Toronto's National Ballet of Canada makes its first visit to BAM in 40 years with The Contract (April 5-9), a story ballet based on the Robert Browning poem "The Pied Piper of Hamelin." The original score is by Michael Torke. Other dance highlights include the Mark Morris Dance Group (April 19-23) performing the New York premiere of Morris's Rock of Ages, among other works; Montreal's La La La Human Steps (February 1-5) performing the evening-length Amelia, with music by David Lang; and the 28th DanceAfrica festival (May 27-29).
Mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung performs Three Classic Heroines (May 17-21), a collection of scenes from Haydn's Arianna a Naxos, Berlioz's The Death of Cleopatra, and Britten Phaedra. Jonathan Sheffer leads his Eos Orchestra; Francesca Zambello directs.
Other musical events include a music-theater piece by Laurie Anderson, an evening of gospel, a spoken-word and hip-hop performance, and two nights of Sufi devotional song.
Among the theater works on the schedule is the U.S. premiere of Play Without Words (March 15-April 3), a music-theater piece by Matthew Bourne (whose all-male Swan Lake was a surprise Broadway hit) set in 1960s London and featuring a new jazz score.
