International Talent Takes Center Stage At 2025 Hawai'i Performing Arts Festival

The Hawai'i Performing Arts Festival has announced its highly anticipated 2025 season, A Summer of Love, taking place July 2-20 across Hawai'i Island. Now in its 21st year, the Festival continues to cultivate the next generation of artists while presenting transformative performances for audiences throughout the Big Island and beyond.

"This summer, we raise a glass to our legacy, to the artists and audiences who've made it all possible, and to the bright, innovative future ahead," said Executive Director Justin John Moniz. "What once was a dream to bring world-class music to Hawai'i has become an annual tradition filled with opera, musical theatre, jazz, chamber music, and community. The Festival's growth over two decades speaks to the power of music to unite, inspire, and build bridges-across oceans, generations, and genres."

The 2025 season opens with An Evening at the Stork Club on July 2, a dazzling cabaret event at the Blue Dragon Tavern that channels the glamour and spirit of 1929. On July 4, Love Languages invites audiences into a lyrical journey through European art song traditions, followed by Great Performances on July 5, a chamber music evening showcasing HPAF faculty and guest artists. Designed with families in mind, the Keiki Concert on July 6 brings music and storytelling to young audiences in an engaging, interactive setting.

Audiences will enjoy intimate and accessible performances throughout the festival, including From the Heart on July 9, a pay-what-you-can instrumental showcase, and So in Love on July 11, featuring classic hits from the Great American Songbook. Mozart's timeless comedy The Marriage of Figaro will be presented July 12 and 13 at the Kahilu Theatre, with pre-show Behind the Curtain discussions that offer rare insight into the creative process. Later that week, HPAF celebrates emerging local talent with the Ohana & High School Singer Vocal Showcase on July 18, followed by the season's finale: Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music, presented July 19 and 20, complete with a second Behind the Curtain conversation.

This season, HPAF welcomes emerging artists from across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Singapore, and the United Kingdom-underscoring the Festival's international reputation as a premier destination for artistic development and cultural exchange. HPAF's commitment to accessibility continues through community-centered pricing, including general admission, reserved seating, and pay-what-you-can events. In partnership with local nonprofits, the Festival will also be accepting non-perishable food donations at all events held at the Gates Performing Arts Center, benefiting families in need on the island.

Moniz adds, "HPAF is more than a festival-it's an ʻohana. Every artist who comes to Hawai'i to study and perform becomes a part of this community. And every audience member who joins us under the stars, in the theatre, or at the piano becomes part of our story. That sense of belonging is what makes HPAF truly one of a kind."

Hawaii Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. PARADE (Manoa Valley Theatre)

28.3% of votes

2. IRVING BERLIN’S WHITE CHRISTMAS (Diamond Head Theatre)

20.3% of votes

3. ONCE ON THIS ISLAND (Manoa Valley Theatre)

13.8% of votes

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