{"id":18327,"date":"2017-09-06T12:56:44","date_gmt":"2017-09-06T16:56:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/news\/article.php?ArticleID=18327"},"modified":"2022-02-15T14:57:12","modified_gmt":"2022-02-15T19:57:12","slug":"18327_2017-18-season-begins-at-peak-performances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/2017\/09\/06\/18327_2017-18-season-begins-at-peak-performances\/","title":{"rendered":"2017-18 Season Begins at Peak Performances"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>PEAK PERFORMANCES DEVOTES ENTIRE 2017-18 SEASON TO WORKS BY WOMEN<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>International Lineup of Acclaimed Artists Will Premiere New Productions in Theater, Dance and Music, Including:<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"><em>The Merchant of Venice<\/em>, from Karin Coonrod and Compagnia de\u2019 Colombari, with Reg E. Cathey and Five Diverse Shylocks, Direct from an Acclaimed Run in Venice\u2019s Jewish Ghetto, September 19 \u2013 October 1, 2017<\/li>\n<li class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\">Ashley Fure\u2019s Opera for Objects <em>The Force of Things<\/em>, a Collaboration with Adam Fure, Performed by International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), October 6-8, 2017<\/li>\n<li class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"><em>New Work for Goldberg Variations<\/em>, Created by Choreographer Pam Tanowitz and Pianist Simone Dinnerstein, Performed by Dinnerstein and a Septet of Dancers, October 19-22, 2017<\/li>\n<li class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"><em>The Sisters Macaluso<\/em>, Which Will Introduce New York \/ New Jersey Audiences to the Work of the Celebrated Italian Stage and Film Director Emma Dante, November 16-19, 2017<\/li>\n<li class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"><em>ink<\/em>, the Culmination of Camille A. Brown &amp; Dancers\u2019 Trilogy of Dance-Theater Works about Culture, Race and Identity, February 1-4, 2018<\/li>\n<li class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"><em>Leonora and Alejandro: La Maga y El Maestro<\/em>, in Which Stacy Klein and Double Edge Theatre Envision a Conversation Between Mexican Artist, Writer and Women\u2019s Liberation Movement Co-Founder Leonora Carrington and Chilean-French Filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky, March 17-25, 2018<\/li>\n<li class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\">Israeli Choreographer Inbal Oshman\u2019s <em>M Stabat Mater<\/em>, an Exploration of Motherhood Set to Pergolesi\u2019s Music, Performed with New York Baroque Incorporated, April 12-15, 2018<\/li>\n<li class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\">Spanish Playwright-Director Ang\u00e9lica Liddell\u2019s Emily Dickinson-Inspired Work <em>Esta Breve Tragedia de la Carne (This Brief Tragedy of Flesh)<\/em>, Performed by Liddell\u2019s Company Atra Bilis Teatro, April 19-22, 2018<\/li>\n<li class=\"MsoNormalCxSpFirst\"><em>Spinning<\/em>, a Collaboration Between Cellist Maya Beiser, Composer Julia Wolfe and Visual Artist Laurie Olinder, May 10-13, 2018<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Peak Performances<\/strong>, the renowned series at <strong>ÌÇÐÄvlog<\/strong> that plays a key role in the global performing arts landscape by introducing major new stage productions and critical innovations in the development and presentation of contemporary theater, dance, performance art and music, is proud to announce that its 2017-18 season will consist entirely of new works by women. The season as a whole, and the nine premieres that comprise it, make a timely contribution to national and international conversations about women\u2019s agency. All performances will take place in the state-of-the-art <strong>Alexander Kasser Theater<\/strong> in Montclair.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe temper of the times demands a statement: there is no excuse for the remarkably slow progress toward gender parity in the arts. Despite the stunning vision and singular work and of so many contemporary women artists, they remain underrepresented in performance venues in the U.S. and abroad,\u201d said <strong>Peak Performances Executive Director Jedediah Wheeler<\/strong>. \u201cI hear time and again that there is a glass ceiling in the arts. Devoting the entire Peak Performances season to the work of these exceptional artists is a continuation of our long-held commitment to shattering that ceiling.