November is in full swing - a time when skies sometimes turn gray, days begin to shorten, and many people's minds turn to the existential. The Mastersingers of Wilmington are doing the same with a concert later this month titled "Media Vita" or "In the midst of life."Anchored around the famous "Requiem" by Faure, the performance presents music that explores life and death, light and dark, joy and sadness.On this edition of Arts Playlist, Martin Matheny is joined by conductor Emily Ballentine Erb and singer and soloist Jordan Barrett for a preview.

All three of the composers represented on the program have connections to the quartet that go beyond the notes on the page.

Most times, when a musician makes a new recording, they can draw on a wealth of information to help prepare their performance - historical writing by the composer, recordings by other artists over the years, and similar resources. But what if preparing a new record involved not only hours in the practice room, but hours doing original research as well?That was the challenge facing soprano Makeda Hampton, a Lincoln University assistant professor who performs regularly in Delaware, in between performances at the Met in New York City and other appearances around the world.Hampton's new recording, "African Romances" required that kind of in-depth research to present a groundbreaking recording of work of the same name by English composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor based on poems by American author Paul Laurence Dunbar. On this edition of Arts Playlist, Delaware Public Media's Martin Matheny spoke to Hampton about the music.

While Paone was best known for his printmaking, he also created a number of acrylic gouache works. Those works are on display, some for the first time.

Design of the sculpture is underway, but one member said he isn’t ready to sign off on the location without more details.

The plan is to renovate an historic building on Van Buren Avenue into a modern performing arts center.

The opera is a staple of the repertoire, in part because of its compelling, drama-filled story.

From crumhorns to shawms, and sackbuts to dulcians, Piffaro has been bringing the instruments and music of the Renaissance to audiences in Wilmington for years. Later this month, the ensemble presents its first concert this season, "At the Sign of the Crumhorn."On this edition of Arts Playlist, Delaware Public Media's Martin Matheny is joined by Piffaro's Artistic Director, Priscilla Herreid to discuss the group and this concert, including what the heck a crumhorn is.

Stephen Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” is a staple of the musical theatre repertoire, with multiple Tony wins.

Newark's Chapel Street Players launch their new season this weekend with something particularly timely — a comedy about friendships and workplace catastrophes set in the White House. The play is called "POTUS" and the focus remains squarely on people and predicaments, not politics.On this edition of Arts Playlist, Delaware Public Media's Martin Matheny sat down with two of the actors, Pam Huxtable and Charlotte Moran to discuss the show.