Charles Theatre in Baltimore to hold music/art event to mark opening of 'The Soloist'

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Hollywood so rarely acknowledges classical music and musicians in a serious way that The Soloist, opening Friday, can't help but be a very big deal.

This fact-based story of a homeless, mentally unstable musicians discovered by a Los Angeles Times newspaper columnist, actually includes footage shot at Disney Hall featuring a performance by the Los Angeles Philharmonic with much-acclaimed conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen (who has just finished his remarkable tenure as music director). That sort of class, or classical, is not likely to pop up in another movie anytime soon.

The Soloist, starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey, Jr., has been stirring up lots of interest, inspiring orchestras around the country to hold food drives, for example. It's also leading to the creation of some fresh artistic expression. To help kick off the movie's arrival in Baltimore, the Charles Theatre will present a dual event in the lobby at 6 p.m. Friday. The Altra String Quartet, from Catholic University, will make music while the graphic/motion artist Kamil Nawratil, known as 2stimuli, will create something visual on the spot, inspired by the performance. The lobby event is free.

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