Pacific Symphony's critically-acclaimed American Composers Festival (ACF) continues for the 14th year with “From Screen to Score: New Concert Music by Famous Film Composers”—who happen to be four of today's biggest Hollywood heavy-hitters: John Williams (“Star Wars,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “E.T., the Extra Terrestrial”), Howard Shore (“Lord of the Rings,” “The Hobbit,” “Hugo”), James Horner (“Titanic,” “Star Trek,” “Apollo 13”) and Elliot Goldenthal (“Alien 3,” “Batman Forever” and “Batman and Robin”). Together, these iconic composers boast 11 Oscars and countless billions of box office dollars. They also hold the ironic position of simultaneously being the most-heard orchestral composers ever (the soundtrack for “Titanic” sold 30 million copies), yet their music is the least performed.
The National Acrobats of The People's Republic of China have entertained audiences worldwide for more than 60 years with astonishing feats of acrobatic agility and stunning display of martial arts, and the company returns to Segerstrom Center for the Arts with a brand new production on Saturday, September 13 at 3 p.m. in the Rene?e and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. This elite group of acrobats continues a remarkable 2,000-year-old tradition of mastering precision, balance, grace, strength and artistry that result in dazzling and high adrenaline performances that also feature beautiful costumes, thrilling choreography and both traditional and modern music.
Ballet San Jose Artistic Director José Manuel Carreño has announced that the Company has been invited to tour with celebrated former Bolshoi Ballet starsNatalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev in performances in Southern California, Moscow and London this summer. The tour repertoire will feature Osipova and Vasiliev's debuts in Roland Petit's Carmenwith Ballet San Jose with the balance of the program comprising pas de deux to be performed by the former Bolshoi artists. Performances will be given July 25-27 at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, CA; July 31 and August 1-3 at the Stanislavsky Theatre in Moscow, Russia; and August 6-9 at the London Coliseum in London. The tour is presented by Ardani Artists. For more information, visit www.balletsj.org or www.ardani.com.
Orange County movie fans can look forward to another great summer of free and fun film screenings at Segerstrom Center for the Arts as Movie Mondays returns for its eighth season on the Arts Plaza. Movie Mondays 2014 kicks off with the heartwarming 1935 classic The Little Colonel, starring Shirley Temple. From post Civil War America we head to 1990s London with the sparkling Spice Girls starring in the jet set musical, Spice World. Then it is off to turn-of-the-20th century Paris with the Academy Award®-winning musical Gigi, directed by Vincente Minnelli and featuring some of the most memorable Lerner & Loewe tunes. Continuing with the winner of this year's Audience Favorite Fan Poll, Cabaret, starring Oscar winners Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey. Shirley MacLaine as the eternal optimist in Sweet Charity wraps up the summer film series. Center audiences will have a chance to see MacLaine live when she makes her Center debut on September 20 in her one-woman show.
Music soars to stunning new heights along with aerial fliers and acrobats, when they (plus contortionists, dancers, jugglers and strongmen) perform their death- and gravity-defying Cirque feats to popular classical masterpieces—all live, on stage and dramatically backed by a full orchestra for Pacific Symphony Pops. This jaw-dropping fusion of two art forms wows Symphony audiences of all ages for a third time, as the internationally recognized and award-winning artists of “Cirque de la Symphonie” take to the air and push themselves to the limit in a “spectacular event” that couples the “magical musical styling of Pacific Symphony” with the “playfulness of acrobats sharing the same stage,” according to A Taste of Dawn Magazine in a review that followed a performance in April 2012.
The supernatural power of love is taking Orange County by storm as the new Broadway and West End musical GHOST - THE MUSICAL, adapted from the Academy Award-winning film, opens at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, July 29 - August 10.
Adult amateur musicians ages 22 and older from across Orange County and beyond sit side by side their Pacific Symphony counterparts for a public workshop and performance led by Music Director Carl St.Clair in 'OC Can You Play with Us?' on Monday, May 12 and Tuesday, May 13 at 7 p.m.
“OC Can You Play with Us?” is a unique endeavor to expose amateur musicians and community members to professional music education and performance. This year's repertoire is the fourth and fifth movements of Hector Berlioz's “Symphonie Fantastique,” one of the most important pieces of the early Romantic period. Now in its fourth year, “OC Can You Play with Us?” welcomes 180 community musicians to perform onstage during four sessions over two nights. Friends, fans and interested observers are invited to attend this workshop-style event for free. Similar to an open rehearsal, the audience can expect to observe the artistic interpretation of Maestro St.Clair and hear the music take shape in the hands of the musicians. For more information, call (714) 755-5799 or visit www.PacificSymphony.org.
Teachers and school administrators, PTA members, community partners, nonprofit organizations and others interested in presenting world-class artists at assemblies or teach art workshops at their sites are encouraged to attend Segerstrom Center for the Arts' annual Arts Teach Showcase today, April 29 from 8:45 a.m. to 1:16 p.m. in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall.
