Vienna at Heinz Hall

There's no shortage of composers depicting heaven in music. But no one has surpassed Richard Strauss' account of an ascending soul in his "Death and Transfiguration." Actually, he wasn't describing a Christian heaven so much as an "eternal cosmos," but the concept is similar.

The tone poem follows an old man stricken by illness. He remembers key events in his life, but then the violent throes of death take him. In one of the more amazing musical transformations, his soul then moves on in a meld of triumphal and ethereal strains.

"It is walking into another world -- a fantastic longing for another world," says Manfred Honeck, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's music director. He'll be on the podium when the PSO performs the work today and this weekend at Heinz Hall. Honeck also will get a head start on his Beethoven cycle when he leads the orchestra in Symphony No. 7, a work renowned for its epic variations movement.

Pianist Yefim Bronfman will return to perform Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 24. This likely will again be splendid, but here's hoping the frequent guest can someday convince the PSO to program the work he just recorded on Deutsche Grammophon: Esa-Pekka Salonen's brilliant and eclectic (including a touch of sci-fi) Piano Concerto.

The concerts take place at 1:30 p.m. today; 8 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets start at $12.50; call 412-392-4900.

-- Andrew Druckenbrod

Playwrights' 'Seven Guitars'

"Seven Guitars" comes to Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre on the heels of its well-received, 2008 production of August Wilson's "Two Trains Running."

This is the sixth of Wilson's 10-play Pittsburgh Cycle mounted by Playwrights and director Mark Clayton Southers. The setting for "Seven Guitars" is the 1948 funeral of one of seven main characters, with flashbacks leading to the funeral.

The cast includes several veterans of Wilson plays, including Montae Russell, who was Mister in "King Hedley II" on Broadway and had a long run as paramedic Dwight Zadro on TV's "ER." He also has been in Pittsburgh Public Theater productions of "Radio Golf" and "Gem of the Ocean." Jonathan Berry, Terri Bridget and Wali Jamal all have multiple credits in Wilson works at Pittsburgh Playwrights.

The show has a one-night preview Friday and runs through May 24. Tickets are $22.50 or $25 at the door ($17.50 or $20 for students and seniors with ID) through ProArts at 412-394-3353 or proartstickets.org. For Saturday's opening-night celebration and a special event Sunday, tickets are $35, $40 at the door.

The Sunday night performance will be hosted by actor Bill Nunn; a ticket includes a pre-show wine and cheese reception with the host at 6:30 p.m.

More info: pghplaywrights.com.

-- Sharon Eberson

'Tree of Smoke' author

Denis Johnson won the 2007 National Book Award for "Tree of Smoke," one of the great novels about the Vietnam War.

Also the author of short stories ("Jesus' Son") and poetry, he writes sparingly, but his words have great impact. Johnson, 59, speaks Friday at Carnegie Mellon University's Adamson Wing in Baker Hall at 8 p.m. It's free and open to all.

For more information, contact the Carnegie Mellon Department of English, 412-268-2850.

Go fly a kite

Kites. They're beautiful, they're graceful, they're fragile and there's something about a kid running her guts out to try to get a bundle of plastic and twigs to stay in the air that deserves recognition.

Which makes kites the perfect symbol KidsVoice uses to recognize Child Abuse Prevention Month. "Kites for Kids" features every possible kite craft, demo, and activity plus live tunes so you can whistle while you work (if making/flying kites can really be considered work). Everyone who goes should bring along a kite they've drawn or made. The goal is to display 5,000 kites, the same number of kids KidsVoice helps every year.

"Kites for Kids" will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday at the Carnegie Science Center. For details, check out kidsvoice.org or call 412-391-3100.

-- Kate McCaffrey

Portrait of a jazz icon

To the region's already fond memories of jazz great Mary Lou Williams we can add four more. The Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra commissioned American composer John Harbison for "Pittsburgh Memories: Four Symphonic Memories of Mary Lou Williams," which the group will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday at Heinz Hall.

Williams, who grew up in East Liberty, was an accomplished pianist, recording more than 100 records. But she was equally known as a writer and arranger. Jazz luminaries as diverse in time and style as Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie played her music and considered her a crucial talent in the field.

Also on the program is Ravel's "Introduction and Allegro" with solo harpist Lana Greenawald of Duquesne University, Richard Strauss' "Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks" and Hindemith's "Symphonic Metamorphoses."

The concerts also mark the end of Daniel Meyer's successful seven-year career as music director of PYSO. He leaves that post and that of resident conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony to focus on directorships at the Asheville Symphony and Erie Philharmonic.

The concert is free, but tickets are required that can be obtained at pyso.us.

-- Druckenbrod

Free comics

The annual Free Comic Book Day is the first Saturday in May, which means it's almost here, folks.

For the 40 titles -- featuring the likes of Wolverine, "Star Wars," Archie and DC Kids -- that will be given away this day, visit freecomicbookday.com.

One eye-catching title in the Gold Comics category is Oni Press' "Resurrection #0," by Amazing Spider-Man writer Marc Guggenheim and artist Justin Greenwood, with a preview of Stephen Colbert's Tek Jansen.

