Sharon Litwin

In 2004, the Historic New Orleans Collection acquired a remarkable document written by Marc-Antoine Caillot a 21-year-old French adventurer who came to New Orleans almost 300 years ago. This travelogue, one of the most significant finds of its kind, has been translated into English and is now in print as a book.

On Notes from New Orleans Sharon Litwin talks to historian Erin Greenwald about this amazing and amusing documentation of life in French Colonial New Orleans.

While many of us are aware of Tulane University’s well regarded School of Architecture, fewer know about Tulane City Center and its outreach projects into the community.

Sharon Litwin talks with Maurice Cox, its recently appointed new director about the Center’s plans for New Orleans.

Who: Edward Anderson, 46, a musician, educator, husband and father. Born into a longtime New Orleans family of teachers and pharmacists, he received his undergraduate degree in music from Xavier University, his master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music in New York and, most recently, his doctorate in composition from the Louisiana State University School of Music. He has been a high school teacher and a college professor, and is a practicing musician playing trumpet with several jazz groups in town.

What happens when a classically trained pianist meets a closed-up church in the Marigny? Why he turns it into an opera house. This week on Notes from New Orleans, Sharon Litwin talks with Dave Hurlbert, the man behind that mission.

Most New Orleanians have probably heard that the Dalai Lama is in town this week. But perhaps you do not know of the work it took to bring the spiritual leader of 6 million Tibetan Buddhists to this city.

On this week's Notes from New Orleans, Sharon Litwin talks with Ronald Marks, the Tulane scholar who organized the visit.

Sixty eight years ago this week — May 8, 1945 to be exact — the Second World War ended in Europe with the signing of the official documents in Berlin. But, for one group of British military women, it would be more than 30 years before they were allowed to talk about their secret role in that devastating conflict.

Sharon Litwin had the chance to speak with one of them for this week's Notes from New Orleans; she filed this report from the back patio of a charming, soft-spoken resident of Covington, Louisiana.

Inarguably, festival season in New Orleans is in full swing. But while most of the attention is going to multi-million dollar projects with international fans, there are still other festivals happening under the radar.

On this week's Notes from New Orleans, Sharon Litwin speaks to a Marigny artist about the festival she's put together at two separate venues. One's family friendly, while the other is a bit taboo. 

The performance life of a symphony musician requires complete professional perfection. Their rigorous days are spent responding to the singular interpretation of conductors and music directors, so when it's time to unwind many choose leisurely hobbies.

Still, others can't get away from playing more music. Sharon Litwin finds out why on this week's Notes from New Orleans.

New Orleans chef John Besh's new cooking series premieres this week on PBS affiliates around the country. Besh is not only the owner of nine acclaimed restaurants and author of two award-winning cookbooks, but also a devoted husband and father of four young sons.

On this week's Notes from New Orleans, Sharon Litwin talks with John about how he manages to control all of his life's moving parts.