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Peak Performances\u2019 2017-18 launches with the American Premiere of a groundbreaking new production of Shakespeare\u2019s <strong><em>The Merchant of Venice<\/em><\/strong> from director <strong>Karin Coonrod<\/strong> and her company <strong>Compagnia de\u2019 Colombari<\/strong>, originally staged last year in the Jewish Ghetto in Venice, Italy. A cast including five actors of diverse backgrounds as Shylock will perform the play, September 19\u2013October 1, 2017. Colombari\u2019s <em>Merchant <\/em>is one of several productions by celebrated female theater-makers this season. Peak Performances will present the American Premiere of <strong><em>Le Sorelle Macaluso (The Sisters Macaluso)<\/em><\/strong>,<span class=\"apple-converted-space\"> which marks the New York \/ New Jersey debut of the great Italian director <strong>Emma<\/strong><\/span><strong> Dante<\/strong>, <span class=\"aqj\">November 16-19. <strong>Stacy Klein<\/strong> and her company <strong>Double Edge Theatre<\/strong> return to the Kasser Theater March 17-25, 2018, with <strong><em>Leonora and Alejandro: La Maga y El Maestro<\/em><\/strong><em>, <\/em>which explores the common ground between Leonora Carrington, writer, artist and one of the founders of Mexico\u2019s Women\u2019s Liberation Movement, and Alejandro Jodorowsky<em>, <\/em>the celebrated Chilean-French filmmaker. Peak Performances brings another lauded international writer-director, Spain\u2019s <strong>Ang\u00e9lica Liddell<\/strong>, to the New York \/ New Jersey area for the first time, April 19-22, 2018, when Liddell\u2019s company <strong>Atra Bilis Teatro<\/strong> performs the American Premiere of her <strong><em>Esta Breve Tragedia de la Carne (This Brief Tragedy of Flesh)<\/em><\/strong><em>.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"aqj\">As always, Peak Performances will premiere a range of new works by important choreographers this season. <strong>Pam Tanowitz Dance<\/strong> combines forces with the celebrated classical pianist <strong>Simone Dinnerstein<\/strong>, one of the foremost interpreters of Bach\u2019s landmark <em>Goldberg Variations,<\/em> in the New York \/ New Jersey Premiere of <strong><em>New Work for Goldberg Variations<\/em><\/strong>, a thrilling new dance setting of the score, October 19-22. The award-winning <strong>Camille A. Brown &amp; Dancers<\/strong> will conclude their trilogy of works investigating culture, race and identity with <strong><em>ink<\/em><\/strong><em>, <\/em>which makes its New York \/ New Jersey Premiere at the Kasser February 1-4, 2018. Israel\u2019s <strong>Inbal Oshman Dance Group<\/strong> and the ensemble <strong>New York Baroque Incorporated<\/strong>, led by double bass and viola da gamba player <strong>Wen Yang<\/strong>, will offer the American Premiere of Oshman\u2019s <strong><em>M Stabat Mater<\/em><\/strong><em>, <\/em>which is based on Pergolesi\u2019s masterpiece and explores various aspects of motherhood, April 12-15, 2018. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>Simone Dinnerstein is just one of the musical luminaries featured in the season. Composer <strong>Ashley Fure<\/strong>\u2019s opera for objects <strong><em>The Force of Things<\/em><\/strong><em>, <\/em>created with architect <strong>Adam Fure<\/strong> and performed <strong>by International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE)<\/strong>, makes its American Premiere October 6-8, 2017. Trailblazing cellist <strong>Maya Beiser<\/strong> teams up with Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Julie Wolfe and theatrical visual artist <strong>Laurie Olinder<\/strong> for <strong><em>Spinning <\/em><\/strong>(May 10-13, 2018)<em>, <\/em>a multimedia production about the timeless art of spinning thread.<\/p>\n<p>The 2017-18 season builds upon Peak Performances\u2019 rich history of investing in, and sharing, works by female artists, including Trisha Brown, Laurie Anderson, Nora Chipaumire, Liz Gerring, Marianne Weems, Caroline Shaw, Sonia Destri, Deborah Hay, Robyn Orlin, Susan Marshall, Charlotte Vincent, Andrea Miller and Pat Graney, to name a few.<\/p>\n<p>Tickets for all performances are affordably priced at $20 and will be available as of April 20 at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.peakperfs.org\/\">www.peakperfs.org<\/a> and 973-655-5112. The Alexander Kasser Theater is located at 1 Normal Ave in Montclair, New Jersey.