
At the Kennedy Center, the NSO offers a bracing history lesson
On Thursday night at the Kennedy Center, the National Symphony Orchestra gave the D.C. premiere of Julia Wolfe's masterfully crafted two-movement piece 'Her Story,' in a riveting performance led by Marin Alsop and enhanced by the 10 voices of the Grammy-nominated Lorelei Ensemble.
An urgent, engrossing 30-minute oratorio on the fight for women's suffrage, 'Her Story' is the kind of provocative, inventive music that American orchestras — and American arts centers — should pursue and program (posthaste). If you can make the repeat on Saturday, you should.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New York Post
16 minutes ago
- New York Post
The Beach Boys pay tribute to Brian Wilson — the ‘soul' of their sound
The Beach Boys paid tribute to co-founder and musical genius Brian Wilson Wednesday after his family announced his death — calling him the 'soul' of their surf rock sound. 'The world mourns a genius today, and we grieve for the loss of our cousin, our friend, and our partner in a great musical adventure,' the Beach Boys wrote on their official Instagram account. 'Brian Wilson wasn't just the heart of The Beach Boys—he was the soul of our sound. The melodies he dreamed up and the emotions he poured into every note changed the course of music forever.' Wilson died at 82. His cause of death has not been revealed. 6 Brian Wilson performed in Las Vegas on July 10, 2015. MediaPunch/INSTARimages 'His unparalleled talent and unique spirit created the soundtrack of so many lives around the globe, including our own,' the post added. 'Together, we gave the world the American dream of optimism, joy, and a sense of freedom—music that made people feel good, made them believe in summer and endless possibilities.' Wilson's cousin and the group's co-founder, Mike Love, posted a video montage that featured the iconic hitmaker over the years. 'From the first time we sang together as kids in my living room, I knew there was something otherworldly in him,' Love wrote alongside the video. 'His musical gifts were unmatched. The melodies he dreamed up, the emotions he poured into every note—Brian changed the course of music forever.' Love ended the touching tribute, writing, 'Brian, you once asked, 'Wouldn't it be nice if we were older?' Now you are timeless. May you rest in the peace you so deeply deserve, surrounded by the heavenly music you helped create. May your spirit soar as high as your falsetto [and] may your wings spread in effortless flight.' Rhythm guitarist Al Jardine also remembered his former bandmate on Instagram. 6 The Beach Boys posed in front of an earlier group portrait during a trip to London in 1964. Getty Images 6 Wilson stopped touring with The Beach Boys in 1964 after he had a panic attack. REUTERS 'Brian Wilson, my friend, my classmate, my football teammate, my Beach Boy bandmate and my brother in spirit, I will always feel blessed that you were in our lives for as long as you were,' Jardine wrote. 'I think the most comforting thought right now is that you are reunited with Carl and Dennis, singing those beautiful harmonies again. You were a humble giant who always made me laugh and we will celebrate your music forever. Brian, I'll really miss you…still I have the warmth of the sun.' The group was founded in 1961 in Hawthorne, Calif., by brothers Brian, Carl, and Dennis Wilson, their cousin Love, and school friend Jardine, according to the band's website. In 1964, Wilson stopped touring with the band after having a panic attack on a flight to Houston so he shifted his contributions to composing hits like 'Good Vibrations,' 'Wouldn't It Be Nice' and 'God Only Knows.' 6 Wilson is known for co-writing some of the group's most iconic hits like 'God Only Knows' and 'Good Vibrations.' Getty Images 6 Beach Boys members Brian Wilson, David Marks, Bruce Johnston, Al Jardine and Mike Love appeared together at Capitol Records in Los Angeles on June 13, 2006. REUTERS 6 Wilson performed with his daughter, Carnie, in Los Angeles on March 30, 2015. Getty Images He remained an on-and-off band member for decades and released his first solo album in 1988. Wilson had seven kids, including daughters Carnie and Wendy, who formed the four-time Grammy-nominated pop group Wilson Phillips. 'I have no words to express the sadness I feel right now,' his daughter Carnie Wilson wrote on Instagram. 'My Father @brianwilsonlive was every fiber of my body. He will be remembered by millions and millions until the world ends. I am lucky to have been his daughter and had a soul connection with him that will live on always. I've never felt this kind of pain before.'


