Manuel Acosta in Concert

Manuel Acosta, the world-class tenor will be performing in concert at the South Padre Island Convention Center on Tuesday evening, January 18, 2011.

Acosta is hailed as one of the most brilliant tenor voices to come out of Mexico. His clear, ringing tone and exuberant style are reminiscent of the great Placido Domingo who thrilled music lovers as a member of the Three Tenors. In fact, Acosta’s program recaptures typical repertory in Spanish, Italian and English of the Three Tenors’ concerts, according to a press release.

Acosta made his concert debut at the age of 19 in the National Theatre of Fine Arts (Bellas Artes), in Mexico City, singing the role of "il messagero" in the opera Aida. His credits include Rodolfo, in La Boheme, Don José in Carmen, Nemorino in L´elisir d´amore, Alfredo in La Traviata and Romeo in Romeo et Juliette. In 1998, Mr. Acosta sang the role of the prince in Disney’s Spanish version of Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty. In 2001, Mr. Acosta made his American debut as Rodolfo in the Natchez Opera Festival's production of La Boehme. Mr. Acosta appears regularly at Mexico’s Palacio de Bellas Artes and at important regional opera companies across Mexico and the U.S. He has performed major opera roles in Detroit, Florida, Texas, California, Colorado, Louisiana and Mexico.



The YouTube video is from his performance of Don Jose in Carmen.

We have tickets available at Paragraphs. They are $25 or $20 for members of the El Paseo Arts Foundation. The price of the ticket includes hor d'oevres to be served from 6:30pm until 7:20pm and a cash bar will also be available. The performance will begin at 7:30 pm. This is an awesome opportunity and I hope we have a good crowd for the performance.

Atlantic Brass Quintet at SPI Convention Center

The Atlantic Brass Quintet

Thursday, January 28, 2010, El Paseo Arts Foundation will host the South Texas Premiere Performance of the Atlantic Brass Quintet. Their concerts have been described by critics as

“Less like a staid occasion where the music sits politely on stage and more like a party that wants you to come aboard.”

Widely acclaimed as one of the world's finest brass ensembles, the Atlantic Brass Quintet has been heard in 48 of the United States and more than a dozen countries across four continents. They perform a unique repertory spanning Praetorius, Bach and Stravinsky, and the brass music from the streets of Brazil, Cuba, the Balkans, and New Orleans.

Winner of six international chamber music competitions, the Quintet's distinctive sound, impeccable ensemble, stunning virtuosity and warm, inviting stage presence have won praise from scores of critics.

Highlights of their busy concert schedule include performances at Carnegie Hall, The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, the Fleet Boston Celebrity Series, and the White House. The quintet is also active on the international scene, with performances the last two seasons in Italy for Palladium Musicum, in South Korea for the Jeju Summer Band Festival, in Taiwan for the Hsing Tien Kong Culture & Education Development Foundation, and for the National Concert Association in Panama.

The individual members of the quintet bring a wealth of talent and experience to the ensemble.

Louis Hanzlik (trumpet) is based in New York City, where he is active as an orchestral player, chamber musician, and educator. Mr. Hanzlik performs with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and Orpheus. In addition, he serves as co-principal trumpet with the Riverside Symphony (New York), IRIS Chamber Orchestra (Memphis), and is a member of the orchestra for Broadway’s Mary Poppins. As an educator, Mr. Hanzlik is a trumpet instructor and chamber music coach at Teachers College, Columbia University.

Seth Orgel (French horn) is Assistant Professor of Horn Louisiana State University and has degrees from Northwestern University and Louisiana State University. After spending more than ten seasons with the Syracuse Symphony horn section, he moved to Boston to pursue and active freelance career including shows, jazz orchestras, orchestral, and chamber work. Orchestral credits include the Chicago Symphony, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Filarmonica de Caracas, Rhode Island Philharmonic, Rochester Philharmonic, Buffalo Philharmonic, Louisiana Philharmonic, and currently principal horn with the Baton Rouge Symphony.

