Firebird Lands at the Arsht

The Complete List: Week of February 5th-11th

Author

Susan Bannon
February 04, 2024

Our jewel of a ballet company, Miami City Ballet, is back with an exciting program of newly commissioned work and their spectacular Firebird - a must see!

Contemporary classical music is also in the spotlight this week, with fresh performances by Nu Deco Ensemble, New World Symphony, and at the Miami New Music Festival.

Let's get planning!

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Continuing this Week:

Two Sisters and a Piano

Miami New Drama presents Two Sisters and a Piano, a gripping play set amidst the Pan American Games and the Russians’ departure from Cuba. The story follows the cat-and-mouse game between novelist Maria Celia and a charismatic military officer, whose infatuation blurs the lines between passion and politics. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Nilo Cruz weaves an authentic tale of oppression, human spirit, and the intertwining fates of two sisters awaiting freedom in a world of shifting global politics.

Performances through February 18th, Colony Theater, $47-$77

Neighborhood: Lincoln Road

Nearby Eats: Mister O1, MILA, Joliet | Drinks: MILA, Barceloneta, Medium Cool

Legally Blonde The Musical

Shove your inner cynic deep into your pink handbag and come enjoy this Actors' Playhouse production of Legally Blonde The Musical. It's an infectiously fun crowd pleaser that happens to have fantastic songs and really impressive dance numbers - basically everything your musical theater heart desires. In pink!

Performances through February 25th, Actors' Playhouse at the Miracle Theater, $100

Neighborhood: Coral Gables

Wednesday, February 7th

New Music Miami ISCM Festival 2024

Expand your listening horizons by catching leading contemporary classical musicians at The Wolfsonian in the next installment of the New Music Miami ISCM Festival, featuring the NODUS chamber ensemble playing works by FIU Alumni. Championing and presenting cutting-edge performers and compositions over its 27 years of existence, the festival includes pieces for soloists, chamber ensembles, and music with video and electronics.

7pm Pre-Concert Talk, 7:30-9pm Concert, The Wolfsonian-FIU, Free

Neighborhood: Miami Beach

Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band

In collaboration with the American Black Film Festival and part of their I Dream a World Harlem festival, New World Symphony presents this 2015 feature documentary on the life and music of Mary Lou Williams. Williams was musical genius ahead of her time, whose jazz-influenced work is just now getting its due. Voiced by Alfre Woodard and featuring I Dream a World guest artist Carmen Lundy and festival curator Dr. Tammy L. Kernodle, this film will be projected outside on the big screen at Soundscape Park next to the New World Center.

8pm, SoundScape Park, 70 minute run time

Neighborhood: Lincoln Road

Nearby Eats: Joliet, Barceloneta, Zaytinya | Drinks: MILA, Water Lion at the Sagamore

Amidst Twin Suns: Alberto Checa

Oolite Arts presents Alberto Checa’s first solo exhibit, Amidst Twin Suns, curated by Jean Chung. During the opening reception, Checa will be performing in the gallery space in collaboration with Miami-based artist Nick León, alongside an archive of Checa’s recent works and site-specific installations. (If you haven't been, Oolite is a maze of artists' studios located right on Lincoln Road. You have to wander around to find the free wine, but it's there, and the exhibition space is upstairs.)

Opening Reception 6pm-9pm, Oolite Arts, Free

Neighborhood: Lincoln Road

Nearby Eats: Joliet, Tropezón, Mister O1 | Drinks: MILA, Medium Cool

Dance NOW! Miami: Havisham!

In case you weren't assigned Dickens' Great Expectations in high school, Miss Havisham is the worst. In this production, Dance NOW! Miami is giving her a sympathetic makeover à la Maleficent. With the stunning backdrop of the Ancient Spanish Monastery to help tell the story, audiences will roam through the Western Hemisphere’s oldest building for this site-specific, interactive dance theater piece, accompanied by the sounds of the South Beach Chamber Ensemble with music from Bartok to Adele. 

6:30pm and 8pm, Ancient Spanish Monastery, $25

Neighborhood: North Miami Beach

(Not-so) Nearby Eats: EntreNos, Paradis Books & Bread | Drinks: Epoca Brewing

Food Event of the Week: Fiola + Due Camini Collab Dinner

Michelin-starred chef Domingo Schingaro helms critically-acclaimed Due Camini restaurant at the Borgo Egnazia resort in Puglia. For two nights, he joins Chef Danny Ganem of Fiola for a special menu celebrating the cuisine of Puglia, with an optional all-Puglia wine pairing.

