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Vintage recording details an eyewitness account of Lexington, Concord battles
In the 1950 recording, preserved by GBH Archives, a Waltham doctor recalled his great-grandmother’s childhood account of the chaos on the first day of the Revolutionary War.
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February 4, 2025 - Alan Cumming, Alien Weaponry, and John Sayles
The Tony and Emmy-award winning actor, writer and singer Alan Cumming joins The Culture Show to talk about his hit reality TV series, “The Traitors,” which kicked off season three last month. To keep abreast of everything Alan Cumming is up to, go here.From there the thrash metal band from Waipu, New Zealand, Alien Weaponry, joins The Culture Show ahead of tonight’s 7:00 show at the Royale. To learn more about the concert, go here.Finally, independent filmmaker, actor and author Joyn Sayles joins The Culture Show to talk about his latest novel “To Save the Man,”which sheds light on an American tragedy: the Wounded Knee Massacre, and the ‘cultural genocide’ experienced by the Native American children at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. On February 5th you can catch John Sayles at 6:00 in East Sandwich at an event at Titcomb’s Bookshop. To learn more go here, On February 6th you can catch him at the Duxbury Senior Center at 3:00, and on February 7th he’ll be in Guilford, CT at the Guilford Free Library at 6:00. -
February 3, 2025 - Courtney Swain, Abelardo Morell, and The Life & Times of Michael K
Courtney Swain, a multi-instrumentalist, composer, vocalist, songwriter and sound artist joined The Culture Show for an in-studio performance. We were also joined by Nicole Taney, Artistic Director at Celebrity Series. On February 11th Courtney Swain will be performing at the Crystal Ballroom in Somerville, as part of the contemporary music festival, Stave Sessions, which is presented by Celebrity Series. To learn more about the show go here.From there the innovative photographer Abelardo Morell joins The Culture Show to talk about his technique and his exhibition, now on view at the Clark Art Institute through February 17th, “Abelardo Morell: In the Company of Monet and Constable.” To learn more about the exhibition go here.Finally, we get an overview of “The Life & Times of Michael K,” with puppet master Craig Leo and actress Sandra Prinsloo. It’s a theatrical adaptation of JM Coetzee's 1983 novel, using exquisite puppetry to bring the story to life. A collaboration between South Africa’s Baxter Theater and Handspring Puppet Company, it’s presented by ArtsEmerson, onstage at the Emerson Paramount Center through February 9th. To learn more, go here. -
January 31, 2025 - Week In Review: Mona Lisa on the Move, Emilia Pérez Parody and FireAid
Today Jared Bowen, Edgar B. Herwick III and Culture Show contributor Lisa Simmons go over the latest headlines on our arts and culture week- in- review.First up, the Smithsonian Institution. They’re closing their DEI office and freezing federal hiring, following President Trump’s mandate. Even though the Smithsonian is not a federal agency, it gets a big chunk of funding from federal appropriations. So what will this mean for its many museums?And while representation might be purged from federal agencies, the opera house is a different story. After 138 years of hiding in plain sight, the first complete opera by a Black American composer gets its debut.Plus, Mona Lisa has something to smile about. Amid renovations at the Louvre, she’s going to get a room of her own.Finally, a recap of FireAid, the benefit concert raising funds for wildfire recovery and prevention. -
January 30, 2025 - The music of Fabiola Mendéz, AI pioneer Oren Etzioni and movie maven Lisa Simmons
Fabiola Méndez, the celebrated Puerto Rican cuatrista and singer, joins The Culture Show for an in-studio performance. Méndez and her ensemble are performing February 8th, as part of CROMA Space’s 2025 season. CROMA Space, which is located in Boston’s historic Arlington Street Church, is dedicated to Latin American cultural diversity. To learn more about this upcoming show go here.From there, Oren Etzioni. The computer scientist and Artificial Intelligence pioneer is a self-described AI optimist. He’s also a realist who is alarmed by the downsides of AI, such as disinformation. He recently founded TrueMedia.org, which offers tools for fighting A.I.-manipulated content, such as deep fakes.Finally, it’s time for Actual Intelligence with Culture Show contributor Lisa Simmons, Executive Director of Roxbury International film Festival. She discusses all things movies, from the Oscar nominations to Sundance to the local film series that are showing across Boston, including two upcoming events featuring Lisa Simmons 1) Amplifying Voices Film Festival at The Cabot this weekend. To learn more, go here. And next weekend Lisa Simmons will moderate a panel following the screening of “Look Into My Eyes,” at Emerson Paramount Center. To learn more, go here. -
January 29, 2025 - "Funny Girl," artist Frank Costantino, and soprano Christine Goerke
The musical “Funny Girl,” is coming to town by way of Broadway in Boston. We get a preview with actress Hannah Shankman who stars as Fanny Brice. “Funny Girl” is onstage at Citizens Opera House February 4th through February 16th. To learn more go here.From there, the Boston Athenaeum has launched its newest exhibition, “Frank M. Costantino: Visionary Projects,” presenting the drawings of eminent Boston-based architectural illustrator Frank M. Costantino. Lauren Graves, Associate Curator at the Boston Athenaeum and Frank M. Costantino join The Culture Show for a preview. To learn more about the exhibition, which is on view through May 3rd go here.Finally, The Boston Symphony Orchestra, in collaboration with Boston Lyric Opera, presents Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s “Die tote Stadt.” Showcasing soprano Christine Goerke in her role debut, Goerke joins The Culture Show along with Tony Fogg, the BSO's Vice-President of Artistic Planning, for an overview. “Die tote Stadt” will be performed on January 30th and February 1st at Symphony Hall. To learn more go here.
