Metropolitan Museum of Art Announces 2008-2009 Season of Concerts

The 55th Season Opens With Philippe de Montebello Narrating Saint-Saëns's Carnival of the Animals with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, and Includes the Return of Itzhak Perlman and the Perlman Music Program; Ten Pianists Including Till Fellner Launching a Beethoven Sonata Cycle; the Complete Beethoven String Quartets; the Farewell Season of the Guarneri String Quartet; Patti Smith, Richie Havens, and Lesley Gore; and Music from Mali, Mexico, Spain, and Turkey

The 55th season of Metropolitan Museum Concerts, The Metropolitan Museum of Art's acclaimed series, opens on September 26 with a concert by the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra featuring the Museum's Director, Philippe de Montebello, narrating Saint-Saëns's Carnival of the Animals, and continues with a rich array of chamber music, vocal, and world music events.

"We are pleased to announce this exceptional upcoming season and to present on our stage, once again, a wide range of high-caliber performances by many of the most highly regarded musicians of our time," said Hilde Limondjian, Concerts & Lectures General Manager and artistic director of the series. "This is also the final season – after 31 brilliant years – that one of the series' staunchest supporters, Philippe de Montebello, will serve as the Metropolitan Museum's Director before retiring, and he has kindly accepted my invitation to participate in a triptych of programs that will pay tribute to his love of the visual arts, music, and the spoken word. His collaboration with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra on opening night will provide an auspicious launch to our chock-full, 76-event season in the Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium."

The Triptych series honoring Philippe de Montebello will also include a conversation with critic Robert Hughes and a poetry reading with Isabella Rossellini. Other season highlights are the critically acclaimed series featuring Itzhak Perlman performing with alumni of the Perlman Music Program; and a select group of pianists in recital – what the New York Sun described as the "superb" PianoForte series – which this year features the only New York recitals of Marc-André Hamelin, Vladimir Feltsman, and Nelson Freire, the New York recital debut of 2005 Chopin Competition winner Rafal Blechacz; and Till Fellner, beginning a three-year traversal of the complete piano sonatas of Beethoven. PianoForte also includes the continuing collaboration of Metropolitan Museum Concerts with the New York Philharmonic, featuring two of the Philharmonic season's soloists, Yefim Bronfman and Olli Mustonen, performing with members of the orchestra. The Accolades series presents two young keyboard artists, Joyce Yang and Ren Zhang. And in the season's only orchestral event, the Warsaw Philharmonic, led by its artistic director, Antoni Wit, performs with the pianist Valentina Lisitsa.
An international assemblage of acclaimed string quartets – the Pacifica (U.S.), Stradivari (Switzerland), Talich (Czech Republic), Leipzig (Germany), Borealis (Canada), and Artis (Austria) – performs the complete string quartet cycle of Beethoven in six concerts throughout the season. The Guarneri String Quartet – after 45 years as an ensemble, and 43 in annual residence at the Metropolitan Museum – marks its farewell season with four concerts of quintessential quartet repertoire. They will be joined at the last concert by original cellist David Soyer.
The bounty of chamber music offerings continues with appearances by pianist Menahem Pressler, fresh from the Beaux Arts Trio's farewell concerts, together with clarinetist Richard Stoltzman; and the return of the Capuçon-Angelich Trio. The MMArtists in Concert – the Museum's resident chamber ensemble, which continues to amass critical praise – makes Haydn its seasonal focus; and Musicians from Marlboro brings the generations of its alumni together.
Metropolitan Museum Concerts presents the art of song in various refractions: a recital at The Temple of Dendur in The Sackler Wing by bass Morris Robinson and pianist Ken Noda; recitals by tenor Nicholas Phan and mezzo-sopranos Tamara Mumford and Kate Lindsey, three young singers in the Accolades young artists series; a program by the ensemble Chanticleer devoted to works of American composers; The Orlando Consort performing Renaissance love songs; and concerts by legends Patti Smith, Richie Havens, and Steve Ross – all returning artists – as well as the Museum debut of 1960s pop star Lesley Gore.
The Djoliba Ensemble of Mali presents noted performers of song and dance in the Mandingo tradition; the Compania Flamenco de Madrid offers a folkloric celebration; the Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano performs an evening of Mexican mariachi song; and the Whirling Dervishes of Turkey offer ritual song and dance. The Blue Hill Troupe, an annual favorite, performs music from its Gilbert & Sullivan repertoire; and the Museum's annual tradition of Christmas concerts in the Medieval Sculpture Hall continues with concerts by Chanticleer, Burning River Brass, Lionheart, and the Inspirational Voices of the Abyssinian Baptist Church.
The season's music lectures include Edmund Morris on the relationship between music, literature, painting, and photography; James Conlon on "An Inside View of the Life of a Conductor"; flutist Paula Robison in an evening devoted to Bach; Gilbert Kaplan on the 100th anniversary of Mahler's Symphony No. 2; Russell Oberlin and Thomas Forrest Kelly on the 50th anniversary of the modern resurrection of the medieval Play of Daniel; Stuart Isacoff on Gershwin; and David Dubal on Brahms.
The 2008-2009 season of Concerts & Lectures is the 40th programmed by Concerts & Lectures General Manager Hilde Limondjian.
The programs of the Concerts & Lectures series are held primarily in the Museum's Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium (opened in 1954), which seats 708, as well as in Museum galleries such as the Medieval Sculpture Hall and The Temple of Dendur in The Sackler Wing.
Tickets to the concert series are available by calling the Concerts & Lectures Department at (212) 570-3949, or may be purchased online at www.metmuseum.org/tickets, where updated schedules and programs are also available.

