Cultural, Community, Information

Airs Thursday, June 28 at 8:00 p.m. He's an artist influenced by classical, jazz and the diverse musical traditions of the Mediterranean rim. When double bass player and composer Renaud Garcia-Fons arrived backstage in the van with his custom five-stringed bass, we expected to see yet another huge bass case. Instead, he unloaded a much smaller box from which emerged a wooden body, out of which came the neck, followed by some strings that were quickly attached. And that was merely the prelude for one of the most unique performances by a bassist that Savannah audiences have ever seen.

Airs Saturday, June 23 at 12:00 noon. With Jerusalem as the prize, General Goffredo and his chief knight Rinaldo are battling it out with King Argante. But the king’s lover and ally is the sorceress Armida — and she uses every trick in her arsenal to help win the war. Good thing Rinaldo has some supernatural reinforcements of his own! Handel wanted to make it big in England, and he did it in spades with Rinaldo! For the first time he specified sorcery and magic in the plot — hiring an illustrious producer to bring it off, and booking a megastar for the lead. Three hundred years later, Lyric follows suit! Fabulous David Daniels headlines this amazing new production.

Rinaldo Features charismatic virtuoso singers. David Daniels as Rinaldo, one of the world’s top countertenor; As Armida, Elza van den Heever who offers an astonishing performances filled with emotional conviction and originality; As Argante, the phenomenal Luca Pisaroni, whose lightning vocal attack, nimble upper range, and ringing vivacity will leave you spell bound; and ss Rinaldo’s inamorata, you’ll love Julia Kleiter, the young German soprano who appears to rave reviews with major conductors, including Riccardo Muti!

Airs Sunday, June 24 at 8:00 p.m.  The world's population is growing, and with it, so is the demand for water. On this month's program,  America Abroad examines global issues related to water, from dams on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, to droughts and floods in Queensland, Australia. We'll also discuss solutions-from water-related I.T. in the developing world to solar-powered purification after the Haiti earthquake. (more)