October 2005

OCTOBER 1, SATURDAY
Gallery Talk
11:30 A.M., Center for the Arts, Middlebury College Museum of Art
Colin Mackenzie, Robert P. Youngman Curator of Asian Art and cocurator of the exhibition Asian Games: The Art of Contest, talks about games as symbols of cultural identity in Asia. Free

OCTOBER 1, SATURDAY
Center for the Arts Tours
11:00 A.M., 12:00 P.M. ands 1:30 P.M., Center for the Arts Lobby
Join CFA staff and student receptionists on an architectural tour of the Center for the Arts. Free

OCTOBER 1, SATURDAY
The Chess Players (Shatranj ke Khilari)
3:00 and 8:00 P.M., Dana Auditorium
Directed by Satyajit Ray and set in 19th-century India, The Chess Players explores the mesmeric power of games in the context of a political power struggle. The film is full of the gentle ironies for which Ray is famous, not least of which is the fact that chess, invented in India as an exercise in the strategy of war, has become an escape for the two friends from the political and military realities of their situation. In Hindi and English, with English subtitles. Cosponsored by the Hirschfield International Film Series and the Museum of Art, in conjunction with the exhibition Asian Games: The Art of Contest. (India, 1977, 125 minutes) Free

OCTOBER 1, SATURDAY
François Clemmons, tenor
8:00 P.M., Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
Alexander Twilight Artist in Residence François Clemmons offers a concert of sweet, joyful, soulful music, including selections from George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess.  Free

OCTOBER 2, SUNDAY
Kathryn Ananda-Owens, piano
8:00 P.M., Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
The concert program includes the Goldberg Variations. Sponsored by the Department of Music. Free

OCTOBER 6, THURSDAY
Gallery Talk
4:30 P.M., Center for the Arts, Middlebury College Museum of Art, Robert F. Reiff Gallery of Asian Art
Colin Mackenzie, Robert P. Youngman Curator of Asian Art, talks about materials and symbols in Asian art. Free

OCTOBER 6, THURSDAY
Rajeev Taranath, sarod
7:30 P.M., Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
Rajeev Taranath's performances combine the depth and rigor of Hindustani classical music with an inspired imagination and emotional intensity. "Each note leaves a lovely, languishing trail of tone behind it."—The Economic Times, New Delhi. For this performance, Taranath is joined by renowned tabla player Abhiman Kaushal. Sponsored by the Middlebury College Performing Arts Series and the Department of Music. Tickets: $12/10/5 order tickets online

OCTOBER 8, SATURDAY
Vera Drake
3:00 and 8:00 P.M., Dana Auditorium
Vera Drake (Imelda Staunton) is a selfless woman who is completely devoted to, and loved by, her working-class family. She also secretly visits women and helps them induce miscarriages for unwanted pregnancies. When the authorities finally find her out, Vera's world and family life rapidly unravel. Staunton was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 2004. Directed by Mike Leigh (Topsy-Turvy). Sponsored by the Hirschfield International Film Series. (UK/France/New Zealand, 2004, 125 minutes) Free

OCTOBER 8, SATURDAY
London Theatre Exchange: A Showing of Work in Progress
2:00 P.M., Center for the Arts, Seeler Studio Theatre
London Theatre Exchange (LTE) was formed in 1991 by a group of senior actors, directors, and teachers from The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Royal National Theatre, The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and LAMDA. Their goal is to provide audiences and students of theatre with a multi-cultural theatrical experience, while encouraging a rich collaborative environment for the artists. LTE takes part in a residency at Middlebury College September 18 through October 8, focusing on the performance of Shakespearean and Jacobean text with extensive work in voice and movement. The company also works with Middlebury's Teacher Education program, Creative Writing Program, and students and faculty from the local Bridge School.  Free

OCTOBER 12, WEDNESDAY
Middlebury College Orchestra
Troy Peters, conductor
8:00 P.M., Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
Performing with the Orchestra as soloist is cellist Dieuwke Davydov, in Max Bruch's Kol Nidrei.  Sponsored by the Department of Music. Free

OCTOBER 14, FRIDAY
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano
8:00 P.M., Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
Last year, New York Times music critic Anthony Tommasini chose Pierre-Laurent Aimard's Zankel Hall recital as one of his two favorite piano recitals of the year. Aimard has recently issued acclaimed recordings of music by Beethoven, Debussy, Ives, Messiaen, and Ligeti. A highlight of his program for Middlebury is a performance of Maurice Ravel's Gaspard de la Nuit. Sponsored by the Middlebury College Performing Arts Series. Reserved Seating. Tickets: $12/10/5   order tickets online
Pre-performance dinner: Rehearsals Cafe, 6:30 P.M. Reservations required.

