by artsandlecJune 8, 2024, 3:08 pm1.0k Views
UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L), the Central Coast’s premier arts presenting organization, announces its 65th Anniversary2024-2025 season of live events.
Series subscriptions go on sale Saturday, June 8 at 10 a.m. Single tickets go on sale Friday, August 2 at 10 a.m.UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L) offers a wide range of phenomenal cultural and artistic experiences in 2024-2025 – from fascinating talks by today’s thought leaders to command performances by some of the world’s premier dance companies, actors and musicians – at venues from UCSB to downtown Santa Barbara and beyond.
The 2024-2025 season includes an exciting mix of old friends, rising stars and new discoveries. Miller McCune Executive Director Celesta M. Billeci says:
“65 years of Arts & Lectures is more than a milestone. It’s a time to reflect on the organization’s storied past and celebrate with our friends and supporters. It’s also a time to look ahead and imagine what the next 65 years can bring. We have learned so much, not only from the fabulous, star-studded array of performers, creators, Nobel Prize winners and civic leaders who have graced our stages but also from the community that has come together around our programming and the heroes who have stepped up and contributed to support our efforts.”
“We see evidence of the program’s impact everywhere we look. From the thousands of delighted students who attend our Arts Adventures to the thoughtful, intelligent questions asked by the community members who participate in the talkbacks we stage with artists, the image of our impact shines bright. Now more than ever, the programming that Arts & Lectures presents – adventurous and imaginative events that push boundaries and reveal sources of hope both new and old – is not only welcome but necessary.”
Additional events, including the Justice for All programming initiative, Thematic Learning Initiative and more, will be announced throughout the season.
SERIES PACKAGES AND TICKET INFO
For discounts of up to 25 percent, great seats, early notice about newly-added events and free ticket exchanges, patrons can subscribe to any of Arts & Lectures’ 11 fixed series packages:Dance;Great Performances A;Great Performances B;Great Performances Suite;Word of Mouth;Global Sounds;Jazz;Roots;Hear & Now;Speaking with PicoandVanguard. Another option is the popularCreate Your Ownseries: Purchase tickets to four or more events and save 10 percent off single ticket prices.
Series subscriptions goon sale Sat., June 8 at 10 a.m.and can be purchased by phone at (805) 893-3535, online or in person at the Arts & Lectures Ticket Office at Campbell Hall (parking lot 12 off Mesa Road; walk-up hours are Mon-Fri, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.) on the UCSB campus. For a season brochure, an order form or more information, call or visit the A&L Ticket Office or visitwww.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu.Single tickets go on sale Fri., Aug. 2 at 10 a.m.
UCSB ARTS & LECTURES’ 2024-2025 SEASON BY SERIES
DANCE series – SAVE 20%
For its 65th anniversary season, Arts & Lectures has booked one of its richest and most ambitiousDance seriesever, with six fabulous productions spread out over five months. It all begins with theCloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan(Sat., Nov. 2 / 7:30 p.m. / Granada Theatre). Mixing folk, classical and electronic music, Cloud Gate’s13 Tonguesis a colorful and evocative journey into the night markets and fantastic imagination of Taiwan.Dorrance Dancereturns withThe Nutcracker Suite(Thu., Dec. 5 / 7:30 p.m. / Arlington Theatre), a tap adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s holiday classic with music by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. American icon and dance pioneer Twyla Tharp celebrates theDiamond Jubileeof her company,Twyla Tharp Dance(Tue., Feb. 11 / 7:30 p.m. / Granada Theatre) with works set to Beethoven and Philip Glass, with the latter an Arts & Lectures co-commission.Batsheva Dance Company’sMOMOreveals the depth and intensity of choreographer Ohad Naharin’s vision (Tue., Feb. 25 / 7:30 p.m. / Granada Theatre). Choreographer and performerAkram Khandances alongside six other renowned practitioners of classical South Asian dance forms and seven live musicians inGIGENIS, the generation of the Earth(Thu., Apr. 10 / 7:30 p.m. / Granada Theatre). UCSB Arts & Lectures is one of only four organizations in the world presenting this major work by a legendary artist. The Dance series concludes with two different programs by perennial favoritesAlvin Ailey American Dance Theateron two consecutive nights including one night (Apr 16) featuring founder Alvin Ailey’s beloved masterpieceRevelations(Tue., Apr. 15 and Wed., Apr. 16 / 7:30 p.m. / Granada Theatre).
