Into the Fold

Lotusland hosted a fabulous feast of folded artwork with its new opening representing the work of 12 renowned origami artists throughout the U.S.

The overflow crowd for Lotusland in Origami: Flora, Fauna, and Ganna included Asian art historian Meher McArthur and Montecito’s own artist Holly Sherwin, co-curators.

Origami is no longer limited to Japan, with artists, scientists, mathematicians, and designers around the world innovating folding techniques and styles, experimenting with different paper types and inspiring each other to use the boundaries of the craft.

The popular 37-acre 3,000 plant garden estate show features some of the most renowned origami artists in the country to represent various elements of the botanical paradise working in diverse styles, with great ingenuity sublime elegance and subtle humor.

The exhibition runs through May 18 and honors the imminent re-opening in June of Lotusland’s famous Japanese Garden, including reconstruction of the pond, after an extensive four phase renovation.

On Onegin

Opera Santa Barbara hit all the right notes with its latest production, Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, based on Alexander Pushkin’s novel, at the sold-out Lobero.

The two and a half hour show, with veteran conductor Valery Ryvkin, combined the talents of many of our town’s creative minds, including Ensemble Theatre’s Jonathan Fox as stage director, Kostis Protopapas as chorus master, and UCSB’s Christopher Pilafian as choreographer.

Danielle Corella, Karin Wolverton, Elliott Deasy, Nandani Maria Sinha, Ashley Kay Armstrong, Lee Poulis as the principal character, and Benjamin Brecher were all excellent in their roles in the company’s premiere of the work, which debuted in Moscow in 1879.

Sing it, Sofia 

Kerri Murray, president of the Santa Barbara-based international disaster relief charity ShelterBox, is one proud mom!

Her daughter, Sofia Schuster, a freshman at San Marcos High, just won the Teen Star 2019 contest at the Arlington.

Sofia, 15, overcame all odds to win the competition as she was born with paralyzed vocal chords and not supposed to be able to talk, let alone sing.

The youngster got her start in music with Janet Adderley‘s Youth Ensemble Theatre and singing with GIRLS ROCK Santa Barbara.

Her final song in the contest was “Teenager in Love” by Madison Beer, which one of the judges, Justin Fox from the alternative rock band Dishwalla, who worked with Beer, said was better than the original.

Two years ago Sofia wrote and performed her first album, donating all the sales to GIRLS ROCK to provide music education scholarships to girls. She is currently writing her second album as she pursues a career in music.

Bone-afide Good Time

The Granada went to the dogs when New York-based Snarky Puppy, a musical collective with as many as 25 members in regular rotation, showed off their talents, part of UCSB’s popular Arts & Lectures series.

The jazz-rock-fusion ensemble was formed by bassist and primary composer Michael League in 2003, initially a group of college friends at the University of North Texas’ jazz studies program, and then going on to win two Grammy Awards in three years.

They have just released their tenth album. 

An electrifying show…