Ringling International Arts Festival Blog in Sarasota, FL. Theater, Dance, Music and Visual Arts

Sarasota will never be the same. After 2 years of planning, the Ringling International Arts Festival held its opening ceremony in the lovely courtyard of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. Performers, press, politicians and participants were in attendance to enjoy the delectable buffet and the Sarasota sunset.

Governor Charlie Crist helped kickoff the Festival as he addressed the attendees followed by a dramatic fireworks display of the statue of David. All of this grandeur, though, was slightly overshadowed by the presence of the world famous dancer and founder of the Baryshnikov Arts Center (BAC), Mikhail Baryshnikov, who quietly strolled through the crowd. Everyone there knew that this Festival, with its wide array of internationally recognized artists and community support, would help propel Sarasota and The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art to great heights.

Although the Festival is almost sold out, there are still opportunities to experience some of the fantastic performances. In addition, make sure to check out the air conditioned Festival Café tent. The Café will feature performances by FSU students and lectures exploring the rich and complex world of the Festival artists.

In the evenings between the main events, music lovers can enjoy Festival Jazz Nights at the Treviso Restaurant until 10:30. Families can also enjoy the Asian Cultural Funfest on Saturday starting at 1:00 pm with dancers, yoga, drummers, games and art activities.

Delicious food will never be hard to find. Attendees can purchase a delicious bite right outside the Festival Café, which is open from 11 am to 7 pm, Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. If you prefer something more elaborate, you can try the Banyan Café for lunch or the Treviso Restaurant for lunch or dinner.

Don’t miss this incredible event. You’ll have to wait 2 years before you get another chance.

An ideal Sunday (or Saturday morning at that) for me is a quiet, contemplative, lassiez-fare kind-of morning where breakfast is prepared by someone other than me, classical music fills the air and the day stretches before me like a blank canvas waiting to be transformed into a masterpiece. If you are like me, it’s been awhile since you’ve treated yourself to such an indulgent Sunday morning.

Join us at the Festival for a Sunday morning feast of live chamber music by one of the nation’s most promising composers, Mason Bates at 11:00 a.m. and then stroll over to the Museum’s Treviso Restaurant for a special brunch with mouth-watering goodies like ginger-vanilla brioche French toast topped with warm vermont maple syrup, fresh assorted berries and fruit, herb roasted chicken with hunter sauce and more.

And just as a little side note: Treviso welcomes a new chef with an impressive dossier just in time for the Festival. Jeffrey Trefry is shiny and new to Treviso but a polished hometown favorite. If you liked what you savored at St. Armands Key favorites the Cork and Cafe L’Europe then your destined to enjoy this brunch.

After brunch it is your last chance to take in Maria Pages, Ella Hickson’s Eight, Meow Meow and legendary stage director Peter Brook’s Love is my sin.

Hope you will join us!

Lynn Hobeck Bates

Who thought Sarasota was a sleepy tourist town? Not at the Ringling International Arts Festival. The Festival will feature two mind blowing performances Friday, the 8th and Saturday, the 9th starting at 10:30 pm. And the selections are perfect for the late night audience… and affordable… as low as $10!

Meow Meow
In the Mertz Theatre, international cabaret sensation Meow Meow will perform Beyond Glamour: The Absinthe Tour. Her style of kamkikaze cabaret has wowed audiences across the world, from Sydney, Australia to New York and Paris. Cabaret will never be the same.

“Meow Meow drags cabaret kicking and screaming into the 21st century.”
-Time Out New York

“Meow Meow is a sequinned sex bomb waiting to detonate…”
-Sydney Central

Eight
Ella Hickson’s Eight will perform in the Historic Asolo Theater. Direct from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Eight was awarded the coveted Best of The Edinburgh Award. Hickson mixes biting humor with deep emotional honesty to create a theatrical piece that is both entertaining and insightful.

“One of the most self-assured, startlingly well-written and moving pieces of theatre around.”
-The Herald, Scotland

“[Ella Hickson] writes with a heightened sense of the rhythms and quirks of everyday speech and uses vivid, sensory details to create believable emotional states.”
-The New York Times

Special Offer by Ringling Museum
On Thursday, Oct. 8-Saturday, Oct. 10, the Museum will stay open from 5-8 p.m. in the evening. On Thursday and Friday, during these three-hours, adults can get into the Museum for $10 and children for $5. On Saturday, Oct. 10, children (17 & Under) get in FREE all day. On Saturday, adults will get in for $10 from 5-8 p.m.

>>Get your tickets now by calling (941) 360-7399 or visiting www.RinglingArtsFestival.org

It is a  rare occurance when the Ringling Museum offers special admission prices to the Estate. It is even rarer that they open the Estate during the evening hours.  The only time it does so is for the Holiday Splendor event in December which, by the way, is a big hit and a wonderful way Ringling gives back to the community. 

The  spectacular line-up of events at the Festival has given the Museum reason-enough to offer specials. On Thursday, Oct. 8-Saturday, Oct. 10, the Museum will stay open from 5-8 p.m. in the evening.  On Thursday and Friday, during these three-hours, adults can get into the Museum for $10 and children for $5.  On Saturday, Oct. 10, children (17 & Under) get in FREE all day. On Saturday, adults will get in for $10 from 5-8 p.m.

So on these rare occurrences it is wise to take advantage of them because they don’t come around often. Even more to this point, the Festival doesn’t come around often either (the next one is slated for 2011) so get your tickets to the performances and to the Museum today.

María Pagés is renowned for her charismatic stage presence and innovative approach to flamenco. Pagés began her career as a member of the Antonio Gades Company, and in 1990, she established Compañia María Pagés. Since then, she has created a repertory that illustrates her mastery of traditional flamenco, and also her keen interest in other art forms, from theater to modern dance: Sol y sombra (1990), De la luna al viento (1994), El perro andaluz. Burlerías (1996), La tirana (1998), Flamenco Republic (2001), Ilusiones FM for the Spanish National Ballet (2002), Canciones, antes de una guerra / Songs, Before a War (2004), and Sevilla (2006). María Pagés and her company have performed at some of the most prestigious stages in the United States, England, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Israel, Egypt, Russia, Mexico, Honduras, and Spain. Pagés is the recipient of many international awards, including: Spain’s National Dance Award for Creation (2002) and National Choreography Award (1996), Italy’s Leonid Massine Award (2004) and Flamenco Award for Best Artist and Best Creator (2005), and four awards at the Biennale of Arte Flamenco.