GREAT PERFORMANCES A series – SAVE 20%
Great Performances A seriesopens with a very special event,Itzhak Perlman and Friends(Thu., Nov. 7 / 7 p.m. / Granada Theatre) featuring the great violinist along with two distinguished pianists – Emanuel Ax and Jean-Yves Thibaudet – plus the Juilliard String Quartet. SopranoJulia Bullockappears as soloist with the period instrument specialistsOrchestra of the Age of Enlightenment(Tue., Jan. 21 / 7 p.m. / Lobero Theatre) in a concert devoted to the best of Baroque music. Arts & Lectures favorites theDanish String Quartetreturn (Fri., Jan. 31 / 7 p.m. / Campbell Hall) with an eclectic program mixing 20th century masterpieces by Shostakovich and Stravinsky with their original arrangements of Nordic folk tunes and medieval Irish melodies. Great Performances A series wraps with an unprecedented two-piano collaboration between two of the most celebrated artists in the classical world today,Yuja WangandVíkingur Ólafssonperforming a robust program from Schubert to Pärt to Rachmaninoff (Fri., Feb. 28 / 7 p.m. / Granada Theatre).
GREAT PERFORMANCES B series – SAVE 20%
Great Performances B seriescommences with sopranoJulia Bullockin an exciting new production from theAmerican Modern Opera Company(AMOC) produced in collaboration with Ojai Music Festival.HARAWI, a song cycle by Olivier Messiaen, reaches new heights of expressive power through the addition of dancersBobbi Jene SmithandOr Schraiber, who will perform a pas de deux choreographed to Messiaen’s score for voice and piano (Fri., Oct. 4 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall). TheLondon Philharmonic Orchestrawith Principal ConductorEdward Gardnerbrings beloved violinistPatricia Kopatchinskajafor a program featuring Shostakovich and Tchaikovsky (Sat., Oct. 12 / 7 p.m. / Granada Theatre). Enduring cultural hero and longtime friend of Arts & LecturesYo-Yo MapresentsReflections in Words and Music, a solo evening sharing his favorite pieces and stories that’s sure to be unforgettable (Sat., Apr. 5 / 7 p.m. / Arlington Theatre). Great Performances B concludes with sibling duoIsata Kanneh-Mason, piano, andSheku Kanneh-Mason, cello, back by popular demand for an intimate recital of late Romantic and modern chamber music (Thu., May 29 / 7 p.m. / Campbell Hall).
GREAT PERFORMANCES SUITE – SAVE 25%
For increased savings, combine the Great Performances A and Great Performances B series into theGreat Performances Suite(eight events) and the curated subscription discount increases from 20% to 25%! TheGreat Performances Suiteincludes tickets for all eight events in GreatPerformances A and B series for one low price.
WORD OF MOUTH series – SAVE 20%
TheWord of Mouth seriesbrings today’s most inspiring thinkers to address the moment’s essential topics. Khan Academy founderSalman Khanwill discuss the positive potential of Artificial Intelligence for education. His latest book isBrave New Words: How AI Will Revolutionize Education (and Why That’s a Good Thing)(Sat., Oct. 5 / 4 p.m. (note special time) / Arlington Theatre). Nobel Prize-winner and co-creator of CRISPR technologyDr. Jennifer Doudnareturns with the latest innovations from her Genomics Institute to presentCRISPR Gene Editing and the Future of Human Health, co-presented with the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara (Tue., Oct. 22 / 7:30 p.m. / Granada Theatre). Bestselling novelist and essayistAnne Lamottfound lasting love later in life and she’s coming with a new book,Somehow: Thoughts on Love, to discuss the ways love can keep us going in a painful world (Wed., Nov. 13 / 7:30 p.m. / Arlington Theatre).Father Gregory Boyle, the charismatic founder of Homeboy Industries, shares his thoughts on the values of belonging and his new bookCherished Belonging: The Healing Power of Love in Divided Times(Tue., Dec. 3 / 7:30 p.m. / Campbell Hall).
GLOBAL SOUNDS series – SAVE 20%
TheGlobal Sounds seriesstarts with a dynamic celebration of the music of Mexico, featuring the queen of mariachi and ranchera,Aida Cuevas, inCanta a Juan Gabriel 40 años después(Sun., Oct. 20 / 7 p.m. / Arlington Theatre). Malian rockstarHabib Koitéand his groupBamadafuse African polyrhythms with the propulsive beats of rock, blues, pop and Latin jazz (Wed., Oct. 30 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall). Each member of theDoosTrio–Kayhan Kalhor,Wu ManandSandeep Das– has thrilled Arts & Lectures audiences as part of other groups like Silkroad Ensemble and Brooklyn Rider. Together as DoosTrio they present a new collaboration that highlights the ancient traditions of Iran, China and India in a distinctly 21st century program (Wed., Feb. 19 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall).
