Arts planner: Angelic voices, wizardry in store for Midlands Oct. 11-16
Poet Claudia Rankine to speak at USC
New York Times bestselling poet Claudia Rankine confronts racism in America with straightforward prose infused with moral weight. She has written musings about tennis star Serena Williams and mourned the loss of black lives in the Charleston shootings.
Rankine will give a lecture at the University of South Carolina on Monday, and will read from several of her works of poetry at the University’s Fall Literary Festival on Tuesday.
Her speech will be part of the annual Adrenée Glover Freeman Memorial Lecture. Rankine will discuss the making of her latest book, “Citizen,” which examines everyday encounters with racism. It won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry and is the only book of poetry to be a New York Times bestseller in the nonfiction category.
Rankine “explores the workings of racism through so many levels – from the micro to the macro, popular culture and history, the visual and the verbal, the social and the individual,” said Ed Madden, director of the university’s Women and Gender Studies Program. “I hope it will add to the ongoing public and private conversations about race and racism at this moment in our own culture.”
The lecture will be from 7-8 p.m. Monday in the law school auditorium, 701 Main St. Rankine’s talk at the Fall Literary Festival is 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Hollings Library (enter through Thomas Cooper Library) at 1322 Greene St. Both events are free and open to the public.
For more information, call (803) 777-4007 or visit the university’s fall festival website.
Vienna Boys Choir to sing at Newberry Opera House
Boys with angelic voices have been singing at the court in Vienna since the 14th century. Today, 100 choristers agea 10-14 from 30 different nations make up the Vienna Boys Choir, which is divided into four touring groups. The choir’s repertoire includes everything from medieval to contemporary and experimental music.
8 p.m. Friday at 1201 McKibben St., $30-$40, (803) 276-6264, newberryoperahouse.com
The Magical Music of Harry Potter to bewitch Harbison Theatre
Are you at Harbison or Hogwarts? It will be hard to tell when the S.C. Philharmonic takes on composer John Williams’ soaring Harry Potter film scores on Sunday. The family-friendly concert features selections from the film scores of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” and “Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban.”
Audience members are encouraged don their favorite house colors for the concert.
3:30 p.m. Sunday 7300 College St., $22, (803) 407-5011, harbisontheatre.org
S.C. Arts Commission accepting fellowship applications
South Carolina artists working in prose, poetry, choreography and dance are invited to apply for a $5,000 Individual Artist Fellowship Award from the S.C. Arts Commission. The award is unrestricted, and past fellows have used the award for professional development, projects, travel or living expenses. Fellowships are recommended by out-of-state panelists, who make selections based on a review of anonymous work samples. Complete application guidelines are available at www.SouthCarolinaArts.com. The application deadline is Nov. 2.
“Georgia O’Keeffe: Her Carolina Story” open at Columbia Museum of Art
The Georgia O’Keeffe exhibit is open at the museum and includes works the artist produced while living in Columbia 100 years ago. Several events have been rescheduled due to inclement weather and flooding conditions. The Members’ Opening Party has been moved to 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday. The gallery talk with chief curator Will South and Columbia College’s Goodall Gallery coordinator Jackie Adams has been moved to noon Friday.
The museum is at 1515 Main St., (803) 799-2810, columbiamuseum.org.
Columbia Classical Ballet presents Cinderella
Enjoy a morning of ballet that tells the classic story of Cinderella through music and movement.
10 a.m. Thursday and Friday at the Koger Center, 1051 Greene St., $5, 803-252-9112, columbiaclassicalballet.com.