Saturday, October 15, 2016 12:00 AM
Sunday, October 16, 2016 12:00 AM
Power Center
Layla and Majnun
Mark Morris Dance Group
The Silk Road Ensemble
The World is Here
Mark Morris’s lyrical choreography, the soulful voices of Azerbaijan’s Alim Qasimov and Fargana Qasimova, the vibrant musicality of the Silk Road Ensemble, and the striking visual palette of British painter Howard Hodgkin combine in this new, large-scale production that receives its world premiere in September.
A Persian love poem that originated in ancient Arabia, Layla and Majnun is a timeless story of tragic love between two young people who are not allowed to unite. Uzeyir Hajibelyi’s powerful music — at once profoundly sorrowful and ecstatic — provides the perfect backdrop to the story that Lord Byron called “the Romeo and Juliet of the East.”
Please note: The artists have requested to perform this work with no late seating break. Because we anticipate that arriving late and missing the performance may be very disappointing, we are making extra efforts to ensure our audience for this concert is aware of the policy.
Artist Q&A. Thursday, October 13.
A UMS Co-Commission. Co-presented with Michigan Opera Theatre.
Layla and Majnun is a Mark Morris Dance Group/Cal Performances, UC Berkeley production in association with University Musical Society, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI); Meany Center for the Performing Arts, University of Washington (Seattle, WA); Harris Theater for Music and Dance (Chicago, IL); Hopkins Center for the Arts, Dartmouth College (Hanover, NH); THe John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Washington, DC); Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign, IL); Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (New York, NY); and Sadler’s Wells (London, England).
Artist Website
http://markmorrisdancegroup.org/Thank You to Our Sponsors
PRINCIPAL SPONSOR
SUPPORTING SPONSOR
- Dennis and Ellie Serras
- Frank Legacki and Alicia Torres
FUNDED IN PART BY
UMS LOBBY
On the music of Layla and Majnun: Into the Divine
Musical interpretations of the legend of Layla and Majnun appear in diverse genres and national traditions, attesting to the tale’s enduring popularity. This Arabian love story which will come to life in Ann Arbor with a new production from Mark Morris Dance Group and The Silk Road Ensemble on October 13-15, 2017.
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The Story of Layla and Majnun: The Idealization of Love
Editor’s Note: This post is by Wali Ahmadi, Department of Near Eastern Studies, University of California, Berkeley. Ahmadi focuses on the musical history of Layla and Majnun, an Arabian love story which...
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