The Rape of Europa The Rape of Europa is a feature documentary film that tells the story of the systematic theft, deliberate destruction and miraculous survival of Europe’s art treasures in the Third Reich and WWII. Today, more than 60 years later, the legacy of this tragic history continues to play out as families of looted collectors recover major works of art, conservators repair battle damage, and nations fight over the fate of illgotten spoils of war. Joan Allen narrates this breathtaking chronicle about the battle over the very survival of centuries of western culture.
“A startling documentary.” - Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times.
“This mesmerizing morality play, rich in rare archival footage and complete with heroic Allied saviors, merits a full-fledged arthouse run.” - Ronnie Scheib, Variety.
Unrated, 117 mins.
Stay with us after the Tuesday,
Rittelmann Sept. 9, screening for a 20-minute talk and Q&A session led by SUNY-Fredonia Assistant Professor of Visual Art & New Media Leesa Rittelmann. Rittelmann will provide new insight into the Third Reich's views on abstract and modern art. Prevailing thought has traditionally held that all modern/abstract art was banned in the Third Reich; but much recent research suggests that there was considerable dispute within the party as to how much abstraction was too much.
With Bob and Sue Dilks
FREE Admission
Words guaranteed to send a chill down the spine of any red-blooded American male. "If You Were Mine ..."
Join local authors Bob and Sue Dilks as they talk about and read from their latest novels, both hot off the presses.
Sue's Her Reason For Being mixes fact and fiction following the lives and loves of two very different women over four decades as they struggle to find their places and themselves in one of the most prosperous and fastest growing cities in America: Buffalo, NY. The action takes place in and around our area from the mid-1870s to 1916.
Bob's Commonweal completes a trilogy of bundled events inextricably connecting a cast of colorful characters. East collides with West, corporeal challenges spiritual and unknown forces ease the way for unsought power.
Since discovering their own touch of Heaven outside Cassadaga in 1992, Bob and Sue have turned much of their free time to writing. When a shorthand name was needed to describe to those they left behind in Warren, PA, just where it was that they kept going, a look out the window one November morn quickly led to the name - DUCK! Soon a leather-bound album of "Duck Tales" was followed by a second, a third and now a fourth volume. In between, Bob has written various articles including a regular series for "Silver" magazine.
Told if she wanted to read of turn-of-the-century decades that she'd have to write about them herself, Sue accepted the challenge and by mid-2001 her novel was born. When a particularly snowy winter followed a few years later, Bob decided that anything she could do, he could do ... well, at least as well. Three-plus novels later the rest, as they say, is history. Recommended for adults only, tickets to this program include a reception of light refreshments.
Although admission to this event is FREE, reservations are required and may be reserved by calling the Box Office at 716-679-1891.
Elsa & FredAlfredo was always a good man who did everything he was supposed to do. After losing his wife, he feels disturbed and confused; and his daughter decides that it would be best if he moved into a smaller apartment where he meets Elsa. From that moment on, everything changes. Elsa bursts into his life like a whirlwind, determined to teach him that the time he has left - be it more or less - is precious and that he should enjoy it as he pleases. Fred surrenders to Elsa's frenzy, youth, boldness and beautiful madness. This is how Alfredo (or Fred, as Elsa calls him) learns how to live.
“Love is said to be blind, but this sweet Spanish romance suggests it may also be ageless.” - Bob Mondello, NPR.
“Both a movie about love and a love letter to movies.” - Jean Catsoulis, NY Times.
Rated PG for some language, in Spanish & Italian w/ English Subtitles, 108 mins.
Carmen & Dick Gilman FREE Admission (ticket required)
Folk in Fredonia Music Series
Fredonia folk music favorites Carmen & Dick Gilman invite their musician friends from throughout the state to join them on the Opera House stage for an afternoon of great music, dance and a story or two!
The unofficial kickoff to the Folk in Fredonia Music Series, this event is great fun for the whole family!
Sponsored by The Gilman Family
Although admission to this event is FREE, tickets are required and may be reserved by calling the Box Office at 716-679-1891.
Featuring Maria Ferrante and Lincoln Mayorga
Presented by the Chautauqua County Historical Society
General Admission $20
($15 Seniors & Students)
Internationally acclaimed Soprano Maria Ferrante and Pianist Lincoln Mayorga make their debut Chautauqua County appearance in this fund-raiser for the Chautauqua County Historical Society.