Tuesday & Wednesday, February 6th-7th, 7pm, Fiola, $225

Thursday, February 8th

An Evening with Ayana Mathis

Books & Books welcomes Ayana Mathis to discuss her second novel, The Unsettled, which was selected as a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The New Yorker. Mathis also teaches creative writing in the MFA program at Hunter College. So if you love writing, you'll want to hear what this woman has to say.

6:30-7:30pm, Books & Books Coral Gables, Free

Neighborhood: Coral Gables

MISO Chamber Series: 12 Monkeys, 12 Reasons to Lose Your Mind!

The latest installment of Miami Symphony Orchestra's Chamber Music Series is titled 12 Monkeys, 12 Reasons to Lose Your Mind! The concert info has no explanation for this name, so attend at your own risk.

7-9pm, MISO Headquarters at 3900 North Miami Ave., $15

Neighborhood: Design District

Scholl Lecture Series at PAMM: Carrie Mae Weems

Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) presents its first Scholl Lecture Series of 2024, featuring renowned conceptual artist Carrie Mae Weems. Weems unpacks and confronts constructions of race and femininity in the pursuit of new models to live by. Learn about Weems' lifelong artistic practice and her approach to image-making from the artist herself.

7pm-8:30pm, PAMM, $18 or Free for PAMM Members (*Happy hour specials and live music at Verde from 5-7pm)

Neighborhood: Downtown Arts & Entertainment District

Nearby Eats: Verde, Casadonna, Mignonette | Drinks: Verde, Jaguar Sun

In Person with Poet Flor Ana

Books & Books Coconut Grove presents an evening with Flor Ana as she discusses her poetry book: The Truth About Love. Flor Ana is a Cuban-American writer, singer, and poet who loves to make people feel something through her words. She is the author of a handful of poetry collections and is also an event poet on occasion with her typewriter. 

6:30pm, Books & Books Coconut Grove, Free 

Neighborhood: Coconut Grove

Nearby Eats: Eva, Krüs Kitchen, Bellini, Bartaco (save a spot in line and have a drink upstairs while you wait) | Drinks: Mayfair rooftop, Level 6, Bodega (speakeasy, door at the back behind the counter)

Dance NOW! Miami: Havisham!

In case you weren't assigned Dickens' Great Expectations in high school, Miss Havisham is the worst. In this production, Dance NOW! Miami is giving her a sympathetic makeover à la Maleficent. With the stunning backdrop of the Ancient Spanish Monastery to help tell the story, audiences will roam through the Western Hemisphere’s oldest building for this site-specific, interactive dance theater piece, accompanied by the sounds of the South Beach Chamber Ensemble with music from Bartok to Adele. 

6:30pm and 8pm, Ancient Spanish Monastery, $25

Neighborhood: North Miami Beach

(Not-so) Nearby Eats: EntreNos, Paradis Books & Bread | Drinks: Epoca Brewing

Friday, February 9th

Miami City Ballet: Winter Mix

Miami City Ballet's Winter program features Firebird, which was a hit in their 2019/20 season because it's a sexy ballet with gorgeous costumes that MCB dances beautifully. And it's the only Balanchine Firebird performed outside of New York City Ballet. Also on the program, two world premieres commissioned for Miami City Ballet and a Ratmansky ballet set to Shostakovich. You don't want to miss this one!

7:30pm, Ziff Ballet Opera House at Adrienne Arsht Center, $45-$255

Neighborhood: Downtown Arts & Entertainment District

Chucho Valdés: IRAKERE 50

As part of its Jazz Roots Series, Adrienne Arsht Center presents Chucho Valdés: Fresh off the world premiere of his epic work La Creación at the Arsht Center in 2021, Cuban pianist and composer CHUCHO VALDÉS reunites with former bandmates to commemorate 50 years of IRAKERE, the legendary Afro-Cuban jazz band he founded which changed the face of Latin music forever.

8pm, Knight Concert Hall at Adrienne Arsht Center, $45-$125

Saturday, February 10th

Carlos Miguel Prieto + Pacho Flores

New World Symphony welcomes Pacho Flores—the virtuoso Venezuelan trumpeter—for his anticipated NWS debut, alongside renowned conductor and South Florida favorite, Carlos Miguel Prieto. Experience the thrill of Gabriela Ortiz’s new trumpet concerto, written for Flores with a blend of celebratory fanfare and mambo-fueled improvisation. Flores’ own Cantos y Revueltas explores Venezuelan folklore. Mexico’s heritage and Indian cultures shine in Carlos Chavez’s Sinfonia India and Silvestre Revueltas’ film score La noche de los mayas. If you can't score a ticket, this concert will be projected as a WALLCAST concert in adjacent SoundScape park.

