NIU Avalon String Quartet set to perform piece from Shakespeare’s ‘Seven Ages of Man’

James+E.+Ransome+and+Lesa+Cline-Ransome+held+a+lecture+on+Wednesday+in+the+Recital+Hall+in+the+Music+building+where+they+discussed+their+work+in+illustration+and+childrens+books.++%28Madelaine+Vikse+%7C+Northern+Star%29

Madelaine Vikse

James E. Ransome and Lesa Cline-Ransome held a lecture on Wednesday in the Recital Hall in the Music building where they discussed their work in illustration and children’s books. (Madelaine Vikse | Northern Star)

DeKALB — NIU’s Avalon String Quartet is set to perform an original theatrical performance Wednesday night at the Music Building Recital Hall.

The performance, “Seven Ages of Man”, is an original interpretation of a famous speech from the play “As You Like It” by the legendary poet, Sir William Shakespeare.

The show starts at 7 p.m. and tickets may be purchased online. NIU students pay no admission, but must still reserve tickets online before the show starts. “Seven Ages of Man” will be performed at the Music Building Recital Hall, located at 550 Lucinda Avenue.

Composed by NIU School of Music Professor David Maki, “Seven Ages of Man” was specially commissioned by the College of Visual Performing Arts to feature both music and theatrics on stage.

The Avalon String Quartet will be accompanied on stage by actress Mary Nighosian and Paul Kassel, actor and Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts. 

The Avalon String Quartet are: Blaise Magnière, violin; Marie Wang, violin; Anthony Devroye, viola; Cheng-Hou Lee, cello.

The Avalon String Quartet is a quartet-in-residence at the NIU School of Music and has performed at major venues including Carnegie Hall in New York, the Library of Congress and National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., Wigmore Hall in London and Herkulessaal in Munich, according to their website.