Meany Center For The Performing Arts Announces 2017-18 Season

Meany Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Washington announces its 2017-2018 Season, presenting 25 International Artists and ensembles representing 14 countries and cultures, including Mali, Cuba, Macedonia, Iran, Armenia, Israel, Great Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Taiwan, Hungary, Spain and the USA.

Meany Center is committed to introducing inspiring new artists and ensembles from around the globe to Seattle and to Meany audiences. In the 2017/18 Season, four artists and ensembles will make their Seattle debuts - Armenian pianist Nareh Arghamanyan, Finnish pianist Juho Pohjonen, the Montrose Trio, a collaboration between two former members of the Tokyo String Quartet with Jon Kimura Parker, and Feathers of Fire, a live animation shadow play of an epic Persian love story.

The legendary soprano Kathleen Battle, vertical Dance Company and UW Mellon Creative Fellow, BANDALOOP, American Roots singer songwriter Martha Redbone, 2017 Grammy winner Third Coast Percussion, and British pianist Imogen Cooper all make their inaugural appearances on Meany Center's mainstage series.

Meany Center's dedication to supporting artistic innovation continues this year with two commissions: a new untitled work from BANDALOOP with music by Gabriel Prokofiev, and a new score by 2017 Grammy winner Third Coast Percussion to the 1966 Oscar-nominated Canadian film Paddle to the Sea, which will be performed live at a screening of the film.

In addition to a programming philosophy that focuses on artistic excellence and innovation, Meany Center's programs connect audiences with global issues and ideas, facilitating cultural understanding and celebrating the differences that make our world a place of boundless creativity and inspiration. This season, we continue our exploration of Islamic cultures with the music of Habib Koité and Feathers of Fire, the ancient Persian story of forbidden love. Choreographer Bill T. Jones addresses race, class, gender, history and identity in his three-part Analogy: A Trilogy, and North American indigenous cultures are highlighted in Third Coast Percussion's performance of Paddle to the Sea and in Martha Redbone's musical theater concert of Bone Hill.

In 2017/18, Meany Center will be introducing a new Creative Process Series to investigate where artists find inspiration and how they develop their work, as exemplified by ongoing and open-ended creative research. Collaborative work across the University of Washington, as well as with other Seattle-based partners, will be highlighted. Participating artists will include UW Mellon Creative Fellows, BANDALOOP and JACK Quartet, among others to be announced. Date and times of series events are yet to be determined.

WORLD DANCE SERIES
The 2017/18 World Dance Series brings renowned companies and choreographers from around the world to Seattle to inspire and engage audiences with their creative collaborations and thought-provoking performances.The six-concert series includes:

BANDALOOP
Thursday-Saturday, October 5-7, 2017 at 8 P.M.

A pioneer in vertical dance performance, BANDALOOP weaves dynamic physicality, intricate choreography and the art of climbing to turn the dance floor on its side - performing on theaters, museums, skyscrapers, bridges, billboards and historical sites, and on the sides of cliffs. The company will premiere a new work, commissioned by Meany Center, with music by Gabriel Prokofiev. Also on the program: Harboring, a multi-dimensional dance that moves indoors and out, evoking maritime images of travel, memory and the ocean's fluidity. Rachael Lincoln, a UW Dance Program assistant professor, is a 15-year member of the company.

LIZT ALFONSO DANCE CUBA
Thursday-Saturday, November 16-18, 2017 at 8 P.M.

Celebrating their 25th anniversary this year, Havana-based Lizt Alfonso Dance Cuba features 20 beautiful and technically superb dancers accompanied by an on-stage ensemble of eight exceptional musicians. The multiple award-winning company captures the heart and soul of their Caribbean country with Cuba Vibra!, a lush and infectious series of dance vignettes that showcases Afro-Cuban dance from the '50s to today: from cha-cha-cha and mambo, to rumba, conga, bolero and more. Trained in classical ballet and folkloric traditions, Lizt Alfonso's dancers command the stage with high energy and precision.

Bill T. Jones/ ARNIE ZANE COMPANY
Thursday-Saturday, February 1-3, 2018 at 8 P.M.

