Decoding Chinese Opera Part Two : Appreciating Beauty
Classical Chinese drama, or opera, can be challenging for the uninitiated. This standalone companion to Part 1 looks at what makes Chinese theater mei (beautiful). We’ll see how the characteristic charms of opera relate to Disney animation, drag, and Las Vegas-style stage magic. We’ll conclude by watching comic and musical excerpts from the masterpiece Peony Pavilion.
Asheba is a musical storyteller specializing in Calypso, the musical and folkloric oral tradition of Trinidad, Asheba's homeland. Hope and happiness are the focus of his songs which range from original children's music to classic children's tunes with a Caribbean twist!
Sponsored by the Friends of the Berkeley Public Library
Join us for a Peace Day Commemoration on the lawn of North Branch Library. Listen to beautiful koto music by Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto, learn how to fold an origami crane, and hear about the story of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who lived through the bombing of Hiroshima, but died years later from the effects of the atomic bomb. She was made famous for folding 1,000 origami cranes in the hopes that her wish to survive would be granted.
Ages 8 and up and families are welcome.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Berkeley Public Library
Classical Chinese drama, or opera, can be a challenge for the uninitiated. Many Western and Chinese audiences want to like it but then get lost in the clashing gongs and cymbals.
This talk breaks down the visual cues of staging, costumes, music, and rap that make this vibrant art form a UNESCO-recognized Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage.
We hope you will join us for our first in-person children’s programs since 2020! Our story time band will lead two 30 minutes sessions: one for children ages 2-5 and the other for kindergarteners and 1st graders.
Registration for both sessions begins at 12:00pm on Friday, May 20th. To register, follow the link below to the session of your choice.
Learn about the Japanese art of Taiko drumming. Feel the thunderous sounds of the drums as language, culture, and history combine into an exciting educational experience. You may even get a chance to play the drums yourself!
All ages are welcome.