writing by Libby Hanssen
Shout out to the hustlers who didn't stop when the world caught fire, whether it was because they couldn't stop the hustle or they couldn't stop the fire. Many months ago, I put an innocuous notification in my calendar: 10 years ago was my first published article. My start, to some extent, as writer, critic,... Continue Reading →
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Friday, Sept 13, 2019 was a full moon. That seemed to get a lot of media attention, that coincidence...omens, portents of doom, rehashery of memes and movie franchises. It was also the 145th birthday of Arnold Schoenberg, which showed up on my feeds, though no one made too huge a deal about it, waiting, no... Continue Reading →
Da Da Da Duuuuuuum. The entire classical music world is gearing up for Ludwig van Beethoven's 250th anniversary in 2020. We'll hear even more Beethoven than we would in a typical year, which is a feat in and of itself. After considering what's coming, I started imagining what the opposite would be - would it... Continue Reading →
The rumors are true: KC Studio is starting to review a select number of music and dance concerts! After the demise of KCMetropolis and with limited local outlets for criticism, KC Studio acquired funds to support timely, online reviews, joining the theater reviews by Robert Trussell. Please read, share and discuss! A healthy community welcomes... Continue Reading →
The real story is that my brilliant pun didn't make the headline: La donna é mobilized: Verdi's "Rigoletto" through the #MeToo Lens Continue reading →
Fail better. The arts in Kansas City had a pretty phenomenal year, some huge achievements, some huge, disastrously phenomenal events, but a big impact and plenty of challenges to meet in 2018. We can't overcome the deaths of people important to us, like Michelle Boisseau, but how fortunate for those who knew them and how... Continue Reading →
Of all the disrespectful, small minded... I won't even link to community engagement editor Derek Donovan's "opinion piece," so here's a screen shot of this appalling tweet. Short answer: uh, no? Not at all. Never, nada, nyet. Is this what The Star's arts coverage looks like, now? Geesh. The article has nothing to do, really,... Continue Reading →
The 4th New Dance Partners project at Johnson County Community College; four world premiere works commissioned by the Carlsen Center featuring the best local dance companies and four national-level choreographers. Artistic advisor Michael Uthoff, organized by Emily Berhmann, and funded with local support. This is a notes version response. Störling Dance, performing Heather C. Gray's... Continue Reading →
Our hometown Symphony opened their Classical Series with an all-Russian program: two Russian composers, Russian-born soloist, and an American piece based on extra-musical Russian associations. This is also the fifth season in which a piece by a female composer has not been included in the Classical Series. Since moving to Helzberg Hall, the Classical Series... Continue Reading →
Proust Eats a Sandwich 