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JANUARY 7
Favorite film selections from the metro area's best film critics.
LOLA MONTÉS
LOLA MONTÈS
Brand new, restored 35mm print!
Hosted by Ann Lewinson – Fairfield Weekly film critic
Wednesday, January 7 – 7:00 PM
Carte Blanche Members - FREE / Members - $6 / Students/Seniors - $7 / Nonmembers - $10 |
ABOUT THE HOST: Ann Lewinson is a film critic for the Fairfield Weekly and New Haven Advocate. She has written about movies, the performing arts and environmental issues for many publications including Andante, Biography, The Independent, Stagebill and the Sundance Daily Insider. Her fiction and poetry have appeared in Agni, Eclipse, Glass Tesseract, Karamu, Out of Line, Pangolin Papers and P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center's Special Projects Writers' Series. A teacher in the English department of Kingsborough Community College, she was a managing editor of HBO.com and a sound editor on several films including Troma's Class of Nuke 'Em High Part II: Subhumanoid Meltdown. |
ABOUT THE FILM: In a garishly colored circus, the suckers line up at a buck a kiss with that celebrated adventuress Lola (French sex symbol Martine Carol), as ringmaster Peter Ustinov starts his spiel and the flashbacks begin. Ophüls’ first movie in color and widescreen was the biggest-budgeted French film to date, with his always-mobile camera gliding, tilting, and craning amid dazzling sets and costumes, as the oscillation between the tawdriness of the circus and the romanticism of flashbacks underscores the difference between reality and memory, each flashback with its own color scheme: for Lola’s youth, black-blue-grey; for her affair with 19th century “rock star” Franz Liszt, red and gold; and for her amour with the King of Bavaria (The Red Shoes’ Anton Walbrook), white, blue, silver and gold. Ophüls’ final work, and arguably the masterpiece of a career that encompassed films in five different languages, Lola was a flop on first release and subjected to a brutal butchering by its producers — they even hacked up the original negative. After their eventual bankruptcy, legendary New Wave producer Pierre Braunberger acquired the rights and issued a limited restoration to great acclaim in 1969. But, in the intervening 40 years, restoration technology has progressed dramatically, and many more materials — including the innovative original sound mix —have since turned up. In 2006, Braunberger’s daughter Laurence and the Cinémathèque Française, with the support of the Thomson Foundation,the Franco-American Cultural Fund, and Ophüls’ son Marcel, embarked on a state of the art restoration. Scratches, tears and missing frames were fixed and the full stereophonic magnetic track restored, with the vibrant hues as conceived by production designer Jean d’Eaubonne (Casque d’or, Madame de...) and cinematographer Christian Matras replacing the washed-out existing prints and videos. The at-long-last restored Lola was a sensation at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. – Film Forum
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JANUARY 10
OPERA AT THE AVON
DON GIOVANNI
By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed at Salzburg Festival 2008
Conducted by Bertrand de Billy
Directed by Claus Guth
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10 - 11:00 AM
Carte Blanche – Free / Members - $16 / Students & Seniors - $18 / Nonmembers - $20 |
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ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE: Don Giovanni, probably Mozart’s most famous opera, was the opening production of the Festival in 2008. Following his successful production of Le nozze di Figaro in Salzburg, German stage director Claus Guth prepared his second Da Ponte opera. British baritone Christopher Maltman, winner of the Lieder Prize at the 1997 Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, makes his first appearance at Salzburg in the title role. Annette Dasch, highly celebrated last season as Armida, takes the role of Donna Anna. Bertrand de Billy, Anna Netrebko´s favourite conductor, directs the Vienna Philharmonic. Dorothea Röschmann, particularly renowned for her interpretation of the great Mozart roles, sings the Donna Elvira, and Erwin Schrott appears as Leporello.
