Wycliffe Gordon creates new score for D.W. Griffith's epic silent film "Intolerance" October 6 at Rubin Museum of Art

The Silk Road Ensemble, jazz trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, and poet Robert Pinsky, create contemporary accompaniments to three great silent films in October at Rubin Museum of Art

To coincide with its second anniversary in October, RMA has commissioned three different accompaniments to three groundbreaking films from the silent era. These are among the 140 different public programs and events being presented by RMA in October, which also celebrate the October 13th opening of Building the Collection: Acquisitions 2005 - 2006.

On Friday, October 6, D.W. Griffith's monumental epic, Intolerance, will be accompanied by a new score composed by Wycliffe Gordon. The film is part of a 19-film series on tolerance and acceptance, inspired by the teachings at the heart of the Sikh religion and accompanies I See No Stranger: Early Sikh Art and Devotion, an exhibition that explores beliefs and values of early Sikh humanism. Intolerance starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are $30.

The Silk Road Ensemble (part of the Silk Road Project, founded by Yo-Yo Ma and in residence at RMA from October 7 - 14) will create new music to accompany the first full-length animated film ever made, The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926). Based on the tales of the Arabian Nights, this silent film will be screened on Friday, October 13. The artist Lotte Reiniger's groundbreaking technique uses an exotic array of silhouette figures cut from black card to animate the film, which starts at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $15.

On Wednesday, October 18, Robert Pinsky and two other actors will read a script drawn from the poet's translation of Dante's The Divine Comedy, to accompany the Italian silent film L'Inferno. The film is loosely adapted from Dante's masterwork and is inspired by the illustrations of Gustave Dor. Its trick photography was startling for 1911. L'Inferno took three years to finish and is, at 71 minutes, regarded as the first full-length Italian feature film. Violinist Gil Morgenstern performs Bruce Saylor's Dante Suite as a prelude to the performance. L'Inferno starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are $35

Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling 212.620.5000 ext. 344 and include admission to the galleries before the performance. Please visit www.rmanyc.org for further details.

About RMA:
Rubin Museum of Art (RMA), the premier museum of Himalayan art in the Western world, was established in 2004. In the short time since its founding RMA has been universally recognized by newcomers and connoisseurs alike for how it has showcased the “arts of the Himalayas and where they lead you". Through its collections and extensive public programming, the Museum is both a resource to and a reflection of the diverse communities and heritages that live in or travel to the New York region.

The Museum engages visitors through exhibitions, education and programming that invite a broad range of cultural and historical exploration. On view at any one time are numerous exhibitions - large and small - that draw from the Museum's permanent collection. RMA also serves as a venue for traveling exhibitions, bringing to New York audiences such critically acclaimed exhibitions as Tibet: Treasures From the Roof of the World; Eternal Presence: Handprints and Footprints in Buddhist Art and the upcoming I See No Stranger: Early Sikh Art and Devotion.

Regular CabaretCinema Series
“I see no stranger, I see no enemy, I look upon all with goodwill." Guru Granth Sahib p. 1299. Live and Let Live, nineteen films that explore the notion of tolerance of man towards man, man towards his faith, and man towards his fate. The series complements the exhibition I See No Stranger: Early Sikh Art and Devotion.