LOCAL

Wednesday, May 6 at 10:30am: CLASH OF THE TITANS: The Lives of the Most Eminent Artists Leonardo and Michelangelo

Part one of a two-part illustrated lecture series by Farnsworth Director of Education Roger Dell, about the hostility between these two unsurpassed masters and its consequences for the entire art world. "Insults and Envy: The Master and the Upstart on the Streets of Florence" will trace the beginnings of their respective careers and explore the status of the enmity between Leonardo and Michelangelo around the year 1500; Leonardo, now in his late forties, was hailed as the greatest artistic genius in Italy, and the querulous, quarrelsome, and highly competitive Michelangelo, who was half his age. Tickets: $24/ General Admission, $20/ Farnsworth Members; individual lectures are $14/$12.

Wednesday, May 13 at 10:30am: CLASH OF THE TITANS: The Lives of the Most Eminent Artists Leonardo and Michelangelo

Part two of a two-part illustrated lecture series by Farnsworth Director of Education Roger Dell, about the hostility between these two unsurpassed masters and its consequences for the entire art world. "Head-to-Head Competition: Florence, Rome, and France" will relate how in 1503/1504, the rulers of Florence decided to pit their two most famous artists in a duel like no other; each were assigned a huge section of wall in the Hall of the Five Hundred in the Palazzo Vecchio, the old city hall, and instructed to paint a battle scene from the city's illustrious past. Each fresco would have been three times the size of The Last Supper, producing arguably the greatest art site on earth. Why then is there no trace – except for one tiny tantalizing clue – in the Hall today? After competing for years in the arenas of sculpture and painting, Leonardo and Michelangelo would face off one last time, this time in architecture. Tickets: $24/ General Admission, $20/ Farnsworth Members; individual lectures are $14/$12.

Sunday, May 10 at 1pm: The WOW MOM Variety Show - A Mother's Day Celebration!

Free Admission! Join us for a rollicking Mother's Day tribute to the best women in the world! This one hour show features sing-alongs, puppets, skits, classic cartoons, magic, and more!

Hosted by John Burstein, aka Slim Goodbody. For children ages 4 - 12 and their moms and grandmothers. Free gifts for Mom.

Thursday, May 14 at 7pm: THE MAINE FRONTIER: THROUGH THE LENS OF ISAAC WALTON SIMPSON

Presented by filmmaker and composer Sumner McKane,THE MAINE FRONTIER is a multimedia presentation that combines the rare and historic photography of Isaac Simpson with archived films, oral histories, and live music by Sumner McKane and Joshua Robbins. THE MAINE FRONTIER is centered around a collection of over 1,500 scarcely seen photographs taken around the turn-of-the-century by Amity, Maine, native, Isaac Simpson- photographer, blacksmith, barber, musician, woodsman, mechanic, husband, and father of 13 children. Tickets: $12.50/General Admission.

LIVE SHOWS:   

Saturday, May 2, 2015 at 7:30 p.m.: THE ALAN DOYLE BAND

ALAN DOYLE, actor, producer, newly-­minted best­selling author, and best ­known as lead singer for Newfoundland's beloved folk-rock band GREAT BIG SEA for 20+ years, is embarking on a North American tour upon the release of his second solo album "So Let's Go." The contemporary Celtic-rock artist is a multi-instrumentalist is known for combining traditional Newfoundland music with a fresh pop sensibility. Tickets $18/Advance, $20/Day of Show. Lobby and balcony bars will be open for 21+.

Saturday, May 30 at 7:30 p.m.: THE SWEETBACK SISTERS

Rollicking, infectious country swing! The Sweetback Sisters charm harkens back to the golden era of the silver screen cowgirl, wrapped around a core of deeply felt love for traditional country music styles. Emily Miller and Zara Bode's precise, family-style harmonies recall the best of country music from the Everlys to The Judds, as well as the spirited rockabilly energy of Wanda Jackson. Their repertoire combines country music from before they were born and new interpretations of those traditions —- to create a fresh take on what it means to be country. The Sweetbacks have been featured on Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion. Tickets $15/General Admission. Lobby and balcony bars will be open for 21+.

Friday, June 26 at 7:30pm: SESSION AMERICANA with Ellie Buckland

Boston's award-winning SESSION AMERICANA, known for their fresh take on old-fashioned, timeless music, is a constantly evolving line up of folk/rock/roots veteran singer-songwriters. Their inventively entertaining live shows, based on their original music, may spontaneously reach back into traditional American songs. Maine native Ellie Buckland is a songwriter, singer, and fiddler, whose passion for songwriting and performing is influenced by traditional country, bluegrass and fiddle music. General Admission Tickets: $12/Advance, $15/Day of Show. Lobby and balcony bars will be open for 21+. 

