Huang Ruo News

On April 23rd, the New-York Historical Society's latest installment of the Bernard and Irene Schwartz Distinguished Speakers Series showcased An American Soldier, a two-act opera composed by Huang Ruo, featuring a libretto by David Henry Hwang, in the Robert H. Smith Auditorium at the New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024.

MICHAEL MAO DANCE begins its 26th year with a program of major Mao dances, including D.S.C.H., called 'a stunning work to Shostakovich's String Quartet #8' following its 1994 debut, along with other works to music by Kurt Weill, and Taiko drumming, May 24 & 25 at the Ailey Citigroup Theater, 405 West 55 Street.

The 96th season of the New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts (YPCs) will conclude on Saturday, May 11, 2019, at 2:00 p.m. with "Coming to New York - Immigrant Voices," the fourth program in this season's series of YPCs, Music Across Borders.Conducted by Thomas Wilkins, co-hosted by Mr. Wilkins and Philharmonic Teaching Artist Jihea Hong-Park, and directed by Habib Azar, the program will use music and storytelling to explore personal and collective identities in America. The program will feature selections from Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra; Girl from the Da Ban City from Huang Ruo's Folk Songs for Orchestra; Tumbao from Roberto Sierra's Sinfonia No. 3, La salsa; Enough! I Intended To Leave You from Kareem Roustom's Aleppo Songs for Orchestra; and Hero Brothers and Arbol de Sueños from Gabriela Lena Frank's Peregrinos. 

After a months-long series of auditions involving more than 1,000 singers at the district, regional, and national levels, a panel of expert judges named five singers as the winners of the 65th annual Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Each winner receives a $15,000 cash prize.

Following yesterday's highly competitive semifinal competition, nine singers will advance to the final phase of the 65th annual Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, America's largest vocal competition. The winners will receive individual cash prizes of $15,000, while the remaining finalists will receive prizes of $7,500.

Can opera be a medium for social commentary and change? I've been thinking about this lately--or, more accurately, yet again--since attending a preview of the new Jeanne Tesori-Tazewell Thompson opera, BLUE, which was part of the Guggenheim Museum's fascinating Works & Process series. The performance of excerpts and roundtable with its creators were part of preparations for the work's world premiere this summer at the Glimmerglass Festival.

Asia Society hosts a special preview and conversation around the new chamber opera BOUND, inspired by the news headline: “Diane Tran, Honor Student at Texas High School, Jailed for Missing School.”

Baruch Performing Arts Center and Fresh Squeezed Opera will co-present the NYC Premiere of composer Huang Ruo and librettist Bao-Long Chu's one-act chamber opera Bound in a new production by Ashley Tata. Performances from April 13-18, 2019 at Baruch Performing Arts Center, 55 Lexington Avenue (25th Street between Third and Lexington Avenues), NYC. Tickets are $16-36 and may be purchased at www.baruch.cuny.edu/bpac.  

The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica presents concerts with violist Richard Yongjae O'Neill, its artist in residence.  On Sunday, March 3, O'Neill performs a program of British composers -- Britten, Bowen, Bridge, Carter and Clarke with pianist Steven Lin; he closes on Sunday, May 26 with a program called L.A. Masters with works by Stravinsky, Schoenberg and Brahms with Jennifer Frautschi (violin), Jesse Mills (violin), Fred Sherry (cello), and Orion Weiss (piano).

The New-York Historical Society held their annual History Makers Gala on November 6 at 583 Park in New York. This year's honorees included New-York Historical Trustee Dr. H.M. Agnes Hsu-Tang, who received the New-York Historical Society Medal of Merit for Public Engagement; Harry Potter editor Arthur A. Levine, who received the New-York Historical Society Distinguished Service Award; and world-renowned entertainer and celebrated Harry Potter audiobook voice actor Jim Dale, who received the 2018 History Makers Award in recognition of the exhibition Harry Potter: A History of Magic, now on view at New-York Historical.

The New York Philharmonic will present New York Stories: Threads of Our City, January 14-27, 2019, two weeks of concerts and events examining New York City's roots as a city of immigrants. It will center on the World Premiere of Julia Wolfe's Fire in my mouth, co-commissioned by the New York Philharmonic, which reflects on the New York garment industry at the turn of the 20th century and the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, which killed 146 garment workers, most of them young immigrants. New York Stories: Threads of Our City will also feature a program of new chamber music by composers influenced by their time in America; a special guided tour of the Tenement Museum featuring Philharmonic musicians; an archival exhibit featuring materials from the New York Philharmonic Archives, The Forward, the Museum of the City of New York, and the National Archives at New York City; and a free Insights at the Atrium event.

