Hayao Miyazaki's first feature film in a decade is a hand-drawn, original story he wrote and directed that won him another Oscar for Best Animated Feature. After losing his mother during the war, young Mahito moves to his family's estate in the countryside. There, a series of mysterious events lead him to a secluded and ancient tower, home to a mischievous gray heron. When Mahito's new stepmother disappears, he follows the gray heron into the tower, and enters a fantastic world shared by the living and the dead. As he embarks on an epic journey with the heron as his guide, Mahito must uncover the secrets of this world, and the truth about himself. GET TICKETS  

https://youtube.com/live/Pfb_Buf-kNg?feature=share Join the Notre Dame Children's Liturgical Choir for Vespers at Saint Mary's Church of Our Lady of Loretto in person or online.   Originally published at sma.nd.edu.

Three extraordinary sopranos — Aleksandra Kurzak, Eleonora Buratto, and Asmik Grigorian (in her highly anticipated Met debut) — tackle the demanding role of Cio-Cio-San, the loyal geisha at the heart of Puccini's devastating tragedy. Tenors Matthew Polenzani and Jonathan Tetelman co-star as the callous American naval officer Pinkerton, whose betrayal destroys her. Mezzo-sopranos Elizabeth DeShong and Eve Gigliotti share the role of the steadfast maid Suzuki, and baritone Davide Luciano and Lucas Meachem are the American consul Sharpless. Acclaimed maestro Xian Zhang makes her Met debut conducting Anthony Minghella's vivid production. GET TICKETS  

The annual Fischoff Chamber Music Competition is the largest and longest-running chamber music competition in the nation. The finest and most talented young musicians from around the globe gather each year on the campus of the University of Notre Dame for a weekend full of truly breathtaking performances culminating in a Gold Medal Concert. Come and enjoy world-class music for an hour or the entire weekend. This event is free and open to the public. Saturday and Sunday will be livestreamed on www.fischoff.org.    NOT TICKETED Quarterfinals: Friday, May 10, 2024: 8am - 8:30pmSemifinals: Saturday, May 11, 2024: 8:30am - 7:30pmFinals & Gold Medal Concert: Sunday, May 12, 2024: 10am - 5pmThe Gold Medal Concert is on Sunday from 4pm - 5pm.

Evoking the golden era of the Borscht Belt, this affectionate and nostalgic homage vibrantly showcases the humor, heritage, and spirit of the Jewish-American saga at the iconic Catskills summer resorts. Over the 20th century, the mountains north of New York City became lively havens for Jewish families, both working-class and affluent, famed for lavish buffets and nightclubs that fostered rising comic and musical talent. Entertaining anecdotes from performers, waiters, and resort guests, plus a wealth of archival material, evoke the vintage spirit of these iconic retreats, symbols of Yiddishkeit heritage and refuges from antisemitism. This delightful time capsule highlights the Catskills as a cultural touchstone and a crucible of the Jewish-American saga. GET TICKETS  

This provocative, richly staged period drama set in 19th-century Italy, and based on true events, recounts the abduction and forced Christian conversion of a Jewish boy by Papal decree, igniting global outrage. In 1858 Bologna, young Edgardo is taken from his family and sent to Rome to become Catholic. Despite his parents' desperate pleas and public furor, Pope Pius IX stands firm. The struggle to reclaim their son echoes Italy's burgeoning nationalism and challenges the Vatican's power. Directed by the legendary Marco Bellocchio, this epic artfully contrasts clashes of faith with a nation teetering on revolution. GET TICKETS