The 2014-2015 season of 'Concerts from the Library of Congress' brings a stellar roster of performers, ensembles and scholars from around the world in commemoration of the 150th birthday of founding patron Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge. The concerts are complemented by guest speakers, curators, panels, film screenings and displays of rarely seen manuscripts, letters and memorabilia from the Library's holdings. Concerts kick off Saturday, Oct. 11, at 8 p.m. with a performance by gospel and soul music legend Mavis Staples.
Due to an reception from critics and audiences alike resulting in a sold-out engagement, Berkeley Repertory Theatre is proud to announce that Hershey Felder's already extended Monsieur Chopin will have one final encore presentation of 10 performances September 16-21, 2014.
Following the wildly enthusiastic reception for Hershey Felder as Leonard Bernstein in Maestro, Berkeley Repertory Theatre invites audiences back this July for Hershey Felder's Monsieur Chopin, a celebrated musical biography of legendary composer Fryderyk Chopin. You've seen Felder as George Gershwin on the hot streets of 1920s New York.
Led for the first time by a guest conductor Christoph Eschenbach, the world-renowned Vienna Philharmonic returns for their 11th open-air concert in the magnificent gardens of Austria's Imperial Schnbrunn Palace
Due to popular pre-sale demand, Berkeley Repertory Theatre announces it will extend Hershey Felder's popular and critically acclaimed one-man show Monsieur Chopin, a celebrated musical biography of legendary composer Fryderyk Chopin, ahead of its debut. Originally scheduled to run through August 3, the show will now run for an additional eight performances through Sunday, August 10. This summer come along with Felder to Paris in 1848...to a work of love and art and the place where his soul resides, in the depths of Chopin's music. In his passionate portrayal of the 'Poet of the Piano,' Felder reveals the beloved and romantic composer's secrets about his creations against a gorgeous, lush score of more than a dozen compositions. Monsieur Chopin begins previews July 25, opens July 27, and plays through August 10, 2014 on the intimate Thrust Stage. Tickets start at only $29 and can be purchased by phone at (510) 647-2949 or online at berkeleyrep.org.
59E59 Theaters will launch the new 5A Season with the New York premiere of THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE, adapted and directed by Hershey Felder, based on the book The Children of Willesden Lane: Beyond the Kindertransport: A Memoir of Music, Love, and Survival (Grand Central Publishing, 2003) by Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen. Produced by Geffen Playhouse in association with Eighty-Eight Entertainment and Berkeley Repertory Theatre, THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE begins performances tonight, July 11 for a limited engagement through Sunday, August 24.
Following the wildly enthusiastic reception for Hershey Felder as Leonard Bernstein in Maestro, Berkeley Repertory Theatre invites audiences back this July for Hershey Felder's Monsieur Chopin, a celebrated musical biography of legendary composer Fryderyk Chopin. You've seen Felder as George Gershwin on the hot streets of 1920s New York.
This June award-winning actor and musician Hershey Felder returns to Berkeley Rep with his popular and critically acclaimed one-man show, Hershey Felder as Leonard Bernstein in Maestro. Last summer, Felder brought Bay Area audiences to their feet and even got them singing with George Gershwin Alone. Now the master entertainer and virtuoso pianist is back for a limited engagement about America's greatest musical legend. Conductor, composer, pianist, author, teacher, librettist, television star, and composer of West Side Story, Candide, On the Town, and Wonderful Town, Bernstein pushed all boundaries to become the world's first serious musical media superstar. Felder combines first-person narrative with the compositions of Bernstein and others to draw us deeply into the maestro's fascinating life, a life filled with tragedy and triumph and...music. This special presentation plays only 22 performances on the intimate Thrust Stage. The show opens tonight, June 6, and plays through June 22.
Berkeley Repertory Theatre welcomes award-winning actor and musician Hershey Felder to star as Leonard Bernstein in Maestro, about the amazing life of American composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein.
59E59 Theaters will launch the new 5A Season with the New York premiere of THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE, adapted and directed by Hershey Felder, based on the book The Children of Willesden Lane: Beyond the Kindertransport: A Memoir of Music, Love, and Survival (Grand Central Publishing, 2003) by Mona Golabek and Lee Cohen. Produced by Geffen Playhouse in association with Eighty-Eight Entertainment and Berkeley Repertory Theatre, THE PIANIST OF WILLESDEN LANE begins performances on Friday, July 11 for a limited engagement through Sunday, August 24. Opening Night is Tuesday, July 22 at 7 PM. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7 PM; Friday at 8 PM; Saturday at 2 PM & 8 PM; Sunday at 3 PM & 7 PM. Single tickets, which go one sale to 59E59 Members on May 19 and to the general public on May 27, are $70 ($49 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or visit www.59e59.org.
