Hermitage Artist Retreat to Present Fall Programs With Pulitzer Finalist Monahon, Composer Gordon

The Hermitage Artist Retreat has announced three additional fall programs. The newly announced events include Hermitage Fellows Talene Monahon and Tommy Lubben in an exploration of how history influences their artistic practices – Friday, November 13 at 5:30pm on the Hermitage Beach; celebrated opera composer Ricky Ian Gordon sharing his original music and creative process on Friday, November 20 at 5:30pm at Selby Gardens' Historic Spanish Point; and composer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Jen Shyu sharing traditional songs alongside original compositions at the Hermitage Englewood Art Center on Friday, December 4 at 5:30pm.

Hermitage Fellows Talene Monahon and Tommy Lubben are acclaimed artists in their respective fields who regularly look to history to inspire their artistic practice. Monahon, a celebrated playwright and Pulitzer Prize finalist for Meet the Cartozians, mined a lengthy 1920s trial transcript to guide the vision of the play, resulting in 'the best production I've seen all year' according to The New York Times. Her other notable work includes The Good John Proctor, inspired by the Salem Witch Trials, and Jane Anger, which used a 1589 historical document and Shakespeare as its jumping off point. Tommy Lubben, a classically trained multi-instrumentalist who is one-third of the musical trio The Lubben Brothers, calls himself a 'folk revivalist,' constructing original arrangements of archetypal American songs throughout history. Last seen at the Hermitage in our culminating program for the 2025 Cross Arts Collaborative and a frequent collaborator with Sarasota's Key Chorale, Lubben returns with his latest exploration into the works of those who came before him. For this Hermitage program, these two distinguished artists will share their artistic practice and discuss how history informs their work with 'Looking Back to Look Forward: An Evening of Theater & Folk Music,' against the backdrop of the historic Hermitage Beach on Friday, November 13 at 5:30pm.

Describing Hermitage Fellow Ricky Ian Gordon's work, The New York Times wrote, 'If the music of Ricky Ian Gordon had to be defined by a single quality, it would be the bursting effervescence in fusing songs that blithely blur the lines between art song and the high-end Broadway music of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim – it's caviar for a world gorging on pizza.' Gordon's songs have been recorded by some of the best singers in the world, including Audra McDonald, Kristin Chenoweth, Renée Fleming, Kelli O'Hara, and many more. His works have been performed at the Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall, and he has collaborated with Hermitage Fellows Lynn Nottage and Mark Campbell, among many other notable playwrights and librettists. Gordon is also known for setting the literary work of contemporary poets and writers such as Langston Hughes, Emily Dickinson, Dorothy Parker, and Edna St. Vincent Millay, to music for his song collections. In this program, Hermitage Fellow Thea Lobo and five Sarasota Opera Resident Artists will perform selections of this iconic composer's songs, and Gordon will share insight into his artistic practice in the beautiful bayfront setting of Selby Gardens' Historic Spanish Point for 'Words Spoken, Words Sung: An Evening with Ricky Ian Gordon' on Friday, November 20 at 5:30pm. This event is presented in partnership with Marie Selby Botanical Gardens and Sarasota Opera.

On Friday, December 4 at 5:30pm, Hermitage Fellow Jen Shyu, called 'one of the most creative vocalists in contemporary improvised music' by The Nation, returns to the Hermitage for a special look into her singular artistry. The New York Times has called her concerts 'the most arresting I've seen over the past five years.' Shyu's performances encompass dance, vocals, and multiple instruments, including piano, violin, Taiwanese moon lute, and Korean gayageum, and she has performed at world-famous venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Jen Shyu shares traditional songs alongside original compositions, while exploring what it means to be guided by your heritage and history in 'Finding Your Authentic Voice' at the Hermitage Englewood Art Center.

These Hermitage programs are free and open to the public (with a $5/person registration fee), offering Gulf Coast audiences a rare chance to engage and interact with some of the world's leading talent. Running time for most Hermitage programs is 60-70 minutes with no intermission. Due to capacity limitations, registration is required at HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

Additional fall Hermitage programs have recently been announced, including Hermitage Sunsets @ Selby Gardens: 'New Music Under the Old Oak,' on Friday, October 16 at 5:30pm. This program at Selby Gardens (Downtown) features Hermitage Fellows Madeline Benson & Chris Peters, who collaborated as arrangers, orchestrators, and performers on late Hermitage Fellow Gavin Creel's original musical Walk on Through, alongside acclaimed guitarist and past winner of the Hermitage Prize in Composition at the Aspen Music Festival Matīss Čudars. Then on Thursday, October 29 at 5:30pm, the Hermitage returns to the Hermitage Beach with a rhythmic program, 'We Got the Beat: Poetry & Percussion,' featuring drummer and producer Sarah Galdes and poet and Pulitzer Prize finalist Robyn Schiff. The inaugural Hermitage Book Club will feature author Emily Nemens' novel Clutch on Monday, November 2 at 5:30pm at the Hermitage Englewood Art Center. The 2026 Hermitage Artful Lobster will be held on Saturday, November 7th at 11:30am on the Hermitage's historic campus; this annual fall fundraiser supporting the Hermitage's world-renowned artist residency program is quickly approaching capacity. For sponsorship opportunities, contact the Development Department at Development@HermitageArtistRetreat.org.

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