“I will now fight a battle for the purpose of taking a poor, unhappy child from the clutches of his unworthy mother. I will win the day! I am husband and father – senza wife!” Ludwig van Beethoven

Sister in Law Beethoven– synopsis

Before Beethoven’s corpse was yet cold, several of his well-meaning or self-serving friends and confidants removed a dozen conversation books from the composer’s apartment. These confiscated conversation books, writing pads that the deaf Beethoven wrote in to communicate, contained insane ramblings about his sister-in-law and her son, Karl.In 1815, Ludwig’s brother Caspar Carl died at the age of 41, leaving behind his widow, Johanna, and their nine-year old son, Karl. For the next 10 years, Ludwig battled Johanna personally and through the courts for custody of the sole Beethoven heir. Ludwig served as his own legal counsel, and among his many fraudulent claims were that he was related to nobility, that Johanna was nothing more than a harlot, that Karl was the next Mozart or perhaps Goethe, and that the composer cum lawyer was the only one suited on terra firma to raise his nephew.

Three court cases ran for years (one is reminded of Dickens), and the insanity stopped only after Karl, in desperation to free himself of his uncle’s impossible demands, attempted suicide. One bullet misfired, the other grazed Karl’s skull, and this scream for deliverance brought Ludwig back to a semblance of reality before his death a year later.

Several audience members have informed me that I was maligning the mighty composer. Never! First, It is wholly remarkable that during this time of mental chaos he was composing such works as the Ninth Symphony. And despite the utter folly, Beethoven was attempting to re-create an idealized family life; one that he and his brother Caspar Carl were deprived of with beatings and rages by their drunken father. A madness with hoped for change: Ode to Joy—O friends, no more these sounds! Let us sing more cheerful songs, more full of joy!

 Margot Kidder as Johanna van Beethoven

Born Margaret Ruth Kidder to Jill Kidder and Kendall Kidder, a mining engineer, in Yellowknife, Canada, on October 17, 1948, Margot was a delightful child who took pride in everything she did. After graduation Margot moved to Los Angeles to start a film career. She found herself dealing with a lot of prejudice, and hotheads, but later found solace with a Canadian agent. This was when she got her first acting job, in the Norman Jewison film Gaily, Gaily (1969). This led to another starring role in Quackser Fortune Has a Cousin in the Bronx (1970), in which she co-starred with Gene Wilder. After some harsh words from the film’s director, Margot temporarily left films to study acting in New York. When she arrived in Hollywood she met up at a screen test with actress Jennifer Salt, resulting in a friendship that still stands strong today. Margot and Jennifer moved into a lofty beach house and befriended other, then unknown, struggling filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Brian De Palma, Steven Spielberg and Susan Sarandon, among others.  De Palma gave her the script to his upcoming film Sisters (1973). Margot and Salt both had the leads in the film, and it was a huge critical success.

The film made branded Margot as a major talent, and in the following years she starred in a string of critically acclaimed pictures, such as Black Christmas (1974), The Great Waldo Pepper (1975), 92 in the Shade (1975) – directed by Thomas McGuane, who was also her husband for a brief period – and a somewhat prophetic tale of self-resurrection, The Reincarnation of Peter Proud (1975).

Her new agent hooked her up with a little-known director named Richard Donner. He was going to be directing a film called Superman (1978), and she auditioned for and secured the leading female role of Lois Lane. That film and Superman II (1980) were to be filmed simultaneously. After the success of “Superman” she took on more intense roles, such as The Amityville Horror (1979) and Willie & Phil (1980). After that, Margot did numerous films, television and theater work throughout the 1980s, including Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987). When the 1990s erupted with the Gulf War, Margot found herself becoming involved in politics. She made a stir in the biz when she spoke out against the military for their actions in Kuwait. She also appeared in a cameo in Donner’s Maverick (1994).

Margot has had continued success in film and on TV and even had a guest-star role on a newer version of Superman which fans al know and love called SMALLVILLE! PLUS SEE HERE IN THE NEW ROB ZOMBIE film H2 (Halloween II)!!!!

