Appearances by soprano Renée Fleming, organist Cameron Carpenter, pop legend Darlene Love, dance master Akram Khan and the Stradivarius Enemble of Russia’s Mariinsky Orchestra are among the highlights of Stanford Live’s 2017-18 season, announced earlier this week by executive director Chris Lorway.
The season, the first programmed by Lorway, runs Sept. 22, 2017, to May 16, 2018. Emphasizing themes of nationhood, identity and nostalgia, more than 60 music, dance, theater, spoken word and multimedia events are on the calendar. Most will be presented at Bing Concert Hall and other Stanford University venues.
Among the season’s new works are Taylor Mac’s “A 24-Decade History of Popular Music,” a theater piece that traces the evolution of American music from “Yankee Doodle Dandy” to disco. Winner of the Kennedy Prize and a finalist for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in drama, it will be presented in partnership with San Francisco’s Curran Theatre. The 24 hour-long show will be presented in four parts at the Curran (Sept. 15, 17, 22, and 24), and in an abridged version (Sept. 27 at Bing Hall).
Other new works include choreographer Khan’s “Until the Lions,” based on the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata (Oct. 27-28); and “The Green Fog” by filmmaker Guy Maddin, an homage to Hitchcock’s “Vertigo,” with a score by Jacob Garchik, performed by the Kronos Quartet and vocalist Tanya Tagaq (April 6).
The season begins with a rare appearance by iconic Cree Indian singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie (Sept. 22). Additional fall concerts feature “The Passion According to Judas,” a contemporary passion composed by Sally Beamish and performed by the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra (Oct. 4); the St. Lawrence Quartet, playing Dvorak’s “American” Quartet (Oct. 11) and curating the Daniel Pearl World Music Days Concert (Oct. 26). Why Not Theatre’s “A Brimful of Asha” features actor-director Ravi Jain and his mother, Asha, in an exploration of culture clash, Canadian style (Oct. 18-21). Conductor Valery Gergiev leads the Mariinsky’s Stradivarius Ensemble (Oct. 29).
Monologist and former Andy Warhol cohort Penny Arcade (a.k.a. Susana Ventura) performs her one-woman show, “Longing Lasts Longer” (Nov. 3-4); and Pakistan’s Sachal Ensemble introduces “Song of Lahore” (Nov. 15). In one of fall’s more unusual events, Daisy Theatre presents Ronnie Burkett’s ribald “Theatre of Marionettes” (Nov. 15-18).
The holiday season brings the Hot Sardines’ “Holiday Stomp” (Dec. 9), “A Chanticleer Christmas” (Dec. 13) and the Klezmatics’ “Happy, Joyous Hanukkah” (Dec. 14).
2018 events begin with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra under music director David Robertson, performing music by Britten, Shostakovich and Thomas Adès (Jan. 19), followed by The L.A. Dance Project (Jan. 26-27). Pianist Jeremy Denk and violinist Stefan Jackiw play the complete sonatas of Charles Ives (Jan. 28), Fleming makes her Bing Hall recital debut (Jan. 31), and the sensational Carpenter plays his revolutionary digital International Touring Organ on Feb. 3.
Love, accompanied by the Stanford Symphony Orchestra , sings her hits (Feb. 9); 600 Highwaymen present “The Fever” (Feb. 14-16), and the power trio of pianist Emanuel Ax, violinist Leonidas Kavakos and cellist Yo-Yo Ma plays an all-Brahms program (March 1). The annual Bing Fling gala will feature the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, led by Keith Lockhart (April 20).
Leonard Bernstein’s centenary year will not go unnoticed. As part of a season-long “What Makes It Great” series, the conductor-composer will be honored in events with Rob Kapilow, the Bill Charlap Trio and Curtis on Tour, featuring musicians from the Curtis Institute, Bernstein’s alma mater.
Lorway, who came to Stanford Live last year from a post as head of programming and marketing for Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, said the season features artists – including Buffy Sainte-Marie, Ravi Jain, and “Daily Show” correspondent Samantha Bee – who tell the story of Canada alongside America. “I can’t help but wonder how our two countries’ melting pot vs. multicultural attitudes to immigration impact the way we make art and tell stories,” said Lorway.
Subscription tickets to Stanford Live’s 2017-17 season go on sale to renewing subscribers on May 20. Subscriptions go on sale to the general public June 1, and single tickets become available June 8. 650-724-(BING) 2464; live.stanford.edu.
Contact Georgia Rowe at growe@pacbell.net.
