Join us in person at The Clarice! Please note that this performance will not be livestreamed.

Hailed as “brilliant, virtuosic, and still mellow” (Los Angeles Times), the dynamos of the Brentano Quartet treat masterpieces with reverence and enthusiasm, rendering performances with equal passion and precision. In this concert, the Brentanos are joined by five-time Grammy Award–winning soprano Dawn Upshaw for their latest project: Dido Reimagined, a monodrama for quartet and voice composed by Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Melinda Wagner and librettist Stephanie Fleischmann in collaboration with Dawn. Sparked by the famous “Dido’s Lament” from Purcell’s opera Dido and Aeneas, the large-scale work is paired with Purcell’s aria and other selections from Baroque opera.

Since forming at The Juilliard School in 1992, the Brentano Quartet has recorded numerous gold-standard performances of Schubert, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and Haydn and has won prestigious awards including the first Cleveland Quartet Award and the Naumburg Chamber Music Award. A crucial note of distinction for Brentano has been a sharp eye for cohesive if counterintuitive programs.

A MacArthur Fellow and an American Academy of Arts & Sciences Fellow, soprano Dawn Upshaw exudes natural warmth and communicative power that has earned acclaim across repertoire on operatic and concert stages and has solidified partnerships with many of today’s greatest composers and ensembles, including Gilbert Kalish, the Kronos Quartet and Esa-Pekka Salonen.

This event is part of the Visiting Artist Series. The Clarice's Visiting Artist Series features regional, national and international artists who visit the University of Maryland for performances and other activities. Beyond the stunning work these artists bring to the stage, they are also committed to extensive engagement that creates exciting connections with students and the community. During their time at UMD, Dawn Upshaw and members of Brentano Quartet will have engaged in:

• Masterclasses with UMD School of Music strings students
• Masterclasses with UMD School of Music voice performance students

This performance is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council and The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation.

Health + Safety

Patrons attending University of Maryland arts events are no longer required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. We continue to encourage audiences to wear a mask and stay current with vaccinations and boosters. Please see our Health & Safety information page for information about what to expect during your visit.