This season’s roster includes celebrated alumni and favorite performers from years past, as well as several artists making a splash with their first shows on the Farm.
Among the repeat guests is Canadian puppeteer Ronnie Burkett, who returns to Bing Studio with a new Stanford Live-commissioned work, Wonderful Joe, examining the feelings of isolation and loneliness. The JACK Quartet, last seen with the St. Lawrence String Quartet, premieres a new Stanford Live-commissioned piece with flutist Claire Chase. In the latest installment of the What Makes It Great? series, Rob Kapilow examines the original and seldom-performed jazz band version of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. The third-generation puppeteer and object theater artist Basil Twist is back with a new collaboration production with Chinese-born American composer Huang Ruo. Titled Book of Mountains and Seas, it is a modern take on ancient Chinese creation myths, first transcribed in the 4th century BC, and strikingly relevant to the current struggle with climate change.
Alums returning to the farm are this year’s Denning Visiting Artist Janani Balasubramanian, ’12, who presents The Gift, an immersive installation that animates contemporary astrophysics research to open up metaphorical space for grief, care, and renewal. Doerr School of Sustainability Visiting Artist Mark Baugh-Sasaki, ’17, is working with the oceans department at Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Station to create a new work celebrating Woods Institute for the Environment’s 20th anniversary in the fall. And David Henry Hwang, ’79, will deliver this year’s Rathbun Lecture on a Meaningful Life. Hwang co-founded Stanford’s Asian-American Theater Project and has written for theater, film, television, and opera. He is best known as the author of M. Butterfly, which won the 1988 Tony, Drama Desk, John Gassner, and Outer Critics Circle Awards and was a finalist for the 1989 Pulitzer Prize.
Two first-timers to watch out for next time – because their performances sold out almost immediately this spring – are Indian mom comedian Zarna Garg and Gen Z jazz singing star Samara Joy. Both included Stanford on their international tours.
See who else is on campus this spring and summer and watch for updates.
