Tag Archives: Department of Parks Heritage and Tourism

15 Highlights of 2015 – Opera in the Rock and ASO presented THE MAGIC FLUTE

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680 Magic Flute LogoFully-staged, full-length opera returned to the Rock for the first time in over a decade tonight and tomorrow!

The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Philip Mann, Music Director and Conductor, in partnership with Opera In The Rock, opens the 2014-2015 Intimate Neighborhood Concerts series with Mozart’s Magic Flute. Performances were on January 22 and Friday January 23 at the Albert Pike Masonic Center in downtown Little Rock.  Dancers from Arkansas Festival Ballet also appear in the performances which is stage directed by Robert Hupp, Producing Artistic Director of the Arkansas Repertory Theatre.

Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) was written during the last year of Mozart’s life (1791). The opera was composed in the style of Singspiel (using sung and spoken text) and was an outlet for Mozart’s Masonic belief.

Magic Flute was an immediate success, performed over 100 times in the first two years of its existence. Mozart was not alive to see the 100th performance, having died only months after the premiere.

Tickets are $25; active duty military and student tickets are $10 are can be purchased online ; at the Albert Pike Masonic Center beginning 60 minutes prior to the concert; or by phone at 501-666-1761, ext. 100.  The Friday performance is sold out, but tickets remain for tonight’s opening.

CAST
Dana Pundt, Queen of the Night
Nicholas Nelson, Sarastro
Darren Drone, Papageno
Genevieve West Fulks, Papagena
Vernon DiCarlo, Tamino
Bonnie Frauenthal, Pamina

Others in the cast include Maria Fasciano DiCarlo, Stephanie Smittle, Kelley Ponder, Daniel Foltz-Morrison, Suzanne Banister, Kathryne Overturf, Satia Spencer, Robert Holden, Luke Frauenthal, Chase Burns and Sam Prescott

CHORUS
Sopranos: Alisa Dixon, Hayley Coughlin, Margaret McMurray, LaSheena Gordon
Altos: Claire Wilkinson, Melissa Wilcox, Sarah Blakey
Tenors: Adam Baldwin, Aaron Baker, Jonathan Treloggen, Josiah Wheeler, Sage Shaddox
Basses: J.J. Albrecht, Luke Frauenthal

PROGRAM
MOZART: Die Zauberflöte, K. 620 (text by Ruth and Thomas Martin)

The 2016 Arkansas Arts Council “Works on Paper” artists announced

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Arkansas_Arts_Council_logo_2The Arkansas Arts Council recently announced the 37 Arkansas artists who were selected for the 2016 Small Works on Paper touring exhibition.

Now in its 29th year, Small Works on Paper is a juried visual art exhibition that showcases artwork no larger than 18 x 24 inches by Arkansas artists who are members of the Arkansas Artist Registry, an online gallery showcasing the artwork of Arkansas artists.

Forty works are featured in the show that will travel to 10 galleries throughout the state in a yearlong show. The exhibition will make its first stop Jan. 5-29 at the Batesville Area Arts Council’s Gallery on Main on 226 E. Main St.

The entries were juried by Kati Toivanen, professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Ten artists were selected by Toivanen to receive purchase awards. Purchase award winners receive the cash amount equivalent to the value of their selected works. Funded by entry fees, the purchase award pieces become part of the exhibition’s permanent collection.

The artists selected to receive purchase awards are Kathy Attwood of Eureka Springs; Margo Duvall, Amy Edgington and Robert Reep, all of Little Rock; Clarke Galusha of Norphlet; Matt Kaye of Camden; Penny Jo Pausch of Jonesboro; David Rackley and Rachel Trusty of Russellville; and Steven Vickers of Van Buren.

The complete list of artists is below.

  • John W. Ahlen, Little Rock
  • Joshua Asante, Little Rock
  • Kathy Attwood, Eureka Springs
  • Sandy Barksdale, Cotter
  • James Berg, Hot Springs
  • Susan Chambers, Little Rock
  • Melissa Cowper-Smith, Morrilton
  • Warren Criswell, Benton
  • Margo Duvall, Little Rock
  • Amy R. Edgington, Little Rock
  • L.S. Eldridge, Rogers
  • Thad Flenniken, Royal
  • Janet Gade-Malone, Hot Springs
  • Clarke Galusha, Norphlet
  • Angela Greene, North Little Rock
  • Lori Halley, Springdale
  • Gwen Haverland, Van Buren
  • Matt Kaye, Camden
  • Kimberly Kwee, Little Rock
  • Tim LaTourette, Fayetteville
  • Brian Madden, Little Rock
  • Jason McCann, Maumelle
  • Kasten McClellan Searles, Little Rock
  • Stephanie McLeod, Springdale
  • Robin Miller-Bookhout, North Little Rock
  • Penny Jo Pausch, Jonesboro
  • Laura Raborn, Little Rock
  • David Rackley, Russellville
  • Robert Reep, Little Rock
  • Sabine Schmidt, Fayetteville
  • Cathryn H. Slater, Little Rock
  • Stacy Spangler, Little Rock
  • Tod Swiecichowski, Little Rock
  • Rachel Trusty, Little Rock
  • Steven G. Vickers, Van Buren
  • John Watson, North Little Rock
  • Judy Wright Walter, Texarkana

The Arkansas Arts Council is an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage.

