On March 30, 2021 Bloody Cabaret made its self-titled debut, both as an original musical and film project. It was created by University of Utah School of Music alumnus and composer Kagan Breitenbach, American Idol finalist Megan Joy and guitarist Quinn Allman as well as the collective of artists who brought said project to life. Their debut album and subsequent performance video utilize original music and lyrics drawn from a host of creatives to communicate themes of love, heartbreak, death, and the macabre. It features a blend of classical, folk, and rock music that creates an exciting and ominous atmospheric experience.  A Unique Performance The video performance is told in 14 chapters that are representative of different songs on the "Bloody Cabaret" album. It begins with “Ascension” — a part rock, part classical composition that utilizes Breitenbach and Joy’s vocals to begin a dreamy and compelling narrative. A string quartet featuring local musicians John Shin,...

  Something I’ve had the pleasure of covering this year is how the arts on campus have stopped for nothing: earthquakes, pandemics and more. The 2020-2021 arts season carried an undertone of resiliency that, while not diminishing the illumination of the work, colored the presentations and performances across the artistic disciplines. Looking back at the year we’ve had, art has responded to our changing world and has continued to influence it.  Checking in with the Visual Arts In the Department of Art and Art History, the Visiting Artist series remained vibrant by streaming discussions with renowned artists across mediums. Their guest artists included Ilana Harris-Babou on sculpture, Reinaldo Gil Zambrano on printmaking and Amy Franceschini and Lode Vranken of FutureFarmers on their large-scale exhibitions that addressed societal systems — such as transportation and education. As this series continues into the future, here is a reminder that these events aren’t exclusive...

  The 2021 Academy Awards left viewers with much to talk about. The first in-person awards show of the season strayed from Oscar norms in many ways, but, for better or for worse, still managed to continue some of their long-standing traditions.  The Event This year, the Oscars were held at Union Station in Los Angeles. This decision proved to be problematic in many ways for both in-person attendees and the surrounding community, including disrupting transportation at Union Station, displacing residents of a homeless encampment and forcing a COVID-19 testing site to relocate. Residents of apartments surrounding Union Station and essential workers in the area were frustrated by the disruptions.  Disability access was also abysmal, and getting into the venue proved difficult for many. The show itself further proved its disregard for disability when it cut away from Marlee Matlin as she signed her acceptance speech alongside an American Sign Language interpreter. They also did...

  As I wrap up five years of college and four semesters of writing for the Chrony Arts Desk, I feel a strange mixture of pride, nostalgia and disorientation. I don’t really know what to do with myself without the familiar routine of lectures and the measuring stick of constant grades. But I’m excited to figure it out. One of the main reasons that graduation excites me is that taking classes while working and managing life stresses can leave little space for artistic endeavors. So far, my running list of things I want to do this summer is mostly just books I want to read, now that I won't have academic articles and textbook chapters to stay on top of (assuming I'm able to remember how to read just for the fun of it — something I haven't done since high school). My position here at the Chrony has been a really helpful mechanism for me to make time for art, even when it feels like I should be doing something more productive. The position has economically and socially incentivized...

  After my freshman year — once I hesitantly declared my English major — I was still largely lost and confused about what I wanted to be when I grew up. There were so many areas that I was interested in, but I had trouble choosing just one to focus on. Then, one day, I got an email from the English major advisor, who explained that the Daily Utah Chronicle was looking for more copy editors. To be honest, I’m not sure at that moment that I knew what copy editing meant, but I knew the opportunity sounded too good to pass up. Now, after three years of copy editing for the Chronicle, two and a half years copy editing for Wasatch Magazine and nearly two years of writing for the arts desk at the Chronicle, I can safely declare that joining the Chronicle was one of the best decisions I made during my undergraduate career. The Chronicle gave me the opportunity to explore my interests in writing and editing, and I know that I am graduating as a much better writer because of it. As...