Leonard Bernstein News

Whitney Morse and Britni Tozzi lead the cast of PFP's The Children's Hour, directed by Derek Bertelsen* and running tonight,, January 9 - February 9, 2014 at Collaboraction.

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Music Director Edo de Waart present Radu Lupu on January 24-25, 2014 at 8:00 p.m. at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. The program features pianist Radu Lupu who reunites with Edo de Waart for Brahms's First Piano concerto. Their 1974 recording of the work is still considered a benchmark performance. The program also features Schumann's Manfred Overture and James Macmillan's The Confession of Isobel Gowdie.

Perhaps the greatest disservice ever done to English music was its dismissal by the modernist composer Elizabeth Lutyens as "cowpat music". That statement was a hangover of a common perception from the late nineteenth and early twentieth century that, despite the country's power and reputation, it wasn't actually very good at producing interesting music. But World War One marked the beginning of a new explosion of creative energy, one that saw exciting modern composers pour into England's concert halls, reaching across the sea to America, even to Hollywood. "This England" from Leon Botstein and the American Symphony Orchestra brings this England to Carnegie Hall.

The Negro Ensemble Company, Inc. opens the 47th season of inspirational, innovative and exciting stage productions with a special Valentine's Day concert starring the dynamic, award-winning singer/actress Lillias White in two performances of 'A Woman On Love' on Friday, February 14, 2014.

Come celebrate the one and only Broadway legend Chita Rivera in a unique solo concert event celebrating her 80th Birthday, coming to the intimate Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom. Direct from her sold-out smash concert in New York, the multiple Tony Award winner will recreate signature moments from her legendary career including numbers from West Side Story; Sweet Charity; Chicago; Kiss of the Spider Woman; Bye, Bye, Birdie and The Rink. In addition to a special tribute to her dear friends John Kander & Fred Ebb, the timeless music of Leonard Bernstein, Charles Strouse, Jerry Herman and Stephen Sondheim will also be featured, with live orchestral accompaniment by the Folsom Symphony, conducted by Michael Croiter.

El cine Comedia de Barcelona exhibira 4 grandes clasicos del cine musical desde el 19 al 29 de enero.

General Director Speight Jenkins announced the singers selected for Seattle Opera's popular International Wagner Competition on August 7, 2014, where emerging artists will go head-to-head American Idol style.

The day Leonard Bernstein died, a sense of gut-wrenching loss pervaded the musical world. Anyone who had watched and listened to his extraordinary music making could not help but be affected by his passion and reverence for music. Those of us lucky enough to have known and worked with him and availed ourselves of his wisdom, still hold deep affection and respect for him, along with a feeling that we have been blessed many times over.

The Los Angeles Children's Chorus (LACC) begins the New Year with a bang when its Young Men's Ensemble (YME), conducted by Dr. Steven Kronauer, is featured in a joint performance with the acclaimed Harvard Glee Club, America's oldest collegiate choir, under the director of Andrew Clark, at Altadena Community Church on Friday, January 17, 2014, 8 pm. The choirs perform individually and jointly in a concert presented by the Pasadena Master Chorale.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

Following the record-breaking attendance of Festival 2013, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival announces the 2014 Festival schedule. Jacob's Pillow is a National Historic Landmark, home to America's longest-running dance festival, and a recipient of the National Medal of Arts. Noted dance writer Jennifer Dunning has called the Pillow "the dance center of the nation, possibly the world."

In her acclaimed club act "Now You Know: An Evening of Steve, Lenny - and Annie," Broadway vet Ann Morrison (Merrily We Roll Along, Lovemusik) shares her intriguing and unusual life journey woven in and around songs from two of her musical mentors - Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim.

A fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the legendary original cast of the iconic Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim/Arthur Laurents musical WEST SIDE STORY recording the show's classic cast album is now available to view.

Hershey Felder in Abe Lincoln's Piano will have its world premiere in the Gil Cates Theater at the Geffen Playhouse as a limited fifteen-performance engagement starting tonight, January 3, 2014.

Theatre Rhinoceros presents the Bay Area Premiere of the Stephen Sondheim Musical ROAD SHOW, featuring Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and Book by John Weidman, and running today, January 2 - 19, 2014.

When first asked if I had any musical skills for this show, I said I could rock a mean triangle and kick it with the maracas, but after meeting with the gifted and saintly Mary-Mitchell Campbell (check out her organization asteponline.org), I found myself agreeing to learn how to play a large Irish drum called the bodhran. Steve Pacek, who originated the same role in Delaware last year, was kind enough to give me my first official lesson. We played with a children's drumstick in my living room until he sent me a tipper stick a few days later. His first tip was to not watch videos on YouTube for fear I'd become intimidated. I nodded in agreement, but ran to my computer as soon as he left to search for examples. A few minutes of watching these incredible musicians resulted in a deep shame spiral with the gnawing fear being found out as a complete fraud. Luckily, I could carry a handful of rhythms weeks later, thanks to the endless hours of banging out tribal drumbeats at home (apologies to my neighbors and to my cats) and the support of people like Campbell.

New Years Eve Bash with The Great Larry Willis Quartet Tim Green is set for the Twins Jazz Club, located at 1344 U Street NW, Top Floor, Washington, DC 20009. Call 202.234.0072 or visit www.TwinsJazz.com.

Seit einigen Jahren schon ist eine erfolgreiche Neuinszenierung von West Side Story in den großen Theatern der Welt zu sehen, darunter London, Paris, Tokyo, Sydney und viele mehr. Nun ist die Produktion mit den Orginalchoreografien endlich auch im deutschsprachigen Raum zu erleben. Seine Premiere feierte West Side Story war 20.12. in Frankfurt, wo in Show in der Alten Oper gastiert und dort die Rolle des alljahrigen Weihnachtsmusicals ubernimmt.

A look at some of the musical theatre, opera and cabaret productions in South Africa in 2013.