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>PEAK PERFORMANCES 2017-18 SEASON PROGRAMMING<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong><em>The Merchant of Venice<\/em><\/strong><strong> (American Premiere)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Compagnia de\u2019 Colombari<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>By William Shakespeare<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Directed by Karin Coonrod<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>September 19 \u2013 October 1, 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Director Karin Coonrod, whom Ben Brantley of <em>The New York Times <\/em>has called \u201ca theater artist of far-reaching inventiveness,\u201d and her Compagnia de\u2019 Colombari bring their visionary production of <em>The Merchant of Venice <\/em>to Peak Performances for its American Premiere. The engagement follows a run of the production in the still-extant Jewish Ghetto in Venice, Italy, last year that marked the 500th anniversary of the ghetto\u2019s founding and the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare\u2019s death.<\/p>\n<p>With its themes of insiders and outsiders, love and hate, justice and mercy and, above all, what it means to be human, <em>The Merchant of Venice <\/em>is as timely as ever. The play\u2019s central antagonist, Shylock, exposes the hypocrisy of the dominant culture. In Coonrod\u2019s production, five actors\u2014performers of diverse race, ethnicity and gender, including Sorab Wadia, Frank Rodriguez, Lynda Gravatt, Michael Rogers and Steve Skybell\u2014will play the role, bringing out both its Jewishness and its universality. The cast also includes Michelle Uranowitz as Jessica, Paul Spera as Lorenzo, Francesca Sarah Toich as Lancillotto, Linda Powell as Portia, Abigail Killeen as Nerissa and Chris McClinden as Bassanio. The production features an original score by the Grammy Award-winning founder of the Klezmatics, Frank London.<\/p>\n<p>The Merchant of Venice follows the company\u2019s <em>texts&amp;beheadings\/ElizabethR<\/em>, which won critical praise in the 2015 BAM Next Wave Festival.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>The Force of Things<\/em><\/strong><strong> (American Premiere)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Composed by Ashley Fure<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Designed by Adam Fure<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Performed by International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>October 6-8, 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Peak Performances presents the American Premiere of the site-specific opera for objects <em>The Force of Things, <\/em>created by composer Ashley Fure in collaboration with her brother, architect Adam Fure. Performed by International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), whom Alex Ross of <em>The New Yorker <\/em>describes as \u201cAmerica\u2019s foremost new-music group,\u201d this immersive work of music theater wrestles with the animate vitality of matter and the haunting thrust of the Anthropocene, the geological epoch in which human activity is the primary influence on the environment. Audience members sit beneath a dense canopy of hanging things that transform through kinetic, sonic, and lighting effects as the piece unfolds. Live performers engage these materials, but only through complex chains of causality: their labor ripples through a grid of interference, spawning unintended, alien effects. Singers peer into the space from afar, like Greek choristers, shouting a warning that sounds like a whisper in a language no one can understand. A sense of urgency fills the place, and yet it\u2019s eerily still: as if the timescales are off, as if some future frantic state reaches us only in slow motion. <em>The Force of Things <\/em>makes audible this volatile stillness, tangling the audience in a web of vibrant matter.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>New Work for Goldberg Variations<\/em><\/strong><strong> (New York \/ New Jersey Premiere)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Created by Simone Dinnerstein and Pam Tanowitz<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Performed by Simone Dinnerstein and Pam Tanowitz Dance<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"aqj\"><strong>October 19-22, 2017<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>New Work for Goldberg Variations<\/em> is an evening-length piece for piano and dancers, created by classical pianist Simone Dinnerstein, \u201can artist of true expressive force\u201d (<em>Washington Post<\/em>), and choreographer Pam Tanowitz, whom <em>The New York Times <\/em>has described \u201cthe wittiest choreographer since Mark Morris.