OCTOBER 15, SATURDAY
Family Games Afternoon
1:00 P.M., Center for the Arts, Lower Lobby
Try your luck, hone your skills; come and learn Asian board and tile games, such as chess, Chinese chess, go, pachisi, and mahjong. Sponsored by the Museum of Art in conjunction with the exhibition Asian Games: The Art of Contest. Free

OCTOBER 15, SATURDAY
The Big Red One: The Reconstruction
3:00 and 8:00 P.M., Dana Auditorium
Iconoclastic film director Samuel Fuller (Pickup on South Street, Shock Corridor) spent decades nurturing his dream project, a movie about his experiences in the Army's First Infantry Division during World War II, but the film was cut drastically by the producers before its release in 1980. Using a large cache of newly discovered footage and the director's shooting script as a guide, critic and film historian Richard Schickel reconstructed The Big Red One, in 2004, to enthusiastic reviews. Sponsored by the Hirschfield International Film Series. (USA, 2004, 158 minutes) Free

OCTOBER 15, SATURDAY
Irina Kataeva, piano
8:00 P.M., Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
In this late addition to the year's concert calendar, internationally-renowned pianist Irina Kataeva treats us to a concert program of little-known gems of Russian music from the early 20th century, including works by Scriabin and Shostakovich.  Trained at the Moscow Conservatory, Ms. Kataeva has made her reputation as a performer of contemporary piano works. Among her recent Sony Classics recordings of works by Ligeti is a work the composer dedicated to her.  She is also the wife of pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard, who performs in the Concert Hall the previous evening.  Sponsored by the Center for the Arts.  Free

OCTOBER 18, TUESDAY
Lecture/Demonstration with Yuval Ron Ensemble
9:30A.M. & 1:30 P.M., Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
See details on this exciting Arabic music group below. Free

OCTOBER 18, TUESDAY
Under the Olive Tree: Sacred Music of theMiddle East
7:00 P.M., Mead Chapel
An Arabic Music Concert by the Yuval Ron Ensemble, featuring Najwa Gibran, bringing together Arabic, Jewish, and Christian artists who unite the sacred musical traditions of Judaism, Sufism, (Islamic mystical tradition) and the Christian Armenian Church in an unusual musical celebration. The performance imparts the ancient and deep intercultural connection between these three traditions and the musical influences they share. The concert features songs of Sufi origin from Turkey, Jewish prayers from Morocco, Andalusia and Israel, and Armenian sacred music. Free

OCTOBER 19, WEDNESDAY
Richard Dowling, piano
3:00 P.M., Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
Hailed by The New York Timesas an "especially impressive fine young pianist," Richard Dowling has received nationwide attention for recitals seen on the PBS program Debut and has been heard on NPR's Performance Today. Sponsored by Elderly Services and Middlebury College.  Free

OCTOBER 25, TUESDAY (THROUGH NOVEMBER 8)
Sculptures in the Form of a Chair
Johnson Memorial Building, Pit Space
Works from Eric Nelson's sculpture course, ART 0319, represent students' response to the idea of a chair's many functions: as an object of design, as a socializing or civilizing device, or as a historical artifact. Discover how students personalize the concept of a chair while emphasizing its sculptural potential in form and material. Sponsored by the Program in Studio Art. Free

OCTOBER 26, WEDNESDAY
Architecture &… "Remaking the Way We Make Things"
7:00 P.M., Dana Auditorium
Architect William McDonough and chemist Dr. Michael Braungart are two leaders in a growing movement to transform the relationship between commerce and nature. Their work and vision are considered in the documentary film The Next Industrial Revolution (55 minutes). Prior to the screening, architect and sustainable design consultant Gunnar Hubbard delivers an introductory lecture, "Building Momentum: Green Design Comes of Age." The "Architecture &..." series is organized by Bread Loaf Architects, Planners, and Builders; the Department of History of Art and Architecture; Atwater Commons; and the Christian A. Johnson Enrichment Fund. Free

