World On Stage
To Present Eight World Music Concerts
International Artists Represent
Argentina, Bulgaria, Columbia, France, India, Italy,
Japan, Korea, Mexico, Spain, and The United States
Series Created
By Founder Of Boston International Festival
BOSTON, MA -- World on Stage will present a Fall series of eight concerts showcasing international musical groups and solo artists representing Argentina, Bulgaria, Columbia, France, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Spain, and the United States. The first two of the eight performances will take place at Regent Theatre in Arlington. The remaining six performances will be held at the prestigious National Heritage Museum in Lexington. (Using this series as a foundation, World on Stage plans to present 50 shows in 2013 at numerous venues throughout the Greater Boston area.)
Artists will include Voices From The Balkans, Annie Royer, Pablo Mayor Folklore Urbano Orchestra, Newpoli, Women Of The World, A Palo Seco Flamenco Company, Sofia Rei and Sounds of Korea.
World on Stage is the creation of Lexington's Subhash Malhotra, creator of the highly successful Boston International Festival, New England's largest multicultural celebration, which began in 1992. In 1998, International Festivals were expanded to other major U.S. cities including Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, Washington DC, and Edison, NJ. The Festivals were last held in 2002.
Originally from India, Malhotra came to the United States in 1967. With three master's degrees and having traveled to more than 50 countries both personally and during his days as a management consultant with Arthur D. Little, Malhotra has always had an affinity for showcasing and celebrating the rich diversity of world culture present in the United States.
Concerning this new project, he commented, "Now, with World On Stage, we are focusing specifically on international music and dance by some of the world's most outstanding young and upcoming artists on the international music scene. We hope our audiences will be a combination of loyal fans, along with those discovering new artists and new sounds. Each concert is unique, and I know each will offer an opportunity for us to share each other's culture."
Tickets are now on sale, for both individual concerts and subscription series, online at www.WorldOnStage.com. Membership series tickets are available at a discount. For information, please call 781-861-9730 or 781-910-1590.
The full schedule of performances, in calendar order, includes:
Saturday, September 29, 7 p.m.
Voices From The Balkans
Regent Theater in Arlington
World-renowned Balkan vocalist and teacher, Tatiana Sarbinska, will perform an extensive repertoire set to include music from all of Bulgaria’s folkloric regions. The former star soloist of the famed Bulgarian Pirin Ensemble and known as the Voice of Pirin in her native country, Tatiana says "Bulgaria’s songs! Aren’t they a real flame from the everlasting soul of our nation? Aren’t they the magic that has preserved Bulgaria over the centuries? My life is like a folk song. In the magic of this folk song is my desire to sing expressively and tenderly." She will be joined by her long time singing partner and accompanist, Koliu Kolev, a master of Balkan accordion, as well as two of her Boston groups: the Women's Chorus Divi Zheni (Wild Women) and the Men's Chorus and Orchestra Zorniitsa.
Saturday, September 29, 9 p.m.
Annie Royer
Regent Theater in Arlington
Annie Royer, a Paris native who now makes Florida her home, has captivated audiences on both sides of the Atlantic with her musical and dramatic talents and her Gallic charm. Her repertoire ranges from her specialty -- soulful and haunting renditions of cabaret songs a la Edith Piaf -- to popular French tunes (Chevalier, Montant, Trenet, Mistinguette, Becaud, Aznavour) and lively Broadway and jazz favorites. A highly sought-after entertainer at jazz clubs, on concert stages and in festivals around the world, Annie will be backed by her band of renowned musicians, “Les Garçons Musette,” all talented and well known musicians on their own. Annie has also appeared in movies and the theatre.
Saturday, October 6, 7 p.m.
Pablo Mayor Folklore Urbano Orchestra
National Heritage Museum in Lexington
Pablo Mayo Folklore Urbano Orchestra, a New York City-based collective of 12 musicians and dancers, is a fresh, sophisticated and wildly entertaining addition to the burgeoning scene of new Colombian music.
Pablo Mayor, an accomplished jazz pianist, composer and one of the best known Columbia musicians in the United States, artfully harnesses the joyful and complex rhythms of his country’s dance music. The sound is fresh, with the wonderfully textured rhythms originating from the diverse regions of Colombia, the Caribbean, the Pacific coasts and the Andes.
Folklore Urbano forges new territory by presenting the improvisational elements of jazz while retaining the rhythm and flavor of a Colombian tradition that is mostly unknown today. In New York, the band has played at a host of prestigious venues including S.O.B’s, Central Park’s Harlem Meer Festival, and the Brooklyn Museum, as well as at the Festival Internacional de Arte de Cali in Cali, Colombia.
