Carmen

Ballet Theatre of Maryland Artistic Director Dianna Cuatto offered dance for every taste in her program to close the season last weekend at Maryland Hall. The opening work, set to Ravel's "Bolero," showcased female dancers' strengths. The second dance featured three women and one man smoothly changing partners with the trio in "Bittersweet Images." And, for classical tastes, a pas de deux from Don Quixote ended the first half. After intermission, the program's major work, An American Southwest Carmen, was presented.

LOS ANGELES -- The former owner of a Burbank chocolate shop has been indicted on charges stemming from the theft of $1 million in celluloid overlays depicting well-known Warner Bros. cartoon characters.Billy Carmen, 31, of suburban Studio City, was charged with three counts of transporting stolen property in connection with the 1988 theft of hundreds of film overlays, or "cels," portraying Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd and other cartoon stars, federal prosecutors said yesterday.Carmen is suspected of selling the cels to East Coast art dealers.

Critic's Pick-- Carmen (Tisha Campbell-Martin, above) is eager to fix Robert and Neesee's romance in All of Us (8:30 p.m.-9 p.m., WUTB, Channel 24).

Two third-grade girls shrieked like star-struck fans when Carmen Phillips entered Riverview Elementary School yesterday.The state superintendent of schools acknowledged she was "envious" of Carmen's artistic abilities. The principal of Chase Elementary School called her an "inspiration" for young writers.All of the attention was more than a little unfamiliar to Carmen -- she is just an 11-year-old from Ocean City.But as the author and illustrator of the children's book "Cleocatra," Carmen was invited to tour two Baltimore County elementary schools yesterday, shaking hands, autographing books and talking to students about reading and writing.

Whatever you do, don't choke...especially if it's during the biggest audition of your life. This week at William McKinley High, glee club's superstar standouts, Rachel and Kurt, audition in front of Carmen (played by guest star Whoopi Goldberg) for the New York Academy of the Dramatic Arts, aka NYADA, aka the school of their dreams. Rachel advises Kurt to play it safe with his song choice and stick to "Music of the Night" from "Phantom of the Opera;" however, in last-minute effort to be bold, daring and unique, Kurt wows Carmen with his rendition of "Not the Boy Next Door" from "The Boy from Oz. " Carmen said even Hugh Jackman, who won a Tony award for his performance in the musical, would've impressed with Kurt's audition.

Carmen Bongiorno, 9, can't shake the nightmarish vision of a high-technology fighter plane twisting wildly out of the sky toward him on a sunny afternoon."

On February 23, 2005, VIRGINIAKATHLEEN TRUPIA (nee Roll), beloved wife of the late Carmen Albert Trupia, loving mother of Carmen Crawford, Frank Trupia, Barbara Lewis, Patricia Donning, Steven Trupia, Judy Udzinski, Joyce Trupia, and the late William Trupia, devoted grandmother of many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and a dear sister to many brothers and sisters. Friends may call at the family owned Evans Chapel of Memories - Parkville, from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. on Saturday and Sunday.

On June 22, 2007, LEAMOND L. SUGGS; devoted friend of Carmen Tuitt. Friends may call at the FAMILY OWNED MARCH FUNERAL HOME WEST, INC., 4300 Wabash Avenue on Wednesday after 8 :30 a.m. where the family will receive friends on Thursday at 11:00 a.m. Funeral services will follow at 11:30 am.

The upcoming 35th season of Annapolis Opera will be the last of Dennis Monk's presidency - four years of growth that moved the company from a shaky financial status to relative security. In a note to subscribers that accompanied the 2007-2008 season announcement, Monk lamented that classical music is not as accessible on radio and television as it was in decades past when opera luminaries such as Jan Peerce and Robert Merrill were frequent guests on popular radio and television shows. Concerned about the many people never exposed to opera, Monk said, "It is the company's mission to bring the best of opera close to home at affordable prices.

On January 18, 2006, JOSEPH EDWARD WARD; beloved husband of Carmen A. Ward, he is survived by children Jose Ward and his wife Malissa, Dr. Francisco Ward and his wife Nadia, Carmen Ward Harman and her husband Richard, Maria Ward Weaver; eleven grandchildren, three sisters and a host of other relatives and friends. Family will receive friends on Sunday January 22, from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 P.M. at STERLING-ASHTON-SCHWAB-WITZKE FUNERAL HOME OF CATONSVILLE, INC., 1630 Edmondson Avenue (1 mile west of beltway exit 14)