Jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, the Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim musical “West Side Story” and the slick-fingered stylings of banjo player Tony Trischka will anchor the 2012-13 season of Portland Ovations.
The performing arts presenter announced details of its upcoming season at a members-only sneak preview party Wednesday night.
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“The season feels robust and very full,” said Executive Director Aimee Petrin. “It feels dynamic.”
The schedule also includes performances by the Joffrey Ballet, the Bad Plus jazz trio and the renowned classical pianist Marc-Andre Hamelin.
In addition to “West Side Story,” Portland Ovations will offer the touring production of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” the national tour of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical “Hair” and “Rock of Ages.”
The season will begin Oct. 5-6 with a world premiere of the dance piece “Voyeur” by Bridgman/Packer Dance. The dance duo drew inspiration from Edward Hopper paintings and created a multimedia piece that includes video shot in Maine. Portland Ovations co-commissioned the work, which will tour nationally after its debut in Portland.
For the Bridgman/Packer presentation, Portland Ovations will team with the Institute of Contemporary Art at the Maine College of Art. The gallery on Congress Street will host the performances, continuing a trend in which Portland Ovations is moving away from its traditional home at Portland’s Merrill Auditorium and into smaller venues in and out of town.
Most of the events will be held at Merrill, but in the coming season Portland Ovations also will present shows at Hannaford Hall at the University of Southern Maine in Portland and at the Westbrook Performing Arts Center.
“In each of the last two seasons now, we have been at four different venues,” Petrin said. “One reason for branching out is to always make sure the venue matches the artist and the audience. We consider the scale of the show, production elements and intimacy. You want people to have the right relationship with what’s happening on stage.”
The best example of that may be Trischka, who will present the world premiere of the Banjo Project, which highlights the history of the instrument. He will perform on April 6 at Hannaford Hall.
“You want to be up close and see his fingers move,” Petrin said.
Tickets will go on sale to Portland Ovations members on Monday, and to the public June 18 through PortTix, the Merrill Auditorium box office.
For details, visit portlandovations.com or porttix.com.
Staff Writer Bob Keyes can be reached at 791-6457 or at:
bkeyes@pressherald.com
twitter: pphbkeyes
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