Younes & Soraya Nazarian Center For The Performing Arts Announces 2018/19 Season
By: A.A. Cristi May. 01, 2018
Continuing the momentum created with the current season launch of its Music Knows No Borders series, Executive Director Thor Steingraber unveils the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts' 2018-19 Season, which features four world premieres, two American premieres, several of the world's greatest orchestras, innovative jazz programs, two tributes to Hollywood legends, Broadway classics plus artists from 18 different nations who will appear on stage at The Soraya next season. New Subscription Series tickets will go on sale May 1, 2018.
"The Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts proudly stands at the forefront of diversity and innovation in the arts in Los Angeles," said Steingraber. "We continue not only to partner with Los Angeles' finest performing artists, but to grow our reputation as a major presenter of International Artists. If there were a single performance exemplifying that spirit of affirmation, it might be the Silkroad Ensemble celebrating its 20th anniversary with five new compositions." Steingraber continued, "But that's just one of many this season. We open on September 29 with the first authorized tribute to Mexican mega-star Juan Gabriel featuring Aida Cuevas with Mariachi Juvenil Tecalitlán and CSUN Symphony. We'll also host a new violin concerto from Danny Elfman, jazz that crossed the Caribbean from Cuba, a fresh post-Hamilton look at the founding fathers in a new version of the musical 1776, an evening of dance dedicated to the women's suffrage movement by the legendary Martha Graham Dance Company, Lea Salonga, Valery Gergiev conducting the Mariinsky Orchestra and Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting the Colburn Orchestra -these are the performances that define our upcoming season.""Two seasons ago we presented The Nile Project, a day-long exploration of water sustainability through the work of musicians from 13 nations. That festival inspired us to expand our roster of artists from faraway nations and cultures, and even some from closer to home whose music promotes social change and justice. This translated into a programming initiative last year that will continue in the upcoming season with our wide breadth of international programming," said Steingraber. "As our world becomes increasingly politicized, we are committed to the belief that music can rise above the fray and speak to all of us. This year we have sourced concerts with artists that epitomize this outlook in every performance discipline: jazz, dance, theater, and classical music." The Music Has No Borders artists include Soweto Gospel Choir (October 7) celebrating the 100th birthday of Nelson Mandela; Vicente Amigo from Córdoba, Spain (October 17); legendary Bossa Nova star Sergio Mendes with French-Chilean singer Ana Tijoux (October 27), Tangueros del Sur from Argentina (November 17); and Damien Sneed of the Good Shepherd Baptist Church of Augusta, Georgia in a celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with the Los Angeles based Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers (January 26).
The Soraya's season boasts a Soaring series which includes two of the greatest conductors of their generation-Valery Gergiev conducting the Mariinsky Orchestra (October 25) and Esa-Pekka Salonen conducting the Colburn Orchestra (January 31) in a special performance. As part of The Soraya's ongoing celebration of Los Angeles region's artists, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (November 16) returns with violinist Jennifer Koh. In the spring, audience favorite violinist Joshua Bell will perform chamber music with cellist Steven Isserlis and pianist Jeremy Denk (May 8). Hollywood Comes to The Soraya!
