Philly's gone Wilde.
The prolific playwright will serve as the focus for a number of different events in Philly over the next coming weeks, including Opera Philadelphia's East Coast premiere of "Oscar," the story of the writer's imprisonment for "gross indecency" due to his relationship with another man. "Oscar" plays at the Academy of Music (Broad and Locust Streets) at 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6; 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 11; 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13; and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15. Come early and get some insight on the opera's themes, music and production an hour before showtime.
Even before the show hits the stage, other Wilde-themed activities and goings on will highlight the legend.
Opening Friday, Jan. 23 at the Rosenbach Museum and Library (2008 Delancey Pl.) is "Everything is Going on Brilliantly: Oscar Wilde and Philadelphia," an exhibit dedicated to the man of the hour, including the author's materials and even some unpublished works. The talks and history Wilde had in Philadelphia in 1882 are the inspiration for the exhibit, on view until Sunday, April 26. Join the curators for an informational talk on Thursday, Feb. 5 at 6 p.m.
Wilde is paired with another literary giant, Walt Whitman, during A Taste of Opera at 7 p.m. at the Free Library of Philadelphia Central Branch (1901 Vine St.). On Monday, Jan. 26, Opera Philadelphia Emerging Artists will perform excerpts from "Oscar" as well as musical interpretations from Wilde and Whitman.
Hear from "Oscar" composer Theo Morrison and Wilde expert and curator of the Rosenbach Museum's "Everything is Going On Brilliantly: Oscar Wilde and Philadelphia" at an informational session at the Kimmel Center (Broad and Spruce Streets). This talk is available for Friends of the Opera at the contributor level and is held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 27 and noon on Wednesday, Jan. 28.
It's not all pen and paper stuff here. The onscreen adaptation of Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray," in which Dorian Gray sells his soul to achieve eternal youth, plays at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute (824 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr) at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 28.
Star of "Oscar," David Daniels will chat with executive director of the William Way Community Center, Chris Bartlett, hitting topics like his opera career, his role in "Oscar," coming out as one of the first openly gay opera singers, and more. The conversation takes place at the American Philosophical Society (427 Chestnut St.) at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 3.
Finally, an evening of opera chat, homosexuality through time, and more, hosted by the William Way Community Center, will take place at the Academy of Music (Broad and Locust Streets) on Friday, Feb. 13. Discussions will take place at 7 p.m. (an hour before that night's show).