In honor of Philippe de Montebello's valedictory year as Director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, a Triptych series of three events spotlights his relationships with the muses of art, music, and poetry.
- Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, with Philippe de Montebello, narrator; Orion Weiss, piano; and Inon Barnatan, piano: Saint-Saëns's Carnival of the Animals (with the three guest artists); Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 10 for Strings in B Minor; and Mozart's Symphony No. 29 in A Major, K. 201. Friday, September 26, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.
- A Conversation with Robert Hughes: Philippe de Montebello and Robert Hughes, two men with opinions on any number of subjects and visions that tend to be on an epic scale, will converse in an unrehearsed, informal setting. Tuesday, October 28, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.
- "The Language of Love in the Italian Renaissance": Poetry and art were inextricably linked in the Renaissance, particularly when the subject was love. Philippe de Montebello and actress Isabella Rossellini read in Italian, English, and French from great love poems and dialogues on the nature of love, as well as from the immensely popular bawdy verses of the period. Tuesday, December 9, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.

Itzhak Perlman's long association with the Metropolitan Museum Concerts series began more than four decades ago. Returning after its critically acclaimed, sold-out inaugural season, Itzhak Perlman Plays Chamber Music with Members of the Perlman Music Program will continue to showcase the exceptionally gifted young musicians of the program founded and guided by Toby Perlman. "Hearing Mr. Perlman play is always a treat, but listening to him with these attentive aspirants was pure joy," wrote the New York Sun in the series' first season.
The first New York chamber music series conceived and programmed by Itzhak Perlman, the concerts reflect his and his wife Toby's personal approach to music-making and teaching. This series is generously supported by Mrs. Florence Irving and Mrs. Vivian Milstein.
- Guest artist: Yoonjee Kim, piano. Dvořák's Piano Quintet in A Major, Op. 81; Mendelssohn's String Quartet No. 2 in B flat Major, Op. 87. Saturday, October 18, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.
- Guest artist: Gabriella Martinez, piano. Program to include Brahms's Piano Quartet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 26. Saturday, December 13, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.
- Program to include Mendelssohn's Octet in E flat Major, Op. 20; and Debussy's Quartet in G Major, Op 10. Saturday, May 9, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.

"The Metropolitan's PianoForte series is recognized as one of the city's great chamber music programs in a supremely crowded field," wrote ClassicalDomain.com in March 2008. In 2008-2009, the piano recital series presents nine of today's greatest keyboard artists, seven in their only New York recitals of the season, and two continuing the Museum's collaboration with the New York Philharmonic with programs of solo and chamber works; and the season's only orchestral event:
- Rafal Blechacz, the 2005 winner of the Chopin International Piano Competition, makes his New York recital debut with his only New York recital of the season, a program of Mozart's Sonata in D Major, K. 311; Debussy's Estampes; Szymanowski's Variations in B flat Minor, Op. 3; and Chopin's Mazurkas in G Major, A flat Major, and C sharp Minor, Op. 50, and Sonata in B Minor, Op. 58, No. 3. Saturday, October 4, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.
- Marc-André Hamelin performs his only New York recital of the season, a program of Berg's Sonata, Op. 1; Chopin's Sonata No. 2 in B flat Minor, Op. 35; and Alkan's Concerto for Solo Piano, Op. 39, Nos. 8-10. Thursday, October 30, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.
- Warsaw Philharmonic, conducted by its general and artistic director, Antoni Wit, performs a program of Karlowicz's Serenade, Op. 2; Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 1 in E flat Major featuring soloist Valentina Lisitsa; and Brahms's Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 73. Monday, November 17, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.
- Yefim Bronfman and Members of the New York Philharmonic perform Schumann's Piano Quintet in E flat Major, Op. 44; and Mozart's Trio in E flat Major for Clarinet, Viola, and Piano, K. 498, "Kegelstatt." (Yefim Bronfman performs Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Philharmonic, September 18-23, 2008.) Sunday, January 4, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.
- Olli Mustonen and Members of the New York Philharmonic perform Tchaikovsky's The Seasons and Shostakovich's Piano Quintet in G Minor, Op. 57; as well as the U.S. premiere of Mustonen's own solo work, Jehkin Iivana. (Olli Mustonen performs Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 11 and Messiaen's Oiseaux exotiques with the Philharmonic, January 8-10). Sunday, January 11, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.
- Vladimir Feltsman's only New York recital of the season is a program of Haydn's Sonata in E Minor, Hob. XVI:34; Schubert's Four Impromptus, Op. 90; and Schumann's Carnaval, Op. 9. Friday, January 16, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.
- Simone Dinnerstein, who performed on the Accolades series in 2006-2007, and in a duo recital with cellist Zuill Bailey in 2007-2008, makes her third annual appearance at the Museum with her only New York recital of the season, a program of Lasser's Twelve Variations on a Chorale by J.S. Bach, "Nimm, du treur Gott," Cantata 101; Bach's French Suite No. 5 in G Major, BWV 816; Webern's Variations for Piano, Op. 27; and Schumann's Kreisleriana, Op. 16. Thursday, February 19, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.
- Alexei Volodin, who made his U.S. debut in March 2008 on the PianoForte series, returns with his only New York recital of the season, a program featuring Bach's Partita No. 6 in E Minor; Rachmaninoff's Variations on a Theme by Corelli, Op. 42; Ravel's Miroirs; and Stravinsky's Three Movements from Petrouchka. Thursday, March 26, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.
- Nelson Freire, whose April 2007 recital in the PianoForte series marked his first New York solo appearance in many years, and who was forced to cancel his April 2008 recital, returns to the Museum with his only New York recital of 2008-2009, for which he will perform Mendelssohn's Variations sérieuses in D Minor, Op. 54; Schumann's Sonata No. 1 in F sharp Minor, Op. 11; Debussy's Images, Book II; and works by Chopin: Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 52; Nocturne No. 1 in F Major, Op. 15; Two Mazurkas; and Scherzo No. 4 in E Major, Op. 54. Saturday, April 18, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.

One of the most brilliant pianists performing today, Till Fellner returns to the Metropolitan Museum after his acclaimed 2007 recital with a three-year traversal of one of the greatest challenges of the piano literature: the complete sonatas of Beethoven. This season's programs include the "Tempest," "Appassionata," and "Hammerklavier" sonatas.
- Sonata No. 16 in G Major, Op. 31, No. 1; Sonata No. 17 in D Minor, Op. 31, No. 2, "Tempest"; Sonata No. 18 in E flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3; and Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op. 101. Friday, December 5, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.
- Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2, No. 1; Sonata No. 2 in A Major, Op. 2, No. 2; Sonata No. 3 in C Major, Op. 2, No. 3; and Sonata No. 23 in F Minor, Op. 57, "Appassionata." Friday, March 6, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.
- Sonata No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 10, No. 1; Sonata No. 6 in F Major, Op. 10, No. 2; Sonata No. 7 in D Major, Op. 10, No. 3; and Sonata No. 29 in B flat Major, Op. 106, "Hammerklavier." Friday, May 8, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.

