Schumann Symphony Sparkles
The latest offering by the Austin Symphony Orchestra was an instructive lesson about why some composers are cherished and remembered, while others are best left forgotten. Offering a centrepiece piano…
The Showman of Astronomy
In every generation there is a populariser of science. The first that drew big crowds on a regular basis was Sir Humphrey Davy, whose lectures in London two centuries ago…
The Smell of the Theatre: Noises Off
Never have sardines played such a major role in a play, but that is not where the ‘smell of the theatre’ originates from in this classic British mapcap comedy from…
The Fuel of Soft Sorrow: Uncle Vanya
Listening to the lines of Anton Checkov, few would disagree he is a writer for our times: “Millions of trees have perished. The homes of the wild animals and birds…
Bella Tames the Beast
Taming Stravinsky’s beast took a Bulgarian with a violin made in 1655, but the feat was accomplished in Austin by Bella Hristova. While some music experts I talked with in…
Old Testament Paintings in Dallas
There are 13 paintings on special exhibit at the Meadows Museum in Dallas, and even though they only fill one room they pack an extraordinary punch. The artist, Francisco de…
Bit of Americana: A Christmas Story
For one last blast of Christmas fun in 2017, drive your sleigh over to the Long Center for the musical comedy A Christmas Story. The production has its roots in…
Christmas at the Bush43 White House
Christmas in 2005 at the George Bush White House was a much more elaborate affair than the 1967 Christmas profiled in a companion story on the Sun News Austin website.…
Christmas at the LBJ White House
President Johnson and his family did not usually celebrate Christmas at the White House, but his wife Lady Bird persuaded him to do so in 1967. The charm of that…