Cast:
Christopher Maltman (Don Giovanni)
Anatoly Kocherga (Il commandatore)
Annette Dasch (Donna Anna)
Matthew Polenzani (Don Ottavio)
Dorothea Röschmann (Donna Elvira
Erwin Schrott (Leporello)
Ekaterina Siurina (Zerlina)
Alex Esposito (Masetto)
Conductor: Bertrand de Billy
Director: Claus Guth
Running Time: 3 Hours, plus one intermission |
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JANUARY 14
DOCUMENTARY NIGHT PRESENTS
IN A DREAM
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14 - 7:00 PM
Carte Blanche – Free / Members - $6 / Students & Seniors - $7 / Nonmembers - $10 |
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ABOUT THE FILM: In the vibrant, bohemian neighborhood of South Philadelphia, 50,000-square feet of concrete are covered with tile and mirrors—mosaics that were created by Isaiah Zagar, an eccentric, tormented artist. The murals chronicle his love for his wife, Julia, and subtly hint at the darker corners of an extraordinary imagination. Where Isaiah is obsessive and narcissistic—a former Peace Corps volunteer who has become an icon in South Philly's art community—Julia is gracious and warm. For decades, their opposing natures complemented one another perfectly. But suddenly the family is torn apart at the seams: A few hours before picking up his oldest son from a rehabilitation center, Isaiah declares to the camera, "As people get older they have less and less passion." He then confesses to an affair with his assistant, is kicked out of the house, and spirals into a debilitating, suicidal depression. A fascinating portrait of love and betrayal, family bonds, and the intimacy of dysfunction, IN A DREAM was recently selected as one of 15 finalists that will be eligible for the 2008 Oscar Best Documentary category.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR: Jeremiah Zagar was born in South Philadelphia in 1981. At age 19, he shot Delhi House, a documentary about a hospital and orphanage in India. The short premiered at the 2002 Slamdance Film Festival and aired on PBS affiliates across the country. Since then, Jeremiah has made three more award-winning short films: The Unbelievable Truth, Baby Eat Baby and Coney Island 1945. They have screened in numerous festivals in the US and abroad, including Tribeca, SXSW, and the London Film Festival. He has been a semi-finalist for a student Academy Award and hopes to one day go to the actual Academy Awards. A graduate of Emerson College, Zagar lives in Brooklyn but his heart will forever remain in Philadelphia. |
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JANUARY 24
The Avon Presents
THE TRIBUTE TO
PAVAROTTI
Saturday, January 24 - 11:00 AM
Carte Blanche – Free / Members - $10 / Students & Seniors - $12 / Nonmembers - $14 |
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ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE: This special tribute charity concert was held in Petra, Jordan on October 13, 2008, in honor of the late Maestro, Luciano Pavarotti. Headliners Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo, who sang with Pavarotti as The Three Tenors, performed together for the first time since the Italian singer's death last year. Other stars who performed included Sting, Andrea Bocelli, Bono, and Céline Dion. The concert was held on what would have been Pavarotti's 73rd birthday. It's been said Pavarotti had always wanted to give a performance at Petra. The Petra performances are part of a series of concerts and exhibits that marked the anniversary of Pavarotti's death in September 2007. Other events have been staged in New York, Rome and Paris. Proceeds from the concert were donated to the United Nations efforts in Afghanistan.
Running Time: 90 minutes |
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FEBRUARY 4
Favorite film selections from the metro area's best film critics.
ROSEMARY'S BABY
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4 – 7:00 PM
Carte Blanche Members - FREE / Members - $6 / Students/Seniors - $7 / Nonmembers - $10 |
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ABOUT THE FILM: Psychological terrorism and supernatural horror have rarely been dramatized as effectively as in this classic 1968 thriller, masterfully adapted and directed by Roman Polanski from the chilling novel by Ira Levin. Rosemary (Mia Farrow) is a young, trusting housewife in New York whose actor husband (John Cassavetes), unbeknownst to her, has literally made a deal with the devil. In the thrall of a witches' coven headquartered in their apartment building, the young husband arranges to have his wife impregnated by Satan in exchange for success in a Broadway play. To Rosemary, the pregnancy seems like a normal and happy one--that is, until she grows increasingly suspicious of her neighbors' evil influence. Polanski establishes this seemingly benevolent situation and then introduces each fiendish little detail with such unsettling subtlety that the film escalates to a palpable level of dread and paranoia. By the time Rosemary discovers that her infant son "has his father's eyes" ... well, let's just say the urge to scream along with her is unbearably intense! One of the few modern horror films that can claim to be genuinely terrifying, Rosemary's Baby is an unforgettable movie experience, guaranteed to send chills up your spine. --Jeff Shannon
ABOUT THE HOST: For fifteen years, Mark Harris worked as a writer and editor covering movies, television and books for Entertainment Weekly, where he now writes the back page column “Final Cut.” He has written about pop culture for several other magazines as well. Mr. Harris recently authored and appeared at the Avon with his critically acclaimed book Pictures At A Revolution, which looked at the five Best Picture nominees at the 1968 Oscars, from pre-production right up to the night of the awards. A graduate of Yale University, he lives in New York City with his husband, Tony Kushner. |
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FEBRUARY 11
DOCUMENTARY NIGHT
Co-presented by Stamford Hadassah & the Avon Theatre
THE RAPE OF EUROPA
Post-film Q&A w/ Sharon Chrust - art appraiser & consultant
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11 - 7:00 PM
Carte Blanche – Free / Members - $6 / Students & Seniors - $7 / Nonmembers - $10 |
Adolf Hitler presents Hermann Goering with The Falconer (1880), a painting by the 19th century Austrian academic painter Hans Makart. Hitler bought the painting legitimately from art dealer Karl Haberstock. It is now in the Neue Pinakothek in Munich.