Tim Albright (trombone) lives in New York City where he enjoys a diverse career as a sought-after chamber musician and a cutting-edge jazz artist. He is a regular member of many New York ensembles including Argento New Music Project, Paragon Ragtime Orchestra, and the Riverside Symphony. Mr. Albright is also a long-standing member of renowned saxophonist Steve Coleman’s group, Five Elements, widely considered one of the most challenging gigs in jazz. He can be heard on numerous recordings and has toured extensively throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and the U.S. He is also frequently heard in the orchestras of current Broadway shows.

John Manning (tuba) is a founding member of the Atlantic Brass Quintet and serves on the faculty of the University of Iowa. Mr. Manning received his music degrees from Boston University and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He has also served as principal tuba of Air Force Band of the Golden West, the Albany Symphony, the Vermont Symphony, and the Shirim Klezmer Orchestra. Professor Manning has served on the faculties of Boston University, Boston Conservatory, and the University of Massachusetts, and has performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Andrew Sorg (trumpet), a member of the Triton Brass Quintet, is filling in for Alex Holton for this performance. Mr. Sorg is an active freelancer in the Boston area and has performed with various orchestras such as the Tanglewood Festival Orchestra, the Indian Hill Symphony, Emmanuel Music of Boston, the New Bedford Symphony, the Berkshire Symphony, and The New Hampshire Symphony.

The Atlantic Brass Quintet can be heard on recordings from Summit Records, Solstice, and Crystal.Their website, www.atlanticbrassquintet.com features selections from their music.

The evening of art begins at 6:30 p.m, with complimentary hors d’oeuvres, cash bar and art exhibit by the Laguna Madre Art League. Lights go up on the concert stage at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the event are $25 per person and $20 for El Paseo members. Tickets are available at the SPI Visitors Center, Paragraphs Book Store, Designer Consigner, the Port Isabel Library (cash or check only), and online at www.elpaseoarts. For additional information, call 956-943-4700.

Don’t miss the opportunity to hear this incredible group.

"You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" in SPI

El Paseo Arts Foundation is bringing another evening of fun to South Padre Island by hosting the Camille Playhouse Production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. After the hectic pace of the holiday season take an evening off, and just sit back and enjoy this delightful musical comedy. It should be a wonderful evening to share with friends and family.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010, at the SPI Convention Center.

The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with complimentary hors d’oeuvres, cash bar and Laguna Madre Art League Exhibit.

Curtain goes up on the show at 7:30 p.m.

Charles Schultz tickled the funny bone and tugged at the heartstrings of America for decades.

His musical, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, is a delightful romp through the cartoon pages of “Peanuts”, tied together as a day in the life of Charlie Brown. This revised version, presented on Broadway in 1999, adds new songs to the wonderful original numbers such as “Happiness” and “Suppertime”.

This is a rare gem of a show for all ages!

For youngsters and teens, watching You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown provides a chance to see the beloved cartoon characters come to life. For adults, watching the show is like running into the old gang, the kids we haven't seen for years. They haven't changed much since the late '60s. They're still obsessed with all the insecurities, doubts, and outright paranoia that childhood is heir to, and watching them brings back familiar, funny memories.

The Camille’s director, Ben Agresti has assembled a wonderful cast to portray Charles Schultz’s famous characters: there’s poor Charlie Brown and his sister Sally, Snoopy battling the Red Baron, Lucy in all her regal splendor, Linus and his blanket, Schroeder and his piano, and the Little Red Haired Girl.

Tickets are available at the SPI Visitors Center, Paragraphs Bookstore, Designer Consigner, and the Port Isabel Library or you can purchase tickets with a credit card online.

For additional information, call 956-943-4700.
Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy this charming musical with friends and family.

Play Readers Anonymous

It is that time again. The days seem to be fly by and another month has passed so it is again time for anyone interested in reading from or learning more about plays to join us at Paragraphs, for the Play Readers Anonymous group.
From the El Paseo Arts Foundation newsletter:

The Play reading group meets again on Monday, November 9, 2009, 7:00 p.m., at Paragraphs on Padre Boulevard. This month we'll be finishing up Noises Off, a hilarious farce and starting the Thornton Wilder's classic American play about life, love and death in Our Town. Everyone is invited to attend. if you don't want to read aloud, you can just listen and enjoy. it's a great way to meet other folks who enjoy theatre. No charge -- no commitment -- just a good time.