Saturday, October 6, 9 p.m.
Newpoli
National Heritage Museum in Lexington
Newpoli is an exciting group of exceptionally talented musicians, professionally trained at prestigious schools in Italy, Europe, and the United States who perform a joyful mix of traditional folk music and dance from southern Italy. The group has been enthusiastically received in theaters and concert halls throughout the United States and Europe, with audiences mesmerized by the vitality, energy and spice of their music. One critic noted, “Here’s a great way to transport yourself to Southern Italy without worrying about the exchange rate –- or a plane ticket." Founded in 2003, Newpoli made their European debut at Diacetum Festival in Tuscany, Italy, and has been enthusiastically received at prestigious venues and festivals worldwide ever since.
Saturday, October 20, 7 p.m.
Women Of The World
National Heritage Museum in Lexington
What started out as a dream has become a dynamic musical force. Ayumi Ueda, a Berklee College of Music alumnus from Japan, sought to create an international vocal ensemble of women from all over the world to create music for peace. In 2008, she joined forces with like-minded musicians, Ali Rapetti from the United States, Giorgia Renosto from Italy, and Annette Philip from India, in order to manifest this vision. Complemented by an eclectic band featuring Hinako Sato, Noriko Terada and Kazuyo Kuriya from Japan, Sara Cristal Peña Coffin from Mexico, Shirazette Tinnin and Sue Buzzard of the United States, this unique ensemble of women musicians has delighted in sharing the musical beauty of a diverse series of cultures.
From Bulgarian, Cuban, Ladino, Brazilian, African, Indian and Japanese music to spontaneous improvisation and a-cappella interludes, the sound created by this unique group has grown to have a power that moves not only the members, but larger and larger audiences as it spreads awareness of different cultures, music and philosophies.
Saturday, October 20, 9 p.m.
A Palo Seco Flamenco Company
National Heritage Museum in Lexington
A Palo Seco Flamenco has burst into the United States flamenco scene with an amalgamation of one of the finest group of flamenco musicians and dancers on stage in the country. Their work combines traditional techniques with a modern, metropolitan flare. Run by Artistic Director and Choreographer, Rebeca Tomas, the company's productions have received critical acclaim from The New York Times, New York Theater Wire and Theatre Online, who described the company's premiere as "a feast for the eyes and the ears." NYTheater.com added, "The artists in A Palo Seco go far beyond showcasing their great musical and dance talent -- they offer the experience of being transported by something deep and powerful stirring inside."
Saturday, November 3, 6 p.m.
Sounds of Korea
National Heritage Museum in Lexington
The Sounds of Korea elevates traditional music and dance from their homeland to a higher level. Their striking instruments and colorful costumes are part of the unfolding of the traditional performing arts of Korea –- from Buddhist drumming and shamanistic dance to folk dance and the music of diverse regions. Several of the ensemble’s members have earned the distinction of “Intangible National Asset” –- the highest national honor for a performing artist in Korea. This unique show presents an exceptional range of colorful dances, beautiful songs and exotic music, all from Korea. The company's range is extraordinary.
Saturday, November 3, 9 p.m.
Sofia Rei
National Heritage Museum in Lexington
Sofia Rei has been hailed as one of the most passionate, charismatic and inventive vocalists to come out of South America. Originally from Buenos Aires, Sofia has a remarkable sound grounded in traditional South American rhythms. Singing in Spanish, Portuguese or English, Sofia’s voice is as graceful as it is sophisticated, tying together diverse influences in a program full of rhythmic complexity, melody and romance. Her ensemble produces a range of textures as diverse as the cultural roots of its members, an international cast that includes some of the most exciting young talents from North and South America.
The Latin Jazz Corner commented, “Her power and precision sets her apart from the legions of current jazz vocalists.” The New York Times added, “As the Argentine singer Sofía Rei led her multinational band, the passion and clarity with which she assayed a tricky mix of South American rhythms and jazz-inflected harmonies made clear why she has been embraced by New York City audiences from Carnegie Hall to the hippest downtown haunts.”
Sofia performs extensively at the most prestigious venues and festivals in the United States, Europe and South America. She has won coveted awards in the categories of Jazz and South American music.
Tickets are now on sale, for both individual concerts and subscription series, online at www.WorldOnStage.com. For information, please call 781-861-9730 or 781-910-1590.