Libby Hanssen

Libby Hanssen lives over the state line with her jazz musician husband, Ivesian little boy and star-bright baby girl. As a writer and poet, she is consistently impressed and inspired by Kansas City’s artistic community.

Concert to Come: “Goldberg Variations”

Johann Sebastian Bach’s monumental “Goldberg Variations” is at once staggeringly difficult and uniquely beautiful, challenging and enamoring musicians for centuries. Kansas City’s Owen/Cox Dance Group will display these compatible contrasts in their final performance of the season, in collaboration with pianist Kairy Koshoeva. This is the second presentation of the work for Koshoeva and the company, which they premiered in June of 2013.

May 10, 2017
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KC Ballet Spring Program Mines the ’40s for a Dynamic Mix

The 1940s in America were a time of unrest, with the atrocities of World War II, the terror of the atom bomb, and the rising threat of Communism. It’s also the decade that gave us “Bambi,” bobby soxers, and “It’s a Wonderful Life.” From this era, Devon Carney, artistic director of the Kansas City Ballet, […]

May 2, 2017
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KC in the spotlight for this year’s Dance/USA Conference

Dance makers, movers and shakers from across the country will gather in KC June 7 to 10 for the 35th annual Dance/USA Conference. The four-day event connects dance professionals — artists, presenters, artistic and executive directors, service organizations, advocates and arts funders — and highlights the region’s artistic output. The conference, which moves to a […]

May 2, 2017
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WWI-Inspired Oratorio Speaks to All Who Have Lost Loved Ones in War

In war, not all suffering happens on the battlefield. The families of those who serve suffer the stress of distance and unknowing, even if their loved ones return intact. During World War I, with an entire generation nearly extinguished, there was no life untouched. The whole world suffered.

April 5, 2017
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Arts News: Opera Superstars Give Joint Recital in KC

When political issues in South Africa caused the Nelson Mandela University Choir to cancel its North American tour, the Harriman-Jewell Series worked quickly to fill the slot in their season. As luck would have it, Clark Morris, executive and artistic director of the Series, noticed an intriguing concert scheduled at the Lyric Opera of Chicago: […]

April 3, 2017
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A Compelling Tale of Tragedy and Recovery

The Mississippi River Flood of 1927 was one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the United States. Hundreds lost their lives and thousands were displaced, land and livelihoods lost, making for another component of the Great Migration, which brought people from the agrarian south to the industrialized northern regions and the opportunities of the West.

March 29, 2017
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