Top 10 Things to Do 384327

Out & About

Mike Leigh’s film Mr. Turner (photo credit: PR)
Mike Leigh’s film Mr. Turner
(photo credit: PR)
1 FILM A PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST
The film Mr. Turner gives the viewer a glimpse into the life of British artist J.M.W.
Turner. Mike Leigh’s biopic of Turner, known for his evocative landscapes and seascapes, spans the last 30 years of Turner’s life. The film stars Timothy Spall as Turner, a gruff man lacking in social graces and utterly self-centered, who overcame poverty to become one of the most important painters of his century.
Spall, who won the Best Actor award at Cannes, is one of Britain’s most reliable character actors.
2 MUSIC SOUNDS IN THE DESERT
The 17th annual Tzlilim Bamidbar Festival will take place at Kibbutz Sde Boker from December 18 to 21. The festival includes a wide range of genres and styles, such as desert grooves courtesy of the Habibti En- semble; the Beersheba Symphonette play- ing Israeli contemporary classical music; and “Middle Eastern Jewish funk” by Shmemel, which performs a sonic palette that ranges from jazz and rock to folk music and hassidic songs. Elsewhere on the eclectic Tzlilim Bamidbar program are opera music, musi- cal theater for the entire family, an intriguing mix of storytelling, satire and music from Yehonatan Gefen and the Revolution Orchestra, and a high-octane blend of classical music and disco from the Jerusalem Street Orchestra.
For tickets and more information: (08) 656-4115 and www.tzlilimbamidbar.co.il
3 SYMPHONIC THOUSAND
The Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon Lezion will perform Mahler’s gargantuan Symphony No. 8 at Heichal Hatarbut in Rishon Lezion on December 13 and 14.
Noam Sheriff will conduct. Mahler’s work is one of the most voluminous compositions ever written and, due to its size and the number of performers, was dubbed the “Symphony of a Thousand.” In addition to the orchestral musicians, there will be 300 singers. These include a children’s choir, a choir from Croatia, and several soloists such as German soprano Regine Hangler, Polish mezzo-soprano Agnieszka Rehlis, British baritone David Wakeham and Russian-born bass Denis Sedov.

Stay updated with the latest news!

Subscribe to The Jerusalem Post Newsletter


For tickets and more information: (03) 948-4840\ 4
CARMEN AT THE PHILHARMONIC
The Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra will per- form Carmen in Tel Aviv and in Haifa. Zubin Mehta will conduct, with the participation of guest artists such as soprano Angel Blue; mezzo-soprano Maria José Montiel; tenor Jorge de León; baritone Aris Argiris; soprano Anastasi; mezzo-soprano Naama Goldman; tenor Felix Livshitz; baritone Noah Brieger; baritone Oded Reich; bass-baritone Yuri Kissin; mezzo-soprano Ayala Zimbler; the Gary Bertini Choir; and dancer Ornili Azulai (pictured).
December 20 at 8 p.m. at the Mann Auditorium, Tel Aviv; December 22 at 8 p.m. at the Haifa Auditorium. For more details and tickets: www.ipo.co.il
5 JAZZ FROM ROMANIA
Romanian jazz trumpeter Emil Bizga fronts the international lineup in his performances in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa. Bizga’s colleagues include Israeli saxophonist and educator Amikam Kimelman; Israeli pianist Katia Toobool; Australian-born bassist Simon Starr; and internationally acclaimed Slovenian drummer Gasper Bertoncelj.
Bizga’s style feeds off a wide range of sources, from his work with classical orchestras to stints in jazz big bands and quartet formats. Bizga performs at The Studio Theater Beit Hecht in Haifa on Saturday at 9 p.m.
For tickets and more information: (04) 841-8411
6  THREE IS A CONCERT
Trio Shaham-Erez-Wallfisch performs at the Israel Conservatory of Music Audito- rium, Tel Aviv, as part of the Chamber Music series. Violinist Hagai Shaham, cellist Raphael Wallfisch and pianist Arnon Erez will perform Haydn’s Piano Trio in E-flat Minor, “Jacob’s Dream”; Ravel’s Piano Trio in A Minor; and Arensky’s Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor.
Saturday at 8:30 p.m. at 25 Louis Marshall St., Tel Aviv. (03) 546-6228; www.icm.org.il.
7 THEATER THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
The musical Beauty and the Beast comes to the Beit Hillel Theater Workshop during Hanukka. The show has a musical ensemble, full lighting and creative costume designs.
The talented cast of 30 consists of resident Israelis, university and high school students, as well as overseas students.
December 17 to 24 at the Rachel Simon Hillel Theatre at Beit Hillel, Hebrew University campus, Jerusalem. For tickets, call (02) 581-7714. You can visit on Facebook – Beit Hillel Theater Workshop.
8 IT’S THE BEST MEDICINE
Laugh tracks won’t be necessary as three Hollywood comedians perform in sup- port of the Koby Mandell Foundation.
Hosted by Comedy for Koby founder Avi Liberman, the roster features Kira Soltanovich, Brad Upton and Vinnie Favorito.
This year the tour includes Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Ra’anana, Beit Shemesh, Modi’in and Gush Etzion. The biannual comedy showcase raises funds for the Koby Mandell Foundation, founded by Sherri and Rabbi Seth Mandell to benefit people affected by terrorism after their son, Koby, was killed by terrorists near their home in Tekoa in May 2001.
Until Monday. For more information and tickets, visit www.comedyforkoby.com.
9 ART THE YEAR THAT WAS
The annual Local Testimony photojournalism exhibition opens at the Eretz Israel Museum, Tel Aviv, at the same time as the International World Press Photo exhibition. As every year, the exhibition features works that bear witness to the events of the past year: war and peace, politics and society, art and culture, nature and the environment, sports, portraits, multimedia presentations and more.
From Tuesday until January 24 at 2 Haim Levanon Street, Tel Aviv, (03) 641-5244.
10 A MATERIAL GIRL
Carmel Ilan’s solo exhibition “Materiality Now” opens at the Raw Art Gallery. In the exhibition, the artist presents a series of photographs of her sculptural creations – objects constructed specifically for this body of work. Ilan offers a new interpretation of her unique sculpting technique, in which one-of-a-kind sculptural pieces formed from folded, paper-based materials are tightly woven on wooden boards. The photographs are not exact reproductions.
Their role is of primary significance: to transform the existing object by means of a metamorphosis, through which a hybrid object is created, one that lies in the inter- section between the two media.
Raw Art Gallery, 3 Shvil Hameretz Street, Building 8, 4th Floor, Tel Aviv, (03) 683-2559