\u201d Inspired by Bach\u2019s landmark <em>The Goldberg Variations<\/em>, the work is performed by Dinnerstein and Tanowitz\u2019s company, Pam Tanowitz Dance. Dinnerstein, one of her generation\u2019s foremost Bach interpreters and a specialist in <em>The Goldberg Variations <\/em>brings to the project her nuanced understanding of the demanding score; Tanowitz uses a slyly deconstructed classical movement vocabulary to translate the music into movement.<\/p>\n<p>Dinnerstein, one of the most acclaimed pianists of her generation, gained an international following with the remarkable success of her recording of <em>The Goldberg Variations<\/em> (2007), which ranked No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Classical Chart in its first week of sales and was named to many Best of 2007 lists, including those of <em>The New York Times<\/em>, <em>Los Angeles Times<\/em> and the <em>New Yorker<\/em>. <em>New Work for Goldberg Variations<\/em> arrives on the 10<sup>th<\/sup> anniversary of Dinnerstein\u2019s recording. Pam Tanowitz has been making dances since 1992. She was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2011 and Bessie Awards in 2009 and 2016, among many other accolades. Her works <em>The Spectators <\/em>(2013), <em>Heaven on One\u2019s Head <\/em>(2014) and <em>Broken Story (wherein there is no ecstasy<\/em>) (2015) have all made <em>The New York Times<\/em>\u2019 Best Dance of the Year lists.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>The Sisters Macaluso<\/em><\/strong><strong> (American Premiere)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Compagnia Sud Costa Occidentale<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Written and Directed by Emma Dante<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>November 16-19, 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In a fantastical world suspended between earth and heavens, life and death, the seven Macaluso sisters form a family of crows. A strip of adhesive tape on the floor marks the border between here and there, is and was, now and ever. The sisters participate in funerals\u2014those of their own family, and those of others\u2014remembering, dreaming, laughing and mourning. The line between life and death is one to fight over, again and again, in the manner of Sicilian puppets, sword and shield in hand.<\/p>\n<p>Emma Dante was born in Palermo in 1967. She graduated in 1990 from the Accademia Silvio D\u2019Amico in Rome and founded her company Sud Costa Occidentale in 1999. Her performances, staged in Italy and abroad, have won numerous prestigious prizes and vast critical praise, including Ubu awards\u2014Italy\u2019s top theater honors\u2014for her works <em>mPalermu <\/em>(for Italian Innovation, in 2002), <em>Carnezzeria <\/em>(for Best Italian Original Play, in 2003) and <em>Le sorelle Macaluso (The Sisters Macaluso) <\/em>(for Best Director and Best Show, in 2014). Other plays she has directed include <em>Vita mia, Mishelle di Sant\u2019Oliva, Medea, Il festino, Cani di bancata <\/em>and <em>Le pulle. <\/em>Her <em>Trilogia degli occhiali <\/em>has toured Italy and the world since 2011. Dante has also helmed several acclaimed opera productions, including Bizet\u2019s <em>Carmen, <\/em>with Daniel Barenboim conducting, at La Scala in 2009; Strauss\u2019 <em>Feuersnot, <\/em>conducted by Gabriele Ferro, at Palermo\u2019s Teatro Massimo in 2014; and Rossini\u2019s <em>La Cenerentola<\/em>, conducted by Alejo Perez, at Rome\u2019s Teatro dell\u2019Opera in 2016. Dante\u2019s first novel, <em>Via Castellana Bandiera<\/em>, won the Premio Vittorini and the Super Vittorini in 2009; it become a movie, <em>A Street in Palermo<\/em>, directed by Dante, that won actress Elena Cotta the Volpi Cup for Best Actress, won Cotta and Alba Rohrwacher the Pasinetti Award for best actress, and won Dante a Vittorio Veneto Film Festival Award Special Mention and the Soundtrack Stars Award for best film score at the 70th Venice Film Festival.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>ink <\/em>(New York \/ New Jersey Premiere)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Camille A. Brown &amp; Dancers<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>February 1-4, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Camille A. Brown &amp; Dancers\u2019 <em>ink <\/em>is the final installment in the company\u2019s trilogy of dance-theater works about culture, race and identity, following the Bessie Award-winning <em>Mr. TOL E. RAncE<\/em> (2012) and the Bessie Award-nominated <em>BLACK GIRL: Linguistic Play<\/em> (2015). <em>ink<\/em> reclaims African-American narratives and examines elements of them that have been appropriated, rewritten or silenced. Brown focuses on pedestrian interactions as contexts in which individuals and communities have liberation and accessed their power throughout African-American history, from the Abolitionist movement to the Civil Rights struggle, the Black Power movement and the emergence of hip-hop.