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Welcome to Lincoln Center Festival 2010. We have searched the world to bring you some of the best the performing arts have to offer. Over the 18 days of this month’s Festival, we present 45 performances by artists and ensembles from 12 countries, and expand our venues to include a new site on Governors Island. The Lincoln Center Festival opened with the Chui Chai . The title, meaning “transformation,” North American premiere of Musashi , a lavish is as much a metaphor for Pichet’s own mod - Noh-inspired drama. Yukio Ninagawa directed ernization of Thai classical dance as it is a the late Hisashi Inoue’s reworking and revital - description of the Ramayana, an Indian epic on ization of a traditional Japanese tale based on which it is based. the life of a real samurai warrior. Two dynamic directors give new life to classics If we had a musical survivors series, it would from literature and film at our newest perfor - undoubtedly include three groups making mance venue. An industrial warehouse on Festival debuts this month: The Blind Boys of Governors Island will be the dramatic backdrop Alabama, Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou, for the North American premieres of Peter and Emir Kusturica and The No Smoking Stein’s marathon adaptation of Dostoyevsky’s Orchestra. The Blind Boys have inspired musi - novel The Demons and Toneelgroep Amster- cians and music lovers of all tastes for decades, dam’s Teorema , based on the film by Pier Paolo and over three nights we’ll celebrate their con - Pasolini and directed by Ivo van Hove. tribution to the American music scene. Benin’s Orchestre Poly-Rythmo and Sarajevo’s No Georgian writer, director, and master puppeteer Smoking Orchestra are hugely successful in Rezo Gabriadze returns with an encore of his their homelands but have only recently burst elegant and elegiac The Battle of Stalingrad . onto the international scene. Both make their Puppet theater for adults, it mixes humor and U.S. debuts at the Festival. heartbreak to tell the story of one of the most devastating battles of World War II. It is always a pleasure to present innovative work from the world of dance, and wonderful to We take an unprecedented look at the complete wel come back the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane work of 20th-century musical maverick Edgard Dance Company. Bill has never been one to shy Varèse with a two-night retrospective. A true away from difficult subjects, and his Fondly Do pioneer, Varèse longed to “liberate sound” to We Hope… Fervently Do We Pray is an inspiring reflect in music the immense technological and emotionally wrenching work. Dancer and changes of the last century, and the forces of choreographer Saburo Teshigawara, who made the New York Philharmonic, International Con- his Lincoln Center Festival debut in 2006, brings temporary Ensemble, S o¯ Percussion, Musica back his laser-like focus for the compelling one- Sacra, and the Oratorio Society reveal his suc - man tour-de-force Miroku , and Pichet Klunchun cess . With the Festival debut of Germany’s brings his brilliant company from Bangkok for Wuppertal Opera and the North American pre - miere of Salvatore Sciarrino’s La porta della legge , we continue to celebrate composers who break with convention. A master of harmonics and structure, Sciarrino challenges all pre-con - ceived notions of what opera can be.

I am pleased that you are joining us and hope that you will visit often throughout the month.

Nigel Redden Director Lincoln Center Festival The Blind Boys of Alabama

Photographer credit: Shannon Brinkman 07-12 Blind Boys B:Gp 3.qxt 7/2/10 9:32 AM Page 2

Lincol n Cente r Festiva l 2010 The Unbroken Circle

The Blind Boys of Alabama July 14 Jimmy Carter ALICE TULLY HALL Bishop Billy Bowers Ben Moore Eric (Ricky) McKinnie There will be no intermission Tracy Pierce Joey Williams Program to be announced from the stage Peter Levin

Yonder Mountain String Band Guitar Adam Aijala Mandolin Jeff Austin Banjo Dave Johnston Bass Ben Kaufmann

Allison Moorer

Ray Benson and Jason Roberts

Sara Watkins

Ralph Stanley Guitar James Alan Shelton

Lincoln Center Festival 2010 is made possible in part with public funds from the New York City Depart - ment of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

This performance is made possible in part by the Josie Robertson Fund for Lincoln Center.

