Free Weekly Concert Series
Every Thursday;
6-9 p.m. FREE | West Palm Beach Waterfront, 100 Clematis Street, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
West Palm’s favorite Thursday night tradition proves why it has been the “hot spot to chill” for more than 20 years. During Clematis by Night, guests will enjoy live music, food and drink specials and the hottest local social scene, creating an unmatched seaside happy hour setting. For more information, please visit Wpb.org/events or follow the City of West Palm Beach on Facebook @CityofWPB, on Twitter @westpalmbch or on Instagram @westpalmbch.
• Thursday, October 4: Big Al & the Heavyweights (Gumbo, Blues, Zydeco) | www.bigal.net
From Cajun to zydeco to blues to rock and everything in between, Big Al & the Heavyweights offer a musical gumbo sure to please all! Formed in 1996 as the Unknown Blues Band, with founding members Big Al Lauro, Warren Haynes and Rick Gergen, this New Orleans group has been featured at festivals and venues throughout the U.S. and will now be coming to the West Palm Beach Waterfront to deliver a family-friendly, energetic, and most of all fun, live performance.
• Thursday, October 11: Luis Manuel & The Charambo Band (Latin) | https://www.facebook.com/pg/Luis-Manuel-The-Charambo-Band-164521750229436/about/?ref=page_internal
Established in 1999, Luis Manuel & The Charambo Band performs classic salsa with a touch of cuban son, Latin jazz, cha-cha-cha, cumbia and merengue. With members from Cuba, Puerto Rico and Venezuela, this 7-piece band delivers a high-energy performance with the blend of piano, bass, conga, timbal, two trombones and lead singer Luis Manuel. Manuel’s vocal style and talent are evident in the way he passionately sings from the heart. Dancing shoes are a must for this Clematis by Night!
• Thursday, October 18: Jason K & Signal Fire (Rock) | https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jason-k-and-signal-fire/289504664562502?sk=info
Jason K and Signal Fire is an exciting and dynamic project conceived out of 5 other top local bands. Offering more than the typical guitar, bass and drum format, the band features a killer keyboardist and brings to the stage a big-concert feeling. In addition to performing their own compositions, the group performs cover songs with unmatched energy and expert precision.
• Thursday, October 25: CLEMATIS BY FRIGHT
Creep, crawl or float down to Clematis by Fright for a FREE frightfully fantastic time! Thousands of dollars in prizes will be awarded in the annual costume contest in categories for kids, adults, families and pets. Lots of spookily, spectacular family fun awaits you at the best place to celebrate Halloween in West Palm Beach!
Enjoy live music all night long by Professor Pennygoode’s Mighty Flea Circus (Jump, Rockabilly, Swing) | www.mightyfleacircus.com
Hailing from South Florida, Professor Pennygoode’s Mighty Flea Circus is a non-stop, good-time ‘swingabilly’ band with one mission: to get Clematis by Nights guests moving! This five-piece group blends together their original material with a unique take on music from the 40s and 50s, rockabilly, jump and swing artists of today. With a repertoire of familiar tunes from artists like Louis Jordan, Wanda Jackson, Brian Setzer, Keely Smith, Louis Prima, and an ever-growing list of new artists and original music, this band is sure to keep the audience jumping.
WHO: Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts
WHAT: Auditions for the Magnifique Winter Intensive will be held at the Kravis Center on Sunday, October 14, from 1-3:30 p.m. Students who are selected will participate in the Magnifique Winter Intensive, Jan 2-6, to train with ballet dancers and instructors from France in the pure tradition of l’Ecole Francaise (the French School).
Founded by Jean-Hugues Feray, former principal dancer with many international companies, including Ballet Florida and National Ballet de Marseille, the Magnifique Winter Intensive will feature faculty including Charles Jude, former star of the Paris Opera Ballet and now artistic director of the Ballet de l’Opera National de Bordeaux; Olivier Pardina, former principal dancer with the Nice Opera House, Bejart Ballet and a principal teacher with the Miami City Ballet School and Stephanie Roublot, former dancer with Ballet de Nancy and now a principal dancer with the Ballet de l’Opera National de Bordeaux.
WHERE: The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach, FL, 33401.
WHEN: Sunday, October 14; 1-2 p.m. for grades 4-6 and 2-3:30 p.m. for grades 7-12
To register for the Magnifique Winter Intensive auditions, please call the Kravis Center Education Department at 561-651-4251 or visit parisballetdance.com. The audition fee is $35; the 5-day Magnifique Winter Intensive tuition is $495.
