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LFA at Kualoa Ranch; Lessons from Masdar City; Honolulu Mayoral Race; Promise of Statehood

Hawai’i’s annual visitor-industry conference is being expanded to the first-ever Global Tourism Summit. About 25-hundred attendees are registered for the 3-day event. HPR’s Wayne Yoshioka reports.

One of the most popular operas in the entire repertory, Tales of Hoffmann , will close Hawai‘i Opera Theatre ’s 2016-17 season. Live projections and a roster of fine voices mark this all original production, the last with Artistic Director Henry Akina at the helm. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa spoke to him about his tenure in Hawai‘i opera.

Comedian, television personality, Roseanne Barr has been living on Hawai‘i island for the last eight years. She and her family recently opened a store, Honoka‘a Country Market, selling locally raised Andrade beef and soon, her own nuts, pineapples, and produce. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa caught up with Roseanne ahead of her stand up shows at the Blue Note, Saturday and Sunday.

People gravitate to Andrew Binkley’ s “Stone Cloud” at Foster Garden. Part of the Honolulu Biennial, it is big, and looks quite heavy, hovering over the heads of those who wander by. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa caught up with Binkley there in the Garden to find out what he had in mind.

Matthew James combines painting and sculpture in his large three dimensional wall pieces. You can see several around Honolulu now---the largest is a twenty-one by fifteen foot wall of blue wave patterns on the mauka side of Ala Moana Boulevard, on the Salt complex. You can also see his work in Italy, Miami, New York City, Manila, Iceland, and other locations. James left Hawai‘i for New York City seventeen years ago, and HPR’s Noe Tanigawa caught him at his studio in Brooklyn for these reflections.

In just four years, the annual Contact exhibition has become a focal point of art and community at the Honolulu Museum School. It’s setting a new model with initiatives to assist making ambitious works plus community activities for the whole two week run. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa reports.

Not just the art crowd, it’s everybody battling to get into Yayoi Kusama’s infinity Rooms at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington. Tickets sell out in minutes, and viewers still have to wait hours for their 20 seconds in each room! HPR’s Noe Tanigawa reports eagle eyed art lovers have spotted our own Kusama installation in Honolulu, her pink spotted Footprints of Life, part of the Honolulu Biennial at Foster Garden.

For decades, Bonnie Raitt has mixed her passion for music with philanthropy and activism. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend is continuing the tour for her 2016 release Dig In Deep with dates Friday at the MACC and Saturday at the Blaisdell Concert Hall before heading... deeper... into the Asia Pacific. She explored how her family musical and Quaker roots have influenced a lifetime of music and giving back with HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence . In this very special conversation, the first-time HPR ATC guest discussed her background in detail, including how her family commitment to Quaker values shaped decades of philanthropic efforts, and the ways her parents' background in performing inspired her own musical career. She explained how she utilizes her concert tickets to support nonprofits , and shared information about her partnership with the Aria Foundation . She also discussed the fertile scene of performance and activism she found in the Boston area when in college

On Stargazer , in addition to some objects to try and spot in our dark island skies, we hear about the impacts of budget cuts at NASA as HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence speaks with Christopher Phillips.

This week Helping Hand welcomes back the American Red Cross, Pacific Islands Region as part of Red Cross Month. The organization is marking their centennial in the Aloha State and urging folks to give back in a number of ways, like taking a Red Cross class to learn lifesaving skills, volunteering in a variety of projects, or making a donation. HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence speaks with CEO Coralie Matayoshi. Helping Hand is a weekly feature on HPR1 stations statewide and online here in our growing online directory of resources. Each Friday afternoon as part of All Things Considered, Helping Hand puts the spotlight on an organization, topic or event that offers assistance to the disabled and others among the most vulnerable. Contact American Red Cross, Pacific Islands Region: Website: redcross.org/local/hawaii Phone: (808)734-2101 or (808)739-8111 to reach the Red Cross Home Fire Prevention campaign Email: chhonoluluhiinfo@redcross.org Find them on Twitter , Facebook and

