John Adams News

Ocean State Theatre Company (OSTC) has announced that its fourth season in their state-of-the-art theatre located at 1245 Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick, will open with the magnificently macabre musical comedy, The Addams Family.

Water becomes an extraordinary and transformative musical instrument taking center stage as it flows, drips, gurgles, splashes, bubbles and crashes to create a staggering array of percussive sounds when the Los Angeles Master Chorale, conducted by Artistic Director Grant Gershon, presents Oscar and Grammy Award-winning composer Tan Dun's riveting Water Passion After St. Matthew, 'a masterpiece for the ages' (AllMusic), on Saturday, April 11, 2 pm, and Sunday, April 12, 2015, 7 pm, at Disney Hall.

The Chicago Philharmonic Chamber Players (cp2) continue their Spring 2015 series at City Winery (1200 W. Randolph, Chicago, IL) on Sunday, April 26 at noon. Percussionists Michael Folker, Joel Cohen, and Christopher Folker and violinist Daniela Folker juxtapose music with magical illusion, combining melody, rhythm, and exotic instruments from around the world in an exciting, family-friendly afternoon. The program will feature illusions as well as music by composers such as Tchaikovsky, Copland, Gomez, and Sousa.

Today in 1969, 1776 opened at the 46th Street Theatre (now the Richard Rogers Theatre), where it ran for 1217 performances. 1776 is a musical with music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards and a book by Peter Stone. The story is based on the events surrounding the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It focuses on, and partly fictionalizes, the efforts of John Adams to persuade his colleagues to vote for American independence and to sign the document. The production was nominated for five Tony Awards and won three, including the Tony Award for Best Musical. The musical was made into a film of the same name in 1972 and was revived on Broadway in 1997.

In a bold move, SDO premiered a production of John Adams' most frequently performed opera

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam; the Royal Concertgebouw; and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, David Robertson, Chief Conductor and Artistic Director - performed by violinist Leila Josefowicz, for whom it is written and dedicated. The concerts also include two early 20th-century Russian works, Stravinsky's Petrushka (original 1911 version) and Lyadov's The Enchanted Lake.

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO), led by Music Director Jeffrey Kahane, presents Prokofiev's virtuosic Violin Concerto No. 2, featuring special guest violinist Joseph Swensen, and Mozart's resplendent Flute Concerto No. 1, highlighting LACO Principal Flute David Shostac, tonight, March 14, 2015, 8 pm, at Glendale's Alex Theatre, and Sunday, March 15, 2015, 7 pm, at UCLA's Royce Hall.

The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and Music Director Louis Langrée announce exciting new details surrounding the second annual groundbreaking artistic collaboration with the MusicNOW Festival and Artistic Director Bryce Dessner. Tonight, March 13, 2015 (8 p.m.), the CSO opens the festival with Varese's Tuning Up, as well as the World Premiere of Lo a new work by Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw, who will also perform the solo violin part for the new commission.

Laura Linney (The Big C, The Savages) and Seth Numrich (AMC's TURN, Broadway: War Horse) will perform in the Geffen Playhouse production of Switzerland by Joanna Murray-Smith (The Female of the Species, The Gift). This co-world premiere with Sydney Theatre Company will be directed by Mark Brokaw (Broadway: Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, The Lyons) in the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater at the Geffen Playhouse now through April 19, 2015. Opening night is tonight, March 13.

The Almeida Theatre announces its new season: Almeida Greeks.

Music Director Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) announce the Orchestra's celebratory Centennial 2015-2016 season, its ninth season under the direction of Maestra Alsop. Through appearances by the world's most renowned artists, premieres of several new works, Baltimore homecomings from local artists or artists who got their start on the BSO stage, exciting signature projects and strengthening of longstanding community partnerships, the BSO marks this important milestone in grand fashion.

