Portland

Our Stories – We’re POP-ing with Performances

As we close in on the one-year anniversary of pandemic shut downs, we’re overjoyed to be in production for Portland Ovations Presents: POP 90, a benefit celebration of Ovations’ 90th anniversary year. That’s right: Portland Ovations was founded as the Portland Music Commission in 1931: in the midst of another global crisis, the Great Depression. … Read more

Our Stories – Toward Being Future Beings

Seeking Resonance

As we look forward to next week’s Seeking Resonance conversation “Toward Being Future Beings” in partnership with Indigo Arts Alliance, we want to take a moment to share with you the genesis of this conversation: a dynamic new work by dancemaker Emily Johnson, “Being Future Being,” which Portland Ovations is co-commissioning. Originally from Alaska and … Read more

Program Notes for ‘Seeking Resonance: Toward Being Future Beings’ by Marcia Minter & Aimée M. Petrin

Dear Friends, The collaborative series Seeking Resonance is at the heart of Indigo Arts Alliance and Portland Ovations’ programming this year. At a time when we cannot gather in person, these virtual conversations and presentations are more vital than ever in helping us connect with each other, the artists we share and the places and … Read more

Our Stories – Learning and Dancing with Step Afrika!

Step Afrika

When we experienced Step Afrika! we couldn’t stay in our seats. The energy, the rhythm, and the speed were infectious. We couldn’t wait to get Maine audiences – of all ages – into Merrill for the performance. We had intended for Step Afrika! to be featured live in the 2020-21 season but those plans had to change. While … Read more

Our Stories – The Bridge We’re Building

This year, we’ve been building a Bridge. And now that Bridge, with its strong Towers and gleaming Trusses, is standing solid. The story of this Bridge began last March, when, along with the rest of the world, Ovations found ourselves teetering on the edge of a perilous precipice. On Friday, March 13, 2020, as we … Read more

Our Stories – How Do We Ensure Kids Can Still Experience the Performing Arts?

There’s nothing better than a Merrill Auditorium full of young people chatting and wiggling in their seats as they wait for one of our Family Performances to begin. We so miss these moments. We know it’s important for Ovations to continue to offer young people and their families chances to enjoy the performing arts during … Read more

Program Notes for Paige and Friends! by Sarah Coleman

Dear Friends,   Paige Hernandez returns to Portland Ovations! It just looks a lot different than 2012 when she performed her one-woman show Paige in Full for our School-Time Performance Series. That was before my time at Ovations, but I have known Paige for a long time – almost 20 years. We met at Arena … Read more

Our Stories – Celebrating Our Maine Artists

Last week we held a series of conversations around the five projects Ovations is commissioning by Maine-based artists. From dance to music and theater, from traditional to the contemporary – these five projects deeply explore a wide range of the creativity that makes Maine such a special and innovative place. You can still experience these … Read more

Program Notes for VOCES8 by Aimée M. Petrin

Dear Friends, Over the years, Ovations has presented many holiday concerts with artists such as Chanticleer, Natalie MacMaster, Wynton Marsalis & the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and others. Earlier this month, we, the Ovations staff, were talking about how much we were looking forward to the concert with VOCES8 and how singing, choral music in … Read more