The repertory of the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company is recognized as one of the most innovative and powerful forces in the modern dance world. MacArthur award-winning Bill T. Jones's latest work, Analogy: A Trilogy, is comprised of three evening-length works that reflect Jones's fierce engagement with race, class, gender, history and identity. Over three nights, Meany Center will present the entire trilogy (one of the first ever presentations in the country). The program, which features a live music soundscape, interconnects the three stories with a focus on memory and the effect of powerful events on the inner lives of individuals.

ANALOGY: A TRILOGY

Program A (Thursday, February 1)
DORA: TRAMONTANE Based on an oral history Jones conducted with 95-year old Dora Amelan, a French Jewish nurse and survivor of WWII. Dora is a meditation on perseverance, resourcefulness and resilience while suggesting the amorphous nature of memory.

Program B: Friday, February 2
LANCE: PRETTY AKA THE ESCAPE ARTIST Based on an oral history Jones conducted with his nephew, Lance T. Briggs. Lance is a tragic, yet humorous journey through the sex trade, drug use and excess during the 1980s.

Program C: Saturday, February 3
AMBROS: THE EMIGRANT Based on Ambros Adelwarth, a German valet to a dissipated, young scion of a wealthy Jewish family in W. G. Sebald's celebrated historical novel, The Emigrants. Ambros is an exploration of how trauma can go underground in the psyche to direct the course of an individual's life.

CLOUD GATE DANCE THEATRE OF TAIWAN
Thursday-Saturday, March 22-24, 2018 at 8 P.M.

Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan is renowned for transforming ancient aesthetic traditions into stunning modern celebrations of movement. Founder Lin Hwai Min, widely considered the most important choreographer in Asia, returns to Seattle with his company to perform his newest work, Formosa ("beautiful island"). Using gesture, script, song and other elements from the landscape and history of his native Taiwan, Lin and his dancers create a lustrous, transfigured realm of abstract beauty born of land and lore.

HUBBARD STREET DANCE CHICAGO
Thursday-Saturday, April 19-21, 2018 at 8 P.M.

Celebrating its 40th year as one of the most original forces in contemporary dance, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago has long been known for its exceptionally talented dancers and a diverse repertoire of adventurous choreography. This contemporary ballet company that "is going to take your breath away" (The Washington Post) is arguably at the top of its game. Their unparalleled versatility and virtuosity will be on full display as they perform works from choreographers such as Twyla Tharp, William Forsythe, Crystal Pite and Nacho Duato.

COMPLEXIONS CONTEMPORARY BALLET
Thursday-Saturday, May 17-19, 2018 at 8 P.M.

Combining technical precision, power and passion, Complexions Contemporary Ballet transcends tradition in a groundbreaking mix of styles ranging from ballet to hip hop. Led by former Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater virtuosos and So You Think You Can Dance alums Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, the company is sure to dazzle and thrill with Rhoden's fiercely kinetic choreography, daredevil dancing by superstar Richardson and company, and a hip soundtrack of pop, rock and classical anthems from Bach to Bowie.

PRESIDENT'S PIANO SERIES
Five acclaimed masters of the keyboard from five different countries join Meany Center's diverse lineup of piano recitals during the 2017/18 Season.

NAREH ARGHAMANYAN
Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at 7:30 P.M.

Not yet 30, Armenian pianist Nareh Arghamanyan is already making headlines. The youngest pianist to ever win the Montreal International Musical Competition, her colorful tone and sparkling finger-work has earned her a place among today's most talented young pianists. Arghamanyan makes her Seattle debut at Meany Center, presenting a vibrant all-Russian program that is sure to showcase her compelling musicality and fierce technique.

PROGRAM
SCRIABIN: Sonata No. 3 in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 23
GLINKA: Nocturne in F Minor, "La Separation"
GLINKA/BALAKIREV: L'alouette ("The Lark")
BALAKIREV: Islamey, Op. 18
MEDTNER: Sonata Reminiscenza in A Minor (From "Forgotten Memories," Op. 38)
RACHMANINOV: Piano transcriptions of selected lieder
STRAVINSKY /Arr. AGOSTI: Three Pictures from "The Firebird Suite"

JUHO POHJONEN
Tuesday, January 23, 2018 at 7:30 P.M.

"If we needed proof that exciting new talent is in the pipeline, there was the marvelous American debut of Juho Pohjonen," declared The New York Times. Since his U.S. debut, the talented Finnish pianist has garnered a reputation for giving performances that crackle with intensity, displaying his flawless technique and fearless musical conviction over a wide array of repertoire. Pohjonen's versatility will be on full display for his Meany Center debut, with a program of works that span the Baroque, Classical and Romantic eras.

