Spoken word and music at the Getty in March

This March, the Getty presents an eclectic line-up of spoken word and musical performances, with works spanning hundreds of years. From contemporary short stories to the haunting melodies of Gothic song, there are plenty of events to add an extra “spring” to your step.

First, Selected Shorts returns for its annual weekend of live performance at the Getty on March 3 and 4. The hit public radio series offers an excellent lineup of actors from stage and screen to read funny, passionate, and mysterious classic and modern tales about “objects of desire.” Performers include Leonard Nimoy, Jane Kaczmarek (“Malcolm in the Middle”), Tate Donovan (“Damages”), Robert Sean Leonard (“House M.D.”), and many more. Historical, religious, magical, humorous, beloved, or bewitched—every object tells a story.

"We have a really juicy bunch of stories lined up," says Isaiah Sheffer, host of Selected Shorts. "Each year, we aim to deliver a fresh and surprising program of spellbinding short fiction performed by an all-star cast. The Getty has been an excellent venue for our annual weekend of readings, and we look forward to the enthusiastic Getty audience each spring.”



Selected Shorts



Date: Saturday, March 3 and Sunday, March 4, 2012
Time: 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Saturday; 3:00 p.m. on Sunday
Location: Harold M. Williams Auditorium, Getty Center
Admission: Tickets $20, students/seniors $15. Call (310) 440-7300 or visit www.getty.edu

A full listing of readings and performers is listed here.



On March 24, Rose Ensemble presents Gothic Voices, an award-winning group that celebrates the glorious variety of European gothic music from the 12th to 14th centuries. Led by artistic director Jordan Sramek and built on research from the Getty's manuscripts collection, this Gordon Getty Concert illuminates centuries of rarely performed vocal repertoire and a fascinating array of languages and instruments. The program also features a newly commissioned work by composer and founding Rose Ensemble member, Linda Kachelmeier. The performance complements the exhibition Gothic Grandeur: Manuscript Illumination 1200–1350.



Gordon Getty Concert: Rose Ensemble Presents Gothic Voices Date: Saturday, March 24, 2012
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Getty Center, Harold M. Williams Auditorium
Admission: Tickets $20; students/seniors $15. Call (310) 440-7300 or use visit www.getty.edu



On March 31, Singer-songwriter Abigail Washburn performs her take on American old-time music as part of the Saturday Nights at the Getty series. The Nashville-based clawhammer-banjo player pairs venerable folk elements with far-flung sounds, and the results feel both strangely familiar and unlike anything anybody's ever heard before. Her performance offers guests a passport to a simpler time and place.



Saturday Nights at the Getty: Abigail Washburn



Date: Saturday, March 31, 2012
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Harold M. Williams Auditorium, Getty Center
Admission: Free; reservations required. Limit of 4 seats per reservation. Reservations available beginning Tuesday, February 21, 2012, at 9:00 a.m. Call (310) 440-7300 or visit www.getty.edu




Visiting the Getty Center

The Getty Center is open Tuesday through Friday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. It is closed Monday and major holidays. Admission to the Getty Center is always free. Parking is $15 per car, but reduced to $10 after 5 p.m. on Saturdays and for evening events throughout the week. No reservation is required for parking or general admission. Reservations are required for event seating and groups of 15 or more. Please call (310) 440-7300 (English or Spanish) for reservations and information. The TTY line for callers who are deaf or hearing impaired is (310) 440-7305. The Getty Center is at 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles, California.



Additional information is available at www.getty.edu

Sign up for e-Getty at www.getty.edu/subscribe to receive free monthly highlights of events at the Getty Center and the Getty Villa via e-mail, or visit www.getty.edu for a complete calendar of public programs.