OCTOBER 26, WEDNESDAY
Rahim AlHaj, oud
Iraqi Music in a Time of War
8:00 P.M., Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
Sponsored by the Department of Music and Rohatyn Center for International Affairs. Free

OCTOBER 27, THURSDAY
Lecture/Demonsrtation with Rahim AlHaj
9:30 A.M. and 1:30 P.M., Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
See additional listing for this artist, on October 26.  Free

OCTOBER 27, THURSDAY
How to Think about Film Scenes
4:30 P.M., Sunderland 110
Lecture by Robert B. Ray, professor of English and film studies at the University of Florida. Sponsored by the Hirschfield International Film Series. Free

OCTOBER 27-29, THURSDAY-SATURDAY
Slightest Folly:10th Annual First Years Production  
8:00 P.M. each evening plus 10:00 P.M. on Friday only; Hepburn Zoo
Directed by Mike Doyle '98. "If thou remember'st not the slightest folly, That ever love did make thee run into, Thou hast not loved."--Shakespeare's As You Like It.  Where there is love, there is sure to be folly. An evening of scenes reflecting our pursuit of love in its many varieties, and our inevitable knack for screwing it up. Tickets: $1, on sale Tuesday, October 11.

OCTOBER 28, FRIDAY
Paul Lewis, piano
8:00 P.M., Center for the Arts, Concert Hall
Paul Lewis's Beethoven piano cycle, begun here last season, continues with three recitals this year. In this, the first, he performs Sonatas no. 10 in G Major, no. 11 in B-flat Major, no. 9 in E Major, and no. 21 in C Major, Waldstein. (His second and third concerts are on March 16 and May 12.) Sponsored by the Middlebury College Performing Arts Series. Reserved Seating. Tickets: $12/10/5  order tickets online
Pre-performance dinner: Rehearsals Cafe, 6:30 P.M. Reservations required.

OCTOBER 29, SATURDAY
Center for the Arts Tours
11:00 A.M., 12:00 P.M. and 1:30 P.M., Center for the Arts Lobby
Join CFA staff and student receptionists on an architectural tour of the Center for the Arts. Free

OCTOBER 29, SATURDAY
Museum Tours
11:30 A.M., Center for the Arts, Middlebury College Museum of Art
Join student assistants and museum staff for a tour of the College's art collection and special exhibitions—Asian Games: The Art of Contest, Art Now: Confronting Figures, and the new Robert F. Reiff Gallery of Asian Art. Free

OCTOBER 29, SATURDAY
Refugee All Star Band
3:00 and 8:00 P.M., Dana Auditorium
While living for years as refugees in the West African nation of Guinea, six musicians from Sierra Leone formed a band named the Refugee All Stars. This documentary film details the group's heroic story of survival during Sierra Leone's brutal, decade-long civil war (1991–2002) and the role of the music they made for themselves and other refugees. One of the film's creators, Jim Bruce '96, introduces the evening screening. Sponsored by the Hirschfield International Film Series. (USA, 2004, 82 minutes) Free

CONCERT ALERT!
Due to visa problems, the cellist of the piano trio which was to play on the Performing Arts Series on Sunday, October 30th, can't appear.  So violinist Julia Fischer, who has just finished a praised appearance with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and pianist Milana Chernyavska, will play a recital as a duo.  The program will consist of J.S. Bach's solo partita for violin in d minor, BWV 1004 (which concludes with the great Chaconne); and sonatas for violin and piano by Robert Schumann and Cesar Franck.

OCTOBER 31, MONDAY (THROUGH NOVEMBER 14)
Landscape Paintings
Johnson Memorial Building, Pit Space
Plein air paintings done in the manner of the impressionists in Jim Butler's painting course, ART 0309, represent students' observations of the Middlebury College campus during the height of the fall foliage season. Sponsored by the Program in Studio Art. Free