Set Designer

Join us for an unforgettable evening as Washington Performing Arts presents the innovative and theatrical new project, "Fragments," featuring the extraordinary cellist Alisa Weilerstein. This unique performance is set to take place on Saturday, April 6, 2024, at 7:30 PM at the prestigious John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Terrace Theater.

"Fragments" is a groundbreaking project conceived by the MacArthur Genius Award recipient, Alisa Weilerstein. The project brings together an eclectic mix of 27 composers from nine different nationalities, offering a diverse range of musical styles. The evening's performance will feature an intriguing arc that intersperses movements of Bach cello suites with 10-minute fragments of newly commissioned works, including compositions by Alan Fletcher, Ana Sokolović, Caroline Shaw, Daniel Kidane, Gity Razaz, and Johann Sebastian Bach himself.

This D.C.-premiere performance is not just a concert; it's an immersive experience designed to challenge conventional concert norms and add a layer of theatricality to the classical music experience. The project aims to reimagine what a cello recital can be, engaging the audience in a more immediate and visceral response to the music.

The 7:30 PM performance holds the special distinction of being the second-annual Ruth Bader Ginsburg Memorial Recital, an annual event by Washington Performing Arts to honor the legacy of a cherished friend and elevate the work of both established and emerging artists.

Please note, due to the unique nature of this performance, there will be absolutely no late seating. The performance will last for 60 minutes without an intermission.

Washington Performing Arts is committed to accessibility, ensuring that visitors of all abilities can experience this remarkable performance. For specific accessibility inquiries regarding Kennedy Center events, please visit the Kennedy Center's accessibility page or contact Washington Performing Arts directly.

Don't miss this opportunity to witness Alisa Weilerstein's "Fragments," a performance that promises to be a highlight of the classical music season.

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Alisa Weilerstein, cello

Kennedy Center

Renowned cellist Alisa Weilerstein returns for the second installment of her groundbreaking, multi-year project FRAGMENTS. This innovative series weaves together the 36 movements of Bach’s solo cello suites with 27 newly commissioned works. The resulting collection is divided into six Fragments, each an hour long and blending five to six composers, to be released independently over several seasons—the first of these graced our stage in the 2022–23 season. Within each Fragment, individual movements from a single Bach suite are thoughtfully integrated with selected new works to create a new emotional arc. Enhanced by responsive lighting and scenic architecture, the music is performed without pause and without a program, making for a wholly original and immersive audience experience.

Alisa Weilerstein: Fragments 2

Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center

Alisa Weilerstein’s FRAGMENTS 2 weaves together Bach’s Cello Suites with newly commissioned compositions for an ambitious multisensory concert experience.

Fragments 2

Walt Disney Concert Hall

In Alisa Weilerstein’s groundbreaking, multi-year performance series FRAGMENTS, new music by some of the most compelling composers of our time meets the timeless beauty of Bach’s Six Suites for Solo Cello in an immersive, multisensory audience experience. In FRAGMENTS 1, individual movements from Bach’s first suite are thoughtfully integrated with selected new commissions to make a wholly original emotional arc. Enhanced by responsive lighting and scenic architecture, the music is performed without pauses or printed program details, creating an atmosphere of enchantment, adventure, and discovery. 

Alisa Weilerstein: FRAGMENTS 1

Harvard University

In this contemporary, spirited production of The Merchant of Venice, Golyak explodes Shakespeare’s complex play in his signature, inventive style. In a nightclub environment akin to a late-night comedy show, this Merchant brings Shakespeare’s “festival” setting for the play into our modern world.

The Merchant Of Venice

Classic Stage Company

Alisa Weilerstein’s multi-year performance series FRAGMENTS brings together new commissions by some of today’s most compelling composers with the timeless beauty of J. S. Bach’s six suites for solo cello. During Carnegie Hall’s 2024–2025 season, Weilerstein presents FRAGMENTS 2 and 3, in which new works are woven together with the Second and Third cello suites, responsive lighting, and scenic architecture, inviting audiences into an immersive, multisensory experience.

Seth Reiser

Set Designer

Events

Upcoming events

1 - 30 Dec, 2024

The Merchant Of Venice · Classic Stage Company

Jan 21, 2025

Alisa Weilerstein: FRAGMENTS 2 · Carnegie Hall

May 20, 2025

Alisa Weilerstein: FRAGMENTS 3 · Carnegie Hall

Past events

Apr 6, 2024

Alisa Weilerstein, cello · Washington Performing Arts

Nov 16, 2023

Alisa Weilerstein: Fragments 2 · La Jolla Music Society

About

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