Cellist Maya Beiser and pianist Anthony de Mare join forces at Fairfield University's Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts

Cellist Maya Beiser and pianist Anthony de Mare join forces at Fairfield University's Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts

Cellist Maya Beiser and pianist Anthony de Mare will perform an evening of haunting and sensual tango-infused music on Saturday, April 5 at 8 p.m. at Fairfield University's Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. A free wine-tasting will precede the concert at 6:30 p.m. in the Quick Center lobby.

Among the finest contemporary soloists, Beiser and de Mare are powerful interpreters of Latin composers Astor Piazolla and Joaquin Nin. The evening's program, "Oblivión," will feature several of their memorable compositions, including Nin's "Suite Espanole" and "Chants d'Espagne" and Piazolla's "La Mufa" and his famous "Le Grand Tango."

"Beiser and de Mare caressed the tender moments and filled the passionate phrases with a zest bordering on the naughty. Just right, in other words," Cleveland Plain Dealer reviewer Donald Rosenberg said of a 1999 performance.

Raised on a kibbutz in Israel by her French mother and Argentinian father, Beiser has been performing in concert since she was 12. She made her American debut at 19 and, after receiving her bachelor's degree at the Rubin Academy in Tel Aviv, she returned to study with Aldo Parisot and complete her master's degree at Yale University.

A veteran cellist for the Bang on a Can All-Stars, she left the group and is now a sought-after soloist. Recognized as a leading performer at the cutting edge of the musical world, she excels at everything from classical to world music, even dabbling in alternative rock.

Beiser has been a part of Lincoln Center's Great Performers series several times. She has played Carnegie Hall, The Knitting Factory and The Kitchen in New York City, Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center and major concert series in Budapest, Tel Aviv, Milan and Berlin.

Her recordings have won high praise. Classic CD magazine called her "a searingly passionate player who surpasses all technical difficulties with ease." Los Angeles Times music critic Mark Swed selected her album "Kinship" as one of the 10 best classical albums of 2000.

Much more than an accompanist, de Mare is a perfect match for Beiser. Described by Fanfare magazine as "a wonder every listener must hear to believe," he is known for his dedication to contemporary works.

"As much as I love the great works of the past, my commitment is to this century," he told The New York Times.

De Mare began his performing career as part of the Young Concert Artists and debuted at the 92nd Street YMCA in New York and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Early on, he won top honors at the International Gaudeamus Interpreters Competition in The Netherlands and the International Competition of Contemporary Piano Music.

With an expansive repertoire ranging from traditional to modern to theatrical, de Mare has premiered works written for him by such noted composers as Meredith Monk, Frederic Rzewski, Chester Biscardi and Bernadette Speech. Several of his recordings, including "Pianos and Voices," "Frederic Rzewski - Anthony de Mare" and "Oblivión," have met with strong critical praise.

Released as an album in 1999, "Oblivión" features several pieces by Nin (1903-1977), the Cuban-born father of famed diarist Anäis Nin. His "Suite Espagnole" offers folk elements of four Spanish regions with the cello assuming an earthy and impassioned principle role. Other works by Nin, including "Cuatro Comentarios" and "Chants d'Espagne" highlight Spanish melodies and flashy flamenco flair.

The renowned Piazolla (1921-1992), who followed Nin in his exploration of Spanish and Argentinean melodies, is represented through several seductive pieces. Beiser and de Mare will present a fresh rendition of his "Le Grand Tango," as well as his lesser known "Adios Nonino," which begins with a piano solo and melts into an extended ardent musical dialogue between these formidable artists.

Tickets prices range from $24 to $30, with discounts available for students and senior citizens. For tickets, call the Quick Center box office at (203) 254-4010 or toll free at 1-877-ARTS-396. For more information, visit the website, www.quickcenter.com.

Posted On: 03-05-2003 09:03 AM

Volume: 35 Number: 221