PROGRAM
J.S. BACH: Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 903
FRANCK: Prélude, Choral et Fugue, FWV 21
MOZART: Prelude and Fugue in C Major K. 394/383a
SCHUBERT: Fantasie in C Major, Op. 15, D. 760 "Wanderer"

GARRICK OHLSSON
Friday, February 16, 2018 at 7:30 P.M.

In the four decades since his legendary win at the International Chopin Competition, Garrick Ohlsson has blazed a clear path as one of the greatest pianists of our time. Praised both for his virtuosic fi repower and subtle interpretations, Ohlsson's program highlights his well-earned reputation for bringing beloved masterworks to life.

PROGRAM
BEETHOVEN: Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13, "Pathetique"
SCRIABIN: Sonata No. 5, Op. 53
SCHUBERT: Sonata in B-flat Major, D. 960 (Op. posth)

IMOGEN COOPER
Tuesday, March 6, 2018 at 7:30 P.M.

Recognized world-wide as an artist of deep insight and poetic poise, British pianist Imogen Cooper performs with a subtle power that never fails to impress. She brings a program to Meany Center that shines a light on her reputation as one of the foremost interpreters of Classical and early Romantic repertoire - and gives Seattle audiences the chance to hear a new work by acclaimed British composer Julian Anderson.

PROGRAM
BEETHOVEN: Bagatelles, Op. 126
HAYDN: Sonata in E-flat Major, Hob. XVI:52
HAYDN: Variations in F Minor, Hob. XVII:6
JULIAN ANDERSON: She Hears (from Sensation)
BEETHOVEN: Variations and Fugue for Piano in E-flat Major, Op. 35 ("Eroica Variations")

SIMON TRPESKI
Thursday, April 5, 2018 at 7:30 P.M.

A favorite in concert halls around the globe, Macedonian pianist Simon Trpeski is the consummate performer, infusing his performances with equal measures of glittering technique and thoughtful introspection. From the intimate world of Mendelssohn's Songs without Words to the kaleidoscopic bombast of Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, Simon Trpeski's Meany Center program is set to dazzle and delight.

PROGRAM
MENDELSSOHN: Selections from Songs Without Words
RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: Scheherazade, Op. 35 (piano transcription)
Other works to be announced

INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES
Six exceptional chamber ensembles will perform on Meany Center's 2017/19 International Chamber Music Series. This season shines a spotlight on artistic pairings and guest artists.

JUILLIARD STRING QUARTET
Thursday, November 9, 2017 at 7:30 P.M.

In 1946, the newly-formed Juilliard String Quartet set its mission: "to play new works as if they were established masterpieces and established masterpieces as if they were new." Seventy years and several personnel changes later, the storied ensemble brings the same irrepressible sense of energy to every performance. Hear their fresh perspective on works by Beethoven and Dvo?ák, alongside an introspective late 20th-century work by Scottish composer James MacMillan.

PROGRAM
BEETHOVEN: Quartet in A Major, Op. 18, No. 5
JAMES MACMILLAN: Quartet No. 2 "Why is This Night Different?" (1998)
DVOÁK: Quartet No. 11 in C Major, Op. 61

MONTROSE TRIO
Saturday, December 9, 2017 at 7:30 P.M.

When the Tokyo String Quartet retired in 2013, two of its members - violinist Martin Beaver and cellist Clive Greensmith - found a new partner: pianist Jon Kimura Parker. The newly formed Montrose Trio quickly earned a reputation for "absolutely top-notch music-making" (The Washington Post), infusing their decades-long experience with the spark of a new collaboration. They make their Meany Center debut as a trio with a program that explores the whimsy of Haydn, the robust romanticism of Brahms and the colorful world of Shostakovich.

PROGRAM
HAYDN: Trio in E-flat Major, Hob. XV: 29
SHOSTAKOVICH: Trio in E Minor, Op. 67
BRAHMS: Trio in B Major, Op. 8 (1889 version)

TAKÁCS QUARTET WITH SPECIAL GUEST ERIKA ECKERT
Saturday, January 13, 2018 at 7:30 P.M.