With Mayorga's accompaniment, Ferrante breathes new life into 19th century parlor songs from the collection of the American Antiquarian Society. She'll sing songs of love and loss, of joy and care, of sweet innocence and community ... now-forgotten musical gems that our great-great-grandparents sang while sitting around the "piano in the parlor." There's a spirit in this music we can learn from and embrace today!
Sponsored by the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation with major support from Lake Shore Savings Bank.
Kit Kittredge In the first feature film based on the hugely popular American Girl® book series, Oscar® nominee Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) stars as a resourceful young girl whose bravery, compassion and determination help her solve a mystery that could save her family’s home during the Great Depression.
"Just about perfect for its target audience, and more than that. It has a great look, engaging performances, real substance and even a few whispers of political ideas, all surrounding the freshness and charm of Abigail Breslin, who was 11 when it was filmed." - Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Rated G, 91 mins.
Ron & Nancy OneSong General Admission $15
Opera House Rental - Presented by Medina Stone Farm
Created and performed by Ron & Nancy OneSong, this live production is a salute to country music presented by one of the area's finest country music duos.
Ron & Nancy OneSong specialize in traditional American music, including country, bluegrass, western & gospel. Performing as a duo since 1994, they have combined their talents to create a sound reminiscent of the past. The name "OneSong" is a reference to music being the "universal language."
They have appeared nationally and internationally at festivals and special events, including at Ryman Auditorium and the Bell Buckle Cafe in Tennessee and abroad in England, France and Canada. They have opened for country music entertainers including Tommy Cash, Stonewall Jackson and John Anderson.
In the summer of 2000, Ron & Nancy launched an all-new music venue, "The Medina Stone Farm," with the goal of sharing their love of traditional country music in an authentic rural setting. The Medina Stone Farm is situated on nearly 100 acres along the historic Erie Canal and welcomes individuals and groups for country music shows and barn dances.
The duo has been featured guests on many radio shows including WXRL Radio's "Grand Old Country," "Country Gold Classics with Jack Boland" in Philadelphia, "The J. Gregory Jamboree" in Bell Buckle, TN, and on "Farmer Brown's Barn" and "Bill Knowlton's Bluegrass Ramble" in Syracuse, NY. In addition, the two have produced their own radio show on WXRL Radio in Lancaster, NY, using an old-time format with a mix of vintage recordings, guest interviews and live performances.
The duo was inducted into the New York State Country Music Hall of Fame in 2003. An autobiography of their music career was published in August 2007.
For tickets, call the Box Office at 716-679-1891. For group sales, call the Medina Stone Farm at 585-798-9238.
General Admission $15
($13 Opera House Members)
Twelve-time Grammy Award nominee for Best Polka Band, Lenny Gomulka & Chicago Push has been performing for more than 20 years and has evolved into providing the most progressive sound in polka music of the past 3 decades.
Inducted into the International Polka Music Hall of Fame, this Boston-based band created and trademarked the "push" style of polka music, which is now well-known among musicians and polka audiences everywhere. Equally adept at both the traditional and the innovative, Chicago Push is all about keeping polka music alive.
With 16 albums, Lenny Gomulka & Chicago Push are fan favorites from Boston to Baton Rouge and from Fresno to Fort Lauderdale!
Attending from out of town? Consider staying at one of the area's beautiful inns or bed & breakfasts as part of an overnight performance package.
Sponsored by Arkwright Printing
Brideshead RevisitedA provocative and suspenseful drama, ‘Brideshead Revisited’ tells an evocative story of forbidden love and the loss of innocence set in the pre-WWII era. In the film, Charles Ryder becomes entranced with the noble Marchmain family, first through the charming and provocative Sebastian Flyte, and then his sophisticated sister, Julia. The rise and fall of Charles' infatuations reflect the decline of a decadent era in England between the wars. Academy Award-winner Emma Thompson co-stars as Lady Marchmain.
“Clever writing, strong performances and sumptuous production design.” - Claudia Pluig, USA Today.
“Plush and passionate and graced with elegant performances.” - Carrie Rickey, Philadelphia Inquirer.
Rated PG-13 for some sexual content. 134 Mins.
The Wondermakers Oct 17 2008 - 12:30pm
General Admission $5
Through the use of theater games, creative dramatics, comedy, improvisational techniques and audience participation, students learn the "ingredients" that go into a good story and will be inspired to create their own stories, poems and plays. This highly interactive program features The Wondermakers, actors/improvisers who have studied at Second City Toronto and Chicago and at City Limits NYC. Part of the Fredonia Storytelling Festival.