Saturday, August 8 at 7:30pm: THE WARREN HOOD BAND and THE REVELERS 

An evening of Swamp-Pop, Cajun, Country, Blues and Zydeco! WARREN HOOD, the son of Austin, TX music legend Champ Hood, is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and singer. A former member of Bob Weir's"The Waybacks," he has also performed and/or recorded with Lyle Lovett, Joan Osborne, Emmylou Harris, Ben Kweller, Little Feet, Elvis Costello, Susan Tedeschi, Gillian Welch, and Alejandro Escovedo. 

Founding members of Louisiana bands the Red Stick Ramblers and The Pine Leaf Boys have joined together to form Louisiana's Supergroup: THE REVELERS. Equally at home on a festival stage, late night dance party, or performing arts hall, the sheer power and raucousness of the band's sound is tempered only by their unbelievable tightness as a group. In high demand as individual musicians, they have performed and recorded with T-Bone Burnett, Natalie Merchant, Linda Ronstadt, Preston Frank, Mamadou Diabate, The Duhks, Cedric Watson, and Tim O'Brien. General Admission Tickets: $25. Lobby and balcony bars will be open for 21+.

Saturday, August 15 at 7:30 p.m: PAULA POUNDSTONE

Paula Poundstone is known for her distinctive brand of spontaneous observational comedy. Also an actress and commentator, Poundstone has appeared on numerous HBO comedy specials, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, National Public Radio's (NPR) weekly news quiz show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me, and tours across the country. Tickets: $35/General Admission. Lobby and balcony bars will be open for 21+. 

Saturday, August 8 at 7:30pm: THE WARREN HOOD BAND and THE REVELERS

An evening of Swamp-Pop, Cajun, Country, Blues and Zydeco! WARREN HOOD, the son of Austin, TX music legend Champ Hood, is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and singer. A former member of Bob Weir's acclaimed "The Waybacks", he has also performed and/or recorded with Lyle Lovett, Joan Osborne, Emmylou Harris, Ben Kweller, Little Feet, Elvis Costello, Susan Tedeschi, Gillian Welch, and Alejandro Escovedo.

Founding members of acclaimed Louisiana bands the Red Stick Ramblers and The Pine Leaf Boys have joined together to form Louisiana's Supergroup: THE REVELERS. Equally at home on a festival stage, late night dance party, or performing arts hall, the sheer power and raucousness of the band's sound is tempered only by their unbelievable tightness as a group. In high demand as individual musicians, they have performed and recorded with T-Bone Burnett, Natalie Merchant, Linda Ronstadt, Preston Frank, Mamadou Diabate, The Duhks, Cedric Watson, and Tim O'Brien. General Admission Tickets: $25. Lobby and balcony bars will be open for 21+.

Thursday, August 20 at 7:30pm: SLAID CLEAVES

The "Americana" music of Austin-based singer/songwriter and guitarist SLAID CLEAVES is rooted in country, blues and traditional folk songs. He has released 10 albums in his 20-year career, first gaining significant notice with No Angel Knows, released in 1997. A singular storyteller, CLEAVES writes with an optimistic voice; he is realistic and wise without being cynical. His latest release, Still Fighting the War, spotlights an artist in peak form; CLEAVES' seamless new collection delivers vivid snapshots as wildly cinematic as they are carefully chiseled. General Admission Tickets: $25. Lobby and balcony bars will be open for 21+.

Saturday, September 5: SIERRA LEONE'S REFUGEE ALL STARS 

Founded in 2002 by musician Reuben Koroma and his wife Sister Grace, refugees from Sierra Leone's horrific civil war, to provide a bit of entertainment and levity to their devastated fellow refugees. In 2006 a critically acclaimed film, featuring their story and music, was released alongside their debut album, Living Like a Refugee. The large band has multiple rotating members. Rooted in West African highlife and palm wine music, as well as Jamaican reggae, the band takes on elements of many other genres of African music and pop in their songs. The band's music is spirit-filled and uplifting, which fits in with their original intent -- to provide some joy and hope in the midst of devastation. A portion of their CD sales goes to support humanitarian relief efforts. 

HD BROADCAST:   

Tuesday, May 5 at 1 p.m: HERMITAGE REVEALED 

Co-presented by the Farnsworth Art Museum, with an introduction by the Farnsworth's Director of Education, Roger Dell. 

