Henry Segerstrom News

Surging with energy, spontaneity and diversity, Pacific Symphony's upcoming concert-"Ravel's Piano Concerto"-is devoted to music from 19th-century France. Guest conductor Thierry Fischer leads the orchestra in an evening of impressionist and romantic music that includes Debussy's dreamy "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun" and Berlioz's theatrical Suite from "Romeo and Juliet." Maestro Fischer generates a tangible excitement during his concerts. Playing Ravel's masterful Piano Concerto in G Major is French pianist Alexandre Tharaud. Tharaud's individuality shines with stimulating, poised pianism.

Surging with energy, spontaneity and diversity, Pacific Symphony's upcoming concert—“Ravel's Piano Concerto”—is devoted to music from 19th-century France. Guest conductor Thierry Fischer leads the orchestra in an evening of impressionist and romantic music that includes Debussy's dreamy “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun” and Berlioz's theatrical Suite from “Romeo and Juliet.” Described by Chicago Classical Review as “the real thing—a musician of clear intelligence, technical skill and podium personality, drawing performances that blend impeccable balancing, textural clarity and fizzing exhilaration,” Maestro Fischer generates a tangible excitement during his concerts. Playing Ravel's masterful Piano Concerto in G Major is French pianist Alexandre Tharaud, who gripped The New York Times during his Carnegie Hall debut “with a sensation of the full span of keyboard music history lying nascent in [the] gemlike pieces” of his performance. Hailed as an “atmospheric, characterful pianist” by The Guardian, Tharaud's individuality shines with stimulating, poised pianism.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts welcomes jazz master Dr. Lonnie Smith in his Center debut tonight, February 21 and tomorrow, February 22 in Samueli Theater.

Led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, Pacific Symphony's vocal initiative, “Symphonic Voices,” continues with Giuseppe Verdi's thrilling but tragic tale about a dying courtesan willing to give up everything for love in “La Traviata.” Featuring the composer's exquisite music, presented in a uniquely staged production over three nights, the orchestra is joined by a cast of world-class opera stars; including soprano Elizabeth Caballero as Violetta Valéry and tenor Rolando Sanz as Alfredo Germont. Plus, the Pacific Chorale and members of the California State University Fullerton (CSUF) University Singers help fill the concert hall with exhilarating voices as Verdi's dramatic tale unfolds. While the selection of “La Traviata” as this year's opera is a tip of the hat to Verdi's bicentennial celebration, it is also a work that St.Clair is intimately familiar with—having conducted it while general music director of the Komische Oper Berlin.

The adventurous St. Lawrence String Quartet marks its third Segerstrom Center appearance with an exciting program that includes a world premiere of composer James Matheson's new string quartet commissioned for the Center's Chamber Music Series by long-time subscribers Elizabeth and Justus Schlichting.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts presents an exclusive Southern California engagement of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater March 27 - 30.

Dubbed 'Valentine's Day with Matthew Morrison,' the three-night engagement of the OC native's entertaining, high-energy take on swinging, big-band jazz standards and classic Broadway showtunes continues through Saturday, February 15 at the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa. Behold: GLEE's Mr. Schuester has ditched the sweater vests and transformed himself into a cool, fedora-topped 21st Century song-and-dance man---and doesn't disappoint.

Two captivating displays of youthful musicality take place next month as Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra (PSYO) and Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble (PSYWE) perform an impressive range of music for their individual spring concerts. The students are bonded more than at any other time during the year, having recently returned from winter retreats, and have prepared some challenging repertoire to perform for the community. Led by Music Director Alejandro Gutiérrez, PSYO travels for the first time to Soka Performing Arts Center in Aliso Viejo, on Saturday, March 1, at 3 p.m., to perform a concert of 20th-century music by Prokofiev, John Williams, James Newton Howard, Ginastera and more. Then, the exuberant sounds of PSYWE are heard the following weekend on Sunday, March 9, at 3 p.m., in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. Led by Music Director Joshua Roach, the wind ensemble performs and narrates Mussorgsky's masterwork, “Pictures at an Exhibition,” and plays exciting music by Shostakovich, Grainger, Barber and Barnes. Tickets are $12, general admission; for more information or to purchase, call (714) 755-5799 or visit www.PacificSymphony.org.

