Henry Segerstrom News

Emotional arias and powerful choruses have the audience rejoicing in the victory of 'Judas Maccabaeus,' as Pacific Symphony opens the holiday season with the rare opportunity to hear Handel's jubilant oratorio. With all of the drama and flair of his operas, the Baroque composer masterfully tells of the Israelites' rich journey from hardship to triumph. One of peace, harmony and faith, the story of Judas Maccabees forms the basis for the Jewish Festival of Lights, Hanukkah, and is often defined as history's first war for religious freedom.

Conductor James Conlon, Music Director of LA Opera, will lead a series of Britten performances across the Southland as part of the Britten 100/LA celebration, in commemoration of the 2013 Benjamin Britten centenary.

Orange County, Calif.—Nov. 21, 2013—Emotional arias and powerful choruses have the audience rejoicing in the victory of “Judas Maccabaeus,” as Pacific Symphony opens the holiday season with the rare opportunity to hear Handel's jubilant oratorio. With all of the drama and flair of his operas, the Baroque composer masterfully tells of the Israelites' rich journey from hardship to triumph. One of peace, harmony and faith, the story of Judas Maccabees forms the basis for the Jewish Festival of Lights, Hanukkah, and is often defined as history's first war for religious freedom. For this performance, Pacific Chorale's Artistic Director John Alexander leads the orchestra, chorale and esteemed vocal soloists Lauren Snouffer, soprano; Meg Bragle, mezzo-soprano; I-Chin Feinblatt, alto; Thomas Cooley, tenor; William Berger, baritone; and The All American Boys Chorus for an inspiring and rousing musical experience.

Segerstrom Center's Off Center Festival returns for its third consecutive year January 23 - February 2. This year's festival will showcase an entirely new lineup of wonderfully creative and innovative contemporary performance companies and artists.

The highly talented Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra (PSYO)-last season lauded as 'Classics Alive Youth Orchestra of the Year- returns to open the 2013-14 Cheng Family Foundation Youth Orchestra Series with its 'Fall Concert,' featuring favorite classical pieces. Led by Assistant Conductor Alejandro Gutiérrez, PSYO is poised to charm the audience with harmonious and exciting melodies, including the ill-fated love drama of Verdi's Overture from 'La Forza del Destino,' the rousing enthusiasm of Grieg's 'Norwegian Dances' and the enchanting organ tunes in Saint-Saëns' Symphony No. 3, featuring guest organist Kristen Lawrence. PSYO's concert takes place today, Nov. 17, at 3 p.m., in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall.

The Record Company will open for legendary blues guitarist B.B. King at his Segerstrom Center debut on Sunday, December 8 at 7 p.m. in Segerstrom Hall. The band is a rock/blues/roots trio based in Los Angeles and consists of Chris Vos (guitar, lead vocals, harmonica), Alex Stiff (bass, guitar, vocals), and Marc Cazorla (drums, pianos, vocals). Steeped in the classic sounds of Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker along with the raw rock 'n' roll of The Stooges and The Yardbirds, The Record Company has burst onto the scene in a very short time.

As the festive month of December approaches, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Pacific Symphony and Pacific Chorale ring in the season with a cornucopia of holiday shows. The Center presents three yuletide concerts, including the return of Fiesta Navidad with Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano (December 4), the Center debut of The Beach Boys performing their Christmas show (December 7) and American vocal ensemble The Manhattan Transfer entertaining with holiday favorites (December 16).

Gorgeous and grand, one of the repertoire's most-loved and instantly recognizable concertos, Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1, becomes the centerpiece of an orchestral showcase led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, continuing Pacific Symphony's 35th anniversary season. Demanding virtuosity and superb technique to deliver its pounding parallel chords and rapid finger work, Tchaikovsky's masterpiece is in the skillful hands of Korean pianist Joyce Yang, who has been hailed by the Washington Post for her “poetic and sensitive pianism… capable of hurtling thunderbolts.” Yang returns to the Symphony after a performance two seasons' ago of another Russian masterwork, Rachmaninoff's Third, when she was praised by the Orange County Register for her “genuine enthusiasm” and “singing elegance.” The evening opens with Glinka's joyous Overture to “Russlan and Ludmilla,” showing off the orchestra with loud, fast and virtuosic playing. The finale then bursts with color as each of the instruments are treated like soloists in Bartók's “Concerto for Orchestra.”

Gorgeous and grand, one of the repertoire's most-loved and instantly recognizable concertos, Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1, becomes the centerpiece of an orchestral showcase led by Music Director Carl St.Clair, continuing Pacific Symphony's 35th anniversary season.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa announces that the first North American tour of the new stage adaptation of THE WIZARD OF OZ will play February 11 - 23 in Segerstrom Hall.