San Francisco Chronicle
26 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
LA sports celebrities anticipate World Cup's arrival, hope political climate has cooled by then
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When the 2026 World Cup begins across North America one year from this week, sports figures from across Los Angeles are hoping the global soccer community will find the U.S. both inspiring and welcoming. The Fox network marked the one-year milestone Wednesday night with a big party at its studio lot in Century City. Attendees included everyone from 'Ted Lasso' star Jason Sudeikis to luminaries from every corner of the sports world in the nation's second-largest metropolitan area, including Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. 'I remember when the World Cup was here in the '90s, and then obviously what our American women's team did to win the World Cup (in 1999),' Harbaugh said. 'So yeah, I love sports, I love competition, and I think it's going to be incredible for our state, our city, our country. The vibe is going to be incredible to just have everybody here. I'm looking for another explosion of soccer — football — in America.' The attendees all expressed excitement about the return of the world's premier soccer tournament to the U.S. while acknowledging the uncertainty of whether the nation's fraught political climate could present significant challenges to the teams, the World Cup organizers and even the network that will broadcast the tournament domestically. 'I'm hoping this game can bring people together,' said former LA Galaxy midfielder Cobi Jones, a three-time World Cup veteran and the U.S. men's career leader in appearances. 'That's what we really want. We're talking about the travel bans and all that, I'm hoping that FIFA can work together with our government to find a way that everyone can be here, everyone can enjoy this sport, because it's a cultural event that's happening here in a year. I expect everyone from around the world to be able to come here and enjoy it.' Los Angeles is in the midst of several days of protests against intensified immigration raids across the nation that could cause international fans to wonder whether they can travel to the tournament safely. President Donald Trump's latest expansive travel ban has raised questions about whether some soccer fans will be able to visit at all. 'I think it will get figured out,' Harbaugh said. 'To quote the late, great Tom Petty, most things I worry about don't end up happening anyway.' Jones also preached caution for U.S. fans already fretting about the dismal state of their national team. Coach Mauricio Pochettino's squad is on its first four-game losing streak since 2007 after getting thrashed 4-0 by Switzerland on Tuesday in its final tune-up for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. 'We don't panic right now,' Jones said. 'Talk to me when we're a month out. I've seen from experience that with a year out from the World Cup, the team is going to completely change (in the interim). So for me, it's all about a general sense of whether they can come together as a team, because it's not about the individuals. We've seen it so many times.' ___


Hamilton Spectator
43 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
LA sports celebrities anticipate World Cup's arrival, hope political climate has cooled by then
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When the 2026 World Cup begins across North America one year from this week, sports figures from across Los Angeles are hoping the global soccer community will find the U.S. both inspiring and welcoming. The Fox network marked the one-year milestone Wednesday night with a big party at its studio lot in Century City. Attendees included everyone from 'Ted Lasso' star Jason Sudeikis to luminaries from every corner of the sports world in the nation's second-largest metropolitan area, including Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. 'I remember when the World Cup was here in the '90s, and then obviously what our American women's team did to win the World Cup (in 1999),' Harbaugh said. 'So yeah, I love sports, I love competition, and I think it's going to be incredible for our state, our city, our country. The vibe is going to be incredible to just have everybody here. I'm looking for another explosion of soccer — football — in America.' The attendees all expressed excitement about the return of the world's premier soccer tournament to the U.S. while acknowledging the uncertainty of whether the nation's fraught political climate could present significant challenges to the teams, the World Cup organizers and even the network that will broadcast the tournament domestically. 'I'm hoping this game can bring people together,' said former LA Galaxy midfielder Cobi Jones, a three-time World Cup veteran and the U.S. men's career leader in appearances. 'That's what we really want. We're talking about the travel bans and all that, I'm hoping that FIFA can work together with our government to find a way that everyone can be here, everyone can enjoy this sport, because it's a cultural event that's happening here in a year. I expect everyone from around the world to be able to come here and enjoy it.' Los Angeles is in the midst of several days of protests against intensified immigration raids across the nation that could cause international fans to wonder whether they can travel to the tournament safely. President Donald Trump's latest expansive travel ban has raised questions about whether some soccer fans will be able to visit at all. 'I think it will get figured out,' Harbaugh said. 'To quote the late, great Tom Petty, most things I worry about don't end up happening anyway.' Jones also preached caution for U.S. fans already fretting about the dismal state of their national team. Coach Mauricio Pochettino's squad is on its first four-game losing streak since 2007 after getting thrashed 4-0 by Switzerland on Tuesday in its final tune-up for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. 'We don't panic right now,' Jones said. 'Talk to me when we're a month out. I've seen from experience that with a year out from the World Cup, the team is going to completely change (in the interim). So for me, it's all about a general sense of whether they can come together as a team, because it's not about the individuals. We've seen it so many times.' ___ AP soccer: