57th Season Features Acclaimed PianoForte Recitals;
New York Philharmonic CONTACT! Series;
Pacifica Quartet's Season of Shostakovich;
Music from Argentina, Cuba, Mexico, and the Philippines;
Itzhak Perlman, Chanticleer, Sharon Isbin, Patti Smith, Judy Collins,
Christine Ebersole, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and More
The 2010-2011 season of the Metropolitan Museum Concerts series is the 57th year of music at the Museum, and reflects the depth of that tradition: Ten pianists from across the stylistic map in the sixth season of the acclaimed PianoForte recital series; the return of the New York Philharmonic's new music series CONTACT! with Philharmonic Music Director Alan Gilbert and Composer-in-Residence Magnus Lindberg; the Pacifica Quartet's complete Shostakovich string quartet cycle for its second season as quartet-in-residence; Itzhak Perlman and members of the Perlman Music Program, Chanticleer, Metropolitan Museum Artists in Concert, and Musicians from Marlboro in their annual appearances; and performances by artists ranging from Judy Collins, Patti Smith, and Dee Dee Bridgewater to Tango Buenos Aires, Tiempo Libre, and Dan Zanes & Friends.
The 2010-2011 season of Concerts & Lectures was programmed by Hilde Limondjian, with her staff. This year will mark the final season programmed by Ms. Limondjian, the Metropolitan's longtime Concerts & Lectures General Manager, who leaves the Museum on June 30.
Thomas P. Campbell, Director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, commented, "The history of live performance at this institution is one in which great art is re-created regularly both in our galleries and onstage. I am looking forward to the next season of music, created by a roster of exceptional performing artists from a wide variety of traditions that reflect the encyclopedic breadth of the Museum's collections and the vast range of its programming. We are grateful to Hilde Limondjian, who is departing the Met after her many years of service, and whose distinguished programming will extend through the upcoming season."
"I am tremendously grateful to the Museum's leaders for their support over the years," said Ms. Limondjian, "which made it possible for the series to pioneer new formats, support young stars in the making, and mirror the permanent collections and exhibitions in the best possible way. The tradition of great pianists, chamber performances by the greatest stars of our time, the presentations of musical traditions from around the world, and collaborations with institutions such as the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera have all been inspired, encouraged, and enabled by the vision of this great institution. I am privileged to have been a part of it for so many years."
The sixth season of the PianoForte series features recitals by Nicholas Angelich, Frederic Chiu, Simone Dinnerstein, Till Fellner, Nelson Freire, Paul Lewis (two programs), Jon Nakamatsu, and Lise de la Salle, as well as the New York recital debuts of Alessio Bax and David Kadouch. The Pacifica Quartet performs the string quartets of Shostakovich in four programs progressing from early to late works. The New York Philharmonic's popular CONTACT! new music series continues with two events featuring premieres of works by Magnus Lindberg, Julian Anderson, James Matherson, and Jay Alan Yim. For its eighth season, the acclaimed ensemble Metropolitan Museum Artists in Concert performs three programs of its usual lively mix of classic and contemporary repertoire, featuring music by Luciano Berio; and Musicians from Marlboro presents three programs of collaboration among young and seasoned performers.
Pianist Gabriela Montero and cellist Gautier Capuçon collaborate in recital; and violinist Itzhak Perlman and members of his Perlman Music Program return for their fourth season at the Museum. Chanticleer performs its annual event at The Temple of Dendur in The Sackler Wing, a program featuring new works by Bay Area DJ and composer Mason Bates and Erica Lloyd of the indie rock band Little Grey Girlfriend; and clarinetist Richard Stoltzman headlines a program with the New York Chamber Soloists. Guitarist Sharon Isbin performs with the Salome Chamber Orchestra, and Ensemble Galilei joins forces with NPR's Neal Conan as narrator, and actress Lily Knight, for a program incorporating iconic images from the Museum's Photographic Collection.
Folk icon Judy Collins returns to the Metropolitan Museum with a program at The Temple of Dendur in The Sackler Wing, of songs from her new recording, Paradise; jazz great Dee Dee Bridgewater performs a tribute to Billie Holiday; singer and actress Christine Ebersole presents a cabaret evening with pianist John Oddo; and rock icon Patti Smith, in her eighth Museum appearance, performs a program devoted to the theme of Khubilai Khan and the poetry of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Esteemed jazz pianist Bill Charlap teams with his mother, singer Sandy Stewart, for an evening of music from the American songbook; Steve Ross returns to the Museum with programs devoted to Noel Coward and Fred Astaire; and Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks play music from the Roaring Twenties.
