After focusing its most recent season on New York City’s performers, the Brooklyn Academy of Music announced on Monday a spring season with global offerings, including the New York premiere of British choreographer Akram Khan’s “Giselle,” a series of shows. by Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby and a production of “Cyrano de Bergerac”, starring James McAvoy.
The season will also feature a variety of New York artists, such as contemporary ensemble Bang on a Can and visual artist Saya Woolfalk, who will present a new digital installation.
“It’s local and it’s global,” the academy’s artistic director David Binder said of the new season. “There’s an optimism going on, with artists rethinking what the world could be.”
The academy hopes the offerings will continue to boost recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. The academy saw relatively strong ticket sales in the fall and winter, with several sold-out performances, Binder said, but is still working to recover from the turmoil of the pandemic, which has forced performances to be suspended for more than a year.
The spring season kicks off on March 24 with the New York premiere of ’32 Sounds’, a compelling documentary from filmmaker Sam Green. The film, which first screened at the Sundance Film Festival in January, will be narrated live; audience members wear headphones.
Khan’s acclaimed adaptation of “Giselle”, which the English National Ballet brings to the academy in June, has been critically acclaimed since its London premiere in 2016. It has since been performed in Auckland, New Zealand, as well as Hong Kong and Dublin.
DailyExpertNews called the 2016 production “a beautiful and intelligent remake of the much-loved 1841 classic, and probably — and improbably — the best work Mr. Khan has done.”
During four appearances at the academy in May, Gadsby, star of the hit Netflix specials “Douglas” and “Nanette,” will perform “Body of Work,” her latest stand-up show, which explores themes of love and relationships.
This April, Jamie Lloyd’s Olivier Award-winning production of “Cyrano de Bergerac” comes to the academy, starring McAvoy, the “X-Men” star.
In addition to “Giselle” there will be several other dance productions. The 10-piece Brazilian dance troupe Suave will perform “Cria” in March, after its original engagement at the academy was postponed last fall due to visa issues. The German choreographer Sasha Waltz’ In C will have its American premiere in April, accompanied by the Bang on a Can All-Stars. The annual DanceAfrica festival returns in May.
Binder said that while a new wave of the virus was always possible, he hoped the audience would come for the new season.
“I’m very lucky that our audience is there and ready for the adventure, and ready and really super engaged,” he said. “People are really ready to come back.”
