Philip Glass News

Miss Saigon is about to return to the West End, opening at the Prince Edward Theatre on May 21, and though this production has had a smooth road to opening night so far, the original production was a bit more controversial. In a recent piece in The Guardian, which begins with 'I lied to producer Cameron Mackintosh,' playwright David Henry Hwang admits to being involved with the 'Yellow Face controversy'.

The Collegiate Chorale announces its 2014-15 season: the New York City Premiere of Eric Idle and John DuPrez's Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy) at Carnegie Hall, followed by George F. Handel's Susanna at Town Hall, and the US Premiere of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfel's The Road of Promise at Carnegie Hall.

Time Square Arts, in partnership with Allied Partners and Brickman Real Estate, will present Jim Findlay's Dream of the Red Chamber, a performance for a sleeping audience, produced by Collapsable Giraffe and 3-Legged Dog.

Ballet San Jose will conclude its 2014 repertory season-the first under the leadership of new Artistic Director José Manuel Carreño-with Roland Petit's iconic story ballet, Carmen, and Twyla Tharp's masterful In the Upper Room in three performances this weekend, May 9-11 at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts.

Court Theatre closes its 2013-2014 season with the Chicago premiere of M. Butterfly written by David Henry Hwang and directed by Artistic Director Charles Newell, with choreography by Jamie Guan. M. Butterfly will run today, May 8 - June 8, 2014 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Avenue. Press Opening is Saturday, May 17, 2014 at 8:00PM.

Pacific Symphony's critically-acclaimed American Composers Festival (ACF) continues for the 14th year with 'From Screen to Score: New Concert Music by Famous Film Composers'-who happen to be four of today's biggest Hollywood heavy-hitters: John Williams ('Star Wars,' 'Raiders of the Lost Ark,' 'E.T., the Extra Terrestrial'), Howard Shore ('Lord of the Rings,' 'The Hobbit,' 'Hugo'), James Horner ('Titanic,' 'Star Trek,' 'Apollo 13') and Elliot Goldenthal ('Alien 3,' 'Batman Forever' and 'Batman and Robin'). Together, these iconic composers boast 11 Oscars and countless billions of box office dollars. They also hold the ironic position of simultaneously being the most-heard orchestral composers ever (the soundtrack for 'Titanic' sold 30 million copies), yet their music is the least performed.

Bernard Haitink will return to the New York Philharmonic to conduct two weeks of performances highlighting works by Austrian composers - Berg, Webern, and Mahler - and Beethoven, who spent much of his career in Austria. In the first program, Mr. Haitink will conduct Webern's Im Sommerwind, Berg's Violin Concerto with Leonidas Kavakos, and Beethoven's Symphony No. 3, Eroica, tonight, May 8, 2014, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, May 9 at 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday, May 10 at 8:00 p.m. Bernard Haitink's appearances are part of an international, season-wide celebration of the 60th anniversary of his conducting debut with the Netherlands Radio Union Orchestra (now the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra) and his 85th birthday.

Washington National Opera (WNO) presents the world premiere of An American Soldier, June 13-14, 2014 in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. An American Soldier features music by composer Huang Ruo and a libretto by David Henry Hwang. This new work, to be performed in English, is the second hourlong opera created under the auspices of the American Opera Initiative, WNO's commissioning program for contemporary American opera. An American Soldier is directed by David Paul and a chamber orchestra is conducted by Steven Jarvi; both are alumni of WNO's Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program.

For the first time in 40 years Vancouver audiences will experience the magnificence of Verdi's spectacular masterpiece, Don Carlo, the emotionally gripping drama of a king's brutal power and a son's brash rebellion. With formidable orchestral forces, a massive chorus and a powerhouse international cast, VO's final – and biggest – production of 2013-2014promises to be this season's most explosive experience yet!

LA Opera is collaborating with Classical KUSC to produce the seventh consecutive season of LA Opera on Air, a weekly broadcast series of LA Opera performances recorded live at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Beginning with Bizet's Carmen at 10am on Saturday, May 17, 2014, the weekly series will be hosted by KUSC's Duff Murphy and will feature six operas from LA Opera's 2013/14 season. The series will be broadcast locally on Classical KUSC 91.5FM, its repeater stations (see below) and also streamed live online at www.KUSC.org.

