Nico Muhly News

Now in its 15th season, Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook celebrates the best in American singing and songwriting with a new chapter in the Songbook story: 'American Songbook in the Penthouse,' a series of weekend-only performances by performers and composers presented in the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse, an intimate yet elegant venue that brings artists closer to the audience in a cabaret-style setting. The second weekend of Kaplan Penthouse performances, the sixth week of American Songbook 2013, runs April 5-6, 2013. April 5th belongs to Cristin Milioti, who was nominated for a Tony Award in 2012 for her lead role in the musical Once.

McCarter Theatre Center, in association with The Shakespeare Theatre Company, will celebrate the opening night of William Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale on Friday April 5. The production runs through April 21.

Now in its 15th season, Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook celebrates the best in American singing and songwriting with a new chapter in the Songbook story: 'American Songbook in the Penthouse,' a series of weekend-only performances by performers and composers presented in the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse, an intimate yet elegant venue that brings artists closer to the audience in a cabaret-style setting. 'American Songbook in the Penthouse' embraces adventuresome performers and celebrates composers and lyricists, both newer and veteran. With a seating capacity of just 225, the Kaplan Penthouse allows acoustic performers to be heard the way they intend - near to the audience and without elaborate amplification. The size of the space also allows performers to interact with their audience to make them an integral part of their performance, something difficult to do in a larger, more formal venue.

David Daniels and Natalie Dessay will sing the leading roles of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra inDavid McVicar's production of Handel's Giulio Cesare, which premieres at the Met April 4. Baroque specialist Harry Bicket will lead ten performances of the popular staging, originally produced at the Glyndebourne Festival, which incorporates many innovative elements into the story of Caesar and Cleopatra's unlikely romance-including extensive choreography by Andrew George. The other principal stars of this production include Alice Coote in the trouser role of the Roman youth Sesto, Italian baritone Guido Loconsolo in his Met debut as the scheming Egyptian general Achilla, John Moore as the Roman general Curio, and three stars of McVicar's original Glyndebourne Festival production: Patricia Bardon as the Roman widow Cornelia, Sesto's stepmother; Christophe Dumaux as Tolomeo, Cleopatra's brother and co-ruler; and Moroccan countertenor Rachid Ben Abdeslam in his Met debut as the Egyptian servant Nireno. The production features set design by Robert Jones, costume design by Brigitte Reiffenstuel, and lighting design by Paule Constable. The Saturday, April 27 matinee performance of Giulio Cesare will be transmitted worldwide as part of the Met's Live in HD series, which is now seen in more than 1,900 movie theaters in 64 countries around the world.

Icelandic composer Ólafur Arnalds is offering an exclusive first listen of his forthcoming studio album,For Now I Am Winter, due out on April 2nd with Mercury Classics at the Hype Machine now.

New Amsterdam Records just announced the release and performances of music from Jace Clayton and Nadia Sirota in March and April. In The Julius Eastman Memory Depot, Brooklyn-based interdisciplinary artist Jace Clayton (also known for his work as DJ /rupture) focuses on the life and music of gay African-American composer, pianist and vocalist Julius Eastman. Celebrated violist Nadia Sirota's sophomore album Baroque is predominantly for multi-tracked viola and electronic textures, and features songs written expressly for Sirota by some of the most widely respected composers of her generation.

Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts continues the 2012-13 season of its Composer Portraits series with Oliver Knussen, April 18, 2013.

With the Brooklyn Festival (April 16 - 22, 2013), the LA Phil focuses on the contribution of Brooklyn artists to American music, including the world premiere of 'Stem' by Ted Hearne; and the world premiere of 'Strip Mal'l, Matt Marks "mini-opera," performed on the same program as Tyondai Braxton's adventurous 'Central Market', a conceptually and sonically big, multi-movement work by an artist formerly of math-rock band Battles, but here enlisting an orchestra.

The Public Theater (Artistic Director, Oskar Eustis; Executive Director, Patrick Willingham) announced a two week extension today for the world premiere musical HERE LIES LOVE, with concept and lyrics by David Byrne, music by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, additional music by Tom Gandey and J Pardo, and choreography by Annie-B Parson. Directed by Alex Timbers, HERE LIES LOVE begins performances on Tuesday, April 2 and was originally scheduled to close on Sunday, May 5. It will now run an additional two weeks through Sunday, May 19.