 

Enjoy the holidays and the “Say It Ain’t Say’s” Sweet Potato Pie contest at Mosaic Templars today

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MTCCSayJoin the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center for a festive and fun day full of holiday cheer! The fun runs from 2pm util 5pm.

This year’s event will feature the 4th annual “Say It Ain’t Say’s” sweet potato pie contest, in honor of Little Rock’s black Santa, Robert “Say” McIntosh.We’ll have live entertainment by the Gloryland Pastor’s Choir, the Lorenzo Smith Band Camp and the Horace Mann Middle School Dance Ensemble. Activities include a kids’ craft station and the opportunity to browse our current exhibits, “Freedom! Oh, Freedom!” and the 2015 Creativity Arkansas Collection.

Guests and a panel of celebrity judges will determine who has the best sweet potato pie in Central Arkansas. Celebrity judges include Power 92 FM’s Broadway Joe, food and travel writer Kat Robinson, AY magazine food columnist Pamela Smith, and Kelli Marks, owner of Sweet Love Bakery.

Enjoy refreshments provided by RSVP Catering.

This year, a trolley will be available to take guests to two other Department of Arkansas Heritage Museums located in downtown Little Rock: Old State House Museum and Historic Arkansas Museum. The trolley route will also include the Governor’s Mansion Open House.

For more information call 501-683-3620 or email Tameka@arkansasheritage.org.

Holiday Open House at the Old State House this afternoon

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oldstatehouseToday is the day for the Department of Arkansas Heritage museums in Little Rock to celebrate the holidays.

This afternoon from 1pm until 4:30pm, the Old State House Museum will be hosting a Holiday Open House.

The traditions of joyous family holiday celebrations past can be relived at Holiday Open House. Visitors will find the Old State House colorfully decorated for the season. Fun, hands-on activities will be available to children; they can create unique holiday cards and more.

Delightful carols will be performed by local music groups. Visitors will also enjoy delicious cookies and punch.

Call (501) 324-9685 for more information. Admission is free

The 48th Annual Christmas Frolic this afternoon at Historic Arkansas Museum

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HAM-frolicWhen the Culture Vulture was just a Culture Chick, his parents took him to then-Arkansas Territorial Restoration Christmas Open House.

Thankfully, this event continues and celebrates Christmas as it was in the 1800s with living history, carols, reenactments, live music, dancing and more. Visitors come from across the state every year for our famous hot cider and ginger cake, as well as Arkansas-made holiday shopping in the Museum Store.

Activities:

  • Have your photo taken with Father Christmas from 1:30 to 2pm and from 2:30 to 3 pm.
  • Crafts and cards in the Hands On History classroom
  • Live music performances in our atrium and galleries.
  • McVicar House: Readings of “The Night Before Christmas” (originally published in 1823) at 1:30, 2:15, 2:45 and 3:15 pm. Readings will alternate with appearances by Capt. James McVicar.
  • Print Shop: Learn what apprentices looked forward to about the holiday; make a wax seal
  • Brownlee Kitchen: caroling
  • Hinderliter Grog Shop: dancing
  • Farmstead: Blacksmith Shop open, Early Arkansas Reenactors will be doing a variety of pioneer demonstrations, cider and gingercake in the parlor, crafts in the bedroom, reindeer food on the porch.
  • There will be games on the historic grounds and at the farmstead.

The fun continues from 1pm until 4pm today.  Watch for HAM director Bill Worthen to dance the Virginia Reel, which members of his family have been dancing in Arkansas since the 1820s.

Sandwich in History today at the Albert Pike Memorial Temple

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Albert Pike Memorial TempleThe monthly architectural history program “Sandwiching in History” visits the Albert Pike Memorial Temple, located at 712 Scott Street. The program begins at noon today.  A historian with the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program delivers a brief lecture about the church before leading guests on a tour.

Completed in 1924, the three-story, Classical Revival-style temple was designed by George R. Mann and Eugene John Stern for the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. In 1952 a fire damaged the southern end of the building, which was rebuilt and rededicated in 1956. The building’s monumental front facade, which encompasses an entire city block, is lined with nineteen Ionic columns. The interior features beautifully decorated spaces with ornate plaster molding, stained-glass windows, and pink and gray marble.

Sandwiching in History is a program of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage.  The AHPP is responsible for identifying, evaluating, registering and preserving the state’s cultural resources. Other DAH agencies are the Arkansas Arts Council, the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, the Old State House Museum, the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission and the Historic Arkansas Museum.

 

130 years of Cromwell Firm focus of Old State House Museum Brown Bag lecture today

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OSH Brown BagJoin the Old State House Museum at noon on Thursday, December 3, for a Brown Bag Lunch Lecture led by Dan Fowler, Chief Operating Officer at Cromwell Architects Engineers, as he speaks about the influence and history of 130 years of Cromwell.
The talk is in support of the current temporary exhibit at the Old State House Museum, “Lost + Found.”
“Lost + Found” highlights eight different projects completed or renovated by Cromwell during its 130 year history. These include projects in Little Rock (Little Rock City Hall, the Federal Reserve Bank Building and 615 Main Street), North Little Rock (St Joseph’s Home for Children), Pine Bluff (the Temple Building and the Pines Hotel) and Hot Springs (the de Soto and Majestic Hotels). Many of these structures were designed by Charles L. Thompson, one of the founders of Cromwell and one of the most-known and prolific architects in Arkansas in the 20th century. “Lost + Found” ends December 11.
The talk is free and participants are encouraged to bring a lunch. Soft drinks and water are provided.