The Chelsea Music Festival will present the New York premiere of Copland & Twain – A Theatrical Concert on 25 June at Open Jar Studios in Manhattan, bringing together orchestral music, theatre and American literary works in a production that examines themes of identity, division and national unity.
The performance, scheduled from 7pm to 9pm at Open Jar Studios on Broadway, is directed by Bill Barclay, the former Director of Music at Shakespeare’s Globe, and produced by Concert Theatre Works. The production combines Aaron Copland’s orchestral compositions with the writings of Mark Twain, including Diaries of Adam and Eve, in a staged theatrical concert featuring live actors, costumes, projections and chamber orchestra.
The event forms part of the Chelsea Music Festival’s wider 2026 programme, which continues the organisation’s focus on interdisciplinary collaborations spanning classical music, theatre and visual arts.
At the centre of the production is a newly staged interpretation of Copland’s Music for Movies and Music for the Theatre, both presented in chamber orchestrations making their New York premieres. The musical programme will be paired with dramatic performances of Twain’s writings by a cast of five actors appearing in costume alongside the Festival Chamber Orchestra under the baton of conductor Ken-David Masur.
Festival organisers said the production addresses “a timely question at the heart of the American experiment: will the nation grow from its wounds toward a deeper love of neighbor, or let its scars tear it apart?”
The cast includes Caleb Mayo, Chloe McFarlane, Maurice Emmanuel Parent, Robert Walsh and Carson Elrod. Costume design is led by Arthur Oliver.
Tickets for the event are priced at $150, with a reception sponsored by German confectionery company Niederegger set to follow the performance.
The production marks another high-profile collaboration for Barclay, whose work in concert theatre has toured internationally across Europe and North America. Over the course of his career, Barclay has worked with orchestras including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra, while producing more than 130 theatrical and musical productions during his tenure at Shakespeare’s Globe in London.
His recent projects include Secret Byrd, Peer Gynt, Romeo & Juliet and Markus Passion, productions that combine dramatic storytelling with live orchestral performance.
Barclay’s work has attracted critical acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic, with reviews from publications including The New York Times, The Guardian and The New Yorker praising the originality and theatrical intensity of his productions.
Leading the orchestra for the New York premiere is Ken-David Masur, Music Director of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Principal Conductor of the Chicago Symphony’s Civic Orchestra. Masur, who was born and raised in Leipzig, Germany, has become known for championing both traditional symphonic repertoire and contemporary works.
During the 2025–2026 season, Masur is leading a number of major anniversary and festival programmes in the United States, including projects linked to America’s 250th anniversary celebrations. The collaboration with Barclay and Concert Theatre Works forms part of those wider commemorations.
Masur has previously conducted orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic, while also appearing at international festivals such as Tanglewood, Verbier and Ravinia.
The theatrical concert arrives as live arts organisations in New York continue to expand hybrid productions that blur the boundaries between classical performance, theatre and multimedia presentation in an effort to attract broader audiences.
Chelsea Music Festival, founded in 2010, has increasingly positioned itself within that movement by presenting chamber music in unconventional venues and combining performances with culinary, visual and educational programming.
Based in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighbourhood, the festival has built a reputation for commissioning new works and promoting emerging voices, particularly artists from underrepresented communities. In recent years, the organisation has also expanded its digital presence through online concert archives and recorded performances.
The festival’s 2026 season is supported by a broad network of cultural and corporate sponsors, including Steinway & Sons, the National Endowment for the Arts, WQXR, Fordham University and the Consulate General of Germany in New York.
Organisers said the upcoming performance of Copland & Twain reflects the festival’s continued commitment to presenting ambitious cross-disciplinary works that connect music, literature and contemporary social themes for modern audiences.
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