Broadway Hits
Red theater curtain

Concert of Broadway Hits Performed at Darien Library

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Darien Library invites you to an hourlong performance Sunday afternoon of Broadway hits from Hamilton, Little Shop of Horrors, Next to Normal, Carrie, and Children of Eden. The concert is performed by frequent library lecturer Dr. Gil Harel’s students from Naugatuck Valley Community College. — an announcement from Darien Library

The performance takes place  from 5 to 6 p.m., Sunday, July 18. To attend, you need to register for this event. Need help registering? Email Adult Programming at apstaff@darienlibrary.org.

Carrie
Gil Harel Darien Library image

Gil Harel’s Online Talk About Stephen King’s ‘Carrie’ the Musical: From Page to Stage

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Stephen King’s epistolary novel is perhaps one of the most iconic stories in the horror genre. Frequently banned on account of its taboo content, the tale has been adapted several times in film, including versions in 1976 featuring Sissy Spacek in the title role and 2013 with Chloë Grace Moretz. — an announcement from Darien Library

Surely, however, the most unlikely adaptation of the book is the one that brought it to the stages of Broadway, Stratford-upon-Avon, and later, Off-Broadway. On the surface, one might surmise that a story of teen angst and bullying that culminates in a telekinetic bloodbath might not translate to a compelling musical. However, thanks to an excellent score by Michael Gore, “Carrie: The Musical” is an impressive tour-de-force that is sure to provide the audience with a memorable and worthy take on this classic tale.

Gil Harel 2021
Hamilton musical image

Inside the Score of Hamilton: Part Two

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Musicologist Gil Harel will present the second of two lectures on the songs in the musical Hamilton on Thursday, April 1, starting at 7 p.m.

— an announcement from New Canaan Library

You can register here for this second online lecture of the two-part series sponsored by New Canaan Library. This event is scheduled to run from 7 to 8:15 p.m.

Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton quickly became one of the most iconic works in the canon of 21st century musical theater. With a dominating showing at the 2016 Tony Awards (a record-setting 16 nominations and 11 wins), Hamilton has enchanted audiences with a score of breathtaking scope. Inspired by Miranda’s reading of Ron Chernow’s biography, the musical tells the story of the “ten dollar founding father” using a combination of musical idioms ranging from rap and hip hop to jazz and traditional musical theater. Act I of Hamilton is filled with excitement and action chronicling Alexander’s arrival in New York City and the events leading up to and including the Revolutionary War.

Gil Harel 2021
Gil Harel Darien Library image

Magic to Do: Stephen Schwartz’s ‘Pippin’ with Gil Harel

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The plot of “Pippin” presents the audience with an exceedingly abstract and “meta” story. In fact, at points in the musical, one gets the feeling that one is watching a show within a show. During this online program, from 7 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, April 6, Professor Gil Harel will discuss this unique musical, calling attention to its genesis and evolution, its unusual and somewhat complex plot, and its infectious score. — an announcement from Darien Library

Having been conceived during Stephen Schwartz’s days as a student at Carnegie Mellon, and having made its debut on Broadway in 1972, the show was reimagined in an award-winning revival in 2013. In the nearly 50 years since its premiere, and in various stagings and incarnations, “Pippin” has enchanted audiences with its compelling story and stellar score.

Gil Harel 2021
Hamilton musical image

Inside the Score of Hamilton: Part One — Lecture by Gil Hamilton for New Canaan Library

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Musicologist Gil Harel will present the first of two lectures on the songs in the musical Hamilton on Thursday, April 1, starting at 7 p.m.

— an announcement from New Canaan Library

The event, sponsored by New Canaan Library, runs until 8:15 p.m. and is free, but you must Register here. (You can register here for Part Two, which takes place at 7 p.m., Thursday, April 8. Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton quickly became one of the most iconic works in the canon of 21st century musical theater. With a dominating showing at the 2016 Tony Awards (a record-setting 16 nominations and 11 wins), Hamilton has enchanted audiences with a score of breathtaking scope. Inspired by Miranda’s reading of Ron Chernow’s biography, the musical tells the story of the “ten dollar founding father” using a combination of musical idioms ranging from rap and hip hop to jazz and traditional musical theater.

Bach
Gil Harel Darien Library image

‘Bach, Good Friday and the St. John Passion’ — Darien Library Online Lecture byGil Harel

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In a one-hour online lecture Tuesday from 7 to 8 p.m., Dr. Gil Harel will explore the history of Bach’s Eastertide masterpiece, the Johannes-Passion of 1724. — an announcement from Darien Library

Johann Sebastian Bach never wrote an opera. Indeed, for a provincial composer of church music in Lutheran Germany, such a project was not in the cards. However, Bach showed himself to be a profoundly skilled musical storyteller, and there is perhaps no greater example of this than his towering Passion oratorios. In this work, the composer draws on his prodigious skills to convey the story of the Passion through music.