The only quartet to be inducted into Gramophone's Hall of Fame, the Takács String Quartet has won world-wide acclaim for their passionate, committed performances. Hear why the Financial Times writes, "Even in the most fiendish repertoire these players show no fear, injecting the music with a heady sense of freedom," when they return to Meany Center with a program that spans the centuries, including Mendelssohn's expressive String Quintet No. 2 with violist Erika Eckert.

PROGRAM
MOZART: String Quartet in D Major, K. 575
DOHNÁNYI: String Quartet No. 2, Op. 15
MENDELSSOHN: String Quintet No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 87

DANISH STRING QUARTET
Wednesday, February 14, 2018 at 7:30 P.M.

Fierce friends as well as colleagues, the Danish String Quartet is celebrated not only for their integrated sound and impeccable intonation, but for the infectious joy they bring to music-making. The quartet, which has been playing together since childhood, takes the stage at Meany with masterworks by Bartók and Beethoven - and a collection of Nordic folk music arranged by the quartet members.

PROGRAM
BARTÓK: String Quartet No. 1, Op. 7
TRADITIONAL / Arr. Danish String Quartet: Nordic Folk Music Selections
BEETHOVEN: String Quartet in F Major, Op. 59, No.1

JERUSALEM QUARTET
Tuesday, March 13, 2018 at 7:30 P.M.

For nearly a quarter century, the Jerusalem Quartet has toured the world, earning rave reviews for its warm, full sound and precise balance of voices - a balance so finely tuned that The New York Times recently described the ensemble as "a single instrument with 16 strings." They return to Meany Center with a program dominated by two of Bohemia's cultural treasures, Janá?ek and Dvo?ák, as well as a glimpse of young Beethoven, with the composer's first quartet.

PROGRAM
BEETHOVEN: Quartet in F Major, Op. 18, No. 1
JANÁ?EK: Quartet No. 1 ("Kreutzer Sonata")
DVO?ÁK: Quartet No. 13 in G Major, Op. 106

CALIDORE STRING QUARTET WITH David FinckEL & WU HAN
Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at 7:30 P.M.

Currently in residence with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Calidore String Quartet is quickly becoming the most decorated young quartet on the world's stage - including earning the 2016 M-Prize, the largest award given for chamber music. For their Meany Center performance, this vibrant musical powerhouse teams up with two esteemed chamber musicians, pianist Wu Han and cellist David Finckel, to perform two of the most beloved works of the repertoire.

PROGRAM
SCHUBERT: String Quintet in C Major, D. 956 (with David Finckel)
DVO?ÁK: Piano Quintet in A Major, Op. 81 (with Wu Han)

WORLD MUSIC & THEATER SERIES
Meany Center's World Music & Theater Series features world music's brightest stars and explores the intersection of global music with film and theater.

HABIB KOITÉ
Saturday, November 4, 2017 at 8 P.M.

Hailing from the West African nation of Mali, guitarist and composer Habib Koité has been named the biggest pop star of the region by Rolling Stone. His artistry and magnetic personality have made him an international star, placing him firmly among the leading figures in contemporary world music. Koité's most recent release, Soô (which translates to "home"), looks squarely at his native land, a country torn apart by violence, at a time when a real feeling of home couldn't be more vital.

THIRD COAST PERCUSSION
PADDLE TO THE SEA
Thursday, January 25, 2018 at 8 P.M.

Winner of a 2017 Grammy Award, Third Coast Percussion performs a multi-media work co-commissioned by Meany Center: a new soundtrack for the beloved Canadian film, Paddle to the Sea. Watch the story of a First Nations boy who carves a small wooden canoe and sets out on an epic journey from Northern Ontario to the Atlantic Ocean while Third Coast Percussion performs the fi lm score - live. The score weaves music inspired by water and the natural world, by Philip Glass and Jacob Druckman, together with the traditional music of the Shona people of Zimbabwe.

Martha Redbone
BONE HILL: THE CONCERT
Saturday, February 24, 2018 at 8 P.M.

Renowned American Roots singer Martha Redbone performs music from her new musical theater project, Bone Hill, which traces the story of four generations of Cherokee and African American women living in the coAl Fields of Appalachia. With a stirring voice and commanding presence - backed by some of New York's finest jazz and blues musicians - Redbone reveals an epic American story about a family's connection to the land and the ruptures that threaten to extinguish it.

FEATHERS OF FIRE
A PERSIAN EPIC
Wednesday, March 14, 2018 at 8 P.M.