The Soraya continues to build its strong connection to the entertainment capital with several salutes to Hollywood royalty both past and present beginning with Moon River and the Music of Henry Mancini hosted by his daughter Monica Mancini (October 13) followed by a program of the music of Harold Arlen, writer of "Over the Rainbow" hosted by his son Sam Arlen with Eden Espinosa, the Broadway star of Wicked (December 1). In the spring, The Soraya presents Walt Disney's groundbreaking Silly Symphony, a series of film shorts that married early Technicolor animation with music that led to Fantasia. Silly Symphony will be shown with live orchestra accompaniment performed by the CSUN Symphony (March 10) and conducted by John Roscigno. Contemporary film composer Danny Elfman brings his symphonic work Eleven Eleven to his hometown for its Los Angeles premiere (April 4), to be performed by the Royal National Scottish Orchestra. Also on tap is the Broadway musical, Singin' in the Rain (April 12-14) based on the 1952 MGM song-and-dance classic that immortalized Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds. Organist Dennis James, one of the world's proponents of preserving and performing the music of silent films, will be the soloist for The Phantom of The Opera (1925 dir. Rupert Julian) film with the New West Symphony conducted by Richard Kaufman (November 3). Jazz at The Soraya
The Soraya continues its commitment to jazz with six top musical performances divided between the mainstage and the new intimate Jazz Club. First up on the mainstage will be National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Award winner Dianne Reeves who will perform a holiday program, "Christmas Time is Here" (December 15) followed by two big bands: Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra with Changüí Majadero (February 2) and Christian McBride Big Band (April 26). Jazz Club welcomes the return of LA's own wild Up with a new work that riffs on legendary John Coltrane's classic 1966 album of Ascension (November 8, 10). In January, The Soraya welcomes the Branford Marsalis Quartet (January 24) and the Vijay Iver Sextet will make their Soraya debut in the spring with two performances. (May 10-11). wild Up's Double Header
Los Angeles-based wild Up, directed and conducted by Christopher Rountree, will be featured in two very diverse programs. The first is an intimate performance in The Soraya's Jazz Club, of Ascension, inspired by John Coltrane's legendary 1966 album (November 8, 10). wild Up will then collaborate with the Martha Graham Dance Company for the world premiere of The EVE Project, honoring the Centennial of the 19th Amendment - a program choreographed by women, featuring female protagonists, and including "Chronicle," Graham's unforgettable 1936 anti-war masterpiece. After The Soraya performance, The EVE Project will embark on a two-year world tour. More Shape & Motion at The Soraya
The 2018-19 dance programming at The Soraya includes the fourth year of Aspen Santa Fe Ballet (January 19) and Ballet Preljocaj known for taking the world's classic stories and turning them into new dance works performing La Fresque, based on the Chinese folk tale (April 18). VPAC Has a New Name, The Soraya
In July 2017, the venue was renamed the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts in honor of Younes and Soraya Sarah Nazarian's transformative $17 million gift. The gift was one of the largest in the history of the California State University and the system's largest single gift to support the arts. "With our new name-Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts-we extend a broader embrace, both onstage and in our auditorium," adds Steingraber. "As the artists on stage have diversified, so have the audiences, growing to reflect one of the nation's most diverse campuses, as well as the diversity of Los Angeles itself. " New Subscription tickets are available May 1 at TheSoraya.org or by calling (818) 677-3000. Single tickets will go on sale June 12. The Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts is located on the campus of California State University, Northridge (CSUN), 18111 Nordhoff Street Northridge, CA 91330-8448, at the corner of Nordhoff and Lindley. Find The Soraya on their new social media pages:
Facebook: Facebook.com/TheSorayaStage
Twitter: @TheSorayaStage
Instagram: @TheSorayaStage Younes & Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts 2018-19 Season Opening Night
Aida Cuevas
Totalmente Juan Gabriel
With Mariachi Juvenil Tecalitlán and CSUN Symphony
Saturday, September 29, 2018 | 8PM
Mexico lost its most influential musician in 2016. With over 1,000 songs to his credit, Juan Gabriel was his nation's prince of pop and champion of traditional music. Los Angeles Times remembered the beloved singer who "wooed crowds on both sides of the border with ballads of love and heartbreak." Aida Cuevas, "Queen of Ranchera," sang at his memorial as the nation mourned his loss. At The Soraya, the U.S. premiere of her recent tribute album, Totalmente Juan Gabriel, Vol. II, pays tribute to their friendship with a full orchestra - our very own CSUN Symphony - as well as the Mexico City-based mariachi band, Mariachi Juvenil Tecalitlán. Soaring
The world's great orchestras performing live! Subscription tickets for all Soaring Events are only $540. Mariinsky Orchestra
Valery Gergiev, Music Director & Conductor
Kristóf Baráti, Violin
All-Stravinsky Program
October 25, 2018 | 8PM
Fireworks Op. 4
Symphony in Three Movements
Violin Concerto in D major
Symphony in C
The Firebird Suite (1919)
Founded by Peter the Great more than two centuries ago, the quintessential Russian orchestra brings an all-Stravinsky program to The Soraya, led by one of the world's foremost conductors, Valery Gergiev. "Driving a Formula One car, trying to hold the bend," is how one violinist describes
the indomitable Gergiev. The Phantom of The Opera Live
Film with Live Orchestra
Richard Kaufman, Conductor
New West Symphony
Dennis James, Organ
November 3, 2018 | 8PM
Terror rages at the Paris Opera House, all in the name of love. A Halloween treat pairs live orchestra with the 1925 horror classic The Phantom of the Opera on the large screen. The original score ratchets up the spook factor with organist Dennis James on the Allen theatre organ. CSUN alum Richard Kaufman returns to conduct the haunting score. Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra
David Danzmayr, Conductor
Jennifer Koh, Violin
November 16, 2018 | 8PM
Korngold Straussiana
Ligeti Violin Concerto
Beethoven Symphony No. 6 Pastoral
LACO has found a home at The Soraya. In its third year here, the esteemed ensemble brings Jennifer Koh, who stands at the vanguard of the next generation of classical music. From her Chicago Symphony Orchestra debut at age eleven in 1994 to her 2016 "Instrumentalist of the Year" award by Musical America, the youthful Koh is known for her intensity, as well as her technical assurance. Colburn Orchestra
Esa Pekka-Salonen, Conductor
January 31, 2019 | 8PM
Repertoire to be announced. Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Thomas Søndergård, Music Director
Danny Elfman, Composer
Sandy Cameron, Violin Soloist
April 4, 2019 | 8PM
Sibelius Symphony No. 7, Op. 105, C major
Elfman Eleven Eleven Concerto for Violin and Orchestra
Prokofiev Symphony No. 5, Op. 100, B-flat major
Danny Elfman pairs with violinist Sandy Cameron and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra for his new violin concerto, Eleven Eleven. Beloved by Los Angeles from his days fronting Oingo Boingo and revered worldwide for his film scores for Tim Burton's cult classics, Elfman's newest adventures bring him to concert halls worldwide, including the home of the venerable Berlin Philharmonic. Bell-Isserlis-Denk Trio
May 8, 2019 | 8PM
Mendelssohn Piano Trio No. 2, in C minor, Op. 66
Shostakovich Piano Trio No. 2, in E minor, Op. 67
Rachmaninoff Trio élégiaque No. 1, in G minor
Ravel Piano Trio in A minor
A regular at The Soraya, Joshua Bell returns, this time, bringing with him two colleagues who match his talents - acclaimed British cellist Steven Isserlis and celebrated American pianist Jeremy Denk, who have collaborated with Bell for decades. The trio has performed across the globe, sharing friendship and a love of chamber music. Onstage Sessions Chamber Music
Baroque mastery from the City of Brotherly Love and exquisite chamber music from the Big Apple. Sit so close to these musicians that you can almost turn the pages for them...if you dare.