<\/p>\n<p>Brown\u2019s choreography for <em>ink <\/em>draws from a variety of styles: African-American social dance, African dance, tap, jazz, modern and hip-hop. The score, created in collaboration with Music Director Allison Miller, percussionist Wilson Torres and violinist Juliette Jones\u2014who perform live with the company\u2014is integral to the storytelling and traverses a similarly broad stylistic range: blues, swing, jazz, hip-hop and more.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Double Edge Theatre<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Leonora and Alejandro: La Maga y El Maestro<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Written and Directed by Stacy Klein<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"aqj\"><strong>March 17-25, 2018<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Double Edge Theatre returns to Peak Performances with this new work that concludes the company\u2019s Latin American Cycle. In <em>Leonora and Alejandro: La Maga y El Maestro, <\/em>Stacy Klein, Double Edge\u2019s founder and artistic director, envisions a conversation between Leonora Carrington, the late British-born Mexican artist, surrealist painter, novelist and founding member of Mexico\u2019s Women\u2019s Liberation Movement, and Alejandro Jodorowsky, the Chilean-French filmmaker.<\/p>\n<p>Jodorowsky and Carrington are two artists who see the world in a similar way\u2014they once made a play together in Mexico City, and Jodorowsky credits Carrington with introducing him to the tarot\u2014but approach it differently. Klein notes that in the writings of both artists \u201cthings grow out of nothing, out of daily life,\u201d but, she says, \u201cIn Carrington\u2019s writing, that growth is personal, intimate, while in the case of Jodorowsky, it\u2019s always large-scale, epic.\u201d <em>Leonora and Alejandro<\/em> will take up themes common in Jodorowsky\u2019s and Carrington\u2019s work: the silencing of women, the role of military puppets and corporate thugs, and the purposeful devastation of land, water and people.<\/p>\n<p>Alejandro Jodorowsky was a source of inspiration for the previous two works in Double Edge\u2019s Latin American Cycle, the outdoor spectacles <em>Cada Luna Azul (Once a Blue Moon) <\/em>(2015) and <em>A Latin American Spectacle (<\/em>2016). With the company\u2019s new work, Klein wanted to further explore Jodorowsky\u2019s artistry, but, she said, \u201cI can no longer create work that does not feature women\u2019s experience in a primary role.\u201d Her deep dive into the women of the Latin American art world led Klein to Leonora Carrington, who passed away in 2011.<\/p>\n<p><em>Leonora and Alejandro <\/em>is the second work by Stacy Klein and Double Edge Theatre to be presented by Peak Performances, following a successful run of <em>The Grand Parade <\/em>in 2016.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>M Stabat Mater <\/em>(American Premiere)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Created by Inbal Oshman<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Performed by Inbal Oshman Dance Group and New York Baroque Incorporated<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"aqj\"><strong>April 12-15, 2018 <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>With <em>M Stabat Mater, <\/em>the celebrated Israeli choreographer Inbal Oshman uses Giovanni Battista Pergolesi\u2019s 1736 composition <em>Stabat Mater <\/em>as a point of departure for a contemporary dance work exploring universal aspects of motherhood, from strength and pugnacity to tenderness and vulnerability. Created while Oshman was pregnant with her third daughter, <em>M Stabat Mater <\/em>takes inspiration from the story of the Virgin Mary and a cross-cultural range of other mythical mothers, such as the dark raging Hindu goddess Kali and the Four Matriarchs of the bible. Like Pergolesi\u2019s<em>, <\/em>Oshman\u2019s work consists of twelve sections; each reflects motherhood or femininity from a different angle.<\/p>\n<p>At Peak Performances, the singers and musicians of the period orchestra New York Baroque Incorporated, led by double bass and viola da gamba player Wen Yang, will perform Pergolesi\u2019s score, along with Francesco Durante\u2019s<em> Concerto for Strings No. 2 in G Minor. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>M Stabat Mater <\/em>made its world premiere at the International Dance Festival in Bangalore, India, performed by the four senior dancers of Attakkalari Dance Company, where Oshman was a resident choreographer, in 2013.