Feathers of Fire tells the magical tale of star-crossed lovers Zaul and Rudabeh from the 10th-century Persian epic Shahnameh (The Book of Kings). This all-ages adventure updates the classic shadow play traditions of Asia and the Near East with breathtaking cinematic "live animation," shadow-casting actors and puppets along with projected imagery. Featuring an original score by the acclaimed Iranian-American musical team, Loga Ramin Torkian & Azam Ali.

DIEGO EL CIGALA
Saturday, April 7, 2018, at 8 P.M.

Three-time Grammy winner Diego El Cigala has been called "one of the most beautiful flamenco voices of our time," by legendary guitarist Paco de Lucia. With a sound described as "natural, inspired [and] drop dead gorgeous" by the BBC, El Cigala seamlessly melds the intoxicating rhythms and melodies of his Spanish Gitano heritage with styles ranging from bolero to tango, Afro-Caribbean jazz and Cuban son.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Itzhak Perlman

Thursday, January 18, 2018 at 7:30 P.M.

Since his breakthrough at age 13 on The Ed Sullivan Show, Itzhak Perlman has reigned as the leading violinist of our time, captivating audiences throughout the world and earning accolades from Grammy and Emmy awards to the President's Medal of Freedom. Acclaimed for his exceptional talent and musicality, he is revered not only for his technical skills, but for the palpable joy he brings to every performance. This season, Perlman returns to Meany Center after nearly 20 years, giving Seattle audiences the chance to hear one of classical music's all-time greats in the intimate setting of Meany Theater.

Kathleen Battle
UNDERGROUND RAILROAD - A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
Saturday, April 14, 2018 at 8 P.M.

Soprano Kathleen Battle's luminous voice has been called "without qualification, one of the very few most beautiful in the world" (The Washington Post). Yet what distinguishes her most is her almost magical ability to create an unwavering bond with her audience. Returning to Seattle for the first time in two decades, the legendary opera star takes the Meany stage to explore traditional spirituals and the writings of Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass. She is joined by acclaimed jazz pianist Joel A. Martin and local choirs The Sound of the Northwest and UW Chamber Singers.

MARK O'CONNOR AND THE FAMILY BAND
AN APPALACHIAN CHRISTMAS
Saturday, December 16, 2017 at 8 P.M.
Sunday, December 17, 2017 at 2 P.M.

Meany Center's holiday concerts by multi-Grammy Award winner and Seattle native Mark O'Connor have become so popular, they're almost a tradition. Joined by members of his musical family, O'Connor and The Family Band will perform an unforgettable evening of Christmas classics, fiddling and bluegrass from his album, An Appalachian Christmas, as well as songs from his recent Grammy-winning album Coming Home.

TICKET INFORMATION

Discounted full-series subscriptions and Choose Your Own subscriptions are on sale now. Prices for full-series subscriptions begin at $166; Choose Your Own subscription prices vary according to selection. Subscriber benefits include priority seating, free ticket exchanges (upgrade charges may apply), discounts off additional single ticket purchases and lost ticket replacement. Full-series subscribers also have the opportunity to purchase discounted parking passes.

This season, subscribers also have first access and discount prices for special events, Itzhak Perlman, Kathleen Battle and Mark O'Connor.

Single tickets go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, August 1.

Subscriptions may be purchased through the ArtsUW Ticket Office:

Phone: (206) 543-4880
In Person: 1313 NE 41st Street, Seattle, WA 98105
Online: MeanyCenter.org

Meany Center offers a discount on subscriptions for seniors, youth, students, UW employees, UW retirees, and members of the UW Alumni Association. Two free youth subscriptions are available with every adult subscription purchased to the President's Piano or International Chamber Music Series, ages 5-17 only. For more information about prices and benefits, visit MeanyCenter.org.

Meany Center offers a variety of lectures, master classes, workshops, pre-and post-show conversations, free campus concerts and community events in tandem with visiting artist engagements. Visit MeanyCenter.org and explore the calendar, or click on "Related Events" for individual artists.

ABOUT MEANY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Meany Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Washington fosters innovative performances that advance public engagement, cultural exchange, creative research and learning through the arts. Meany Center provides opportunities for diverse artists, community, students and faculty to connect in the discovery and exploration of the boundless power of the arts to create positive change in the world.

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