GREENWICH VILLAGE ORCHESTRA
Music Director Barbara conducts The Greenwich Village Orchestra, for a program including Brahms’ Violin Concerto and Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Suite. Violinist Itamar Zorman, the 2011 International Tchaikovsky Competition winner, will be the concert’s guest soloist. Presented this summer at a Galilee Mountains festival in its chamber form, GVO’s performance of Israeli composer Moshe Zorman’s Galilean Suite will be its world premiere, as a symphonic piece.
Sun., Nov. 17, from 3-5pm. At Washington Irving Auditorium (in Washington Irving High School — 40 Irving Place, at the southeast corner of Irving Place & 17th St.). Suggested donation: $15, $10 for students and seniors. For more info, visit gvo.org.
MIKE BENT, AT MONDAY NIGHT MAGIC
New York’s longest-running Off-Broadway magic show pulls a Boston-baked rabbit out if its hat — when the November 11 edition of “Monday Night Magic” welcomes the very funny, genuinely mad and quite possibly insane Mike Bent. His act is a unique blend of stand-up, special effects, offbeat magic and surprise — and it’s surprisingly family-friendly. Bent’s a regular entertainer at the White House Easter Egg Roll (but still has a few tricks up his sleeve that will shock and, quite possibly, disturb). At this gig, he’ll be joined by fellow prestidigitator David Corsao and sleight-of-hand champ Rocco.
Mike Bent appears on Nov. 11. “Monday Night Magic” happens every Monday at 8pm (downstairs lounge opens at 7pm). At the Players Theatre (115 MacDougal St., btw. Bleecker & W. Third Sts.). For tickets ($42.50), call 800-838-3006 or visit brownpapertickets.com. Premium and VIP seats: $66.50 and $72.50. For info, call 212-615-6432 or visit mondaynightmagic.com.
CORNELIA STREET CAFÉ PRESENTS: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELLEN MANDEL!
Composer and pianist Ellen Mandel has carved out a cozy little niche as The Cornelia Street Café’s in-house songwriter for those occasions when the venerable West Village dining and performance space celebrates the birthdays of celebrated poets. Ogden Nash, e. e. cummings and W.B. Yeats are among those who’ve been on the receiving end of her often humorous melodies — which the New York Times described as “ardent, spiky, and freshly organic.”
“I only write songs to poems I love,” says Mandel, “and I’m always thrilled when audiences tell me that my songs make them love the poems too.”
Now, it’s payback time — as Cornelia’s go-to gal receives her own birthday tribute evening (for the equally noble goals of repaying her creative contribution and raising a glass or two). Baritone Daniel Neer and soprano Jessica Crandall, with Ellen at the piano, will sing greatest hits from other evenings, as well as new Mandel songs, with actors Paul Hecht and Kim Sykes reading the poems.
Mon., Nov. 11, at 6pm. At the Cornelia Street Café (29 Cornelia St., btw. Bleecker & W. Fourth Sts.). Tickets are $15 (includes one drink). For reservations (strongly encouraged), call 212-989-9319. Visit corneliastreetcafe.com and ellenmandel.com.
IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND THE ARTQUILT GALLERY
QUILT EXHIBIT: “DAILY INSPIRATION”
New York City’s only gallery devoted to contemporary art quilts presents “Daily Inspiration” — a solo exhibit from Cécile Trentini. The Zurich, Switzerland-based artist began her career as a painter. Recalling how a fascination with the geometrical elements of traditional patchwork led her to quilting, the artist says she “immediately felt at home in the world of fiber, replacing brush, canvas and paints with the sewing machine, fabrics and thread.” Her experience as a sculptor drawn to the use of unconventional materials informs the tactile element of her quilt art (foil chocolate wrappers comprise the grayish work “Daily Sweets”). Trentini used cotton makeup pads to create a quilt, then took a collection of photos showing close-ups of its individual blocks. Released earlier this year by C&T Publishing, “Daily Beauty: 365 Ways to Play with Everyday Quilt Embellishments” is the book — and its namesake quilt, “Daily Beauty,” is part of the gallery exhibit.
Free. Nov. 12-Dec. 28. Opening Reception: Mon., Nov. 11, 6-7:30pm. At The ArtQuilt Gallery (133 W. 25th St., btw. Sixth & Seventh Aves.) Hours: Tues.-Sat., 11am-6pm. Call 212-807-9451 or visit artquiltgallerynyc. For more info on the artist, visit stoffwerke.ch.
WWII MURAL REVEALED
Regarded by the St. Peter’s congregation as too militaristic, “Our Lord Blessing a Soldier and a Sailor” has been covered from sight for the past 59 years. Painted by parishioner (and Army veteran) Col. Ted Witonski, the 1946 mural depicts Jesus, St. George and the Archangel St. Michael blessing two praying WWII servicemen. By 1954, the country had gone from the “good war” to a cold one — and the painting was covered from view by a curtain. In a Nov. 10 ceremony, St. Peter’s will once again display Witonski’s mural — revealing it during a special Mass to honor U.S. veterans of all faiths and their families (a timely observance taking place just prior to Veteran’s Day).
Sun., Nov. 10, during the 10am Mass at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church (346 W. 20th St., btw. Eighth & Ninth Aves.). Call 212-929-2390 or visit stpeterschelsea.com. Also visit facebook.com/StPetersChelsea and follow them at twitter.com/StPetersChelsea.
BY SCOTT STIFFLER
