Calendar for the week

thursday
june 5
New York Philharmonic: Music director Kurt Masur makes his Miami debut as he conducts the legendary New York Philharmonic tonight at 8:00 p.m. at the Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts (1700 Washington Ave., Miami Beach). The orchestra comes to South Florida for the first time in seventeen years as part of a world tour. The evening's program features the overtures to Wagner's Die Meistersinger and Tannhauser, and Bruckner's Symphony no. 3. Tickets range from $30 to $80. Call 673-7300. (GC)

The Pool: Local rock band Maria hosts a series of Thursday-night concerts in June billed as "The Pool," showcasing a number of South Florida's top bands at Rose's Bar & Music Lounge (754 Washington Ave., Miami Beach). Tonight's show offers an acoustic performance by Derek Cintron, plus an electric set by Endo. Shows continue June 12 with Brian Franklin and Al's Not Well, June 19 with Love Canal and Sixo, and June 26 with the Inside and the Underbellys. Every evening will feature surprise guest performances and jam sessions. Admission each night is five dollars. Showtime is 10:00 p.m. Call 532-0228. (GC)

Summer Shorts '97: City Theatre presents its second annual one-act play festival at the University of Miami's Jerry Herman Ring Theatre (1380 Miller Dr., Coral Gables), with fifteen new works (presented in two programs). The plays, all either Florida- or world-premiere works chosen from more than 500 submissions, range from about two to fifteen minutes in length. The festival runs through June 29. Program A will be presented every Thursday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 5:30 p.m., and Sunday at 7:00 p.m.; program B will be presented every Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 4:30 p.m. Each program runs about ninety minutes, and the early Saturday and Sunday presentations have a picnic-dinner option. Tickets range from $15 to $36. In addition to the plays, this year's festival presents a free Wednesday-night play-reading series beginning at 7:30 p.m. Call 284-3605. (GC)

Brazilian Film Festival: The first Brazilian Film Festival of Miami continues to roll tonight at 8:00 p.m. at the Bill Cosford Cinema (University of Miami, off Campo Sano Drive, Coral Gables) with Carla Camurati's Carlota Joaquina Princesa do Brasil. Screenings continue through Sunday; highlights include Fabio Barreto's O Quatrilho (which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Film in 1996) on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. The public is invited to a free festival wrap party and awards ceremony on Sunday after the last film, Terra Estrangeira (Foreign Land), which begins at 8:00 p.m. Admission to each screening is five dollars, three for students. See our "Calendar Listings" for a complete schedule, or call 860-2940. (GC)

International Hispanic Theatre Festival: The International Hispanic Theatre Festival continues at Teatro Avante (235 Alcazar Ave., Coral Gables; all performances are here unless otherwise noted) tonight at 8:30 p.m. as Paraguay's Centro de Investigacion y Divulgacion Teatral performs Agustin Nœnez's Amar Go. Concurrently at Miami-Dade Community College's Wolfson campus auditorium (300 NE Second Ave.), local troupe Prometeo presents a free performance of Robert Arlt's Fiesta de Mascaras. Spain's Teatro Meridional's presents Julio Salvatierra's Romeo, tomorrow and Saturday at 8:30, with a 3:00 p.m matinee Saturday. On Sunday at 5:00 p.m. at MDCC Wolfson campus, the festival celebrates International Children's Day with a free performance of Viaje al Centro de la Tierra. On Monday at 8:30 p.m., the State University of New York at Buffalo presents Leandro Soto's nonverbal piece E-Motions. Then Tuesday and Wednesday at 8:30 p.m., Mexico's Producciones Arte Nuevo offers Hugo Hiriart's La Caja. Admission to each performance is $15. See our "Calendar Listings" for more lectures and play information, or call 445-8877. (GC)

friday
june 6
Freddick Bratcher and Company: One of South Florida's leading modern dance companies takes over the Colony Theater (1040 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach) to perform its 1996-97 season finale concert series tonight and tomorrow night at 8:00 and Sunday at 3:00 p.m. The program features two world-premiere pieces -- Gerard Ebitz's Old Music and Bratcher's Co-op -- as well as Grandma's Hands, Any Which Way You Can, Cyclematic Psycho, Low Speed Thing, and Gina Buntz's Remanence, all from the company's repertoire. Concert tickets cost $19; admission to both tonight's concert and Bratcher's postconcert 50th birthday celebration at Britto Central (818 Lincoln Rd.) start at $50. Call 674-1026. (GC)

Royal Poinciana Fiesta: Those flame-color flowers are brightening up Miami once again, so it's time for the 60th annual Royal Poinciana Fiesta. Festivities kick off today at noon at Monty's (2550 S. Bayshore Dr., Coconut Grove) with the crowning of the Royal Poinciana queen and her court and a lecture about the trees by horticulturist Larry Schokman. Tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. at the Miami Museum of Science (3280 S. Miami Ave.), festivities continue with a workshop that covers the history, culture, and care of these trees. Following the lecture is "A Taste of the Tropics," a celebration of tropical summer fruit, at 2:00 p.m., and a jazz concert at the museum's Science Park at 6:00 p.m. On Sunday at 2:00 p.m., view these beautiful trees up close with a bus tour of the city, departing from the Vizcaya Metrorail station (across the street from the museum on South Dixie Highway). The tour costs $15. Later the museum hosts the third annual Royal Poinciana Block Party at 4:00 p.m. Monday a reception for the festival's annual art show takes place at the Miami Herald building (1 Herald Plaza) at 5:00 p.m. The exhibition remains on view through June 30. Admission to all events is free. Call 789-7608. (GC)