Arts events: Jan. 18 through Jan. 21, 2018

For more upcoming events, click here for The Chester Telegraph calendar. To be included in our Upcoming Events briefs, email Susan Lampe-Wilson at calendar@chestertelegraph.org. Photos welcome. No PDFs, please. Notices must be received by noon on Fridays to be eligible for publication the following week.

Jan. 18: Brian D. Cohen watercolor exhibit

Main Street Arts celebrates the opening of an exhibit of the work by watercolorist Brian D. Cohen with a reception from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 18 at 35 Main St. in Saxtons River. Light refreshments will be served. The event is free and open to the public.

Call 802-869-2960 or visit www.mainstreetarts.org for more information.

Jan 19: Concert pays tribute to French composers

The Brattleboro Music Center presents French Connection, a concert of flute music by French composers on Friday, Jan. 19. The performance is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Brattleboro Music Center Auditorium, 72 Blanche Moyse Way in Brattleboro.

This concert is a tribute to Louis Moyse, co-founder of the Marlboro Music Festival and longtime Marlboro College faculty member.

Tickets are $10 for students, $20 general admission and $30 for patrons. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit the BMC website at bmcvt.org or call 802-257-4523.

Jan. 19-21: Northern Stage New Works Now showcase

Northern Stage announces its fifth annual New Works Now, a showcase and celebration of new plays presented Friday through Sunday, Jan. 19-–21 at the Barrette Center for the Arts 74 Gates St. in White River Junction.

Inaugurated in 2014, New Works Now presents rehearsed staged readings of plays new to the American theater. This year’s event includes three staged readings, each featuring a post-show conversation with the playwrights, actors and directors. A fourth off-site 10-minute play will be presented twice at two different area businesses during the festival weekend.

Admission is free for the readings, but seats are reserved. Contact the box office to secure your reservation at 802-296-7000 or boxoffice@northernstage.org.

Readings are as follows:

Friday, Jan. 19, 7:30 p.m.: It’s Fine, I’m Fine by Stephanie Everett, a one-woman show that provides a window into the tumult of modern-day adolescence, made increasingly difficult by the unseen repercussions of concussions.

Saturday, Jan. 20, 7:30 p.m.: The Coup, a rock musical by Rebekah Greer Melocik, Jacob Yandura and Victor Lesniewski that is a fable about the disconnects in their political system, features live music and the largest cast seen at New Works Now.

Sunday, Jan. 21, 2 p.m.:  Jane Burgoyne by Robert Moulthrop, an exploration of the intergenerational relationship between three women: Jane Burgoyne, her daughter Katherine and granddaughter Allison.

Accompanying the staged readings is the third annual Thirsty Theater, an off-site pop-up theater experience in White River Junction.

This year, the world premiere of the 10-minute play “The Dual” by Jack Neary will be performed by Emmy winner Gordon Clapp and Susan Haefner. No tickets are required for this event, which is scheduled for the following times:

• The Filling Station: Friday, Jan. 19 at 9 p.m. (arrival to the Filling Station at 8:45 p.m. recommended) 70 Gates St. in WRJ.
• Thyme Restaurant: Saturday, Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m. (dinner reservations via Thyme for 6 p.m. or earlier recommended) 85 North Main St. in WRJ.

Jan. 20: FOLA presents ‘Les Miserables in Concert’

The Friends of Ludlow Auditorium features the musical Les Miserables in Concert at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 20 in the Ludlow Town Hall Auditorium at 37 S. Depot St. in Ludlow.

Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary was originally performed at The O2 in North Greenwich, London, England in October 2010.

Based on the classic novel by Victor Hugo, Les Miserables is set in early 19th-century France. It is the story of Jean Valjean, a French peasant, and his quest for redemption after serving 19 years in jail for having stolen a loaf of bread for his sister’s starving child.

The musical is open to everyone and is free; donations are appreciated. Information is available at 802-228-7239 and the FOLA website, www.fola.us.

Jan. 20: Turkish music at Stone Church

Stone Church Arts brings Dolunay and Çesni Trios, a double bill of Turkish music, at 7:30 p.m., on Saturday, Jan. 20 at Immanuel Episcopal Church, 20 Church St., Bellows Falls.

The Brooklyn, N.Y.-based trio Dolunay (Turkish for “full moon”) draws upon the songs from the Turkish people living across Rumeli, the former region of the Ottoman Balkans. The music of the Çesni Trio is grounded in the flavors of Turkish makam music while remaining deeply personal and contemporary.

A modal music tradition, Türk sanat müziği (Turkish art music) developed in the urban areas of the Ottoman Empire and has a history of over 500 years. The tradition includes a wide range of repertoire, composers and practitioners.

Tickets in advance are $20 general admission, $15 for seniors, and $45 for premium, reserved seats. At the door, prices increase by $5 to $25 general admission and $20 for seniors. Information and advance tickets are available in person at Village Square Booksellers on the Square in Bellows Falls, by phone at 802-460-0110, and online at www.stonechurcharts.org.

Jan. 20 & 21: Requiem and Lauridsen’s Lux Aeterna

Susan Dedell and the Brattleboro Concert Choir introduce area music lovers to the music of Karl Jenkins, performing his Requiem in two performances at the Latchis Theatre at 50 Main St. in Brattleboro. The concerts are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 20 and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 21.

In the Requiem, traditional western music meets Japanese instruments, and traditional Latin Requiem language is mingled with Japanese haiku, forming a seamless piece that celebrates life.

Joining the Concert Choir for this performance is shakuhachi player Elizabeth Brown, who has performed across the United States and throughout Japan. The shakuhachi is the traditional flute of Japan, a long, bamboo instrument that originated in the sixth century when it was widely used by the Fuke sect of Zen monks in the practice of “blowing meditation.”

Tickets are $15; $10 for students, available from members of the Brattleboro Concert Choir; at the Brattleboro Music Center, 72 Blanche Moyse Way; by calling 802-257-4523; or online at bmcvt.org. For more information, visit the BMC website at bmcvt.org or call 802-257-4523.

Jan. 21: In Stile Moderno to perform at BMC

Brattleboro’s In Stile Moderno announces its first concert of 2018. “How Sweet the Torment: Madrigals of Monteverdi and his Contemporaries” will be performed at 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 21, at the Brattleboro Music Center, 72 Blanche Moyse Way, Brattleboro.

An ensemble for early music, In Stile Moderno was founded in 2012 by Brattleboro native Nathaniel Cox (cornetto and theorbo) and Agnes Coakley (soprano). Dedicated to performing rarely heard works of the 17th century, In Stile Moderno has been praised for its virtuosity and engaging performances.

Tickets are $25/$10 and are available at the door. For more information, visit www.instilemoderno.com or https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-sweet-the-torment-madrigals-of-monteverdi-and-his-contemporaries-tickets-42022121296.