The List
A highly selective preview of upcoming events
By John Sollenberger 09/01/2010
Pacific Asia Museum
Sept. 4 — Storyteller Sunny Stevenson presents back-to-school stories from Asia, exploring kids’ educational experiences in other countries, at 10:30 a.m. in the Silk Road
travelers’ tent. Admission for children under 12 is free.
Sept. 9 — The film Raga Unveiled: India’s Voice receives its West Coast premiere, showcasing legendary musicians, Vedic scholars, musicologists, spectacular cinematography and rare archival footage as it explores the ancient tradition that underlies the Indian melodic form known as raga. The event, from 6 to 10 p.m., includes live musical performances, Indian food and an appearance by the film’s director, Gita Desai. Tickets cost $50, reservations required. Call ext. 28 for reservations.
Sept. 12 — “Authors on Asia” presents artist and writer Belle Yang discussing and signing Forget Sorry: An Ancestral Tale (pictured) at 2 p.m. Free with admission; call ext. 20 for reservations.
Pacific Asia Museum is located at 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 449-2742 or visit pacificasiamuseum.org.
Hillside Happenings
A variety of events marks the end of summer at Descanso Gardens:
Saturdays through September — Descanso Display Horticulturalist Mike Brown leads
the informal Saturday Morning Garden Chat from 9:30 to 10 a.m. Free with admission.
Sept. 6 — Celebrate Labor Day at Descanso, also known as “Boddy’s Big Backyard,” with an event inspired by its original owner, E. Manchester Boddy, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Activities include a walk through the California Garden with Natives Garden Horticulturalist Rachel Young at 10 a.m.; a reading of the story “Teddy Bear Picnic” at 12:30 p.m.; and music by Mobile Homeboys from 1 to 3 p.m. Guests can bring picnics or purchase barbecue from Patina Catering from 11:30 to 3 p.m. Free with Gardens admission.
Sept. 11 — Jay R. Ewing teaches a watercolor class from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays starting today and continuing for six weeks through Oct. 16. The cost is $120 ($90 for members).
Descanso Gardens is located at 1418 Descanso Dr., La Cañada Flintridge.
Call (818) 949-4200 or visit descansogardens.org.
Botany, Bach and Bottles of the Outback at The Huntington
Sept. 4 — Explorer, collector and succulent plant authority John Lavranos is the keynote speaker at the Succulent Plant Symposium from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The cost is $75, including lunch. An optional dinner is available at an additional cost. Call (626) 405-3504 for registration and details.
Sept. 11, 18 and 25 — Botanical illustrator Lisa Pompelli leads a class in botanical illustrations in the Herb Garden from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The cost is $295 ($275 for members). Call (626) 405-2128 to register.
Sept. 14 — The Camerata Pacifica chamber (pictured) ensemble opens its 21st season with works by Joseph Schwantner and Osvaldo Golijob and classics by Bach and Dvorak at 8 p.m. The evening also includes the world premiere of Red Pepper, a new work by Bright Sheng performed by percussionist Ji Hye Jung. Tickets cost $42.
Sept. 21 — As part of the Chinese Garden Lecture Series, University of Oregon historian Ina Asim discusses scholars’ gardens in Suzhou, Yangzhou, Sichuan and Lingnan at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free; no reservations are required.
Sept. 22 — Brad Owen of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts presents a lecture on and tasting of wines from Australia and New Zealand, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. The cost is $85 ($75 for members). Call (626) 405-2128 to register.
Sept. 24 and 25 — The conference “Science and Its Histories” explores approaches to
the study of science as part of the larger story of world history, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The cost is $25. Call (626) 405-3432 or email skrasnoo@huntington.org to register.
Sept. 29 — A Distinguished Fellow Lecture, “Britain, America and the Written Constitution,” features Linda Colley, professor of history at Princeton University and the Fletcher Jones Foundation Distinguished Fellow, at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free; no reservations are required.
The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens are located at 1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino. Call (626) 405-2100 or visit huntington.org. For Camerata Pacifica, call (805) 884-8410 or visit cameratapacifica.org
Cage and Kurosawa at the Norton Simon
Sept. 10 — The Japanese Traditional Performing Arts Organization presents “Music and Dance of Edo,” a 7 p.m. concert in a Japanese theater setting, featuring performers Wakana Hanayagi, Jyorokusho Kineya, Kikusa Katada and Yasoyo Kineya. Free with museum admission.
Sept. 24 — The exhibition “Not Wanting to Say Anything about Marcel: An Artwork by John Cage” (pictured above) opens. The late composer created the installation in 1969 as a tribute to Marcel Duchamp, a personal friend and source of artistic inspiration. The exhibition is on display through March 28, 2011.
