1. Today’s Caturday is brought to you by the Music Division of our Library for the Performing Arts. This score for the song “Kitty” appeared in the music supplement of the New York American and Journal exactly 111 years ago today (or, more precisely, on May 18, 1902). The artwork features both a cat (of course) and a mouse in a tuxedo. That’s an obvious win. So happy Caturday! And, by the way, if you’re into music, the Library for the Performing Arts (at Lincoln Center) has two totally FREE exhibitions you should check out today, or soon - American Sabor: Latinos in US Popular Music and 100 Years of Flamenco In NY (check out the NY Times review of Flamenco). 

    Today’s Caturday is brought to you by the Music Division of our Library for the Performing Arts. This score for the song “Kitty” appeared in the music supplement of the New York American and Journal exactly 111 years ago today (or, more precisely, on May 18, 1902). The artwork features both a cat (of course) and a mouse in a tuxedo. That’s an obvious win. So happy Caturday! And, by the way, if you’re into music, the Library for the Performing Arts (at Lincoln Center) has two totally FREE exhibitions you should check out today, or soon - American Sabor: Latinos in US Popular Music and 100 Years of Flamenco In NY (check out the NY Times review of Flamenco). 

  2. Need we say more? Nah, we think this 1899 sheet music from our Library for the Performing Arts pretty much covers it. Don’t forget your mother, and Happy Mother’s Day to all! 

    Need we say more? Nah, we think this 1899 sheet music from our Library for the Performing Arts pretty much covers it. Don’t forget your mother, and Happy Mother’s Day to all! 

  3. Today would have been the 77th birthday for music icon and legend Roy Orbison. You want to read about Roy’s life? You want to listen to his solo albums? Or how about checking out the great Traveling Wilbury’s album that Roy was a part of? Well as Roy would say, YOU GOT IT! Or in this case, the NYPL has all of your Roy Orbison materials available at your local branch. Happy birthday Roy!  

    Today would have been the 77th birthday for music icon and legend Roy Orbison. You want to read about Roy’s life? You want to listen to his solo albums? Or how about checking out the great Traveling Wilbury’s album that Roy was a part of? Well as Roy would say, YOU GOT IT! Or in this case, the NYPL has all of your Roy Orbison materials available at your local branch. Happy birthday Roy!  

  4. Can’t join us in person? Tune in online!

    Can’t make it to the Library for the Performing Arts tonight for “Platinum Punk,” Debbie Harry and Chris Stein’s conversation with Will Hermes? Didn’t snag tickets to tomorrow’s sold-out installment of LIVE from the NYPL with Sandra Day O’Connor, Madeleine Albright and moderator Anne-Marie Slaughter? If you can’t join us in person, you can still join us online. We’ll be live-streaming both events!

    Click here to watch tonight’s program - part of the Rhapsodic City: Music of New York series - with Blondie’s Debbie Harry and Chris Stein, and Will Hermes, starting at 6pm EDT. 

    And tune in here tomorrow night at 7pm EDT, to watch Sandra Day O’Connor and Madeleine Albright in conversation with Anne-Marie Slaughter.

  5. Punk-tacular: Short Films at a Library Near You

    The series Rhapsodic City: Music of New York brings you an evening featuring a collection of short films that focus on the experiences of young Punks in New York. Works to be screened include:

    Punking Out, 1979. Directed by Maggi Carson, Juliusz Kossakowski, Frederic A. Shore: Shot in 1977, this 25-minute film features performance and interview footage of the Ramones, The Dead Boys, and Richard Hell and the Voidoids at CBGB.

    Jane, 1974. Directed by John Rosen: A mini-portrait of Jane Barrington, a self-proclaimed groupie as she explains her reasons for choosing   her lifestyle,  her conflicts with her mother, her intention to marry a rock star, her preference for British bands and her definition of a groupie.

    Kidnapped, 1978. Directed by Eric Mitchell: The director’s first film, shot in super-8, stars Mitchell, Anya Phillips, Patti Astor, and Duncan Smith among a crowd of hip “poseurs,” talking sex, manners and politics.

    Join NYPL on March 26 @ 6:00 pm to view these great short films. Haven’t gotten your fill of the punk lifestyle? Join music icons Debbie Harry and Blondie co-founder Chris Stein, and senior critic for Rolling Stone, Will Hermes on March 27 at 6:00 pm for a discussion of how music in the 1970s created its own personality and style. 

  6. It’s FLAMENCO time!!! Opening this week at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in the Vincent Astor Gallery is the free multimedia exhibition 100 Years of Flamenco in NYC . The exhibition featuresall things Flamenco including costumes, photographs, posters and video. Doing the Flamenco while visiting the exhibition is optional. 

    It’s FLAMENCO time!!! Opening this week at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in the Vincent Astor Gallery is the free multimedia exhibition 100 Years of Flamenco in NYC . The exhibition featuresall things Flamenco including costumes, photographs, posters and video. Doing the Flamenco while visiting the exhibition is optional. 

  7. We’re remembering pianist Van Cliburn, who died this morning at the age of 78. We were honored to have him here at LIVE from the NYPL last May. 

  8. Today in History… The Beatles made their first live American TV appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in 1964. The CBS Radio Theater (1967 image from our Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History) hosted many Hollywood stars in its time, yet no one could have been prepared for the frenzy of love-struck girls and  instant fame of The Beatles when they crossed the pond to America. Three years after The Beatles first appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” CBS Radio Theater became the Ed Sullivan Theater in honor of the shows 20th year. 

    Today in History…

    The Beatles made their first live American TV appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in 1964.

    The CBS Radio Theater (1967 image from our Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History) hosted many Hollywood stars in its time, yet no one could have been prepared for the frenzy of love-struck girls and  instant fame of The Beatles when they crossed the pond to America.

    Three years after The Beatles first appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” CBS Radio Theater became the Ed Sullivan Theater in honor of the shows 20th year. 

  9. Escape the cold and come relax at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts as counter)induction plays classical music by Debussy, Chopin, Paganini, Hosokawa, and Berio.  What better way to unwind after work then by enjoying the works of world-renowned composers played by ASCAP/Chamber Music America Award winners. Doors open at 6:00 pm on Thursday, January 31. 

    Escape the cold and come relax at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts as counter)induction plays classical music by Debussy, Chopin, Paganini, Hosokawa, and Berio. 

    What better way to unwind after work then by enjoying the works of world-renowned composers played by ASCAP/Chamber Music America Award winners. Doors open at 6:00 pm on Thursday, January 31. 

  10. Next week one of the most anticipated films of the year, Les Miserables, opens in theaters. In celebration of the film’s release Doug Reside, our Digital Curator of Performing Arts at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, has written a wonderful blog about his long anticipation to see a film adaptation of Les Miserables: The Musical. He also has been able to digitize and post on his blog some great photographs of the early cast from the show. And of course you can find all of your Les Miserables needs from soundtracks to films to books throughout branches of The New York Public Library. 

    Next week one of the most anticipated films of the year, Les Miserables, opens in theaters. In celebration of the film’s release Doug Reside, our Digital Curator of Performing Arts at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, has written a wonderful blog about his long anticipation to see a film adaptation of Les Miserables: The Musical. He also has been able to digitize and post on his blog some great photographs of the early cast from the show. And of course you can find all of your Les Miserables needs from soundtracks to films to books throughout branches of The New York Public Library.