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The Spoleto Festival USA

June 5, 2013 by

Every spring for the past 37 years, the Spoleto Festival USA comes to Charleston and fills the city with choral, jazz, dance, symphonic, opera, and orchestral performances. This year’s celebration is from May 24–June 9.

According to the website, Spoleto’s mission is to “present programs of the highest artistic caliber while maintaining a dedication to young artists, a commitment to all forms of the performing arts, a passion for contemporary innovation, and an enthusiasm for providing unusual performance opportunities for established artists.”

Spoleto Festival USA presents over 200 artistic premieres each year, including Journey to the West by Chen Shi-Zheng, Creve Coeur by Tennessee Williams, and The American Clock by Arthur Miller. Artists who made appearances at Spoleto early in their careers include Yo-Yo Ma and the Emerson String Quartet.

Christopher Keene and composer Gian Carlo Menotti founded Spoleto in 1977 as an American version of the Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy. Charleston’s rich historic and cultural history made it the perfect location for the Festival.

This year’s Festival promises to please, with Toshio Hosokawas’ opera Matsukaze and the rarely performed Italian operas LeVilli / Mese Mariano. Theater performances include perennial favorites Oedipus and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. If you enjoy dance, you’ll love the tap/hip-hop/street jazz style of Jared Grimes as well as traditional Indian dance by Shantala Shivalingappa and the Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía.

Spoleto Festival USA always showcases a variety of music, and this year is no exception. From the West African harmonies of Angelique Kidjo to the Westminster Choir Concerts to singer Rosanne Cash, every taste in music is featured. Other genres include classical, Brazilian, vintage rock, and honky tonk.

Spoleto is also known for its special events. This year, tour exquisite gardens around the city, see the film A Late Quartet and discuss it with Chamber musicians, and marvel at the Spoleto watercolors of Stephen Mueller and Carl Palazzolo.

For more about the current season of Spoleto Festival USA, visit the website and download a brochure.

Filed Under: All Things Charleston Tagged With: , , , , ,

What to Eat for All-Day Energy

June 3, 2013 by

Calories fuel your body’s machinery. But should you find yourself in a midday slump before it’s even lunchtime, it may be time to reevaluate the kind of calories you’re feeding your body. Some foods naturally boost your energy, while others sap your stamina stores.

The ideal meal consists of complex carbs, healthy fats,and lean protein. Carbs provide instant energy, fats give longer-lasting energy, and protein helps your body build tissue and muscle mass. A good rule of thumb for energy-conscious eaters is to get 45 to 60 percent of calories from carbs, 20 to 35 percent from fat,and 15 to 30 percent from protein.

Here are some of the foods you can eat to help fight fatigue so you can stay energized and focused throughout the day:

Breakfast
Healthy treats such as half of a whole-wheat English muffin with fruit spread are rich in carbohydrates, which can boost your levels of serotonin, a calming brain chemical. For an optimal, energy-infused breakfast, pair it with 2 eggs and 1/3 of an avocado to get the most oomph from your calories.

Lunch
Eat like a fuel-efficient machine when you opt for a healthy spinach salad topped with a ½ cup of lentils, 3 oz of grilled salmon, and drizzled with 2 Tbsp of olive oil vinaigrette. Round out your calories with a whole-wheat roll for your dose of complex carbs.

Snack
Nibbling on a few squares of dark chocolate will pull you out of an energy rut, thanks to its caffeine and theobromine, mild mood- and energy-boosting stimulants.Or keep your energy full throttle by eating1 cup of berries, 6 oz of Greek yogurt, and 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts.

Dinner
Just because it’s the evening doesn’t mean your energy levels should plummet. Have a cup of butternut squash mixed with a cup of quinoa prepared with 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Pair it with a 3 oz serving of grilled chicken breast for a perfect combination and all around healthy meal.

Drink Water
Staying well hydrated is one of the quickest and easiest ways to improve memory, focus, and alertness. If you find yourself feeling sluggish even after eating a well-balanced meal, the culprit of your fatigue may be dehydration. Be sure to keep a water bottle handy at all times to combat an energy slump.

What are you favorite energy-boosting foods to eat?

 

Filed Under: Health and Wellness Tagged With: , , , ,
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