Reunited Gathering Field in Concert at Stage AE; Pittsburgh Opera Presents “Otello” (CPs Sat., 11/8/14)

1) Great news, folks. One of Pittsburgh’s hottest bands during the ’90s—Gathering Field—has reunited with the original lineup of Bill Deasy (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Dave Brown (lead guitar), Jim DiSpirito (percussion), Eric Riebling (bass), Ray Defade (drums), and new member Clark Slater. Gathering Field gained rock radio success in the mid-’90s with the song “Lost in America” and was signed to Atlantic Records. The band members have created their first studio album in a dozen years, Wild Journey, and are performing tonight at Stage AE. Opening is Rake. Doors open at 7 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore.

2) Hardcore opera fans already know the score, and those wanting to attend their first opera might as well start with one of the greatest: Otello. The Pittsburgh Opera production shows why Giuseppe Verdi’s late-life masterwork has become a perennial favorite. Its tragic story of deceit and misjudgment is based on Shakespeare’s Othello, and the power of the story is magnified by Verdi’s magnificent music and the work of his librettist, Arrigo Boito. The esteemed tenor Carl Tanner visits Pittsburgh to sing the title role—a heroic general misled into thinking his wife is unfaithful—while Danielle Pastin sings Desdemona and Anthony Michaels-Moore is the spine-chilling villain Iago. Sung in Italian, with English text displayed. 8 p.m. Benedum Center, 237 7th St., Cultural District.    

3) The Three Rivers Film Festival kicks off this weekend with a lineup that includes a rare treat: a Saturday matinee of Spirited Away, the Japanese animated masterpiece. In a tale that puts a spookier twist on the Alice in Wonderland theme, a young girl must navigate a strange spirit world where greedy adults are turned into pigs, and a sorceress enslaves people by making them forget who they are. Spirited Away is Japan’s all-time leading box office hit. It has enthralled viewers ranging from wide-eyed children to jaded film critics, and the dubbed English version being shown here won the 2003 Oscar for Best Animated Feature—yet it has seldom been screened in U.S. theaters. Rated PG for “scary moments,” the film appeals to ages 9 and up. 1:30 p.m. Waterworks Cinemas, 930 Freeport Rd.

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