A Field Guide to Survival of the Fittest
When Charles Darwin published On the Origin of Species in 1859, he caused a seismic shift in the way people began to see the world, its history, and our place in it. Instead of the previously accepted idea that it was “poof”, and all the animals appeared on the earth at once, Darwin theorized that a slow process of change—or evolution—had occurred.He introduced the term “survival of the fittest.”
From now through August 22, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art showcases a traveling exhibition of 45 masterworks by four European wildlife artists whose imaginations were piqued by Darwin’s discoveries. Richard Friese (German, 1854-1918), Wilhelm Kuhnert (German, 1865-1922), Bruno Liljefors (Swedish, 1860-1939), and Carl Rungius (German, 1869-1959). Known as the Big Four, these artists—who had sketched exotic zoo animals as part of their Art Academy training—began painting animals in the natural places they lived.
You can pick up your Field Guide at the entrance to the exhibit, find all the wild things, then bring your completed Field Guide to the Museum Store for a limited-edition Nelson-Atkins patch.
Happy 300th Birthday to Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons
On April 11 at 7 p.m., the Harriman-Jewell Series offers one of the most celebrated and beloved pieces of classical music—Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons—at the Folly Theater.
Since it was first published in 1725, Vivaldi’s Opus 8, Nos. 1-4 has been a fan favorite.
This new production by Les Arts Florissants, with Théotime Langlois de Swarte on violin, features a more narrative style. In the original score, Antonio Vivaldi included sonnets on the fleeting, cyclical nature of time. Did he write these poems himself? Or was a mysterious poet involved? Les Arts Florissants is a Baroque musical ensemble in residence at the Théâtre de Caen in Caen, France. They travel the world, performing over 100 concerts a year.
Into the Gray Zone, a Geo-Political Thriller at Unity Temple on the Plaza
What do you do after you retire from a 21-year career in the U.S. Army, eight years of it with Special Forces?
You write best-selling geo-political thrillers. At least that’s what Brad Taylor, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.), has done. His new book Into the Gray Zone takes task force operator Pike Logan to India on what he thinks is a routine security assessment.
It turns out to be anything but.
Logan foils an attempted attack on a meeting between the CIA and India’s intelligence service. Both government agencies believe it’s nothing more than a minor terrorist attack, but Pike suspects that something much more sinister is at play. After another terrorist operation at the Taj Mahal, he begins to believe that outside powers are attacking India in the gray zone between peace and war, leveraging terrorist groups for nothing more than economic gain. After a massive slaughter and kidnapping of hostages during an elaborate Indian pre-wedding party, two global powers are destabilized, and only Pike Logan and his team can de-escalate the tension by rescuing the captives. It will take everything that Logan and the taskforce have to foil an intricate plot that leaves countless lives in the balance.
On April 24 at 7 p.m., Taylor comes to Kansas City on a book tour and will hold forth at Unity Temple on the Plaza.
Ailey II at the Folly Theater
It’s a legacy. It’s a performance. It’s a movement.
Alvin Ailey (1931-1989) was a dancer, choreographer, director, and activist. Since the Alvin Ailey Company’s first performance in 1958, it has made an imprint on modern dance. Ailey’s work fused theater, modern dance, ballet, and jazz with Black vernacular, creating upbeat choreography that’s credited with spreading global awareness of Black life in America. Ailey’s choreographic masterpiece Revelations is recognized as one of the most popular and most performed ballets in the world.
“Dance is for everybody,” he proclaimed. “I believe that dance came from the people and that it should always be delivered back to the people.” Today, the company shares the power of dance in theaters, classrooms, and communities around the world.
On April 25 at 7 p.m., a new cadre of young dancers in Ailey II debut at the Folly Theater performing works by emerging and established choreographers. Francesca Harper, the artistic director and a former student at The Ailey School who has choreographed for both Ailey companies—guides Ailey II with her unique perspective, paying homage to Mr. Ailey’s legacy while taking the company in bold, new directions.