Mirroring the PianoForte series, this season's Accolades young artists series presents two of the keyboard's brightest young virtuosos.
- Joyce Yang, the silver medalist in the 12th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2005, makes her New York recital debut with a program featuring Lieberman's Gargoyles, Op. 29; Vine's Piano Sonata No. 1; four sonatas by Scarlatti: D Minor, L. 413; C Major, L. 457; A Minor, L. 429; and D Major, L. 461; and Schumann's Carnaval, Op. 9. Saturday, January 31, 2009, at 7:00 p.m.
- Ren Zhang performs Haydn's Sonata in E Minor, HXVI:34; Chopin's Polonaise Fantaisie in A flat Major, Op. 61, Waltz in F Minor, Op. 70, No. 3, and Waltz in D-flat Major, Op. 64, No. 1; two Godowsky-Chopin Waltzes in F Minor and D-flat Major; Moszkowski's Liebeswalzwer, Op. 57, No. 5; Weber's Invitation to the Dance; and Schubert's Marche militaire for his only New York recital of the season. Saturday, March 14, 2009, at 7:00 p.m.

One of the world's most revered ensembles, the Guarneri String Quartet – Arnold Steinhardt and John Dalley, violin; Michael Tree, viola; and Peter Wiley, cello – marks its farewell season in 2008-2009, and its 43rd year of annual appearances at the Metropolitan Museum. Four programs present the essential Guarneri, and for its final appearance at the Museum, the quartet will be joined by its original cellist, David Soyer.
- Haydn's String Quartet in B flat Major, "Sunrise"; Janáček's String Quartet No. 1, "Kreutzer Sonata"; and Ravel's String Quartet in F Major. Saturday, November 8, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.
- Bartók's String Quartet No. 3; Mozart's String Quartet No. 22 in B flat Major, K. 589; and Sibelius's String Quartet in D Minor, Op. 56, "Voces Intimae." Saturday, February 7, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.
-Mozart's String Quartet No. 15 in D Minor, K. 421; Mendelssohn's String Quartet in E flat Major, Op. 12; and Debussy's String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 10. Saturday, March 7, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.
- Dvořák's String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96, "The American," and Schubert's Cello Quintet in C Major, Op. 163, D. 956, with David Soyer, cello. Saturday, May 16, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.

An international grouping of six esteemed quartets from the U.S., Canada, and Europe performs the crowning achievement of chamber music, the string quartet cycle of Beethoven, in their only New York concerts of the season.
- Pacifica Quartet (U.S.) – Simin Ganatra and Sibbi Bernhardsson, violin; Masumi Per Rostad, viola; and Brandon Vamos, cello – performs String Quartets in B flat Major, Op. 18, No. 6; F Minor, Op. 95, "Serioso"; and A Minor, Op. 132, No. 15. Thursday, October 2, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.
- Stradivari Quartett (Switzerland) – Bartek Niziol and Elisabeth Harringer, violin; David Greenlees, viola; and Maja Weber, cello – performs String Quartets in A Major, Op. 18, No. 5; F Major, Op. 59, No. 1; and C sharp Minor, Op. 131, No. 14. Thursday, January 22, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.
- Talich Quartet (Czech Republic) – Jan Talich and Petr Macecek, violin; Vladimir Bukac, viola; and Petr Prause, cello – performs String Quartets in C Minor, Op. 18, No. 4; and B flat Major, Op. 130. Thursday, February 5, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.
- Leipzig String Quartet (Germany) – Stefan Arzberger and Tilman Büning, violin; Ivo Bauer, viola; and Matthias Moosdorf, cello – performs String Quartets in D Major, Op. 18, No. 3; C Major, Op. 59, No. 3; and E flat Major, Op. 127. Thursday, March 12, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.
- Borealis String Quartet (Canada) – Patricia Shih and Yuel Yawney, violin; Nikita Pogrebnoy, viola; and Shih-Lin Chen, cello – performs String Quartets in G Major, Op. 18, No. 2; E Minor, Op. 59, No. 2; and F Major, Op. 135. Thursday, April 2, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.
- Artis Quartet (Austria) – Peter Schuhmayer and Johannes Meissl, violin; Herbert Kefer, viola; and Othmar Müler, cello – performs String Quartets in F Major, Op. 18, No. 1; E flat Major, Op. 74, "Harp"; B flat Major, Op. 130; and B flat Major, Op. 133, "Grosse Fuge." Thursday, May 7, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.

The Metropolitan Museum Concerts chamber music traditions continue with an old friend in new context, and the return of new friends.
- Menahem Pressler, piano, and Richard Stoltzman, clarinet – Menahem Pressler, fresh from the farewell concerts of the Beaux Arts Trio, returns to the Museum with longtime friend and collaborator Richard Stoltzman for an evening of solo and chamber music: Schubert's Sonatina in D Major; Berg's Four Pieces for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 5; Brahms's Sonata for Clarinet and Piano in F Minor, Op. 120, No. 1; Kurtág's Hommage à Schumann; and Schubert's The Shepherd on the Rock. Friday, October 10, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.
- Capuçon-Angelich Trio – Pianist Nicholas Angelich, violinist Renaud Capuçon, and cellist Gautier Capuçon – returning after its Museum debut in February 2008 – performs Haydn's Trio in G Major, Hob. XV:25, "alla Ungarese"; Shostakovich's Piano Trio No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 67; and Mendelssohn's Piano Trio No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 66, for their only New York concert of the season. Saturday, November 22, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.

This past season, Time Out New York wrote, "Cellist Edward Arron and his excellent Metropolitan Museum Artists in Concert deserve a great deal of attention for the thoughtful programs and spirited performances the group has been presenting here over the last several seasons." Called a "superb young ensemble" by the New York Times in May 2008, the MMArtists in Concert garner more praise with each passing year. For its sixth season, the ensemble's artistic coordinator Edward Arron has assembled another season of lively programs that combine classical and contemporary, focusing in 2008-2009 on Haydn, complemented by music of Beethoven, Boccherini, Bolcom, Brahms, Cherubini, Mozart, Takemitsu, and Yanov-Yanovsky. The musicians of MMArtists in Concert include: Jennifer Frautschi, Laura Frautschi, Colin Jacobsen, and Yosuke Kawasaki, violin; Nicholas Cords and Max Mandel, viola; Edward Arron and Raman Ramakrishnan, cello; and Kurt Muroki, bass. The concerts are hosted by on-air personalities from 96.3 FM WQXR, which also broadcasts the concerts live.
- Todd Palmer, clarinet; Mark Timmerman, bassoon; Eric Ruske, horn; and Ronald Arron, viola, are the guest artists for this program of Haydn's String Quartet in G Major, Op. 76, No. 1; Beethoven's Septet in E flat Major, Op. 20; Cherubini's Pater Noster for Solo Violin and String Quartet; and Takemitsu's Rocking Mirror Daybreak for Two Violins. Friday, November 7, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.
- Haydn's Baryton Divertimento in D Major, Hob. XI:97; Mozart's Grand Sestetto Concertante after Sinfonia Concertante, K. 364; Boccherini's String Quartet in D Minor, G. 287; and Bolcom's Session II for Violin and Viola. Friday, December 19, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.
- Reiko Aizawa, piano, joins the ensemble for this program of Haydn's Piano Trio in A flat Major, Hob. XV:14; Brahms's Piano Quartet in A Major, Op. 26; and Yanov-Yanovsky's Chang-Music III for String Trio. Friday, January 9, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.

