CU Presents is proud to present another specially curated lineup of music, opera, dance and theatre for 2018-2019 (see a list of events below). Season ticket sales begin Monday, April 2 at 10 a.m., and single tickets are available beginning Monday, Aug. 20. Tickets are available at cupresents.org or over the phone at 303-492-8008.
For more than 80 years, the Artist Series has brought the globe's finest jazz, classical, world music and dance performers to Boulder. Again this fall and next spring, the Artist Series welcomes world-class acts from all corners of the globe to Macky Auditorium-from both renowned and emerging artists. Exceptional highlights among 10 incomparable Artist Series performances include Dee Dee Bridgewater and the Memphis Soulphany, a Christmas program by the Canadian Brass, international stars such as Israel's Batsheva Dance Company and Japan's Kodo drum ensemble, and violin virtuoso Sarah Chang.
Also scheduled are five Takács Quartet concerts-featuring new quartet member and CU Boulder Assistant Professor of Violin Harumi Rhodes-plus a pair of special guest performances by the Carpe Diem String Quartet; as well as richly varied CU Performing Arts programming featuring faculty, students and guests. Specifically, upcoming productions of the Eklund Opera Program include "West Side Story," "Eugene Onegin" and "The Turn of the Screw" while the Department of Theatre & Dance will present more than a dozen provocative productions exploring a spectrum of themes that boldy reveal the delights, delusions and difficulties of what it means to be human, along with a world premiere and probing inquiries into timely topics (see below).
Also on tap again next season are an abundance of free, quality offerings-from Faculty Tuesdays (limited seating) to CU Symphony Orchestra concerts-and CU Presents' beloved annual Holiday Festival, featuring hundreds of talented student and faculty musicians in a festive, buoyant celebration of the season.
CU Presents 2018-19 season
Artist Series at Macky Auditorium:
And the Memphis Soulphany
Saturday, Sept. 22, 7:30 p.m.
2017 NEA Jazz Master and three-time Grammy and Tony award-winner Dee Dee Bridgewater shares her journey in a musical exploration of her birth city. Opening the Artist Series with grace and gusto, the American jazz singer brings to Boulder selections from her new album-"Memphis ... Yes, I'm Ready." Bridgewater and her band invite you to experience the irresistible magic of the city's blues, R&B and soul classics.
Tickets start at $20
Jessica Lang Dance
Friday, Oct. 5, 7:30 p.m.
Jessica Lang Dance presents immersive works that celebrate the beauty of space, shape, movement and music. JLD's crisp and contemporary repertoire resists categorical definition. Based in New York City, the company's collaborations with composers, visual artists and lighting and set designers create show-stopping experiences.
Tickets start at $20
Venice Baroque Orchestra
With Anna Fusek, recorder
Friday, Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m.
The classical concert hall meets the canals of Venice as this ensemble of early music virtuosi-along with Prague-born, Berlin-based Anna Fusek on recorder-invigorate works by Antonio Vivaldi and Francesco Geminiani. The VBO, committed to the rediscovery of 17th- and 18th-century masterpieces, lends flair and finesse to Vivaldi's polished baroque music and a distinguished air to the lively sounds once heard reverberating through calles and canals.
Tickets start at $15
Sarah Chang, violin
Friday, Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m.
She was admitted to Juilliard at age 5 and skipped her high school prom to play for Queen Elizabeth II. But Korean-American violinist Sarah Chang, now an adult, is more than just a former child prodigy-she's an enduring talent, an international ambassador for classical music and one of the world's most influential women. Don't miss this violin icon's special solo recital in Boulder.
Tickets start at $20
Canadian Brass
Christmas Time is Here
Monday, Dec. 17, 7:30 p.m.
Celebrate the Christmas season with a performance of lively carols and other holiday favorites by the world's most famous brass quintet. Clad in tuxes and white running shoes, the members of Canadian Brass have brought an "unbeatable blend of virtuosity, spontaneity and humor" (The Washington Post) to concert halls for nearly 50 years.
Tickets start at $21
Silkroad Ensemble
Thursday, Jan. 31, 7:30 p.m.
Founded 20 years ago by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, the Silkroad Ensemble uses music to bridge cultural divides. The ensemble brings together musicians from all over the globe, sparking radical cultural collaboration and passion-driven learning to build a more hopeful world. The result is a uniquely engaging and accessible encounter between the foreign and the familiar, reflecting our many-layered contemporary identities.