Simon Phillips is among the most talented drummers alive, and his resume is as impressive as his playing: The Who, Jeff Beck, Jack Bruce, Toto, Judas Priest, Joe Satriani, Frank Zappa, Al DiMeola, Peter Gabriel, Mick Jagger and Gary Moore are just some of the many names in his roster of experiences , which also includes roles as producer and engineer. Currently he's touring with the Trio Project featuring pianist Hiromi Uehara and bassist Hadrien Feraud , at the Blue Note Hawaii through Saturday. He joined HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence in the Atherton Performing Arts Studio to explore some of his remarkable history. MORE SIMON: Hear the complete nearly hour long interview: See Simon live with The Who in 1989: See Simon live with the Trio Project: See Simon as part of the ARMS Concerts of 1983 ( Action into Research for Multiple Sclerosis):

Master carver Kawika Eskaran has built canoes, he’s sailed and works with Polynesian navigators and directs special projects at BYU-Hawai‘i. His sculpture at the corner of South and Ala Moana is designed to bring peace to an area with a troubled history. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa reports, it is also a navigational reference, for those who understand.

Steve Kimock and Friends play March 23 and 24 at the Blue Note Hawaii and March 25 at the Honoka'a People's Theatre . His resume is unusual, in that he's had the chance to perform or work with many of the heavy names associated with the Grateful Dead , including Bob Weir, Jerry Garcia, Donna Jean and Keith Godchaux, Billy Kreutzmann, Mickey Hart and Phil Lesh. Steve was said to be among Jerry Garcia's favorite guitarists. He took time to explore some of his many experiences, including a story of playing live with Jerry Garcia, with HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence . MORE STEVE: Hear the complete interview: See a complete Steve Kimock and Friends show from December 2016:

Award winning pianist Hiromi Uehara has been playing since age six. A chance meeting in Tokyo with jazz legend Chick Corea set her on a trajectory that took her to number one on the Billboard Jazz Album chart last year. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa reports Hiromi will be at the Blue Note Waikiki this week, performing her unique combination of jazz, pop and classical music from that album, Spark.

Honolulu is having an art moment. The Honolulu Biennial is raising awareness, new construction is providing opportunities, and established businesses are realizing art’s marketing potential. Without the benefit of traditional galleries, an alternative infrastructure has been preparing artists for this moment. HPR’s Noe Tanigawa traces how choice pieces, many representing Hawai‘i’s stories and culture, are appearing around town.

Guitarist Earl Klugh has a significant fan base in the Aloha State; in fact, Hawaii ranks among his strongest markets for music sales. During his current Blue Note Hawaii run that continues through Sunday, he and his band ( Al Turner bass/musical director, David Lee Spradley keyboards, Ron Otis drums and Tom Braxton sax/flute) return to ATC for a conversation with HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence . The topics in this fun and informative get-together included a wide range of musical connections, including Aretha Franklin , Earth Wind and Fire , Jake Shimabukuro and George Clinton . MORE EARL: Hear the complete interview: See the complete 2016 interview with Dave and the guys:

This week Helping Hand welcomes back the Ronald McDonald House Hawaii , open 24 hours a day year-round as a temporary “home” for families that must come to Honolulu for specialized medical treatment for children. They celebrate their 30 th anniversary in the islands this month, and HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence speaks with President Jerry Chong and Public Relations Manager Gene Davis of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Hawai‘i. Helping Hand is a weekly feature on HPR1 Friday afternoons, putting the spotlight on an organization, topic or event that offers assistance to the disabled and others among the most vulnerable, and then archived online here. Contact Ronald McDonald House Charities of Hawaii: Website: ronaldhousehawaii.org Email: gd@rmhchawaii.org and there is a general contact email form at their website . Phone: (808)973-5683 Also find them on Twitter , Facebook , Youtube , and Instagram . Find all the previous Helping Hand segments archived online here.

Art Biennials are big business, as you can tell by the proliferation of bi and triennials around the globe over the last twenty years. Cities launch these high profile art extravaganzas to attract tourists, sales, and cultural cache. The Honolulu Biennial has just opened in nine venues around town, HPR’s Noe Tanigawa reports on how to make the most of it.

On this week’s Stargazer , in addition for a few items to look for in our dark island skies, we learn about a Cosmic Census conducted by one of the observatories atop Mauna Kea as HPR All Things Considered Host Dave Lawrence speaks with Christopher Phillips. Learn more about the effort here on the Subaru Telescope's website.