The heartwarming and hilarious one-man show, Snowflake, starring Gale LaJoye returns to Segerstrom Center for the Arts this weekend, April 26 & 27 in Samueli Theater.
Segerstrom Center for the Arts has announced its 2014 - 2015 Family Series. Eight shows will feature an array of talented international artists who will entertain and inspire families gathered for the spontaneous thrill and joy of live theater. Each performance will be preceded by an hour of free audience engagement activities themed to the show. Performances are in the Center's Samueli Theater unless otherwise noted.
The internationally-acclaimed Pacific Chorale in Orange County, CA will be presenting a new work created by American opera composer Jake Heggie, and the versatile librettist Gene Scheer entitled 'THE RADIO HOUR'. The choral opera will be conducted by Pacific Chorale's Artistic Director, John Alexander, and stage-directed by James R. Taulli. The premiere work will be performed by the organization's chamber choir, The John Alexander Singers, accompanied by an 8-member ensemble of musicians who are members of Pacific Symphony. The performance is on Sunday, May 18 at 5:30 p.m. at the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa, CA. Scroll down to see an interview with composer Jake Heggie and conductor John Alexander!
Yoshiki, Asia's foremost rock icon and multi talented music superstar, will bring his new live show, Yoshiki Classical, to Segerstrom Center for the Arts for a special one-night-only concert tonight, April 25 at 8 p.m. in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall.
International rock icon Yoshiki has announced three new concert dates across Asia to his highly anticipated Yoshiki Classical tour. X Japan's founder and leader will bring his first classical concert tour to Taipei, Taiwan, as well as, Tokyo and Osaka, Japan. The newly added concert dates follow Yoshiki's recently announced Bangkok, Thailand performance. Yoshiki, Asia's foremost rock icon and multi talented music superstar, will embark on the Yoshiki Classical tour at Segerstrom Center for the Arts tonight, April 25 at 8 p.m. in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall before setting off across North America, Europe and Asia, culminating in Yoshiki's native Japan.
Singer and songwriter Amos Lee will make his Segerstrom Center for the Arts debut on Wednesday, August 6 at 8 p.m. in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall as part of the second leg of his 2014 Mountains of Sorrow, Rivers of Song Tour. His recent fall and winter headline tour included sold-out shows at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, ACL Live in Austin and the Beacon Theatre in New York City. Lee will be joined by band members, Freddie Berman, drums; Zach Djanikian, mandolin; Annie Clements, bass and vocals; Andy Keenan, guitar, banjo and vocals; and Jaron Olevsky, keyboards.
Proudly celebrating the dedication, artistry and extraordinary talent of its young musicians, Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra (PSYO) presents the 2013-14 Concerto Competition winners in its season finale concert this Mother's Day! Under the guidance of Music Director Alejandro Gutiérrez, PSYO is being quickly recognized as one of the most outstanding youth orchestras in the country. The premier training ensemble in Orange County, PSYO draws musicians of the highest caliber from across Southern California—five of whom have been chosen to perform as soloists in this concert. Cellist Matthew Gustafson from Long Beach, tuba player David Freeman from Corona, violinist Sydney Mariano from Irvine and flutists Ramakrishnan Kumaran from Hemet and Gloria Liu from Irvine are highlighted in concertos by Haydn, Vaughan Williams and Lalo, as well as Borne's “Carmen Fantasy.” To conclude, the Youth Orchestra performs Tchaikovsky's stunning Fifth Symphony.
PSYWE's season finale celebrates musical learning with programming that makes connections between classical and contemporary composers. The concert is set for Sunday, May 11, 1:30 p.m. at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa, CA.
Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble's season finale celebrates musical learning with programming that makes connections between classical and contemporary composers. The concert begins with two wind ensemble arrangements of Bach's music: “Who Puts His Trust in God Most Just” (arr. James Croft), originally a chorale for four parts, and “Fugue in G Minor” (arr. Lucien Calliet), a masterful combination of counterpoint and harmony. Next is Eric Whitacre's “Sleep,” a smooth composition with drawn-out harmonies inspired by Robert Frost's poem, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” The concert concludes with Frank Ticheli's Symphony No. 2, which was composed in 2003 as a tribute to James Croft, director of bands at Florida State University. Its movements—“Shooting Stars,” “Dreams Under a New Moon” and “Apollo Unleashed”—are an evocation of the heavens, tying back to the concert's first number, not just with the dedication to Croft, but with a brilliant finale that quotes the chorale work by Bach. Tickets are $12 with general admission seating. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (714) 755-5799 or visit www.PacificSymphony.org.
Segerstrom Center for the Arts and THE BOOK OF MORMON, winner of nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, are pleased to announce a lottery ticket policy for the Orange County engagement, May 13 - 25, 2014. The production will conduct a pre-show lottery at the Segerstrom Hall box office, making a limited number of tickets available for $25 each.
