The festival opens on Thursday, Oct. 18, with ghazal and Punjabi folk songs performed by Kiran Ahluwalia (pictured above), noted for the depth of character of her pliable, expressive voice, in a free concert at the David Rubenstein Atrium. It conclunes on Sunday, Nov. 18, with Gustav Mahler's personal contemplation of death, his ninth symphony, as interpreted by Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Philharmonia Orchestra.
Making a return appearance are the popular post-performance White Light Lounges, where performers and audience members can meet and talk.
Other highlights include:
- U.S. premiere of Rian, performed by Ireland's Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre.
- Virtuoso Wang Li plays jaw harps and calabash flute
- N.Y. premiere of choreographer Akram Khan's Vertical Road
- Cameron Carpenter plays Bach on the Alice Tully Hall organ
- Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde, arranged for chamber orchestra, conducted by Matthias Pintscher, and performed by pianist Emanuel Ax, members of the New York Philharmonic, mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford and tenor Russell Thomas.
- Cosmic Pulses, all–Stockhausen program, performed by percussionist Stuart Gerber and sound projectionist Joe Drew
- U.S. debut of the Latvian Radio Choir
- Mary Chapin Carpenter sings from her new album, Ashes and Roses
- Heiner Goebbels' music/theater work, I went to the house but did not enter, featuring the Hilliard Ensemble
- Esa-Pekka Salonen leads Philharmonia Orchestra in Mahler's Symphony No. 9.