"An Event of Note: The Valley Symphony Orchestra"

Living on an island at the southernmost tip of Texas, 25 miles or so from the border between the US and Mexico means that life is pretty relaxed. "Island Time" is the rule not the exception and shop hours often reflect this. To close a little early or open a little late is not actually a huge issue. But since Paragraphs is a new store, needing to get established and build a reputation and following, I have been steadfast in making sure we are open and welcoming during our posted business hours and also flexible enough to open a little early or stay late depending on circumstances.

This is a long way of telling everyone - I am giving notice right now, right here, that I am placing a "Gone Fishing" sign on the door to Paragraphs on Sunday afternoon, the 15th of November promptly at 3:45 to give me time to make the 3 minute trip to the SPI Convention Center to attend "An Event of Note", a performance by the Valley Symphony Orchestra. I will not miss this concert, and I would not expect anyone living in the RGV to be shopping at Paragraphs on this afternoon either, because my hope is, they would also be planning to attend this event.

Internationally renowned pianist, recording artist and pedagogue, Polish-born artist ADAM WODNICKI will be the guest artist when El Paseo Arts Foundation hosts the the Valley Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, November 15, 2009, at the SPI Convention Center.

The afternoon of arts entertainment begins at 3:00 p.m. with cocktail hour and art show featuring local artists from the Laguna Madre Art League. Exhibiting artists include: Glenda Spinks, pastel; Richard Schmidt, mixed media; Virginia Eggert, Paints local subjects in acrylic; Dina Saldana, oil; Voncille Zama, watercolor; Beth Fedigan, mixed media; Marne Law, watercolor; Tina Poucher, acrylic; Tom Leeman, acrylic, oil; Carol Plumb, oil on linen; Carol Thorson, watercolor; and Carol Turner, acrylic. Complimentary hors d'oeuvres will be provided and a cash bar will be available.

The concert begins at 4:00 p.m., in the exhibit hall. The concert program includes Wagner The Flying Dutchman Overture; Beethoven Piano Concerto #4 in G Major, Opus 58 with Adam Wodnicki on piano; and Khachaturian Gayane Suite.

Adam Wodnickki has received acclaim on five continents for his dramatic interpretations, poetic sensitivity and brilliant technique. Wodnicki's recording of the three Piano Trios by Robert Muczynski (Centaur) was chosen by a Fanfare critic as one of the top five albums on the 'Best of 2004' list; and the 2008 release on the Dux label of the Piano Concertos by Serocki. Adam Wodnicki has also made numerous radio and TV recordings as well as concerto recordings with the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Wodnicki studied with Jan Hoffman, Guido Agosti and Gyorgy Sebok, and his artistic roots can be traced to the traditions of Fryderyk Chopin, Franz Liszt and Ferrucio Busoni. Three-time prizewinner of the annual Chopin Society National Piano Competition in Warsaw and the recipient of three prizes at the 8th Festival of Polish Pianists, Wodnicki is Regents Professor of Piano at the University of North Texas in Denton and Co-Director of International Piano Master classes in Varna. He has served on juries of international competitions and is a performance editor for the Musica Iagellonica's first ever edition of The Complete Works by Paderewski. Adam Wodnicki is a Steinway Artist.

Don't miss this special arts event: a wonderful afternoon of music and art. I know I won't!!

Tickets for "An Event of Note: The Valley Symphony Orchestra" are $25 per person and $20 for El Paseo members, seniors and students with ID. Tickets may be purchased at the SPI Visitors Center, Designer Consigner, the Port Isabel Library, online at www.elpaseoarts.org or by calling (956)943- 4700. And of course you can buy your tickets at Paragraphs.

Fun for the Family - Summer Melodrama

Take a step back in time to the early days of family life in the Rio Grande Valley and join the fun as El Paseo Arts Foundation presents an old-fashioned melodrama where villains abound and an unexpected hero saves the heroine and wins the day.

