Monthly Archives: November 2011

Chamber Music Society of Little Rock presents Brasil Guitar Duo

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Since 1953, the Chamber Music Society of Little Rock has been bringing musicians to Little Rock for performances.  The next concert is tomorrow evening (Thursday, November 10), featuring Brasil Guitar Duo.

João Luiz and Douglas Lora met in São Paulo as teenage guitar students and have been performing together as the Brasil Guitar Duo for more than ten years, perfecting a sublime synchronicity and effortless performance style. Equally at home on a Classical or a World Music series, the Duo’s innovative programming features a seamless blend of traditional and Brazilian works, resulting in a full global touring schedule and numerous critically acclaimed recordings.

The Duo will include “Sete Aneis” (Seven Rings) by Egberto Gismonti (arranged by João Luiz) and Fandango (canon) by Mario Castelnuvo-Tedesco on their Little Rock program.

The performance will be in the Parish Hall at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 1000 North Mississippi Avenue in Little Rock. Concerts begin at 7:30 PM.  Tickets are $25 at the door, $10 for students.

Little Rock History: 180 years of Little Rock

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Last week (November 2) marked the 1835 incorporation of Little Rock as a City.  However, today marks the 180th anniversary of Little Rock first being incorporated as a town by the Arkansas Territorial Legislature.

The first Mayor of the Town of Little Rock was Dr. Matthew Cunningham; he was elected January 2, 1832.  The first City Council meeting took place at his house.  In 1931, a plaque was installed at that site to mark the historic event. (Though it implies that the first city council meeting took place in 1831 not 1832.)

Bennett’s Military Supply is now located on the spot at what is now 3rd Street and Main Street.

Mayor Cunningham, MD

Prior to serving as the first Mayor, Dr. Cunningham had already made quite a few other “firsts” in Little Rock.  He was the first physician to take up residence in the settlement known as Little Rock arriving in February 1820.  His wife, soon joined and became the first female resident of Little Rock.  She had children from her first marriage, but after arriving in Little Rock, she and Dr. Cunningham had their first child together — Chester Cunningham, who became the first baby born in Little Rock.

Dr. Cunningham, Mrs. Cunningham and Chester Cunningham are buried next to each other in Mount Holly Cemetery.  Interestingly, Dr. Cunningham was involved in a 30 year land ownership dispute with Chester Ashley and Roswell Beebe who also donated the property on which Mount Holly sits.

Graves of Matthew Cunningham, Eliza Cunningham and Chester Cunningham

Precipice Theatre’s FOOL FOR LOVE

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Little Rock’s newest theatre company, Precipice Theatre, presents its inaugural production — Sam Shepard’s Fool for Love.

There are six performances over four days later this week.  The schedule is:

Thursday, November 10th at 8 p.m.
Friday, November 11th at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Saturday, November 12th at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Sunday, November 13th at 2:00 p.m.

On opening night, November 10th at 7p.m. there will be a complimentary California wine tasting sponsored by Lulav Restaurant in the lobby of the Public Theatre.

Tickets: $13 Adults, $10 Students and Seniors (cash or check at the door)

$3 of each ticket purchase will be donated to the THEA Foundation, supporting the importance of the arts in the development of our youth.

Reservations:Please send an email to LRprecipicetheatre@gmail.com with your party’s name, number of seats required, and a contact phone number. Any reservations that are still unclaimed 15 minutes prior to the start of the performance will be released to the general public.

Cast:
Old Man – Jerry Rice
Eddie – Ricco Ardemagni
May- Heather D. Smith
Martin – Terry Harrison

Directors:
Paul Seminara
Aaron Berg

Producers:
Ricco Ardemagni
Evan Tanner
Heather D. Smith

Sculpture Sunday: Large Standing Figure: Knife Edge

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Little Rock’s most famous piece of public art is Henry Moore’s 1961 creation Large Standing Figure: Knife Edge, which is known locally as “The Henry Moore Sculpture.”  The original model was created in 1961; this sculpture was cast in 1976 and purchased in June 1978 by the Little Rock Metrocentre Improvement District. The purchase price was $185,000 — a princely sum at the time but now a bargain for a Henry Moore sculpture.

