April at Artis—Naples: Boreyko, Ballet, Broadway!

Andrey Boreyko, Sharon and Timothy Ubben Music Director Naples Philharmonic
Photo courtesy Artis—Naples.

April is in bloom at Artis—Naples, with a thank you salute celebrating longtime Sharon and Timothy Ubben Music Director Andrey Boreyko, the return of Miami City Ballet and My Fair Lady rounding out the touring Broadway productions for the season.

“This season has been robust, lively and memorable,” says Artis—Naples CEO and President Kathleen van Bergen, “and April promises to continue that momentum. This month we express our gratitude to Andrey Boreyko as he nears the end of his eighth and final season as our music director with two spectacular performances, first with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra—for whom he has been the artistic and music director since 2019—and then with a special Naples Philharmonic performance celebrating his eight seasons of dedicated and innovative artistic leadership.”

Boreyko’s appearance with the Warsaw Philharmonic on April 3 offers Artis—Naples patrons a unique window into the next chapter of his career, and he is joined by rising piano star Bruce Liu, who took first place at the prestigious 18th International Chopin Piano Competition in October 2021, for a performance of Chopin’s glittering First Piano Concerto.

Miami City Ballet’s performances with the Naples Philharmonic are always among an Artis—Naples season’s highlights, and this season is no different. Ballet fans who have been craving MCB’s signature musicality for more than two years will finally get their fix in on April 5 as the company makes its long-awaited return to Artis—Naples to perform one of George Balanchine’s masterpieces, Jewels, set to music by Fauré, Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky.

The Baker Museum—itself a veritable jewel—is filled with treasures for visual arts lovers to discover this spring. Baseball Heroes: Works from the Jay H. Baker Collection features more than 130 iconic baseball artifacts from five of history’s most iconic Yankees players, and its companion exhibition, Love in All Forms: Selections from the Art Collection of Patty and Jay Baker, represents
some of the most significant art historical movements of the past 150 years. Pam Longobardi: Ocean Gleaning highlights the work of
an artist who transforms mountains of found ocean plastics into meticulous, thought-provoking works of art. The recently opened
landmark exhibition Another World: The Transcendental Painting Group represents the first major exhibition of the Transcendental
Painting Group to be shown outside of New Mexico, and companion exhibition Invisible Thread shares the works of contemporary artists who explore spirituality, transcendence and the subconscious. And the annual exhibition Florida Contemporary 2021-22 highlights dynamic and accomplished visual artists active in Florida today. Plus, a series of museum lectures provide patrons with unique insight into each of these fascinating exhibitions.

Fans of musical theater can enjoy one last hurrah this season as the Artis—Naples Broadway series draws to a close with the award-winning revival of Lerner and Loewe’s magical My Fair Lady, April 12-17. Boasting numerous classic tunes—I Could Have Danced All Night, Wouldn’t It Be Loverly, On the Street Where You Live—My Fair Lady tells the story of a young Cockney flower seller and a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into a “proper lady.” But who is really being transformed? Visit artisnaples.org for additional details on all programming, and on Artis—Naples COVID-19 safety protocols.

FEATURED PHOTO:  Miami City Ballet’s Lauren Fadeley and Chase Swatosh in Diamonds. Choreography by George Balanchine The George Balanchine Trust. Photo by Alexander Iziliaev.