John Cage News

Abingdon Theatre Company, under the artistic direction of Tony Speciale, presents the world premiere of CHESS MATCH NO. 5, conceived and directed by Anne Bogart, with text arranged by Jocelyn Clarke from the words of John Cage. Created by SITI Company, CHESS MATCH NO. 5 began previews March 9, with an official press opening March 19, in Abingdon's June Havoc Theatre (312 West 36th Street).

In conjunction with its upcoming production of Topdog/Underdog the Huntington Theatre Company will host a number of special events and post-show conversations. Admission to onsite post-show events is free with a ticket to Topdog/Underdog, available at huntingtontheatre.org/topdog by phone at 617 266 0800, or in person at the BU Theatre (264 Huntington Avenue) and Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA (527 Tremont Street) box offices. Tickets start at $25. Performances begin Friday, March 10, 2017 at the Avenue of the Arts/BU Theatre.

Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas leads the San Francisco Symphony in two consecutive concerts in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage this April, marking 70 years since the orchestra first performed at Carnegie Hall.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Today's big news: THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT, helmed by Estelle Parsons, starts Off-Broadway, and THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG begins previews tonight on Broadway!

Abingdon Theatre Company, under the artistic direction of Tony Speciale, presents the world premiere of CHESS MATCH NO. 5, conceived and directed by Anne Bogart, with text arranged by Jocelyn Clarke from the words of John Cage.

From March 16 - 26, Houston Ballet offers up a mixed repertory program Director's Choice: Legends and Prodigy, featuring three company, dancer and audience favorites. Hans van Manen's Grosse Fuge showcases Houston Ballet's strong male lineup and proves unequivocally why he is Holland's most famous choreographer. Ji?i Kylian created Stepping Stones during a visit to Australia as a reflection on man's desire to preserve his heritage. Justin Peck joins Houston Ballet's repertoire with Year of the Rabbit, a ballet that showcases the corps de ballet.

What music would Erik Satie be making in 2017? And if you were organizing a record store, where would you file his new records? Should he be in Classical with Mozart and company? Or would you place his work alongside Philip Glass, Eno, the Masters Musicians of Joujouka, Arthur Russell and Aphex Twin's Drukqz? And what would you call that section?

On Thursday, April 6, 2017 at 7pm, Le Poisson Rouge will present California-based pianist Sarah Cahill, 'a brilliant and charismatic advocate for modern and contemporary composers' (Time Out New York), in a concert celebrating the hundredth birthday of maverick composer Lou Harrison with a wide range of his music spanning half a century: exuberant dance music from his early years, dissonant complexity from the 1940s, and lyrical works from the 1980s, as well as music by his close friends and colleagues including Henry Cowell, John Cage, Johanna Beyer, James Cleghorn, and Frank Wigglesworth.

In the video below, director Anne Bogart discusses the world premiere of CHESS MATCH NO. 5, a new play based on texts from the many public conversations with American composer, writer, artist and philosopher John Cage, beginning previews March 9 at Abingdon Theatre Company (312 West 36th Street, 1st Street)!

Seventy years after its first Carnegie Hall appearance, the San Francisco Symphony (SFS), led by Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT), returns to perform works by Cage, Bartok, and Shostakovich on Friday, April 7, at 8 p.m. and an all-Mahler program on Saturday, April 8, at 8 p.m. The Fridayprogram features Cage's The Seasons, Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No. 1 performed with soloist Gautier Capucon, and Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra, to be followed the next evening by Mahler's Adagio from Symphony No. 10 and a complete performance of Symphony No. 1.

Boston Ballet's spring season continues with Kylian/Wings of Wax, a trio of ballets by three choreographic masters.

In celebration of composer Lou Harrison's 2017 centennial, “sterling pianist and intrepid illuminator of the classical avant-garde” (The New York Times) Sarah Cahill will perform concerts of his music spanning half a century – exuberant dance music from his early years, dissonant complexity from the 1940s, and substantial works from the 1980s – as well as music by his close friends and colleagues including Henry Cowell, John Cage, Johanna Beyer, Merton Brown, James Cleghorn, and Frank Wigglesworth in a nationwide tour to cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boston, Miami, Cleveland, Orlando, Maui, Chicago, and more. Her concerts will range from solo piano recitals featuring unpublished works by Harrison to performances of Harrison's Piano Concerto to chamber performances with well-known Harrison collaborators and scholars, including percussionist William Winant, who premiered the Varied Trio with Harrison.

At the Mezzanine Theatre at the A.R.T./New York Theatres (502 W 53rd Street), Soho Rep. is pleased to present the world premiere of Richard Maxwell's Samara, commissioned by Artistic Director Sarah Benson. In a departure, Maxwell, who has directed nearly all 20 of his plays, is handing over the directorial duties to Benson. Maxwell's work was seen previously at Soho Rep. in 2001 with Cavemen and in 1999 with Cowboys and Indians.

On April 4, 2017, Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony, along with Broadway star Audra McDonald, celebrate the Bay Area's spirit of inclusion and diversity with a special concert in Davies Symphony Hall recognizing and supporting the Bay Area LGBTQ community.

 The Baryshnikov Arts Center continues its signature salon series with four evenings of music in an intimate setting in March, held in the John Cage & Merce Cunningham Studio. In this series, entitled BAC Salon: The Originals, BAC showcases music by composers with uncompromising visions, performed by some of today's most respected musicians. On March 20 and 21, 2017 at 7:30pm, BAC will present BAC Salon: Jana?ek + Ives featuring performances by Gilles Vonsattel, piano; Jay Campbell, cello; and Paul Appleby, tenor. On March 22 and 23, 2017 at 7:30pm, BAC presents BAC Salon: Biber + Nancarrow with performers Mark Fewer, violin; James Kennerley, organ; Charles Weaver, theorbo and guitar; Daniel Swenberg, theorbo; and Robert Willey, Yamaha Disklavier and synthesizer.

 Dance enthusiasts in two European cities, Cremona, Italy, and Ljubljana, Slovenia, will have the opportunity to watch performances by the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company when the award-winning choreographer, MacArthur Genius Award and National Medal of the Arts recipient Bill T. Jones presents his mesmerizing Play and Play: An Evening of Movement and Music at Teatro Ponchielli, Cremona, Italy on March 15, 2017, 8:30pm and at Gallus Hall in Ljubljana, Slovenia on March 20, 7:30pm.  

Vanguard Records, a division of Concord Bicycle Music, is proud to announce the vinyl reissue of Moog Indigo, one of the most iconic and influential titles from the catalog of French electronic music innovator Jean-Jacques Perrey.

ComposersCollaborative's legendary Solo Flights series returns to the New York concert scene, marking the organization's 30th year with a rare opportunity to experience Morton Feldman's last piano pieces as a cycle over three Sundays in March, performed by three of new music's most respected composer/pianists: Jed Distler, Tania Chen and Nils Vigeland.

Abingdon Theatre Company, under the artistic direction of Tony Speciale, continues its Studio Series with four Monday night classes on Audition prep for Actors Singers and Dancers.

The winners of the 46th annual George London Foundation Awards Competition for young American and Canadian opera singers were announced at the conclusion of the competition's final round this evening, which took place in a front of an audience at Gilder Lehrman Hall at The Morgan Library & Museum in New York City.