Two thrilling musical forces will share the stage tonight, November 12 to launch Segerstrom Center's 2013 - 2014 Chamber Music Series as pianist Marc-Andre Hamelin joins the acclaimed Pacifica Quartet - Simin Ganatra, violin; Sibbi Bernhardsson, violin; Masumi Per Rostad, viola; Brandon Vamos, cello - for a spectacular program featuring Dmitri Shostakovich's String Quartet No. 7 in F minor, Op. 108 and Antonin Dvorak's Piano Quintet in A Major, Op. 81. The evening also includes Leo Ornstein's innovative Piano Quintet, Op. 92.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts continues its Cabaret Series 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?.

On display this month is the impressive talent of some of Southern California's most gifted young musicians, as two of Pacific Symphony's three Youth Ensembles' (PSYE) 2013-14 seasons begin with concerts in Irvine. Led by Music Director Joshua Roach, Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble (PSYWE) enraptures listeners with a decadent American soundscape that combines present and past favorites, while Pacific Symphony Santiago Strings (PSSS) performs a robust program of music written by Russian composers. The Youth Wind Ensemble's concert takes place Sunday, Nov. 24, at 3 p.m., at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. Tickets are $12 general admission and may also be purchased at the door. The Santiago Strings perform on Saturday, Nov. 23, at 3 p.m., at Concordia University.

Segerstrom Center's Family Series presents the Orange County premiere of The Intergalactic Nemesis - Book Two: Robot Planet Rising today, November 8 - 10 in Samueli Theater.

Orange County, Calif.—Oct. 17, 2013—Praised as “the new voice of the American rock-and-roll songbook” (Billboard) with both Grammy- and Tony-award nominations, charismatic performer Michael Cavanaugh opens Pacific Symphony's 35th anniversary Pops season with crowd-pleasing pop and rock piano hits during his new show, “Michael Cavanaugh: Songs of Elton John and More.” Handpicked by another famous pianist, Billy Joel, to star in the Broadway musical “Movin' Out” in 2001, Cavanaugh quickly gained a reputation for his skillful talents on the piano and lead vocals rivaling those of the “Piano Man” himself. After the musical closed in 2005, he began touring on his own, reinterpreting the modern pop/rock songbook, and eventually bringing his “Songs of Billy Joel and More” to a full house at the Symphony's Fourth of July concert in 2009. Cavanaugh returns to bring his exuberant energy to the music of the “Rocket Man,” for a performance of songs such as “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” “Benny and the Jets,” “Daniel,” “Crocodile Rock,” “Candle in the Wind” and more—all backed by the lush sounds of the Symphony.

Orange County, Calif.—Nov. 4, 2013—The highly talented Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra (PSYO)—last season lauded as “Classics Alive Youth Orchestra of the Year— returns to open the 2013-14 Cheng Family Foundation Youth Orchestra Series with its “Fall Concert,” featuring favorite classical pieces. Led by Assistant Conductor Alejandro Gutiérrez, PSYO is poised to charm the audience with harmonious and exciting melodies, including the ill-fated love drama of Verdi's Overture from “La Forza del Destino,” the rousing enthusiasm of Grieg's “Norwegian Dances” and the enchanting organ tunes in Saint-Saëns' Symphony No. 3, featuring guest organist Kristen Lawrence. PSYO's concert takes place on Sunday, Nov. 17, at 3 p.m., in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. Tickets are $12 general admission; for more information or to purchase tickets, call the box office at (714) 755-5799 or visit www.PacificSymphony.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the door.

The highly talented Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra (PSYO)—last season lauded as “Classics Alive Youth Orchestra of the Year— returns to open the 2013-14 Cheng Family Foundation Youth Orchestra Series with its “Fall Concert,” featuring favorite classical pieces. Led by Assistant Conductor Alejandro Gutiérrez, PSYO is poised to charm the audience with harmonious and exciting melodies, including the ill-fated love drama of Verdi's Overture from “La Forza del Destino,” the rousing enthusiasm of Grieg's “Norwegian Dances” and the enchanting organ tunes in Saint-Saëns' Symphony No. 3, featuring guest organist Kristen Lawrence. PSYO's concert takes place on Sunday, Nov. 17, at 3 p.m., in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall.

Global music phenomenon Celtic Woman will return to North American concert stages in early 2014 with The Emerald Tour, which will encompass over 75 performances in more than 65 cities. Orange County audiences can look forward to the Segerstrom Center engagement on April 1 at 7:30 p.m.