7:30pm, New World Center, $40-$125

Neighborhood: Lincoln Road

Nearby Eats: Joliet, Barceloneta, Casa Tua | Drinks: MILA, Water Lion at the Sagamore

Spinello Projects: Forever Endeavor And Ever + Superhost

Spinello Projects presents two new solo exhibitions: Anthony Goicolea-Forever Endeavor And Ever (pictured) and Kris Knight-Superhost. Cuban-American Goicolea is known for his photographs chronicling gay life in the 1970's and 1980's, and this exhibit shows his paintings referencing those photographs. Canadian artist Knight will be debuting a series of figurative paintings exploring the theme of urban exodus during pandemic.

Opening Reception 6-9pm, Spinello Projects, Free

Neighborhood: Allapattah

Nearby Eats: Hometown BBQ, Leku, Pastis (Wynwood) | Drinks: Dante's Hifi, Higher Ground (both Wynwood)

Nu Deco Lounge: 50 Years of Hip Hop

Nu Deco Ensemble brings back their wildly popular 50 Years of Hip Hop lounge performances, downstairs at The Citadel. It's an intimate setting, with a bar and café seating, right under one of the best food halls in Miami.

4pm, 7pm, 9:30pm, The Citadel, $50-$80

Neighborhood: El Portal

Nearby Eats: the Citadel food hall, Tigre, Rosie's | Drinks: Bar Kaiju, Low Key

Dirk Salz: The World is Deep

Diana Lowenstein Gallery presents Dirk Salz: The World is Deep. German artist Salz sees himself as a painter first and a sculptor second. However, his work imbues a tension between the two – embracing a dichotomy between the visual and spatial fields. Salz’s carefully laid resin paintings are a result of a laborious process of pouring, smoothing, masking, and polishing to achieve something that is both built up by hand and machine labor.

Opening Reception 6pm-9pm, Diana Lowenstein Gallery, Free

Neighborhood: Little Haiti

Nearby Eats: Blue Collar, Phuc Yea, Walrus Rodeo | Drinks: Zey Zey, Low Key

Miami City Ballet: Winter Mix

Miami City Ballet's Winter program features Firebird, which was a hit in their 2019/20 season because it's a sexy ballet with gorgeous costumes that MCB dances beautifully. And it's the only Balanchine Firebird performed outside of New York City Ballet. Also on the program, two world premieres commissioned for Miami City Ballet and a Ratmansky ballet set to Shostakovich. You don't want to miss this one!

7:30pm, Ziff Ballet Opera House at Adrienne Arsht Center, $45-$255

Neighborhood: Downtown Arts & Entertainment District

Sunday, February 11th

Miami City Ballet: Winter Mix

Miami City Ballet's Winter program features Firebird, which was a hit in their 2019/20 season because it's a sexy ballet with gorgeous costumes that MCB dances beautifully. And it's the only Balanchine Firebird performed outside of New York City Ballet. Also on the program, two world premieres commissioned for Miami City Ballet and a Ratmansky ballet set to Shostakovich. You don't want to miss this one!

2pm, Ziff Ballet Opera House at Adrienne Arsht Center, $45-$255

Neighborhood: Downtown Arts & Entertainment District

Carlos Miguel Prieto + Pacho Flores

New World Symphony welcomes Pacho Flores—the virtuoso Venezuelan trumpeter—for his anticipated NWS debut, alongside renowned conductor and South Florida favorite, Carlos Miguel Prieto. Experience the thrill of Gabriela Ortiz’s new trumpet concerto, written for Flores with a blend of celebratory fanfare and mambo-fueled improvisation. Flores’ own Cantos y Revueltas explores Venezuelan folklore. Mexico’s heritage and Indian cultures shine in Carlos Chavez’s Sinfonia India and Silvestre Revueltas’ film score La noche de los mayas.

2pm, New World Center, $40-$125

Neighborhood: Lincoln Road

Nearby Eats: Joliet, Barceloneta, Casa Tua | Drinks: MILA, Water Lion at the Sagamore

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