3 weeks of music, dance and theater

Kiri Te Kanawa , Merce Cunningham lead star-studded international lineup of 2011 Israel Festival, celebrating its 5th year

Ynetnews|Published: 05.05.11 , 08:35

Celebrating its 50th year and evolution from a modest series of classical concerts in Caesarea to one of the most important arts and culture events in the world, the 2011 Israel Festival will feature three weeks of music, dance and theater performances throughout Israel, from May 23 to June 18.

The festival will premiere specially commissioned performances by Israeli artists and groups including a collaborative piece featuring Batsheva Dance Company Creative Director Ohad Naharin and the avant-garde Clipe Theater, as well as recitals from groups from Chile, Georgia and Japan.

Other festival presentations include:

An opening performance by Ohad Naharin and the Clipe Theater entitled "Fields"

A recital by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa

The Clipe Theater performing "A View"

Teatro-Cinema de Chile in a performance combining live action and film

The Merce Cunningham Company presenting three dance pieces

Berlin's Schaubuhne Theater with their rendition of Shakespeare's "Hamlet"

A recital of Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya", featuring Russian movie star Sergey Makovetsky

The Danish Dance Theater presenting the world premiere of "Love Songs"

Choreographer Nimrod Freed and composer Israel Breit presenting the premiere of "La"

Harpsichord virtuoso Aapo Hakkinen performing works by Bach, Vivaldi and Legeti

Hagen Quartet (Austria) presenting a program of Brahms, Haydn and Bartok in celebration of its 30th anniversary

Israeli pianist/composer Gil Shohat accompanying mezzo-soprano Svetlana Sendler and tenor Guy Mannheim presenting works by Chopin in celebration of his 200-year anniversary

Russian pianist Nicolai Petro performing various works by Strauss, Gershwin and others

"Out of Egypt - From Slavery to Freedom", featuring Handel's oratorio and two pieces by Yair Dalal performed by a Baroque orchestra, Jewish soul singers, a boys' choir and percussionists

All festival events will take place in and around the Jerusalem Theater complex and other Jerusalem venues, as well as Holon, Dimona and the Tel Hai and Kfar Mordechai historic sites.