And so it begins, the 2011-2012 Visiting Artist Series. Monday, April 25 is your first chance to subscribe.

Single ticket sales begin Thursday, May 26.

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Le Vent du Nord Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 7:00 PM Subscriber Price: $20 MUSIQUE FRANCOPHONE Our friends to the north blow into town with a lustily unique blend of French, Irish and Native American influences that make up the musical traditions of Quebecois and Acadian music. Fiddle, mandolin and foot-tapping glee will have you brushing off your French and searching for your dancing shoes. At first, Le Vent du Nord sounds very much like a traditional Celtic group, but then the voices come in and we are in another world. For one thing, the singing is mostly in four-part harmony, and for another it is in French.—LOS ANGELES TIMES From their CD, "La Part du Feu" An all ages performance.

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Cocktails with Larry Miller Friday, September 23, 2011 at 7:00 PM Subscriber Price: $30 HE’S SHAKEN. NOT STIRRED. If you run across Miller, one of THE most recognizable faces ever, in a restaurant, you have it directly from him: always say hello. (“It’s flattering and cool.”) Our sardonic Everyman tosses out an evening’s worth of bon mots and martini olives in a classic stand-up ode to the perilous joy of being married with children. “I start every morning like a training meal for Lance Armstrong, but as the day goes on, it inevitably turns into a night for Keith Richards.”—Larry Miller Larry Miller's Ditty for USC American Sign Language (ASL) Interpretation will be available.

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“Shuffle. Play. Listen.” Christopher O’Riley and Matt Haimovitz Friday, September 30, 2011 at 7:00 PM Subscriber Price: $20 CELLO, PIANO AND THE KITCHEN SYNCH Matt Haimovitz (cello) and Christopher O’Riley (piano) host of NPR’s From The Top, continue redefining music and artistry for a new century in this joint+solo project. Repertoire selections range from works by Bach and Gabrieli, Radiohead and Piazzolla, Chopin and Stravinsky. You handpick pieces for the second half of the program that these virtuosic chamber music alchemists will perform.

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The Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition Grand Prize Winner Thursday, October 6, 2011 at 7:00 PM Subscriber Price: $12 ONE OF A PART Attracting the finest and most talented young musicians from around the globe, whether wind or string ensemble, this stop on the winner’s tour is a proven inspiration to audiences witnessing chamber music’s newest leading lights’ arrival on the world stage. The Fischoff Competition is the largest chamber music competition in the nation and the world. On average, 125 ensembles, representing 22 nationalities, enter in either the wind or string categories. An all ages performance.

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National Chamber Choir of Ireland Paul Hillier, artistic director Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 7:00 PM Subscriber Price: $30 VOICES OF TODAY’S IRELAND The National Chamber Choir of Ireland is confidently forward looking while respecting tradition. Known for memorable performances of exceptional musicality spanning the great baroque to contemporary composers, this program features the North American premiere of Tarik O’Regan’s “Acallam na Senórach” commissioned by the University of Notre Dame. It is a substantial work for chamber choir, guitar and percussion based on one of the most important ancient Irish texts to survive the Middle Ages. It tells the mythical story of St. Patrick’s exchanges with two of the last-surviving members of a band of warriors. Planned Program: Singet Dem Herrn Bach (1685–1750) Schaffe In Mir Got Brahms (1833–1897) This Worldes Joie Bax (1883–1953) The Blue Bird Stanford (1852–1924) One Day Fine Volans (b. 1949) Acallam na Senórach: An Irish Colloquy O’Regan (b. 1978) CONNECT > STIMULATE > ENRICH PRE-PERFORMANCE TALK Be introduced to another bright light providing one of the University’s commissions and familiarize yourself with the richly complex choral performance you will hear. Led by Oxford- and Cambridge-educated Tarik O’Regan, this young award-winning composer’s insights are a great brush-up for classical fans and an excellent introduction for choral and classical newcomers. Talks begin one hour before curtain and are free for ticket holders. Excerpt from Acallam na Senórach:

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Mamak Khadem Thursday, October 27, 2011 at 7:00 PM Subscriber Price: $20 A MOVING MEDITATION Inspired by the poetry and paintings of Iranian artist and Sufi spiritualist Sohrab Sepehri, Mamak Khadem offers bliss through her newest CD, An Eyelet to Color, and tour. Saying this project “has gone places we did not expect,” she ponders a message of peace and understanding through what is most sacred in the natural world as expressed in the canon of Persian culture. The result is a seamless tapestry ultimately woven around the theme of love. Sample from Mamak's latest CD: An all ages performance.

