UW World Series fields a distinguished lineup

Global cultural travels ... from the upholstered comfort of a theater seat.

That's what UW World Series offers with its yearly lineup of dance, world music, chamber recitals and piano pyrotechnics. The great sightlines and good acoustics of Meany Hall — on the University of Washington campus — are a key part of the package. Here's what's in store for 2009-10.

World Dance

Returning Meany favorites include New York-based Paul Taylor Dance Company (Oct. 8-10), Britain's Richard Alston Dance Company (Jan. 21-23, 2010) and Spain's Compañía Nacional de Danza, helmed by Nacho Duato (April 22-24, 2010).

The series newcomer with the most unusual story is Trey McIntyre Project (TMP), led by a former resident choreographer for Oregon Ballet Theatre, Ballet Memphis and The Washington Ballet. Founded in 2004 to be a summer touring company, TMP met with such success that it was able to become a full-time international touring company last summer ... based in Boise, Idaho, of all places. Nimble, limber dancers and eclectic musical tastes distinguish this fine young upstart of a dance troupe. You can see their work on www.treymcyntire.com.

Also on the dance calendar: Complexions, founded by Alvin Ailey alumni (Nov. 12-14), and Shantala Shivalingappa, a Paris-raised performer specializing in classical Kuchipudi dance of southern India (Feb. 11-13), both making their Meany debuts.

World Music & Theatre

Highlights include San Francisco-based Chitresh Das Dance Company, bringing the storytelling Kathak dance tradition to the stage with live Indian musicians (Oct. 17), and Kálmán Balogh, a lightning-fingered cimbalom player from Hungary, accompanied by frenzied fiddle, sax and horn players (Feb. 27). Check Ballogh out on www.myspace.com/kalmanbalogh.

Also on the roster: Zimbabwean soul singer Chiwoniso (Dec. 4), pianist Leon Bates with an all-Gershwin program (Jan. 30, 2010) and antic French gypsy-jazz combo Samarabalouf (April 17). Everyone but Bates is new to Meany.

President's Piano

Garrick Ohlsson, a frequent visitor to Seattle (he plays here with Mark Morris Dance Group next weekend), gives a two-part all-Chopin recital in honor of the composer's 200th birthday (Jan. 13 and Feb. 9, 2010).

Jeremy Denk, a cheeky favorite at the Seattle Chamber Music Festival, makes his Meany Hall debut (March 31, 2010) — and before that he'll team up for a Seattle Symphony recital with Joshua Bell (Feb. 22). Talk about a pianist on a roll! To get a taste of Denk, check out "Think Denk," his catty blog on www.jeremydenk.net.

Pianist Terrence Wilson, of the Ritz Chamber Players, makes his Meany solo debut (April 29). Returning pianist Lise de la Salle (Nov. 24) and Meany newcomer Sylvia Toran (Oct. 13) round out the program.

International Chamber Music

Whole lotta debuts happening here. Germany's Vogler Quartet (Nov. 4) and Auryn Quartet (Feb. 3, 2010) and Austria's Hugo Wolf Quartet (March 10, 2010) will appear for the first time at Meany. So will La Catrina Quartet (May 19, 2010), a Mexican ensemble with a focus on Mexican and Latin-American compositions, several of them posted in their entirety on www.lacatrinaquartet.com, along with excerpts from Haydn, Mozart and other war horses of the quartet repertoire.

Longtime favorites the Emerson String Quartet will return (April 14, 2010), as will the Amelia Piano Trio (Dec. 2), last seen here in 2005 accompanying dance ensemble Sean Curran Company live onstage.

Subscriptions, available now, run from $145 to $216. Single tickets and samplers go on sale June 15. To order, call 206-543-4880, visit www.uwworldseries.org or go to UW Arts Ticket Office, 4001 University Way N.E., Seattle.

Michael Upchurch: mupchurch@seattletimes.com

Information in this article, originally published April 26, 2009, was corrected Sept. 18, 2009. A previous version of this story incorrectly spelled pianist Lise de la Salle's name.