The Marlboro Music School and Festival has been nurturing great artists since 1951, and since 1970 the Marlboro alumni – of all generations – have been performing concerts at the Metropolitan Museum.
- Jessica Lee, Yonah Zur, and Miho Saegusa, violin; Maiya Papach and Mark Holloway, viola; Scott St. John on both violin and viola; and Susan Babini and Na-Young Baek, cello, perform Mozart's String Quintet in E flat Major, K. 614; Mendelssohn's Octet in E flat Major, Op. 20; and a work by Janáček. Friday, December 12, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.
- Augustin Hadelich and Karina Canellakis, violin; Sebastian Krunnies, viola; Peter Stumpf, cello; and Romie de Guise-Langlois, clarinet, perform a program of Haydn's String Quartet in E flat Major, Op. 64, No. 6; Kodály's Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7; and Brahms's Quintet for Clarinet and Strings in B Minor, Op. 115. Friday, February 20, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.
- Lily Francis, Sarah Kapustin, violin; Julianne Lee, viola; Peter Wiley, cello; Pascal Archer, clarinet; Jennifer Monroe, bassoon; Radovan Vlatkovic, horn; and Jeffrey Beecher, double bass, are the musicians for this program of Nielsen's Serenata-invano; Kirchner's String Quartet No. 4; Schubert's Octet for Strings and Winds in F Major, Op. 166, D. 803. Friday, May 1, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.

The Metropolitan Museum's classical vocal events in 2008-2009 span recitals by bass Morris Robinson with pianist Ken Noda at The Temple of Dendur; Chanticleer's annual concert at the Temple that this year is spotlighting American music; a program on the music of love by The Orlando Consort; and three young opera stars in recital on the Accolades series.
- Morris Robinson, bass, makes his New York recital debut with his only New York recital of the season, a program with Ken Noda, piano: Schubert lieder; Mussorgsky's Songs and Dances of Death; traditional African-American spirituals; and 20th-century songs. The Temple of Dendur in The Sackler Wing. Tuesday, December 2, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.
- The Orlando Consort – countertenor Robert Harre-Jones, tenors Mark Daniels and Angus Smith, and baritone Donald Greig – performs "Amore," a program of Renaissance music, which heralded a dramatic new age by casting aside medieval themes of courtly love in favor of the joys of requited love. Music of Ciconia, Brunel, Gombert, Josquin, Compère, Isaac, and others will be performed. This concert is presented in conjunction with the exhibition Art and Love in Renaissance Italy. The exhibition is made possible by the Gail and Parker Gilbert Fund and the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. Additional support is provided by The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation. The exhibition was organized by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth. Tuesday, February 10, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.
- Chanticleer, for its annual program at The Temple of Dendur, performs "Wondrous Free," a program of song in America in the context of song throughout the world, including works by William Billings, Juan de Lienas, Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla, Paul Chihara, and Samuel Barber, as well as a newly commissioned work by David Conte. The Temple of Dendur in The Sackler Wing. Wednesday, April 15, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.
-Nicholas Phan, tenor, and Myra Huang, piano, perform Britten's Winter Words; Handel arias; and works by Schubert and Rossini for their only New York recital of the season, part of the Accolades young artists series. Friday, January 30, 2009, at 7:00 p.m.
- Tamara Mumford, mezzo-soprano, and Ken Noda, piano, perform Ravel's Shéhérazade; Haydn's Arianna a Naxos; Rachmaninoff Songs, Op. 4; Montsalvatge's Cinco canciones negras; and songs by Bolcom and Rorem for their only New York recital of the season, part of the Accolades young artists series. Saturday, March 21, 2009, at 7:00 p.m.
- Kate Lindsey, mezzo-soprano, and Ken Noda, piano, perform Rossini'sLa regata veneziana; Debussy's Fêtes galantes II; Schoenberg's Brettl-Lieder; Berlioz's La mort d'Ophélie and Zaïde; and Brahms lieder for their only New York recital of the season, part of the Accolades young artists series. Friday, April 3, 2009, at 7:00 p.m.