Margot is currently writing a book and tours the world meeting fans at conventions and also is a highly sought after speaker for the Mental Health field appearing a numerous seminars to educate people on mental health issues.

Music by Beethoven for cello and piano performed by the Clark Schudmann Duo

This program is generously sponsored by Diana Varecka

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” Plato

“The trouble with music appreciation in general is that people are taught to have too much respect for music they should be taught to love instead.”  Igor Stravinsky

Harry and Sanda will perform some of their favorite works. They are known to be  bold adapters of great music for their respective instruments and the program will include an abundant number of transcriptions- some original by the composers, and some, by Harry and Sanda. We intend to feast on Couperin, Schumann and Prokofiev.

Originally, we were prepared to welcome you to the new season on November 25. However this is not to be as Harry had a brief stay at UMC undergoing some amazing new treatment.

He is doing well and we look forward to our date with you in March.

This event is generously sponsored by Tom and Laurie Pew

“If you want to change the tango, you had better learn boxing, or some other martial art” Astor Piazzolla

Astor Piazzolla

Chamber Music PLUS announces its exciting collaboration with Ballet Tucson and the Tucson Guitar Society to present the new theatrical portrait Passionately, Piazzolla! as part of the inaugural

Tucson Desert Song Festival in February 2013. Astor Piazzolla was a legendary composer and godfather of Tango Nuevo, a revolutionary new genre in which jazz rhythms and classical music were infused into tango. In this world premiere, the emotionally charged life of Astor Piazzolla is portrayed through live music, voice, acting and dance.

This world premiere promises to be a feast for the senses filled with visual drama, lush movement and passionate music and song.

Brian Chambouleyron

Ballet Tucson leads a stellar cast in this exciting theatrical experience with book by Harry Clark and innovative choreography by Chieko Imada and John Dahlstrand. The Tucson Guitar Society is delighted to present Misael Barraza Diaz in two works by Piazzolla, and making his Tucson debut is the renown Argentinian vocalist and guitarist Brian Chambouleyron. Portraying AstorPiazzolla is TV and Motion Picture star, Robert Beltran, known for his role as Raoul in Paul Bartel’s cult film Eating Raoul and his role as Commander Chakotay on Star Trek: Voyager.

For more information please see these sites:

Robert Beltran

Astor Piazzolla is best known for being the father and inventor of Tango Nuevo – a revolutionary new genre in which jazz rhythms and classical music were infused into tango. Tango Nuevo, at first, was strongly rejected in his home country Argentina, but eventually was appreciated and celebrated for the genius it was throughout the world. For more on Piazzolla click here.

World premiere, in partnership with the Tucson Desert Song Festival , The Tucson Guitar Society, & Ballet Tucson

This event is generously sponsored by Arch and Laura Brown with additional support from Chuck Graham and Bernice Chesi

Astor Piazzolla

Chamber Music PLUS announces its exciting collaboration with Ballet Tucson and the Tucson Guitar Society to present the new theatrical portrait Passionately, Piazzolla! as part of the inaugural

Tucson Desert Song Festival in February 2013. Astor Piazzolla was a legendary composer and godfather of Tango Nuevo, a revolutionary new genre in which jazz rhythms and classical music were infused into tango. In this world premiere, the emotionally charged life of Astor Piazzolla is portrayed through live music, voice, acting and dance.

This world premiere promises to be a feast for the senses filled with visual drama, lush movement and passionate music and song.

Brian Chambouleyron

Ballet Tucson leads a stellar cast in this exciting theatrical experience with book by Harry Clark and innovative choreography by Chieko Imada and John Dahlstrand. The Tucson Guitar Society is delighted to present Misael Barraza Diaz in two works by Piazzolla, and making his Tucson debut is the renown Argentinian vocalist and guitarist Brian Chambouleyron. Portraying AstorPiazzolla is TV and Motion Picture star, Robert Beltran, known for his role as Raoul in Paul Bartel’s cult film Eating Raoul and his role as Commander Chakotay on Star Trek: Voyager.

