The centuries-old tale of “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” dates back to the year 1284, although the children’s storybook telling has remained popular even with today’s generation of bedtime stories.
Based in Hamelin, Germany, the telling was first shared during the Middle Ages about the rat infestation of this small town, and the frustration of the mayor to control the plague. A flute-playing unlikely hero, in the form of a stranger to town, offers his notes of hope and help. The “Pied Piper” explains to the mayor and town leaders that by playing tunes on his pipe, he can hypnotize the population of rats to follow him and leave the town.
While successful (he lures all of the rats into the Weser River where they dutifully file into the water and drown), the mayor and community refuse to “pay the Piper his due,” and so he retaliates by then using the same haunting tune of his magical instrument to lure all of the children of the town to follow him and abandon their parents.
In DC Comic books, there is a supervillain arch-foe of The Flash, Hartley Rathaway, who plays a flute and adopts the Piped Piper identity with the same evil tactic for tunes creating a trance-like state allowing him to rob banks and steal.
Fortunately for audiences of the Northwest Indiana Symphony, the 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 21 flute ensemble trio concert is a far more innocent, entrancing tune theme and relaxing option.
Flutists Cindy Fudala, Maria Schwartz and Lisa Targonski will perform the 75-minute no-intermission performance on the intimate stage of the 400-seat Theatre at the Center at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Road in Munster.
Tickets are $30 for adults and $10 for students by calling 219-836-0525 or visit www.nisorchestra.org.
All three of the musicians are members of the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra and they will play a variety of musical styles and pieces like “Celtic Suite,” “Ruby Street NOLA” and “Birds,” the latter of which will recreate the communication of our feathered friends.
There is a Sunday Champagne brunch opportunity in the ballroom of the Center for Visual and Performing Arts from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. available for $35 by calling 219-836-1930, and there will be a free reception with the musicians after the flute concert in the atrium lobby.
Fine wine time
Reservations are now open for tickets for the 52nd annual May wine luncheon with this year’s theme “Beauty in Bloom” on Wednesday, May 1 at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Road, in Munster. The event is held by the Women’s Association of Northwest Indiana Symphony Society, or WANISS.
More than 300 guests dine and are adorned with hat creativity while raising money to support the Northwest Indiana Symphony at the event, which starts at 10:30 a.m. with shopping and sweet spring wine flowing generously.
Women are encouraged to wear their favorite “ladies who lunch” hats for this annual occasion. A favorite attendee who has worn a variety of “toppers” is Evelyn Lisek, 98, of Hobart, a vocalist who previously performed at the May event decades ago. She never disappoints with her plumage.
For reservations or more information, call 219-836-0525 or visit www.nisorchestra.org.
Flower power
Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott Jr. is reminding Hammond residents that next month is the city’s annual “flower giveaway” as a way to encourage residents to add a splash of cultivated color to yards, planters and porches.
From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. residents of Hammond who bring a valid Indiana Driver’s license or state ID displaying a Hammond address are eligible to take home a tray of flowering annuals, such as petunias, begonias and marigolds, to plant, hosted by the Hammond Parks Foundation. The flower pick-up is at the Jean Shepherd Community Center, 3031 J.F. Mahoney Dr. in Hammond. For more information contact Juan Soto at 219-554-0155.
Philip Potempa is a journalist, published author and the director of marketing at Theatre at the Center. He can be reached at pmpotempa@comhs.org.