Giveaways are subject to the individual shops' FCBD policies. Among the participating local stores are: Phantom of the Attic, Oakland and Monroeville shops; Eide's Entertainment, Pittsburgh; New Dimension Comics 2, Century III Mall, West Mifflin; Time Tunnel Collectibles, Castle Shannon; and Duncan Comics Books & Accessories, McCandless.

Above-N-Beyond Comics in Erie will have guest appearances by Shawntae Howard, creator and artist of "Extinctioners" and "Katmandu" and local design artist Doug Lopretto. Bennie's Comics and Cards in Sharon will feature Heather Kreiter ("Legend of the Five Rings," "Vampire the Eternal Struggle," "World of Darkness," "Bella Sara") and Jeremiah Witkowski (Art Institute of Pittsburgh and Paramount Games).

Links to participating stores are at the FCBD Web site. If you don't see your favorite store here, there's also a place to enter your ZIP code and find the participating shop nearest you.

Prime Stage connections

The Pittsburgh connection to Ellen Raskin's Newbery Medal-winning book, "The Westing Game," begins with the dedication to the daughters of Amy Kellman, the former coordinator of youth services at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

It reads: "For Jenny who wanted a puzzle book. And for Susan K."

Wayne Brinda, artistic director of Prime Stage Theatre, was determined to bring the children's mystery book to the Pittsburgh stage, which brought him to Seattle-based Darien Lindle, who had several companies interested in producing her adaptation.

Lindle agreed to have Prime Stage adapt her work for a world premiere production here, and Terry Brino-Dean, whom Lindle knew at Seton Hill University, came on as director. The play was workshopped and had a staged reading in March at Seton Hill, with the Kellmans in attendance.

The Prime Stage production of "The Westing Game" debuts at the New Hazlett Theater, North Side, Saturday through May 10. Tickets: Prime Stage Theatre, 724-773-0700 or proartstickets.org. More info: primestage.com.

-- Eberson

Wrasslin' for a cause

Fundraisers (yawn). How long have we suffered from dull, plebian attempts to raise money for some good cause? Well, no longer, my friends.

For this Sunday is the fundraiser to beat all fundraisers. This Sunday is DEAF WRESTLEFEST!

It is undoubtedly the most inspired fundraiser ever conceived. Wrestlers J.J. Dillon, Brutus the Barber Beefcake, Missy Hyatt, and Dominic DeNucci will face off in the ring to raise money for the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf.

Deaf Wrestlefest is back after a seven-year hiatus. J.J. Dillon, who last wrestled in 1989, has come out of retirement for this.

The grappling begins at 6 p.m., Sunday, at WPSD gym, 300 East Swissvale Ave., Edgewood. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Front-row seats cost $25. To reserve tickets or for more details, e-mail naw75lins@yahoo.com. 412-678-3287.

• I Made It Market, billed as "the city's only nomadic indie craft market," travels to a new location, the Oakmont Library, Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be more than 30 local crafters offering unique handmade wares for sale, plus the Garden Club of Oakmont hosts its Annual Plant and Flower sale and the Library has a book sale. It's at 700 Allegheny River Blvd. Go to imadeitmarketblog.com.

• The Pittsburgh Concert Chorale shows another side with a pops concert of music from the '50s and '60s. Pianist Douglas Levine, bassist David Pellow, and percussionist Robert Rawsthorne join conductor Katherine Mueller and the choir for songs such as "Blackbird," "Yesterday" and "Mr. Sandman" at 8 p.m. Saturday at Fox Chapel Presbyterian Church and at 4 p.m. Sunday at Ingomar United Methodist Church. Tickets $8-$20; call 412-635-7654.

• Violinist Darian Andreas and several musicians will perform a host of premieres for violin at a free recital at 6 p.m. Saturday at Trombino Piano Gallerie on Penn Avenue, Downtown.

• Julie Silver, a singer-songwriter-guitarist specializing in Jewish and secular folk songs, comes from Southern California for a free show at Rodef Shalom Congregation on Sunday at 4 p.m. For a sample of the music, go to juliesilver.com.

• Boston-based traditional Irish music artists Matt & Shannon Heaton bring their fourth and latest CD, "Lovers' Well," to Club Cafe 7 p.m. Friday. Matt, a Pittsburgh native, sings and plays guitar and bouzouki. Shannon shares vocals and adds flute to love songs they say are sometimes happy and flirtatious but mostly "about parting, jealousy and loss." Opening will be local Irish/Scottish band, Callan. Call 412-431-4950.

• Glen Phillips makes frequent visits to Pittsburgh, but this time he comes toting the band that made him almost-famous, Toad the Wet Sprocket. The quartet from Santa Barbara turned up in the late '80s with songs like "All I Want," "Walk on the Ocean" and "Fall Down" before breaking up about a decade later. A reunion tour begins Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Carnegie Library Music Hall of Homestead. Tickets are $30-$32. Call 412-323-1919.