The Royal Palm Beach Writers’ Group will present an evening of poetry, prose, music and art on Saturday, October 6, 2018, 7:00-9:00 p.m., at Village Music and Cafe, 10410 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington. Hosted by John Rifenberg, the evening’s proceeds will benefit the Mary Rubloff YWCA Harmony House, a shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic violence. For additional information, please e-mail Mr. Rifenberg at rifencooper@gmail.com.
Donna Willey is known around Wellington for the successful music center she owns with her husband Steve, Village Music & Cafe. And now she’s branching out and taking on another one of her passions – college counseling. Just last month, she became a member of the International College Counselors team, based here in Wellington, FL.
Especially aimed at students from 9th grade on, the program at International College Counselors focuses on making sure you’re enrolled in the right curriculum, extracurricular activities, leadership skills, essay development, community service, finding the right college match and the nitty gritty of how to fill out those applications.
Willey is opening her Wellington office on September 1st in the Lake Wellington Professional Center on Ken Adams Way, just off of Forest Hill Boulevard. “I’m here to help families who are stressed about how to apply for college,” says Willey.
Donna Willey is no stranger to the rigor of academics and the strategies of getting into the right school. She’s currently pursuing a PhD in Business Ethics. She worked in Germany for 10 years at Euro College Consultants. She served as Director of Student Affairs at the Globe Business College in Munich.
There are many vital services that International College Counselors offer:
One-on-one consulting time focused on the student’s individual goals.
Sharing unbiased information on a wide range of colleges and universities.
Explaining financial aid strategies, including school aid, private scholarships, Florida Bright Futures Scholarship, Florida Pre-Paid, 529s and more.
Providing experts to assist with application preparation and essay review.
Communicating proven techniques to gain admission into the most competitive schools
Advising via telephone, email and Skype, making it possible to do international work, as well as meeting the needs of busy students.
As for Village Music, Willey says she’ll be just as involved in the business as always; however, this career move will bring a whole new dimension to the store. “I’m a real proponent of music education,” she adds. “For students, it’s a real advantage when it comes to advising those who want to go down a musical path.” At Village Music, Willey coordinates music lessons for over 400 students each week.
Donna Willey is excited to help guide students on their path to success. She’s happy to share her expert strategies for admission and looks forward to working one-on-one with local students in her Wellington office. She can be reached at her number below.
We blame the cake for our decision to wed at the fabulous Highland Beach hotel on the sand 10 years, ago July 17th!!! Seriously.
Half a year prior to our nuptials, as we gobbled decadent bite after bite of the mouth-watering chocolate yumminess, while relaxing on the hotel’s restaurant patio, hubby and I looked at each other with full mouths, pointed at the delish dessert and simultaneously announced, “wedding cake!”
I swallowed and smiled. “If they allow us to serve it at our wedding we’ll do it here. On the sand, by the ocean.”
“Perfect,” he replied.
Fast forward to the eve of our marriage. Dancing with our small wedding group of just under forty (and I’m delighted to say that editor Krista Martinelli was one of our guests)? in between bites of the divine chocolate creation, while the full moon shone on the ocean couldn’t have been more magical.
The hotel is now called The Delray Sands, and the SAME cake is still available for birthdays and anniversaries. A fantastic reason to celebrate at their lovely establishment while watching the waves. Well, we just had to relive our chocolate union on our 10th!
We are pleased to have Real-Life married sweethearts Frannie and Dani, who are also Dessert Critics appropriately called ‘The Sweethearts’, add a little sweetness to Around Wellington with their playful, yummy weekly 3-5 minute dessert video reviews.
Their online dessert critiques have been transformed into a Reality Food Show/Sitcom called ‘SWEETHEARTS’, now in development with 2-A-Listers attached. More info viewable at https://www.franniesheridan.com/ Frannie and Dani can currently be seen in several TV commercials in which they play themselves as Dessert Critics for Aztil air conditioning.
We live in a world where our society is the only thing getting in the way of getting things done. Earlier this year one of the most tragic events to happen in the state of Florida caused 17 students to lose their lives. I’m talking about Marjory Stoneman Douglas. My Civics teacher once told me that as a citizen of the United States it’s your job to be active in your community and to use your voice to stand up for others. As a student who goes to Wellington Community High School in Florida, this incident was a terrible time for public schools in Florida and this resulted in many changes. I know students that tell me how they don’t even want to attend school because of how unsafe they feel. Just a few issues to address include a lack of police aid, the effectiveness of lanyards and the issue with students feeling they have a say.
