old legends, from Shakespeare s tales or from famous books. These works are interspersed with other characterful pieces which reflect a quiet mood or a scene from nature. Music is the exaltation of poetry. Both of them may excel apart, but surely they are most excellent when they are joyn d, because nothing is then wanting to either of their proportions; for thus they appear like wit and beauty in the same person. Henry Purcell Mendelssohn and Berlioz were both inspired by literature, particularly the works of Shakespeare. Both were part of a new awakening in Europe to the powers of the Bard, a trend fuelled both by new translations and by the increasing interest in and reverence for the past which characterised many forms of artistic endeavour in t...  (less)

on Broadway after a run as part of the Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park 2008. The cast of the Broadway revival of Hair features Will Swenson as Berger, Tony nominee Gavin Creel as Claude, Sasha Allen as Dionne, Caissie Levy as Sheila, Allison Case as Crissy, Kacie Sheik as Jeanie, Bryce Ryness as Woof, Darius Nichols as Hud, Megan Lawrence as Mother and Andrew Kober as Margaret Mead/Dad. With a score including such enduring musical numbers as "Let the Sun Shine In," "Aquarius," "Hair" and "Good Morning Starshine," Hair depicts the birth of a cultural movement in the `60s and `70s that changed America forever: the musical follows a group of hopeful, free-spirited young people who advocate a lifestyle of pacifism and free-love in a society riddled wi...  (less)

read by some of the finest actors in the world. Artists Rufus Wainright, Barbara Bonney, Des'ree, Bryan Ferry, Keb Mo, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Annie Lennox, and John Potter perform eight new, original songs. Much of the music was written and conducted by top film composer Michael Kamen.  (less)

to the present day. The tally now stands at over fifty settings contained in six books, known collectively as the Oxford Songs. These range from short arias for solo voice to fully orchestrated cantatas for several singers lasting over half an hour. In June 2000, a twenty-minute setting of the famous balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet was commissioned and premiered at Merkin Hall in New York City. Beyond the Oxfordian realm, Joseph Summer has completed seven operas and numerous orchestral works. In 2003, in collaboration with music director John McGinn, Summer founded The Shakespeare Concerts. To date, this series has presented concerts of Bard settings (by Summer and others) to audiences across Massachusetts, as well as St. Thomas! in the Virg...  (less)