Neumann & Baryshnikov
“We’re back by popular demand,” stated the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art Deputy Director, Dwight Currie, referring to the successful launch of the Ringling International Arts Festival in October 2009.
This years Festival will be held October 13th thru 17th 2010 just one year after the inaugural despite the fact that originally a biannual event had been planned.
Wednesday night March 10, 2010, Currie, joined by Executive Director for the Baryshnikov Arts Center, Stanford Makishi, announced the upcoming Ringling International Arts Festival (RIAF) schedule of events.
Eleven stage productions in music, theater, and dance, featuring artists from throughout Europe and North America headline the 2010 Ringling International Arts Festival in the theaters, galleries, and gardens of the Ringling Center for the Arts in Sarasota, Florida.
The line-up includes artists from Slovakia, The Czech Republic, Britain, Russia, Romania, Canada and the United States.
Dwight Currie added there would be Art and Music in the Galleries of the Museum, Sunset Serenades at Ca d’ Zan and a Fun Fest in the Courtyard for the children on Saturday.
After the program, I talked with Dwight Currie and Stanford Makishi. Currie and Makishi explain that the selection of artists is not formulaic. “Take Andrew Dawson for example.” said Currie, “He takes audiences from Houston to the Moon and back to Earth in a Space Panorama performed with his hands.” 
“Some of the artist we know; for example, Misha (Baryshnikov) knows Mita Cruz; and some we encounter; we’re proactive because we’re curious.” Relates Makishi.
“Then there’s the Art Tent, part of the Les Slovaks Dance Collection on opening night, it makes no financial sense.” according to Currie. Yet, he believes nothing would have made John Ringling happier than that tent.
When Baryshnikov saw the Les Slovaks he responded, “This is amazing – let’s take it to Sarasota.” according to Stanford.
Dwight Currie mused, “We’re not always good at communicating to people of Sarasota the reality that is Baryshnikov Art Center in New York. It’s four floors filled with the arts. It’s a hot bed of activity; that’s pretty amazing.” www.bacnyc.org
The 2010 Ringling International Arts Festival opens on Wednesday, October 13 with “the Night of Premieres.”
Solos with Mikhail Baryshnikov & David Neumann featuring works by Susan Marshall.
Capricho (world premiere) written and directed by Pulitzer-prize winner Nilo Cruz.
Tim Fain
Glass and Bach for Solo Violin, with Tim Fain world premiere composition by Philip Glass.
Obludarium, the Forman Brothers, circus nomads from the Czech Republic present music and puppetry in their handcrafted tented pavilion.
Following a gala Champagne toast in the lobbies, curtains will go up on four premiere productions staged in the Center’s three Theaters and in a whimsical hand-painted tented pavilion. Following the performances, first-nighters will gather in the Courtyard of the Ringling Museum of Art to mark the opening of the cultural season and to celebrate the Festival’s second year.
Following the Night of Premieres, seven additional stage productions join the line-up of theater, music, and dance to be presented in a total of 44 performances presented in repertoire in three theaters.
Orders for Four, Six and Eight-performance Festival Passes are now being accepted at the Historic Asolo Theater Box office at the Ringling Museum of Art: 941.360.7399. Single tickets go on sale May 15 at box office or online at www.ringlingartsfestival.org .