The Eisemann Center and the City of Richardson announced the 2014-2015 Season of Eisemann Center Presents (ECP) at the Annual Season Preview Party on Thursday, May 8, 2014. The season will include the popular Theatre Comedy Series with four productions and 23 performances; the Methodist Richardson Family Theatre Series with five productions and Jeffrey Siegel's Keyboard Conversations with a total of four concerts. In addition, there are eight MainStage Shows featuring a diverse mix of programming and artistic disciplines. Some of the more popular productions and artists from the past twelve years are returning to join the season - Mandy Patinkin, Steve Solomon, the Paul Taylor Dance Company and The Church Basement Ladies. They will be joined by some outstanding new artists and shows for the Eisemann Center, including Ben Vereen, Darlene Love, Dennis DeYoung, Arlo Guthrie, Taylor Mac, Andrea McArdle, Faith Prince, Donna McKechnie, and Maureen McGovern.
This June award-winning actor and musician Hershey Felder returns to Berkeley Rep with his popular and critically acclaimed one-man show, Hershey Felder as Leonard Bernstein in Maestro. Last summer, Felder brought Bay Area audiences to their feet and even got them singing with George Gershwin Alone. Now the master entertainer and virtuoso pianist is back for a limited engagement about America's greatest musical legend. Conductor, composer, pianist, author, teacher, librettist, television star, and composer of West Side Story, Candide, On the Town, and Wonderful Town, Bernstein pushed all boundaries to become the world's first serious musical media superstar. Felder combines first-person narrative with the compositions of Bernstein and others to draw us deeply into the maestro's fascinating life, a life filled with tragedy and triumph and…music. This special presentation plays only 22 performances on the intimate Thrust Stage. It previews on June 5, opens June 6, and plays through June 22.
Tickets for Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts' new 2014-15 season will go on sale to the public on Saturday, May 3, at 10 a.m. Among the offerings are more than 50 live performances of dance, music, theater, comedy and more. Additional events will be announced at a later date.
The Geffen Playhouse has announced four plays for the eight-play 2014-2015 season, including the Co-World Premiere, with the Sydney Theatre Company, of the Geffen commissioned, Switzerland, written by Joanna Murray-Smith (The Female of the Species); the West Coast Premieres of The Night Alive, written by Olivier and Evening Standard Award winner and Tony nominee Conor McPherson (The Weir, The Seafarer) and directed by Geffen Artistic Director Randall Arney; and The Power of Duff, written by Stephen Belber and directed by Peter DuBois (Rapture, Blister, Burn); and The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens and Count Leo Tolstoy: Discord, written by Scott Carter.
Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras' (CYSO) 130-member Symphony Orchestra presents its spring 2014 concert at Chicago's Orchestra Hall (220 S. Michigan Ave.), Mother's Day, Sunday, May 11 at 7:30 p.m.
Jeffrey Siegel's Keyboard Conversations are brilliantly polished concerts-with-commentary format in which captivating remarks precede virtuoso performances of piano masterpieces. The Los Angeles Times acclaims "Jeffrey Siegel has everything: massive technique, musical sensitivity and character, wide tonal resources, immense reserves of power, and the ability to communicate." These talents will be displayed at Harris Center for the Arts in Folsom as Mr. Siegel concludes this season's series of concerts with Mistresses and Masterpieces on May 18.
Sweet, singing lines stem from the fingertips of Russian pianist Yulianna Avdeeva as she joins Pacific Symphony to perform the compelling melodies of Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 1, led by Music Director Carl St.Clair. Winner of the First Prize at the International Frederic Chopin Competition in 2010, Avdeeva has been praised especially for her Chopin interpretations: "Her pacing is born of intelligent feeling and clarity of thought, and her ability to finesse Chopin's inner voices puts many to shame" (The Guardian). Chopin himself was a prodigy and wrote with glittering aesthetics for piano like no other composer ever would. Following this expressive piano solo, St.Clair takes the orchestra on the courageous journey created by Richard Strauss in his tone poem, "Ein Heldenleben" (A Hero's Life). The work is held dear by St.Clair and the orchestra, who performed it on the European tour in 2006 to glowing reviews, and it features Concertmaster Raymond Kobler playing the solo violin representative of Strauss' wife, Pauline.
The Geffen Playhouse is announcing three plays of its eight-play 2014-2015 season, including the West Coast Premiere of Choir Boy, written by 2013 MacArthur Fellow Tarell Alvin McCraney, directed by Trip Cullman, with its off-Broadway star Jeremy Pope; Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin, directed by Trevor Hay; and the West Coast Premiere of Bad Jews, which received rave reviews for its off-Broadway production, written by Joshua Harmon and directed by Matt Shakman.