Daniel R. Donohue’s, Villainy in the Valley (“Lucious’s Juices" "The Deadly Disappointment") a side-splitting romp that's overripe with cornball gags and a cast of zany characters will be staged on Monday, August 24th and Tuesday, August 25 at the South Padre Island Convention Center. Doors open at 6:30 with a cash bar available. The performance starts at 7:30 p.m. The play is co-directed by JoAnn Evans (SPI) and Jody Hughes (SPI).

In the great tradition of melodramas, Villainy in the Valley provides an evening of fun and family entertainment. The show depends on audience participation. Sigh for the dainty heroine, cheer for the hero, and boo and hiss the villain.

The show begins with an “olio”—a musical comedy revue with singing and lots of laughs. To set the mood the audience will join some of our local celebrities in a sing-a-long and practice booing the villain and cheering for the heroes. Then the curtain goes up on a cast of local personalities who bring to life the assorted characters of the town of Rio Arroyo.

Lucious Laseter, con man extraordinaire is intent on swindling Judge Angus McTate out of his citrus empire. This very rich and very gullible judge hopes that his long lost niece, the lovely, naive and fleet-of-foot Tess Trueheart McTate will marry his new accountant Laseter. However, Tess arrives with another, her beau, Bart Bo and Laseter conceives a dastardly plot to discredit Bart, kill the judge, and claim Tess and her fortune for his own.

Laseter is aided in his nefarious deeds by Floyd Coozy, an inept and dull-witted felon and his flamboyant twin sister, Floozy. Jo, the savvy bartender and owner of Christina’s cantina tries to take care of everyone, even Charlie the town drunk and poet lariat. If only, Marshall Mellow paid more attention to what was going on and spent less time bragging about his heroic feats. If only, Idona DuNada the reformer from Austin wasn’t always making trouble and trying to bring culture to Rio Arroyo.

Alas, it looks like Lucious Laseter may well succeed in evil plans and all seems lost for Tess including her beau, Bart. Poor Tess! Oh, woe! Will Lucious carry off Tess and her fortune? Will the Judge discover Lucious’evil scheming? Will Marshall Mellow ever stop taking about himself? Will Jo save her cantina from Idona DuNada’s sweeping reform? Will Tess and find true love at last? Will Floyd and Floozy ever figure out what’s going on? Will Charlie ever get another drink?

Don’t miss the chance to be part of the fun and find out the answers to these questions as the exciting and surprising finish unfolds.

Our friends and neighbors have been working very hard to provide an evening of entertainment for all of us to enjoy. Let's turn out and show them our appreciation for bringing community theatre to the Island.

Villainy in the Valley Auditions

One of my goals when opening Paragraphs was to become a part of the community. I have been pretty busy just getting the store open and trying to increase and improve our inventory so a lot of the community activities have passed me by. But I am excited about our involvement with the El Paseo Arts Foundation. They do such a great job of bringing live performances to the Island and Port Isabel.

So I am pleased to host the auditions for the summer melodrama. From the Island Breeze:

El Paseo Arts Foundation is ready to kick off the summer with auditions for the annual melodrama. This summer’s melodrama is “Villainy in the Valley,” a play set in the Rio Grande Valley. Subtitled “Lucious’ Juices” or “The Deadly Disappointment,” the play has a cast of villains such as the dastardly Lucious Laeseter and his cronies, Floyd and Floozy Coozy. The bad guys set out to scam the local judge and juice magnate, Angus McTate and his beautiful niece Tess Truehart McTate. Tess’ sweetheart Bart Bo tries to protect her, as do other local characters - the cantina owner, the town sheriff, the local busybody and the town drunk.

Lucious plots a series of sinister deeds,but in the end good triumphs over evil and the crooks get a dunking.

As with any good melodrama, there will be lots of audience participation and plenty of opportunities to boo the villain and cheer the heroes.
Auditions for the cast of five men and five women, the emcee and the cue card ladies will be held Monday, June 22 at 7 p.m. at Paragraphs Book Store on South Padre Island. The show is scheduled for production on Aug. 24 and 25 at the South Padre Island Convention Centre.

Anyone who has an interest in getting involved in local theater is welcome to audition - no previous theater experience is required. For additional information contact JoAnn Evans at 772-9097.

So come and join us for a good time.