Tempesta di Mare Baroque Players
A Talk of Two Italian Cities - Chamber Music from Venice and Naples
Gwyn Roberts and Richard Stone, Co-Directors
February 14, 2019 | 8PM
These musical sleuths from Philadelphia scour the world in search of little-known works by Baroque composers. Their performances, on period instruments, are truly "storms at sea," much like the name of the ensemble: Tempesta di Mare. A Valentine's Day celebration serves up romantic fare sourced from the north and south poles of Italian music in the Baroque era - Venice and Naples. Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
Russian Mastery
Wu Han, Piano
Arnaud Sussman and Alexander Sitkovetsky, Violins
Matthew Lipman, Viola
Nicholas Canellakis, Cello
March 7, 2019 | 8PM
Rachmaninoff Trio élégiaque in G minor for Piano, Violin and Cello
Tchaikovsky Souvenir d'un lieu cher for Violin and Piano, Op. 42
Prokofiev Sonata in C major for Two Violins, Op. 56
Taneyev Quintet in G minor for Piano, Two Violins, Viola, and Cello, Op. 30
Three generations of Russian composers come together, capped by the rarely performed Piano Quintet by Alexander Taneyev, once a student of Tchaikovsky and later a mentor to Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff. Chinese pianist Wu Han leads the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, who are not only in residence at the largest performing arts complex in the world, they are known nationally for regular broadcasts on SiriusXM and appearances on PBS's Live From Lincoln Center. Music Knows No Borders
Some borders are ancient, forged in mountains or cared by rivers, other borders are manmade. But Music Knows No Borders. Soweto Gospel Choir
Songs of the Free
In Honor of Nelson Mandela's 100th Birthday
Beverly Bryer, Director
October 7, 2018 | 8PM
South Africa's quintessential musical ensemble brings a centenary celebration of Nelson Mandela. The Grammy Award-winning choir has collaborated with some of the biggest names in music - including U2, John Legend, Peter Gabriel, and Diana Ross - and scored an Academy Award nomination for its work on the soundtrack to Pixar's WALL-E. The 43-member choir, drawn from churches in and around Soweto, inspires audiences, sharing the joy of faith. Vicente Amigo, Flamenco Guitar
October 17, 2018 | 8PM
Hailing from Córdoba, Spain, Amigo is the most dazzling Flamenco guitarist of his generation. He started studying guitar at age 8 with maestros El Merengue (Rafael Rodríguez Fernández) and El Tomate (Juan Muñoz Expósito) and launched a career onto major stages while still a teenager. "I play guitar because when I was 3 years old, I saw Paco de Lucía on TV and it stayed with me," he recalled. Amigo has received multiple Latin Grammy Awards and his nation's most important honor, the "Patriarch of Flamenco" Award at the 2010 Flamenco Summit. Sergio Mendes
And Ana Tijoux's Roja y Negro (Red and Black)
October 27, 2018 | 8PM
Brazilian music legend Sergio Mendes brings his vivacious bossa nova to The Soraya and invites French-Chilean singer Ana Tijoux to open the evening with the debut of her new music, Roja y Negro. A giant in his genre, Mendes has recorded more than 35 albums and won three Grammy Awards. Tijoux made her name in the late '90s as the fierce MC of hip-hop group Makiza, but her new album is an acoustic guitar celebration of Latin American folk music. With Mendes and Tijoux on stage, two generations of Latin American artists will share their passion both for traditional and popular music. Direct from Buenos Aires
Tangueros del Sur
Natalia Hills, Artistic Director & Choreographer
November 17, 2018 | 8PM
With intricate footwork, sensuality, and drama, this company from Buenos Aires takes Tango from its working-class roots to a modern ballroom interpretation led by dancer and choreographer Natalia Hills. A descendant of three generations of Tango artists, Hills is at home on stages throughout the world, including on Broadway, where she performed in the Tony Award- nominated Forever Tango. Master musicians on bandoneón, cello, guitar, piano, and percussion accompany the dancers onstage with the rhythms and melodies of composers from Astor Piazzolla to Juan D'Arienzo. This is "Tango, at its truest." - The New York Times Damien Sneed - We Shall Overcome
A Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 26, 2019 | 8PM
At the age of 8, Sneed led the choir of Good Shepherd Baptist Church in Augusta, Georgia, later going on to collaborate with Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, and Wynton Marsalis. Now the former prodigy takes center stage in a show of his own that celebrates the movement inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr. From his commanding
post at the piano, Sneed leads an ensemble of gospel singers and jazz musicians in music ranging from Stevie Wonder to Sunday morning revivals, weaving together blues, pop, gospel, jazz, Broadway, and spirituals. Susana Baca with Banda Magda
Special Appearance by Michael League
February 22, 2019 | 8PM
Two women whose voices resound in the concert hall as clearly as they do in the arena of social activism!
Baca is an ardent advocate for Peruvian blacks and indigenous peoples. In 2011, Peru's President appointed Baca as the first black member of the nation's cabinet. Brought to the world's attention by the Talking Heads frontman David Byrne, Baca's music mixes the contemporary with the traditional, combining electric upright bass with indigenous Peruvian instruments. "I celebrate the shared blood and the way that the African presence has influenced Latin America."