For more information please see these sites:

Robert Beltran

Astor Piazzolla is best known for being the father and inventor of Tango Nuevo – a revolutionary new genre in which jazz rhythms and classical music were infused into tango. Tango Nuevo, at first, was strongly rejected in his home country Argentina, but eventually was appreciated and celebrated for the genius it was throughout the world. For more on Piazzolla click here.

World premiere, in partnership with the Tucson Desert Song Festival , The Tucson Guitar Society, & Ballet Tucson

This event is generously sponsored by Arch and Laura Brown with additional support from Chuck Graham and Bernice Chesi

Astor Piazzolla

Chamber Music PLUS announces its exciting collaboration with Ballet Tucson and the Tucson Guitar Society to present the new theatrical portrait Passionately, Piazzolla! as part of the inaugural

Tucson Desert Song Festival in February 2013. Astor Piazzolla was a legendary composer and godfather of Tango Nuevo, a revolutionary new genre in which jazz rhythms and classical music were infused into tango. In this world premiere, the emotionally charged life of Astor Piazzolla is portrayed through live music, voice, acting and dance.

This world premiere promises to be a feast for the senses filled with visual drama, lush movement and passionate music and song.

Brian Chambouleyron

Ballet Tucson leads a stellar cast in this exciting theatrical experience with book by Harry Clark and innovative choreography by Chieko Imada and John Dahlstrand. The Tucson Guitar Society is delighted to present Misael Barraza Diaz in two works by Piazzolla, and making his Tucson debut is the renown Argentinian vocalist and guitarist Brian Chambouleyron. Portraying AstorPiazzolla is TV and Motion Picture star, Robert Beltran, known for his role as Raoul in Paul Bartel’s cult film Eating Raoul and his role as Commander Chakotay on Star Trek: Voyager.

For more information please see these sites:

Robert Beltran

Astor Piazzolla is best known for being the father and inventor of Tango Nuevo – a revolutionary new genre in which jazz rhythms and classical music were infused into tango. Tango Nuevo, at first, was strongly rejected in his home country Argentina, but eventually was appreciated and celebrated for the genius it was throughout the world. For more on Piazzolla click here.

World premiere, in partnership with the Tucson Desert Song Festival , The Tucson Guitar Society, & Ballet Tucson

This event is generously sponsored by Arch and Laura Brown with additional support from Chuck Graham and Bernice Chesi

Richard Thomas & Michael Learned in Confidentially, Chaikovski. Reunited for the first time since the Waltons

“It is impossible to describe the impression your work made on me, for several days I was as one in a delirium from which I could not emerge.”

~ Nadejda von Meck to Chaikovski

“Without exaggeration I can say that you saved me, that I would surely have gone mad and perished had you not come forward with your friendship and sympathy.”

~ Chaikovski to Nadejda von Meck

Agreeing never to meet in-person, Chaikovski and his patron, Nadejda von Meck, exchanged over 1,200 letters between 1877 and 1890.  In musical history’s most extraordinary correspondence the pair reveal their love of art, love of family, and in a tragic conclusion, love of one another.

Appearing for the first time on Rhythms of LIFE series is Richard Thomas. He was seven when he made his first Broadway appearance in Sunrise at Campobello (1958). The wide-eyed, mole-cheeked, sensitive-looking Thomas soon found himself very much in demand for television roles. He was seen in the distinguished company of Julie Harris,Christopher Plummer and Hume Cronyn in a 1959 TV presentation of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, worked as a regular on the daytime soap operas As the World Turns and Flame in the Wind, and co-starred with Today Show announcer Jack Lescoulie in the captivating 1961 Sunday-afternoon “edutainment” series 1-2-3 Go. While attending Columbia University, Thomas made his theatrical-film debut in Downhill Racer, then settled into a series of unpleasant, psychologically disturbed characters in films like You’ll Like My Mother (1971) and such TV series as Bracken’s World. In 1971, Thomas was cast as John-Boy Walton in the Earl Hamner-scripted TV movie The Homecoming. Though there would be a number of cast changes before The Homecoming metamorphosed into the weekly series The Waltons in 1972, Thomas was retained as John-Boy, earning a 1973 Emmy for his performance and remaining in the role until only a few months before the series’ cancellation in 1981. During the Waltons years, Thomas starred in several well-mounted TV movies, including the 1979 remake of All Quiet on the Western Front. Ever seeking opportunities to expand his range, Thomas has sunk his teeth into such roles as the self-destructive title character in Living Proof: The Hank Williams Jr. Story (1983) and the amusingly sanctimonious Rev. Bobby Joe in the satirical Glory! Glory!. In 1980, Thomas made his first Broadway appearance in over two decades as the paralyzed protagonist of Whose Life is It Anyway. Working through his own Melpomene Productions, Thomas has continued seeking out creative challenges into the 1990s. Richard Thomas has also served as national chairman of the Better Hearing Institute.  We are thrilled to have him grace the stage at the Berger.

