Muse House

Review: Upstate New York Ballet's "Dracula"
By Bethany Larson
October 25, 2009 - 1:51pm
Upstate New York Ballet's "Dracula" is a performance full of manic grace.

 

“Dracula” opens with Jonathan Harker (Marco Abdelnor) in a nightmare, surrounded by ghosts and demons. As Jonathan writhes in terror on the bed, the corps de ballet surrounds him, frantically working their arms and hands in and out above him.  Occasionally, individual dancers break away from the corps to perform a solo of pirouettes and extensions, or the entire corps leaves Jonathan’s bed to cover the stage in chaotic movement. 

Life and Laughter at the Opera
By Carren Jao
October 24, 2009 - 8:55am
The Syracuse Opera gave patrons something to smile about tonight with its first show of the season, La Boheme.

For non-opera lovers, La Boheme rings no bells until you say the magic words, “It’s Rent set in the late 1800s.”  The Broadway version stays faithful to its inspiration, making La Boheme infinitely more accessible to younger audiences even with Italian operatic singing and English subtitles flashing above the stage.

La Boheme is one of Giacomo Puccini’s most popular operas alongside Madame Butterfly.  With a libretto by Guiseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica, it was first performed in Turin, Italy on February 1896.  

Fashion with a conscience: Fashion Week 2009
By Phillip Crook
October 22, 2009 - 9:35pm
SU's minority-based fashion organization, Fashion's Conscience, presents its first Fashion Week.

Syracuse University's minority-based fashion organization, Fashion's Conscience, brought an entirely different kind of diversity to it's first Fashion Week show: a wide range of styles, seasons, textiles and shapes.

Looks from four themed segments passed down the runway in the Schine Atrium Thursday night.

La Boheme in its final stages
By Rebecca Schmid
October 22, 2009 - 2:24pm
Syracuse Opera held a dress rehearsal last night of Puccini's "La Boheme" which demonstrated the clear, romantic vision of director Joseph Bascetta and a solid cast.

Puccini's most beloved characters came to life last night as Syracuse Opera unveiled a traditional, but vibrant, vision of 19th-century Paris.

 "The show is fresh, youthful, and realistic,"  said director Joseph Bascetta before the performance. "It is relevant to everyone because it gets down to the basics of life: love, relationships, separations, and death."

Beyond the Score goes a little too far
By Rebecca Schmid
October 17, 2009 - 3:46pm
Last night, Syracuse Symphony Orchestra performed Gerard McBurney's multi-media concert of Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition," which has lofty aspirations but falls short of the composer's intentions.

Recipe for autumn stew
By Leah Dennison
October 13, 2009 - 3:50pm
This fall-inspired stew contains butternut squash, turkey, and cinnamon.

The other night, what started as highly improvised cooking experiment resulted in a dish not only edible, but actually pretty delicious. It's a light but hearty stew with some of my favorite fall flavors, such as butternut squash, cinnamon, and, of course, turkey! If it sounds good to you, I encourage you to give it a try. (It's a great way to trick yourself into eating vegetables.)

Syracuse Symphony Orchestra sweeps through Setnor Auditorium
By Rebecca Schmid
October 13, 2009 - 1:32pm
An SSO concert with guest artist Tanya Bannister was a tumultuous evening of passion and triumph.

An evening with Beethoven and Shostakovich provides for a great deal of continuity. Tormented passages give way to moments of reconciliation. Nostalgia is mixed with violent outbursts of proto-modern material, indelibly writing both composers into the hearts of progressive Classical music lovers today.

Music executive Rick Dobbis on the future of the industry
By Rebecca Schmid
October 9, 2009 - 9:04am
Rick Dobbis spoke to students at the School of Management yesterday about how the music industry is changing.

It is no secret that the music industry is no longer a record business. Nor is it very profitable for the same people anymore. Simon Cowell and the owners of Live Nation may be rubbing their hands together, but long-time execs are wondering how to keep themselves afloat.

Rick Dobbis was anything but idealistic in the face of these global changes. Currently Chairman of R-DOG LLC, a multi-dimensional entertainment company that serves clients such as the Rolling Stones and Yanni, Dobbis challenged to students to wonder what the industry would be like in five years.

A film not worth going 'Psycho' over
By Phillip Crook
October 7, 2009 - 3:52pm
Review: Shoe designer Christian Louboutin's directorial debut, "Psychologic," doesn't fit as well as his heels.

There are two schools of thought on how to dress when you wake up in a bad mood.

The first tells you to bury your feelings in folds of sweatshirt material and slip into practical, comfort shoes. The second advises you wear that dry-clean-only number you normally save for cocktail parties, because when you look good, you feel good.  

Christian Louboutin, the French luxury shoe designer known for his red soles, clearly belongs to the latter.

Khaled Hosseini's Humility and Sincerity
By Carren Jao
October 6, 2009 - 7:55pm
Khaled Hosseini kick starts the Rosamond Gifford Lecture Series with his thoughts on writing and Afghanistan.

Hendricks Chapel was filled to the brim last night.  In its pews sat a cross-section of Syracuse society with only one objective in mind: to hear from Khaled Hosseini. Yesterday marked the beginning of the Rosamond Gifford Lectures.  It kick-started the yearlong series with Hosseini’s participation.