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Axiom Brass Friday, November 4, 2011 at 7:00 PM Subscriber Price: $20 A NEW STANDARD Axiom Brass is rapidly establishing itself among the major ensembles in brass chamber music. With dynamic range and crystalline sound, these award-winners (2008 International Chamber Brass Competition, 2010 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition) are serious music makers. Enjoy an evening of sacred music by Bach, Palestrina, Frescobaldi and Gabrieli among others written for or inspired by the Church. CONNECT > STIMULATE > ENRICH PRE-PERFORMANCE TALK Join other music lovers at this social gathering to converse with inspiring speakers and noted Notre Dame scholars. Share in these entertaining, informative talks in anticipation of the performance you are about to see. Talks begin one hour before curtain and are free for ticket holders. Excerpt from Axiom Brass' newest:

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Merce Cunningham Dance Company Legacy Tour Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 7:00 PM Friday, November 11, 2011 at 7:00 PM Saturday, November 12, 2011 at 7:30 PM Subscriber Price: $30 THE BEGINNING. THE END. THE LEGACY. Merce Cunningham has forever imprinted his dominant style on dance by discarding every notion but one: bodies live motion in time and space in the now. No stories or ancient rites: just rhythm, power, proportion and the incredible lightness of freedom. From the company’s founding in 1953 to his death at 90 in 2009, his genius is proving dances needn’t grasp at meaning; it’s already present in the pure nature of movement. Among the last venues to celebrate the worldwide Legacy tour in its final two months, this is the definitive opportunity to see Cunningham’s choreography performed by the company he personally trained before it disbands. The program of three seminal works from Cunningham’s career includes Suite for Five—first performed at Notre Dame in 1956—and will highlight the modernist collaborations with artistic innovators such as composer John Cage and artist Robert Rauschenberg. Planned Program: SUITE FOR FIVE (1956–1958) Music: John Cage, Music for Piano Costumes: Robert Rauschenberg Lighting: Beverly Emmons ANTIC MEET (1958) Music: John Cage, Concert for Piano and Orchestra Décor and Costumes: Robert Rauschenberg Reconstruction commissioned by the University of Notre Dame. POND WAY (1998) Music: Brian Eno, New Ikebukkuro Décor: Roy Lichtenstein Costumes: Suzanne Gallo Excerpt from Pondway ILLUMINIATING THE (IN)FAMOUS LEGACY CONNECT > STIMULATE > ENRICH PRE-PERFORMANCE TALK Join Bonnie Brooks, Columbia College Chicago Dance Center chair, and MCDC archivist David Vaughn to explore points of entry to Cunningham’s nonconformist works and trace his creative arc through the history of modern art. Each brings you a deeply informed perspective of a man who found freedom in curiosity and an acute awareness of and acceptance of the moment. Talks are free for ticket holders and begin one hour before curtain.

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Danú Christmas in Ireland: An Nollaig in Éirinn Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 2:00 PM Subscriber Price: $30 SHAMROCKS AND HOLLY Danú returns, this time to mingle the new and familiar, the religious and secular in a glowing celebration of the festival of Christmas. This expert ensemble, buoyed by Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh’s golden voice, lovingly embraces centuries-old Irish music and song traditions to warm the heart, hearth and home during the holidays. “(Danú) stirs the blood and lifts the heart.” — IRISH MUSIC MAGAZINE Danú performing "Le Caoinle na n'Aingeal" An all ages performance.

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Complexions Contemporary Ballet Thursday, January 19, 2012 at 7:00 PM Friday, January 20, 2012 at 7:00 PM Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 7:30 PM Subscriber Price: $25 DANCE AS EXTREME, BEAUTIFUL SPORT Complexions Contemporary Ballet nurtures unity by thoroughly reveling in individuality. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater alumni and co-artistic directors Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson effortlessly juggle genres, knowing you want to see everything. And the company blazes with a frenetic athleticism that breathlessly spans ballet and contemporary dance. “Supple limbs in a sea of energy.” — NEW YORK TIMES CONNECT > STIMULATE > ENRICH POST-PERFORMANCE TALKS > JAN 19 + 20 ONLY Q&A with Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richards, co-artistic directors. Enjoy an intimate conversation with the founders and co-creative leaders of Complexions. A prolific choreographer, Rhoden has set dances on Aspen/Santa Fe Ballet, Joffrey Ballet and New York Ballet, among others. Richards, dancing his last tour with the company, is widely acknowledged as one of the great modern dancers of his time. Each will take questions. Talks typically last about 15 minutes. Complexions on stage:

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Yasmin Levy Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 7:00 PM Subscriber Price: $20 CULTURE CROSSING The singer-songwriter tradition thankfully respects no borders. In what she calls a “musical reconciliation,” Spanish Jewry‘s voice is rediscovered through the Israeli-born Levy. Her progressively evolved discography of Ladino, flamenco and Arabic-influenced releases culminates now in an influential vocalist arriving at her prime. “These songs written in the tradition of Jewish-Spanish Ladino hold an intensity of mourning which can make walls tumble. Her voice is impressive with its melancholically flowing vibrato making this an exceptional recording. Unusual and very good.” — JAZZPODIUM (GERMANY) Listen to Yasmin's latest hit. An all ages performance.

