MUSIC
Aspen Fest’s adventurous programming honored
Mozart and Mahler get their due at the Aspen Music Festival, but the summer series, especially in recent years, has put an emphasis on introducing audiences to new, often little-heard music.
Such efforts have not gone unnoticed. The League of American Orchestras announced last week that the festival is one of the 2008-09 recipients of a prestigious ASCAP Adventurous Programming Award.
Among the orchestral works written in 1984 or later presented in Aspen last summer were John Harbison’s “The Great Gatsby Suite,” Osvaldo Golijov’s “Azul” and Peter Lieberson’s “Neruda Songs.” Kyle MacMillan
FILM
“Ink” makes a mark in L.A.
The Denver-made sci-fi film “Ink” premiered Wednesday at a screening attended by more than 500 people at Hollywood’s historic Egyptian Theatre.
“I was completely humbled,” said cast member Jeremy Make, who made the trip from Denver. “It was remarkable to see a film made in Denver, for well under $1 million, with no one in it that anyone really knows, by a director who sat in his basement with his wife for 14 months, creating this visionary epic project, to be so enthusiastically received at the theater where ‘Citizen Kane’ first premiered.”
Make plays the blind prophet Jacob in Jamin Winan’s redemptive fantasy about a father and daughter thrust into a dream-world battle between good and evil. He said most of the Denver-based cast, including star Chris Kelly, have since moved to L.A. Make will be back to star in the Avenue Theater’s “Die, Mommie, Die,” opening July 18.
Next up for “Ink”: Screenings in New York (June 9) and Portland, Ore. (July 24). John Moore
FUN
Deals and steals
“Staycation” might be cutesy marketing-speak, but with unemployment and foreclosures still chugging along, it’s a viable alternative for Denver families looking to pinch pennies this summer.
The Denver Convention and Visitors Bureau is offering “Mile High” packages for $52.80, and there are some real deals to be had among the 100 or so shopping, restaurant and entertainment packages.
Our faves: The $52.80 Story Trek 5-Pack gets you two passes for a self-guided tour of five area historical museums, including the Black American West Museum, above, and Molly Brown House. And now that it’s actually getting warm out, you can print out coupons for $15 off passes to Water World on the 5280 website.
Sporting events (Rockies, Outlaws), shop-and-dine packages at Cherry Creek and discounts on trendy hotels such as the Curtis, Oxford and Marriott round out the deals. Visit denver5280 for updates.
John Wenzel
MUSIC
The big Monolith mystery
The indie-leaning Monolith Festival, Sept. 12-13 at Red Rocks, is announcing its lineup bit by bit via its Twitter feed. (Daily artist announcements at .)
Indie-rock fans are psyched about the buzzy names (Generationals, Deer Tick) and the hipster faves (Of Montreal, Phoenix). But they’re also wondering who will headline the festival, which has endured a difficult first two years.
MSTRKRFT won’t fill Red Rocks. (Justice didn’t last year.) M. Ward? Method Man and Redman? Nope. Girl Talk can draw in Colorado, but does the mash-up DJ make sense as a festival headliner? Keep your eyes on Twitter, and we’ll see. Ricardo Baca
