Leonard Bernstein News

Anita Darian, a soprano whose four-octave voice earned her the nickname “The Armenian Yma Sumac” and spawned an eclectic 50-year career that ranged from performances with the New York City Opera, Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic to big-band jazz concerts, co-starring roles with Barbara Cook, and hit pop recordings that included “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” is dead at 87. A longtime resident of East Atlantic Beach, L.I., she died Sunday, Feb. 1 at South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside of complications from surgery.

Segerstrom Center's Chamber Music Series continues tonight, January 31, 2015 with the acclaimed Szymanowski Quartet. For its third appearance, the Warsaw-based ensemble will perform traditional, popular and rare works by Polish composers Marcin Leopolita, Wac?aw of Szamotu?y, Krzysztof Penderecki and Graz?yna Bacewicz. Pianist Joseph Kalichstein makes his Center debut performing Chopin's Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52 and Dvor?a?k's Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 8. There will be a free Preview Talk by musicologist and author Herbert Glass at 7:15 p.m. in Samueli Theater.

Tonight, January 31, the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra hosts the returns of Cirque de la Symphonie: the magic of the circus combined with a live orchestra for a totally unique performance experience. With a family-friendly curtain time of 7:00 p.m., Cirque de la Symphonie is a spectacular evening the generations can enjoy together. Resident conductor Francisco Noya will be on the podium at the Vets in Providence.

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Denis Lambert with Mary Michael Patterson, Nikka Graff Lanzarone, Amy Jo Jackson and more tonight, January 31, 2015.

Fall in love all over again when the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra presents "Casablanca," a symphonic cinema event led by American conductor Emil de Cou, for one special night on Sunday, February 15 at 8 p.m. in Heinz Hall.

Jackie Evancho, the pint-sized diva who won hearts - and a second-place finish - on NBC's "America's Got Talent, returns to her hometown on February 13 to perform with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra at Heinz Hall.

Today we are saluting one of the most iconic leading ladies in Broadway history in honor of her recently announced return to Broadway in Kander & Ebb's THE VISIT, the one and only Chita Rivera.

From the first notes to the final breath, WEST SIDE STORY is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Arthur Laurents' book remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever. The score by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim is widely regarded as one of the best ever written. The world's greatest love story takes to the streets in this landmark Broadway musical that is one of the theatre's finest accomplishments.

PITTSBURGH — Passion, fascination, intrigue and romance await you at Heinz Hall during BNY Mellon Grand Classics: A Night in Russia tonight, January 30 through February 1.

Tony Award-winning actress and singer Bernadette Peters, known for her decades-long career on the Broadway and television stage, will make her Houston Symphony debut on Friday, February 13, at 7:30 p.m.

Orange County, Calif.-Jan. 9, 2015-Composer, conductor and teacher Leonard Bernstein, one of the undeniable giants of 20th-century music, and the first American-born conductor to become a major star, becomes the focal point of Pacific Symphony's second "Music Unwound" concert this season, "For the Love of Bernstein." In 1985, a young Carl St.Clair met Bernstein as a conducting fellow at Tanglewood Music Center. A few years later in 1990, St.Clair stepped in for the ailing Maestro and conducted his "Arias and Barcarolles" during what turned out to be Bernstein's last concert. St.Clair would soon be named music director of Pacific Symphony, but the impact of Bernstein's mentoring to St.Clair has remained to this day.

Lerner and Loewe's timeless masterpiece, Camelot was inspired by T. H. White's chivalric tale, 'The Once and Future King'. It is considered one of history's greatest love stories. King Arthur and his new queen, Guenevere, rule their kingdom with ideals of chivalry and peace, but the arrival of Sir Lancelot threatens the foundation of the realm in one of the most fabled love triangles of all time. Revel in the glorious music including,'Camelot', 'If Ever I WouldLeave You', 'The Lusty Month of May', 'I Loved You Once in Silence', 'What Do the Simple Folk Do?'

First-time Broadway composer Cyndi Lauper, who first conquered the music charts back in the 1980s, recently sat down to talk about her Kinky Boots experience and to share the show's impact on her own life - which provided much of her inspiration as she approached the project.

It's no ordinary cast! Dozens of competitors bid for roles in a professionally produced stage production of the Tony Award-winning musical WONDERFUL TOWN at Bailiwick Chicago's annual CHICAGO CASTING AUCTION. Now, they're ready to take the stage for five performances only, February 25 - 28, 2015 at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. With book by Joseph A. Fields and Jerome Chodorov, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Leonard Bernstein, WONDERFUL TOWN is directed by Bailiwick Chicago Company Member Varris Holmes* with music direction by Kyle Pollio and choreography by Company Member Jon Martinez*. Tickets are available at bailiwickchicago.com.

Come celebrate the one and only Broadway legend CHITA RIVERA in a unique solo concert event, coming to The Alden in McLean for one night only on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m.

Riverside's celebrated 2014-2015 Season continues with the most anticipated show of the season, West Side Story. Conceived by Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Robbins, West Side Story tells the tale of two star-crossed lovers from different worlds who fight to keep their passion alive. West Side Story performs on the Stark Stage from February 17 - March 8, 2015 and is sponsored by The O'Haire Fessler Group/Merrill Lynch Wealth Management along with Riverside Theatre's Patron Producers.

The New Amsterdam Singers (NAS), led by music director Clara Longstreth, will present New American Romantics, a program of American music featuring poems of Robert Frost, William Butler Yeats, James Agee, Robert Graves, and Thomas Hardy written by living composers. They include Dominick Argento, Donald Grantham, Matthew Harris, Morten Lauridsen, Elizabeth Lim, Ben Moore, and Ronald Perera. The two performances will take place Friday, March 6, 2015, at 8:00 P.M., and Sunday, March 8, 2015, at 4:00 P.M., at The Church of the Holy Trinity, 316 East 88th Street.

Music Director Andres Orozco-Estrada and Executive Director and CEO Mark C. Hanson today announced the Houston Symphony's 102nd Season, comprised of a full slate of classical, POPS, family, community, education and multimedia performances, as well as recordings, collaborations, international partnerships and an expanded global presence.

WEST SIDE STORY is now officially the fastest-selling production in Drury Lane Theatre's 30 year history. The highly-anticipated musical runs now through March 29. BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Edo de Waart present Goode Plays Mozart this weekend, January 24-25, 2015 at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. The performances feature pianist Richard Goode performing Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 18 along with Schubert's Symphony No. 8.