This event is presented primarily for school groups, but is open to the public as well. $5 admission collected at the door.
Big Fish Ewan McGregor and Albert Finney star in this unique family film about a son trying to learn more about his dying father by reliving the stories and myths his father told about himself. Filled with fantasy sequences and tall tales, it's a heartwarming story about rebuilding the bonds of love between a father and son.
"Funny, touching, smart, whimsical, dazzling and, at times, downright magical." - Tom Long, Detroit News
Rated PG-13 for a fight scene, some images of nudity and a suggestive reference, 125 mins.
A Master Class with Willy Claflin
$25 Workshop Fee
Fredonia Storytelling Festival
"Mother Moose, Mother Moose, where have you been?
-- I've been to the kitchen and back again
"Mother Moose, Mother Moose, what did you do there?
-- I made the whole universe out of thin air!"
As Maynard Moose says, "It's one thing to make a universe out of thick air. But to make a universe out of thin air, you have to stir and stir and stir!" Here is a fool-proof recipe for cooking up your own original stories. We'll make lists of problems and characters (human and animal), cut them up and shuffle them, pick random combinations and set our protagonists out to seek their fortunes! Our main characters will find that their first two attempts to solve their problems both fail, and success won't come until the third final attempt. (This way our tales will have a good middle, as well as beginning and end.)
Once we have our unexpected plots in hand, we'll turn to a series of games and exercises designed to add detail. What did our main character hear, see and smell? What was she/he thinking about during the unfolding adventure?
Finally, we'll move to the telling itself: how can we learn to tell the tale in a confident fashion, without having to memorize every word?
Students are guaranteed to come away with a new tale to tell.
Willy Claflin & Maynard Moose Featuring Maynard Moose
FREE Admission (ticket required)
D.R. Barker Library Community Series
Acclaimed storyteller Willy Claflin and his sidekick Maynard Moose entertain the kid in all of us in this afternoon of storytelling at its funniest. Part of the Fredonia Storytelling Festival. Sponsored, in part, by the D.R. Barker Library and the Fredonia Teachers' Association.
Although admission to this event is FREE, tickets are required and may be reserved by calling the Box Office at 716-679-1891.
Featuring Willy Claflin
With Dennis Collins, Sharon Holley and Doug Manly
General Admission $10
An evening of storytelling for adults ... Hosted by Doug Manly and featuring acclaimed storyteller Willy Claflin, this evening of wild and witty stories is guaranteed to tickle your funny bone and make you laugh out loud! Regional tellers Dennis Collins and Sharon Holley also will be featured with stories ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous. The ticket includes a reception with the storytellers and light refreshments following the performance. Part of the Fredonia Storytelling Festival.
Sponsored by Ann & Doug Manly.
Reserved Seating $22
($20 Seniors, $18 Opera House Members)
DFT Communications Spotlight Series
In the tradition of the hilarious Harvey Korman and Tim Conway sketches from the old Carol Burnett Show, "The Queen of Bingo" tells the tale of Sis and Babe, two sisters on the other side of 50 who want to add a little fun and excitement to their lives ... but where to find it?? Bingo!!
"The Queen of Bingo" explores the worlds of Bingo, family ties, diet crazes, widowhood, hot flashes and winning! The audience joins in the fun during the "Middle Bird Special" - a real Bingo game in which some lucky audience member wins a FREE 10 lb. frozen turkey!
Theatergoers young and old will howl with laughter as two zany guys, playing two crazy gals, light up the stage in this raucous comedy hit!
Attending from out of town? Consider staying at one of the area's beautiful inns or bed & breakfasts as part of an overnight performance package.
Man on Wire On August 7th 1974, a young Frenchman named Philippe Petit stepped out on a wire illegally rigged between New York's twin towers. Petit had spent months in New York planning the execution. Aided by a team of friends and accomplices, he was faced with numerous challenges: bypass the WTC’s security; smuggle in the heavy cable and rigging equipment; pass the wire between the two rooftops; anchor and tension it to withstand the winds and the swaying of the buildings. The rigging was done by night in complete secrecy. At 7:15 AM, Philippe took his first step on a high wire 1,350 feet above the sidewalks of Manhattan…
“This film is a celebration of human achievement; it soars with the promise that we are shackled to the ground only by lack of imagination and will.” - Peter Howell, Toronto Star.
