or the Disney movie? 

I've read the first book, MARY POPPINS, and I think that the play captures the spirit of Pamela Travers' books almost perfectly.  There is a mischievousness to Mary in the books that carries through onstage.  And of course the play is very faithful to the spirit of the Disney film as well.  All of those amazing musical numbers from the Sherman brothers are there:  Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, Step In Time, Feed The Birds, Jolly Holiday.  But the story has been expanded to include more of the father and mother.  It's now a full-fledged Broadway musical play!

 Tell us a bit about your character in Poppins?

I play "George Banks" -- the father in the play.  And in this production, I think he actually needs Mary Poppins more than the kids do.  He's very much stuck in this life as a buttoned-down banker.  He's forgotten what it is to be a husband in love with his wife.  He's forgotten what it is to be a dad who adores his children.  And by the end of the play, he really has a transformation.  With Bert and Mary's help, he reinvents himself.

 What is your favorite scene?

There's a scene at the end of the play (it's in the film as well) where George has really hit rock bottom.  He talks with Bert about how his life has completely fallen apart and he blames Mary Poppins.  Bert helps him come around to see that maybe he needs to pay a bit more attention to his children -- while he can.  As a kid, I watched this scene and thought of my own father.  It gave me a real insight into what he might be going through as a busy professional man with a wife and children.  Now I'm old enough to play the father and I have a chance to see it though grown-up eyes.  It's pretty amazing.

 As a father figure in the show, how would you encourage parents to bring their children to see live theater?

I've always thought that live theater is important because it's about telling stories.  Stories set us apart from all the other animals on the planet.  We tell ourselves stories to make sense of things.  We tell stories to our children -- who tell stories to their children and so on and so on.  This creates a kind of chain that connects us all throughout time.  These stories last longer than we do.  It's an amazing form of communication that is both comforting and educational.  Storytelling is a communal event.  The best way to teach a child to be a good human being is to let them take part in storytelling.

Mary Poppins will be at the Fox through August 30th.  Tickets availble at Metrotix or at the Fox box office in Grand Center.  There is a marvelous video of the show on the Fox website as well, check it out here.

Yep, you can finish that song can't'cha?  Immortalized by Judy Garland, "The Trolley Song" from Meet Me In St. Louis was nominated by the Academy of Motion Pictures for Best Original Song in 1945.  But others heard the call of the trolley and made it their own in later recordings, including Frank Sinatra.  Which is probably why the idea of riding on a streetcar is just an incredibly nostalgic, almost romantic idea.  But streetcars were an important part of Saint Louis industry in the late 19th century.  In fact, while the Saint Louis Car Company was founded first, to fulfill the nations need for streetcars, by the turn of the century there were four major streetcar manufactures in St. Louis, each churning out hundreds of streetcars each month. 

Now, of course, the streetcar at the Muny this week is a prop.  But, it still gives us a wonderful emotional link to the song, to the performance and most of all, to our history.  So go see the streetcar, and all the other little things that make a performance of Meet Me In St. Louis, in St. Louis, such a treat.

Meet Me In St. Louis is at the MUNY through July 12th.  Tickets are available through Metrotix or at the MUNY Box Office.

I ran across this great blog entry from Chris King, editorial director of the Saint Louis American.  His personal blog, ConfluenceCity, is a marvelous mix of musings on things inside and outside Saint Louis, and many, many things cultural.  Last weekend, as he prepped for a road trip, he shared his playlist (nope, no ipod, just a collection of CDs) for the road.  Worth a read, and a listen, his picks are fantstic!

This week, a fantastically thoughtful film is playing as part of the Webster Film Series.  Throw Down Your Heart explores the roots of banjo, searching for it's origins in Africa.  Music can transcend language, culture and situation and you'll both hear and see it happen through the film.  While it's not the most "traditional" of instruments, the exploration of the music and the instuments that preceeded it are fascinating stuff.  For music-lovers, it's an emotional exploration of sound and sights.  So grab a friend and check out some duelin' banjo's Mali- style!

Throw Down Your Heart screens at 8pm each evening and is part of the Webster Film Series, and is on an extended run through Thursday, June 11th.  Tickets may be purchased at the box office prior to each screening.