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Esta Breve Tragedia de la Carne (This Brief Tragedy of the Flesh<\/em>) (American Premiere)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Written, Designed and Directed by Ang\u00e9lica Liddell<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Performed by Atra Bilis Teatro<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>April 19-22, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>With <em>Esta Breve Tragedia de la Carne, <\/em>Peak Performances introduces audiences to the singular work of the confrontational Spanish writer, director and performance artist Ang\u00e9lica Liddell. The production, the first part of Liddell\u2019s <em>Trilogy of the Infinite, <\/em>epitomizes her tendency to put herself and her performers through physical pain in explorations of politics and the human condition. Here she immerses herself in Emily Dickinson, who spent much of her life secluded in a room in her father\u2019s house in Amherst, Massachusetts. Liddell uses as a point of departure a word often repeated in Dickinson\u2019s poems\u2014\u201cbees\u201d\u2014and the idea of Dickinson\u2019s confinement, performing <em>Esta Breve Tragedia de la Carne<\/em> while enclosed with live bees, running, throughout, the risk of getting stung.<\/p>\n<p>Liddell describes her body of work as \u201cpornography of the soul.\u201d She speaks out, \u201cblows up the walls of indecency\u201d and fearlessly addresses sensitive issues such as intimacy and pain. Having studied psychology as well as theater, Liddell established her company Atra Bilis Teatro (Black Bile Theatre) in 1993. Often connecting personal pain with world politics, she exposed the murders of women and children in the Mexican city of Juarez in <em>La Casa de la Fuerza <\/em>(2009), for example, and warned about the effects of killing free expression, castigating the Cultural Revolution in China under Mao and the lack of response from the Americans in <em>Ping Pang Qiu<\/em> (2012). <em>El A\u00f1o de Ricardo<\/em>, Liddell\u2019s adaptation of Shakespeare\u2019s <em>Richard III<\/em>, was a furious rejection of all forms of political abuse of power.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Spinning<\/em> (World Premiere)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Performed by Maya Beiser <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Composed by Julia Wolfe<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Visuals by Laurie Olinder<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"aqj\"><strong>May 10-13, 2018<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Spinning<\/em><\/strong> brings together two of new music\u2019s foremost artists, cellist Maya Beiser and composer Julia Wolfe, with innovative visual artist Laurie Olinder. The piece draws on history, legend, metaphor, and iconic imagery of the simple labor of spinning thread. Music has long been a part of the craft, both as a propelling force as well as a distraction. <em>Spinning <\/em>incorporates layers of cello, singing, and speaking, as well as found sound, and will feature multimedia 3-D projections and textiles.<\/p>\n<p>Virtuosic cellist Maya Beiser, \u201ca \u201ccello rock star\u201d (<em>Rolling Stone<\/em>) has captivated audiences worldwide with her dynamic and eclectic repertoire and her relentless quest to redefine the boundaries of the instrument. Julia Wolfe, a 2016 MacArthur Fellow and winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize in music, draws inspiration from folk, classical and rock genres, bringing a modern sensibility to each while simultaneously tearing down the walls between them. Her music is distinguished by an intense physicality and a relentless power that pushes performers to extremes. Wolfe\u2019s recent projects include her evening-length <em>Steel Hammer<\/em>, on the John Henry legend, and <em>Anthracite Fields<\/em>, on the coal mining community of northeastern Pennsylvania. Visual artist Laurie Olinder is a sought-after visual designer in theater and opera whose recent work graced the stages at BAM\u2019s Opera House and Disney Hall (Los Angeles).<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>FUNDING CREDITS<\/h2>\n<p><em>The Force of Things<\/em> is made possible by generous commitments from the International Contemporary Ensemble: First Page Program, University of Michigan Office of Research, Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Dartmouth College Provost\u2019s Office Seed Funding Program, Miller Theater at Columbia University (NYC), and Internationales Musikinstitut Darmstadt (IMD). The project was supported by New Music USA and made possible by annual program support and\/or endowment gifts from New Music USA project grants, with the friendly support of Ernst von Siemens Musikstiftung.