Led by Greek-born singer, composer, and accordionist Magda Giannikou, Banda Magda moves from Greek folk tunes to Colombian cumbia, an eclectic mix that brought them to 22 nations. Giannikou is a champion of music education and has joined Baca in her work in South America.
Special appearance by music producer and guitarist Michael League Antonio Sanchez - Bad Hombre
Featuring Migration
With Seamus Blake (Saxophone), John Escreet (Piano), Matt Brewer (Bass), Thana Alexa (Vocals)
March 13 & 14, 2019 | 8PM
Onstage Experience
Featured on more than 100 albums, Antonio Sanchez is one of the most sought-after drummers of his generation. Following his soundtrack for the Oscar-winning film Birdman, the Mexican-American artist set out to create something more personal: his solo album Bad Hombre, "a complete departure from anything I've ever done in the past as a drummer, composer, producer, and engineer. I also wanted to have something that represented my Mexican heritage in a very emphatic way at some point in the album. I found this project to be one of the most liberating endeavors I've ever set myself to do. Almost like having an alter ego. The Bad Hombre." Red Baraat
Festival of Colors
March 28, 2019 | 8PM
Red Baraat's 8th annual Festival of Colors concert tour celebrates the Hindu holiday of Holi with a colorful array of South Asian sounds. Holi is marked by sharing songs, dance, and the exchange of "colors," signifying the victory of good over evil and the arrival of spring. Silkroad Ensemble
Heroes Take Their Stands
Jeffrey Beecher and Nicholas Cords, Co-Artistic Directors
Conceived by Persian Musician Kayhan Kalhor and Folklorist Ahmad Sadri
April 28, 2019 | 7PM
The "United Nations" of music, Silkroad Ensemble celebrates its 20th anniversary with an entirely new concert, conceived by Persian musician Kayhan Kalhor. Known for traditional instruments from dozens of cultures, Silkroad's newest piece steps into modern history with a composition by jazz pianist Jason Moran dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Since 1998, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and Silkroad Ensemble have undertaken a radical experiment in the face of globalization, elevating music alongside commerce as a bridge between peoples. In 2017, they collaborated with documentary filmmaker Ken Burns on the 18-hour series for PBS, The Vietnam War. Ballet Folklórico Universidad De Colima
Patria Grande (Big Homeland)
May 3, 2019 | 8PM
Ballet Folklórico Universidad de Colima is ground zero for Mexican culture. Training the next generation of artists and preserving the future of the traditional form, many consider Colima to be the nation's finest ensemble. No doubt - the passion of these young performers burns brightly with every percussive step and colorful twirl. Las Cafeteras
May 4, 2019 | 8PM
Las Cafeteras brings a party East LA - style. Spanish and English, local and international, traditional and contemporary - these fiery musicians remix roots music and spoken word into an infectious style that brings audiences to their feet! Fiesta Con Sonia De Los Santos
May 5, 2019 | 3PM
A singer/songwriter shaped by two cultures, Santos grew up in Monterey, Mexico and moved to New York City. She performs in both Spanish and English and plays guitar, mandolin, and jarana. Her newest show features musicians and dancers from Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico - a celebration of the Americas with vibrant rhythms, sounds, and colors. Scenes & Songs
This is a series that covers a lot of ground-two fully staged musicals, one powerhouse vocalist, and two concerts dedicated to the men who re-wrote the American Songbook. Moon River and the Music of Henry Mancini
Hosted by Monica Mancini
Music Director, Gregg Field
New West Symphony
October 13, 2018 | 8PM
An American icon comes home. During the early years of his career, Henry Mancini and his family lived right here in Northridge. We honor the master with a tribute to his film scores and beloved standards. It's a family affair - daughter Monica Mancini and son-in-law Gregg Field front a full orchestra in an evening ranging from "The Pink Panther Theme" to "Moon River," celebrating the man who was nominated for an astounding 18 Academy Awards and 72 Grammys. The Music of Harold Arlen
The Wonderful Wizard of Song
Hosted by Sam Arlen
Music Director, Steve Rawlins
With Special Guest Eden Espinosa
December 1, 2018 | 8PM
