Tag Archives: spectrum dance theatre

Arts & Entertainment, Music

What We’re Hearing This Month: Classical Music Picks for April

Spectrum Dance Theater’s production of A Cruel New World/the new normal (Photo: Nate Watters)

This month, head to the classical concert hall for some serious time-traveling. Experience a cantata that was lost to the world for hundreds of years, then expand your horizons with new local music that’s hot off the press. No matter if you’re a fan of modern dance, medieval literature, or sports and games, there’s something on the calendar for you this April.

Apr. 5 – 6 — Lost to the world until 2001, Handel’s cantata Gloria was rediscovered at the Royal Academy of Music library. Now’s your chance to hear this recovered masterpiece in Seattle. This weekend, Pacific MusicWorks performs Gloria as part of an all-Handel program, which also includes the celebrated cantata Apollo e Dafne.

Benjamin Bagby performs Beowulf in the medieval bardic tradition (Photo: Gilles Juhel)

Apr. 6 — Calling all Renaissance fair devotees, Lord of the Rings fans, and classical literature aficionados! Experience medieval storytelling with Benjamin Bagby’s retelling of Beowulf. At this presentation hosted by the Early Music Guild, Bagby recounts the epic tale in Old English (modern English subtitles provided) while accompanying himself on the Anglo-Saxon harp.

Apr. 10 — Head to Town Hall for an evening of playful new music inspired by games. Joined by ever-ebullient cellist Joshua Roman, the Talea Ensemble performs light-hearted works from the 20th and 21st centuries, including pieces by Milton Babbitt and John Zorn. With a program featuring titles such as “Pong,” “Deuce,” and “Match,” this concert has a serious emphasis on fun.

Apr. 11 – 13 — Spectrum Dance Theater‘s Donald Byrd celebrates ten years as artistic director by returning to his roots with a re-staging of A Cruel New World/the new normal, Byrd’s first original work with the ensemble. A commentary on life in a post-9/11 world, the production makes use of the expansive Emerald City Trapeze Arts Aerialdrome. What tricks is Byrd hiding up his sleeve for this unusual choice of venue?

Apr. 13 – 14 — Drawing inspiration from the tempting songs of the mythical Sirens, contemporary choral ensemble The Esoterics explores the theme of call-and-response in vocal music. The program touches on an intriguing variety of topics, jumping from Homer’s Odyssey to the Iraqi War and even touching on popular television drama The Wire.

Apr. 19 & 21 — Experience chamber music up close with Simple Measures. The chamber music collective brings together stars of the local classical music scene for intimate performances. This month, new Seattle Symphony concertmaster Alexander Velinzon joins forces with cellist Rajan Krishnaswami, pianist Mark Salman, and clarinetist Sean Osborn for a program of works that explore the musical element of harmony.

Apr. 26 — The musicians of the Seattle Symphony are more than just talented performers — they’re skilled composers as well. Hear world premiere performances of compositions by Symphony musicians Seth Krimsky, Ben Hausmann, and Jordan Anderson at this late-night concert, the third installation in “Untitled,” a popular new series featuring 20th century and contemporary music.

Apr. 27 – 28 —  The Auburn Symphony pulls out all the stops with two dramatic masterpieces: Strauss’ Death and Transfiguration and Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. Both works tell powerful musical stories. Death and Transfiguration follows the meditations of a dying artist as he recounts scenes from his life, while Stravinsky’s infamous ballet depicts a ritual sacrifice in primeval Russia.

Apr. 28 — Celebrate with the talented young musicians of the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra as they commemorate seventy years of music education and outreach. Hear performances by SYSO’s four orchestras, watch archival films of landmark moments in the organization’s history, and support the young classical musicians of the future.

Arts & Entertainment, Music

2012-13 Season Preview: The Year Ahead in Seattle Classical Music

Fall has arrived. Summer vacations are coming to an end, and it’s time to head back to school and work. For classical musicians, it’s back to the concert hall for the start of a new season. Now that autumn’s here, Seattle’s classical music ensembles have been announcing their performance schedules for the upcoming year. It looks like we have a fantastic season of concerts in store!