First, lanyards are a great start to solving school safety issues. In fact, according the National Center for Education Statistics “A greater percentage of high schools (16 percent) and middle schools (13 percent) than of primary schools (3 percent) required students to wear badges or picture IDs.” Imagine if we could increase that to 100% of all schools in the U.S. However, even though lanyards are a good first step in the right direction, we as a country still have a long way to go because students feel that lanyards are simply not enough. With the tragedy of Marjory Stoneman Douglas on the student’s minds this certainly doesn’t help the atmosphere of school.
Secondly, one of the concerns about what happened at Marjory Stoneman Douglas was that there weren’t enough police officers on campus at the time. Recently, Wellington High School had a lockdown on and not once did I see a school resource officer on campus. It is absolutely crucial that every school in the U.S has the access to more resource officers. I interviewed a sophomore who attends Wellington High School, who expressed his feelings about the lockdown the other day “With our Code Red, I find it terrible how afraid we have to be with something like this.” I asked the student if he could change one thing about the school what would it be? He responded, “One thing the school could do is inform the students of what is going on security wise.” Many of the students that I’ve talked to agree with these statements.
Lastly, students feel they have the right to express their concerns and should be heard. Many students everywhere are trying to make a change for the better. It’s up to us to make a difference in our society. It doesn’t matter what your race, age, gender, sexual orientation, or religion because in the very end, we can’t stop someone from killing, but we can try to prevent it.
Canals lace through this Alpine town in the Rhône-Alpes region of southeast France, earning it the moniker as the “Venice of the Alps.” The stunningly pristine Lake Annecy reflects the surrounding snow-capped mountains. Cobbled streets invite you to wander amid pastel-colored houses and shops at the edge of the canals. Standing watch over it all is the medieval Château d’Annecy, once home to the Counts of Geneva. An easy drive from Geneva, Switzerland, Annecy is storybook charming. Strolling: That’s how I spent my time in Annecy. It was difficult to go more than a few steps without stopping to snap a photo of yet another picturesque sight. If you’re seeking a destination for Instagram-worthy shots, Annecy should be in your travel plans.
Gate in the Castle Courtyard
Let’s Start With the Medieval Castle
Blending medieval defense architecture with the elegance of the French Renaissance, Château d’Annecy is a must for lovers of architecture and history. Its oldest section dates back to the 13th century with modifications adding the influence of 14th to 16th-century architecture. Serving as home to the Counts of Geneva for many years, the castle suffered several fires and was ultimately abandoned in the 17th century. During World War II, it served as military barracks for the French troops. Late, in the 1950s, it was repurposed by the city of Annecy as a museum.
Housed within its majestic walls are exhibits featuring medieval sculptures, 18th-century paintings and important regional heritage objects. Located within the castle’s tower, the Regional Alpine Lakes Observatory houses a collection of lake-themed artifacts, aquariums and archaeological relics.
Palais de l’Isle
More History at the Photogenic Palais de l’Isle
Situated on a triangular turn of the city’s Thiou Canal, Palais de l’Isle is one of Annecy’s most recognizable buildings. Dating back to the 12th century, it looks as if it was plucked from the pages of a fairytale. This fortified building has played many roles throughout its centuries of history. It’s been a courthouse, prison, mint, lord’s residence and now a museum. Exhibits cover local history from medieval coins to the region’s 19th-century industrial era. Art exhibits are also featured periodically. Even if you don’t enter the museum, you’ll want to get a photo—it’s irresistible.
Pont des Amours
Steal a Kiss on the Pont des Amours
The romantic Pont des Amours (Lovers Bridge) crosses over the Thiou River where it enters the city connecting the Jardin de l’Europe (Gardens of Europe) to the vast promenades of Le Paquier. Legend says that lovers who kiss in the middle of the bridge will be together forever. Of course, it is also said this was once a meeting point for prostitutes. I suppose that could be legendary too.
Jardin de L’ Europe
Picnic in Jardin de L’Europe
Situated on the cleanest lake in Europe with panoramic views of the snow-capped French Alps, Jardin de L’Europe is hard to beat for a picnic. Plotted in the 19th century by the city, this English garden is home to more than 600 deciduous trees planted around the statue of the pioneering chemist Claude-Louis Berthollet. Pick up a croissant and cheese, find a park bench at the edge of Lake Annecy and feast your eyes on the spectacular beauty surrounding you.
This is Cheese Country
The Rhône-Alpes region of France is famous for its delicious cheeses. When you’re ready to indulge, one of the most decadent options is the Swiss dish, raclette. Whatever you do, don’t leave Annecy without trying this ultimate comfort food. Actually, eat it every chance you get. If you’re unfamiliar, raclette is made from a round cow’s milk cheese melted in front of an open fire. As it melts, it’s scraped onto your plate and typically eaten with dried meats, roasted potatoes, gherkins and pickled onions. For cheese lovers, there’s really nothing better on the planet.
