Libby Hanssen

Originally from Indiana, Libby Hanssen covers the performing arts in Kansas City. She’s written for KCUR, “KC Studio,” “The Kansas City Star,” “The Pitch” and “KCMetropolis.” Libby maintains the culture blog “Proust Eats A Sandwich” and writes poetry and children’s books. Along with degrees in trombone performance, she was a Fellow for the NEA Arts Journalism Institute at Columbia University.

Arts News: Determined to Make a Difference

After a successful exploratory year, the Opus 76 quartet soars into its sophomore season with a well-defined repertoire, growing audience and a community-focused outlook. London-born violinist Keith Stanfield landed in Kansas City a little over six years ago, putting down roots with his wife, Kansas native violist Ashley Stanfield, and starting their family. Stanfield quickly […]

November 28, 2019
0

Guide to Choral Christmastide

Among the many magical and mindboggling parts of the Christmas story is Santa Claus’ ability to travel the world in a single night. Well, you may need a fleet of reindeer and some pixie dust, too, if you’re going to take full advantage of the local choral Christmas offerings. From time-honored rituals to new endeavors, […]

November 27, 2019
0

Love and Laments: “La storia di Orfeo” with Philippe Jaroussky, Amanda Forsythe and Boston Early Music Festival Chamber Ensemble

We forget, too often, that love and grief are two sides of the same coin. If you love, you will, eventually, grieve; if you do not grieve, you have not loved. With the legend of Orfeo and Euridice, we see that inevitability played out. The popular myth, featuring the demi-god of song and a beautiful […]

November 24, 2019
0

Kansas City Symphony Presents World Premiere of Jonathan Leshnoff’s Piano Concerto

Throughout many ancient traditions, the soul is equated with the breath: “atman” in Sanskrit, “ruh” in Sufism, “pneuma” in ancient Greek. In Jewish mysticism, the concept is “neshama,” the part of the soul that is intellect and expression and awareness, of God and of one’s self.

November 4, 2019
0

Kansas City Symphony Opens Classical Series with Themes of Struggle and Triumph

Ah, opening day. The fanfare, the National Anthem, that first pitch…it’s the opening concert of the Kansas City Symphony’s 2019/2020 Classical Series. The orchestra has already been hard at work for the last month in its various capacities, but this cornerstone series kick starts a season of celebrations and milestones, with an impressive roster of […]

October 5, 2019
0

Goons, Dames and Mozart: Hometown Tenor Debuts in Lyric Opera of Kansas City’s “The Abduction from the Seraglio” Reboot.

Lyric Opera of Kansas City makes “The Abduction from the Seraglio”—a story about love, about pride and about power—into a captivating rom-com set in the seedy back alleys of Hollywood. It’s a smart remake, originally for New Orleans Opera, directed by Alison Moritz. These timeless elements translated on stage and beyond. Pride, for one, in […]

September 22, 2019
0