JAZZ series – SAVE 20%
Join us for a spirited 65th anniversary year opening night party with theJazz seriesand the jazz orchestra meets funk band meets jam-based collectiveSnarky Puppy(Tue., Oct. 1 / 7:30 p.m. / Arlington Theatre). Saxophonist and composerLakecia Benjaminand her groupPhoenixare riding high on a pair of Grammy nominations and a reputation for sizzling live sets (Fri., Feb. 7 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall). Next up, one-named keyboard wizHiromibrings her eclectic quartetSonicwonderperforming compositions that run the gamut from Mozart to metal and beyond (Fri., Apr. 25 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall). The grandmaster of all things jazz,Wynton Marsalisreturns with a 13-piece orchestra to back the fascinating silent film,LOUIS, that depicts the early boyhood of Louis Armstrong amid the bordellos and speakeasies of New Orleans’ Storyville (Sat., May 17 / 7:30 p.m. / Arlington Theatre).
ROOTS series – SAVE 20 %
Arts & Lectures’Roots serieskicks off with an exceptional double bill featuring the legendary soul/gospel/R&B pioneer, civil rights icon, National Arts Awards Lifetime Achievement recipient and Kennedy Center honoreeMavis Staplesand rising starsThe War and Treaty(Tue., Oct. 8 / 7:30 p.m. / Arlington Theatre). Fans of contemporary bluegrass won’t want to miss the Grammy Award-winners for Best Bluegrass Album in 2022 and 2023Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway(Fri., Dec. 4 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall). For those who yearn to rock, we salute you with the guitar boss sisters and Grammy Award-winners for Best Contemporary Blues AlbumLarkin Poe(Sun., Apr. 27 / 7 p.m. / Arlington Theatre).
HEAR & NOW series – SAVE 20%
Arts & Lectures presents the stars of tomorrow today in the all-Santa Barbara-debut seriesHear & Now. PianistAlexander Malofeev,who charmed the judges at the Tchaikovsky Competition and the crowds at Tanglewood, will perform Schubert, Liszt, Scriabin and more (Fri., Jan. 24 / 7 p.m. / Hahn Hall). Two distinguished contemporary quintets –Imani WindsandBoston Brass– come together for a night of wide-ranging music including some international favorites from J.S. Bach to Paquito D’Rivera and Lalo Shifrin (Sun., Feb. 2 / 4 p.m. / Hahn Hall).Owlsare a string quartet with a twist – doubling the cellos rather than the violins. They’ll perform a wide-ranging program of works from Chick Corea to Terry Riley (Fri., Apr. 11 / 7 p.m. / Hahn Hall). Distinctive violin virtuosoTessa Larkcaps the series with an impressive program of classical compositions and bluegrass-influenced originals (Tue., May 20 / 7 p.m. / Hahn Hall).
SPEAKING WITH PICO series – SAVE 20%
A&L is thrilled to continue to present theSpeaking with Pico serieswith beloved hostPico Iyer. An interviewer of unparalleled nuance and depth, Pico consistently delivers searching conversations with the moment’s most electrifying figures. He’ll first appear in conversation withYung Pueblo, aka Diego Perez, an author and poet whose guidance in matters of self-knowledge and radical self-acceptance has earned him millions of followers on social media and made him a No. 1New York Timesbestseller (Tue., Oct. 29 / 7:30 p.m. / Campbell Hall). Next, he talks with Pulitzer Prize-winning environmental novelistRichard Powers, who brings a career’s worth of experience and a new novel set among floating future colonies in the Pacific Ocean (Sun., Feb. 23 / 7:30 p.m. / Campbell Hall). Finally, Pico will explore how pioneering performance artistMarina Abramovićhas pushed the boundaries of contemporary art to now rank among the most influential living artists (Tue., May 6 / 7:30 p.m. / Lobero Theatre).
VANGUARD series – SAVE 25%
In the Vanguard series, we invite individuals and ensembles that explore the fringes and frontiers of contemporary performance. Fight Night by Belgian theater collective Ontroerend Goed employs digital voting devices to involve the audience in an intense and surprising experience that will change the way you think about democracy (Tue., Oct. 15 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall). Lil Buck is back, joined by his partner in jookin’, Emmy Award-winner Jon Boogz, to develop and perform an original dance piece especially for UCSB Arts & Lectures (Thu., Oct. 24 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall). Yaron Lifschitz and Circa present Humans 2.0, the latest episode in their ongoing exploration of the outer limits of acrobatic choreography (Tue., Apr. 8 / 7:30 p.m. / Lobero Theatre).