Making her third appearance with Chamber Music PLUS is four-time Best Actress Emmy Award winner Michael Learned.  Ms. Learned and Mr Thomas will be working together for the first time since the Waltons.

Michael Learned was born on April 9, 1939 in Washington, D.C. The oldest of six daughters of a U.S. State Department employee, she was raised on her family’s farm in Connecticut. The family moved to Austria when she was age 11, and it was while attending boarding school in England that she fell in love with the theater and decided to become an actress.

Learned married Oscar winner Robert Donat’s nephew Peter Donat, a Canadian citizen, when she was 17 years old, a marriage that lasted 17 years and produced three sons. She learned her craft while acting for the Shakespeare Festivals in both Canada and the U.S. while simultaneously raising a family. She and her husband Peter acted together with San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theatre (ACT) in the early 1970s. Her breakthrough came when she was appearing in an ACT production of Noel Coward’s “Private Lives”, where she was spotted by producer Lee Rich, who cast her as Olivia Walton in his new television series about a Depression era family, “The Waltons” (1971).

Learned won three Emmy Awards playing the role, and another Emmy for her next foray into series TV, “Nurse” (1981). She escaped typecasting as Olivia Walton (although she re-prised the role that made her famous in a 1995 TV-movie reunion) while appearing on numerous shows and TV movies, including top-drawer, made-for-TV specials such as the 1986 adaptation of Arthur Miller’s “American Playhouse: All My Sons (1987) with co-star James Whitmore.

All music by Chaikovski

This event is generously sponsored by Bruce and Edythe Gissing

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SPECIAL EVENT: Bob Clendenin stars in John Cage @ The Cabaret

Celebrating Cage’s 100th birthday

“If something is boring after two minutes, try it for four. If still boring, then eight. Then sixteen. Then thirty-two. Eventually one discovers that it is not boring at all.” –John Cage.

“The first question I ask myself when something doesn’t seem to be beautiful is why do I think it’s not beautiful. And very shortly you discover that there is no reason.” –John Cage.

“Which is more musical: a truck passing by a factory or a truck passing by a music school?” –John Cage

Interview with John Cage

This marks the third appearance  for Bob Clendenin with Chamber Music PLUS. Bob emigrated to Australia with his parents in the early 70′s but returned to the United States to attend Cornell University where he barely earned a B.Sc. in Engineering in 1986. Knowing the world would be safer if he was not designing bridges, Bob went on to Penn State where he received an MFA in acting. After several years in regional theatre he came to Los Angeles in 1992.

The fish didn’t bite immediately and Bob survived with one job teaching an SAT prep class and another job that involved wearing a hairnet. This went on far too long, but after a long series of demeaning auditions for horrible projects, Bob booked a demeaning role in a horrible project and his career was off and running. Since then he has done over seventy TV guest appearances, a dozen studio films, and numerous commercials. Being a character actor often leads to interesting character names. Bob’s favorites: Slow Roger, Mr. Giggles, Plumber Dave, Louis the Stalker, Doofus, and most recently Bob the Demon.”

Bob is proud of many things. He’s proud of his flourishing vegetable garden, he’s proud of his portrayal of the semi-retarded shop teacher on “Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper”, and he is most proud to be a co-founder of Circle X Theatre Company. Although they don’t let him act much anymore, he still sits on their Board of Directors and plays 1st Base for their championship softball team.