Three legendary singers – Patti Smith, Steve Ross, and Richie Havens – return to the Metropolitan Museum for what are becoming annual visits, 1960s pop phenomenon Lesley Gore makes her Museum debut, and the Blue Hill Troupe makes its annual Metropolitan Museum appearance.
- Lesley Gore, whose pop instincts and independent spirit made her a star in the 1960s, makes her Metropolitan Museum debut. Friday, October 31, 2008, at 7:00 p.m.
- Patti Smith makes her fifth appearance at the Museum with "A Clear and Bright Gathering," a program commemorating All Saints' Day. For this concert, the rock legend will be joined by Jackson Smith, guitar, and Jesse Smith, piano. Saturday, November 1, 2008, at 7:00 p.m.
- Steve Ross, cabaret star, performs "I Remember Him Well: The Songs of Alan Jay Lerner," a two-concert series. The first program is devoted to songs written with Frederick Loewe, including "On the Street Where You Live," "Gigi," and "Almost Like Being in Love"; the second focuses on songs written with Burton Lane, Charles Strouse, Kurt Weill, and Leonard Bernstein, including "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever," "Too Late Now," and "Here I'll Stay." Friday, February 27, 2009, at 7:00 p.m., and Friday, April 17, 2009, at 7:00 p.m.
- The Blue Hill Troupe, celebrating its 85th season, returns for its annual appearance at the Museum with a concert of Gilbert & Sullivan gems. Sunday, February 15, 2009, at 5:00 p.m.
- Riche Havens, legendary folk and soul singer, returns to the Museum for his third annual appearance, joined by Walter Parks, guitar and vocals, and Stephanie Winters, cello. Friday, May 15, 2009, at 7:00 p.m.

Music from Mali, Spain, Mexico, and Turkey – four ensembles bring their countries' folk traditions to contemporary life.
- Djoliba Ensemble of Mali, a 20-member ensemble, uses traditional instruments, song, and dance to portray the daily life of its African country. Featured performers are Oumou Sangaré and Toumani Diabate, recognized performers in the Mandingo tradition. Tuesday, October 7, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.
- Compania Flamenco de Madrid featuring flamenco starJose Porcel, singers, dancers, and instrumentalists, is one of Spain's premier flamenco ensembles. Thursday, October 23, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.
- Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano – Natividad "Nati" Cano, one of the major figures in modern mariachi music, has been leading this ensemble for the past 35 years. Friday, March 20, 2009, at 8:00 p.m.
- The Whirling Dervishes of Turkey, an ensemble of 16 Sufi musicians and whirling dervishes, will sing and dance the traditional Islamic Sema ritual. Nuri Simsekler, Assistant Professor of Literature and President, Rumi Center, Selçuk University, Konya, will read in Persian, and Peter Rogen will read in English from the works of Islam's great mystical poet Jelaluddin Rumi. Saturday, October 25, 2008, at 6:00 p.m.

"Hearing a concert in the historic intimacy of the Medieval Sculpture Hall is an essential New York experience," wrote the New Yorker. This season's holiday music offerings in front of the Metropolitan Museum's Christmas tree and Neapolitan Baroque crèche include the Inspirational Voices of The Abyssinian Baptist Church.
- Chanticleer returns with "A Chanticleer Christmas," a program of medieval and Renaissance sacred works, traditional carols, and spirituals. Six performances: Wednesday, December 3; Thursday, December 4; and Sunday, December 7, 2008, at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.
- Inspirational Voices of The Abyssinian Baptist Church, the choral group from the famed church in Central Harlem, presents a program of gospel music, spirituals, and Christmas carols. Wednesday, December 10, 2008, at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.
- Burning River Brass, the brass and percussion ensemble, returns with a program of traditional carols including "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," "Fantaisie de noel," and "I Saw Three Ships"; Charpentier's "Joseph est bien marié," and selections from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. Thursday, December 18, 2008, at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.
- Lionheart, the male a cappella ensemble, performs "Christmas in Medieval Italy: Il Laudario di Cortona," with music and poetry taken from this manuscript that contains some of the earliest surviving music of the lauda, or song of praise. The program merges early chantlike repertoire with later styles. Tuesday, December 23, 2008, at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.

