Ann Arbor — The University Musical Society’s (UMS) mainstage season is in full tilt with October events featuring four captivating events ranging from reliable classical phenoms to thrilling dance and theater performances.
Starting the month, Isata Kanneh-Mason (pictured) kicks off UMS’s 146th Annual Choral Union Series and the first of three recital debuts by a new generation of dynamic pianists (Thursday, October 10, Hill Auditorium). A week later, the transcendent London Philharmonic returns to Hill Auditorium for the first time in 13 years, with UMS debuts by principal conductor Edward Gardner and violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja in a program of Shostakovich, Sibelius, Benjamin Britten and LPO composer-in-residence Tania León (Friday, October 18, HIll Auditorium).
That same weekend, UMS presents the UMS debut of the unconventional theater company Elevator Repair Service, known for its staged performance of the entirety of The Great Gatsby. For this performance, they bring a full theater production drawn from an eclectic sampling from James Joyce’s life-affirming masterpiece, Ulysses (Saturday-Sunday, October 19-20, Power Center).
Finally, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan returns to Ann Arbor for the first time in 13 years with an evocative performance of childhood and cultural memories that blends Taiwanese folk songs, Taoist chant, and electronica in 13 Tongues (Saturday-Sunday, October 26-27, Power Center). In addition to these mainstage performances, many of the artists will participate in extra public events, as noted below.
Tickets and additional information are available at ums.org.
About UMS
A recipient of the 2014 National Medal of Arts, UMS (also known as the University Musical Society) contributes to a vibrant cultural community by connecting audiences with performing artists from around the world in uncommon and engaging experiences. One of the oldest performing arts presenters in the country, UMS is an independent non-profit organization based in Ann Arbor and affiliated with the University of Michigan. The organization presents dozens of music, theater, and dance performances by professional touring artists each season, along with many free public and private educational activities throughout Southeast Michigan. Since 1990, the organization has co-commissioned and supported the production of over 80 new or reimagined works. Matthew VanBesien became the organization’s seventh president in July 2017.
