By Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer Published Jul 09, 2001 at 1:01 AM

Designed by legendary landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead (who also designed New York's Central Park and its Brooklyn brother Prospect Park), Lake Park is a true jewel on Milwaukee's lakefront at the east side.

What could be better than music under the summer evening sky at Lake Park? Lake Park Friends obviously agree, because they launch their fourth annual Musical Mondays series on July 9 with Worldwind Jazz, an innovative trio comprising of clarinet, saxophone, keyboard and bass.

The free concerts begin at 6:30 p.m. at picnic area #3 and take place rain or shine. In case of rain, concerts are held outside the community room behind the pavilion (the building housing Bartolotta's Lake Park Bistro, which will also provide picnic box suppers from $6.95-10.95), at the top of the grand staircase.

The rest of the schedule this summer is: Folk singer Claudia Schmidt, July 16; Classical guitarist Christopher Laughlin, July 23; percussion and keyboard trio Sonic Harvest, July 30; A capella group Dare to Breathe, August 6; Old West songs by Grandsons of the Pioneers, August 13; Saxophone quartet Safe Sax, August 20; and cello octet Celll!, August 27.

For more information, call (414) 277-0261.

From Pennsylvania to Pavarotti

Marquette's Haggerty Museum of Art hosts "George Weymouth: Landscapes and Portraits of Brandywine," from July 19-September 30. American painter Weymouth has painted portraits of the likes of Italian opera star Luciano Pavarotti and the rich landscapes of Delaware and Pennsylvania.

The show kicks off with a gallery talk by the artist, Thurs., July 19, at 6 p.m. A reception follows. For more information, call (414) 288-1669. Admission is free.

Sneak a peek

The Skylight Opera Theatre presents a pair of free previews of its 2001-'02 season, Wed., July 18 and Wed., July 25, at 7 p.m. in the Cabot Theatre of the Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway.

Selected songs from "Don Giovanni," "Hello Dolly!," "The Tender Land," "Lady, be Good" and "Iolanthe" will be performed by Ray Jivoff, Tommy Lueck, Katherine Pracht and Mary Elizabeth Willians. Tony Bellomy will accompany them on piano.

For more information, call (414) 291-7800.

Time for new Toner

When retired Cleveland judge John Toner decided, on a whim, to visit Sri Lanka a decade ago to visit his youngest son he discovered that this son Jim was as much a stranger to him as was the culture of war-torn Sri Lanka.

Now, Jim Toner has written "Serendib," a book that explores not only his time spent in Sri Lanka, but his time spent with his father. Here is the touching story of a father and son finding each other and of two cultures intersecting.

Hear Toner read from "Serendib," Wed., July 25, at 7 p.m. at Schwartz Bookshop. Admission is free. Call (414) 332-1181 for more information.

Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.

He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.

With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.

He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.

In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.

He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.