Morten Tyldum's 'Imitation Game'

A life encrypted

The Imitation Game amply demonstrates the intellectual and personal courage that accompanied Turing's singular genius. A man who penetrated secrets, he was also forced to keep them — not only those of Enigma and its bounty of military intelligence, but also the fact of his homosexual identity.

Mark Wolverton

Jan 04, 2015 · Articles · 4 minute read

Orchestra’s New Year’s Eve concert

Party boy

The Philadelphia Orchestra’s New Year’s Eve concert rarely delivers momentous musical insight. It does, however, reveal a critical distinction between Yannick Nézet-Séguin and his illustrious predecessors.

Dan Rottenberg

Jan 03, 2015 · Articles · 3 minute read

Art at the Cleveland Clinic

Illness and a prescription for art

An extended visit at the Cleveland Clinic provides the opportunity to explore art in a hospital setting and what it means.

Treacy Ziegler

Dec 30, 2014 · Articles · 6 minute read

Rob Marshall's 'Into the Woods'

What happens when you get your heart's desire?

On Christmas Day, I saw a theater packed with children and wondered how many of their parents were blindsided. But it didn’t matter. Their children got to learn some truths about life.

Steve Cohen

Dec 30, 2014 · Articles · 3 minute read

Remembering Buddy DeFranco

A cool cat and a great guy

Buddy DeFranco brought the clarinet to bebop, and the world was better for it.

Bruce Klauber

Dec 30, 2014 · Articles · 3 minute read

'The Missing' and 'The Affair'

The child is gone

Only two serial programs in 2014 really made an impression on me: The Missing and The Affair. And unfortunately for my joie de vivre, both were about how the tragic loss of a child destroys the lives of his parents.

Paula Berman

Dec 30, 2014 · Articles · 5 minute read

How kids see ‘The Nutcracker' (5th helping)

What’s a duck’s favorite ballet?

Five Decembers have passed since I embarked on a bizarre once-a-year quest to observe how children — specifically, my own grandkids, at The Nutcracker — develop an appreciation for great art. And by golly, I do believe a pattern is emerging.

Dan Rottenberg

Dec 30, 2014 · Articles · 5 minute read

Piffaro's holiday concert, Mediterranean Holiday

A Christmas card from Renaissance Naples

Piffaro presented a Christmas program that emphasized the gentler moods of the season.

Tom Purdom

Dec 23, 2014 · Articles · 3 minute read

'Elephant Man' and 'Side Show'

God's mistakes

Two current Broadway productions, The Elephant Man and Side Show, challenge the cruelty of the term “freak.”

Carol Rocamora

Dec 23, 2014 · Articles · 5 minute read

Wind Challenge 2 at Fleisher Art Memorial

A preview of the future of art

The 37th annual juried Wind Challenge at Fleisher Art Memorial features the work of Philadelphia area artists.

Anne R. Fabbri

Dec 23, 2014 · Articles · 2 minute read