Jeanette Colby, the University’s calendar editor, offers a selection of events and activities to do this weekend. Find daily updates on upcoming events on the University Events Calendar at www.rochester.edu/calendar.
#1: Mother Courage and Her Children Features an Original Score
A pop-rock contemporary version of Bertolt Brecht’s antiwar drama Mother Courage and Her Children, will open Thursday, April 7, and continue through April 23 at Todd Theater. The play, produced by the International Theatre Program, features the world premiere of a score by Matt Marks ‘02E, a Brooklyn-based composer who is in residence this semester at Rochester. Curtains open at 8 p.m. with matinee performances at 2 p.m. on April 10 and 17. Tickets $15-18.
#2: Eastman Opera Theatre Presents Le Nozze Di Figaro
The Eastman Opera Theatre will present Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro or “The Marriage of Figaro,” beginning at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 7 at Kodak Hall. Two hundred and thirty years after Mozart wrote his opera masterpiece, its timeless themes of love and misunderstandings still resonate. The performances, featuring a rotating cast of Eastman School of Music undergraduate and graduate students, and will be sung in Italian with projected English supertitles and a full orchestra. The production will continue through Saturday, April 9. There will be pre-performance talks an hour before each show. Tickets $25-35 (Discounts available to University ID holders)
#3: Dance Group and A Cappella Ensemble Perform at Strong Auditorium
The Ballet Performance Group, celebrating its 20th anniversary, will present the show “Heartbeat…A BPG Production,” at 7 p.m. Friday, April 8. Tickets are $6 for University students and $8 for general admission. BPG will donate a $1 from each ticket to Relay for Life. On Saturday, April 9, the a cappella group After Hours will present its concert “Star Wars – The EP Awakens” at 8 p.m., featuring a guest performance by SUNY Buffalo’s the Royal Pitches and the music of artists such as Mumford and Sons and CHVRCHES. The ensemble will also celebrate the release of its new EP “Eye To Eye.” Tickets are $7 for University students and $10 for the general public. Tickets will be sold at the door and both performances will be held at Strong Auditorium.
#4: Award-winning Pianist Performs the Music of Poland
Hear the Music of Poland, a program presented by the Skalny Center for Polish and Central European Studies and the Department of Music, on Sunday, April 10. The performance will feature award-winning pianist Johnandrew Slominski, assistant professor of music theory at the Eastman School of Music. The former child prodigy gave his first public performance at age 5 and won his first piano competition at 6. Slominski will perform several well-known pieces by Polish composers Frederic Chopin and Zygmunt Krauze. The free concert begins at 7 p.m. at Strong Auditorium.
#5: Spelling Bee Competition Recognizes Rochester Students’ Achievements
Show your support for the academic achievements of young Rochester students as the University hosts the sixth annual 19th Ward Spelling Bee on Saturday, April 9. Students from several Rochester schools, who’ve been working on their spelling skills with the University’s Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, will compete for the title of “best speller” in various age groups. The winner will be awarded a trophy and a $500 scholarship, funded by the Community Foundation, toward college. The event is from 1 to 3 p.m. at Hoyt Auditorium on the River Campus and free for spectators.