He lives in Burbank with his wife, two sons, and a pug named “Helmut”.

SPECIAL EVENT: Bob Clendenin stars in John Cage @ The Cabaret          

Celebrating Cage’s 100th Birthday

“If something is boring after two minutes, try it for four. If still boring, then eight. Then sixteen. Then thirty-two. Eventually one discovers that it is not boring at all.” –John Cage.

“The first question I ask myself when something doesn’t seem to be beautiful is why do I think it’s not beautiful. And very shortly you discover that there is no reason.” –

John Cage.

“Which is more musical: a truck passing by a factory or a truck passing by a music school?” –John Cage

Interview with John Cage

This marks the third appearance  for Bob Clendnin with Chamber Music PLUS. Bob emigrated to Australia with his parents in the early 70′s but returned to the United States to attend Cornell University where he barely earned a B.Sc. in Engineering in 1986. Knowing the world would be safer if he was not designing bridges, Bob went on to Penn State where he received an MFA in acting. After several years in regional theatre he came to Los Angeles in 1992.

The fish didn’t bite immediately and Bob survived with one job teaching an SAT prep class and another job that involved wearing a hairnet. This went on far too long, but after a long series of demeaning auditions for horrible projects, Bob booked a demeaning role in a horrible project and his career was off and running. Since then he has done over seventy TV guest appearances, a dozen studio films, and numerous commercials. Being a character actor often leads to interesting character names. Bob’s favorites: Slow Roger, Mr. Giggles, Plumber Dave, Louis the Stalker, Doofus, and most recently Bob the Demon.”

Bob is proud of many things. He’s proud of his flourishing vegetable garden, he’s proud of his portrayal of the semi-retarded shop teacher on “Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper”, and he is most proud to be a co-founder of Circle X Theatre Company. Although they don’t let him act much anymore, he still sits on their Board of Directors and plays 1st Base for their championship softball team.

He lives in Burbank with his wife, two sons, and a pug named “Helmut”.

SPECIAL EVENT: Bob Clendenin stars in John Cage @ The Cabaret

Celebrating Cage’s 100th Birthday

“If something is boring after two minutes, try it for four. If still boring, then eight. Then sixteen. Then thirty-two. Eventually one discovers that it is not boring at all.” –John Cage.

“The first question I ask myself when something doesn’t seem to be beautiful is why do I think it’s not beautiful. And very shortly you discover that there is no reason.” –

John Cage.

“Which is more musical: a truck passing by a factory or a truck passing by a music school?” –John Cage

Interview with John Cage

This marks the third appearance  for Bob Clendnin with Chamber Music PLUS. Bob emigrated to Australia with his parents in the early 70′s but returned to the United States to attend Cornell University where he barely earned a B.Sc. in Engineering in 1986. Knowing the world would be safer if he was not designing bridges, Bob went on to Penn State where he received an MFA in acting. After several years in regional theatre he came to Los Angeles in 1992.

The fish didn’t bite immediately and Bob survived with one job teaching an SAT prep class and another job that involved wearing a hairnet. This went on far too long, but after a long series of demeaning auditions for horrible projects, Bob booked a demeaning role in a horrible project and his career was off and running. Since then he has done over seventy TV guest appearances, a dozen studio films, and numerous commercials. Being a character actor often leads to interesting character names. Bob’s favorites: Slow Roger, Mr. Giggles, Plumber Dave, Louis the Stalker, Doofus, and most recently Bob the Demon.”

Bob is proud of many things. He’s proud of his flourishing vegetable garden, he’s proud of his portrayal of the semi-retarded shop teacher on “Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper”, and he is most proud to be a co-founder of Circle X Theatre Company. Although they don’t let him act much anymore, he still sits on their Board of Directors and plays 1st Base for their championship softball team.

He lives in Burbank with his wife, two sons, and a pug named “Helmut”.

~Sergei Rachmaninoff

The last great romantic composer left his native Russia in 1917 never to return. Rachmaninoff Remembered reveals the composer, the pianist, the husband, the father, his great triumphs tinged with the nostalgia for his never forgotten muse—his native soil.