The Great Performance Series at Hope College will feature a diverse range of artists during the forthcoming 1999-2000 season, the 30th for the series.
The series will open on Monday and Tuesday, Sept.
20-21, with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company in the
DeWitt Center main theatre. The company's repertory
reflects the African-American contribution to contemporary
dance in the United States, and has been acclaimed by
Christine Vincent of the Ford Foundation as "a national
resource."
On Wednesday, Oct. 20, the conservatory-trained
New England Spiritual Ensemble will present traditional
American Negro spirituals. In the words of the "Boston
Globe," the ensemble offers "sophisticated arrangements that
never disturb the brilliant simplicity of the spirituals.
The performance will be held in Dimnent Memorial Chapel.
"ACTER, Actors from the London Stage," will join
Hope College for a residency in early November. ACTER is a
five-person Shakespearean troupe that will share expertise
in English, theater and interdisciplinary classrooms, in
addition to performing "Twelfth Night" on Thursday-Saturday,
Nov. 4-6, in the DeWitt Center main theatre. The acting
company operates with a minimal set, few props and each of
the actors juggling multiple roles.
Next in the lineup is Venezuelan-born pianist
Sergio Tiempo, who will perform on Friday, Jan. 21, in
Dimnent Memorial Chapel. He has been heralded by critics
and musicians alike as one of the outstanding pianists of
his generation, with the "Washington Post" commending him as
"ahead of his time."
The Vogler Quartet of Berlin performs next, with
guest pianist Angela Cheng of Canada, in Dimnent Memorial
Chapel on Monday, March 27. The London "Times" has praised
the quartet for "extraordinary balance, rich sound, and
impeccable balance--a marvelous exhibition of the art of
string quartet playing."
The season ends with the jazz of the Joe Lovano
Trio on Friday, April 14, at the Knickerbocker Theatre.
Grammy nominee Joe Lovano has won such prestigious awards as
"Jazz Artist of the Year" (1995, 1996 "Downbeat" Critics
Poll) and "International Jazz Artist of the Year" (1995,
"Jazz Report Magazine").
All performances begin at 8 p.m. Tickets must be
reserved for the Dayton Contemporary Dance and ACTER
performances by calling the DeWitt Center ticket office at
(616) 395-7890. The box office for Dayton Contemporary
Dance opens for season subscribers on Tuesday, Sept. 7, and
to the general public on Monday, Sept. 13.
Season tickets are available for $100 per family,
including all children 21 years and under. Individual
memberships are $50 for regular adult admission, $42.50 for
senior citizens and $22 for students. Individual ticket
rates are $12.50 for regular adult admission, $10.50 for
senior citizens and $6.50 for students. Visa and MasterCard
are accepted.
Tickets or season program brochures may be
obtained by calling the Great Performance Series at (616)
395-6996.