The Maryland Opera Studio pairs two radically different tellings of the Orpheus myth — Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice and Offenbach’s Orphée aux enfers — in their fully produced Spring opera. In Gluck’s version, Orpheus, the greatest musician the world has ever known, receives permission from the gods to venture into Hades and bring his beloved Eurydice back from death, but with a cruel stipulation that leads to tragedy.
Love and lust are the ultimate Hallmark emotions, right? According to Bento Bonchev, they’re saccharine marketing gimmicks designed to sell flowers and candy to those gullible enough to believe. But Bento’s world is turned upside down when an astounding discovery forces him to rethink his dogma. Set in the not-so-distant future where love is thought to be a myth, this Russian absurdist satire offers a truly novel take on an age-old question of the heart.
“Bizarre, intriguing and endlessly original.” — Examiner.com
When Queenie and Burrs set out to throw the party to end all parties, their motives aren’t exactly pure. Each intent on driving the other wild with jealousy, the night escalates into a deadly game of one upmanship. With a jazz-steeped score by the Tony and Grammy-nominated Andrew Lippa (The Addams Family, Big Fish), this firecracker of a musical holds nothing back.
A “tale of one night in hell … [with] revivalist gospel, jittery jazz, operatic quartets of conflicting loves and smooth-as-rayon pop ballads.” — The New York Times
Born in Ethiopia, raised in Brooklyn and rooted in San Francisco, Meklit Hadero’s uniquely eclectic sound, a joyful blend of jazz, hip-hop, folk, indie rock and more, is imbued with poetry and a haunting grace. A proudly collaborative musical in-betweener, Meklit celebrates the newness of life and the hyphens that bring us together. As a cultural activist, this TED senior fellow and co-founder of the Nile Project (presented at The Clarice in 2015), breathes a fresh, urgent and worldly spirit into jazz.
Quinteto Latino blends the vibrant colors and vigorous rhythms of Latin American music with the sumptuous voices of the wind quintet: flute, oboe, clarinet, French horn and bassoon. Whether exploring new twists on traditional folk songs or premiering works by living composers, these five musicians perform with impeccable artistry and infectious energy – educating, enriching and entertaining listeners of all ages and backgrounds.
UMWO musicians explore musical images of darkness and color through the works of contemporary composers. Les Couleurs Fauves (“Vivid Colors”) is a product of Karel Husa’s fascination with brilliant colors in music, nature and art while Rochberg’s Black Sounds is a dark score, originally written as film music for an erotic murder mystery. Kukla’s Folksongs for Winds includes traditional tunes from around the world. UMD faculty member Lee Hinkle also joins UMWO for a performance of the rarely-heard Steven Stucky Percussion Concerto.
Shostakovich’s creative force was so strong, he once said, “If they cut off both hands, I will compose music anyway holding the pen in my teeth.” Voted by UMSO performers as the work they most want to perform this season, Symphony No. 10 is paired with selections from Bernstein’s On the Town, the 1944 musical about three sailors enjoying a 24-hour shore leave in New York City, and Variations on a Theme by Haydn composed by Brahms.
MFA Dance candidates Colette Krogol and Matt Reeves present their thesis work in a joint concert that exhibits the overlap between Krogol’s exploration of her Cuban-American heritage and Reeve’s examination of origin myths and metaphors of darkness. The two choreographers present a unified performance — enhanced by interactive multimedia design elements — that explores the themes of waiting, transitions and transformations over time, juxtapositions of old and new and the possibilities of partnering and lifting.
The UMD Concert Choir opens its 2016–2017 season with Maurice Duruflé’s contemplative Requiem for mezzo-soprano and baritone soloists, mixed chorus, organ, and chamber orchestra.
When Annie and Peter decide to adopt, they set their sights on a child from Africa. But just how much of Africa are they willing to bring into their home? Long-buried secrets surface, surprising new tensions with old friends arise, and their marriage is put to the test — all in the face of one startling choice. With keen acumen, this portrait of cultural divide casts global issues into the heart of an American home.
“A thoughtful and engrossing new play.” — The New York Times
