Editor’s note: This article was initially published in The Daily Gazette, Swarthmore’s online, daily newspaper founded in Fall 1996. As of Fall 2018, the DG has merged with The Phoenix. See the about page to read more about the DG.
The many Swatties (at least according to Facebook) who consider “Pride and Prejudice” one of their favorite books should check out the new movie “Bride and Prejudice,” an updated, Bollywood-ized version of the Jane Austen novel, directed by “Bend it Like Beckham”‘s Gurinder Chadha. It’s an interesting cross-cultural idea–and did we mention that it’s a musical? It’s playing at the Ritz at the Bourse. If you prefer to stay on campus, try Movie Committee’s “The Motorcycle Diaries,” starring Gael Garcia Bernal as Che Guevara, which the Gazette’s movie critic called “reflective and entertaining.”
Violinist Joshua Bell is one of the hottest musicians in classical music right now (pun only partially intended), and he plays a unusually lightweight recital at the Kimmel Center on Sunday afternoon. The first half consists of recital standbys, sonatas by Brahms and Janacek, but after intermission the recital will be all Valentine’s Day favorites. We’re guessing this means arrangements of opera arias, which no matter how familiar, will surely sound lovely. If you prefer your opera sung and staged, check out the always popular, always massive “Aida” at the Academy of Music, produced by the Opera Company of Philadelphia, with rising star soprano Angela Brown. Student tickets are a bargain.
To complete your weekend, poppy punk band Bowling for Soup is playing at the Trocadero on Saturday night at 7:00. Their albums include “Let’s Do it for Johnny” and “Drunk Enough to Dance.” American Hi-Fi, Riddlin’ Kids and MC Lars open. Tickets are $13.