The Newman Center Presents series, which brings artists from around the world to the University of Denver campus, has announced its 2014–15 season. The lineup features a healthy dose of music — classical, jazz, Americana and more — plus theater and dance.
The season kicks off Sept. 23 with mandolinist and frequent Newman Center visitor Chris Thile, who will perform with bassist and composer Edgar Meyer. Vintage jazz outfit Hot Sardines — which plays music influenced by the likes of Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt and Fats Waller — follows on Oct. 10.
Other music on the schedule includes the Colorado Symphony — featuring soloist and conductor Pinchas Zukerman — on Nov. 16; a holiday concert with Britain’s King’s Singers on Dec. 10; double bass player Renaud Garcia-Fons and his quartet on Jan. 10; an intriguing pairing of alternative classical ensemble Alarm Will Sound and jazzy jam band Medeski Martin & Wood on Feb. 5; vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth — accompanied by members of the Colorado Symphony — on March 6; and the classical-meets-jazz Donal Fox Inventions Trio on April 2, 2015.
On the dance front, China’s first independent professional dance company, Beijing Dance, performs at the Newman Center on Nov. 18; and Aspen Santa Fe Ballet makes a return visit to the venue on Feb. 21 and 22. In between those concerts, choreographer Bill T. Jones and the Arnie Zane Dance Company join forces with students from the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music on Jan. 24 and 25 for “Play and Play — An Evening of Movement and Music,” featuring music by Mendelssohn, Mozart and Jerome Begin.
Los Angeles-based ensemble Diavolo — which fuses everyday pedestrian movement, ballet, contemporary dance, acrobatics, gymnastics, martial arts and hip-hop in its kinetic concerts — closes out the dance portion of the season on May 9–10, 2015.
Every year the NCP series stages a show that involves collaboration with the Denver community. This year that show comes courtesy of Speak Theater Arts, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles and the It Gets Better Project. During the week prior to the production, six members of the chorus will work closely with students and schools in Denver in a series of workshops, rehearsals and community dialogue. The week culminates on April 24, 2015, with “It Gets Better,” a performance intended to heighten awareness of bullying and its damaging effects on any community. The show will integrate a local chorus and local guests, and it will include video and text projections from the archives of the It Gets Better Project.
Other theater artists on the NCP schedule include political satirists Capitol Steps on Oct. 17 and Swiss mask theater troupe Mummenschanz on Nov. 8 and 9.
Season subscriptions for the 2014–15 Newman Center Presents series go on sale March 17; single tickets will be available starting Aug. 7. Visit the Newman Center Presents website for more information.
Newman Center Presents 2014–15 season
Sept. 23 — Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer
Oct. 10 — Hot Sardines: “Speakeasy Nights”
Oct. 17 — Capitol Steps
Nov. 8 9 — Mummenschanz
Nov. 16 — The Colorado Symphony, with Pinchas Zukerman, soloist and conductor
Nov. 18 — Beijing Dance
Dec. 10 — The King’s Singers
Jan. 10 — Renaud Garcia-Fons Quartet: La Línea del Sur
Jan. 24–25 — Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company: “Play and Play” – An Evening of Movement and Music, featuring musicians from the Lamont School of Music
Feb. 5 — Alarm Will Sound and Medeski Martin & Wood
Feb. 21–22 — Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
March 6 — Roomful of Teeth, with the Colorado Symphony
April 2, 2015 — Donal Fox Inventions Trio: Scarlatti Jazz Suite Project
April 24, 2015 — Speak Theater Arts/Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles/It Gets Better Project
May 9–10, 2015 — Diavolo