A committee consisting of Townsend Wolfe (then the director and chief curator of the Arkansas Arts Center), James Dyke and Dr. Virginia Rembert actually traveled to England to meet with Moore about the sculpture.

It was originally placed at the intersection of Capitol and Main as the centerpiece of the pedestrian mall. When the final segment was reopened to vehicular traffic, it was put at its current location of the southeast corner of Capitol and Louisiana.

Last Chance for 80s Blast

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The 80s come to an end tonight with the final performance of That ‘80s Show.  The Arkansas Repertory Theatre’s Summer Musical Theatre Intensive (SMTI) has been affectionately nicknamed “Smitty.”  Since 2005, SMTI has been offering Arkansas youths the opportunity to experience a two week summer conservatory which culminates in a staged performance.  Many of the SMTI youth then return for the production during the school year.

This fall, The Rep’s Young Artists are performing That ‘80s Show” which they have subtitled “We Built this “SMITTY” on Rock and Roll!” (Some might argue that not only is the pun a groaner, but the song title it references is one of the 1980’s nadirs.) Though none of the performers were even born in the 1980s (some probably weren’t even born in the 1990s), these scores of kids will sing, dance and charm the audiences.  Nicole Capri, who recently received the Governor’s Arts Award for Arts Education, has again devised and directed this musical, which features musical direction by Karen Q. Clark.

Performances are NOT on stage at the Rep this year.  Instead they are at Wildwood Park for the Arts in the Lucy Lockett Cabe Theatre.

So hop in your DeLorean or Chrysler K-Car, flip up the Izod collar, slip into the vans, put the Ray-Ban Wayfarers on and relive the decade of New Coke, cassette tapes, TRS-80 computers, Reaganomics, This Can’t Be Yogurt, Dynasty, The Preppy Handbook, Yuppies and MTV actually playing music.

Flashback Friday: Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Opus Ball

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The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra’s annual Opus Ball was last weekend.  The 27th edition took place at the Capital Hotel. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quapaw Quarter Association Annual Meeting

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Little Rock’s Quapaw Quarter Association will host its Annual Membership Meeting tonight.  A highlight of the evening will be the presentation of the Greater Little Rock Preservation Awards.  Preceding the awards presentation will be remarks by Kirk Huffaker, Executive Director of the Utah Heritage Foundation.

The meeting takes place at the Historic Arkansas Museum in the Ottenheimer Theatre.  Following a 5:30 reception, the business meeting will take place.  Ron Maxwell and Kathy Webb have been chosen to be new members of the QQA board.  Other new members are Gabe Holmstrom, Greg Nabholz, Shana Woodard and Ron Woods.

The Quapaw Quarter Association is a non-profit historic preservation advocacy organization whose mission is to promote the preservation of the historic buildings and neighborhoods of Greater Little Rock.

The QQA grew out of an effort to identify and protect significant historic structures in Little Rock during the “urban renewal” days of the early 1960s, making it one of the oldest preservation organizations in the nation.

Throughout its existence, the QQA has been a driving force behind historic preservation in Greater Little Rock, which now boasts over 250 individually-listed National Register properties as well as 15 National Register Historic Districts.

In addition to advocacy on local preservation issues, the QQA’s programs include its online newsletter, the Chronicle; an annual Spring Tour of Historic Homes; public workshops; and an historic house marker program.  Rhea Roberts is the executive director.

In 2007, the QQA entered into a contract with the City of Little Rock to manage the city’s Visitor Information Center at Historic Curran Hall.  The ca. 1842-43 Greek Revival-style house also serves as the Mayor’s Reception Hall and is available for rental for private receptions and events.