A year ago, in one of the most memorable performances I’d seen the company give, the Merce Cunningham Dance Company performed in Battery Park City, just after the choreographer’s passing. The weather—the epitome of summer—was so perfect, it seemed to mock the sadness that hung over the vast audience, emotions still raw from Merce’s absence. [...]

This year, on paper, Evening Stars looked a little sad. The lineup had been reduced to one company, albeit Merce Cunningham Dance Company, and just three shows. In past years, the dance series, co-presented by the River to River Festival and the Joyce Theater, has featured a number of notable companies over the course of [...]

In April, Esquire magazine did a photo spread called “Symphony in Black,” profiling some on-the-rise musicians on today’s classical scene. All were young, talented, hip. One musician I was surprised to see didn’t make it into that piece is José Franch-Ballester, a 27-year-old clarinet whiz who is a native of Moncofa, Spain. New Yorkers take [...]