In the 1950s, Martha Graham dubbed Paul Taylor the “naughty boy” of dance and he has been shaking things up ever since. His company has toured worldwide, selling out large-scale houses like the Eisenhower Theatre at the Kennedy Center, the Koch Theatre at Lincoln Center, the Paris Opera House and many others. As the opening night of our 2012-2013 season, our audience will have the opportunity to see this groundbreaking modern dance company up close when his dancers give a one-night-only performance in the Center’s intimate Kay Theatre.

When they aren’t singing the roles of villains, wise women and seductresses, mezzo-sopranos take on a different character: young men. In this Distinguished Scholar Teacher Recital, faculty artist Delores Ziegler discusses the evolution of this curious operatic convention.

Along with students and faculty, she will demonstrate the various styles of “pants roles.”

Nolan Williams, Jr. has been immersed in the sounds and rhythms of African American song throughout his life. A composer, director and the CEO of NEWorks Productions, he has collaborated with artists from Aretha Franklin to the National Symphony Orchestra and was a community partner in the Fortune’s Bones project during the 2011-2012 season.

New York Festival of Song is renowned for its intimate, original ensemble song programs consisting almost exclusively of rarely heard songs of all kinds.

This program celebrates two of the 20th century’s greatest balladeers, the Belgian-born Jacques Brel and Frenchman Charles Trénet.

Brel’s literate, thoughtful and theatrical songs generated a large, devoted following, initially in France and later throughout the world.

“She may loom even larger as the new century unfolds, and later generations will envy those who got to see her live.” – Alex Ross, The New Yorker

Meredith Monk — iconic composer, singer, director/choreographer and filmmaker — creates works that thrive at the intersection of music and movement, image and object, light and sound, in an effort to discover and weave together new modes of perception.