Milwaukee pays homage to classics and sequels

Music

Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana,” set to be performed by the MSO this weekend, takes its lyrics from a collection of medieval poems of the same name.

Andreas Delfs, conductor laureate of the Milwaukee Symphony, returns this weekend (Jan. 20-22) to lead Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. Carmina, one of the most recognizable works in existence, was something of a Delfs signature piece during his tenure as music director here. The orchestra will also play dances by Brahms and Dvorak. Featured in Carmina: The MSO Chorus; Milwaukee Children’s Choir; Andrew Bidlack, tenor; Hugh Russell, baritone; and Norah Amsellem, soprano (replacing Heidi Stober, out due to illness).  Shows are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m., with tickets from $25 to $102. To order, visit the MSO’s website or call (414) 291-7605.

Dance

“The Sequel!” is a return to a successful DPC formula: Take film genres and turn them into dance. Photo by Dan Bishop.

In 2010, Danceworks staged Lights, DPC… Action!, a blockbuster that explored 10 movie genres through dance. And now, The Sequel! (Appropriate, no?) The Sequel! dives back into the world of film, featuring dances inspired by the Wild West, Bollywood, and more. Performances run Jan. 20 to 29, with shows at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Sundays, and at 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26. Tickets are $20, $25 for reserved seats and $15 for students and seniors; order on Danceworks’ website or at (414) 277-8480.

Visual Arts

Tina Barney’s “The Europeans” depicts moments in the lives of the Continent’s elite. Photo courtesy Haggerty Museum of Art.

The Haggerty Museum of Art practically explodes with new exhibitions this week, with four opening Jan. 18. The most prominent might be Philip Guston: Inevitable Finality, The Gemini G.E.L. Prints, a collection of lithographs created in the last two years of the former abstract expressionist’s life, being shown as a complete set for the first time at a university museum. Next to catch the eye is The Europeans, an collection of photographs of European elites taken by Tina Barney during a modern Grand Tour of sorts.

John Stezaker spliced images of classic male and female film stars for his several “Film Portrait” series. Photo courtesy Haggerty Museum of Art.

Then there’s Marriage, a series of face-mash-up collages by artist John Stezaker, and the permanent collection-comprised Selections from the Mary B. Finnigan Collection. With this much to peruse, it’s a good thing admission to the Haggerty is always free; museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, with extended hours Thursdays and shortened ones Sundays.

Theater

The Fireside Theater opens its 2012 season with Viva Vegas, a live band revue featuring a tribute to the Rat Pack, Elvis, Liberace, Cher, and the many other entertainers who’ve enlivened Las Vegas over the years. The revue runs Jan. 19 to March 4, with dinner and a show offered for $76.97 Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Visit the Fireside’s website or call (800) 477-9505 for showtimes or to order tickets.

Prisoner drama The Unseen comes to Milwaukee this weekend, courtesy of The World’s Stage Theater Company. The emerging group will stage the show, a story of two prisoners whose lives are changed by the arrival of a third, mysterious captive, at Tenth Street Theatre. Shows are Jan. 20 to 29, at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $15, $12 for seniors and $10 for students, and can be purchased at their online box office or at the door.

Milwaukee Opera Theatre: Fortuna the Time Bender vs. The Schoolgirls of Doom, through Jan. 29 at the Alchemist Theatre

Sunset Playhouse: Nunsense, through Feb. 5

Renaissance Theaterworks: Neat, through Feb. 5

Milwaukee Rep: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), through March 11

To further plan your Spring 2012 arts excursion, check Matthew Reddin’s overviews of Music, Dance and Theater coming up in the next few months.