James Conlon, Paula Robison, Russell Oberlin, Edmund Morris, Gilbert Kaplan, Thomas Forrest Kelly, David Dubal, Nimet Habachy, and Stuart Isacoff are among those offering music lectures in 2008-2009.
- James Conlon: "An Inside View of the Life of a Conductor" – Maestro James Conlon explores contrasting aspects of the conductor's role: interpretation, artistic vision, inspirational force, technique, and the art of communication with musicians and audiences. Wednesday, October 22, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.
- Nimet Habachy: "Music of the Renaissance" – The Renaissance not only fostered humanistic ideals but also boasted a cavalcade of stars that included the Medicis, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo. Lecturer and writer Nimet Habachy explores the roles of musical stars Heinrich Isaac, John Dowland, and Claudio Monteverdi in the political and cultural life of the period with two lectures, "The Renaissance in Italy: Cosimo de Medici, Leonardo da Vinci, Machiavelli, and Heinrich Isaac," and "The Influence of the Renaissance from the Muscovite Kingdom of Ivan III to the Tudor Court of Henry VIII of England." This series is presented in conjunction with the exhibition Art and Love in Renaissance Italy. The exhibition is made possible by the Gail and Parker Gilbert Fund and the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. Additional support is provided by The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation. The exhibition was organized by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth. Wednesdays, October 29 and November 5, 2008, at 2:30 p.m.
- David Dubal: "Johannes Brahms" – Pianist, teacher, writer, and broadcaster David Dubal continues his lectures at the Museum with two events in which he sheds light on the composer who, while he was the musical idol of his time, led a life of constant toil. In both programs, young musicians from the Juilliard School will perform Brahms's music. "The Formation of the Greatest Romantic Classicist" focuses on waltzes and Hungarian Dances as well as the Cello Sonata No. 2 in F Major, Op. 99; and "Brahms's Triumphant Middle Years and His Sad and Lonely Later Life" spotlights the Intermezzo in A Major, Op. 118, No. 2, and the Violin Sonata No.3 in D Minor. Wednesdays, November 12 and 19, 2008, at 2:30 p.m.
-June LeBell: "The Sound of Broadway" – June LeBell, lecturer and American musical theater aficionada, continues her lecture series on musical theater with informal interviews with Charlotte d'Amboise and Terrence Mann; and with Barbara Cook. "It's All in the Family: Charlotte d'Amboise and Terrence Mann," and "A Musical Conversation with Barbara Cook." Tuesdays, November 18 and 25, 2008, at 2:30 p.m.
- Gilbert Kaplan: "The World of Mahler's Second Symphony" – Lecturer, radio host, conductor, and Mahler authority Gilbert Kaplan marks the 100th anniversary of the New York premiere of Mahler's Symphony No. 2 with a fresh look at this masterpiece; both the music and the story of how Mahler created it. The evening concludes with a performance of the "Resurrection Chorale from the symphony led by Gilbert Kaplan with the Choral Society of the Hamptons and the Greenwich Village Singers directed by Mark Mangini. Tuesday, November 25, 2008, at 8:00 p.m.
- Stuart Isacoff: "Fascinating Gershwin" – Pianist, composer, and writer Stuart Isacoff continues his Museum lecture series with an event celebrating the music and legacy of George Gershwin, a composer who influenced classical, pop, and jazz music. The lecture will include performances by musicians from the Juilliard School. Saturday, December 6, 2008, at 6:00 p.m.
- Edmund Morris: "Beethoven through the Looking Glass: A Writer Reflects" – Biographer and pianist Edmund Morris looks at the relationship between music, literature, painting, and photography through the lens of the music of Beethoven and other works of art. Tuesday, December 16, 2008, at 6:00 p.m.
- Russell Oberlin and Thomas Forrest Kelly: "The Play of Daniel" – To honor the 50th anniversary of the revival – perhaps the first performances since the Middle Ages – of the medieval liturgical drama The Play of Daniel, countertenor Russell Oberlin, who was in the 1958 New York Pro Musica production, and lecturer and radio commentator Thomas Forrest Kelly recount the story of the resurrection of this masterpiece. A new production of the work will be presented by The Cloisters, the branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to the art and architecture of medieval Europe, on December 19. Wednesday, December 17, 2008, at 6:00 p.m.
- Paula Robison: "Dancing with Bach" – Flutist Paula Robison, who recently finished a several-year focus on the music of Vivaldi at the Museum, turns her attention to Bach with this lecture/performance that explores Bach's Partita in A Minor, BWV 1013. She will be joined by James Richman, harpsichord, and Catherine Turocy, Baroque dancer, for an investigaton of the dances of the period that inspired the composer, and the evening concludes with a complete performance of the Partita. Friday, March 27, 2009, at 7:00 p.m.

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July 3, 2008

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