Park Avenue Armory’s newly announced 2022 season includes two classics running in repertory, as directed by Robert Icke. Alex Lawther (The Imitation Game) will star in the title role of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, with Lia Williams playing Klytemnestra in Aeschylus’ Oresteia. The presentation was originally slated for the 2020 season, but put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The two productions will begin May 31 and June 9, respectively, with both running through August 13. They premiered at London’s Almeida Theatre (Andrew Scott played the Danish prince in the U.K. staging; Williams earned an Olivier Award nomination for her performance in the three-hour Oresteia adaptation). Digital media plays a key role in both stagings, with cameras, large screens, and more implemented.
Technology is also at the center of another highlight in the new roster: the North American premiere of Michael van der Aa’s opera Upload, which played the Dutch National Opera earlier this fall. Soprano Julia Bullock and baritone Roderick Williams will star in the piece, about a man who uploads his memories and consciousness to achieve a form of virtual immortality. Performances will run March 22–30.
Additional works on tap for the midtown space are Rashaad Newsome’s interdisciplinary and AI-tinged vogue exploration Assembly (February 16–March 6), composer Tyshawn Sorey’s tribute to Houston, Texas’ non-denominational Rothko Chapel (September 27–October 8), and Julian Rosefeldt’s film and musical installation Euphoria (November 30–January 1, 2023). A recital series will feature programs by new music ensemble Alarm Will Sound, Ensemble Correspondances, baritone Justin Austin, tenor Michael Spryes, mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo, and soprano Ying Fang.
For more information about the season, visit ArmoryonPark.org.