Sponsor 07-12 Blind Boys B:Gp 3.qxt 7/2/10 9:32 AM Page 3

Lincol n Cente r Festiva l 2010

About The Blind Boys To hear them sing is to recognize the basis of soul, ’60s R&B, and to some extent, rock of Alabama and roll. Artists including James Brown and For seven decades The Blind Boys of Ala- Little Richard have acknowledged the bama have been making distinctively familiar legacy of The Blind Boys in helpi ng to shape music, as recognizable as it is original. To their own musical styles. When you experi - hear them is to understand their conviction ence a Blind Boys concert today you hear that they were put on Earth for the singular songs that you might not have thought of purpose of singing—something they have as gospel, like Norman Greenbaum’s been doing since first coming together in “Spirit in the Sky” or Ben Harper’s “I Shall the late 1930s. Not Walk Alone,” or even The Velvet Under- ground’s “Jesus,” and you hear gospel- After the successes of the Gospel Caravan inspired music reconnect with its roots. days of the 1940s and ’50s the music busi - ness began to change, and while The Blind It is the giving spirit of The Blind Boys Boys continued to sing, old-time gospel that is the key to their long success, not was played in obscure venues, often hin - only to their audiences, but to the other terland churches that were anything but artists with whom they freely collaborate. mainstream. When I heard them live for As one generation learns from the other, the first time in the mid-1980s, at a hastily it’s in the giving that you receive, and at the arranged concert in California with barely end of the day, the message is clearly 30 people in the audience, I didn’t know found in the music. exactly what to expect. I saw a line of lavender-clad, elderly gentlemen walk care - It is with great pride that The Blind Boys fully onto the stage, each with his hand on have been asked to curate, host, and per - the back of the one in front of him. When form in three distinct programs developed the music began, they transformed into specially for Lincoln Center Festival audi - ageless musicians with more energy than ences. In tonight’s performance, the sec - you see from performers 50 years their ond of the series, The Blind Boys explore junior. Though it was essentially the same the intersection of soul, gospel, and country performance they’d been giving for decades, music. By joining together with legendary it was one of the most mind-blowing, amaz - country bluegrass artist Ralph Stanley and ing, and unique musical experiences I have others, the group highlights the many con - ever had. nections between these not-so-distantly- related musical forms. —Chris Goldsmith, Artistic Consultant 07-12 Blind Boys B:Gp 3.qxt 7/2/10 9:32 AM Page 4

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About the Artists Gospel at Colonus , which brought the The Blind Boys of Alabama are recog - timeless sound of The Blind Boys to an nized worldwide as living legends of gospel enthusiastic new audience. In recent years music. Celebrated by the Grammys and The Blind Boys have been awarded five the National Endowment for the Arts with Grammy Awards culminating with a Lifetime Achievement Awards, they have Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2009 attained the highest levels of achievement Grammys. Their colleagues have paid in a career that spans over 60 years and homage to their legacy and their continued shows no signs of diminishing. Longevity relevance by asking them to contribute and and major awards aside, The Blind Boys collaborate on new projects. The Blind have earned praise for their remarkable Boys have appeared on recordings with interpretations of everything from tradi - Bonnie Raitt, Randy Travis, k.d. lang, Lou tional gospel favorites to contemporary Reed, Peter Gabriel, Charlie Musselwhite, spiritual material by acclaimed songwriters Susan Tedeschi, Solomon Burke, Ben including Curtis Mayfield, Ben Harper, Eric Harper, Asleep at the Wheel, and many Clapton, Prince, and Tom Waits. Their per - others. The Blind Boys of Alabama have formances have been experienced by mil - profoundly influenced an entire generation lions on The Tonight Show , Late Night with (or two) of gospel, soul, R&B, and rock David Letterman , the Grammy Awards musicians and are still blazing trails after all telecast, 60 Minutes , and on their own hol - these years. iday PBS special. Unlike some of their old-time gospel music The Blind Boys of Alabama formed at the brethren, The Blind Boys eagerly embrace Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind in the popular music world, bringing gospel 1939. They toiled for nearly 40 years, music to mainstream audiences. As a almost exclusively on the black gospel result the group has formed fast friend - circuit, playing in churches, auditoriums, ships with an impressive array of musi - and stadiums across the country. Their cians—venerable colleagues and youthful recorded output, reaching back to 1948 protégés alike—who span a wealth of gen - with their hit I Can See Everybody’s res. Many artists have asked The Blind Mother But Mine on the Veejay label, is Boys to guest on their projects and their widely recognized as being influential for new release, Duets , documents these rich, many gospel, R&B, and rock and roll artists eclectic, and cohesive interactions. The that followed. The Blind Boys had their music ranges from rock to reggae, country own chance to cross over to popular music to contemporary Christian, and blues to in the 1950s, along with their gospel friend ballads, all unified by The Blind Boys’ deep, and contemporary Sam Cooke, but stayed soulful harmonizing. Featuring 14 unique true to their calling. In the 1960s they collaborations, the CD includes nine previ - joined the civil rights movement, perform - ously released tracks, seven of which ing at benefits for Dr. Martin Luther King. In have appeared on Grammy-nominated or the 1970s it appeared that the world of Grammy-winning albums. The diverse popular music was beginning to pass them group of artists that make up Duets by, but in 1983, their career reached a turn - reflects the expansive appeal of the group ing point with their crucial role in the smash as well as the sweeping reverence for their hit and Obie Award-winning play The talent throughout the industry. 07-12 Blind Boys B:Gp 3.qxt 7/2/10 9:32 AM Page 5