The State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg is one of the largest and oldest museums in the world holding more than three million treasures and boasting more curators than any other art institution. To mark the occasion of its 250th anniversary the museum opened its doors for the filming of this thrilling tour through it's tumultuous history, including unprecedented access to special collections and exclusive areas that remain hidden from the public eye. Approx. running time: 82 min. Tickets: $12.50/General Admission, $10/Farnsworth Members.

Tuesday, May 12 at 7:30pm: ELAINE PAIGE from the Royal Albert Hall 

Elaine Paige brings her Farewell Concert from the Royal Albert Hall to the big screen accompanied by a live set featuring special guests. Filmed for cinema, the concert features the BBC Concert Orchestra, with Elaine performing the highlights of her extraordinary 50 year career, including Memory, I Know Him so Well and As If We Never Said Goodbye. Includes a Q&A and more intimate performance with special guests recently captured in London. Paige, an actress, singer, producer, and radio presenter, has made a unique and major contribution to the development and production of the stage musical, starring in more smash hit West End & Broadway musicals than anyone else of her generation. Tickets: 12.50/General Admission. The Strand lobby bar will be open for 21+.

Tuesday, May 19 at 12:30pm: Met Opera ENCORE: CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA/PAGLIACCI

Opera's most enduring tragic double bill returns in an evocative new production from Sir David McVicar, who sets the action across two time periods but in the same Sicilian village. Marcelo Álvarez rises to the challenge of playing the dual tenor roles of Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni) and Canio in Pagliacci (Leoncavallo). Rae Smith (War Horse) has designed the moodily atmospheric 1900 village square setting of Cavalleria, which transforms to a 1948 truck stop for the doomed vaudeville troupe of Pagliacci. Eva-Maria Westbroek (Cav) and Patricia Racette (Pag) sing the unlucky heroines, and Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi is on the podium. Approx. running time: 3 hours 30 min. Tickets $23/Adults, $5/Students, available at the box office one hour prior to show. The Strand lobby bar will be open for those ages 21+.

FILMS:  

Friday, April 24 - Thursday, May 7: WOMAN IN GOLD 

WOMAN IN GOLD is the remarkable true story of one woman's journey to reclaim her heritage and seek justice for what happened to her family. Sixty years after she fled Vienna during World War II, an elderly Jewish woman, Maria Altmann (Helen Mirren), starts her journey to retrieve family possessions seized by the Nazis, among them Klimt's famous painting Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I. Together with her inexperienced but plucky young lawyer Randy Schoenberg (Ryan Reynolds), she embarks upon a major battle which takes them all the way to the heart of the Austrian establishment and the U.S. Supreme Court, and forces her to confront difficult truths about the past along the way. Directed by Simon Curtis. Starring Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Brühl. PG-13 (USA / 2015) 

Sunday, April 26 at 3pm: ERNEST AND CELESTINE 

A FREE family film, co-presented by the Farnsworth. A traditionally animated children's fantasy in an adaptation of the beloved children's book by author Gabrielle Vincent. Orphaned mouse Celestine, an artist at heart, meets Ernest, a hungry and cantankerous bear. Instead of being frightened she strikes up a friendship with the misunderstood giant. Soon the two are inseparable, but can their friendship last? Winner of France's César Award for Best Animated Feature; nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 2014 Academy Awards. Directed by Stéphane Aubier, Vincent Patar, and Benjamin Renner. Script and dialogue by Daniel Pennac. The English-language voice cast features Forest Whitaker, Mackenzie Foy, Lauren Bacall, Paul Giamatti, William H. Macy, Megan Mullally, Nick Offerman, Jeffrey Wright. PG (France / 2012)

Friday, May 1 at 8pm: LLYN FOULKES ONE MAN BAND

A First Friday Film, co-presented by the Farnsworth. During the seven years chronicled in this documentary film, artist and musician Llyn Foulkes creates, destroys, and recreates a pair of large-scale, three-dimensional paintings, one that costs him his marriage, while trying to keep afloat in the fickle art market. With interviews from veterans of the 1960s Los Angeles art scene such as Dennis Hopper and George Herms, and structured like one of Foulkes's constantly reworked paintings, the film tracks his artistic struggles, ending as he is at last rediscovered by the international art world at age 77. The film is an intimate portrait of an artist battling his own demons as well as the perceived demons of the art world. Directed and produced by Chris Qulity and Tamar Halpern. Screening to be followed by a special Skype Q&A with Llyn Foulkes himself, led by the Farnsworth's Director of Education, Roger Dell. $8.50/ General Admission, $7.50/ Farnsworth Members.