1. Kat Edmonson

Impossible to categorize, Kat Edmonson walks her own line between jazz and pop. With a song set that ranges from Cole Porter to The Cure and includes her own compositions, Edmonson performs with a disarming conviction that brings the full depth of each song’s meaning home. Her voice has been said to be “equal parts Billie Holiday and Björk.”

When: May 29
For more information and tickets, visit http://spoletousa.org/events/kat-edmonson/.

2. Ilona Jantti

Finnish aerialist Ilona Jäntti approaches circus with the eye of a choreographer, pushing the boundaries of movement, space, and body... Whether she’s dangling from ropes or cords or interacting with props and video, Jäntti embraces her curiosity, diverging from the traditional stories of the circus and creating a language all her own.

When: June 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8
For more information and tickets, visit http://spoletousa.org/events/ilona-jantti/.

3. My Cousin Rachel

Dublin’s consummate Gate Theatre pairs their signature sophistication with Hitchcockian suspense in Daphne du Maurier’s My Cousin Rachel. We follow the young Philip Ashley as he comes to terms with his wealthy guardian’s unexpected demise. Philip suspects his cousin’s widow Rachel of foul play, but falls madly in love with her while investigating the death. Both Philip and the audience must decide: is she a devastated widow or sinister villain? Du Maurier’s spellbinding melodrama delivers humor, lust, and paranoia—a whodunit at its finest.

When: May 29, 30 and June 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8
For more information and tickets, visit http://spoletousa.org/events/my-cousin-rachel/.

4. Keigwin and Company

In just a short period of time, KEIGWIN + COMPANY gained world-wide recognition for their electrifying brand of contemporary dance. Teasing out quirky pop culture and high fashion references—Keigwin’s choreography is often seen on runways and catwalks—this magnetic company presents an evening of exceptional dance.

When: May 30, 31 and June 1
For more information and tickets, visit http://spoletousa.org/events/keigwin-company/.

5. The American premiere of Facing Goya

An opera for the 21st century, Facing Goya jumps from location to location, zig-zagging through three centuries mixing sci-fi, art history, and a little conspiracy theory to raise questions about who we are and how expectations factor into how we treat each other. Singaporean Director Ong Keng Sen, who led the 2006 Festival sell out Geisha, directs this American premiere. Sung in English.

When: June 4 and 7
For more information and tickets, visit http://spoletousa.org/events/facing-goya/.

6. Lucinda Williams

Over the course of a recording career now in its fourth decade, Louisiana-born singer and guitarist Lucinda Williams has established a reputation as an uncompromising and consistently fascinating writer and performer, earning kudos from artists as diverse as Mary Chapin Carpenter and Elvis Costello.

When: June 4
For more information and tickets, visit http://spoletousa.org/events/lucinda-williams/.

7. Hakon Kornstad

By using his imagination and a simple electronic device to record and play back loops as he performs, saxophonist Håkon Kornstad realizes in concert the idea so aptly expressed by the title of his newest album: Symphonies in My Head.

When: June 4, 6, and 7
For more information and tickets, visit http://spoletousa.org/events/hakon-kornstad-2/.