Harmony Witte

Arts May 10, 2024 0

‘Book of Mountain and Seas’ Opera Tells Magical, Timely Tale

In three magical opera performances, “The Book of Mountain and Seas” at Boston’s Emerson Paramount Center transported packed audiences of theatergoers to another time and place. The 12-member Ars Nova Copenhagen choir, six puppeteers, and two percussionists worked together during the 75-minute-long shows to bring Chinese creation myths to life in an awe-inspiring way. In what is the final show of the Arts Emerson 2023/2024 season, “The Book of Mountain and Seas” breathed life into the ancient tales with its […]

Arts April 13, 2024 0

Firelei Báez Brings a New Exhibition to the ICA

A new exhibit has opened at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston featuring a survey of the work of artist Firelei Báez with 40 pieces of her striking work on display. This is the first museum survey dedicated to her work with the exhibit spanning 20 years of her career. At a recent press preview Báez spoke about her art, in particular an installation called “A Drexcyen Chronocommons (To win the war you fought in sideways)” created in 2019. […]

Leisure March 30, 2024 0

Kung Fu Panda 4 Continues the Furry Franchise

There is a new installment of the Kung Fu Panda comedy/adventure animated film series and its continuing to blow audiences away with its marvelous story, superb voice acting, and stellar music! Kung Fu Panda 4 continues the tale of Po (voiced by Jack Black, The Holiday, School of Rock) who improbably becomes the “Dragon Warrior” –a master of kung fu. Po is a giant panda and in this film is chosen to be the spiritual warrior of the Valley of […]

Leisure March 30, 2024 0

Chromic Duo Played an Emotional, Innovative Show at Crystal Ballroom

Chromic Duo made up of Lucy Yao and Dorothy Chan, performed at the Crystal Ballroom on Friday March 22nd, as a part of the Celebrity Series of Boston’s Stave Sessions and this was not the oft pictured typical classical piano concert! They played on toy pianos, a toy xylophone, a synthesizer, as well as on a stand up piano to breathe fresh air into works, such as Ryuichi Sakamoto’s “Path of the Wind” from My Neighbor Totoro and wrapped up […]

Food March 16, 2024 0

Laurence Louie is Making Big Waves as a Chef at Rubato

Sampan went to Rubato, a Hong Kong style café, in Quincy to speak with Chef and co-owner Laurence Louie about his busy year as a Chopped champion, being a James Beard semifinalist, winning both Bon Appétit and Eater Boston’s Best New Restaurants awards in 2023, as well as being an expectant father. Of the items that we tried, the real stand out was Rubato’s signature dish—the fried chicken bolo bao. It was the perfect blend of succulent, perfectly cooked, fried […]

Arts March 16, 2024 0

Interview with Greenway Artists Ponnapa Prakkamakul and Zhidong Zhang

The Greenway Conservancy recently announced two new public art installations that celebrate the Year of the Dragon which will be installed at Auntie Kay and Uncle Frank Chin Park. The installations are Year of the Dragon by Ponnapa Prakkamakul and Far Away, From Home by Zhidong Zhang. Sampan sat down with the two artists to talk about their work, which is part of the annual Chinese Zodiac series. Sampan: What does it mean to you to have your installation on […]

Arts March 2, 2024 0

‘Freckled Rice’ and ‘Our Chinatown’ Explore Chinatown’s Past and Future

Arts Emerson brought back to life the local classic narrative film, “Freckled Rice,” on Feb. 18 at the Bright Family Screening Room over the Paramount Theater in a screening that included the documentary short, “Our Chinatown.” “We have found a diamond that was in someone’s treasure box and unearthed it,” said Susan Chinsen, creative producer at Arts Emerson, who is also the director of the Boston Asian American Film Festival. “Freckled Rice” is the coming-of-age story of a 13-year-old boy […]

Arts March 2, 2024 0

Wu Tsang’s ‘Of Whales’ Lets You Immerse Yourself Into the World of Ocean Life

Of Whales by artist Wu Tsang is a gently calming, fully engrossing exhibit in the heart of the Institute of Contemporary Art– first presented at the Venice Biennale in 2022. On display now until Aug 4th the giant, 40-50ft long screen which displays the piece is in the Paul and Catherine Buttenwieser and Fotene Demoulas Galleries. This major work is premiering in New England in a gallery that is positioned above the Boston Harbor. According to the accompanying museum label, […]

Leisure February 17, 2024 0

‘Expats’: A Disappointing Exploration of Grief

I watched the first season of Expats on Amazon Prime and was sorely disappointed by the quality of the six-episode offering. Directed by Lulu Wang (Posthumous 2014, The Farewell 2019) the show is based on a 2016 novel called The Expatriates by Janice Y.K. Lee, which received mostly positive reviews. The story follows the lives of a group of expatriates living in Hong Kong and chronicles their interactions with each other, and how they navigate the unfamiliar world around them […]

Leisure January 13, 2024 0

Real Women Have Curves Premieres in a Funny, Poignant, and Memorable Musical

The American Repertory Theater has another big hit in the making with Real Women Have Curves: The Musical! (Book by Lisa Loomer, additional material by Nell Benjamin. The show opened recently to excited crowds and is introducing a new generation of people to the story of big dreamer, Ana Garcia. The musical is significantly different from the 2002 award-winning film (Josefina Lopez and George Lavoo’s screenplay based on the play by Josefina Lopez) in all the right ways. Aside from […]

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