Have you experienced the charms and cheese of Annecy?
Tickets to Palm Beach Opera’s 2018-2019 Season, Including Exciting New Concert, Available for Purchase
A night of… Rising Stars & Classic Melodies. – Dec. 18, 2018
Giuseppe Verdi’s La traviata– Jan. 25-27, 2019
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Don Giovanni– Feb. 22-24, 2019
Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus– Mar. 22-24, 2019
A Night of Rising Stars and Classic Melodies
(West Palm Beach, FL – Aug. 31, 2018) Tickets to Palm Beach Opera’s 2018-2019 mainstage season will be available to the public for purchase on Sept. 5. The company’s season of opera opens with new a concert, A night of… Rising Stars & Classic Melodies, and includes performances of Giuseppe Verdi’s La traviata, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus. All of Palm Beach Opera’s productions will be performed in the Dreyfoos Concert Hall at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach.
A night of… Rising Stars & Classic Melodies. – Dec. 18
The 2018-2019 season opens on Tuesday, Dec. 18, with the company’s new concert, A night of… Rising Stars & Classic Melodies. The talented singers of Palm Beach Opera’s rigorous Benenson Young Artist and Apprentice Artist programs will perform opera’s greatest hits and Broadway favorites. This one-night only event will also feature a special guest appearance by world-renowned opera star Stephanie Blythe.
With more than 600 applicants in a single season, Palm Beach Opera’s growing training programs continue to be a launching pad for emerging artists. A night of… Rising Stars & Classic Melodies will showcase the next generation of opera singers, and will also feature the Palm Beach Opera orchestra.
“We are thrilled to welcome back Stephanie Blythe to the Palm Beach Opera stage, and to have her join us as we celebrate the exceptional singers of our Benenson Young Artist and Apprentice Artist programs in this exciting new concert,” said Managing Director David Walker. “This will be a unique opportunity for audiences to enjoy rising stars on the brink of international stardom, and the vocal powerhouse of one of the world’s most beloved opera stars.”
Giuseppe Verdi’s La traviata– Jan. 25-27
The first opera of the 2018-2019 season is Giuseppe Verdi’s La traviata, the heartbreaking story of a Parisian courtesan’s impossible choice between love and moral obligation. Sopranos Kristina Mkhitaryan, who will make her Metropolitan Opera debut this season, and Jacqueline Echols (Jan. 26), praised for her “dynamic range and vocal acrobatics” by Classical Voice, will sing the shared role of Violetta in debut performances. Returning to Palm Beach Opera as Alfredo Germont is tenor Alexey Tatarintsev, who recently appeared in the company’s production of Rigoletto, and former Palm Beach Opera Benenson Young Artist Derrek Stark (Jan. 26). Appearing on the Palm Beach Opera stage for the first time, Baritone Massimo Cavalletti, who recently debuted with the Paris Opera, will play Giorgio Germont.
Palm Beach Opera’s 2018-2019 Benenson Young Artist Natalie Rose Havens will sing the role of Flora Bervoix, and former Benenson Young Artist Brian Wallin, who is returning to the program for another season, will sing Gastone. The cast and orchestra will be led by Verdi specialist Maestro Antonello Allemandi, who previously conducted the company’s internationally acclaimed production of Rigoletto. Director Fabio Ceresa, who won the 2016 International Opera Award for Young Director, will also make his Palm Beach Opera debut. Lighting Designer Stuart Duke, who debuted with Palm Beach Opera in the recent production of Tosca, will return to design the lighting of La traviata.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Don Giovanni– Feb. 22-24
Palm Beach Opera will present a film noir-inspired production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Don Giovanni, a tale of a libertine’s arrogance, corruption, and unrepentance. Palm Beach Opera’s Chief Conductor Maestro David Stern will lead the cast and orchestra for this production, marking another successful season with the company. Director Kristine McIntyre, who has directed more than 80 operas across the country, will make her Palm Beach Opera debut. In two Palm Beach Opera debuts, the title role of Don Giovanni will be performed by Baritones Andrei Bondarenko, who sang the same role for a Sony Classics recording of the opera, and Edward Nelson (Feb. 23), hailed as “an exciting protagonist” by Opera News. Bass Joshua Bloom, who has been praised by The Independent for his “thunderous sound,” will play the role of Leporello in his first performance with the company. Sopranos Caitlin Lynch and Sarah-Jane Brandon (Feb. 23), who both sang in Palm Beach Opera’s Le nozze di Figaro earlier this year, will sing the shared role of Donna Anna.