Six world music concerts span international traditions with performances by Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano from Mexico; Bayanihan Philippine National Dance Company; Tango Buenos Aires from Argentina; Tiempo Libre from Cuba; The African Children's Choir in a family program; and a concert, "Strings of the Black Sea" of music from Bulgaria, Ukraine, Crimea, and Turkey.
The famed Metropolitan Museum Christmas concerts, which take place in the Medieval Sculpture Hall in front of the Museum's Christmas tree and Neapolitan Baroque crèche, will this year feature Chanticleer, the Inspirational Voices of the Abyssinian Baptist Church, and the early music vocal ensembles Lionheart and Anonymous 4.
And the growing tradition of family concerts at the Museum will feature, in addition to The African Children's Choir, the New York Chamber Soloists' performance of a program based on the children's classic book Ferdinand the Bull; Burning River Brass performing a family Christmas concert; the ensemble Cirene presenting a program of dance, music, and live painting titled "One Grain of Rice, An Exponential Fairytale"; and, in a return by popular demand, Dan Zanes & Friends.
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.
PIANOFORTE – THE SIXTH SEASON
The Metropolitan Museum's critically acclaimed PianoForte series continues into its sixth season in 2010-2011 with 11 recitals by ten pianists:
- Till Fellner concludes his critically acclaimed three-year traversal of the complete piano sonatas of Beethoven with a recital – his only in New York this season – featuring the Sonatas Nos. 30 in E Major, Op. 109; 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110; and 32 in C Minor, Op. 111. Friday, October 15, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.
- David Kadouch, the 25-year-old pianist who is the third-prize-winner of the 2005 International Beethoven Competition for Piano, performed at the Metropolitan Museum with Itzhak Perlman and members of the Perlman Music Program in May 2008. He returns to the Museum for his New York recital debut, a program of Haydn's Variations in F Minor; Schumann's Grand Sonata in F Minor, Op. 14; the Wagner/Liszt "Spinning Chorus" from The Flying Dutchman; a selection of Debussy Preludes; and Shostakovich's 15 Preludes, Op. 34. Saturday, October 30, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.
- Alessio Bax, a 2009 Avery Fisher Career Grant winner whose recent CD and performances of Bach transcriptions have received critical acclaim, makes his New York recital debut with a program featuring Brahms's Ballades, Op. 10, Nos. 1-4; Rachmaninoff's Variations on a Theme of Corelli, Op. 42; Bartók's Dance Suite, Sz. 77; Granados's "El amor y la muerte" (from Goyescas); and Ravel's La Valse. Friday, November 5, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.
- Frederic Chiu, many of whose critically praised thematic programs have taken place at the Metropolitan Museum, performs a concert titled "Monument to Beethoven" for his only New York recital of the season – a program featuring Schumann's Fantasy in C Major, Op. 17 (partly based on one of Beethoven's songs from An die ferne Geliebte); and Liszt's transcription of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, Op. 67. Friday, January 28, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
- Paul Lewis, who performed at the Metropolitan Museum for the first time in May 2010, returns with two all-Schubert recitals, his only New York appearances of the 2010-2011 season. The first features the Piano Sonatas No. 15 in C Major, D. 840, and No.17 in D Major, D. 850; and the Drei Klavierstücke, D. 946, on Friday, February 18, 2011, at 7:00 p.m. The second features 12 Waltzes, D. 145; Four Impromptus, Op. 90, D. 899; Hungarian Melody in B Minor, D. 817; and Piano Sonata No. 18 in G Major, D. 894, on Friday, April 29, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
- Lise de la Salle returns to the Metropolitan Museum with an all-Liszt program for her only New York recital of the season: Funérailles; Transcendental Etudes; Mazeppa, Nuages Gris; "Fantaisie quasi Sonate" from La Deuxième Année de Pèlerinage; transcription of the "Lacrimosa" from Mozart's Requiem, K. 626; and interpretations after Schubert's "Ave Maria," "Ständchen," and "Erlkönig," and the Liebestod from Wagner's Tristan und Isolde. Sunday, February 20, at 3:00 p.m.
