The snow has started here in Telluride. Winter is upon us with snow sports, music, theatre, dinners out with friends. Before the season gets too busy Telluride Inside...
Friday, November 20, Telluride welcomes acclaimed poet/ teacher Sandra Dorr to town for two distinct events at the Wilkinson Public Library. At 1 p.m., Sandra offers a workshop: “Out of Your Mouth: Performing Stories and Poems in Public. " She has this to say about that:
"Sometimes reading in front of a crowd dries your mouth, freezes your throat, and jams your tongue. This is a workshop for writers, young and old, to bring in samples of work, in poetry or prose, and, through several passes, improve the quality of their reading and thereby make the work, and their voices, live in public. I will read short excerpts of my work, and explain some of the basics in elocution and just plain enjoyment in reading to an audience. Come learn how to enjoy reading aloud."
At 6:30, the Program Room at the Wilkinson Public Library reopens for a reading by Sandra Dorr at 7 p.m. She will select works from her latest book of poems, "Desert Water."
At 6 p.m., Saturday, November 14, the Michael D. Palm Theatre welcomes guests to a beer, wine and champagne reception (cash bar). At 7 p.m., the Telluride Choral Society and artistic director, Dr. David Lingle, join colleagues from The San Juan Symphony and the Durango Choral Society for a second joint MasterWorks Concert. In keeping with the San Juan Symphony’s 2009 season theme, “Once Upon A Time”, this musical collaboration offers the audience a journey through the myths and fairy tales select composers drew upon to create well-known and well-loved works. Specifics on this MasterWorks program are Brahms' "Nänie," Op. 32," and Mahler's "Forest Legend."
The San Juan Symphony and the combined choruses of the Telluride Choral Society and the Durango Choral Society present a MasterWorks choral concert, “From The Old Country”, Saturday, November 14, 7 p.m., following a beer, wine and champagne reception (cash bar), at the Michael D. Palm Theatre. Included in the program are the beautiful albeit professionally daunting Brahms "Nänie, Op. 82," and Mahler’s wildly dramatic "Forest Legend," an early work by the inspired composer.
Telluride will have the opportunity to see some Shakespeare tonight, October 29. The Aquila Theatre Company is bringing the Forest of Arden to the Palm Theatre stage in a single performance of "As You Like It."The romantic comedy is built on mistaken identities,...
As we like it: the Palm Theatre in Telluride brings New York's Aquila Theatre Company to town with its production of Shakespeare's "As You Like It" on Thursday, October 29, 6:30 p.m. "As You Like It" is one of the Bard's greatest and most discombobulating comedies. It takes a sailor to untie the knots that result from plot twists and turns.
Here's a road map to "As You Like It": Rosalind, daughter of a banished Duke, is forced to flee court and enter the Forest of Arden when her life is threatened by her power-hungry uncle and his henchmen. Accompanied by her cousin, Celia, Rosalind gets all tricked out as a man for safety's sake. The disguise proves handy as Rosalind tests the devotion of her noble suitor Orlando, also forced into hiding by a bloodthirsty sibling. In the guise of a man, Rosalind teaches Orlando the ways of the heart. Some of the Bard's most poetic language flows through a cycle of merry and melancholy misunderstandings, gender bending, and mistaken identities among the court exiles and forest natives. In the end, love conquers all and justice wins the day. "As You Like It" contains the famous monologue that begins: "All the World's a Stage..." comparing life to a play.
Valerie Madonia is a Telluride local who, for years, commanded the world stage as a prima ballerina with The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. Earlier, she was in the corps de ballet of the National Ballet of Canda and danced solo roles with American Ballet Theatre under the direction of Mikhail Baryshnikov. Madonia still makes guest appearances at ballet galas and teaches around the globe. The pointe is the lady knows her stuff.
Madonia founded, with Shirley Fortenberry, the nonprofit that eventually became the Telluride Dance Academy. For the past month, she has been rehearsing 30 young dancers from the Telluride region, including members of the Telluride Dance Academy, to perform in the cast of the State Street Ballet's production of Sergei Prokofiev's "Cinderella." The composer completed the popular ballet in 1944, first performed in 1945 at the Bolshoi in Moscow.
Telluride may have been his second home, but our mountain hamlet was one of his great loves. The gravitational pull of the wandering planet called Michael D. Palm was irresistable. Michael was, by any measure, a remarkable man: gifted educator, musician, athlete, businessman, and philanthropist. Michael and another long-time, part-time Telluride local, Steven Gluckstern (Steven first visited Telluride in 1976 and in 1980, became superintendent of school) founded reinsurance company Zurich Centre Group. Throughout their highly successful business association, Michael, Steven and Steven's wife Judy remained the best of friends. After Michael's death from complications from AIDS in Telluride in August 1998, Steven and Judy dedicated themselves to ensuring the causes Michael embraced in his lifetime would continue to receive his support. 
He describes himself as "The happiest man in ska." Tonight, October 6, Telluride welcomes back Dave Wakeling and The English Beat. The band is performing at Telluride's historic Sheridan Opera House, resplendent in its re-stenciled glory.Doors/box office open at 7:30 p.m. Show time is 8 p.m.
The English Beat is celebrating its 30th anniversary...For Crying Out Loud. The set includes a medley of the band's greatest hits such as "Stand Down Margaret," "MIrror in the Bathroom," covers such as "Tears of a Clown" and "Can't Get Used to Losing You," and chestnuts-in-the-making such as "The Love You Give Forever."
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OK, Telluride: dress for the occasion, thinking caps and party shoes, when singer/songwriter Dave Wakeling and The (reincarnated) English Beat perform Tuesday, October 6, at Telluride's historic Sheridan Opera House.
Margaret Thatcher may be out of the spotlight, but Dave Wakeling's band, (they blasted on to the scene in 1979, the year she became PM) is still making news – and tracks, on tour to celebrate the band's 30th anniversary...For Crying Out Loud. (Still, the band's "Sit Down Margaret has relevance as more and more Americans embrace the power of one.) Since then, Wakeling has never met a challenge he didn't want to take on: Greenpeace, Rock the Earth, CND, Amnesty International, The Smile Train, and Heal the Bay to name a few headliners.