INDIVIDUAL NON-FIXED SERIES EVENTS
Create Your Own Series of Four or More Events and Save 10%
Subscribers get priority access to events like these!
The following individual events can be purchased through theCreate Your Own Series option,added on to a fixed series package purchase (no discount), or purchased separately when single tickets go on sale on Fri., Aug 2.
Ask any food-obsessed friend,An Evening with Yotam Ottolenghiis not to be missed, especially when the evening includes a live cooking demonstration (Mon., Oct. 14 / 7:30 p.m. / Granada Theatre)
Disney’sENCANTObrought the music of Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) to the younger set. This sing-along film concert with live musicians on stage offers a chance for fans of all ages to come dressed as their favorite characters and sing along with the movie (Thu., Nov. 14 / 6:30 p.m. / Arlington Theatre)
Pink Martini’s swanky holiday shows have become a tradition with Arts & Lectures audiences. This year they are back with standout singer China Forbes (Tue., Dec. 17 / 7:30 p.m. / Arlington Theatre)
When it comes to razor-sharp New York humor,Fran Lebowitzis in a class of her own (Sat., Jan. 25 / 7:30 p.m. / Campbell hall)
Fans of contemporary circus, get ready to rumble whenCirque KalabantébringsAfrique en Cirquewith live music to town (Thu., Feb. 6 / 7:30 p.m. / Lobero Theatre)
Arts & Lectures knows how much our audience enjoys engaging with the top thinkers of the day, and we have two of them coming in 2025.Niall Fergusonwill explain why we should still study history (Sat., Feb. 8 / 4 p.m. / Granada Theatre)
Andrew Ross Sorkin, co-creator ofBillionsfor Showtime, author ofToo Big To Fail, and host of theNew York Times’ DealBook Summit will fill us in on the latest developments in international politics and finance (Sat., Mar. 1 / 7:30 p.m. / Campbell Hall)
In our 65th year, it gives us great pleasure to welcome the joyful noise of theUkulele Orchestra of Great Britain, who are celebrating their 40th anniversary (Tue., Apr. 1 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall)
THE WORKS
Want it all? You got it. GetThe Worksand save a whopping 30% off tickets to every event in the season brochure. That’s all of the best tickets at the best price.
CREATE YOUR OWN SERIES
For maximum flexibility, theCREATE YOUR OWN serieslets patrons hand-pick their favorite shows. Purchase any four or more events and save 10% on each ticket.
SUBSCRIBER BENEFITS
Donors and subscribers get early access to the best seats in the house, before single tickets go on sale. Save 10% on Create Your Own series and up to 25% on Curated series tickets. Get fee-free ticket exchanges up to two business days before the event. Can’t make it? No problem, we’ll help you find another amazing event to attend. Forgot to order something? Subscribers can add discounted series tickets to their order through August 3, even if the order’s already been processed.
Subscriber orders are filled in the order received. Subscribe early for the best available seating. Thu., Aug. 1 is the last day subscribers get first dibs on this season’s events before single tickets go on sale Fri., Aug. 2 at 10 a.m.
An Arts & Lectures subscription is an investment in personal enrichment that also enriches the community. It’s a commitment to make time for inspiring conversations, magical experiences and a sense of community.
ABOUT UCSB ARTS & LECTURES
The 2024-2025 season marks UCSB Arts & Lectures’ 65th year of bringing unique, world-class performances, films and lectures to Central Coast and campus audiences. With a mission to “educate, entertain and inspire,” Arts & Lectures is the largest performing arts and public lectures presenter between San Francisco and Los Angeles, beloved by audiences for its award-winning, diverse and innovative programming that deeply enriches lives and extends the intellectual life of the community beyond the classroom.
Arts & Lectures’ award-winning educational outreach programs provide rare opportunities for students to meet and learn from visiting artists and speakers. In the 2024-25 season, most of the speakers and performers will participate in master classes, lecture-demonstrations, open rehearsals and classroom discussions at UCSB and in the community.
Through ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara!, Arts & Lectures’ nationally-recognized program, A&L provides free public performances featuring international talents and arts education to underserved populations throughout Santa Barbara County. In 2011 the program received the prestigious APAP/MetLife Arts Access Award for “engaging underserved communities.”
For more information about Arts & Lectures, call (805) 893-3535 or visitwww.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu.