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Pacifica String Quartet Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 2:00 PM Subscriber Price: $25 HEADY FIRE Named Musical America’s 2009 Ensemble of the Year, the Grammy-winning Pacifica String Quartet continues burnishing its international stature as one of the finest chamber ensembles performing today. With daring dives into repertory (the quartet cycles of Carter and Shostakovich) their razor-sharp play is edge-of-your-seat intoxication. “They play with stupendous, breathtaking virtuosity. This was an evening of intellectual fire.” — THE SUNDAY TIMES (LONDON) Planned Program: Quartet in A Major, Op. 18, No. 5 Beethoven Quartet No. 9 Shostakovich Quartet in F Major, Op. 96, "American" Dvořák CONNECT > STIMULATE > ENRICH PRE-PERFORMANCE TALK Brush up on favorite composers or be introduced to new ideas. Share in an entertaining, informative talk with other music lovers and engaging Notre Dame scholars. Talks begin one hour before curtain and are free for ticket holders.

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L.A. Theatre Works presents The Rivalry by Norman Corwin Susan Loewenberg, producing director Friday, February 17, 2012 at 7 PM Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 7:30 PM Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 2 PM Subscriber Price: $25 DELIBERATION AND DELIVERANCE The Rivalry, Norman Corwin’s riveting depiction of the 1858 Lincoln–Douglas debates, uses dialogue from the original debate transcripts to bring to life the fierce competition between the future president and the incumbent Illinois senator as they tackled the day’s most controversial issues: slavery and the American concept of freedom. CONNECT > STIMULATE > ENRICH PRE-PERFORMANCE TALKS > FEB 17 + 18 ONLY Join other theatre lovers at this social gathering to converse with inspiring speakers and respected Notre Dame scholars. Share in these entertaining, informative talks in anticipation of the performance you are about to see. Talks begin one hour before curtain and are free for ticket holders. American Sign Language (ASL) Interpretation will be available Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 2 PM.

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Julia Fischer Saturday, February 25, 2012 at 7:30 PM Subscriber Price: $30 THE ESSENCE OF TAKING FLIGHT Superlatives aside, simply calling Fischer a violinist is an injustice. She is a complete musician. Her conception and sense of the complete work at every instant are ever present. A solo program of Bach’s sonatas and partitas directs her impressive intellectualism and lyrical élan matched by the courage and stamina required to go beyond technique. “When I make music, I expose my inner feelings and personality, so to speak. Not only that, I also reveal my approach to the emotional and intellectual depth of a composer. I personally play only a small part in this context.” —JULIA FISCHER CONNECT > STIMULATE > ENRICH PRE-PERFORMANCE TALK Join other music lovers at this social gathering to converse with inspiring speakers and noted Notre Dame scholars. Share in an entertaining, informative talk to brush up on Bach or be introduced to this German composer and multi-instrumentalist. Talks begin one hour before curtain and are free for ticket holders.

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Nrityagram Dance Ensemble Sunday, March 4, 2012 at 2 PM Subscriber Price: $25 MADDENING, FASCINATING ENIGMAS Inspired by yoga, Sanskrit, meditation and martial arts, Nrityagram is a way of life and a cultural crucible. Going beyond preservation to inspiration, the ensemble’s sculptural synchronicity, compelling physicality and emotional honesty speak powerfully through the sensuous flow of Odissi, the oldest of India’s classical dance forms in a program titled Sri yah–A Decade of Dance Making. “What makes this institution different from many others in the entire country is that it has actually given star dancers to not only India, but the world. In Surupa Sen, Bijayini Satpathy and others, there is hope for dance because sitting away in the wilderness of rural Hessaraghatta, these youngsters have reached out not only to discerning eyes of New Delhi but New York!” — THE TIMES OF INDIA An all ages performance. CONNECT > STIMULATE > ENRICH PRE-PERFORMANCE TALK Enjoy an intimate conversation with an entertaining expert speaker. Raise your hand to ask a question and see where a chance conversation takes the audience! Talks begin one hour before curtain and are free for ticket holders.

