The arts in Delaware: Where to find theater, music and exhibits
It’s Mother’s Day weekend — spring is really here and the Delaware art scene is in full flower.
Visual Arts
Magical illustrations. Prints and drawings by international Illustrator Alexi Natchev are on view through May 25 in the Delaware Division of the Arts Mezzanine Gallery in Wilmington’s Carvel state office building. Many of his works were created in his native Bulgaria and have never been shown here in the US. arts.delaware.gov
Contemporary exhibits. Strong Lines is one of the current exhibitions at Wilmington’s Delaware Contemporary. Running through July 28, it features work by Paul Cahill, Brian Conaty, Phyllis Gorsen, Suzy Kopf and Gregg Morris. “Guardians of the Image Makers,” part of the Wilmington 1968 initiative, continues through June 29, and a 22-artist group show entitled “The Figure: The Indicative and The Illusive” runs through Aug. 26. decontemporary.org
"Sublime," the exhibit. The Rehoboth Art League members’ exhibition runs May 11 through June 10. There are also concurrent exhibitions by Ruri Yi, Peter Treiber, Howard Eberle and Nick Serratore. . rehobothartleague.org
Fake or real? Continuing its 25th-anniversary celebration, the Biggs Museum of American Art in Dover's new “Rembrandt Etchings: States, Fakes and Restrikes” opens Saturday, May 12 and runs through July 8. The exhibition is about how to tell if a print is a real Rembrandt. The dazzling silver of artisan Michael Izrael Galmer is on display through May 20. And May 19 through July 22 is “Delaware Discoveries: Girlhood Embroidery 1750-1850,” an exhibition of 80 samplers on display in conjunction with a new publication, a national symposium and a series of workshops. biggsmuseum.org
Last Outlooks. Delaware Art Museum’s final Outlooks exhibition “Impermanence” runs Saturday, May 19 through Aug. 5. Guest-curated by Barbara Warden of Lewes, it features work by nine Delaware and regional artists. The long-running Outlooks series (curated from its inception by Dr. Mary Holahan) will be replaced in the fall by a Distinguished Artist series focused on regional masters. It’s the last few days for “Eye on Nature,” Margaretta Frederick’s highly praised exhibition of Andrew Wyeth and John Ruskin closing May 27. And on May 19, the museum will host a lecture presented by the American Bibliophilic Societies on books and illustration in Britain and America. delart.org
Music
Piffaro plays Poland. The Philadelphia early music group will sing at Wilmington’s Immanuel Highlands Church on Sunday, May 13, joined by Swiss vocal ensemble Peregrina. The concert features devotional and popular works from as early as the 14th century, as well as Poland’s oldest extant hymn and even some battle music. piffaro.org
Swan song for season. Newark Symphony, under the direction of Simone Tartaglione, closes out its season with Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 on the afternoon of Sunday, May 13 at Newark’s Independence School. The Delaware Youth Symphony will join the orchestra for Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake Suite” and "Hungarian Dances." newarksymphony.org
Mother's Day music. Melomanie will celebrate a musical Mother’s Day with a Sunday, May 13 event brunch followed by a concert at Wilmington’s Delaware Contemporary. The afternoon concert will feature old and new music, including the premiere of “Ancestral Echoes” by Jennifer Nicole Campbell. melomanie.org
Mahler and more. Mahler's Symphony No. 7 will be the single work played by the Delaware Symphony in its season closer Friday, May 18 at The Grand in Wilmington. Maestro David Amado will devote the first half to a musical exploration with the orchestra, and after intermission, the DSO will play the symphony. delawaresymphony.org
Bach and friends. That's the focus of Mastersingers of Wilmington’s Saturday, May 19 concert at First & Central Presbyterian Church. Conducted by David Schelat, the ensemble will sing two Bach motets (BWV 229 and 230), as well as works by Mendelssohn, Schütz and lesser-known composers such as Andrzej Hackenberger. marketstreetmusicde.org
Serafins at Trinity. The Serafin Quartet returns to Wilmington’s Trinity Church May 20 to close that season. Joining the ensemble — Kate Ransom and Lisa Vaupel (violins), Sheila Browne (viola) and Lawrence Stomberg (cello) — will be pianist Julie Coucheron and violinist Hal Grossman in the seldom-heard Chausson Concerto in D Major for Violin, Piano and String Quartet. serafinquartet.org
Weaving a performance. New Ark Chorale winds up the year with “American Tapestry XV,” its annual program of American music and patriotic themes. Directed by Michael Larkin, the group will perform on May 27 at Newark’s St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. newarkchorale.org
Send-off concert. Off to China for their 12-day tour, the University of Delaware Symphony goes “Beyond These Horizons” and says bon voyage with a May 28 concert. Directed by James Allen Andersen, the concert also features members of UD’s Six-Wire ensemble and a premiere by Delaware composer Mark Hagerty. Also at UD this month are a host of studio concerts and a May 30 free concert by the U.S. Coast Guard Concert Band. music.udel.edu
Copeland closing. The Copeland String Quartet closes its season at Wilmington’s Church of the Holy City June 3. The ensemble — Eliezer Gutman and Thomas Jackson (violins), Nina Cottman (viola) and Jennifer Jie Jin (cello) — will play a Shostakovich string quartet and then be joined by guest artist Charles Salinger (DSO principal clarinet) in the Brahms Quintet for Clarinet and Strings. copelandstringquartet.com
Theater
"Boeing, Boeing." This 1960s farce set in the airline world will run Saturday, May 12 through June 24 at Candlelight Theater in Arden. Marc Camoletti’s tale of flyers and swingers is the most produced play ever to come from France. candlelighttheatredelaware.com
"Fun Home" at the beach. Rehoboth Beach’s Clear Space Theatre is staging the award-winning 2015 musical by Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron running through May 20. clearspacetheatre.org
"Next to Normal." Bootless Stageworks is presenting this Brian Yorkey/Tom Kitt award-winning musical about a mother struggling with bipolar disorder through Saturday, May 19 on its home stage at St. Stephen’s Church in Wilmington. bootless.org
Dance to the Movies! Wilmington’s Playhouse on Rodney Square is winding up its Broadway in Wilmington season with a musical extravaganza featuring song and dance pros including Lesley Ann Warren (Boomers will remember her as "Cinderella" from a TV special in their childhoods) and more. Friday, May 18-Sunday, May 20. thegrandwilmington.org
"Ella" winds up: “Ella: First Lady of Song” closes Sunday, May 13 at Wilmington’s Riverfront theatre. delawaretheatre.org
Gail Obenreder is a Wilmington arts professional, writer and producer. obenrederg@gmail.com
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