- Nicholas Angelich, who has been a regular visitor to the Metropolitan Museum in recent seasons with the Capuçon-Angelich Trio, performs a solo program, his only New York recital of the season: Bach/Busoni Choral Prelude in G Minor, BWV 659; Bach's English Suite No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 807; and selected Nocturnes and Etudes of Chopin. Friday, March 4, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
- Nelson Freire makes another return to the Metropolitan Museum after two highly praised appearances on the PianoForte series; his only New York recital of the season, a program featuring Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words; Brahms's Sonata No. 3 in F Minor; 12 of Prokofiev's Visions Fugitives; and two works by Liszt, Ballade No. 2 in B Minor and Hungarian Rhapsody. Friday, March 11, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
- Jon Nakamatsu, the 1997 Van Cliburn Competition gold medalist who is also artistic director of the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival, performs his only New York recital of the season: Rameau's Gavotte and Variations; Brahms's Piano Sonata No. 1 in C Major, Op. 1; three of Liszt's Sonetti del Petrarca; and Chopin's Andante spianato et grande polonaise brillante. Saturday, April 9, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
- Simone Dinnerstein returns to the Metropolitan Museum for her only New York recital of the season, a program of Schumann's Fantasiestücke, Op. 12, and Papillons, Op. 2; and Bach's English Suite No. 3 in G Minor, BWV 808, and Partita No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 826. Friday, May 13, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC CONTACT! NEW MUSIC SERIES
The New York Philharmonic's popular new music series, CONTACT!, returns after its debut year with a second season of two concerts featuring Philharmonic Music Director Alan Gilbert conducting members of the orchestra, and Composer-in-Residence Magnus Lindberg as host:
- A new work by Magnus Lindberg receives its world premiere on a program with Gerard Grisey's Quatre chants pour franchir le seuil. Saturday, November 20, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.
- Julian Anderson's Comedy of Change receives its U.S. premiere, and new works by James Matheson and Jay Alan Yim receive their world premiere performances. Friday, December 17, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.
THE PACIFICA QUARTET PLAYS SHOSTAKOVICH
In 2009-2010, the Pacifica Quartet, called "one of the fastest rising ensembles today" by The New York Times, became the Metropolitan Museum's second quartet-in-residence, succeeding the Guarneri String Quartet. After a first season of programs of diverse repertoire, the ensemble is devoting its second season to the complete string quartets of Shostakovich in four programs that progress from early to late works:
- String Quartets No. 1 in C Major, Op. 49; No. 2 in A Major, Op. 68; Nos. 7 in F-sharp Minor, Op. 108; and No. 3 in F Major, Op. 73. Saturday, October 23, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.
- String Quartets No. 4 in D Major, Op. 83; No. 5 in B-flat Major, Op. 92; No. 6 in G Major, Op. 101; No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 110. Saturday, December 4, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.
- String Quartets No. 10 in A-flat Major, Op. 118; No. 9 in E-flat Major, Op. 117; and No. 12 in D-flat Major, Op. 133. Saturday, January 22, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
- String Quartets No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 122; No. 13 in B-flat Minor, Op. 138; No. 14 in F-sharp Major, Op. 142; and Nov. 15 in E-flat Minor, Op. 144. Saturday, February 19, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM ARTISTS IN CONCERT AND
MUSICIANS FROM MARLBORO
"It's hard – very hard – to find better chamber-music playing than at the cellist Edward Arron's series at the Metropolitan Museum, which always mixes new and unusual works in unexpected ways," stated The New Yorker in December 2009 about the Metropolitan Museum Artists in Concert. Arron, the ensemble's artistic coordinator, has assembled three programs for 2010-2011, the acclaimed group's eighth season, featuring their usual lively mix of classic and contemporary repertoire; a work by Luciano Berio will be performed on each program.
- Colin Jacobsen, violin; Nicholas Cords, viola; Edward Arron, cello; and Jeewon Park, piano, perform the series' first program: Beethoven's 14 Variations in E-flat Major for Piano Trio, Op. 44; Berio's Les mots sont allés..."Recitativo" for solo cello (1978); Gideon Klein's String Trio (1944); and Dvorák's Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, Op. 87. Saturday, December 18, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.
