Nebraska’s Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center will hold special screenings of “The Opera House,” a new documentary that surveys the rich history of New York City’s Metropolitan Opera.
Continuing to show are the films “Jane” and “The Square.”
Directed by Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker Susan Fromke, “The Opera House” draws on rarely seen archival footage, stills and recent interviews to chronicle the creation and 52-year history of The Met’s current home at Lincoln Center Plaza. The story is set against the backdrop of artists, architects and politicians who shape the cultural life of New York City in the 1950s and 1960s.
Notable figures in the film include famed soprano Leontyne Price (who opened the building in 1966 in Samuel Barber’s “Anthony and Cleopatra;” Rudolf Bing, the Met’s general manager who engineered the move from the old house to the current building; Robert Moses, an unstoppable city planner who bulldozed an entire neighborhood to make room for Lincoln Center; and Wallace Harrison, whose quest for architectural glory was never full realized.
“The Opera House” shows at 12:55 p.m. Jan. 13 and 7 p.m. Jan. 17 at the Ross. Tickets are $15 general admission, $10 for Friends of the Ross, senior citizens and students; and $5 for students from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Nebraska Wesleyan, Union College and Southeast Community College.
Set to a rich orchestral score from legendary composer Philip Glass, “Jane” offers an unprecedented, intimate portrait of Jane Goodall, the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees.
Directed by Brett Morgen, “Jane” draws from more than 100 hours of never-before-seen footage stored for 50 years in the National Geographic archives. The movie tells the story of Goodall’s early explorations, focusing on her groundbreaking fieldwork, her relationship with cameraman and husband Hugo va Lawick, and the chimpanzees she studied. Goodall’s chimpanzee research challenged the male-dominated scientific consensus of her time and revolutionized understanding of the natural world.
“Jane,” which is rated PG, shows through Jan. 18 at the Ross.
In “The Square,” Christian (played by Claes Bang) is a respected curator of a contemporary museum and divorced but devoted father of two who supports good causes. His next show is “The Square,” an installation that invites viewers to altruism, reminding them to be good to fellow human beings. Unfortunately, it is difficult to live up to those ideals.
Christian’s foolish response to the theft of his phone drags him into a series of shameful situations. Meanwhile, the museum’s public relations agency has created an unexpected campaign for the exhibition, causing an overblown response that results in an existential crisis for all involved.
The comedy, by writer-director Ruben Östlund, is rated R for language, some strong sexual content and brief violence. It shows through Jan. 18.
For more information, such as show times, click here or call 402-472-5353.