A special tribute concert to Stephen Sondheim, including 17 premieres of commissioned works inspired by his songs, will be taking place at "Music in the Loft" in Chicago's historic Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Avenue, Suite 801, on April 7, 2013 at 3:00 pm. Pianist Anthony de Mare will be premiering/performing some of the 36-piece "LIAISONS Project" featuring Sondheim-inspired pieces by composers ranging from Nico Muhly and Steve Reich to Duncan Sheik and Jason Robert Brown.

ACME, the American Contemporary Music Ensemble performs on Thursday, April 18 at 7:30pm. presented by The Morgan Library and Museum (225 Madison Avenue) and the Polish Cultural Institute New York. ACME pays homage to the late, largely unsung Polish composer Mieczys?aw Weinberg with an elegiac chamber music program that includes his exquisite Piano Quintet Op. 18, plus Dmitri Shostakovich's Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67 and selections from Henryk Górecki's String Quartet No. 3.

McCarter Theatre Center, in association with The Shakespeare Theatre Company, will present Williams Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale, directed by Rebecca Taichman, April 2 through April 21. Opening night is Friday, April 5.

The Manhattan Choral Ensemble (MCE) has announced A Century of New York Psalms-an extraordinary event featuring Old Testament verses set to music by eight New York composers. The program will include three new works commissioned by the MCE for this concert from James Bassi, Christian Carey and Martha Sullivan.

Tonight, March 9 (7 pm), as part of Symphony Space's The Music of Now Series, pianist Anthony de Mare returns to the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre for the second installment of Liaisons: Reimagining Sondheim from the Piano. Marrying his reputation as a champion of contemporary classical music with his deep respect for legendary musical theater composer/lyricist Stephen Sondheim, de Mare is building a unique piano repertory by commissioning 36 leading contemporary composers from the classical, jazz, theater, and film worlds to write short solo piano pieces inspired by Sondheim's music.

The Metropolitan Opera and Le Poisson Rouge announced details for "An Evening with Nico Muhly, Two Boys, and other works," two concerts at Le Poisson Rouge on Tuesday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Three Metropolitan Opera singers-Paul Appleby, Isabel Leonard, and Jennifer Zetlan-and noted violist Nadia Sirota will perform at the event. Muhly will host and perform on piano.

On Saturday, April 6 at 9:00 p.m. in Zankel Hall, the innovative contemporary chamber ensemble Alarm Will Sound gives the world premiere of Fly By Wire by former Battles singer and guitarist, composer Tyondai Braxton, a work commissioned by Carnegie Hall. Artistic Director Alan Pierson conducts the program of music written expressly for Alarm Will Sound, which also includes New York premieres by Charles Wuorinen and John Orfe-the ensemble's pianist- as well as Dublin-based composer Donnacha Dennehy, whose scenes from The Hunger will be performed with mezzo-soprano soloist Rachel Calloway. David Lang's 2002 work, increase, completes the program.

Now in its 15th season, Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook celebrates the best in American singing and songwriting with a new chapter in the Songbook story: 'American Songbook in the Penthouse,' a series of weekend-only performances by performers and composers presented in the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse, an intimate yet elegant venue that brings artists closer to the audience in a cabaret-style setting. The second weekend of Kaplan Penthouse performances, the sixth week of American Songbook 2013, runs April 5-6, 2013. April 5th belongs to Cristin Milioti, who was nominated for a Tony Award in 2012 for her lead role in the musical Once.

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) has announced the initial lineup of panelists and programming for the 8th annual ASCAP 'I Create Music' EXPO, taking place April 18th-20th, 2013 at the Loews Hollywood Hotel (formerly known as the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel) in Los Angeles, CA.

The Metropolitan Opera's 2013-14 season will feature many of the world's greatest singers, conductors, and theater artists in 26 operas, including six new productions, of a varied repertory that ranges from the Baroque era to the 21st century. Met Music Director James Levine will return to the Met podium for the first time in two years, conducting three operas with which he has long been associated: a new production of Verdi's final masterpiece Falstaff, Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, and Berg's Wozzeck. Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi will be conducting two operas in the 2013-14 season, Rossini's La Cenerentola and Puccini's Madama Butterfly.

The Metropolitan Opera's 2013-14 season will feature many of the world's greatest singers, conductors, and theater artists in 26 operas, including six new productions, of a varied repertory that ranges from the Baroque era to the 21st century. Met Music Director James Levine will return to the Met podium for the first time in two years, conducting three operas with which he has long been associated: a new production of Verdi's final masterpiece Falstaff, Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, and Berg's Wozzeck. Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi will be conducting two operas in the 2013-14 season, Rossini's La Cenerentola and Puccini's Madama Butterfly.