- Colin Jacobsen, violin; Nicholas Cords, viola; and Edward Arron, cello, perform a program featuring Purcell's Three Fantasias in Three Parts; Berio's Sequenza VIII for Solo Violin (1975); Schubert's String Trio in B-flat Major, D. 581; Giya Kanceli's Rag-Gidon-Time for String Trio (1999); and Beethoven's String Trio in G Major, Op. 9, No. 1. Saturday, January 15, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
- Colin Jacobsen and Jesse Mills, violin; Nicholas Cords and Max Mandel, viola; and Edward Arron, cello, perform a program of Schubert's String Trio in B-flat Major, D. 471; Berio's Duetti for Two Violins (1983); Mozart's String Quintet in C Minor, K. 406; and Bruckner's String Quintet in F Major. Saturday, April 16, 2011, at 7:00 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 as Musicians from Marlboro.
- Ida Levin and Yonah Zur, violin; Beth Guterman, viola; Saeunn Thorsteinsdottir, cello; Zachary Cohen, double bass; Sivan Magen, harp; Jose Vicente Castello, horn; Sarah Beaty, clarinet; and Jennifer Johnson, mezzo-soprano perform Respighi's "Il Tramonto: Poemetto Lirico" for mezzo-soprano and string quartet; Dvorák's Two Waltzes; Der gayst funem shturem for mezzo-soprano and ensemble by Robert Cuckson, Marlboro's 2009 composer-in-residence; and Mozart's Quintet in A Major for Clarinet and Strings, K. 581. Friday, October 29, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.
- Mendelssohn's String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 13; Mozart's "Abendempfindung," K. 523, and "An Chloe," K. 524; Schubert's "Nachtstueck," D. 672b, Op. 36, "Wanderers Nachtlied," D. 768, Op. 96, and "Rastlose Liebe," D. 138, Op. 5; and Shostakovich's Piano Quintet in G Minor, Op. 57. Friday, April 8, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
- Mozart's String Quintet No. 3 in C Major, K. 515; Haydn's String Quartet in C Minor, Op. 17, No. 4; and Dvorák's String Quintet No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 97. Friday, May 6, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
CHAMBER MUSIC CONTINUED, AND CHANTICLEER
- Ensemble Galilei – "First Person: Seeing America" – this strings, winds, and percussion ensemble, narrator Neal Conan of NPR, and actress Lily Knight collaborate to present a program combining words and music with iconic images from the Photographic Collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, including Mathew Brady's searing pictures of the Civil War and Walker Evans's haunting portraits from the Great Depression. Saturday, October 16, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.
- Gabriela Montero, piano, and Gautier Capuçon, cello, both of whom have performed at the Museum in recent seasons, perform their only New York concert of the season together, a program of three works by Rachmaninoff – the Sonata for Cello and Piano in G Minor, Op. 19; Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14; and Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini in A Minor for Piano and Orchestra, Variation No. 18, Op. 43 – as well as Prokofiev's Sonata for Cello and Piano in C Major, Op. 119. Saturday, November 13, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.
- Itzhak Perlman and Members of the Perlman Music Program return to the Metropolitan Museum for their fourth season, presenting a program showcasing the exceptionally gifted young musicians of the program founded and guided by Toby Perlman. Violinist Itzhak Perlman's long association with the Metropolitan Museum Concerts series began more than four decades ago. Thursday, February 24, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
- Richard Stoltzman, clarinet, and The New York Chamber Soloists join forces for a program of Mozart's Symphony No. 29 in A Major, K. 201; Stravinsky's Three Pieces for unaccompanied clarinet; Rossini's Andante and Variations for Clarinet and Orchestra; and Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K. 622. Friday, April 1, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
- Chanticleer – "Out of This World" – This program of Chanticleer's latest musical explorations features the world premiere of a work by Bay Area DJ and composer Mason Bates about transmissions from outer space, and an arrangement of Cells Planets by Erika Lloyd of the indie rock band Little Grey Girlfriend created specially for Chanticleer. Wednesday, April 6, 2011, at 7:00 p.m. at The Temple of Dendur in The Sackler Wing
- Sharon Isbin, guitar, and the Salome Chamber Orchestra perform a program of De Falla's Seis Canciones Populares Espanolas; a selection of solo guitar works; Elgar's Introduction and Allegro for Strings, Opus 47; and Joaquin Rodrigo's Fantasia para un gentilhombre. Saturday, May 14, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
JAZZ, POP, SWING
Metropolitan Museum Concerts has featured a wide variety of popular and world music events for more than four decades.
