UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Itzhak Perlman will return to Penn State’s Eisenhower Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14, for a special evening of live music (announced from the stage), stories, and projected film and photos celebrating a storied career launched with his televised U.S. debut more than 60 years ago.
The world’s most famous violinist, who will be joined for “An Evening with Itzhak Perlman” by his longtime pianist Rohan De Silva, enjoys a status not often associated with a classical musician. His remarkable musicianship is equaled by his humor, warmth and the joy with which he plays with leading orchestras, in recitals and at major festivals.
Visit the Center for the Performing Arts online or call 814-863-0255 for more information.
“Through humorous vignettes and old movies, Itzhak took us through his youth, even playing some of the early pieces he learned,” wrote Paul Pattison, who attended the premiere of “An Evening with Itzhak Perlman” earlier this year and reviewed it for KCArtsBeat.com.
“Mr. Perlman’s big break came through American television,” Pattison wrote. “‘The Ed Sullivan Show’ wanted to highlight talent from the new state of Israel, and auditions were held, and of course, Perlman was a finalist and appeared on the show (in 1958). … Studies at Juilliard followed for Perlman and, soon, international recognition.”
Perlman was just 13 when he first visited the United States to perform on Sullivan’s popular variety program. He has long been a fixture on television, making appearances on shows as diverse as “Sesame Street,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and “Live from Lincoln Center.”