Performing Arts Series

Hailed by the Washington Post as “one of the best quartets before the public today,” the Danish String Quartet has established a reputation for integrated sound, impeccable intonation, and judicious balance. Their Middlebury debut program includes Bartók’s first quartet, Beethoven’s first Razumovsky quartet, and arrangements of traditional Nordic folk tunes. A Nelson Series event. Reserved seating. Tickets: $28/22/6

Hailing from Burkina Faso, the Dafra Kura Band fuses the high energy of the griot ancestral tradition and the contemporary sounds of modern African cities sourced from Manding tradition, nomad desert blues, and Afrobeat. Hear the band shine solo before their performances with Baker & Tarpaga Dance Project later in the week. Olivier Tarpaga, artistic director.

Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw caps her Middlebury residency with an evening of her music, in collaboration with Middlebury College vocal students. In addition to being the youngest-ever winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Music, Shaw sings with the Grammy-award winning vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth, plays violin with the American Contemporary Music Ensemble, scored the soundtrack for the feature film To Keep the Light, and has collaborated with Kanye West. Sponsored by the Rothrock Family Residency Fund, Ross Commons, Chellis House, and the Department of Music. Free.

Cellist David Finckel and pianist Wu Han are not only “chamber music’s busy power couple”(New York Times) but also two of Middlebury’s most frequent and beloved performers. In this video presentation, they’ve invited us into their Westchester home for a French-inspired program of cello sonatas by Saint-Saëns and Franck. Special commentary by the artists and a surprise encore included. Part of our 2022 celebration of the cello.

Concert program:

Camille Saint-Saëns, Sonata no. 1 in C Minor for Cello and Piano, Op. 32 (1872)

The great Catalan cellist Pablo Casals (1876–1973) stands alone as arguably the most influential and universally revered instrumentalist of all time. He was first cellist in history to recognize Bach’s Six Solo Suites as great music, and the first to record them. This was only one of the musical milestones of this extraordinary man, who not only dominated cello playing for more than half a century, but also served as an uncompromising and indisputable voice of social conscience.

One of the most historied Shakespeare theatre companies in the world takes on the Bard’s comedic masterpiece, exploring two wildly different romances, each wrapped in secrets and trickery. Co-founded by Sir Patrick Stewart in 1975, Actors From The London Stage embraces theatrical simplicity at its finest. Five actors take the stage, with minimal props and costumes, and direct themselves in a performance of a complete Shakespeare play, with each actor portraying multiple roles.

We’re thrilled to welcome back the acclaimed Takács Quartet, long-time friends of the Performing Arts Series and “one of the world’s greatest string quartets” (The New York Times) for their 27^th appearance at Middlebury. For this unique collaborative concert, the Takács will be joined by Julien Labro, one of the foremost accordion and bandoneon players in both the classical and jazz worlds. His artistry, virtuosity, and creativity as a musician, composer, and arranger have earned him international acclaim.

Nobuntu, the dazzling female a cappella quintet from Zimbabwe, has drawn international acclaim for its inventive performances that range from traditional Mbube songs to Afro Jazz and Gospel. The ensemble’s concerts are performed with pure voices, augmented by minimalistic percussion, traditional instruments such as the Mbira, and organic, authentic dance movements. Their traditional Mbube songs (mostly in native languages) center around family, work, faith, and home, and are affirming, authentic, and celebratory.

Performance subject to change.

Extraordinary Vermont-based cellist and composer Zoë Keating continues our cello celebration with a contemporary lens. A one-woman orchestra, she uses a cello and a foot-controlled laptop to record layer upon layer of cello, creating intricate, haunting, and compelling music. Keating has a devoted global audience and her self-released albums have reached #1 several times on the iTunes classical chart. She has composed music for ballet, theater, film, and radio and lends her music regularly to film, tv, dance productions, and commercials.

Hailing from historic County Waterford, Danú is one of the leading traditional Irish ensembles of today. Their standing-room only concerts throughout Ireland are true events featuring high-energy performances and a glorious mix of ancient Irish music and new repertoire. Danú’s virtuosi players on flute, tin whistle, fiddle, button accordion, bouzouki, and vocals (Irish and English), have performed around the globe and recorded seven critically acclaimed albums. Their Middlebury debut program is sure to warm your spirits in advance of St. Patrick’s Day.