Neil Sedaka, Glen Campbell, and the Nevada Ballet Theatre

Neil Sedaka!

It doesn't get any better than this! Truly one of the great composer-songwriters of all time and still doing it at 63. Sedaka is playing the Orleans in Las Vegas five weekends a year, and he still brings a smile and a message to the world in his beautifully-composed songs. Nice to have the ability to do only your own stuff and lots of it. His body of work goes back to the mid 50's when the Brooklynite began his 55-year career in songwriting. He attended The Juilliard School of Music and disappeared during the 60's with the Beatles taking center stage. In the 70's Neil Sedaka was reinvented and entertains to this day with a warmth and stage presence like none other.

Pretty much the same program format I have always enjoyed: 88 minutes (they start on time), lovely theatre, good sound, old songs, 3 keyboard players, one drummer, one horn player, one vocal and one guitar. Like Neil says, "you can hear the music." The proclivity of the artist is amazing; he loves classical and has put words to Chopin, Rachmaninoff, and Puccini. A very creative and innovative touch to be sure.

It gives us old folks lots of memories to hear these songs over and over, such as Laughter in the Rain, Solitaire, and the Lonely Years (perhaps three of the finest songs of all time). I chased Neil around the internet and the breadth and quality of his work is Hall of Fame class. Who would you add to this group? Paul McCartney and Barry Manilow? The bottom line is that he has written and composed hundreds of quality songs! Thanks Neil.

I know I am prejudiced, but I just like this stuff. It is my history, and I don't know what was wrong with it other than someday it will end. 100 A+

I saw Glen Campbell awhile back at Texas Casino, that's right at 65 he is still Gentle on My Mind and left me wanting more.

Can’t get enough of this!

A new season for the Nevada Ballet Theatre.

It opens on October 4th at UNLV's Judy Bayley Theatre. "A Midsummer Night's Dream!"

A guy named Shakespeare originated this theme, I have seen the play three times and it offers a multitude of variables for costume and dance. Felix Mendelssohn provides the score in what I anticipate as the season's best. My anticipation for this parallels my feelings for the Moscow Ballet’s production of "Spartacus" last spring. The first time is the best!

That was true for the "Nutcracker," which I have not seen enough times. The music, by the world's second-greatest composer, is enough in itself see the play. This one went over so well last year at the Rio Hotel and Casino's Samba theatre that they are doing it again; it's the same deal this year as last with a showing the week before Christmas. A true holiday classic.

In February it is "Vivaldi to Pink Floyd," half of that I like by title. The company, in three one act ballets, will have to dance like hell to overcome the distraction of the alleged music here. This one is also it at the Judy Bayley Theatre. A "Salute to Richard Rodgers" goes in April at the Artemus W. Ham Concert Hall at UNLV. How could this be bad? New stuff with inspiration from a giant of American Musical Theatre. The "Sound of Music," "South Pacific," "Flower Drum Song," "Sound of Music," "King and I," "Carousel," "Oklahoma," and "State Fair." This is a pretty deep body of work to cull music from, only the greatest musicals in history! The season concludes with "Peter Pan," how can you not enjoy this? In past performances the goal seems to have been, how many people can you make fly at once? Certainly the opportunity is here for the child in all of us, I still refuse to grow up at 57. This ballet is at the Judy Bayley Theatre in mid-May.

Not much of a review here but a nice preview of my favorites for 2002-2003. Try experiencing the arts and/or ballet near you, you'll like it.

On the same day I received my ballet schedule for next season I also received my symphony schedule for the Las Vegas Philharmonic. This group is relatively new in the gambling mecca but making great progress in a short period, that is if last season is any indicator.

Five classical performances are planned, with all but one a 1-nighter. Kickoff is in October and all that can be said at this point is on November 16th count me in for Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake Ballet Suite." There's a pretty good chance too I'll be in for February 22nd with Mozart's Symphony NO. 25. Lots of great stuff scheduled to include Stravinskys "Firebird Suite" on May 3rd. Information on all this can be found through the UNLV ticket system at (702) 895-ARTS.

See ya somewhere soon.