Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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^ THE GAMECOCK ♦ Monday, April 12,2004 5 . . ~ j) —m-V-■-m-■-^-y “Life is like playing a violin in I B 111 1% /1 I % / ublie and learning the instru- ' p&p /^~ I_I B A IB / I B B/ ment as one go£s on.” Contact. Us ^ I I Bl i \\ I I \ SAMUEL butler Story ideas? Questions? Comments? II I i I VI I / \ English composer and author E-mailusatgamecockfeatures@gwm.sc.edu —m-m-■—^ ' ~m-' Acclaimed violinist Xue Wei will be the featured soloist at Tuesday's Symphony Orchestra concert. A ^75ABLE SW Program suggests an ambitious season-ending performance for the USC Symphony BT HIT CURTIN THE GAMECOCK The USC Symphony Orchestra will finish out the season in a concert with Xue Wei, who has been described by Gramophone magazine as “one of the outstanding violinists of our time.” The concert takes place on April 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the Roger Center. The orchestra began work on this pro gram nearly a month ago. According to second-year music student Roger Keane, orchestra members prepare by rehears ing twice a week and working on the mu sic individually. Violinist and second-year music stu dent Nami Hashimoto added that the or chestra polishes the pieces in “a zillion rehearsals” and the dress rehearsal, where “we practice with the soloist the day before the concert.” The three pieces the orchestra will perform all have their roots in folk mu sic and tnpothor mmnnsp a divprsp anH appealing program. The evening will open with Max Bruch’s “Scottish Fantasy,” a piece for Wei’s solo violin and orchestra that features traditional Scottish melodies. From its somber opening to its exuberant conclusion, “Scottish Fantasy” showcases the soloist’s skills and draws in the audi ence. Next, Wei and the orchestra will move on to his native China as they play “Butterfly Concerto,” a one-movement concerto based on a famous Chinese folk melody. This pictorial work tells the sto ry of a Chinese Romeo and Juliet, fated lovers who find peace after death when they are transformed into butterflies. If you liked the music in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," you wifi proba bly enjoy this piece, which employs a similar musical vocabulary. From this tender evocation of ancient I umna, me listener will De joitea mto me 20th century by Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite,” music from the first of Stravinsky’s revolutionary ballets writ ten for the Ballets Russes. Stravinsky combined Russian folk tunes with vig orous rhythms to create a work that was considered shocking when first written and still retains its freshness almost 100 years later. The piece is an ambitious undertak ing for a student orchestra, and has proved challenging for the players. It in tegrates a full range of instrumental tech niques in a complex rhythmic texture. As violinist and first-year music student Jessica Robinson said, “the orchestra has caught the spirit of the piece.” “Firebird Suite” promises to be an ex citing end to a successful season. Whether you’re an orchestra groupie or a first-timer, a traditionalist or someone with a taste for the modem, this concert snouia oe an enjoyaDie ana enricnmg experience. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc. edu PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK The symphony rehearses extensively to give listeners a top-rate program. \ - Greenville provides attractions for all Museums, music and shopping, entertain tourists in Upstate city BY RACHEL HARTLEY THE GAMECOCK Greenville is one of South Carolina’s popular travel desti nations. As the fourth most pop ulated city in the Palmetto State, it is jam-packed with entertain ing things to do. Whether you prefer to spend a leisurely day sight-seeing in the city or go hiking, the Greenville area offers it all. The Greenville County Museum of Art just opened an exhibit for well-known artist and South Carolina native Jasper Johns, making it only the second one in America to have his work on display. Furman University’s Thompson Gallery showcases local work from artists and art students. Downtown Greenville has 70 restaurants and a variety of bou tiques and specialty shops. The area provides the perfect atmo sphere for a relaxing day of shop ping. The Haywood Road area and Augusta Road are other popular shopping districts in the city. Augusta Road Mall was Greenville’s first shopping mall and has continued to expand. As the arts and entertainment cen ter of the city, the West End Market and its surrounding streets are known for their unique assortment of stores and restaurants. Greenville also has its share of technology friendly cafes and bars that offer wireless service while ybu dine. Some of these in clude Blue Ridge Brewing Co. and Wild Wings Cafe. Greenville also offers many free activities, making it a perfect destination for budget-minded travelers. The Moonlight Movie Series is held in April and September, show ing classic films on an outdoor screen. Movies featured this month include “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “To Kill a Mockingbird” and “The Philadelphia Story.” Another free option is the live music series in downtown Greenville, which features local artists. Downtown Alive is a ♦ UPSTATE, SEE PAGE 6 Greenville’s Main Street is one of many places tourists can go to get a taste of one of the state’s most attractive cities. ‘The Passion’ reaches Holy Land, achieves underground success r BY MICHAEL MATZA KRTCAMPUS Mel Gibson’s controversial film “The Passion of the Christ” has been box-office boffo worldwide. But in the Holy Land, where the biblical epic is set — and where no distributor has picked it up for theatrical release—it has become an underground sensation. Bootleg DVDs and videocas settes of Jesus’ final hours and Crucifixion are selling briskly — from the Gaza Strip to the West Bank and even in Israel, where the Aramaic dialog comes com plete with Hebrew subtitles. A pirated copy recently was screened for Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who promptly pronounced the movie “historic and impressive.” In a statement hotly contested by Jewish crit ics, Arafat’s close aide Nabil Abu Rudeinah likened Jesus’ agony to “the kind of pain Palestinians are still daily exposed to” in their conflict with Israel. A hotel in largely Arab East Jerusalem just finished a week of invitation-only, $5-a-head screenings for about 200 people, proceeds of which were donated to Christian charities for the el derly and orphans. Black marketeers, who sell the film from $5 to $22 depending on format, say demand is high, particularly in the Palestinian territories, where 99 percent of the population is Muslim and prepared, after decades of con flict, to think ill of Jews. “People are calling me from everywhere in the West Bank— from Bethlehem, Hebron, Ramallah and Nablus — to ask ♦ SENSATION, SEE PAGE 6 -1 CDheleases -April 12-16 rz-*3^—MIB'ki*.^ -1 mm- ~ «»n—mil % iiiipm i—i—nimi <■» u “GIVE IT ALL AWAY” Ben Jelen “GHETTO POP LIFE” Dangermouse & Jemini “KILL BILL: VOLUME 2" Various Artists “PALM TREES & POWER LINES” Sugarcult “WHITE PUNKS ON DOPE" Tubes “KING OF MY WORLD” Sam Bush