Manhattan String Quartet brings music to Plaza Arts Center
Published 8:00 am Wednesday, September 9, 2009
The renowned and critically-acclaimed Manhattan String Quartet will bring sweet sounds to the Plaza Arts Center later this month.
Dubbed as one of the nation’s leading ensembles, the Manhattan String Quartet is known the world over for its recordings, which Time magazine says, “blends understanding, cohesion and sharpness to convey the breadth and brilliance of these involving works.”
The String Quartet is celebrating its 39th season. Hailed by Michael Steinberg of the Boston Globe as “a national treasure,” the Manhattan Quartet has appeared throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico and South America.
“It’s really a pretty extraordinary opportunity for us,” said Lydia Huggins Ivanditti, Plaza Arts Center director.
Ivanditti said the musical engagement will allow the Arts Center to formulate stronger cultural ties and set the bar higher for its performances.
“This is Carnegie Hall type show in Eatonton,” she said, adding that even people who would not normally frequent this type of performance should take note of this cultural opportunity and experience.
The group has been Quartet-in-Residence at Colgate University for the past 16 years, and has also held similar posts at the Manhattan School of Music, Cornell University, Grinnell College, Western Connecticut State University, the Chamber Music Institute in Racine, Wisconsin and Michigan’s Interlochen National Music Camp (for 21 summers). The Quartet’s teaching activities also include its own annual KentMusic String Quartet Conference in June, and annual European conferences focusing on major works in the string quartet repertoire hosted in the cities where these pieces were composed.
Well known for their performances of 20th century classics, the Manhattan String Quartet has established a significant international reputation as today’s pre-eminent interpreter of the 15 string quartets of Dmitri Shostakovich. Recent performances of this complete cycle have been presented in New York City at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Town Hall and the Kaye Playhouse of Hunter College; in Paris on French National Radio; at the International Shostakovich Festival in Troy, N.Y.; and in college and university settings throughout the United States.
The Quartet performs and teaches regularly in the musical capitals of Europe including Paris, Prague, Budapest, Leipzig and Vienna and has appeared in South America, Mexico, Portugal and Canada. In autumn 2005, the Quartet made its first tour of Asia and played to sold-out houses in Nagoya and Tokyo, Japan.
In their upcoming performance at the Arts Center, the Quartet will perform some of the great classical music by Mozart and Raze. They will perform a special presentation of the “Mendelssohn Octet in E flat major.” And, as an added feature, the Quartet will perform with resident spring quartet, Kazanetti, a special and unique opportunity for patrons to witness.
“It’s not something that performed very often,” said Ivanditti. “I think it will be an evening of real quality.”
According to a New York Times review, “The Manhattan String Quartet understands precisely what must be done to communicate the composer’s message. Propulsive energy, hair-trigger precision, balanced perspectives, keen sensitivity to shifting moods — chamber music performance doesn’t come much better than this.”
The Manhattan String Quartet will perform Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the theater of the Plaza Arts Center in Eatonton. Reserved seating. Tickets range from $25 to $45. For more information can visit
www. theplazaartscenter.com or contact the Plaza Arts Center at (706) 923-1655.