Legends like Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald gave Harold Arlen a revered place in the Great American Songbook with their performances of his over 400 songs such as "It's Only a Paper Moon" and "Stormy Weather." Starting in a synagogue with his cantor father, Arlen's musical roots extend through his jazz years at the Cotton Club in Harlem all the way to Hollywood and his Academy Award-winning song "Over the Rainbow." At The Soraya, Hal's son, Sam Arlen, leads a big band in tribute to his father, sharing the stage with Broadway powerhouse Eden Espinosa. 1776 The Musical
Music & Lyrics by Sherman Edwards
Book by Peter Stone
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts & McCoy Rigby Entertainment
February 8 - 10, 2019 | 8PM; 3PM
The 1969 Tony Award-winner for Best Musical showcases Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson - the imperfect men who first strived for a more perfect union - in a gripping reminder that democracy has never been easy. Humor and drama in equal measure bring their lofty aspirations to life, building to a rousing conclusion that doesn't leave a dry eye in the house. Singin' in the Rain
Music by Nacio Herb Brown
Lyrics by Arthur Freed
Book by Betty Comden & Adolph Green
La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts & McCoy Rigby Entertainment
April 12 - 14, 2019 | 8PM; 3PM
The 1952 MGM song-and-dance classic that immortalized Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds appears on every list of cinema's greatest. Adapted for the stage in 1985 by the film's legendary creators Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Singin' in the Rain comes to The Soraya thanks to a lavish new production by McCoy Rigby Entertainment. Don't miss the antic-laden spectacle as Hollywood history is made when silent films transform into talkies. Umbrella's optional! An Evening with Lea Salonga
May 22, 2018 | 8PM
A household name since 1989 when she starred in Miss Saigon, Salonga is also a "Disney Legend," honored for her portrayal of beloved princesses Jasmine (Aladdin) and Fa Mulan (Mulan). On television, she serves as a judge on the Philippines hit version of The Voice. She returns to The Soraya with selections from her career on Broadway and in film. Onstage Sessions - Jazz Club
Jazz Club onstage sessions are intensely intimate. Brandford Marsalis headlines the series, a rare opportunity to see the master up close and personal. Two of the hottest innovators in music round out the series-Chris Rountree and Vijay Iyer. wild Up | of Ascension
Christopher Rountree, Director & Conductor
November 8 & 10, 2018 | 8PM
"A raucous, grungy, irresistibly exuberant, ... exceptionally virtuosic family." That's what The New York Times calls wild Up, the fun-loving classical ensemble returning to The Soraya for a journey of the celestial and religious inspired by John Coltrane's legendary
1966 work Ascension. Artistic Director and Conductor Christopher Rountree leads an evening of free jazz and the avant-garde with pieces commissioned in response to each track of Coltrane's masterwork, one of the most pivotal jazz albums of all time. An Evening with Branford Marsalis Quartet
January 24, 2019 | 8PM
The eldest of the famed Marsalis brothers, Branford first became a household name as Musical Director of The Tonight Show Starring Jay Leno. But this sax virtuoso's jazz pedigree runs deep. The New Orleans native gained his chops gigging with giants Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, and Sonny Rollins. He formed his own quartet in 1986 and appears now and then with some of the world's elite symphony orchestras. Experience Marsalis in The Soraya's jazz club setting, a rare opportunity to be just feet from the master. Vijay Iyer Sextet
May 10 & 11, 2019 | 8PM
"There's probably no frame wide enough to encompass the creative output of the pianist Vijay Iyer," The New York Times observed. His Ph.D. in cognitive science from UC Berkeley is just the start. He's been recognized as a bona fide "genius" by DownBeat magazine, the MacArthur fellowship, and Harvard University, and was named by GQ India as one of the 50 most influential Indians. The young jazz pianist is also a prolific recording artist. SwingingDianne Reeves
Christmas Time is Here
With Peter Martin, Romero Lubambo, Reginald Veal, Terreon Gully
December 15, 2018 | 8PM
Songbird Dianne Reeves rings in the holidays at The Soraya with timeless jewels from her album Christmas Time is Here. The reigning diva of jazz was recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Juilliard, recognized for her "breathtaking virtuosity, improvisational prowess, and unique jazz and R&B style." Join us for an evening with the four-time Grammy Award-winner for an unmatched holiday treat.Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra
With Changüí Majadero
February 2, 2019 | 8PM
