Pittsburgh Opera Performs at Hartwood Acres; Pittsburgh Playwright’s “Fences” Ends Today (Sun., 6/7/15)

1) Pittsburgh Opera is giving a free performance tonight as part of the Allegheny County Summer Concert Series.   The program includes thrilling numbers such as “La donna e mobile” from Rigoletto, “Largo al factotum” from The Barber of Seville, the famous Habanera from Carmen, and “Au fond du temple saint” from The Pearl Fishers. Bring a picnic blanket and enjoy an evening of classic musical theater in the sylvan surroundings of Hartwood Acres. 7:30 p.m. 200 Hartwood Acres, Hampton and Indiana townships.

2) One does not have to be a baseball fan to appreciate August Wilson’s Fences. Set in the 1950s, the play concerns a former star who missed a shot at the Major Leagues because his prime years came before the color line was broken. But as in all Wilson plays, while the shadow of the past hangs over the action, the story revolves around the drama and humor of the characters’ tangled personal lives as they try to build a future. Fences won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play in 1987. Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company gives it a new production in the group’s intimate downtown space, which is ideal for conveying Wilson’s intimate style. 3 p.m. Last Day. 937 Liberty Ave., Cultural District.

3) Tracing Outlines — What do Alexander Calder, John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Charles Eames, and Eero Saarinen have in common?  All were artists who, long before they achieved icon status, were showcased in a tiny little gallery called “Outlines,” which was opened by Elizabeth Rockwell in Pittsburgh on the Boulevard of the Allies in 1941. After relocating to Oakland (into what is now the Pittsburgh Playhouse), the gallery moved back downtown and eventually closed in 1947. But who knew there was a time when Pittsburgh was on the cutting edge of the avant garde?  This documentary by Cayce Mell explores the story of Rockwell and Outlines. 2 p.m. today (also 6:30 p.m., June 10). Harris Theater, 809 Liberty Ave., Cultural District.

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