VIDEO: People are Watching…Fela & Tony Allen
We’ve found some pretty amazing video of the Bill T. Jones’ production of Fela (which plays this Sunday at the Michigan Theater through the NT Live series of high-def broadcasts). The visuals and music just seem absolutely stunning:
This connects to another video featuring Tony Allen who was Fela’s drummer for many years. Fela himself said, “Without Tony Allen, there’d be no Afrobeat.” Tony Allen is carrying on Fela’s legacy with the Afrobeat tour this spring, landing here in Ann Arbor on April 16:
UMS’s Arts Roundup: November 12
Many members of the UMS staff keep a watchful eye on local and national media for news about artists on our season, pressing arts issues, and more. Each week, we pull together a list of interesting stories and share them with you. Welcome to UMS’s Arts Round-up, a weekly collection of arts news, including national issues, artist updates, local shout-outs, and a link or two just for fun. If you come across something interesting in your own reading, please feel free to share!
Arts Issues
- No progress made with DSO talks, so musicians travel with self-produced concert series.
- Orchestras now join the HD-broadcast performing arts trend in an effort to entice new audiences.
- Fela! musical (which appears on UMS 10/11 NT Live series) faces $5M lawsuit.
Artist Updates
- Ann Arbor resident and American opera star, Shirley Verrett, passes away at 79.
- 2011 Musical America Honorees are announced, including distinguished violinist Anne Sophie-Mutter (who has previously appeared under UMS auspices).
UMS News
- AnnArbor.com review of the Tallis Scholars’ performance at St. Francis of Assisi.
- AnnArbor.com review of Vladimir Feltsman’s piano recital in Hill Auditorium Wednesday evening.
Local Shout-Outs
- U-M musical-theater alum, Darren Criss, makes his debut as a new character on the popular TV show Glee!
- Have ideas on who should perform at Ann Arbor Summer Festival’s Top of the Park this year? Submit your ideas and your wish could be granted!
Just For Fun
- Newest member of the band? Robot musician can jam and improvise with humans!
UMS Announces Additions, Changes to 10/11 Season
The 10/11 UMS season opens one month from today with the site-specific theater work Susurrus at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens.
During our summer performance hiatus, we’ve been quite busy at UMS, closing out the 09/10 season and preparing for the 10/11 events. We’ve also been working to add some exciting events to the 10/11 lineup that came together too late for the initial announcement in April:
ASSI EL HELANI, Saturday, November 6 at 8 pm, Hill Auditorium. This Lebanese pop singer has been a major figure in the music scene of the Middle East since the 1990s, participating in numerous important musical events throughout Europe, the Arab World, and America. Also involved in humanitarian concerns, he is one of the true superstars to emerge from Lebanon. Tickets range from $10-$60 with a limited number of $150 VIP seats available.
NATIONAL THEATER LIVE, co-presentation of high-definition broadcasts with the Michigan Theater. Last season, UMS and the Michigan Theater joined forces to present high-definition broadcasts of three plays from the National Theater in London. The series was a big hit with audiences, and we’re delighted to announce an incredible line-up of six productions for the 10/11 season, which includes Complicite’s A Disappearing Number, which UMS brought to Ann Arbor two seasons ago. The titles include:
A Disappearing Number, directed by Simon McBurney in association with Complicite. Sunday, October 31, 2 pm.
Hamlet, directed by Sir Nicholas Hytner with Rory Kinnear in the title role. Sunday, January 2, 2 pm.
FELA! Directed by Bill T. Jones, direct from Broadway. The Tony Award-winning musical about the extravagant, decadent, and rebellious world of Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti explores his controversial life as an artist, political activist and revolutionary musician. Sunday, January 30, 2 pm.
King Lear, directed by Michael Grandage with Derek Jacobi in the title role, in association with the Donmar Warehouse and featuring the creative team behind the company’s recent Broadway hit about Mark Rothko, Red. Sunday, February 20, 7 pm.
Frankenstein, directed by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting). Wednesday, April 6, 7 pm.
The Cherry Orchard, directed by Howard Davies and starring Zoë Wanamaker as Madame Ranevskaya. Sunday, July 17, 7 pm.
DATE CHANGES
Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán Date Change. To accommodate the addition of Assi El Helani, as well as youth performances for schoolchildren, the date of the public concert for Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán has been changed to Friday, November 5 at 8 pm – one day earlier than previously announced.
Kodo Date Change — FAMILY PERFORMANCE ONLY. The FAMILY PERFORMANCE of Kodo will take place on Thursday, February 24 at 11 am, not Wednesday, February 23 as published in the series brochure. The public performance of Kodo will still take place on Wednesday evening as previously announced.
Single ticket brochures will be mailed in about a week (don’t forget – the internet on-sale date is Monday, August 23, with phone and walk-up orders on Wednesday, August 25. Donors of $250+ may purchase beginning Wednesday, August 18!).
31 days to the start of the season…let the countdown begin!