Sierra Madre Playhouse to Showcases Pianist Vicki Ray and Soprano Elissa Johnston in August

Sierra Madre Playhouse, a dynamic and intimate performing arts center in the heart of the San Gabriel Valley, will launch its Fall 2024 programming on Saturday, August 3, 2024, 7:30 pm, with Nacht und Träume, a compelling music program delving into the territories of night and dreams presented by eminent pianist Vicki Ray. Joined by acclaimed soprano Elissa Johnston, Ray explores the liminal states of consciousness through the music of Franz Schubert and Alban Berg, alongside newer works by Rachel Beetz, Andrew McIntosh, Noah Meites, and Bill Alves. The program's title comes from one of the featured works, Nacht und Träume (“Night and Dreams”), a stunning lied for voice and piano by Schubert with text by Matthäus von Collin.

Also featured are Beetz's Unofficial Dreams, an ever-changing landscape of sound; Meites' Book of Beasts, based on the illuminated text of a bestiary, or encyclopedia of animals, created during the Middle Ages; and McIntosh's Intermezzo: December 28, 2020, After Midnight, dedicated to Ray, in which, according to the composer, the rain he recorded that night “provides a canvas for a field of piano harmonics.” In addition, Ray features three songs from Alban Berg's Seven Early Songs – “Nacht” (Night), “Die Nachtigall” (The nightingale), and “Traumgekrönt” (Crowned in dream), concluding the program with composer/video artist Bill Alves' minimalist Liminal Landscape, for which he created the music and video in tandem.

Ray, hailed as “a master at constructing a program, as well as a focused and probing performer” (San Francisco Classical Voice), is spotlighted on an array of keyboards, including acoustic piano and sampler/synthesizer with video.

Tickets to Nacht und Träume with pianist Vicki Ray and soprano Elissa Johnston ($12 - $35) are on sale now. For tickets and information, please call 626.355.4318 or visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org. Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.

 

Sierra Madre Playhouse Presents

Music @ The Playhouse: Vicki Ray - “Nacht und Träume”

Vicki Ray, piano

Elissa Johnston, soprano

Saturday, August 3, 2024, 7:30 pm

PROGRAM:

SCHUBERT Nacht und Träume (c. 1825)
RACHEL BEETZ Unofficial Dreams (c. 2022)
NOAH NEITES Book of Beasts (c. 2023)
ANDREW MCINTOSH Intermezzo: December 28, 2020, After midnight (c. 2020)
BERG “Nacht” (Night), from Seven Early Songs (c. 1908)
           “Die Nachtigall” (The nightingale)
           “Traumgekrönt” (Crowned in dream)
BILL ALVES Liminal Landscape (c. 2012)
 

ADDRESS:

Sierra Madre Playhouse
87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard
Sierra Madre, CA 91024

 

TICKETS:

$12-$35

 

ABOUT SIERRA MADRE PLAYHOUSE

Sierra Madre Playhouse, a vibrant Southern California cultural hub with a rich history spanning a century, energizes audiences and the community with distinctive theatrical productions and captivating live performances. Hailed as a “jewel” (Pasadena Weekly) and “a landmark theater” (ABC7 Los Angeles), it has garnered tremendous accolades for its varied repertoire and thought-provoking education and outreach programs curated with social impact in mind. The Los Angeles Times proclaims, “This is theater from the heart.” As one of San Gabriel Valley's only performing arts center presenting a broad spectrum of performance genres, including theater, music, dance, film, comedy, and family-friendly productions featuring eminent local and national professional artists, the treasured artistic beacon draws audiences from across the Southland. The intimate 99-seat Sierra Madre Playhouse offers an up-close and personal connection to performances that resonate deeply, earning multiple Ovation Awards, NAACP Awards, and LA Times Critics' Choice honors. It is nestled into a historic building on the inviting Main Street of Sierra Madre, a charming village in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. Retaining its distinctive movie theater façade and instantly recognizable marquee, the structure has undergone numerous transformations since opening in 1910, from furniture emporium to silent movie theatre to the artistic institution that now stands as a vibrant embodiment of the region's rich cultural legacy. The Sierra Madre Playhouse fosters creativity that aspires to bridge divides and spark dialogue, all while celebrating the rich tapestry of the American experience and the enduring pursuit of shared understanding.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Vicki Ray

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