The MSU campus will receive a steady cultural IV of theatre and music beginning Sept. 20. On that date, the horns will warm up, the string section will pick up their bows and the dramatists will review their lines one more time for poise to start this year’s installment of the Lyceum Series at Mississippi State.
According to the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, the word “lyceum” connotes an institution for popular education providing discussions, lectures and concerts.
In ancient Athens, the Lyceum was the gymnasium where Aristotle thought.
The weighty and historical significance of the title carries over to the Lyceum Series’ quality set of performances.
The university is showcasing the following in chronological order: explosive, expressive dance; a Broadway classic; the “national treasure to new South Africa”; the world-recognized sound of New Orleans; and a most eclectic example of chamber music.
Koresh Dance Company, the first of five headlining acts, will perform Oct. 9 in Lee Hall Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. The creativity of Israeli born choreographer and artistic director Ronen Koresh is manifested in the Koresh Dance Company. The troupe’s performances meld together classical ballet, modern dance and jazz to form one choreographed, provocative and inventive explosion of motion after the other.
The Philadelphia City Paper describes their work as “…bold statements in the expressive form of dance.” Koresh’s mission to educate is realized in the Company’s commitment to promoting the arts.
In addition to routinely blowing audiences away, the Koresh Dance Company regularly conducts pre- and post-performance discussions and also travels to public and private schools to lecture.
The Company also teaches master dance classes and gives residencies to aspiring artists honing their dance moves.
The second and possibly most critically praised production of the Lyceum Series is Phoenix Entertainment’s “Gypsy: Let Me Entertain You” and will come to Lee Hall auditorium Nov. 15 at 7:30. A regular in Broadway’s rotation, “Gypsy” has amassed more than 20 Tony Award nominations, including one for Best Musical.
The New York Times went out on a limb to dub the production “the greatest of all American musicals.” The show, which includes dramatic and musical bits, recalls a well-polished version of early twentieth century vaudeville, only with a limitless production budget.
The sub-acts, which by themselves are considered theatrical cornerstones, include “Everything’s Coming up Roses,” “You Gotta Have a Gimmick,” and “Let Me Entertain You” and are performed with the precision and extravagance of a scene from “West Side Story.” Jule Styne contributes the music to “Gypsy” and Stephen Sondheim is responsible for the lyrics.
One word comes to mind more than any while researching “Gypsy”: classic. Imagine what adjectives will roll in after the actual performance.
In 1993, before Nelson Mandela was the president of South Africa, he was but a humble recipient of the Nobel Piece Prize. The choice few individuals selected to accompany Mandela and accept the award comprise the celebrated musical group Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
The group, slated to perform in Lee Hall’s auditorium Feb. 12, 2008 at 7:30 p.m., will have two chances to return Mandela’s favor in the future as they have been twice nominated for Grammy Awards for their latest album, “Long Walk to Freedom.” Ladysmith Black Mambazo is widely credited as a symbol of the South African traditions suppressed in the “old” South Africa.
Today, South Africa is headed by President Mandela, and its people treasure the group of Zulu singers for their persistence through politically turbulent times. Ladysmith recently performed their “Homeless” a cappella at an event celebrating accomplishments of Paul Simon.
J. du Lac of The Washington Post covered the event and noted that the performers had “breathtaking depth and richness to their vocals.” Simon then joined “[his] brothers from South Africa” (Ladysmith) to perform his “Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes.” Du Lac describes Simon’s demeanor while performing with them as “positively elated,” a feeling that most assuredly translates any of Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s audiences.
In New Orleans, the Preservation Hall is one of the only places one can catch a purely musical experience these days — pure in that there is nothing to the place except the music resonating between its walls, no air conditioning, no drinking. It is this sort of barebones musical experience that the members of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band convey in their studio work and live performances. The band was founded in 1961 by Allan and Sandra Jaffe and is currently directed by Ben Jaffe, the founders’ son. The Jazz Band is a band of a different concept, the band’s title remains constant but members often rotate in and out. Notable charter members include some of the forerunners of jazz, Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong. Their distinct New Orleans sound is enjoyed by the world over, including royalty from Britain and Thailand. The look of the band brings to mind dusted-over, time-weathered photographs of the good old days, and the N’awlins sound comes clear and reminiscent.
The Turtle Island Quartet is the fifth and final of the Lyceum Series’ major productions. The group, set to perform at Lee Hall auditorium April 3, 2008 at 7:30pm, brought in 2006’s Grammy for Best Classical Crossover Recording of the Year. Both the quartet’s sound and inspiration for their name come from folklore. Since the Turtle Island Quartet’s inception over twenty years ago, the group has focused on and explored extensively the different aspects of chamber music. Chamber music is defined as a musical production fit for performance in a room or small concert hall and usually involves anywhere from two to ten musicians. The Quartet utilizes improvisational and compositional techniques not seen or heard in the musi cal world for 200 years. Clearly, each member is a master of their respective crafts and their collective musical capacity unfolds in a list of musical genres that they reflect which include “folk, bluegrass, swing, be-bop, funk, R&B, new age,” as well as Latin American and Indian sounds. Highly decorated cellist, Yo-Yo Ma, presents them as “a unified voice that truly breaks newground.”
The schedule of performances is stretched over a few months, beginning in late September and ending in early April. Placed between the five headlining acts are the MSU Lyceum Faculty Chamber Series, a group of recitals performed by faculty and staff involved in planning the Lyceum Series.
More in-depth coverage of the details of Lyceum Series including ticket information and details of the MSU Lyceum Faculty Chamber Series is to follow.