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Yonder Mountain String Band ’s members for best country collaboration with vocals have been together since first meting at for “Days Aren’t Long Enough,” a song co- an informal club performance in 1998. written with her husband, singer-song - With their traditional string instruments writer Steve Earle, and appeared in the stage they may look like a traditional bluegrass production of Howard Zinn and Anthony band, but have instead created their own Arnove’s Rebel Voices . In 2009 she appeared music that transcends any genre. Their in The People Speak , a film inspired by Zinn’s sound is not purely “bluegrass” or “string A People’s History of the United States . music,” but rather an original sound cre - ated from looking at music from their own Ray Benson and Jason Roberts Ray experiences. The band has long cited such Benson was raised in Philadelphia and varied influences as the bluegrass of Del started singing folk songs in a family band McCoury, The Johnson Mountain Boys, in the 1950s. He left to attend Antioch Jimmy Martin, Bill Monroe, and The College in 1969 and that year learned to Osborne Brothers; the punk rock of Bad fingerpick the guitar from John Fahey, Religion, Black Flag, and Dead Kennedys; Stephan Grossman, and old country blues early 20th century composers; and alterna - records. He founded the country-western tive rock bands including Grandaddy and swing band Asleep at the Wheel in 1970 The Postal Service. The Colorado-based with Lucky Owens and in 1973 relocated foursome has crisscrossed the country with the group to Austin, Texas. Fiddle and over the past 11 years playing at festivals, mandolin player Jason Roberts grew up in rock clubs, and venues large and small. Lampasas, Texas, made his stage debut at Their most recent album, The Show , with the age of 13, and was on the road per - rock producer Tom Rothrock (Beck, Elliott forming with live bands the following year. Smith, Foo Fighters) is the band’s fifth stu - He first appeared with Asleep at the Wheel dio recording. at Austin’s Broken Spoke in 1986 at the age of 16. Ten years later he officially Allison Moorer grew up outside of Mobile , joined the band. Both Benson and Roberts Alabama, and began singing harmonies as appeared in the critically acclaimed musical a toddler. After moving to Nashville to sing play A Ride with Bob that celebrated the with her sister, Shelby Lynne, she took a 100th birthday of the king of western brief break to earn a degree in public rela - swing, fiddler and singer Bob Willis. tions. Her first album, Alabama Song , was Asleep at the Wheel has released over 20 released in 1998 and that year she was studio albums, received nine Grammy nominated for an Academy Award for the Awards, and charted more than 20 singles ballad from that album, “Soft Place to Fall” on the Billboard country charts. In recent which was used in the film A Horse years Asleep at the Wheel’s repertoire has Whisperer . She has released seven studio been adapted for pops symphony and its albums including Miss Fortune (2002), The performances with the Dallas, Austin, Fort Duel (2004), and The Crows (2010). In Worth, and Amarillo symphonies have 2007 she received a Grammy nomination drawn record crowds. 07-12 Blind Boys B:Gp 3.qxt 7/2/10 9:32 AM Page 6

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Sara Watkins was born in California in grass album with singer and songwriter 1981 and made her performing debut in Jim Lauderdale; in 2002 he won Grammys 1989. While still in her teens she, her gui - for best country male vocalist performance tarist brother Sean, and mandolinist friend and album of the year (for his part in O Chris Thile, formed the progressive acous - Brother, Where Art Thou? ); and in 2000 he tic band Nickel Creek. During the 18 years was featured in the documentary Down that they were together the young trio built From The Mountain . At 83 years of age he a reputation in bluegrass, folk, and country continues to record and performs in as circles. They catapulted to mainstream many as 150 shows each year. prominence in 2000 after releasing This Side , an album produced by Alison Krauss. Chris Goldsmith (Artistic Consultant) is a When not on the road or in the studio with producer and creative consultant, and was Nickel Creek, Watkins appeared as a guest the producer of the recent Grammy fiddler or harmony vocalist on albums Award –winning Blind Boys of Alabama CD by Béla Fleck, The Chieftains, Ben Lee, Down In New Orleans as well as executive Dan Wilson, Richard Thompson, and Ray producer of four other Grammy-winning LaMontagne, among others. She has releases by The Blind Boys, including their recently released her self-titled debut solo acclaimed effort with Ben Harper, There album, recorded in Los Angeles and Will Be A Light (Virgin Records). He has Nashville and produced by former Led also produced albums for (and with) many Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones. other artists, including Charlie Musselwhite’s Delta Hardware (named Album of the Year Ralph Stanley , who has long been revered at the 2007 Blues Music Awards), and by enthusiasts of folk, bluegrass and coun - releases from Ruthie Foster, Dan Hicks and try music, was born in 1927 in Virginia and the Hot Licks, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, has been performing professionally since and The Skatalites, to name a few. He was he and his brother, Carter, formed a band in also an executive producer on two Blind 1946. The Stanley Brothers and the Clinch Boys DVDs, has worked on recordings for Mountain Boys became one of the most Disney and HBO, and has produced ses - celebrated bluegrass groups in the world. sions with Lou Reed, Meshell Ndegeocello, After Carter’s death in 1966, Stanley and many other great talents. Building on shifted the band’s musical emphasis from his 15 years of experience as a booking hard-driving bluegrass to an older, sadder, agent, he is also currently a talent and less adorned mountain style. As a ban - booking consultant for the Belly Up night - dleader, he nourished such young and clubs in Solana Beach, California, and promising talents as Ricky Skaggs, Keith Aspen, Colorado, and serves as artistic Whitley, Larry Sparks, Charlie Sizemore, producer for national performing arts cen - and his son Ralph Stanley II. In 2003 he ter tours in association with Columbia shared the Grammy Award for best blue - Artist Management, Inc. 07-12 Blind Boys B:Gp 3.qxt 7/2/10 9:32 AM Page 7

