John Brown: Music for Shakespeare

Grammy-nominated bassist and Duke University Professor John Brown and his 15-piece big band will join forces with the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival (NCShakes) to present performances of Such Sweet Thunder in March and April.

Inspired by the masterful works of William Shakespeare, acclaimed jazz greats Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington and Billy Strayhorn created this suite of pieces bringing the worlds of literature and music together in this triumphant work.

The suite features compositions inspired by A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Julius Caesar, Henry V, Macbeth, Othello, The Taming of the Shrew, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Antony and Cleopatra. In this first-ever collaboration, the two companies will present a series of performances of Such Sweet Thunder, with each piece introduced by NCShakes actors.

Such Sweet Thunder will premier in High Point, N.C., on Friday, March 30, followed by performances in Charlotte on Saturday, March 31, and in Durham on Thursday, April 26. The High Point and Durham events will include ballroom table seating, with the ticket price including tabled hors d’oeuvres and beer and wine.

"I learned of these pieces when researching the suites of Duke Ellington some years ago," Brown said. "I have long been inspired by the music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, and I marvel at their mastery of bringing out the colors and sounds in the fabric of the jazz ensemble. Such Sweet Thunder is particularly demonstrative of this gift, and the message brought forth in this performance will change how people hear music and allow themselves to be moved by art."

For more information and for ticket prices call 336-841-2273 or click here.