Inaugural Masterworks Season At Arsht Center

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County announced its 2009-2010 inaugural JOHN S. AND JAMES L. KNIGHT MASTERWORKS SEASON. The inaugural season, which includes two subscription series, has been supported by a $200,000 challenge grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, a $500,000 pledge over five years from Dr. and Mrs. Sanford L. Ziff and $80,000 in additional private support from the Classical Encore Circle. The JOHN S. AND JAMES L. KNIGHT MASTERWORKS SEASON represents the Center's first full offering of classical music and dance programming: the four-performance Sanford and Dolores Ziff Classical Music Series and the three-part Signature Dance Series, as well as a variety of special events that will be made available to subscribers on a priority basis. 

"Together, the Knight Foundation and Sanford and Dolores Ziff provided a majority of the private funding that created these grand buildings. With their support for these series, they bring their philanthropic resources to the Center once again to ensure that classical music and dance continue in Miami long into the future," said M. John Richard, president and CEO of the Adrienne Arsht Center. "Their superior level of support is a clear indication that the inaugural season is destined to bring joy to audiences who cherish the natural acoustics in the Knight Concert Hall and the grandeur of dance in the Ziff Ballet Opera House." 

Following the unfortunate news from the Concert Association of Florida (CAF) last season that it would no longer have the financial means to continue operations, the Center quickly negotiated an unprecedented collaboration with a number of the world's top performing arts organizations to ensure that the bulk of CAF's 2008-2009 season would still be brought to Miami audiences. In addition, over the course of just a few months, the Center has successfully secured a robust season of 10 top-notch classical music, dance and special events for 2009-2010. 

"In a short amount of time, the Adrienne Arsht Center has successfully ensured the continued presentation of the magnificent art forms that our community supported for 40 years and will continue to support in the future. As impresarios, we are proud to have assembled a season that brings to the Adrienne Arsht Center stage four of the world's great orchestras and renowned musicians; three stunning dance ensembles, and three iconic performers," continued Richard. 

"As we evolve into a new and greater Miami, informed by all manner of cultural influences, it's essential that we keep alive and vibrant the influence of classical music and dance. They are essential parts of our heritage. Knight Foundation's Miami Program Director, Dennis Scholl, and I are proud to join Sandy and Dolores Ziff in support of these series. We've made this a challenge grant to encourage others to embrace this opportunity and ensure classical music and dance for Miami at the Knight Concert Hall and the Ziff Ballet Opera House," said Alberto Ibargüen, President and CEO of the Knight Foundation. 

Sanford and Dolores Ziff are generously supporting the Classical Music Series with a $500,000 pledge, sponsoring the series over the next five years. With this pledge, they join the Adrienne Arsht Center's Classical Encore Circle, a dedicated group of patrons who are committed to assuring that classical music and dance are presented for the Miami community by the Center.   

"It is a great pleasure to watch audiences enjoy the world's most renowned classical music artists in one of the most spectacular concert halls in the United States. I am proud to support the Adrienne Arsht Center as it enters a new era of presenting classical music and am pleased to know that our community will be able to continue enjoying this transformational art form," said Dr. Ziff. 

The SANFORD  AND DOLORES ZIFF CLASSICAL MUSIC SERIES will present four diverse works by the highly regarded Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Pinchas Zukerman, on December 16; a solo recital of audience favorites by four-time Emmy® Award and 15-time Grammy® Award-winning violinist Itzhak Perlman on January 12; the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of the internationally recognized American conductor Leonard Slatkin, on February 14; and outstanding pianist Lang Lang accompanied by the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival Orchestra,  on March 29, conducted by Christoph Eschenbach. The four-part series will take place entirely in one of the most acoustically superb concert halls in the world - the Center's John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall. 

The SIGNATURE DANCE SERIES will feature a selection of world-renowned dance companies including one of Israel's leading cultural ambassadors, the Batsheva Ensemble on December 5 and 6; the internationally acclaimed American dance company The Joffrey Ballet on March 26 and 27; and the return of Miami favorite Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from May 20 - 23. The three-part series will take place in the Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House. 

Also announced as 2009-2010 season SPECIAL EVENTS are two spectacular holiday performances. Following two years of sold out performances, Miami's own Seraphic Fire returns to deliver their powerful, critically-acclaimed performance of Messiah on December 19. The all-female vocal ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock performs their unique blend of blues, gospel, rap and reggae-inspired sounds in a special "Holidays with Sweet Honey in the Rock" performance on December 11. Plus, an evening with the man who Frank Sinatra called "the best singer in the business" - the legendary crooner Tony Bennett - on January 8. 

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION

Subscription tickets will be available soon for the Adrienne Arsht Center's four-performance SANFORD AND DOLORES ZIFF CLASSICAL MUSIC SERIES and for the three-performance SIGNATURE DANCE SERIES.  

Tickets for the season's SPECIAL EVENTS will be available exclusively to subscribers to one or both of the series in the inaugural JOHN S. AND JAMES L. KNIGHT MASTERWORKS SEASON at the Adrienne Arsht Center. Single tickets for the 09-10 season of performances, if available, will be on sale in the fall. 

To receive notice when subscription tickets go on sale, make sure to sign up for the Adrienne Arsht Center's email list at www.arshtcenter.org and select your performance preferences.

FALL IN LOVE TODAY!  ADOPT A PET FROM YOUR LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.