A "5, 6, 7, 8," the countdown begins for Segerstrom Center's popular Six Days of Broadway musical theater summer camps returning June 23 through July 6. During the week-long sessions, students learn and participate in musical performance, monologue interpretation, audition technique, scene work, dance and much more.

Share the love! It's a heart-filled evening of music, dining and entertainment-when Pacific Symphony's esteemed support group, the Pacific Symphony League, hosts 'A Valentine Prelude' to benefit the Symphony's music education programs. Taking place tonight, Feb. 13, 2014, at 5:30 p.m., at the Center Club in Costa Mesa, the fund-raising dinner serves as an overture to the Symphony's 'Valentine's Day with Matthew Morrison' Pops concert taking place in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall that same night.

Television celebrity and Broadway sensation Matthew Morrison joins Pacific Symphony Pops for a Valentine's Day spectacular of romantic show tunes and jazz standards. Best known for his popular role as Will Schuester, the optimistic and charming teacher on “Glee,” Morrison also brings An impressive Broadway resume to the stage. The Emmy-, Tony- and Golden Globe-nominated star has performed in smash hits including the original cast of “Hairspray,” “Footloose” and “The Light in the Piazza.” Morrison has released three albums, the most recent of which, “Where It All Began,” was praised by The Washington Post for “Morrison's handsome tenor backed by jazz combos, jazz big bands and orchestral strings.” An Orange County native, Morrison returns to his old stomping grounds to serenade the audience with his dazzling stage presence and a voice as smooth as chocolate.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts continues its Cabaret Series tonight, February 13 - 15 with Tony Award-nominated stage, screen and film actor and singer Peter Gallagher making his Center debut in his critically acclaimed cabaret show, How'd All You People Get In My Room?.

John Maeda, author of the best-selling book Redesigning Leadership, will be the featured speaker at the fifth annual Creative Edge Lecture on Wednesday, March 26 from 9-10:30 a.m. at the Renee & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, presented by Arts Orange County, Fourth District PTA, Orange County Department of Education and Segerstrom Center for the Arts. The title sponsors of the event are The Boeing Company and Phil & Mary Lyons.

The 2013 - 2014 jazz season at Segerstrom Center for the Arts welcomes the debut of the Fred Hersch Trio May 2 & 3 in Samueli Theater.

Do the Arts Make Us Better People? That is the question at hand when The New Yorker staff writer Susan Orlean, Getty Trust President and CEO James Cuno and Segerstrom Center for the Arts President Terrence W. Dwyer take part in a Zocalo Public Square panel discussion about the role the arts play in shaping our lives. This special event takes place in Samueli Theater at Segerstrom Center tonight, February 11 at 7:30 p.m. and will be moderated by Jori Finkel, contributing arts writer for The New York Times. There will be a free reception following the discussion.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts presents the Orange County engagement of the first North American tour of the new stage adaptation of THE WIZARD OF OZ. The show will play at Segerstrom Hall from today, February 11 - 23, 2014.

The third prong of “OC Front and Center,” the “Community Ensembles Festival,” is an all-day event taking place today, Feb. 8, featuring eight community ensembles from throughout Orange County performing on the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall stage. After a selective screening process, the ensembles have been chosen and their performance times selected. They include: Golden West Pops (10:30-11 a.m.), Saddleback College Emeritus Institute Symphony (11:20-11:50 a.m.), Placentia Symphonic Band (12:10-12:40 p.m.), Laguna Concert Band (1-1:30 p.m.), Orange County Wind Ensemble (3:30-4 p.m.), Symphony Irvine (4:20-4:50 p.m.), Southern California Philharmonic (5:10-5:40 p.m.) and Huntington Beach Concert Band (6-6:30 p.m.).

The International Dance Series at Segerstrom Center for the Arts welcomes the return of The Hamburg Ballett with the American premiere of John Neumeier's Liliom, February 7 - 9, with four performances at Segerstrom Hall. The International Dance Series at Segerstrom Center for the Arts welcomes the return of The Hamburg Ballett with the American premiere of John Neumeier's Liliom, today, February 7 - 9, with four performances at Segerstrom Hall. , the company's director and chief choreographer, based his work on Ferenc Molna?r's play of the same name, which was also the inspiration for Rodgers and Hammerstein's Broadway classic, Carousel. The music for the ballet is an award-winning original score by the Academy Award-winning composer Michel Legrand. Casting has been announced and Alina Cojocaru (Julie) and Carsten Jung (Liliom) will reprise their roles for select performances.