Saratoga Performing Arts Center Announces 2020 Classical Season

The Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) resident companies - New York City Ballet, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center - return this summer to present a 2020 season highlighting a continued commitment to SPAC premieres of both new and classic works and a landmark celebration of the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth.

NEW YORK CITY BALLET (NYCB) returns from July 14 - 18, with its roster of more than 90 dancers under the direction of Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan, accompanied by the New York City Ballet Orchestra, led by Music Director Andrew Litton. The Company will present four captivating programs including the full-length story ballet Swan Lake, marking its fourth appearance at SPAC and the first time since 2006, an evening dedicated to 20th Century Masters highlighted by Merce Cunningham's Summerspace, returning for the first time since 1967, and a program showcasing three SPAC premieres, including Lauren Lovette's The Shaded Line, a new work by Justin Peck set to a commissioned score by composer Nico Muhly, and the SPAC premiere of Balanchine's Haieff Divertimento from 1947. The annual New York City Ballet Gala, on Saturday, July 18, will showcase Jerome Robbins' In G Major, Balanchine's The Man I Love Pas de Deux from Who Cares? with music by George Gershwin, and Balanchine's Rubies.

THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA'S three-week residency (August 5 - 22) will feature thirteen SPAC premieres including the East Coast premiere of the Triple Concerto by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Kevin Puts composed for the genre-crossing ensemble Time for Three, and Gershwin's Porgy and Bess in concert conducted by Marin Alsop. SPAC's popular "Cinema Series" will return to delight audiences of all ages as the Orchestra accompanies, live to picture, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in Concert; Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in Concert and Bugs Bunny at the Symphony 30th Anniversary Edition.

Highlighting the Orchestra's residency is Beethoven 2020, a season-long celebration of the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth. The festival will include an unprecedented four-night traversal of all nine symphonies alongside four New York premieres by contemporary composers in dialogue with Beethoven under the baton of Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin (AUG 12-15). Superstar soloists performing with the Orchestra include violinist Joshua Bell, cellist Steven Isserlis, and pianist Jeremy Denk for Beethoven's Triple Concerto (AUG 7), and pianist Jonathan Biss in Beethoven's "Emperor" Concerto (AUG 20).

THE CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY OF LINCOLN CENTER (CMS) returns (August 9 - 25) to the Spa Little Theatre with an exploration of Beethoven, his influences, and the composers who were inspired by his work. Curated specifically for the SPAC residency, the six programs will feature 19 works that have never before been performed by CMS at SPAC. In addition to performances by David Finckel and Wu Han, Co-Artistic Directors of CMS, in residency for all three weekends, audiences will experience the SPAC debut of the critically acclaimed Calidore String Quartet, works never before performed at SPAC by female composers Joan Tower and Amy Beach, and debut appearances by cellist Inbal Segev and violinist Francisco Fullana.

"SPAC's ambitious and artistically inspiring 2020 programming continues our effort to bring significant contemporary works and iconic classics that have never been performed at SPAC to our stage, while also presenting a record number of works by female composers throughout the season," said Sobol. "Of course, the year 2020 also marks the global celebration of Beethoven's 250th anniversary. We are honoring the great composer with a season long festival, highlighted by the complete symphonies of Beethoven in four consecutive nights for a profound and deeply moving musical experience," added Sobol.

Tickets will be available online at www.spac.org starting on Wednesday, January 15 at 10:00 a.m. to SPAC members and Wednesday, January 29 at 10:00 a.m. to the general public.

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