FIGHTING FASCISM: GEORGE AND RUTH
In 1936, Spanish nationalists led by Gen. Francisco Franco staged a successful revolt against a democratically elected leftist government, beginning the Spanish Civil War. Para-military socialist and communist forces of the International Brigades rallied to help the government in a losing cause. Among them was 23-year-old George Watt, right, who left New York in 1937 to join the Abraham Lincoln Battalion and later led morale-boosting and political education efforts for fellow volunteers. He corresponded with Ruth Rosenthal Watt, bottom right, an equally passionate activist he had married earlier that year.
Fast forward to 2002. That's when their son, Dan Watts, stumbled across his parents' correspondence in a box. George and Ruth: Songs and Letters of the Spanish Civil War concludes this weekend at the Silver Meteor Gallery. The play by Dan and Molly Lynn Watt features songs in English, French, German, Spanish and Yiddish.
"One of the things I love about this show is their relationship — an inside look at how they did this," said director Jo Averill-Snell. "The music is outstanding, and the songs of the period really stand the test of time."
Jeff Lukas, who plays George, has a long background in musical theater. Katherine Stenzel, who plays Ruth, has sung with the Sunshine City Opera and the choruses of Opera Tampa and the Palm Beach Opera. 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Silver Meteor Gallery, 2213 E Sixth Ave., Ybor City. $15. (813) 300-3585. bit.ly/2uGlU3I.
MUSIC AT MUSEUM: UT FACULTY ENSEMBLE
Music faculty of the University of Tampa occasionally show their stuff. Thanks in part to their own efforts, they're not seen as often as their students, who perform in wind jazz, guitar and chamber ensembles, among several others.
But members of the University of Tampa Faculty Ensemble, who will dip into a classical repertoire at the Museum of Fine Arts, have been there and done that. Flutist Barbara Prescott also teaches at Eckerd College and St. Petersburg College. Meg Cassell is a two-time Fulbright scholar who has served as principal oboe for the Hofer Symphoniker in Germany and Opera Southwest, and performed with the San Diego Symphony and the Florida Orchestra.
Theodore DeCorso, who taught for 25 years at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, has performed at Carnegie Hall and internationally. And Grigorios Zamparas, who heads UT's piano program, has played in concerts or solo recitals throughout Eastern Europe, South America, South Korea and the United States.
2 p.m. Sunday at the Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Drive NE, St. Petersburg. $25, $15 students and Marly Music Society members. (727) 896-2667. mfastpete.org.
JAZZ, ROCK AND BLUES: WHITNEY JAMES
Whitney James has already wowed audiences at the Palladium's Side Door Cabaret with her jazz vocals. Now the singer teams up with two well-known jazz guitarists in original arrangements of Jimi Hendrix, Prince, Beatles tunes — and that's just for starters.
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Explore all your optionsWhitney James: Guitar Hero With Dan Heck and LaRue Nickelson promises to showcase three versatile performers. Guitarist and bassist Heck has played for more than 20 years in Boston, New York, Paris and Seattle. Nickelson, who has been seen at area jazz festivals, was a guitar contest finalist at the 2004 Montreux Jazz Festival.
The evening's second set extends to the far reaches of swing and bebop, allowing the guitarists to pay tribute to the likes of Pat Metheny, Jimmy Raney, Pat Martino and Wes Montgomery. They'll be joined by bassist Alejandro Arenas and drummer Mark Feinman, also Palladium regulars performing with the La Lucha jazz band. 8 p.m. Saturday at the Palladium, 253 Fifth Ave. N, St. Petersburg. $22 and up, $20 students with ID. (727) 822-3590. mypalladium.org.
CORRECTION: An earlier online version of this report incorrectly identified the name of the Palladium's Side Door Cabaret.