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ABOUT THE FILM: The Rape of Europa tells the epic story of the systematic theft, deliberate destruction and miraculous survival of Europe’s art treasures during the Third Reich and the Second World War. In a journey through seven countries, the film takes the audience into the violent whirlwind of fanaticism, greed, and warfare that threatened to wipe out the artistic heritage of Europe. For twelve long years, the Nazis looted and destroyed art on a scale unprecedented in history. But young art professionals as well as ordinary heroes, from truck drivers to department store clerks, fought back with an extraordinary effort to safeguard, rescue and return the millions of lost, hidden and stolen treasures. The Rape of Europa begins and ends with the story of artist Gustav Klimt’s famed Gold Portrait, stolen from Viennese Jews in 1938 and now the most expensive painting ever sold. Today, more than sixty years later, the legacy of this tragic history continues to play out as families of looted collectors recover major works of art, conservators repair battle damage, and nations fight over the fate of ill-gotten spoils of war. Joan Allen narrates this breathtaking chronicle about the battle over the very survival of centuries of western culture.
ABOUT SHARON CHRUST: Sharon Chrust has been involved in the Contemporary Art market for over 20 years. She is a member of the Appraisers Association of America and is an art consultant to private and corporate clients. In addition, she has been a gallery director, a docent at the Whitney Museum of American Art and worked in public relations for the Cooper Hewitt Museum.
Sharon has a Masters in Art History from Hunter College, a BA from Boston University and has completed the Certificate of Appraisal Studies at NYU; passing the Uniform Standards of Appraisal Practice Exam in 2007. |
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FEBRUARY 14
OPERA AT THE AVON
RIGOLETTO
By Giuseppe Verdi
Performed at Festival Verde 2008
Conducted by Massimo Zanetti / Stefano Vizioli
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14 - 11:00 AM
Carte Blanche – Free / Members - $16 / Students & Seniors - $18 / Nonmembers - $20 |
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ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE: Considered one of Giuseppe Verdi’s greatest accomplishments, and certainly his most touching portrayal of a father-daughter relationship, Rigoletto continues to marvel audiences worldwide with its tragic plot and its trademark Arias (La donna e’ mobile, Caro nome, Cortigiani vil razza dannata). This production from Italy’s Festival Verdi 2008 is conducted by Massimo Zanetti. A recipient of the Best Young Conductor Award in 1997 by “Opernwelt,” and also by the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” in 1998, Zanettihas enjoyed an international reputation as one of the most exciting conductors of his generation. Maestro Leo Nucci, arguably the greatest Italian baritone working today, sings the title role, which he has now played over 400 times. In January 2008, as he sang his 400th performance in Piacenza, the audience was so blown away that Maestro Nucci had to give three encores of Rigoletto’s Aria Si Vendetta, Tremenda Vendetta. With soprano Désirée Rancatore as Rigoletto’s daughter Gilda, new tenor sensation Francesco Demuro in the part of the Duca, and the beautiful classic sets of the great Pierluigi Samaritani (who worked for the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala and ABT before his premature death in 1994) this certainly promises to be a production to remember.
Cast:
Leo Nucci (Rigoletto)
Francesco Demuro (Il Duca di Mantova)
Nino Machaidze (Gilda)
Marco Spotti (Sparafucile)
Conductor: Massimo Zanetti
Director: Stefano Vizioli
Running Time: 130 minutes, plus one intermission |
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MARCH 4
Favorite film selections from the metro area's best film critics.
BLOOM
Based on James Joyce’s Ulysses
Post-film discussion with Joyce expert Jesse Meyers
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4 – 7:00 PM
Carte Blanche Members - FREE / Members - $6 / Students/Seniors - $7 / Nonmembers - $10 |
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ABOUT THE FILM: First-time Irish writer/director Sean Walsh spent ten years making BLOOM, an adaptation of James Joyce's infamously difficult 1922 epic Ulysses. Set in Dublin on the day of June 16, 1904, the film attempts to make a visual reconstruction of Joyce's stream-of-consciousness style. Following all the major themes of the original novel, it's book-ended by the internal monologue given by the sexually driven Molly (Angeline Ball). Stephen Rea plays her husband, the introspective Jewish-Irishman Leopold Bloom. Hugh O'Conor plays the philosophical young writer Stephen Dedalus. This will be a rare theatrical presentation of a film seldom screened in the United States.
ABOUT THE HOST: Jesse Meyers began to study James Joyce’s works and life in 1995 after retiring from a 35-year career in business journalism. He developed a multi-faceted Ulysses educational program at the Greenwich Library which attracted some 1400 attendees. Jesse has lectured on aspects of Joyce in the United States and abroad. He has spoken at NYU, Fairfield University, Sacred Heart University, The State University of New York at Purchase as well as before numerous organizations including the James Joyce Society, The American Friends of James Joyce and meetings of the International James Joyce Foundation in Ireland and France. Earlier this year he spoke at a Joyce and Film conference in Trieste, Italy. He maintains a Joycean library of some 300 volumes and is currently teaching two introductory Ulysses classes -- open to the public -- in New York City. In May he will teach an introductory Joyce survey class as a part of NYU's continuing education program. |
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