By Ted AYALA Summer is often a time for leisure for many people – but not for Sonia Marie de León de Vega. For nearly a quarter of a century, she has been the engaging and energetic music director of the Santa Cecilia Orchestra, whose home is Occidental College’s Thorne Hall in Eagle Rock. Over […]
By Ted AYALA There was a sense of optimism wafting between the notes on Saturday at the Rose Bowl. On the stage set up on the stadium’s lawn were the Pasadena Pops and its music director Marvin Hamlisch. Hamlisch has much to take pride in. His inaugural season with the Pops has been an undisputed […]
By Ted AYALA A handful of concerts from local musical organizations will be bringing this year’s summer concert season to a close this weekend – and the timing couldn’t be better. With temperatures this weekend expected to soar into the 100s in the valleys, this is the perfect opportunity for local music lovers to venture […]
By Ted AYALA One of my most memorable – and surprising – musical experiences was when I heard a powerful and searching performance of Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 2 at the Alex Theatre last spring. Memorable because Schumann as a symphonic composer could often be his own worst enemy, scuttling brilliant thematic and structural ideas […]
The dog days of summer need not be comprised of hot dogs alone. Home grill masters increasingly are spicing up a great American tradition by adding the flavors of the world to their summer meals. The healthy results are also delicious. “You can turn your backyard fare into something extra special with a little flavor […]
Comic giant’s New 52 campaign revisits iconic figures’ beginnings. By Charly SHELTON DC Comics was never really my favorite. Marvel had Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Hulk and Fantastic Four. Why would anyone want to read about anyone else? Batman has no powers, Aquaman has powers but who cares (the Justice League is based on a […]
By Ted AYALA One of the biggest events of the year is about to arrive. An all-day festival of music and art is coming to the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on Saturday, Aug. 27. The world premiere of a new musical, “The Real Love,” created by an all-star team of composers and lyricists and starring some […]
By Charly SHELTON Oh no! Only one week left to have fun before heading back to school. What to do? Well, here are some ideas. There’s the CV Weekly Scavenger Hunt that began last week. If you’re unfamiliar, grab last week’s paper and take a look at the story we did on the hunt on […]
By Charly Shelton I did not want to see “Rise of the Planet of the Apes.” I made no secret that I had no interest in it. It looked like just another bad spinoff made to capitalize on a dying franchise of yesteryear with no real interest in being a good movie on its own. […]
Looking for some great summer reading to help get you through the dog days of the season? Why not catch up on American classics you might have missed in your youth? The long sunny days are great for lounging and meandering through some American classics, many of which enjoy a controversial history that makes them […]