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One of our greatest challenges each year seems to be finding a way to top ourselves! We believe it's important to bring you a season more artistically significant and exciting than the last. This year, that task was especially critical, as 2007/08 will mark the 40th anniversary of Zellerbach Hall and we wanted to find exceptional events to observe the occasion. Fortunately for us—and you!—the world is full of amazing and highly inventive artists. I'm pleased to report that I think we've done it again. Our 2007/08 Season will give us all a chance to expand our artistic boundaries by experiencing the latest work and stellar talents of those who create the best dance, music, and theater in the world today. Cal Performances has long been famous for our commitment to bringing important dance works on a grand scale to the Zellerbach Hall stage, and our 2007/08 Season will be one of our biggest ever in that regard. Three major American ballet companies—the Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and Miami City Ballet—will join us to focus on the enduring work of one of this country's leading choreographers, Twyla Tharp. We'll also put a spotlight on the Russian dance tradition as we present two of the most popular story ballets in the repertoire: Swan Lake and Giselle. Both productions will feature some of the leading artists in dance, including prima ballerina Nina Ananiashvili, who will dance with her newly formed company, the State Ballet of Georgia. In modern dance, we'll bring you the premieres of critically acclaimed works from two of the greatest choreographers of our time, Mark Morris (Mozart Dances) and the doyenne of German tanztheater, Pina Bausch (Ten Chi), in addition to presenting the return of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, fresh off of one of the company's most successful seasons ever. In music, we'll thrill to the superb artistry of today's finest singers as the great Bryn Terfel makes his long anticipated return to Zellerbach Hall; phenomenal tenor Rolando Villazón makes a Special Event encore appearance; the charismatic Dmitri Hvorostovsky celebrates the vocal music of his homeland with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra; mezzo-soprano Olga Borodina makes her Cal Performances debut; and the ever-adventurous Dawn Upshaw appears in a collaboration with acclaimed new-music ensemble eighth blackbird. On the instrumental side, we'll be blessed once again with an opportunity to marvel at the virtuosity of peerless cellist Yo-Yo Ma, as well as the brilliant musicianship of violinist Hilary Hahn, viola da gambist Jordi Savall, and pianist Rudolf Buchbinder, as he continues his ongoing exploration of the Beethoven piano sonatas. And our jazz offerings will expand to two series this year, including visits from Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and the immortal Sonny Rollins. One of the most important ways we'll grow artistically this season is through our exciting new partnership with another leading Bay Area arts organization, the San Francisco Opera, as we welcome the esteemed company to Zellerbach Hall in a coproduction of Rachel Portman's The Little Prince. Our common goal in jointly bringing you the West Coast premiere of this delightful work is to introduce a whole new generation to the unique joys of opera. I hope you'll have the opportunity to share this charming and colorful production with a special young person in your life. As always, I encourage you to learn more artistically by joining us for one or all of our Education & Community Programs presented in conjunction with the events on our stages. This season, you will have a chance to take an in-depth look at Twyla Tharp's impact upon American dance and culture; delve deeper into the intricate art of Bunraku puppetry; and enhance your understanding and enjoyment of the artistic process by attending over 15 free Sightlines pre-and post-performance talks. For more information on these events and others, see our Education & Community Programs site. Finally, a critical key to Cal Performances' continued artistic growth lies in the hands of those audience members who also become our generous donors, and in doing so, play an important role in our enduring success. With that in mind, I encourage you to not only join us in the performance hall this season, but to join our family of donors, as well, when you make your subscription selections. For more information, see our Why Subscribe page. I look forward to sharing with you this season some of the most remarkable, inspiring, and significant artists on the stage today, right here at Cal Performances.
Sincerely,
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calperfs.berkeley.edu