April-May Highlights

Gidon Kremer

The University of Chicago Presents
Gidon Kremer, violin, and the Kremerata Baltica Quartet
8 p.m. Friday, May 7
Mandel Hall, 1131 E. 57th St. 702-8068. $30 general, $11 students.
The University of Chicago Presents will close this season’s Chamber Music Series with a performance by violin virtuoso Gidon Kremer and his handpicked ensemble, the Kremerata Baltica Quartet. The concert offers the rare opportunity to hear this accomplished violinist and frequent orchestral soloist in the intimate setting of Mandel Hall, which was designed especially for chamber music. The program includes Dmitri Shostakovich’s String Quartet, No. 13 in B-flat Minor, Op. 138; Alfred Schnittke’s Quintet for Piano and Strings; and Franz Schubert’s Quartet No. 14, D. 810, “Death and the Maiden.”

Whitney Sneed in the title role of Court Theatre’s production, Fräulein Else

Court Theatre
Fräulein Else
Through Sunday, May 16
5535 S. Ellis Ave. For tickets and information, call 753-4472 or visit http://www.courttheatre.org.
$26-50. Senior and student discounts available.
 
Set in northern Italy in 1912, Fräulein Else follows a vivacious 19-year-old woman, who plunges herself into a moral dilemma when she attempts to fix her parents’ financial misfortunes. The play reveals the choices a young woman must make when caught between the needs of her somewhat unlovable father, her own need to be loved by someone and her most compelling need—to love herself. Else faces the unthinkable when she betrays her intuition and moral compass, allowing herself to succumb to decadence and patriarchal rule. Based on a 1924 novella by Arthur Schnitzler, Fräulein Else was adapted for the stage by Francesca Faridany.

International House
Global Voices Performing Arts Series: “Masks and Myths: Timeless Dance Stories from Asia”
Friday, April 30 through Sunday, May 2
1414 E. 59th St. 753-2274. http://www.kalapriya.org.
 
Coinciding with Asian History Month, this program, titled “Masks and Myths: Timeless Dance Stories from Asia,” includes three performances of Asian music and dance by six dance companies and dozens of artists. In celebration of Asian dance, music and theater traditions, this event also will feature a panel discussion and workshops on Asian arts. The program is co-sponsored by the Kalapriya Center for Indian Performing Arts in Chicago.

Oriental Institute Museum
Mother’s Day Celebration
1:30 p.m. Sunday, May 9
1155 E. 58th St. 702-9507. Free.
The Oriental Institute invites mothers and families to the annual Mother’s Day celebration, titled “Happy Mummies Day.” The event highlights some of the museum’s most fascinating artifacts from ancient Egypt. Familes are invited to explore the galleries, which include such artifacts as a towering statue of King Tut, mummies from thousands of years ago, and sculptures of ancient Egyptian children and families at work and play. The event also will include hands-on activities, gallery games and movies. The first 100 mothers will receive a special treat from the Suq, the institute’s gift shop. At left is an ancient Egyptian portrait of Nefermaat and his family, which dates to the Old Kingdom, 2630 B.C.