Tickets start at $21
Kodo
Saturday, Feb. 16, 7:30 p.m.
Athletic energy, rich musical tradition and mesmerizing symmetry meet whenever this remarkable taiko drumming ensemble takes the stage. Kodo, named after the Japanese word for "heartbeat," transcends language and cultural boundaries with its powerful performances.
Tickets start at $20
Tafelmusik
The Leipzig-Damascus Coffee House
Monday, March 4, 7:30 p.m.
In the 18th century, the coffee house was a popular gathering place for brilliant minds and musicians-and nowhere were the sights, sounds and scents more stunning than in the busy trade centers of Leipzig, Germany and Damascus, Syria. Tafelmusik, a leader in historically informed performances, plays the stunning music heard in those cities 300 years ago-from Bach, Telemann and Handel to treasures of classical Arabic music.
Tickets start at $15
Batsheva Dance Company
Venezuela
Wednesday, March 20, 7:30 p.m.
Israel's foremost contemporary dance company, revered worldwide for its cutting-edge work, visits Boulder for the first time. Artistic Director Ohad Naharin's transfixing piece "Venezuela" brings together rap, Gregorian chant, Argentine tango and the choreographer's signature Gaga technique.
Tickets start at $34
Dorrance Dance
Saturday, April 6, 7:30 p.m.
Hailed as "entirely glorious" by The New York Times, Dorrance presents tap dance like you've never seen before. In Artistic Director Michelle Dorrance's capable hands, the company pushes the boundaries of this uniquely American art form.
Tickets start at $20
Holiday Festival:
Delight in the twinkling lights, seasonal greenery and beautiful music of CU Boulder's Holiday Festival, an annual tradition that's enchanting for all ages. Now in its 40th year, the celebration brings together student choirs, bands and orchestras- along with world-class faculty performers-for a concert of holiday favorites and new surprises.
Macky Auditorium
Friday, Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 8, 1 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 8, 4 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 9, 4 p.m.
Tickets start at $20
Macky Auditorium
Takács Quartet:
Chamber Series (sold out by subscription)
Sunday, Sept. 23, 4 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 28, 4 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 25, 4 p.m.*
Sunday, Jan. 13, 4 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 10, 4 p.m
Sunday, April 28, 4 p.m.
*Featuring the Carpe Diem String Quartet
Takács tickets start at $36; Carpe Diem tickets start at $25
Grusin Music Hall
Encore Series (limited availability)
Monday, Sept 24, 7:30 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 29, 7:30 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 26, 7:30 p.m.*
Monday, Jan. 14, 7:30 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m.
Monday, April 29, 7:30 p.m.
*Featuring the Carpe Diem String Quartet
Takács tickets start at $36; Carpe Diem tickets start at $20
Grusin Music Hall
Takács Quartet
The Grammy Award-winning string quartet has been moving audiences and selling out concerts at CU Boulder for more than three decades. Their irresistible blend of virtuosic technique and engaging personality has led The Guardian (London) to proclaim, "The Takács Quartet are matchless, their supreme artistry manifest at every level." This year, the quartet welcomes a new member-CU Boulder Assistant Professor of Violin Harumi Rhodes-acclaimed by The New York Times as a "deeply expressive violinist."
Carpe Diem String Quartet
Led by the College of Music's Assistant Professor of Violin Charles Wetherbee, the Carpe Diem String Quartet is one of America's premier "indie" string quartets without sacrificing its commitment to the traditional quartet repertoire. The boundary-breaking ensemble has earned widespread critical and audience acclaim for its electrifying performances, and defies easy classification with innovative programming that includes classical, Gypsy, tango, folk, pop, rock, and jazz-inspired music.
Eklund Opera Program:
Wide-ranging repertoire, lavish scenery, drama and amazing voices-the Eklund Opera Program has it all. Director Leigh Holman and Music Director Nicholas Carthy showcase the talent of the future.
West Side Story
Written by Arthur Laurents
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Based on a concept of Jerome Robbins
Friday, Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 27, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 28, 2 p.m.
Tickets start at $15
Macky Auditorium
Eugene Onegin
By Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Friday, March 15, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 16, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 17, 2 p.m.
