Calendar editor Jeanette Colby offers a selection of events and activities to check out this weekend. Browse, discover, and share upcoming events on the University Events Calendar by logging in with your University NetID. The calendar features a variety of events at all campuses, including the River Campus, Eastman School of Music, Memorial Art Gallery, and the Medical Center.
#1: Hear this year’s MLK commemorative address
Scholar and author Eddie Glaude Jr. will deliver the 20th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Address on Friday, January 24. Glaude, the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor and chair of the Department of African American Studies at Princeton University, is the former president of the American Academy of Religion. He is the author of several monographs on religion and philosophy and has also written for the New York Times and Time magazine and appeared on Meet the Press, CNN, and MSNBC. His next book, Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own, will be released in April by Crown Publishing Group, a subsidiary of Penguin Random House. The talk is free; no registration is necessary. The address begins at 6 p.m. at Strong Auditorium.
#2: Watch a comedic double-bill opera
The Eastman Opera Theatre presents a comedic double bill with Salieri’s Prima la musica e poi le parole (First the Music, Then the Words) and Mozart’s The Impresario open Saturday, January 25, through Sunday, February 2, at Eastman School of Music’s Blackbox Theatre (Annex 804). The double-bill opens with the 18th-century Italian take on the audition scene. The story follows a composer and a poet who are set on finding the prima donnas for their newly written opera. Over the course of the show, two sopranos vie for the position. After a brief intermission, the space transforms into a mid-20th century production office where we see Frank, the Impresario of the company, and Buff, his righthand man, starting a brand-new opera company. The production includes stage direction by master’s candidate Ian Silverman and musical direction by Timothy Long, associate professor at the Eastman School. Get an inside look into both productions. Shows begin at 7:30 p.m. and a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, February 2. Tickets are $26 and can be purchased online.
#3: Enjoy annual step showcase at Strong Auditorium
The Black Students’ Union will present its annual Step Show, from 1 to 5 p.m., Saturday, January 25, at Strong Auditorium. This year’s show “A Step through Disney,” and will consist of a variety of teams from the Rochester community. General admission tickets will be available at the door for $2 ($1 for students) on a first-come, first-served basis.
#4: See a performance by Grammy–winning faculty member
Grammy Award-winning violist Masumi Per Rostad will take the stage at Eastman School’s Kilbourn Hall on Friday, January 24, as part of the Faculty Artist Series. Rostad has received praise for his rich and expressive tone, energy, and commanding presence, and has been described by critics as an “electrifying, poetic and sensitive musician.” As a member of the Pacifica Quartet, Masumi performed and toured extensively throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia. In 2009, the quartet received a Grammy for Best Chamber Music Performance and was named Musical America’s Ensemble of the Year. Friday’s concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Entry is free with University ID. Others can buy tickets here.
#5: Cheer on the Yellowjackets basketball teams
The men’s and women’s basketball teams are in action this weekend, hosting UAA conference games against Case Western Reserve University and Carnegie Mellon University on Friday, January 24, and Sunday, January 26, respectively. The women play at 6 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The men’s games are scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday and noon on Sunday. All games will be held at the Palestra in Goergen Athletic Center. Admission is free.