RIAF 2015 RIAF 2015

In October, the 2015 Ringling International Arts Festival (RIAF) launches the tenth season of performances presented in the Historic Asolo Theater since its restoration and reopening in 2006. With a festival roster of international productions from Asia, followed by a New Stages lineup of newly commissioned choreographic works, the 2015-2016 Art of Performance season bears testament to the vitality of The Ringling’s programming, its dynamic engagement with the work of contemporary artists, and the ever-growing base of awareness and support the program is generating for The Ringling’s Art of Our Time initiative.

Curated as a prelude to the inauguration of The Ringling’s center for Asian art (scheduled for opening in February 2016), the roster of artists for RIAF 2015 represents the vast geography and many cultures of contemporary Asia. Seven vibrant productions, each bringing a unique and compelling perspective on beauty, innovation, and virtuosity, will grace the RIAF venues from October 15 through October 18.

On the stages of the Historic Asolo Theater and Mertz Theatre, four genre-defying productions variously blend dance, theater, music, and circus to create exciting new forms of expression:

From China, TAO Dance Theater combines stunning visual impact with technical brilliance to present a powerful take on contemporary dance that stretches the boundaries of the human form.

Khmer Metal, performed with humor and humanity by Phare: The Cambodian Circus, infuses movement and music with circus artistry in an edgy and progressive tale of nightlife, passion, heartbreak, and hope.

The paths of two wandering travelers intersect in time and space through the theatrical wizardry of Tom Lee as he employs the rich traditions of Japanese puppetry in the telling of Shank’s Mare

The Indonesian Orkes (orchestra) Sinten Remen, under the direction of the charismatic Djaduk Ferjanto, blends traditional folk music with the dynamism of pop culture in performances that are at once nostalgic and somewhat rowdy.

In the Cook Theatre, three solo artists expand our perceptions of performance through their masterly expressions of original works:

Exquisitely trained in the traditional dances of his native Thailand, Ronnarong Khampha embraces contemporary aesthetics in his mesmerizing and profoundly moving performance of My Name is Ong

The Indonesian composer and singer Peni Candra Rini—hailed for her mastery of traditional music and her innovative creativity—evokes the mysterious and infinite manifestation of Rahim (the womb) through music, movement, and imagery.

An ecstatic musical experience unfolds as the American-East TimoreseTaiwanese artist Jen Shyu plays lutes, zithers, and percussion instruments and interweaves movement and acting into songs that are uniquely her own.

The curation of RIAF 2015 was realized in partnership with Stanford Makishi, who—in his previous role as Executive Director of the Baryshnikov Arts Center—helped launch the festival in 2009. More recently, Stanford served as Deputy Director of Programs at New York’s Asian Cultural Council and in January of this year was named Vice President for Programming at City Center New York.

OCTOBER 15 – 18, 2015

Tickets : 941.360.7399 or ringling.org

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