Max Raabe and Palast Orchester Re-create Weimar Era

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Media Contact:

Veronica Corpuz
(412) 471-6082
corpuz@pgharts.org

Diana Roth
(412) 471-8717
roth@pgharts.org

Artwork is available upon request.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents

Max Raabe & Palast Orchester

Friday, April1 15, 2011, at 8:00 p.m.

Byham Theater, 101 Sixth Street

Pittsburgh, PA: As soon as Max Raabe & Palast Orchester enter the stage, 1920s Berlin comes to life in their tour Berlin Nocturne that pays homage to the legendary nocturnal flair of the Weimar Era. “Max Raabe and his 12-piece Palast Orchester are re-creating the music of the Weimar era with verve and class” (Time Out New York). This concert, presented by The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, will be performed on Friday, April 15, at 8:00 p.m., at the Byham Theater, as part of the Cohen & Grigsby Trust Presents series.

“It's far more than nostalgia - it's almost being there. As Raabe puts it: It's music that pleases, that makes people happy. Between that, and Raabe's own cheeky demeanor, the Palast Orchester epitomizes the elegance of the musical '20s and '30s. As one German critic described it: excellent manners spiked with a touch of decadence" (Daily News).

Founded in 1986 by the charismatic baritone Max Raabe, Max Raabe & Palast Orchester embodies the high style and musical glory of the 20's and 30's and have performed to audiences around the world. Max Raabe captures this timeless music with precision, urgency and irony. A singer of incredible range, he has a singular ability to capture the cunning rasp of the cabaret singer, the confident belcanto hero, the oily melodiousness of the revue beau, the carefree timbre of early jazz, as well as the falsetto of ragtime, all backed by his stellar 12-member band, many of whom have been with him from the beginning. Max Raabe's art lies in revealing the enigmatic intelligence, ambiguity, musical power and complexity of the "German chansons" from the turbulent Weimar Republic. In his performances he keenly reminds us that between melancholy and irony, rebellion and resignation, elegy and slapstick there is often only half a measure, sometimes just a single note, or a mere word.

Over the years, Max Raabe and the Palast Orchester have discovered that one of the secrets of a good show is diversity. Accordingly, their vast repertoire for the listener and dancer alike includes classics like "I Kiss Your Hand Madame", "My Little Green Kaktus" and "Heute Nacht oder nie" ("Tonight Or Never") or from the American Songbook "Cheek To Cheek", "Night And Day" and "I Got Rhythm", as well as Rumbas ("Amapola"), Paso Dobles ("Rosa, Charming Rosa".. I fell in love ´cause she looked so cute, last summer in her bathing suit"), rare gems ("My Gorilla Has a Villa in a Zoo"), charming gems ("Love Thy Neighbour") and silly gems ("Dort tanzt Lulu" ("Lulu is dancing too! Ahaha, uhuhu).

Tickets ($38.25-$53.25) may be purchased at the Box Office at Theater Square (655 Penn Avenue), online at www.pgharts.org, or by calling (412) 456-6666. To purchase 10 or more tickets at special discounted rates, please call (412) 471-6930.

The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is a non-profit organization whose mission is the cultural and economic development of Pittsburgh’s 14-block Cultural District through public and private support. The Trust presents and encourages diverse performing and visual arts programs within the District, and is an impetus for additional development in downtown Pittsburgh. In addition to the Trust Presents series, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents the PNC Broadway Across America-Pittsburgh series, Pittsburgh Dance Council, Pittsburgh International Children’s Theater and Children’s Festival, CD Live, JazzLive, First Night Pittsburgh, Gallery Crawl, and Three Rivers Arts Festival, among other Cultural District and arts events. The Trust owns Theater Square and the Cabaret at Theater Square; James E. Rohr Building & Arts Education Center; the Benedum Center for the Performing Arts; Byham, O’Reilly, and Harris Theaters; visual arts galleries: Wood Street Galleries, at 601 Wood Street; SPACE, at 812 Liberty Avenue and 937 Liberty: a multipurpose performance and exhibit space, among other downtown arts facilities. www.pgharts.org.
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