Culture Club

BALLET IN PARIS
Legendary choreographers George Balanchine, Rudolf Nureyev and William Forsythe revolutionized ballet, their works acting as bridges between the classical and modern forms. From April 4 to May 9 dance fans can witness the evolution of ballet over the course of a single evening when the Ballet de l'Opéra performs The Four Temperaments (1946), Raymonda (1983), and Artifact Suite (2004), choreographed respectively by Balanchine, Nureyev and Forsythe, together in one show at the Bastille Opera. A rare treat, even if you don't know your plié from your pirouette. www.operadeparis.fr
by Jeffrey T. Iverson

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The Royal Shakespeare Company's
Complete Histories

THEATER IN LONDON
Was William Shakespeare a shameless propagandist? Or a shrewd critic of the monarchy? One way to decide is to watch the Royal Shakespeare Company perform his full set of history plays — Richard II, both parts of Henry IV, Henry V, Henry VI's three parts and Richard III — at London's Roundhouse theater until May 25. The Histories Cycle climaxes with all eight plays in chronological order over four consecutive days — 100 years of royalty and treachery seen through Will's eyes. www.rsc.org.uk
by Jumana Farouky

OPERA IN MILAN
One of the world's most renowned conductors comes to the world's most famous opera house when Daniel Barenboim leads the orchestra in a new production of Prokofiev's The Gambler at La Scala from June 16 to June 30. It starts with Alexei (played by Ukrainian Misha Didyk, hailed as "one of opera's most exciting young lyric tenors" by the BBC) gambling away diamonds belonging to his love Pauline (Latvian rising star Kristina Opolais), and things get magnificently tragic from there. www.teatroallascala.org
by Mimi Murphy

MUSIC IN TOKYO
On May 17, Tokyo's Sumida Triphony Hall plays host to a powerhouse duo of Japan's classical music scene, as celebrated conductor Seiji Ozawa meets virtuoso pianist Ayako Uehara. Accompanied by the New Japan Philharmonic, Uehara will perform Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3, displaying the superb technique and dynamism that helped her become the first woman to win the International Tchaikovsky Competition. The njp will follow that performance with Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 "Pathétique", a piece known as Ozawa's specialty. www.njp.or.jp
by Yuki Oda