Rated PG-13 for some nudity, sexuality, and drug references, 94 mins.
General Admission $18
($15 Opera House members)
Folk-in-Fredonia Music Series
The word "legend" is often used to describe veteran folk/rocker Jonathan Edwards, whose 1971 million-selling song "Sunshine" ("go away today...") brought him instant fame. Edwards was born in Minnesota and detoured into blues and rock before realizing he was hooked on folk music. During his 36-year career he has recorded 15 albums, performed throughout North America and in Holland, and collaborated with artists such as Emmylou Harris, Jimmy Buffett, Maura O'Connell, Christine Lavin and Cheryl Wheeler. His 1987 children's album, "Little Hands," was selected by the National Library Association as a "Notable Children's Recording."
His varied career has included theater, commercials, record production and two movie soundtracks. He narrated and performed in the Media Artists series "Cruising America's Waterways," which started airing on PBS-TV stations in 2001. "Sunshine" can be heard in the 2004 Will Ferrell movie, "Anchorman." His most recent CD, "Live in Massachusetts," was released in 2006; and Media Artists just released a 90-minute documentary of his career, "That's What Our Life Is."
Attending from out of town? Consider staying at one of the area's beautiful inns or bed & breakfasts as part of an overnight performance package.
Horton Hears a Who! On the fifteenth of May, in the jungle of Nool, in the heat of the day, in the cool of the pool. He was splashing...enjoying the jungle's great joys...When Horton the elephant heard a small noise. With his signature evocative and rhyming text, writer and cartoonist Dr. Seuss, an American treasure whose books have delighted generations of young people, opens one of his most beloved tales, Horton Hears a Who! Now, over fifty years since Seuss, whose real name was Theodor Seuss Geisel, published this perennial favorite, the makers of ICE AGE and comedy giants Jim Carrey and Steve Carell, bring it to life in a way never before experienced.
"This is animation most animate, a kid-pic so rare, that even adults will fall off their chairs!" - Peter Howell, Toronto Star
Rated G, 88 mins.
General Admission $10
($8 Seniors/Students, $5 Children 12 and under)
Carousel Family Series
Unpredictable thrills, side-splitting comedy and daredevil stunts are the signature style of Circo Comedia, starring the duo of Jean Saucier and Patrick Cote.
In the tradition of the Quebec Circus, master equilibrist, juggler, trick cyclist, acrobat and magician Saucier performs his feats from dizzying heights, while burlesque clown, expert roller skater and drummer Cote tries (unsuccessfully) to be the perfect assistant.
This is family entertainment at its finest -- deliriously funny and filled with unforgettable moments!
Attending from out of town? Consider staying at one of the area's beautiful inns or bed & breakfasts as part of an overnight performance package.
Featuring John & Stephanie Sikora with Ann Kennedy
General Admission $15
($13 Opera House Members, $6 Students)
DFT Communications Spotlight Series
Acclaimed baritone and soprano John & Stephanie Sikora are joined by soprano Ann Kennedy in this program of selections from the world's greatest operas, operettas and musical theatre.
The Sikoras are both well-known throughout the United States, having sung with many regional opera companies and symphonies, he in leading roles such as Badilio/Barber of Seville, Figaro/Marriage of Figaro, and Rocco/Fidelio, and she in productions of The Merry Widow, Mikado, Die Fledermaus and Hansel and Gretel. Both also recently appeared in Paris, Nice and Frejus, France, in performances of Bach's Kaffee Kantata with the Association pour le Developpment de la Musique Baroque.
John also was heard in the world premier of Holy Blood and Crescent Moon at Cleveland Opera and has been featured in countless solo engagements that include Handel's Messiah, Mozart's Requiem and Beethoven's Ninth.
Stephanie has sung more than 100 performances with Cleveland Opera on Tour and also has appeared in An Evening of Gilbert & Sullivan under the baton of Robert Page, in Bernstein's Broadway conducted by Leonard Slatkin and in the world premier of Song in Sparrow conducted by Jahja Ling.
The Sikoras will be joined by soprano Ann Kennedy, a western NY native who has sung in many venues in NYC including with the Metropolitan Museum of Art Christmas Concert Series, at the Riverside Church and St. Paul's Cathedral and in the Trinity Concert Series.
Attending from out of town? Consider staying at one of the area's beautiful inns or bed & breakfasts as part of an overnight performance package.
