Filoli Historic House and Garden Announces Multi-Arts Performances for 2020 Ballroom Cultural Series

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Filoli Historic House and Garden Announces Multi-Arts
      Performances for 2020 Ballroom Cultural Series
From Opera and Silent Film Piano Accompaniment to Dramatic Readings and Bawdy
            Lectures, Filoli Entertains in Fringe Style on Sunday Afternoons

WOODSIDE, Calif., December 17, 2019 — Filoli Historic House and Garden, a site
of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and one of the last country estates
reminiscent of the Gilded Age, today announced the schedule for its 2020 Ballroom
Cultural Series, a multi-arts, months-long event celebrating the variety of musical styles
and live entertainment reminiscent of what the families who lived at Filoli enjoyed
during the 20th century. Inspired by modern-day international fringe festivals and now
in its third consecutive year, the Ballroom Cultural Series will feature nine unique
performances hosted in the Filoli ballroom every Sunday afternoon from January 5 to
March 1, 2020. Performances range from the traditional to the unconventional and
include vocal and instrumental music, dancing, a silent film, a dramatic reading, and
even a lecture on the challenging sex lives of plants.

“Plant sex isn’t a controversial topic per se, but the way I give plants personalities can
push the boundaries at bit,” said Terry Huang, Plant Collections Fellow at Filoli, who
will be performing his “50 Shades of Green” show on February 16. “The relationship
between flowering plants and their pollinators is really a love story that feeds the world.
The ingenious ways plants forge these connections, while rooted in one place, can teach
us all so much. With my show, I’m trying to raise awareness of how plants and
pollinators make so much of life possible on earth.”

As the name suggests, all performances in the Ballroom Cultural Series will be held in
Filoli’s 2,240-square-foot ballroom, with its 22-foot-high ceilings, inlaid parquet floor,
Baccarat crystal chandeliers, grand piano, and built-in stage. The ballroom was the last
interior space to be completed by Filoli’s original owners, William and Agnes Bourn,
who officially hosted their first string quartet in December 1926. Filoli’s second and final
private owners, William P. Roth and Lurline Matson Roth, continued and expanded the
musical tradition with their own parties in the ballroom from 1937 until 1975, when the
estate was donated to the National Trust for the enjoyment and inspiration of future
generations.

“For indoor entertaining, the ballroom is the real gem of Filoli, and during the winter
months there’s no better place to spend a Sunday afternoon,” said Julie Bly DeVere,
Head Curator and Collection Manager at Filoli. “The Bourns were longtime supporters
of music in San Francisco, including symphony and opera, and the Filoli guest book
shows they hosted many composers and musicians in the ballroom. They even applied a
special acoustic plaster to the ceiling to ensure the room was echo-free and ready for
performances. It really is a one-of-a-kind venue in which to experience and appreciate
the arts.”

Ballroom Cultural Series Performance Schedule
Live performances take place every Sunday from January 5 through March 1, 2020,
from 3:00 to 5:00pm. Admission is $22 for Filoli members and $30 for non-members.

January 5, 2020 – First Street Opera
The singers of First Street Opera will fill the ballroom with a selection of pieces that the
families of Filoli, as longtime supporters of the opera, would have enjoyed.
(www.firststreetopera.com)

January 12, 2020 – Charlie Chaplin Silent Film with Live Pianist Frederick
Hodges
Hailed by the press as one of the best concert pianists in the world, Frederick Hodges is
sought after by today’s foremost orchestras, festivals, conductors, and collaborative

musicians. Join us for a screening of The Kid, a 1921 American silent comedy-drama
film written by, produced by, directed by, and starring Charlie Chaplin, accompanied by
Frederick’s lively piano playing. (www.frederickhodges.com)

January 19, 2020 – The Mountaintop
Bay Area actors will perform a staged reading of The Mountaintop, Katori Hall’s
imaginative and critically acclaimed drama about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s last night
on earth. Some adult language is used; may not be appropriate for all audiences.
(www.katorihall.com)

January 26, 2020 – The Chinese Instrumental Ensemble
In ancient China, the success of a dynasty was attributed to its ability to find the proper
tone of absolute pitch, known as “huang chung.” The Chinese Instrumental Ensemble
features a two-string upright fiddle (erhu), a butterfly harp (yangqin), and a bamboo
flute (xiao). The trio will perform traditional songs.

February 2, 2020 – Helm: Middle Eastern Music and Dance
Helm performs original compositions that have become classics in the world of tribal
and belly dance, as well as traditional music from throughout the Mediterranean and
Middle East. Enjoy this chance to see Middle Eastern dancing in the ballroom.
(www.helmmusic.com)

February 9, 2020 – New World String Project
Lisa Lynne and Aryeh Frankfurter perform with two Celtic harps, the rare Swedish
Nyckelharpa, Ukrainian Bandura, Cittern and more. The multi-instrumental duo will
present an enchanting blend of music and tales from their adventures as modern-day
troubadours. (www.newworldstringproject.com)

February 16, 2020 – 50 Shades of Green: Lecture by Filoli Plant Collections
Fellow Terry Huang
Terry Huang’s bawdy botanical review delves into the sex lives of plants, dramatically
explaining the challenges of courtship and consummation for those rooted in place.

Terry’s fellowship at Filoli is funded through donations to the organization’s world-class
internship program. (www.filoli.org/internshipprogram)

February 23, 2020 – Ensemble Draca with Katina Mitchell
Katina Mitchell is a musician, director, and educator based in California whose
interdisciplinary work pairs a curious mind with historical specialization. Her Ensemble
Draca will present a concert of vocal and instrumental repertoire from 17th-century
Italy. (www.katinamitchell.com)

March 1, 2020 – Rebecca Rust and Friedrich Edelmann
Rebecca Rust, violoncello, and Friedrich Edelmann, bassoon, have played together in
duos, trios, and larger chamber music groups for over 30 years. From their home base in
Germany, this husband-and-wife team is joining us for a special stateside performance.
(www.edelmann-rust.com)

To learn more about Filoli’s Ballroom Cultural Series or to purchase tickets, visit
www.filoli.org/ballroom-cultural-series.

About Filoli
Located south of San Francisco in Woodside, California, Filoli boasts 654 acres of
beauty nestled along the slopes of California’s coastal range. Originally built as a private
residence in 1917, Filoli was open to the public in 1976 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
organization and site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The property is
considered one of the finest remaining country estates of the 20th century, featuring a
54,000+ square-foot Georgian revival-style mansion, 16 acres of exquisite English
Renaissance gardens, a 6.8-acre Gentleman's Orchard and a nature preserve with over
seven miles of hiking trails. Filoli is dedicated to connecting our rich history with a
vibrant future through beauty, nature and shared stories, so that one day all people will
honor nature, value unique experiences and appreciate beauty in everyday life. For more
information about Filoli, visit www.filoli.org.

Contact:
Filoli Historic House & Garden
86 Cañada Road
Woodside, CA 94062
(650) 364-8300
press(at)filoli.org

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