Conversation

“Wig in a Box”: A Conversation on the Performance of Gender

Presented in partnership with Equality Maine. This event is ASL-interpreted, captions coming soon. Celebrated performer, director and playwright John Cameron Mitchell sits down with Maine-based artists and advocates to discuss gender as performance, both on and off-stage.  A recording of this event will be available to watch on demand through March 18. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sn0AFNDPfE In Conversation: … Read more

“Musical Narratives: The Russian Piano Sonata”

With Mozart as a classical departure point, Dr. Steven Pane, professor of music at the University of Maine-Farmington, talks about the expansion and exploration of musical color, narrative, and virtuosity in the late Romantic piano music of Medtner and Rachmaninov. This recorded pre-performance lecture is available to view now through February 11. About the Speaker Pianist George Lopez, … Read more

Riley Watts, Heather Stewart & little house dance

“Riley Watts — an extraordinary dancer with silky athleticism..” NEW YORK TIMES WORLD PREMIERECommissioned Maine Artist by Portland Ovations Join us on opening night as we celebrate the world premiere. Hour Wolf in the Lighthouse is a collaborative dance work between Portland, Maine choreographers Riley Watts and Heather Stewart, and is the debut performance of … Read more

Samuel James

“Samuel James is as enigmatic as they come.” DISPATCH MAGAZINE WORLD PREMIERECommissioned Maine Artist by Portland Ovations Already Home Recordings Volume 2, Samuel James’ newest work, challenges traditional notions of authenticity in American roots music. The name of the project refers to James’ own biracial family, filled with musicians of multiple American traditions. With the … Read more

“A Conversation with Toto Kisaku and Portland-based Artists”

Join our visiting artist, Toto Kisaku, for a casual, lunch-hour roundtable with local artists as they discuss the process of writing and performing personal work, rooted in activism and community engagement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6gr8bn1ZGQ&t=2s In Conversation:   Reza Jalali, Moderator – Jalali is a noted writer and educator. He has taught at the University Southern Maine. Jalali’s … Read more

Blue Man Group

“”There’s nothing that quite compares to the magic of the Blue Man Group. They’re performance. They’re art. They’re the ultimate performance art that will rival anything you’ve ever seen before.” JESSICA BOWEN, BROADWAY WORLD More than 35 million people around the world have experienced the smash hit phenomenon that is BLUE MAN GROUP and now … Read more

“Requiem for an Electric Chair”

“”Requiem for an Electric Chair” is a work of catharsis and witness, a way of both processing [Toto Kisaku’s] own trauma and alerting the world to the suffering of others.” THE ARTS PAPER Read program notes by Ovations Executive & Artistic Director Aimée M. Petrin. Congolese and immigrant playwright Toto Kisaku was moments away from … Read more

“The Helping Hands of Suffrage: Women in Classical Music”

George Lopez, Bowdoin College Artist in Residence, discusses the history and challenges of gender equality in classical music and highlight the significance of the quartet’s program. This recorded pre-performance lecture is available to view now through October 28. https://youtu.be/GpGUzvK2oy4 About the Speaker Pianist George Lopez, Bowdoin College’s Robert Beckwith Artist in Residence, has been a dedicated … Read more

Dan + Claudia Zanes

Dan & Claudia Zanes

“The family-music genre’s most outspoken and eloquent advocate.” – TIME MAGAZINE Grammy Award-winner Dan Zanes and Haitian-American jazz vocalist Claudia Zanes perform a mix of old and new songs from near and far in a style that’s been called “All-Ages Social Music.” In other words, when they perform it’s a party! Fun for the whole … Read more

New York Philharmonic String Quartet

“A marvelous ensemble.” THE NEW YORK TIMES Read program Notes for New York Philharmonic String Quartet by Philip Carlsen The unparalleled New York Philharmonic String Quartet provide the opportunity to luxuriate with some of the world’s best string players in works that brought the prestigious quartet form to prominence in the 18th century and beyond. … Read more