Choreographer, dancer, and noted Sex and the City guest star Mikhail Baryshnikov will celebrate his 75th birthday with a grand celebration hosted by the Baryshnikov Arts Center. The event, scheduled for June 25 at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park in Tivoli, New York, will feature special appearances from musicians Laurie Anderson, Diana Krall, Regina Spektor, and Kaoru Watanabe.
“I consider several of the artists to be friends,” Baryshnikov tells Rolling Stone in a statement. “I have been fortunate to spend time with Diana Krall, who is such a special voice in jazz, and she and her husband Elvis Costello are treasured friends; the extraordinary Laurie Anderson performed at BAC in the early days, and she and her late husband Lou Reed were regulars at BAC events; I met the gifted musician and composer Kaoru Watanabe while collaborating on a project and we have since become quite close; and I look forward to connecting with Regina Spektor, a fellow emigre from the former Soviet Union whose special blend of classical training, hip hop, jazz, rock, and the influence of Russian and American singer-songwriters is the epitome of American creativity and innovation.”
He adds: “All these artists have an unflinching dedication to originality along with respect for what has come before them. What could be better? I am honored that they will be part of this celebratory event and, as a resident of the Hudson Valley since the late 1970s, I look forward to bringing together old and new friends in this special place.”
The afternoon concert in the Hudson Valley countryside will double as a fundraiser as well. BAC Executive Director Sonja Kostich shared in a separate statement. “This milestone fundraising event honors his life’s work and the community he has built, providing an artistic home for the creatively brave from around the world,” she wrote.
Tickets for Mikhail Baryshnikov at 75: A Day of Music & Celebration are available now via the official Baryshnikov Arts Center website.
“I am honored that this occasion brings together the Baryshnikov Arts Center and Kaatsbaan Cultural Park communities,” Baryshnikov added in a separate statement about the event. “Both organizations exist to nurture and support artists, so sharing time together in the beautiful countryside of the Hudson Valley this summer, with a unique lineup of musicians and artists whose work means so much to me, is an event I’m looking forward to with immense pride and excitement.”