Critics Pick

Mark Morris Dance Group

Cal Performances

Mark Morris's newest masterpiece, Socrates, anchors this remarkable program, which features a triptych of West Coast premieres. Described by the New York Times as "simply beautiful...[and] sensuously attractive," it is set to Satie's eponymous score, a three-part drama with text from Victor Cousin's translation of writings referring to Socrates by Plato. Demonstrating Morris's ongoing commitment to live music in performance, Socrates features a collaboration between a tenor to be announced and pianist Colin Fowler. Also on the program, the quirky and humorous Looky (2007) is set to an idiosyncratic composition by Kyle Gann that references such diverse composers as Satie, Czerny, Nancarrow, and Jelly Roll Morton. The program begins with Behemoth (1990), Morris's only work danced in silence, revealing that the choreographer's genius can be experienced independently of his love of music.

Tickets available through the Cal Performances Ticket Office at Zellerbach Hall; at (510) 642-9988 to charge by phone; online at www.calperformances.org; and at the door.

**Rush tickets: UCB students, $10; UCB faculty and staff (UCB ID required) and seniors age 65 or older, $15; all other community members, $20. Sales are limited to one ticket per person; all sales are cash only. Rush tickets are announced two hours prior to a performance and are available in person only at the Ticket Office beginning 1 hour before the performance; quantities may be limited. Information is available at 510-642-9988, press 2 for the rush hotline.

Ticket info: Half-price tickets are available for purchase by UC Berkeley students for all performances. Tickets go on sale August 9. Buy tickets by calling Cal Performances Box Office at 510-642-9988.