<\/p>\n<p><em>New Work for Goldberg Variations<\/em> was commissioned by Duke Performances at Duke University and Peak Performances at ÌÇÐÄvlog, co-commissioned by Opening Nights Performing Arts at Florida State University and Summer Stages Dance at the Institute for Contemporary Art\/Boston. The project is supported by creative residencies at the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography (MANCC) at Florida State University, The Yard at Martha&#8217;s Vineyard, the NYU Center for Ballet and the Arts, New York City Center, and ÌÇÐÄvlog. <em>New Work for Goldberg Variations<\/em> was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts&#8217; National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. General operating support for Pam Tanowitz Dance was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts\u2019 National Dance Project with funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.<\/p>\n<p>Ang\u00e9lica Liddell\u2019s <em>Esta Breve Tragedia de la Carne <\/em>premiered in Switzerland with the support of La B\u00e2tie Festival de Geneve.<\/p>\n<p><em>Spinning<\/em> is funded in part by The MAP Fund, supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Sisters Macaluso <\/em>is a co-production of Teatro Stabile di Napoli, Th\u00e9\u00e2tre National (Brussels), Festival d\u2019Avignon and Folkteatern (G\u00f6teborg), in collaboration with Atto Unico\/ Compagnia Sud Costa Occidentale and in partnership with Teatrul National Radu Stanca-Sibiu. The project is supported by the Culture Program of the European Commission and the European project Villes en Sc\u00e8ne\/Cities on Stage.<\/p>\n<p>The lead commissioners for <em>ink<\/em> are Peak Performances and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., with support from Lumberyard. The creation and presentation of <em>ink<\/em> was made possible by The New England Foundation for the Arts\u2019 National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; and the Howard Gilman Foundation. <em>ink<\/em> was given its original creative development residency by The Sharon Disney Lund School of Dance in partnership with The Evelyn Sharp\/CalArts Summer Choreographic Residency. The development of the work was made possible, in part, by the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography at Florida State University, with support from the Princess Grace Foundation. The work is also being created, in part, during creative residencies at ASU Gammage, the University of Iowa\u2019s Hancher Auditorium, The Yard, Jacob\u2019s Pillow, and CUNY Dance Initiative at Kingsborough Community College.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>ABOUT PEAK PERFORMANCES<\/h2>\n<p>Peak Performances is a program of the Office of Arts and Cultural Programming at ÌÇÐÄvlog and has been honored by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts with an Arts Citation of Excellence and Designation of Major Impact. Programs in this season are made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts\/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts; the New England Foundation for the Arts\u2019 National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; Alison and James T. Cirenza; Holly and Robert Gregory; and The Honorable Mary Mochary.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>PEAK PERFORMANCES DEVOTES ENTIRE 2017-18 SEASON TO WORKS BY WOMEN International Lineup of Acclaimed Artists Will Premiere New Productions in Theater, Dance and Music, Including:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":118327,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18327","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-and-announcements"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18327","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18327"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18327\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":209068,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18327\/revisions\/209068"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/118327"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18327"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18327"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/arts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18327"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}