Lenny Henry is due to return to the West Midlands to headline Birmingham Repertory Theatre's Autumn and Winter 2014 season. The Dudley-born comedian and actor will star in the stage premiere of Rudy's Rare Records from 4-20 September (press night Tue 9 September), his first role at the theatre.

The Collegiate Chorale announces the New York premiere of battle hymns on May 15, 2014 at 7:30pm at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Pier 86, 12th Ave. & 46th Street in New York, NY.

On Thursday, May 29 (8 pm), The Nouveau Classical Project and TrioDance Collective present the world premiere of a new modern ballet titled Potential Energies at BAM Fisher's Fishman Space. The 50-minute piece, choreographed by Barbie Diewald to music by rising composer Trevor Gureckis, will be seen in a single performance. Ticket and venue information appears below.

SpaceLab9, in partnership with Madison Gate Records, is primed for the release of 'BREAKING BAD (Original Score From The Television Series)', a Deluxe Double LP edition scheduled to hit store shelves in North America today, April 29th and in Europe on May 9th.

Violinist Jennifer Koh, known for her commanding, laser-focused performances and commitment to new repertoire, plays the New York premiere of Jennifer Higdon's The Singing Rooms, a large scale work for violin, chorus and orchestra with the New York Choral Society and Orchestra conducted by David Hayes at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium tonight, April 29, 2014 at 8:00 p.m.

The acclaimed Days and Nights Festival, founded and curated by Philip Glass, returns for its 2014 edition September 25-28 with four days of performances in Big Sur and Carmel, CA. Highlights of the long weekend include public radio host Ira Glass' new live show, Three Acts, Two Dancers, One Radio Host; Brian Greene's Icarus at the Edge of Time accompanied by a live performance of Glass' score conducted by Michael Riesman; an evening of music and spoken word with Glass on piano, spoken word artist Jerry Quickley and renowned instrumentalists Tim Fain (vioin), Matt Haimovitz (cello) and Jaron Lanier; and a screening of Visitors, the latest collaboration between Glass and director Godfrey Reggio, accompanied by a live Q&A. Tickets go on sale July 1-see below for schedule and details.

Multi-platinum selling recording artist Natalie Merchant performs a Carnegie Hall Family Concert today, April 26 at 3:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage. Based on Merchant's recent book and music project Leave Your Sleep, the concert features nursery rhymes and lullabies by 19th- and 20th-century poets set to the singer's beautiful melodies, performed by a chamber orchestra and with projected illustrations by renowned artist Barbara McClintock. James Bagwell conducts the performance, which also features musicians from the dynamic chamber music collective Decoda, pianist and accordion player Uri Sharlin, and guitarist Gabriel Gordon. This Family Concert is presented by Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute and recommended for children ages 5?10.

Blair McMillen and Pam Goldberg are thrilled to present the fourth and busiest season yet of the Rite of Summer Music Festival, taking place Summer 2014 at Colonels' Row on Governors Island, New York City. Rite of Summer will present free outdoor concerts on four different weekends on beautiful Governors Island from Memorial Day until just after Labor Day. In a locale The New York Times has called a "Playground for the Arts," the aim of the Festival is simple: to present the highest quality live performances, and to bring free contemporary classical music to as many people as possible in a relaxed, fun, outdoor setting.

Court Theatre closes its 2013-2014 season with the Chicago premiere of M. Butterfly written by David Henry Hwang and directed by Artistic Director Charles Newell, with choreography by Jamie Guan. M. Butterfly will run May 8 - June 8, 2014 at Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Avenue. Press Opening is Saturday, May 17, 2014 at 8:00PM.

New English Ballet Theatre, founded by its Artistic Director Karen Pilkington-Miksa, made its successful debut at the Peacock Theatre in 2012. A highly profile performance at the ROH Linbury Theatre followed in October 2013 and this July sees the company return to the Peacock with an ambitious, exciting programme of five world premieres by the cream of the UK's emerging choreographic talent. With five performances at the Peacock Theatre and two at Canary Wharf's hidden gem of a theatre, Lanterns Studio Theatre, NEBT will present Tryst: Devotion and Betrayal, a varied and compelling evening performed by NEBT dancers and guest musicians with sets and costumes by rising designers.