Music Director Marin Alsop and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) announce the Orchestra's celebratory Centennial 2015-2016 season, its ninth season under the direction of Maestra Alsop. Through appearances by the world's most renowned artists, premieres of several new works, Baltimore homecomings from local artists or artists who got their start on the BSO stage, exciting signature projects and strengthening of longstanding community partnerships, the BSO marks this important milestone in grand fashion.

Baritone Mark Stone, in his New York Philharmonic debut, will replace Simon Keenlyside, who has withdrawn due to illness, in the performances of the U.S. Premiere of Thomas Ades's Totentanz, led by the composer in his Philharmonic conducting debut, and also featuring mezzo- soprano Christianne Stotijn in her Philharmonic debut. The performances will also feature Beethoven's Symphony No. 1 and Berlioz's Les Francs-juges Overture, tonight, March 12, 2015, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, March 14 at 8:00 p.m.

Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts announces the start of its 2015 series BACH, REVISITED. The 'enticing,' 'alluring,' and 'intriguing' (The New York Times) series returns, pairing contemporary composers with Bach. MICHAEL GORDON + BACH is set for tonight, March 12, 2015, 8:00 p.m.

Heartbeat Opera is a new company intent upon re-imagining opera in intimate spaces for a new generation. Employing a minimalism that allows the emotional integrity of the music to shine through, the company's work focuses on the body of the singer and the visceral power of the music. Co-Artistic Directors Louisa Proske and Ethan Heard, who trained together in the Directing program at the Yale School of Drama, are committed to nurturing the actor in every singer they work with. The company creates productions of classics and new pieces that are daring and visceral—productions that manifest the emotional grandeur and theatrical power of opera with minimal means. Heartbeat's one-act festival presentation of György Kurtág's Kafka-Fragments, directed by Heard, and the New York premiere of Jacques Offenbach's Daphnis & Chloé, in a new English translation directed by Proske, marks this young company's debut. Heartbeat Opera's resident music ensemble Cantata Profana, described by The New York Times as “a stylish early music ensemble,” will provide musical accompaniment.

Superstar bass-baritone and native Philadelphian Eric Owens comes home to make his much-anticipated role debut as King Philip II in a new production of Don Carlo, Verdi's grand opera of passion and political intrigue. Five performances will be staged at the Academy of Music, April 24-May 3. Tickets are available via Ticket Philadelphia at 215-893-1018 or operaphila.org.

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra's (LACO) Principal Cello Andrew Shulman hosts and performs works by Bach, Marcello, Sammartini, De Fesch and Vivaldi in a Baroque Conversations program illuminating a rich array of Baroque cello sonatas on Thursday, March 26, 2015, 7 pm, at Zipper Hall in downtown Los Angeles. Shulman, joined by LACO artists Trevor Handy, cello, and Principal Keyboard Patricia Mabee, harpsichord, is featured on Sammartini's Sonata in G major for Cello and Continuo, Op. 4, No. 6; Marcello's Sonata in A minor for Cello and Continuo, Op. 2, No. 3; Vivaldi's Sonata in B-flat major for Cello and Continuo, RV 46; De Fesch's Sonata in A minor for Cello and Continuo, Op. 1b, No. 5; and Bach's Sonata in G major for Viola da Gamba and Continuo, BWV 1027. A complimentary wine reception for all ticket holders begins at 6 pm.

Minnesota Opera Music Director Michael Christie leads the world premiere performances of The Manchurian Candidate, tonight, March 7-15, 2015 in the Music Theater at Ordway.

Composer-conductor Thomas Ade?s will make his New York Philharmonic conducting debut leading the U.S. Premiere of his Totentanz, featuring mezzo-soprano Christianne Stotijn and baritone Mark Stone; Beethoven's Symphony No. 1; and Berlioz's Les Francs-juges Overture, Thursday, March 12, 2015, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, March 14 at 8:00 p.m.

Korean-American soprano Kathleen Kim returns as the power-hungry Chiang Ch'ing, aka Madame Mao