It's time for our monthly BSR in the Wild update!

These exclusive tips for you, our subscribers, let you know where our team is heading on the Philly scene this month. There are three sections: FIND US, Neil’s Nod of the Month, and Recommended Reading. If you’d like to step up and support our work, a donation of $10 or more helps us pay our writers. Friends of BSR and Local Media Champions receive an additional monthly newsletter with insights on our coverage and exclusive recommendations from our team. Friends of BSR sign up for an automatic monthly donation of $5 (or make a one-time donation of $60). We think $5 a month is a pretty sweet price to keep Philly arts journalism alive! Local Media Champions support us with an automatic donation of $20/month.

BSR staff and writers met up at the Wilma's Good Karma Cafe recently to talk about our coverage. (Photo by Maya Arthur.)

FIND US!

FIND ALAINA

Opera Philadelphia’s Don Giovanni
WHEN: Final weekend of the run, May 2 and May 4 (limited walk-up tix available)
WHERE: The Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St., Philadelphia
WHY: Cameron’s review of the season closer of Opera Philadelphia’s historic sold-out season (with a ticket price of just $11) was mixed, but I am still excited to see this production of the Mozart classic for myself. I loved The Anonymous Lover earlier this year, and I’m channeling my dearly departed opera-loving great aunts more and more with each passing season.

FIND NEIL

South Street Live
WHEN: May 3
WHERE: 100-800 South St., Philadelphia
WHY: I haven't strolled South Street in far too long. And I confess that on my personal calendar, I'd noted this event as "Renaissance festival on South Street" which only captures a fraction of what's going on this weekend. Look for giveaways, tabling, and performances!

Broad Street Run
WHEN: May 4
WHERE: Along Broad St., Philadelphia
WHY: No, I'm not running south through Philly any time soon. I love to be a spectator--I get choked up watching road races, in awe of the preparation and perseverance. Each year in preparation for the Run, I re-read Kyle Hiller's essay about how he hates running but does it all the same. Look for me around Mile 8 with a tambourine and a cowbell and tears in my eyes!

The best the city has to offer, in all its diversity, from one end to the other. (Photo via runphila.com)

FIND US

PVLA Arts Affair
WHEN: May 15
WHERE: REC Philly, 901 Market St., Philadelphia:
WHY: We are pleased to be a media partner for the Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts gala, the Arts Affair. The annual benefit is a treat of performances, plus friends old and new from the local scene. Learn more on the BSR podcast.

FIND GAIL

OperaDelaware’s Fearless
WHEN: May 16 and May 18
WHERE: The Grand Opera House, 818 N. King St., Wilmington
WHY: Opera is exciting these days! This is the world premiere of a new opera by composer-librettist Derrick Wang (of the acclaimed Scalia/Ginsburg), inspired by the true story of Hazel Ying Lee, the first Chinese American woman to serve in the US military as a pilot. OperaDE calls it a “sweeping musical drama” and “a bold step in [our] commitment to community-driven storytelling and culturally resonant programming.” The opera follows “a pioneering World War II aviator whose courage and determination broke racial and gender barriers in the face of global conflict.” We can’t wait for Gail’s review.

FIND US

Philadelphia Municipal Primary Election
WHEN: May 20
WHERE: Various locations
WHY: Seven positions and three ballot questions loom. Our colleagues at Bolts say Philly's election is one of 25 in the nation to watch this month. Do you know where your polling place is? Why does voting matter?

Neil and Alaina with host Isis Spectre at the 2023 Arts Affair. (Photo by Chuck Schultz.)

FIND ALAINA

Ode to Joy: Beethoven’s Symphony no. 9
WHEN: May 23-29
WHERE: Marian Anderson Hall, Ensemble Arts Philly, 300 S. Broad St., Philadelphia
WHY: BSR music critic Linda Holt is a Beethoven expert, and I never turn down a chance to hear one of his symphonies live (especially No. 9, though No. 7 is my favorite). So I’m going to join Linda at Marian Anderson Hall and bask in the full power of the Philadelphia Orchestra and world-class singers including the Philadelphia Symphonic Choir, with the bonus of Florence Price’s Piano Concerto in One Movement played by Laura Downes. Look out for Linda’s review.

FIND NEIL

Philadelphia Death + Arts Festival
WHEN: May 29-June 1
WHERE: Various locations
WHY: I've been seeing buzz around this festival for a few months now and I hope to catch several shows in it. I feel like the past five years or so have upped our conversations around death and dying, and I'm tuned into a lot of new art being made that engages with the inevitable topic.

West Philly Porchfest
WHEN: May 31
WHERE: Various locations
WHY: Let's hope for good weather! I never know what I'm going to hear. The act names and descriptions on the official site give me ideas and also have me giggling about great ideas for cross-pollination between genres.

Neil’s Nod of the Month

Later this month, Pamela Forsythe will review a new exhibition of visual art by author Kurt Vonnegut at Drexel's Peck Center Gallery. It features his marker drawings, rarely seen together.

Recommended Reading

I've had a few conversations with readers and my colleagues recently about how BSR works. We constantly ask ourselves from our side of the site, "Are we explaining our mission enough? Do our fans (and haters) know how we operate?" We've worked over the years to pull back the curtain, with webinars and editorials. I hope this BTS piece from 2023 elucidates something for you today.