- "An Evening with Judy Collins" marks the singer's return to the Metropolitan Museum with a program highlighted by selections from her new album, Paradise (release May 2010), that includes new renditions of archetypal songs. Tuesday, September 21, 2010, at 7:00 p.m., at The Temple of Dendur in The Sackler Wing
- Dee Dee Bridgewater – "To Billie with Love: A Celebration of Lady Day" - The jazz vocalist, actress, and current host of NPR's "JazzSet" performs a program in tribute to the iconic singer Billie Holiday, with pianist and arranger Edsel Gomez. Friday, September 24, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.
- "An Evening with Christine Ebersole" features the singer and actress in a cabaret-style show with pianist and arranger John Oddo in which she shares anecdotes about her life in Hollywood and the New Jersey suburbs, and sings classical ballads and pop songs. Friday, October 22, 2010, at 7:00 p.m & 9:30 p.m.
- Patti Smith – "Khubilai Khan" – The rock icon performs her eighth concert at the Metropolitan Museum, a program devoted to the world of Khubilai Khan and the poetry of Samuel Taylor Coleridge (and his poem "Kubla Khan"). Jesse Smith, Michael Campbell, and friends join in. This event is presented in conjunction with "The World of Khubilai Khan: Chinese Art in the Yuan Dynasty," September 20, 2010 – January 2, 2011. The exhibition is made possible in part by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, The Dillon Fund, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Saturday, November 6, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.
- Bill Charlap & Sandy Stewart perform "Love Is Here to Stay: Music from the Great American Songbook," featuring songs by George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Harold Arlen, Richard Rodgers, and Irving Berlin. Singer Stewart and esteemed jazz pianist Charlap are mother and son. Saturday, December 11, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.
- Steve Ross returns to the Metropolitan Museum for his annual appearances. The cabaret icon performs "Songs of Noël Coward," in which he will relate the stories behind the songs of England's most prolific and successful songwriter on Saturday, January 8, 2011, at 7:00 p.m. ; and "Songs of Fred Astaire," in which he discusses the songs written for Astaire – how they came to be written, and their social context, on Saturday, April 30, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
- Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, that veteran swing band, take to the stage for a program celebrating "The Roaring Twenties," recapturing the hot stomps of the speakeasies and the music of Tin Pan Alley, as well as the great American songbook. Friday, March 18, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
WORLD MUSIC
- "Strings of the Black Sea: A Celebration of Music from Bulgaria, Ukraine, Crimea, and Turkey" explores the musical connections between communities surrounding the Black Sea and their New York immigrant populations. This program is presented in collaboration with the Center for Traditional Music and Dance and the World Music Institute. Sunday, September 19, 2010, at 3:00 p.m.
- Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano makes a return visit to the Metropolitan Museum with "Viva Mexico," a program commemorating the group's 50th anniversary and the bicentennial of Mexico, including favorites such as "Mexico Lindo," "La Bamba," and more. Friday, November 12, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.
- Bayanihan Philippine National Dance Company returns to the Museum with another program celebrating the music and dance traditions of the Philippines that take their inspiration from the country's indigenous Chinese, Spanish, and Islamic influences. Friday, November 19, 2010, at 7:00 p.m.
- Tango Buenos Aires, one of Argentina's great cultural treasures, is an ensemble that has become known throughout the world as an authentic and uncompromising representative of the tango. Saturday, March 12, at 7:00 p.m.
- Tiempo Libre, the two-time Grammy-nominated Cuban band, presents its mix of Latin jazz and Cuban salsa performed by members who were all classically trained at La ENA, Cuba's premiere conservatory. The Miami-based group recently released a disc, Bach in Havana, a fusion of Bach and Afro-Cuban rhythms. Friday, May 20, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
- African Children's Choir, a group that has been performing throughout the world since 1984, presents a family program combining spiritual, gospel, and pop music with dances from East Africa. Saturday, June 4, 2011, at 5:00 p.m.
CHRISTMAS CONCERTS
"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 include five returning ensembles.
These concerts are presented in front of the Museum's Christmas Tree and Neapolitan Baroque Crèche. The exhibition of the crèche is made possible by gifts to The Christmas Tree Fund and the Loretta Hines Howard Fund.