Arturo's father, Chico O'Farrill, has been called the greatest of all Afro-Cuban artists. Like father, like son? With jazz running in his veins, Arturo was born as Cuba closed its borders, growing up instead a citizen of the world, with a Mexican mother and a New York upbringing. These influences forged Arturo's pan-Latin tropical sound, with an unmistakable nod to his father coming from his band's Cuban percussion section. O'Farrill was among the first ex-pats to return to Cuba and was invited to the re-opening of the U.S. Embassy in 2015.Christian McBride Big Band
April 26, 2019 | 8PM
A musician's musician, bassist Christian McBride was lured away from Juilliard to continue his education on the road, playing with jazz greats like Bobby Watson and Freddie Hubbard. The experience transformed him into one of the most respected figures in jazz. McBride is also a dedicated advocate for young talent and music education. Fueled by a boundless love of swing, the Christian McBride Big Band's 2017 release Bringin' It won the Grammy for Best Large Ensemble Jazz Album. Shape & Motion
A season of firsts! The Soraya brings three internationally renowned dance companies, including the first European company to grace The Soraya stage. Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
Tuplet by Alexander Ekman
Dream Play by Fernando Melo
New Work by Bryan Arias
January 19, 2019 | 8PM
With dual homes high in the Rockies and deep out on the Southwestern plateau, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet is known as an incubator for choreographic invention. Their residency at The Soraya continues for its fourth year with new and energetic pieces. Always innovators, video brings a fresh perspective to two of their dances.Martha Graham Dance Company
The EVE Project
Janet Eilber, Artistic Director
wild Up, Christopher Rountree, Conductor
Work by Pontus Lidberg and Pam Tanowitz
March 2, 2019 | 8PM
The women who hit the streets for voting rights in 1920 forged a path still followed by the Women's March today. That 100-year history is celebrated by the Martha Graham Dance Company with a program choreographed by women, featuring female protagonists, and including "Chronicle," Graham's unforgettable 1936 anti-war masterpiece. Artistic Director Janet Eilber says, "The EVE Project is designed to explore the many different facets of womanhood - all with an underlying statement about female power." The two-year worldwide program launches at The Soraya following their previous sold-out performances here. They are again joined by conductor Christopher Rountree and his path-breaking musical ensemble wild Up. Rountree and the Graham Company, first paired at The Soraya in 2017, make their Paris debuts in 2018 with Rite of Spring. Ballet Preljocaj
La Fresque
April 18, 2019 | 8PM
French choreographer Angelin Preljocaj is one of the world's busiest dance-makers, known for his collaborations across many fields - fashion, design, and literature. He is also known for evocative renderings of fairy tales; audiences have seen his works, Snow White and Julie Taymor's Grendel, at the Los Angeles Music Center. At The Soraya, his company performs La Fresque (or The Painting on the Wall), based on a Chinese traditional folk story. Play Date The Okee Dokee Brothers - Winter
Plaza del Sol Performance Hall
December 2, 2018 | 3PM
As childhood friends they rafted down creeks together and blazed trails in the Rockies. Today the Chicago Tribune calls them "fun big brothers eager to show their younger siblings how to have an ethically sound and green-conscious good time." Join four-time Parents' Choice Award winners Joe Mailander and Justin Lansing as they perform their new Winter album about a snowy journey up North that will inspire children and parents alike to get outside and get creative. Disney in Concert
A Silly Symphony Celebration
Animated Shorts with Live Orchestra
CSUN Symphony
John Roscigno, Conductor
March 10, 2019 | 3PM
Share with your family the early days of Disney animation as it vividly comes to life through the magic of a live orchestra. CSUN Symphony accompanies some of Disney's best-loved originals on our big screen, including The Skeleton Dance (1929), The Ugly Duckling (1931), and Three Little Pigs (1933). Disney is thought to have created his 75 Silly Symphony shorts as a showcase for his studio's talented animators and composers as they prepared for the creation of their first full-length animated feature in 1937, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Presentation licensed by Disney Concerts. © All rights reserved. Cirque Éloize
Saloon
The Wild Wild West Comes Alive!