Here are few highlights from the major local ensembles, a list of notable events, and tips on groups to watch in the coming year.

Seattle Symphony Music Director Ludovic Morlot (Photo: Michael DiVito)

Seattle Symphony

  • The usual roster of visiting luminaries returns to Benaroya Hall this year, including Joshua Bell, Itzhak Perlman, Andras Schiff, Hilary Hahn, Emanuel Ax, Garrick Ohlsson, Gil Shaham, Yefim Bronfman, and Anne-Sophie Mutter.
  • (Untitled), the Symphony’s exciting new concert series, provides a much-needed space for 20th century and contemporary classical music at Benaroya Hall.
  • Sonic Evolution returns for a second year. This popular fall concert features new symphonic works inspired by icons of the Seattle pop and rock scenes. This year’s Sonic Evolution includes local alt-country favorites Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs.
  • Hear all four of Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos at Rach Fest, in early January. Four up-and-coming young pianists will perform the concertos in two concerts with the Symphony.
  • The Symphony presents their premiere performance of Messiaen’s Turangalîla Symphony in January. This important 20th century work features the ondes Martenot, an electronic musical instrument similar to the theremin.

Seattle Opera

  • Seattle Opera‘s season began last month with a gorgeous production of Turandot and continues with Beethoven’s Fidelio in October. Other upcoming productions include Rossini’s Cinderella, Puccini’s La Boheme, and a double-bill featuring Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine and Puccini’s Suor Angelica.

Pacific Northwest Ballet

  • PNB has a fantastic collection of audience favorites in store this season. Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake is likely to draw crowds, as well as productions of two Prokofiev ballets: Romeo & Juliet and Cinderella.

    Pianist Hélène Grimaud (Photo: Mat Hennek / DG)

UW World Series

  • The President’s Piano Series brings another crop of all-star pianists to UW’s Meany Theater, including Hélène Grimaud, Christopher O’Riley (host of NPR’s From the Top radio program), and Jon Kimura Parker, who will perform his own transcription of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring.
  • Prepare for an impressive line-up of chamber music concerts this season with the International Chamber Music Series. Seattle audiences will be treated to performances by the Emerson String Quartet, Juilliard String Quartet, Tafelmusik, Tokyo String Quartet, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
  • This season’s World Dance Series includes two exciting collaborations between international dance companies and local classical music ensembles. In November, the Paul Taylor Dance Company will team up with Seattle Modern Orchestra for a piece featuring music by Arvo Pärt. Then, in January, Compagnie Marie Chouinard will be joined by the UW Symphony Orchestra for a performance of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring.

Early Music Guild & Seattle Baroque Orchestra

  • The Early Music Guild’s International Series presents a prestigious list of visiting ensembles this season, including Musica Ficta, Hesperion XXI, the Baltimore Consort, the King’s Singers, and Tafelmusik. Also on the calendar is a special performance of the epic poem Beowulf by harpist and bard Benjamin Bagby.
  • Bach fans will be pleased to hear that the Seattle Baroque Orchestra is planning two concerts of Johann Sebastian’s music this season. In addition, soprano Ellen Hargis returns to Seattle for a program of arias from Italian Baroque operas.

TownMusic

  • TownMusic artistic director Joshua Roman kicked off Town Hall’s classical music series this week with a concert of piano trios. The series continues with performances from the musical comedy duo Ingudesman & Joo (of “Rachmaninoff Had Big Hands” fame), the Talea Ensemble, JACK Quartet, and violinist Jennifer Koh.

