Theater

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the world-premiere recording of Kurt Weill’s opera Die Buergschaft—The Pledge (on EMI). It’s one of Weill’s most neglected works first performed in Berlin in 1932, and was revived last year during the Spoleto Festival USA.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a new production of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” starring Kelsey Grammar of “Frasier.” The show is in tryouts in Boston this week and opens on Broadway next.

Playwright and director George C. Wolfe. He wrote and directed the hit Broadway musical “Jelly's Last Jam,” about Jelly Roll Morton. Wolfe also wrote the play “The Colored Museum,” a satire about the black experience in America. His newest musical is “The Wild Party” based on the long-lost classic poem about the roaring twenties by Joseph Moncure March. (the book was republished in 1994 with drawings by Art Spiegelman). It’s currently playing at the Public Theatre on Broadway.

Australian actress Toni Collette She stars as Queenie, a vaudeville dancer, in “The Wild Party.” Collette is best known for her offbeat role as Muriel in the film “Muriel’s Wedding.” She also had a role in “Velvet Goldmine.” This year she received an academy award nomination for her portrayal of the boy’s mother in “The Sixth Sense.”

This year marks the centennial of the birth of German-born Kurt Weill, considered one of the 20th century’s most influential composers. And Monday, April 3, is the 50th anniversary of his death. He and lyricist Bertolt Brecht revolutionized musical theatre with a blend of cabaret and classical traditions resulting in “The Threepenny Opera” “Seven Deadly Sins” and others. In 1933 Weill, a Jew, fled Berlin and in 1935 came to America where he began working in American theatre. We talk about Weill with Kim Kowlake (Koe-WALL-kee), President of the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews Tatiana Troyanos album "Troyanos in Recital."

Singer/Actress/Performer Audra McDonald. McDonald has won three Tony Awards, for her performances in ‘Carousel,’ ‘Master Class,’ and ‘Ragtime.’ She recently performed on Broadway as the star of ‘Marie Christine,’ and just appeared in The Vagina Monologues at the Westside Theater in New York. She continues to appear on concert stages nationally. Her new CD is called ‘How Glory Goes’ (Nonesuch Records), and her PBS Special, ‘Audra McDonald at the Donmar, London,’ is airing nationally in March. (This interview continues in the second half of the show.)

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews new recordings of some of Stravinsky's early vocal music: Natalie Dessay singing Stravinsky's The Nightingale (EMI), and Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky (box set on Sony).

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews soprano Renee Fleming's new recording of Strauss Heroines with the Vienna Philharmonic, on the Decca label.

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz tells us what music he most wants to remember from the 20th Century. His selections come from the new box set “Stravinsky REV: Conducting Stravinsky” (Sony), The Dvorak Cello Concerto with Pablo Casals (EMI Reference disc), Joseph Szigeti’s Prokofiev Concerto (Pearl), Artur Schnabel on a currently out-of-print Schubert CD (Arabesque). And Maria Callas’s recordings (EMI)

Classical Music Critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the new John Harbison opera, The Great Gatsby, based on the book by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Stage legend Elaine Stritch. In a career spanning more than 40 years, she has received acclaim for her work on stage, as well as on television and in motion pictures. She starred in the original 1961 Broadway production of Noel Coward's musical Sail Away. In honor of Coward's upcoming centenary, she'll reprise her role in a concert production at Carnegie Hall.

Monologist, actor and writer Spalding Gray. His newest work is "Morning, Noon, and Night" (Fararr, Straus, and Giroux) about being a father and raising a family. Gray's monologues include, "Monster in a Box" about all the distractions that prevented him from completing his novel, "Impossible Vacation," and "Swimming to Cambodia" about filming a movie in Cambodia. His monologue and book "Gray's Anatomy" was about his eye problems, and his adventures in the mainstream and alternative health care industries.

Actor Brian Dennehy who won a Tony Award for his portrayal of Willy Loman in the current Broadway production of "Death of a Salesman." Mr. Dennehy recently starred in the television movies "Shadow of a Doubt" and "Jack Reed: A Search for Justice." He is perhaps best known for his work in feature films, which include Presumed Innocent, Best Seller, Twice in a Lifetime, F/X, Cocoon, Silverado, Gorky Park, First Blood, Never Cry Wolf, and Peter Greenaway’s Belly of an Architect.

Irish playwright, actor, and stand-up comic Brendan O'Carroll. He's also the author of a trilogy of novels. The first is "The Mammy," (Plume) followed by "The Chisellers" and "The Granny." O"Carroll also appeared in the film "The Van" and will be in the film version of "Angela's Ashes."

Actor Roger Guenveur Smith stars in the one-man stage show "A Huey P. Newton Story." Drawing from Newton's own writings and interviews, Smith performs in character as Huey Newton, the co-founder of The Black Panther Party. Roger Guenveur Smith has appeared in a number of Spike Lee films including: "Do The Right Thing," "Malcolm X," "He Got Game," and "School Daze." His other film credits include: "Tales from the Hood," "Poetic Justice," "King of New York," and "Panther."

Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews the world premiere of Tod Machover's "Resurrection" performed by the Houston Grand Opera

British playwright David Hare. He's had four works on Broadway in the past year: "The Judas Kiss" starring Liam Neeson, "The Blue Room" starring Nicole Kidman, "Amy's View" starring Judy Dench, and "Via Dolorosa" a one-man show in which he stars himself.

From the off-Broadway musical, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" composer-lyricist Stephen Trask, and actor/singer Michael Cerveris. The musical is about a failed rock singer who happens to be a German transsexual.

Philip Furia talks specifically about the lyrics Dorothy Fields wrote. Furia is Chairman of the English Department at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. He is also author of "Poets of Tin Pan Alley."