A Musical Journey

The El Paseo Arts Foundation is sponsoring another great opportunity to attend a musical event showcasing an internationally recognized pianist and composer. At Paragraphs, we are pleased to be included in the list of vendors who have tickets available, for purchase, for this gala evening.

On April 22, 2009, at the South Padre Island Convention Center, Richard Urbis, will perform in concert -- on a magnificent concert grand piano -- treating his audience to a musical journey through time. The first half of the concert will feature familiar classical compositions by Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, and Liszt, with Mr. Urbis providing insightful commentary about the music and the composers. After a brief intermission, he will transition to a musical history of the Americas: a little rag, some blues, jazz and swing, some wonderful Gershwin and other surprises.

Pianist-composer Richard Urbis holds degrees from the prestigious Julliard School of Music. An internationally renowned pianist, he has successfully competed and performed in numerous national and international competitions, including the Tchaikovsky Competition (Moscow), the Chopin competition (Warsaw), the Beethoven Competition (Vienna), and was a finalist in the International New York Chopin Association Competition.

As a composer, Mr. Urbis has received world premieres by many notable ensembles. The Dallas Symphony premiered his Suite for Chamber Orchestra and the Catalina Chamber Orchestra of Tucson, Arizona, premiered his symphony, St. Joan of Arc. The New York City group, Trio Sonata has performed his Two Icons over thirty times in national tour. Presently, he is working on his first opera.

Professor Urbis teaches advanced music theory, orchestration, counterpoint and analysis and applied piano at the University of Texas Brownsville/Texas Southmost College. His recently released CD entitled Music from Prague: 200 Years of Czech Piano Music is a critically acclaimed success.

A reception with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and cash bar begins the evening at 6:30 p.m. in the corridor gallery. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Theatre Room. Tickets for the event are $25 per person/ $20 for El Paseo Arts Foundation Members. Only 200 tickets are available.

For more information visit the El Paseo Arts Foundation website

Latino Books Month

From the Association of American Publishers

AAP Latino Voice for America: "Latino Books Month
What is Latino Books Month?

The Association of American Publishers Publishing Latino Voices for America (PLVA) Task Force has declared May Latino Books Month.

Throughout the month of May, booksellers, librarians, and others in the book industry are encouraged to promote reading among Latinos in their communities, and to raise awareness of the rich variety of books authored by Latinos that are available, in both English and Spanish."

This is another program that seems consistent with our mission and Paragraphs should be able to work with the local ISDs and public libraries to make sure we celebrate the rich heritage these authors provide our common heritage. It may also be an area we can develop some joint events with the El Paseo Arts Council.

A Trip to Bountiful

I went to tonight's sold out performance of A Trip to Bountiful . JoAnn and her cast should feel very satisfied with the community support for this production.

It was my first visit to the Port Isabel Yacht Club. I found myself wondering how much of the current furnishings etc., are original to the building. Another item to put on my list of regional things to learn more about. Emerging from the building and becoming enveloped in the mist and fog, it was easy to imagine what a history this place must have had. The Yacht Club was constructed in 1927 when Port Isabel was just beginning incorporation. Al Capone and Amelia Earhart were early guests. If only walls could speak.

By eliminating the need for a large stage area and elaborate set, the reading theater concept worked nicely for a small "home-grown" dramatization. Director JoAnn Evans describes this theater style in the plays program:

Reader's Theater is "theatre of the imagination. It is a medium in which two or more oral interpreters through their oral reading cause an audience to experience literature.

Readers Theater differs from the conventional play in various ways. There is no attempt made to create the sense of reality on stage. A narrative voice guides us through the story. There is no set, little movement, and the actors use what is called an offstage focus. The performers do not look at each other on stage as they would in life, but visualize their characters toward the audience in front of them. They can leave the scene simply by turning away and looking down at their script. The performers create images using their voices and physical expressions, and these images are formed not on stage but in the minds of the audience and the readers themselves--that's where the action takes place. Therefore, the audience is as much involved in the performance as the readers are.

Griff is a loyal fan of old time radio and when I read the above description I was reminded of the program "Theater of the Mind". These broadcasts, the TV of the past, engaged the listener in much the same way as what JoAnn describes.