A new season at a performing arts center arrives as a list, perhaps just like any list. But if you pause to peruse the rich offerings on tap at Valley Performing Arts Center in the coming season, 2015-16, you’ll feel the fun.
Arts energy that is fun, youthful, excellent and diverse will emanate from Cal State Northridge’s beautiful performing arts center starting in the fall of this year and rounding the horn into 2016.
The season opens with special event, Los Angeles dance/acrobatic troupe, Diavolo, tumbling forth to the accompaniment of a live orchestra, the New West Symphony.
It’s the proud creation of VPAC executive director Thor Steingraber. Here follows, from VPAC, “the season”:
VPAC Exclusives
Diavolo/Architecture in Motion – L’Espace du Temps with New West Symphony
The Fab Faux, The Beatles Complete Hollywood Bowl and Dodger Stadium Concerts ‘64 – ‘66
Peter Nero Trio Gershwin in Hollywood
The Orlando Consort’s Voices Appeared – The Passion of Joan of Arc
Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925 silent film) Stewart Copeland, Composer, with Pacific Symphony
John Pizzarelli – Frank Sinatra Centennial Memorial Tributes
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet — Three-year VPAC residency, new works by Latino choreographers
Famous and Fabulous
Megan Hilty in Concert
Ms Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton
Michelle DeYoung
Savion Glover with Jack DeJohnette
Lea Salonga
Patty Griffin, Sara Watkins and Anaïs Mitchell Together on Stage
Dreamgirls
Conversations
Linda Ronstadt: In Conversation with Dan Guerrero
David Sedaris
Binge-Worthy Journalism Backstage with the Creators of SERIAL, Sarah Koenig & Julie Snyder
Father and Son
Bobby McFerrin, special guest Taylor McFerrin
Jeffrey Kahane and Gabriel Kahane
Contemporary Jazz Artists Interpret Legacy Jazz Artists
Jason Moran: Fats Waller Dance Party
Turtle Island Quartet with Cyrus Chestnut, jazz piano, Jelly, Rags, and Monk
Peter Nero Trio: Gershwin in Hollywood
John Pizzarelli Sinatra Centennial Celebrations
Classical
The Handel and Haydn Society – A Bicentennial Celebration
Harry Christophers, Artistic Director and Conductor, Aisslinn Nosky, violin
Russian National Orchestra Mikhail Pletnev, Music Director, with Yuja Wang, piano, Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 in G major, Op. 44
Academy of St Martin in the Fields with Joshua Bell, Director and Soloist
14th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Gold Medalist Vadym Kholodenko
Colburn Orchestra Yehuda Gilad, Music Director and Conductor, first concert performing Smetana, Brahms and Beethoven Piano Concerto #5 with pianist Fabio Bidini, second concert Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with CSUN Northridge Singers
World
13th Annual Daniel Pearl World Music Days: Isabel Bayrakdarian – My Songs, My Heritage, Serouj Kradjian, piano, and Camerata Pacifica
Compañia Flamenca José Porcel José Porcel, Artistic Director with special guest Leilah Broukhim
Spanish Harlem Orchestra Salsa Navidad
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Fiesta Mexico-Americana – A Celebration of Mexican-American Heritage
featuring Los Lobos and special guest Ballet Folklorico Mexicano
Great Attractions
An Evening with Los Tigres Del Norte
L.A. Theatre Works Bram Stoker’s DRACULA
Family
National Acrobats and Circus of the People’s Republic of China, Peking Dreams
The Okee Dokee Brothers
STOMP
Band of the Royal Marines with Pipes, Drums, and Highland Dancers of the Scots Guards
Pacific Symphony – Peter and the Wolf narrated by Nancy Cartwright