Danielle Pastin, a soprano who has been praised by Opera News for her “lovely demeanor and irresistibly creamy timbre,” and Felicia Moore (Feb. 23) will sing the role of Donna Elvira. Former Benenson Young Artist Danielle MacMillan, who also appeared in Le nozze di Figaro, will perform as Zerlina. Tenor Bogdan Volkov, who won second prize in the 2016 Operalia competition, will sing the role of Don Ottavio in a debut performance. South Florida resident and baritone Neil Nelson, who continues to headline the company’s new Summer Opera Nights series, will return to sing on the mainstage as Masetto. Bass Mikhail Koleishvili will perform as Commendatore and Marcus Dillard will design the lighting for Don Giovanni, marking his Palm Beach Opera debut.
Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus– March 22-24
Palm Beach Opera’s 2018-2019 season will close with Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus, a comedic series of mischief, intrigue, and revenge set at a lavish Viennese ball on New Year’s Eve. Palm Beach Opera Chief Conductor Maestro David Stern will also conduct this high-spirited comedy, and Artistic Director of Opera at Manhattan School of Music Dona D. Vaughn will serve as the Director. Keri Alkema, who captivated audiences in Palm Beach Opera’s recent production of Tosca, returns for another season with the company in role of Rosalinde. In addition to her upcoming appearance in the company’s A night of… Rising Stars & Classic Melodies concert, mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe will return to sing the role of Orlofsky. Soprano Anna Christy, who has been celebrated by The New York Times as “nimble of voice, body and spirit,” will make her company debut in the role of Adele. Another company debut, tenor Zachary Borichevsky will perform as Eisensetin, a role the artist has performed at Cincinnati Opera. 2018 Richard Tucker Career Grant Winner Jack Swanson will debut as Alfred, and Tobias Greenhalgh, a former Palm Beach Opera Benenson Young Artist, will sing the role of Dr. Falke.
The company’s annual Children’s Performance will be a one-hour abridged version of Die Fledermaus(The Revenge of the Bat) for children and families, starring members of the Benenson Young Artist and Apprentice Artist programs and conducted by Associate Conductor and Chorus Master Greg Ritchey.
“The 2018-2019 season presents a delightful mix of classic favorites and an intoxicating comedy that will appeal to broad audiences,” said General Director Daniel Biaggi. “We are thrilled to showcase so many internationally-celebrated performers in such magnetic productions. As our subscriber family continues to grow, and as our expanding programs and community engagement efforts continue to reach new audiences, we are anticipating another extraordinary and successful season.”
How to Get Tickets to Palm Beach Opera’s 2018-2019 Season:
Subscriptions are available for purchase now on the Palm Beach Opera website at www.pbopera.org. As an additional benefit, subscribers have early access to single tickets before they are available to the public for purchase on Sept. 5. To be notified as soon as single tickets are available for purchase, sign up at www.pbopera.org/notifyme. For questions about tickets, or to make a purchase over the phone, contact the Palm Beach Opera box office at 561-833-7888.
About Palm Beach Opera:
Palm Beach Opera is dedicated to producing live opera at an international standard of excellence and to enriching the life of the communities it serves with a diverse offering of educational programs. Founded in 1961, the fully professional Palm Beach Opera presents main stage performances at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach and is a proud member of OPERA America and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County. For more information, please visit pbopera.org.
Wellington is proud to congratulate its Geographic Information System (GIS) team for winning “Best in Show” for the 25th Annual South Florida GIS Expo’s poster presentation. The team also placed third in the “Best Project Presentation” category, highlighting Esri’s Story Map applications.
Congratulations to Nicole McPherson, GIS Manager, and her team, including Christian Nakotey, GIS Analyst, and Josh Lambert, GIS Technician for their outstanding accomplishments. A special thanks to David Feliciano, Communications Manager, for the creative design of this year’s poster.
The South Florida GIS Expo is an annual conference sponsored by the Palm Beach Countywide GIS Forum. The conference serves as a way to foster collaboration, GIS coordination, networking, education and training for the rapidly expanding professional GIS Community in the South Florida region.
As another way to stay informed on the latest news and updates from the Village, residents are invited to sign up for Wellington information and updates at www.wellingtonfl.gov/enews.
For information about other Wellington programs, events, activities, and updates, please visit www.wellingtonfl.gov or watch WellingtonTV for the latest happenings.