March 30, 2019 | 8pm
March 31, 2019 | 3PM
Saloon has kept audiences laughing on four continents since its 2016 premiere. Cirque Éloize's jugglers, aerialists, and lasso masters amaze and astound as the beautiful Belle holds the cowboys under a spell that sets off an action-packed chase worthy of any great Western, all to live musical accompaniment. So swing open the saloon doors and join the fun with Montreal-based Cirque Éloize, one of the world's leading contemporary circuses that is equally at home on Broadway or in London's West End. Wintry Mix
Four Performances for the Holiday Season! The Okee Dokee Brothers - Winter
Plaza del Sol Performance Hall
December 2, 2018 | 3PM
As childhood friends they rafted down creeks together and blazed trails in the Rockies. Today the Chicago Tribune calls them "fun big brothers eager to show their younger siblings how to have an ethically sound and green-conscious good time." Join four-time Parents' Choice Award winners Joe Mailander and Justin Lansing as they perform their new Winter album about a snowy journey up North that will inspire children and parents alike to get outside and get creative. Nochebuena (Christmas Eve in Mexico)
Featuring Ballet Folklórico de Los Ángeles
& Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar
Kareli Montoya, Artistic Director
Jimmy K. Cuéllar, Music Director
December 8, 2018 | 8PM
The Soraya continues its tradition of celebrating the holidays, Mexican-style. Ballet Folklórico de Los Ángeles takes center stage in an evening that features the finest of Los Angeles' artists. Canadian Brass
Christmas Time is Here
December 11, 2018 | 8PM
A quintet that plays it all, from Baroque to Ragtime! The grand masters of the holidays crisscross the globe every December, bringing their hallmark gifts of virtuosity and old-fashioned fun. Beginning in 1970, Canadian Brass rescued these sometimes-overlooked instruments and placed them center stage. They have entered America's living rooms on The Tonight Show, Entertainment Tonight, and Sesame Street, and when they're back up north, they are called upon to perform for visiting heads of state by invitation of the Canadian government.Dianne Reeves
Christmas Time is Here
With Peter Martin, Romero Lubambo, Reginald Veal, Terreon Gully
December 15, 2018 | 8PM
Songbird Dianne Reeves rings in the holidays at The Soraya with timeless jewels from her album Christmas Time is Here. The reigning diva of jazz was recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Juilliard, recognized for her "breathtaking virtuosity, improvisational prowess, and unique jazz and R&B style." Join us for an evening with the four-time Grammy Award-winner for an unmatched holiday treat. About Arts Education at The Soraya
The Arts Education program at The Soraya serves nearly 10,000 K-12 students each season through the Student Matinee Series, pre-performance workshops, Master Classes, and educator professional development in arts integration. Additionally, The Soraya has a robust CSUN campus engagement program that fosters collaborative opportunities between Soraya artists and CSUN student artists. Whether it is through Master Classes, extended residencies, performances in the Great Hall, or Leadership Series sessions, CSUN students have ample opportunities throughout the season to engage with some of the best artists in the world to enhance and augment their artistic education. About Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya) The 2018-19 Season marks the eighth year the award-winning Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts which has quickly become one of the cultural jewels of the greater Los Angeles region. Under the leadership of Executive Director Thor Steingraber, The Soraya continues to expand its programming and outstanding multidisciplinary performances. The mission of The Soraya is to present a wide variety of performances that not only includes new and original work from the Los Angeles region but also work from around the world that appeal to all of LA's rich and diverse communities. Located on the campus of California State University, Northridge, The Soraya's season offers a vibrant performance program of nearly 50 classical and popular music, dance, theater, family and international events that will serve to establish The Soraya as the intellectual and cultural heart of the San Fernando Valley, and further establish itself as one of the top arts companies in Southern California. The award-winning, 1,700-seat theatre was designed by HGA Architects and Engineers and was recently cited by the Los Angeles Times as "a growing hub for live music, dance, drama and other cultural events."
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