Tickets start at $15
Macky Auditorium
The Turn of the Screw
Thursday, April 25, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, April 26, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 27, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 28, 2 p.m.
Tickets start at $20
Music Theatre
Department of Theatre & Dance
The Department of Theatre & Dance is a community of students, scholars, artists and artisans who regard the collaborative and creative process as the core of education. The department offers students and the broader community opportunities to encounter the art forms of theatre and dance, their making and meaning.
Theatre:
Great Expectations
Directed and adapted by Cecilia Pang
Thursday, Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 28, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 29, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 30, 2 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 5, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 6, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 7, 2 p.m.
Tickets $16
Loft Theatre
Next to Normal
By Brian Yorkey & Tom Kitt
Directed and choreographed by Marla Schulz
Friday, Oct. 12, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 13, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 14, 2 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 21, 2 p.m.
Tickets $20
Charlotte York Irey Theatre
Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead
Directed by David Kocina
Thursday, Oct. 25, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 27, 2 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 27, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 28, 2 p.m.
Free tickets
Acting Studio, University Theatre Building
Hecuba (world premiere)
Directed by Tamara Meneghini
Adapted by Roe Green Artist Diane Rayor
Masks by Roe Green Artist Jonathan Becker
Friday, Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 3, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 4, 2 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 8, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 10, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 11, 2 p.m.
Tickets $20
University Theatre
The House of Ramon Iglesia
By Jose Rivera
Directed by Daniel Jimenez
"The House of Ramon Iglesia" is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.
Thursday, Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 8, 2 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 9, 2 p.m.
Free tickets
Acting Studio, University Theatre Building
Almost, Maine
By John Cariani
Directed by Zachary Campbell
Thursday, Feb. 7, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 9, 2 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 9, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 10, 2 p.m.
Tickets $16
Loft Theatre
The Voice of the Prairie
By John Olive
Directed by Zachary Heygood
"The Voice of the Prairie" is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.
Thursday, Feb. 14, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 15, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 16, 2 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 16, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 17, 2 p.m.
Free tickets
Acting Studio, University Theatre Building
Title/author TBA Jan. 1, 2019
In this Tony Award winning work, the most memorable, iconic characters of children's literature playfully come to life in the music and lyrics of one of America's greatest Living Theatre artists. Directed by Bud Coleman
Content warning: May contain adult themes.
Friday, Feb. 22, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 23, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 24, 2 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 27, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 28, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 1, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 2, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 3, 2 p.m.
Tickets $24
University Theatre
2017-2018 New Play Festival Winner
Thursday, March 7, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 8, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 9 , 2 p.m.
Saturday, March 9, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 10, 2 p.m.
Free tickets
Acting Studio, University Theatre Building
Falstaff in Love (a new play)
By Scott Kaiser
Directed by Kevin Rich
Thursday, March 14, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, March 15, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 16, 2 p.m.
Saturday, March 16, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 17, 2 p.m.
Tickets $16
Loft Theatre
2018-2019 New Play Festival
Wednesday, April 10, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, April 11, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, April 12, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 13, 2 p.m.
Saturday, April 13, 7:30pm
Sunday, April 14, 2 p.m.
Free
Acting Studio, University Theatre Building
Dance:
[UN]W.R.A.P.
Traversing Memory: Performing Resistance & Resilience
An intermedia work by Helanius J. Wilkins that looks at issues of race, culture and inclusivity.
Thursday, Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 21, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 22, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 23, 2 p.m.
Tickets $16
Charlotte York Irey Theatre
[UN]W.R.A.P.
Traversing Memory: Performing Resistance & Resilience
Schedule and additional information TBA.
A week-long symposium-featuring lectures, panel discussions and movement workshops-that culminates in an intermedia work by Helanius J. Wilkins that looks at issues of race, culture and inclusivity.
Provenance
Choreographers Keith Haynes and Laura Malpass
MFA candidates showcase modern dance and gesture-driven contemporary ballet.
Thursday, Nov. 8, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 10, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 11, 2 p.m.
Tickets $16
Charlotte York Irey Theatre
FRESH: Fall 2018
An eclectic mix of dance genres in a showcase crafted by CU dance students.
Friday, Dec. 7, 7:30 p.m.
Videos