Franklin Matters: February Music Events aT THE BLACK BOX

Monday, January 30, 2017

February Music Events aT THE BLACK BOX

THE BLACK BOX, downtown Franklin’s theater, music and event venue, presents a wide-ranging lineup of music entertainment this February. A suburban hub for great music, THE BLACK BOX is located at 15 West Central Street.

- Opera for Kids will be staged at THE BLACK BOX as part of the Franklin Performing Arts Company (FPAC) 2017 Family Concert Series. Featuring Little Red Riding Hood, the performance will be presented free to the community on Sunday, February 5, at 2:30 p.m. Set to the masterful music of Seymour Barab, Little Red Riding Hood is an operatic adaptation of the children’s fairy tale classic and brings the beloved story to life. Engaging audiences of all ages, the opera is under 45 minutes in length and is in rhymed verse.

Family Concert Series events feature talented, professional musicians in an entertaining format especially geared to children. Sponsored by Berry Insurance, the concerts provide young audiences with a fun introduction to the world of live music.

country singer and recording artist Ayla Brown

- THE BLACK BOX New England Artists Series presents country singer and recording artist Ayla Brown at 8 p.m. on Friday, February 17. A Wrentham native, Ayla Brown has performed on the legendary stages of the Grand Ole Opry and Ryman Auditorium. She has opened for numerous country music stars, including Jason Aldean, Charlie Daniels, Sara Evans, Tracy Lawrence, Loretta Lynn, Darius Rucker, Josh Turner and Chris Young.

A finalist on Season 5 of Fox-TV’s American Idol, Ayla was also a national news correspondent for The Early Show on CBS. Ayla’s most recent album, Let Love In, was released in 2015. Tickets for Ayla’s concert at THE BLACK BOX are $22 (adults) and $20 (students/seniors).

- Violinists Irina Fainkichen and Tara Novak will be joined by bassist Mark Poniatowski, drummer Kenny Hadley and pianist Ben Cook for “World on a String,” another presentation of THE BLACK BOX New England Artists Series . The February 26 performance will begin at 4 p.m. and will feature music from around the world, including Irish, Hungarian, Romanian, American and gypsy tunes. Tea service will be available in the lobby. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Irina Fainkichen was concertmaster of San Francisco’s Russian Chamber Orchestra for many years.

Currently she is a member of the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra, assistant concertmaster of the Brockton Symphony Orchestra, and co-founder of “Flying Hearts” duo, which performs in a number of musical genres including jazz, Klezmer, and classic American tunes. Tara Novak is a multi-genre acoustic and electric violinist and vocalist, as well as an active composer, arranger and orchestrator. Her newest album, Ciaran and Tara – Live from Boston and Ireland, is a collection of live and studio recordings with Irish Tenor Ciaran Nagle. Tickets are $15 (adults) and $12 (students/seniors), with tea service available for $5.

For tickets or more information, visit www.THEBLACKBOXonline.com or call (508) 528-3370. Tickets are also available at the door.