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Riders in the Sky Friday, March 9, 2012 at 7 PM Subscriber Price: $20 AMERICA’S FAVORITE COWBOYS Calling all buckaroos and buckarettes! Brush off the trail dust and spend a night the cowboy way with Western music’s modern-day icons. The two-time Grammy-winning quartet in ten gallon hats (white, of course, because they’re the good guys) rope in audiences with classic humor and harmonies that would make Roy Rogers, Gene Autry and America’s favorite animated cowboy, Woody, proud. An all ages performance.

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Luciana Souza Trio featuring Romero Lubambo, guitar and Cyro Baptista, percussion Saturday, March 24, 2012 at 7:30 PM Subscriber Price: $25 SAMBA SHAPE SHIFTER Souza’s meditative, nearly vibrato-less delivery hovers around Brazil’s bossa nova tradition like vapor from a waterfall. And like water her voice takes on the shape of the vessels she’s so deft at choosing: samba, jazz, poetry, the pop-inflected. Such sultry, shifting rhythms (a Grammy win for Herbie Hancock’s River: the Joni Letters) are a misty window into the old and new. Hear Luciana now.

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The Intergalactic Nemesis Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 7:30 PM Subscriber Price: $20 COUNTDOWN TO INVASION A live-action graphic novel is not an oxymoron. It is the brainchild of a good-versus-evil, comic crazed, creative genius that has spawned a website, comic book, radio show and a mega-screen, multisensory experience. Strong story line, well-developed characters and gripping action make Nemesis perfect for creative writers, graphic and fine artists, graphic-novel aficionados and minions of Ming the Merciless. “With its pitch-perfect ear for period slang, roller-coaster pacing, and crackerjack comic cast, this spot-on spoof of old adventure serials rocketed me out of this world.” — THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE See the Invasion! An all ages performance. American Sign Language (ASL) Interpretation will be available.

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Australian Chamber Orchestra Richard Tognetti, artistic director Saturday, April 14, 2012 at 7:30 PM Subscriber Price: $30 CLASSICAL WITH A ROCK N’ ROLL SENSIBILITY No matter the Aussies are modishly sophisticated and pleasing to look at. The rubber meets the road with how they sound: raw, riveting and rhythmically propulsive. Masterworks and more daring repertoire from the chamber canon receive the ensemble’s uniformly bravura approach, waking even early music from the dead. “Richard Tognetti and his badass classical band, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, don’t play New York nearly often enough. But, on the rare occasion that they do come in from Down Under, they leave an indelible mark on the city’s music scene.” — TIMEOUT (NEW YORK)

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Sachal Vasandani Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 7:30 PM Subscriber Price: $20 A NEW VOICE Urbane persona. Mature, oaken voice belying his youth. Spot-on phrasing. An impressive list of assets discovered on his breakout 2007 debut Eyes Wide Open, finds Vasandani claiming a coveted seat among the rarified ranks of the Male Jazz Vocalist. He teases earnest emotion from classic and original ballads and can downshift to smoky-eyed mood making. From here on out, he’s one to watch. “[Sachal is] versed in the blues, standards and modern jazz; nonetheless, his sound is consistent and unique. His singing reveals emotion and intellect, [and he’s] a fine performer.” — WYNTON MARSALIS Listen to the voice.

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Ballet Hispanico Thursday, May 3, 2012 at 7:00 PM Friday, May 4, 2012 at 7:00 PM Saturday, May 5, 2012 at 7:30 PM Subscriber Price: $25 MAKING IT THEIR OWN Ballet Hispanico has proven original moves, classic techniques and Latino soul are prime ingredients necessary for an unbelievable show. And they continue to deliver culturally specific, relevant work for the 21st century under the artistic leadership of Eduardo Vilaro. The program features three premieres of works by Vilaro, Ron K. Brown (Evidence, A Dance Company) and Nicholas Villeneuve. “When Ballet Hispanico’s dancers take the stage, watch out. No one struts, kicks, spins, leaps and gyrates the way they do.” — NEW YORK NEWSDAY An all ages performance. CONNECT > STIMULATE > ENRICH POST-PERFORMANCE TALKS > MAY 3 + 4 ONLY Q&A with Eduardo Vilaro, artistic director. Vilaro brings with him a commitment to dance, education and fostering a deeper understanding of the rich diversity within Latino cultures. Enjoy an intimate conversation with him about collaborating with Evidence’s Ron K. Brown, Nicholas Villeneuve dancing and choreographing for the company and culturally specific dance going far beyond folklore. Talks typically last about 15 minutes.