National Sawdust's annual FERUS Festival is a four-day celebration dedicated to presenting the latest in cutting-edge new music, with an emphasis on performances that push the envelope. Featuring a wide range of new music programs, the festival includes the debut of two new concerts featuring Artists-in-Residence and Projects-in-Residence, music from the winner of National Sawdust's inaugural Hildegard Competition, and innovative pieces by current and past curators.

Nai-Ni Chen opened her 2019 season with a theme of collaboration and outreach, especially with other diverse, immigrant women choreographers from all over the world. On October 22, Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company will conduct a weeklong residency and choreographic exchange with Germany's HannahMaDance headed by Luxembourg/Trier based choreographer Hannah Ma. During the residency, Nai-Ni Chen will be developing a new work using the music of Chinese Bamboo Rap (Kuaiban), Chinese Martial Art and Hip-Hop. A final performance of the work-in-progress, currently titled Speaking in Tongues, will be shown to the public in Germany on Sunday, October 28, 2018. Information of the performance can be found online at https://www.tufa-trier.de/kurse-workshops.html#c1036.

Nai-Ni Chen opened her 2019 season with a theme of collaboration and outreach, especially with other diverse, immigrant women choreographers from all over the world. On October 22, Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company will conduct a weeklong residency and choreographic exchange with Germany's HannahMaDance headed by Luxembourg/Trier based choreographer Hannah Ma. During the residency, Nai-Ni Chen will be developing a new work using the music of Chinese Bamboo Rap (Kuaiban), Chinese Martial Art and Hip-Hop. A final performance of the work-in-progress, currently titled Speaking in Tongues, will be shown to the public in Germany on Sunday, October 28, 2018.

The New York Philharmonic announces details for the 96th season of Young People's Concerts (YPCs) and the 14th season of Very Young People's Concerts (VYPCs).

The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica presents three concerts with violist Richard Yongjae O'Neill, its artist in residence.  O'Neill will lead three programs - on Saturday September 8, he performs Schubert and Beethoven in a program title Homage with the Ehnes Quartet; on Sunday, March 3 he performs a program of British composers -- Britten, Bowen, Bridge, Carter and Clarke with pianist Steven Lin; and he closes with a program called L.A. Masters with works by Stravinsky, Schoenberg and Brahms with Jennifer Frautschi (violin), Jesse Mills (violin), Fred Sherry (cello), and Orion Weiss (piano).

Baruch Performing Arts Center announces their 2018/2019 season, featuring premieres by composers Huang Ruo, Gregory Spears, and the late Matt Marks, and choreographer Dusan Týnek. The season includes the 27th year of the Milt Hinton Jazz Perspectives series, a 5th Anniversary celebration of the CUNY Dance Initiative, and work in progress by veteran writer-performer Penny Arcade. For more information and tickets, visit http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/bpac/. All performances take place at 55 Lexington Ave. (enter 25th Street between Lexington & 3rd Aves.)

Baruch Performing Arts Center announces their 2018/2019 season, featuring premieres by composers Huang Ruo, Gregory Spears, and the late Matt Marks, and choreographer Dusan Týnek. The season includes the 27th year of the Milt Hinton Jazz Perspectives series, a 5th Anniversary celebration of the CUNY Dance Initiative, and work in progress by veteran writer-performer Penny Arcade. For more information and tickets, visit http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/bpac/. All performances take place at 55 Lexington Ave. (enter 25th Street between Lexington & 3rd Aves.)

When Stephen Sondheim was asked was asked about whether his great musical drama SWEENEY TODD was a musical or an opera, he once responded, “When it's done in a theatre, it's a musical. When it's done in an opera house, it's an opera.” Well, then, what about HAMILTON, the musical sensation of our time? Is it possible that it's (gasp!) an opera waiting to emerge?

National Sawdust, the nonprofit hub that serves as a dynamic home for composers and new music of all kinds, announces a first look at select programming and artists for the coming season. Featuring their largest and most diverse group of genre-bending residences, curators, and series to date, these artistic choices reflect a commitment to artists and audiences as the pioneering venue continues its mission to serve as a singular incubator for bold music and innovative voices.