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A Partial Discography

Since their first recording in 1948, The Blind Go Tell It On The Mountain* Boys of Alabama have released more than 60 2003 albums. Following is a partial discography of With Solomon Burke, Tom Waits, Michael Franti, their most recent and significant recordings. Chrissie Hynde, Richard Thompson, Aaron Neville, Mavis Staples, Shelby Lynne, George Clinton, Robert Randolph, Meshell Ndegeocello, 2000s Les McCann, Robert Randolph Duets 2009 Higher Ground* With Ben Harper, Susan Tedeschi, Toots Hibbert, 2002 Randy Travis, Timothy B. Schmit, With Ben Harper, Robert Randolph and the Charlie Musselwhite, Bonnie Raitt, Jars of Clay, Family Band Dan Zanes, Solomon Burke, Lou Reed, Marva Wright, Asleep at the Wheel, John Hammond Spirit of the Century * 2001 Live in New Orleans (DVD) With John Hammond, Charlie Musselwhite, 2008 David Lindley With Susan Tedeschi, Dr. John, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Henry Butler, Marva Wright 1980s and 1990s

Down in New Orleans* I Brought Him With Me 2007 With The Hot 8 Brass Band, The Preservation Hall Holdin’ On Jazz Band, Allen Toussaint

Atom Bomb Deep River 2005 With Billy Preston, David Hidalgo, Gift of Gab The Gospel At Colonus (Cast Recording)

Live At The Apollo (DVD) I’m a Soldier in the Army of the Lord 2005 With Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals Best of the Early Years

There Will Be A Light * You’ll Never Walk Alone 2004 With Ben Harper True Convictions

Go Tell It On The Mountain: Live In Oh Lord, Stand By Me New York (DVD) 2004 Marching Up to Zion With Chrissie Hynde, Aaron Neville, Mavis Staples, Michael Franti , John Medeski, Charlie Musselwhite, Robert Randolph, Duke Robillard *Grammy Award –winning albums 07-12 Blind Boys B:Gp 3.qxt 7/2/10 9:32 AM Page 8

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Lincoln Center Festival Lincoln Center for the Performing Since its inaugural season in 1996, Lincoln Arts, Inc. Center Festival has received worldwide Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts attention for presenting some of the (LCPA) serves three primary roles: presen - broadest and most original performing arts ter of artistic programming, national leader programs in Lincoln Center’s history. In 14 in arts and education and community rela - seasons, the Festival has presented more tions, and manager of the Lincoln Center than 1,100 performances of opera, music, campus. As a presenter of more than dance, theater, and interdisciplinary forms 400 events annually, LCPA’s series include by internationally acclaimed artists from American Songbook, Great Performers, more than 50 countries. To date, the Lincoln Center Festival, Lincoln Center Out Festival has commissioned 30 new works of Doors, Midsummer Night Swing, and and offered some 120 world, U.S., and the Mostly Mozart Festival. The Emmy New York premieres. It places particular Award –winning Live From Lincoln Center emphasis on showcasing contemporary extends Lincoln Center’s reach to millions artistic viewpoints and multidisciplinary of Americans nationwide. As a leader in works that push the boundaries of tradi - arts and education and community relations, tional performance. LCPA takes a wide range of activities beyond its halls through the Lincoln Center Institute, as well as offering arts-related symposia, family programming, and acces - sibility. And as manager of the Lincoln Center campus, LCPA provides support and services for the Lincoln Center complex and its 11 other resident organizations.

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