School is definitely in this week. Study up on late nineteenth-century continental drama, interpretations of the 4th Amendment, the history of post-punk music, applications of technology in contemporary art and jazz performance/theory/appreciation, among other subjects.
Monday, February 3
Many of us have crossed paths with the play Hedda Gabler, anchored by the blue-blooded, manipulative Hedda, in the form of assigned reading during high school English class. Since Saturday, Yale School of Drama has been giving us chances to revisit it as a stage show, on our own time, with more years under our belts and perhaps a greater appreciation for its adult complexities. Performances continue tonight through Friday, each at 8 p.m. at the University Theatre (222 York St, New Haven). $20, $10 for Yale students.
Tuesday, February 4
Friday’s edition of Daily Nutmeg covered old-school wiretapping activities in New Haven. Tonight at 5:30 p.m., get a handle on new-school peeping across America with “Reasonable Expectations: Restraining the NSA in the New Surveillance State,” an expert panel talk sponsored by the New Haven chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, among others. Room 120 at Yale Law School (127 Wall St, New Haven). Free.
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Wednesday, February 5
If you have kids entering or navigating New Haven’s vast and varied K-12 schooling landscape, or if you just want to better acquaint yourself with it, check out tonight’s Citywide Magnet Fair from 6 to 8 p.m. at Floyd Little Athletics Center (480 Sherman Pkwy, New Haven). For those living outside the city, the Interdistrict Magnet Fair, tailored to you, happens this Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. at Hill Regional Career High School (140 Legion Ave, New Haven). Free.
Thursday, February 6
A forerunning band of a forerunning genre is running around for us tonight at Spaceland Ballroom (295 Treadwell St, Hamden; 203-288-6400). Mission of Burma (pictured above, from decades ago) is the band, and post-punk—a 70s/80s space that still exerts heavy influence over music and music criticism, between acts like Joy Division, The Cure, The Replacements and Sonic Youth—is the genre. Trippy sounds from Minibeast, a project of MoB drummer Peter Prescott, and from Sunburned Hand of the Man lead off the 8:30 p.m. bill. $25, $20 in advance.
Friday, February 7
Two copacetic exhibitions—Perceptual Data, featuring Neil Matthiessen’s colorful, bombastic computer-generated works, and Smart Painting, featuring works from several artists “respond[ing] to the institution of contemporary abstraction”—enjoy a joint opening reception tonight at Artspace (50 Orange St, New Haven; 203-772-2709) from 5 to 8 p.m. Based on past openings, it’s a good bet there’ll be wine and snacks. Free.
Saturday, February 8
Fresh off yesterday’s opening ceremonies for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, the Knights of Columbus Museum is providing some perspective on that country’s preeminent religion. At 2 p.m., Yale professor Paul Bushkovitch discusses “Orthodox Christianity in Early Russia: the Formation of a Tradition,” which coincides with the museum’s ongoing Windows into Heaven: Russian Icons & Treasures exhibit. 1 State St, New Haven; (203) 865-0400. Free.
Long-neglected Trolley Square (1175 State St, New Haven) is getting a lot of love lately from a dedicated group of local artisans and entrepreneurs bent on revitalizing the place through tenancy and tentpole events. The next big thing there is “LOVE Haven,” happening today from 2 to 10 p.m. Crafters give you things to buy, including jewelry and cards, for warming hearts on Valentine’s Day; vendors like Caseus Cheese Truck and RIPE Bar Juice, which is serving cocktails using its fruity cold-pressed mixers, offer things for sating and quenching; several artists, including Kwadwo Adae and Silas Finch, give your eyeballs things to smooch; and musicians and performance artists, such as DJ Lokash and hip-hop artist Sketch the Cataclysm, get cozy with your ear drums.
Valentine’s Day is 6 days away, but the main branch of the New Haven Free Public Library (133 Elm St, New Haven; 203-946-8130) is already asking, “Isn’t It Romantic?” The concert by the Harris/Roane Duo, comprised of jazzy vocalist Julie Harris and guitarist/bassist Stephen Roane, features “love songs from The Great American Songbook.” The duo also starred in this past summer’s “Afternoon Tea with Cole Porter,” charming the socks off a packed crowd. 3 to 4 p.m. Free.
Sunday, February 9
Starting Friday, the Second Annual Jazz Festival at Yale, put on by the Yale Undergraduate Jazz Collective, has gathered “organist/pianist Cory Henry, steel-drummer Andy Akiho and saxophonist/flautist Paul Lieberman” for three performances and two masterclasses. Today’s event, a masterclass with Andy Akiho at 3 p.m., takes place in Sudler Recital Hall (100 Wall St, New Haven). Free.
Written by Dan Mims. Readers are encouraged to verify times, locations and prices before attending events.