    Portland Cello Project (Photo: Jason Quigley)

Ensembles to Watch

  • The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra may be a new orchestra on the block, but they have an exciting fourth season in store. Their season opener features Vaughan Williams’ beloved Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis.
  • Lutenist Stephen Stubbs’ early music ensemble Pacific Musicworks is back with another season of ambitious programming, including Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610, a collaboration with the Seattle Dance Project, and a performance of Handel’s newly-discovered cantata Gloria.
  • Tacoma’s Broadway Center for the Performing Arts get my vote for “venue to watch” this year. This season they’ll present the Fireworks Ensemble, experimental cellist Zoe Keating, the Portland Cello Project, and violinist Mark O’Connor.

Exciting Events

  • Philip Glass shuns Seattle in favor of the Eastside for the second year in a row. The renowned composer returns to Kirkland Performance Center in late October for a performance with Foday Musa Suso, a master of the African Kora.
  • Celebrate the John Cage centennial with the Seattle Modern Orchestra. Their John Cage Festival in early November features a documentary about the composer’s life as well as performances of some of his most famous works.
  • Known for their orchestral arrangements of Radiohead, Queen, and the Arcade Fire, the ever-popular Seattle Rock Orchestra rings in the new year with a concert of new works for orchestra.
  • Chicago-based contemporary music ensemble eighth blackbird pays a visit to Kirkland Performance Center in January. This GRAMMY-winning ensemble is a must-see for new music fans.
  • Choreographer Donald Byrd and the edgy, experimental dancers of Spectrum Dance Theater present their take on Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana in April.
Arts & Entertainment, Dance, Music, Theatre

Oklahoma!‘s Kicks are as High as, Well, You Know (Review)

The Cast of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! at the 5th Avenue Theatre. Photo: Chris Bennion

Oklahoma! at the 5th Avenue Theatre (tickets available now through March 4) is as good a production as you’ll likely ever see of this classic R&H musical. What makes it that much better is the choreography by Donald Byrd–giving this already solid production a depth that you don’t often see in the show.

Byrd, the artistic director of Spectrum Dance Theater, is a world-class choreographer who has created pieces for major dance companies all over the globe. Having him choreograph a show and embed his dancers in it is sort of like bringing a gun to a knife fight. Not to take anything away from the fine choreographers that the 5th and its colleagues typically use, it’s just that this isn’t your typical musical theatre dancing.

It starts with the song “Kansas City,” in which the actors blend ballet-infused moves into western and ragtime styles. It is, however, in the “dream ballet” sequence at end of Act II, that we see Byrd’s signature most clearly. Overtly balletic, the dancing in the scene embodies Byrd’s telltale mixture of humor and darkness, sexuality and violence (especially when Laurey is dragged by Jud across the stage as his conquest). It’s classic Byrd: beautiful with a pulse of malevolence that reminds us that not all is pretty on the prairie.

It’s not just the dancing that makes this production special. There are some standout performances, big and small, that raise the level of the game. Eric Ankrim as Curley would give anyone else who has played that role (with the possible exception of Hugh Jackman, sans claws) a run for their money. Ankrim brings an easy confidence to Curley, with no false notes. The always-good Anne Allgood plays Aunt Eller as both wise and wise-ass in a way that grounds the entire production. Someone always has to be the adult, and she plays it beautifully. David Pichette as Ike Skidmore–a role that shows up first in Act II and doesn’t really have a whole lot to say–shows us yet again how an amazing actor in a relatively small part can give the production so much more headroom.

Even smaller moments, such as when dancer Amber Nicole Mayberry regally, lovingly reaches down to turn over Jud after he is stabbed, add a dimension to this production that you wouldn’t expect. Her small act, and the focus and dignity she brings to it, changes everything in that moment, humanizing Jud in an instant.

Standing literally over all of them was Kyle Scatliffe as Jud. A big man, Scatliffe has an even bigger voice–warm, booming and powerful. When he’s on stage, there is a buzz and tension that owes something to the character he plays but more to the actor portraying him. In his Act I aria “Lonely Room,” Scatliffe unleashes fury and power as he convinces himself that his options for a meaningful life with Laurey are dwindling and that he must take action. As he does so, red light seeps through the slats of his smokehouse, growing in intensity with the billowing intensity of his emotion. Like a hot wind whipping down the plain.