- "A Chanticleer Christmas," the renowned vocal ensemble's annual holiday program, celebrates the mystery and wonder of Christmas with traditional carols, medieval and Renaissance sacred works, and new holiday music. Tuesday & Wednesday, November 30 and December 1, 2010, at 6:30 & 8:30 p.m.
-Anonymous 4, the acclaimed early music vocal quartet, performs "Noel: Four Centuries of Christmas," a musical holiday feast featuring favorite chants, hymns, carols, and motets. Tuesday, December 14, 2010, at 6:30 & 8:30 p.m.
- Inspirational Voices of the Abyssinian Baptist Church perform a holiday program of gospel music, spirituals, and Christmas carols. Thursday, December 16, 2010, at 6:30 & 8:30 p.m.
- Lionheart, the acclaimed early music a cappella ensemble, returns with its holiday program, "Tydings Trew: Feasts of Christmas in Medieval England" – carols, chants, and motets for the Christmas season as it was celebrated in the cloisters, palaces, and streets of England in the 15th and 16th centuries. Tuesday, December 21, 2010, at 6:30 & 8:30 p.m.
FAMILY CONCERTS
The 2010-2011 season features a full series of five programs geared to families:
- "Ferdinand the Bull" – The New York Chamber Soloists combine narration with music by Turina, Villa-Lobos, De Falla, Domenico Scarlatti, and Bizet to tell the tale of the gentle bull Ferdinand from Munro Leaf's classic children's book – but with a surprising new ending. Saturday, October 2, at 3:00 p.m.
- Burning River Brass performs a "Family Christmas Concert" that ranges from time-honored carols to Big Band Nutcracker. Thursday, December 23, at 3:00 p.m.
- Cirene – "One Grain of Rice, An Exponential Fairytale" – Cirene is an ensemble that reimagines timeless tales from around the world and crafts them into presentations of dance, music, and live painting and animation. Sunday, January 23, 2011, at 3:00 p.m.
- Dan Zanes & Friends – the Grammy Award winner and his "beautifully scruffy, harmonically precise, spirited, and better-than-ever band" return to the Metropolitan Museum by popular demand with a program of songs in both English and Spanish. Saturday, May 7, 2011, at 3:00 p.m.
- African Children's Choir, a group that has been performing throughout the world since 1984, presents a family program combining spiritual, gospel, and pop music with dances from East Africa. Saturday, June 4, 2011, at 5:00 p.m.
MUSIC LECTURES
- June LeBell – "Crossing Over: From Broadway to Cabaret" – Broadcaster, lecturer, and American musical theater aficionada June LeBell presents two lectures focusing on the great singers of American musical theater. Each session features special guest artists in conversation and performance: Liz Callaway , Tony Award nominee and Emmy Award winning actress and singer, and pianist Alex Rybeck on Tuesday, October 5, 2010, at 2:30 p.m. , and a special surprise guest who is also a Tony nominee, singer, and pianist on Tuesday, October 12, 2010, at 2:30 p.m.
- Nimet Habachy - "A Chat with Frederica von Stade: A Legend in Her Own Time" – Lecturer and writer Nimet Habachy talks with the beloved opera star Frederica von Stade, who recently performed her farewell to the concert stage. They will discuss what lies ahead for one of the pre-eminent mezzo-sopranos of our time, and her efforts on behalf of inner-city children in the San Francisco Bay area. Thursday, October 14, 2010, at 2:30 p.m.
- Fred Plotkin - "Puccini's La Fanciulla del West " – Fred Plotkin, the author of Opera 101 and Classical Music 101, talks about the opera that Giacomo Puccini wrote for American audiences; its origins and its impact. December 10, 2010, is the 100th anniversary of the world premiere of La Fanciulla del West at the Metropolitan Opera. Wednesday, December 8, 2010, at 2:30 p.m.
- David Dubal – "Three Russian Romantics" " – Pianist, teacher, writer, and broadcaster David Dubal delves into the colorful and tragic lives of three great masters in lectures illustrated by performances from The Juilliard School. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, 1840-1893, "Tragedy and Romance" " on Wednesday, January 5, 2011, at 2:30 p.m.; Alexander Scriabin, 1872-1915: "Mysticism and Messiah" " on Wednesday, January 12, 2011, at 2:30 p.m.; and Sergei Rachmaninoff, 1873-1943: "The Last Golden Rays of Romanticism" on Wednesday, January 19, 2011, at 2:30 p.m.
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May 26, 2010
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