General Admission $10
Your chills will be multiplyin' and the mood electrifyin' as you sing along to Grease's hit tunes with the gang from Rydell High. Hosted by a special "celebrity" guest who will introduce the film, teach you to Hand Jive and make sure you have a whole lotta fun, this screening of the now-classic movie will have you shouting "tell me more, tell me more!"
Audience members are encouraged to dress as their favorite characters from the movie, meaning anybody can be a T-Bird or a Pink Lady! Subtitled song lyrics and audience participation goody bags help make sure every "Sandy" and "Danny" have their moment in the spotlight. And don't worry if you sing off-key ... "there are worse things you could do!"
You may not have been lived through the 50s, but this Grease Sing-Along will make you feel a least a little cool!
Attending from out of town? Consider staying at one of the area's beautiful inns or bed & breakfasts as part of an overnight performance package.
General Admission $15
($13 Opera House Members)
Great Performers Concert Series
Marcus Goldhaber is known in the music world for his intimate approach to straight-ahead jazz. In the past year, he has performed at several top NYC venues including: The Metropolitan Room, Iridium, The Cutting Room, The Friars Club, The Carnegie Club, Lenox Lounge and the Ritz-Carlton. He also has performed concerts at NYC's Worldwide Plaza and the AOL Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle and maintained residencies at both The Benjamin Hotel and The Downstairs Room at Penang.
Born and raised in Buffalo, Goldhaber developed a passion for jazz alongside a 1928 Ivers & Pond upright piano, on which his mother casually played countless standards. Inspired by his upbringing, along with a clear inheritance of the musical gene, Goldhaber graduated with a BFA in Musical Theatre from SUNY-Fredonia, then moved to NYC to work as an actor. Eventually, he returned to singing the standards of Harold Arlen, Dorothy Fields, Jimmy McHugh and many others, with a perfect blend of yesterday and today and a modern approach that stays true to this style of music.
"Goldhaber puts a heartfelt, sometimes heart-breaking, spin on such standards as 'Someone in Love' and 'Honeysuckle Rose,' finding the soul in each note with his no-frills approach." -- People Magazine
"His tone and style are reminiscent of a young Frank Sinatra." -- JazzImprovNY
Attending from out of town? Consider staying at one of the area's beautiful inns or bed & breakfasts as part of an overnight performance package.
Featuring Das Puppenspiel Puppet Theatre and John Kirk & Trish Miller
General Admission $15
($10 Seniors, $5 Students/Children)
Carousel Family & Folk in Fredonia Music Series
Internationally known Das Puppenspiel Puppet Theatre teams up with folk musicians John Kirk & Trish Miller in this special program of Appalachian storytelling and music.
Presented in two parts, this unique performance features Das Puppenspiel in the show's first half presenting a series of tales that find Jack (of "the Beanstalk" fame) as he journeys through all sorts of magical adventures. Large, beautifully crafted "bunraku' style puppets and authentic Appalachian music performed live by musician John Kirk combine to bring these funny and delightful tales to life.
In the show's second half, John Kirk is joined by Trish Miller for a performance of traditional folk music. This husband and wife duo are Opera House favorites known for their diverse musical talents and step dancing abilities. Their down-home, roots-based performances have entertained audiences from Maine to California and from Michigan to Florida!
Attending from out of town? Consider staying at one of the area's beautiful inns or bed & breakfasts as part of an overnight performance package.
General Admission $15
($13 Opera House members)
Folk in Fredonia Music Series
Since its founding in 2002, Le Vent du Nord has quickly become one of the most recognizable and esteemed bands of the Quebec traditional music world. Exploding onto the folk music scene, the group was awarded the Juno (the Canadian Grammy) for Traditional Album of the Year for its first recording.
Named North American Traditional Artist of the Year in 2005, the band has continued to bring its Celtic-based, French Canadian folk music to audiences throughout the world. Touring extensively in the U.S., Canada, Finland, Denmark, Italy, Spain, France, the U.K., Sweden and Norway, the band has played alongside such renowned artists as The Chieftains and Flook.
The band's music is both fresh and bound to tradition and utilizes fiddle, hurdy-gurdy, guitar, bass, piano and four-part harmonies. Le Vent du Nord members sing original songs and songs taken from traditional repertoire in their native French, to the delight of their audiences -- for whom more often than not it is a foreign language -- and the audiences keep asking for more. It's infectiously beautiful music and just plain old, good, clean fun!
Attending from out of town? Consider staying at one of the area's beautiful inns or bed & breakfasts as part of an overnight performance package.
