Libby Hanssen

Libby Hanssen covers the performing arts in Kansas City. She maintains the culture blog, “Proust Eats a Sandwich,” and writes poetry and children’s books. She holds a master’s degree in trombone performance from UMKC Conservatory and currently works at UMKC’s Music/Media Library.

Arts News: Kansas City Women’s Chorus Combines Music and Social Justice

Cancellation notice: The Kansas City Women’s Chorus concert, “Reach Out, Reach Up,” April 17 and 18, is one of many performances throughout the city that have been cancelled because of the coronavirus threat. With hearts inspired by a love of music and driven with a mission for social justice, the Kansas City Women’s Chorus celebrates […]

March 24, 2020
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Love, Death and Power – On Steroids

What should you expect from an opera based on one of the most terrifying horror stories of all time? Believe it or not, a story about humanity. That’s what composer Paul Moravec and librettist Mark Campbell discovered when they turned Stephen King’s novel into an opera for the Minnesota Opera.

March 17, 2020
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Concert to Come: William Baker Festival Singers Perform the Music of Ed Frazier Davis

When the William Baker Festival Singers step into Helzberg Hall to perform the music of Ed Frazier Davis, it’s not just a concert. It’s a celebration of friends, family and renewal. “Ed writes like no one else,” said William Baker, founder and director of the Festival Singers.

February 27, 2020
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newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble Challenges Apathy with “Dislocation + Defiance”

The city was bathed in fiery light the evening of newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble’s “Dislocation + Defiance” program. The anticipation of the Chiefs’ impending Super Bowl game has the city in a spirit of jubilant civic pride, eager to spotlight our culture, energy, and creativity, shared with two billion people tuned in worldwide. It’s a […]

February 2, 2020
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Arts News: Bach Aria Soloists Presents Bach Extravaganza

Bach Aria Soloists continues the group’s 20th-anniversary celebration by going back to their origins with “Bach Extravaganza,” an all-Bach program Feb. 22. When Elizabeth Suh Lane, BAS’ founder/violinist/artistic director, started the group, there were very few established chamber groups in Kansas City. She was a young mother and, having played in orchestras in Europe and […]

January 30, 2020
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Devil in the Details: Peter Oundjian conducts the Kansas City Symphony, with violinist Nancy Zhou

The vibe was celebratory during the Kansas City Symphony’s opening Classical Series concert of 2020 and it had nothing at all to do with the impending Chiefs game, though the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts was blasted with red light in support of the team. This year, organizations all over the world are commemorating the […]

January 18, 2020
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