By Gabrielle Prusak
The Lincoln Center Local Live is back in Queens with nine shows to be performed throughout the summer at various branches of the borough’s library.
“It’s world-class performances,” said Joanna King, director of communications for Queens Library.
Performers will engage with the audience through question-and-answer sessions as well as putting on a show. Performances range fromAmerican music, to flamenco, gospel and opera. There will be a total of nine performances from July 12 to Sept. 20.
The Queens libraries that will host these events are Central, Cambria Heights, Flushing, Forest Hills, Ridgewood, Broadway, Jackson Heights and Langston Hughes. Flushing will host two different acts on two different dates.
Lincoln Center does this, according to King, because “it is part of their outreach performances.”
“This is a program we want to give to our library customers,” said King.
The performances were chosen by library customers who went onto the Lincoln Center website and voted on what they would like to see in their local libraries. With the ballots in, Lincoln Center was able to come up with shows it can work with the libraries on and the communities that wanted them.
“They have performances at disposal that are a part of their educational program,” said King.
There are different shows in different areas not only based on what was voted, but how big of a space the library can hold. According to King, Flushing can hold about 225 seats, which is why it is having a French musical and the Villalobos Bros. encore performance play there.
Ridgewood, though, does not hold as many seats, so it will host an electric dance band.
The programs are family-friendly, according to King. It is a free program for library customers and others. You do not need to present your library card when entering, but it is first come, first served as there is limited seating at each performance.
“They were very well-attended last year and people were calling and asked when they were starting them up again this year,” said King. “I’m sure they’ll be filled up.”
The shows will include:
•Elementos de Flamenco, which consists of flamenco dancing, Saturday, July 12, Central Library at 3 p.m.
• Dr. Zsa’s Powdered Zydeco Band, a five-piece group whose repertoire include Cajun folk, zydeco, New Orleans funk, swamp pop and unique pop covers of Appalachian folk music, Saturday, July 19, Cambria Heights at 1 p.m.
• Caïn et les Cadiens: Chez Nous Autres (Cain and the Cajuns: Our Home), a musical and visual performance, Saturday, July 26, Flushing at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
• O Sole Trio, an ensemble that will sing popular Italian opera, Neapolitan and classic jazz, Saturday, Aug. 9, Forest Hills at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
• Choban Elektrik, an electric dance band, Saturday, Aug. 16, Ridgewood at 3 p.m.
• Villalobos Bros., who blend the indigenous rhythms and melodies of their native Xalapa in Veracruz, Mexico, with the intricate harmonies of jazz and classical music, Saturday, Aug. 23, Broadway in Long Island City at 3 p.m. and again on Saturday, Sept. 20, Flushing at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
• Interweaving, a classical guitar and vocals playing varied styles, genres and eras, Saturday, Sept. 6, Jackson Heights at 2 p.m.
• Fiesta Flamenca, another flamenco performance, Saturday, Sept. 13, Langston Hughes in Corona at 2 p.m.