Sept. 24 and 25 — Akira Kurosawa’s 1990 film Dreams consists of eight episodes inspired by the filmmaker’s actual dreams and nightmares. The movie screens at 6 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Saturday. Free with museum admission.
The Norton Simon Museum is located at 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Call (626) 449-6840 or visit nortonsimon.org.
Cal Phil Visits the Mill
Sept. 11 — The “Cal Phil at the Mill” summer concert series closes with an 8 p.m. performance by ensemble groups from the California Philharmonic Orchestra. The concert takes place at the Old Mill in San Marino. Admission costs $10; advance reservations are required.
The Old Mill is located at 1120 Old Mill Rd., San Marino. Call (626) 449-5458 or visit calphil.org.
Steve Roden Exhibition Opens at the Armory
Sept. 11 — Los Angeles native Steve Roden’s works include abstract paintings, sculpture, installations and sound art. An opening reception for “Steve Roden: In Between, a 20 Year Survey” runs from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Armory Center for the Arts. The exhibition continues through Nov. 14.
The Armory Center for the Arts is located at 145 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. Call (626) 792-5101 or visit armoryarts.org.
Interactive Fun at
Sierra Madre Playhouse
Sept. 11 — Kids can be part of the action in June Chandler’s Children’s Fairy Tale Theatre performance of Steve and Kathy Hotchner’s The Tale of the Frog Prince (pictured) at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Young guests can rush to the aid of the prince, who is turned into a frog by an evil witch. Tickets cost $18 for adults, $12 for children under age 12.
The Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre. Call (626) 355-4318 or visit sierramadreplayhouse.org.
Available Spaces at Project_210
Sept. 12 — Project_210 Gallery presents a solo exhibition by San Francisco artist Bianca Kolonusz-Partee. “Available Spaces” opens with a reception from 4 to 7 p.m. and continues through Oct. 2. Kolonusz-Partee observes, draws and photographs major ports on the East and West coasts, creating collages directly on the gallery walls using recycled packing materials, some of which have passed through the ports.
Project_210 Gallery is located at 2888 E. Walnut St., Pasadena. Call (323) 225-2229 or visit project210.org.
Vaudeville Lives
Sept. 19 — An afternoon of vaudeville, presented by the Alex Film Society starting at 2 p.m., includes a variety of live acts headlined by Ian Whitcomb and his Bungalow Boys. A screening of Depression-era short films follows, including Laurel & Hardy’s Hog Wild, a Little Rascals episode and a cartoon. Admission costs $20, $15 for seniors and students and $12.50 for members.
The Alex Theatre is located at 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. Call (818) 243-2539 or visit alexfilmsociety.org.
Pasadena POPS Salutes Hollywood
Sept. 25 — Pasadena POPS closes its summer concert series on the Rose Bowl–adjacent lawn with “Hooray for Hollywood,” a salute to movie music old and new, starting at
7:30 p.m. Vocalist Jodi Benson, the title voice of The Little Mermaid, sings hits from Titanic, The Wizard of Oz, Nine and other films. The orchestra, conducted by Rachael Worby, also performs movie music by Henry Mancini, Jerry Goldsmith and John Williams, with a special tribute to Star Wars. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. for picnicking; guests may bring their own meals or purchase dinner onsite. Kidspace Children’s Museum will provide pre-concert family entertainment. Tickets cost $25 to $90, $10
for kids under 14.
The Rose Bowl is located at 1001 Rose Bowl Dr., Pasadena. Call (626) 793-7172, ext. 16, for tickets or visit pasadenasymphony-pops.org.
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra Launches Season
Sept. 25 — LACO opens its 14-concert 2010-2011 season
at the Alex Theatre at 8 p.m. with “Infinite Enchantment” –– works by Mendelssohn, Prokofiev, Pierre Jalbert, Haydn and more. Jeffrey Kahane conducts, and the featured soloist is violinist Leila Josefowicz (pictured). Each of seven Saturday performances at the Alex is repeated Sunday at UCLA’s Royce Hall. Tickets cost $20 to $100; full-season and Flex Series tickets are also available.
The Alex Theatre is located at 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. Call (213) 622-7001, ext. 215, or visit laco.org.
Season Opens at A Noise Within
Sept. 25 — The classical repertory theater company A Noise Within opens the final season at its original Glendale venue before moving to its new Pasadena home next year. The opening production is Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, the tale of the Duke of Venice, who realizes that through his neglect, society has become a den of iniquity. He transfers authority to the morally upright Angelo, who in turn morphs from saint to beast because of an irresistible sexual attraction to novice nun Isabel. The play begins at 8 p.m. and contin ues through Dec. 5. Tickets cost $42 to $46.
A Noise Within is located at 234 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale. Call (818) 240-0910 or visit anoisewithin.org.
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