Well before The Met Gala's kitschy theme for 2019 inspired the likes of Lady Gaga, Jordan Roth and countess celebrities to strut their most outrageous stuff down the pink carpet, Mark Morris has been the reigning King of Camp in choreography, celebrating this gleeful genre in company classics such as The Hard Nut. This spring he elevated the playful style integrated with expressive movement in Pepperland, an exuberant homage to the 1960s counterculture and The Beatles' seminal 1967 concept album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Former Paul Taylor Dance Company Member Cathy McCann has been named Director of Taylor 2 Dance Company (Taylor 2) by Artistic Director Michael Novak effective May 20, 2019. Ms. McCann was hired after current Taylor 2 Rehearsal Director Ruth Andrien announced that she was stepping down from the role after nine years.
TAKE Dance, the New York City-based contemporary dance company l;ed by Artistic Director/Founder Takehiro Ueyama, presents In the Sea of Heaven, an evening of works by Ueyama and renowned choreographer/master teacher Kazuko Hirabayashi (1933-2016), June 5-8 at 7 PM at The Flea, 20 Thomas Street. The TAKE dancers are a splendid ensemble, with credits that include the companies of Paul Taylor, Mark Morris, Jacqulyn Buglisi and Sean Curran.
The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts presents pianist Inon Barnatan, recently named music director of the La Jolla's prestigious SummerFest, who makes his Wallis debut with an adventurous program of piano suites by Bach, Handel, Ligeti and others on Saturday, June 22, 2019, 7:30 pm, at The Wallis' Bram Goldsmith Theater. The solo recital features Handel's Chaconne in G Major, HWV, 442, Couperin's L'Atalante, Ravel's Rigaudon from Le Tombeau de Couperin, Bach's Allemande from Partita in D Major, BWV, 828, and Ades' Blanca Variations. Barnatan also performs Ligeti's Musica Ricercata, Nos. 11 & 10, Rameaus's Courante from Suite in A minor, RCT. 5, Barber's Fugue from Sonata for Piano, Op. 26, and Brahms' Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel, Op. 24. Celebrated for his poetic sensibility, musical intelligence and consummate artistry, Barnatan has been hailed by the New York Times as "one of the most admired pianists of his generation." A regular soloist with many of the world's foremost orchestras and conductors, the Israeli pianist recently completed his third and final season as the inaugural Artist-in-Association of the New York Philharmonic. He is the recipient of both the 2009 Avery Fisher Career Grant and Lincoln Center's Martin E. Segal Award, which recognizes "young artists of exceptional accomplishment."
Brooklyn's Brave New World Repertory Theatre announces Shakespeare on Stratford, a FREE family friendly birthday bash in honor of Will Shakespeare on Sunday, April 28th 2-4pm. In a h/t to Shakespeare's birthplace Stratford Upon Avon, the celebration is set to take place on Brooklyn's Stratford Road in Ditmas Park/East Flatbush.
Veteran Bay Area performing arts leader Rob Bailis has been appointed Artistic and Executive Director of the Eli & Edythe Broad Stage at the Santa Monica College (SMC) Performing Arts Center effective June 1, 2019. Bailis most recently held posts of Interim Artistic Director and Associate Director of Cal Performances at the University of California, Berkeley, one of North America's largest and most prestigious performing arts presenters. The Broad Stage, located in the heart of Santa Monica, is one of the Los Angeles region's leading performing arts presenters, now in its eleventh season.
Northrop announced its 2019-20 Season today, featuring its signature Dance Series comprising 10 renowned dance companies in performances ranging from The Great Gatsby to George Balanchine's famous Jewels, as well as a Music Series that spotlights Northrop's restored pipe organ in concerts by Branford Marsalis with organist Jean-Willy Kunz and the Minnesota Orchestra featuring revolutionary organist Cameron Carpenter. For a preview of all the events in the 2019-20 Northrop Season, see this video. Press Photos available here.
Now celebrating the 24th anniversary in Houston and the 27th season since its inception in Brussels, Belgium, Dance Salad Festival promises another gathering of world-class performers. Famous in their own countries, classical and contemporary dancers share the Dance Salad Festival stage to form a mix of movement and compelling choreography.
Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson and San Francisco Ballet today announced programming for the 2020 Repertory Season. Building on a heritage of commissioning groundbreaking dance from today's top choreographers, uncovering new choreographic talent, staging modern classics, and preserving the works that make up the canon of classic ballet, the 2020 Season places SF Ballet at the forefront of innovation and preeminence. Highlights include two new SF Ballet commissions by Cathy Marston and Trey McIntyre, and a co-commission with American Ballet Theatre of a work by Alexei Ratmansky; as well as works by George Balanchine, David Dawson, Harald Lander, Edwaard Liang, Benjamin Millepied, Mark Morris, Liam Scarlett, Helgi Tomasson, and Stanton Welch. The Season's three story ballets include Balanchine's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Wheeldon's Cinderella, and Tomasson's Romeo & Juliet.
Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre presents Green Afternoon VII, an annual afternoon innovative presentation of wine, modern dance, and delicious food in the home and gardens of Architects Marcia Previti and Peter Gumpel featuring an excerpt of their recent World Premiere,Crossroads.
Utah Opera presents a night of thrilling music and dramatic narrative with Vincenzo Bellini's "Norma," in a semi-staged production at Abravanel Hall on May 4 at 7:30 PM and May 6 at 7 PM. This new production of "Norma,", created by Utah Opera's Costume Shop and Scenic Studios, will feature costumes designed by Season 12 "Project Runway" finalist Bradon McDonald, and projected images and video designed by Greg Emetaz. Crystal Manich will direct the production, and Stephen Lord will conduct the Utah Symphony. Due to renovations of the historic Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre, Utah Opera's performances of "Norma" will take place in Abravanel Hall." Tickets priced $29-108 ($15 for students) are available for purchase through utahopera.org or by calling (801) 533-6683.
Venetia Stifler, executive and artistic director of the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, on behalf of the 2019 Ruth Page Award Committee, awarded the 2019 Ruth Page Awards to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and its Artistic Director Robert Battle and Chicago Dance History Project and its Artistic and Executive Director Jenai Cutcher. The special event took place Friday, March 8 before the sold-out performance of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater celebrating its 60th anniversary as a company and the 50th anniversary of performing at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Dr.
Jacob's Pillow announces the complete schedule of Festival 2019. Featuring more than ten weeks with of over 350 ticketed and free performances, off-site pop-up performances, exhibits, talks, classes, films, and dance parties, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival 2019 runs from June 19-August 25. Celebrating its 87th season, Jacob's Pillow is the longest-running dance festival in the United States, a National Historic Landmark, and a National Medal of the Arts recipient. Tickets to all performances are on sale now at jacobspillow.org or through the Box Office at 413.243.0745.
The La Jolla Music Society, which celebrates its 50th anniversary season this year, has announced the complete programming for its 34th SummerFest under the new musical direction of globally-renowned pianist Inon Barnatan. With its enormously varied concert offerings ranging from interdisciplinary collaborations to chamber arrangements of the orchestral canon and newly commissioned works to French Baroque, the La Jolla Music Society SummerFest carries on its tradition of world-class concert offerings, uniting a stellar roster of resident soloists, composers, ensembles, and artistic fellows in the San Diego area for the month of August.
Segerstrom Center for the Arts will present the renowned Mark Morris Dance Group performing the Center Premiere of Pepperland June 14 & 15, 2019 in Segerstrom Hall. Mark Morris, hailed as one of "the most successful and influential choreographers alive," (The New York Times) returns to Orange County with a groundbreaking dance tribute to the 50 th anniversary of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Originally created for the City of Liverpool's Sgt. Pepper at 50 Festival in May 2017, this colorful piece resounds with the ingenuity, musicality, wit and humanity for which the company is known. Pepperland seems to revel in the eccentric charm and joyful optimism of the iconic Beatles album.
High Tides is the second album by Constance Hauman. Her critically acclaimed recording, Falling Into Now, made The Guardian's list of the 10 Best Albums of 2015. High Tides features eight new songs written by Hauman and two covers, Everlong by Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters and Les Chemins de l'Amour by French composer, Francis Poulenc. High Tides was produced by Constance Hauman and Ross Pederson - who was also the recording and mix engineer and performs throughout the album on drums, bass and midi.
The 2019/2020 Broadway at The Paramount season brings another year of extraordinary entertainment to The Paramount Theatre, with a schedule full of classic, familiar titles and brand-new shows including hit musicals direct from Broadway. Subscription renewals go on sale April 2 at 10am and new subscriptions will be available in June.
Pepperland, a vivid work by the choreographer Mark Morris was created at the request of the City of Liverpool to inaugurate the "Sgt. Pepper at 50 Festival" in 2017, paying tribute to the Beatles' groundbreaking album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Renowned for his profound understanding of musical forms, Morris teases out the album's colorfully avant garde motifs through spirited movement and an inspired score by jazz composer Ethan Iverson.
Pepperland (Tuesday 9 & Wednesday 10 April) is legendary choreographer Mark Morris' unique tribute to the 50th anniversary of the release of the iconic LP. Hailed as the first-ever 'art rock' album and widely regarded as the best rock and roll album of all time, it spent 27 weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart and 15 weeks at number one in the USA.
Park City Institute presents award-winning contemporary dance company, PARSONS DANCE, this Saturday, March 30th, at 7:30 pm. The show is the final performance in PCI's 2018-19 Main Stage Season at the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Center for the Performing Arts, in Park City.
