Peter Martin News

Two months before the world premiere of Charles Wuorinen's much-anticipated opera Brokeback Mountain at Teatro Real in Madrid (January 28-February 11), the Morgan Library & Museum celebrates one of America's greatest contemporary composers with a 75th birthday tribute concert: CHARLES WUORINEN: Virtuoso Works for Solo Piano & String Quartet, tonight, November 20, 2013 at 7:30pm.

AOL On Originals, AOL's premium video platform, launched its newest documentary series, city.ballet, today, offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at the day-to-day lives of the elite roster of artists who perform with the New York City Ballet.

What is Jazz? Steeped in the American heritage, this original art form has seized artists' imaginations through the years. Locally, jazz legends have passed through Philadelphia's storied history of jazz clubs and smoky bars to perform this great American art form since its birth. Today, the genre continues as a reincarnation of a legendary past and a creative canvas for young and established artists to take it into daring, uncharted territories.

Composer-conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen will return to the New York Philharmonic to lead the New York Concert Premiere of his Violin Concerto, featuring Leila Josefowicz as soloist in her Philharmonic subscription debut; Ravel's Mother Goose Suite; and Sibelius's Symphony No. 5, tonight, October 30, 2013, at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, October 31 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, November 1 at 11:00 a.m.; Saturday, November 2 at 8:00 p.m.; and Tuesday, November 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Obie Award-winning playwright/performer David Drake, who most recently headlined an all-star ensemble benefit of his landmark show The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS last spring, returns to the New York stage with TAWNY, TELL ME TRUE. Written by and starring Drake, this drag tragicomedy with music will be directed by Robert La Fosse (Tony Award nominee for Jerome Robbins' Broadway) featuring musical direction by Lance Cruce (Joan River's longtime pianist, Karen Finley's Make Love), original music by Trevor Kuprel, and video by Ned Stresen Reuter. Performances begin October 19th at The Laurie Beechman Theatre.

I have always told my ballet students that because the art form is kept alive by each new generation of dancers, we must be as proficient in historical styles as we are in contemporary techniques. The important works of the past cannot be hung on museum walls the way the paintings of the masters are. Instead, we have to recreate what came before us or else the ballets will be lost. Years ago when I made that speech, I was referring to the centuries-old ballet classics. Yet on the afternoon of October 13th 2013, when the New York City Ballet offered a mixed bill of Balanchine's iconic 'black and white' ballets at the Koch Theater, I was reminded that now the dance gems of the 20th Century

In celebration of this extraordinary legacy on the occasion of the series' 40th anniversary on PBS, a stellar roster of diverse alumni gather to share their personal stories of what Great Performances has meant to them, with reminiscences and performances by Julie Andrews, Audra McDonald, Don Henley, David Hyde Pierce, Josh Groban, Itzhak Perlman, Peter Martins, Patti Austin and Take 6, Met Opera star El?na Garan?a and Michael Buble. The evening, taped at Lincoln Center last November, will be televised on Great Performances, Today, October 18 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings).

The Brown/Trinity MFA students announce the inaugural production of Romp of Otters (ROO), a graduate student theatre company. ROO presents Conversation Storm by Rick Burkhardt ('16) directed by James D Palmer ('16), October 23 and 24, 2013 at 95 Empire Black Box, 95 Empire St. Tickets are $3 and available at the door.

In celebration of this extraordinary legacy on the occasion of the series' 40th anniversary on PBS, a stellar roster of diverse alumni gather to share their personal stories of what Great Performances has meant to them, with reminiscences and performances by Julie Andrews, Audra McDonald, Don Henley, David Hyde Pierce, Josh Groban, Itzhak Perlman, Peter Martins, Patti Austin and Take 6, Met Opera star El?na Garan?a and Michael Buble. The evening, taped at Lincoln Center last November, will be televised on Great Performances, Friday, October 18 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings). Click below to watch a preview!

Marking both the inaugural performances under newly appointed Artistic Director Kevin Irving and the final season of Principal Dancer Alison Roper, Oregon Ballet Theatre will present their opening program, DREAM, at the grand Keller Auditorium.

Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts kicks off the 2013-14 season of its Jazz series with Anat Cohen QUARTET tonight, October 12, 2013, 8:00 p.m. at the Miller Theatre (2960 Broadway at 116th Street). Tickets: $25-$35; Students with valid ID: $15-$21.

Tim Green Quartet will perform tonight, September 27 & Saturday, September 28 with 8pm & 10pm sets at Twins Jazz Club.

Horse Trade Theater Group and StrangeDog Theatre will present encore performances of BOOTSTRAPS by Ben Clawson, November 2nd, 9th, & 16th at The Kraine Theater (85 East 4th Street between 2nd Avenue and Bowery). The production will be directed by Artem Yatsuov with Assistant Director Amanda Mae Cohen and will feature Scott Cagney, Rob Hille, Paul Romano, and Sebastian Smeureanu. The creative team will include Lighting Design by Rebecca Bickley, Set Design by Peter Martino, and Sound Design by Artem Yatsunov.

Composer-conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen will return to the New York Philharmonic to lead the New York Concert Premiere of his Violin Concerto, featuring Leila Josefowicz as soloist in her Philharmonic subscription debut; Ravel's Mother Goose Suite; and Sibelius's Symphony No. 5, Wednesday, October 30, 2013, at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, October 31 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, November 1 at 11:00 a.m.; Saturday, November 2 at 8:00 p.m.; and Tuesday, November 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Marking both the inaugural performances under newly appointed Artistic Director Kevin Irving and the final season of Principal Dancer Alison Roper, Oregon Ballet Theatre will present their opening program, DREAM, at the grand Keller Auditorium.

In celebration of this extraordinary legacy on the occasion of the series' 40th anniversary on PBS, a stellar roster of diverse alumni gather to share their personal stories of what Great Performances has meant to them, with reminiscences and performances by Julie Andrews, Audra McDonald, Don Henley, David Hyde Pierce, Josh Groban, Itzhak Perlman, Peter Martins, Patti Austin and Take 6, Met Opera star El?na Garan?a and Michael Buble. The evening, taped at Lincoln Center last November, will be televised on Great Performances, Friday, October 18 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings).