Each spring UAPresents announces a new season of entertainment. Clear your calendar and get your tickets now, as these are the sell-out events worth waiting for this upcoming academic year.
Lang Lang Oct. 22 7:30 p.m. UA Centennial Hall
Put aside everything you thought you knew about classical music and experience a new generation of pianist. This fall, the UA will host a classical concert pianist with modern style. At only 30, Chinese-born Lang Lang has played for the world. He played at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, where nearly four billion people witnessed his impeccable skill.
Lang was quoted as saying his ultimate goal was to “make classical music to be enjoyed and accepted by more people.” One of his latest music videos even features YouTube-famous street dancer Marquese Scott performing to “Ocean 12” from Lang Lang’s The Chopin Album.
Diavolo Dance Theater Nov. 9 8:00 p.m. UA Centennial Hall
By combining elements of performance art and gymnastics, Diavolo Dance Theater will perform one of its classic pieces as well as showcase a new creation. The company’s artistic statement outlines a bold mission toward “propelling the world of dance” and “[making] the arts more integrated within the mainstream of America.”
Diavolo uses large metal and wood structures to propel themselves around the stage while conveying emotion. In the newly created “Transit Space” the company uses ramps to study the movement behind skateboarding. Performers are athletes, dancers, actors and gymnasts who work together to create magical worlds on stage that defy gravity and celebrate culture.
Green Day’s “American Idiot” Dec. 7 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Dec. 8 1:00 p.m. UA Centennial Hall
Set to Green Day’s Grammy Award-winning album American Idiot, this Tony Award-winning musical follows three friends who must choose between youthful dreams and the safety of conforming.
Created by Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong and director Michael Mayer, “American Idiot” has gained worldwide recognition and reviews celebrating its originality and raw emotion. Mark Shenton of The Stage UK said the show “provides an astonishing marker that musicals and rock music don’t have to clash but can co-exist in the same restless, revolutionary show.” Take advantage of its three performances, co-sponsored by UAPresents and Broadway in Tucson, and see a rock album come to life.
Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet Feb. 6, 2014 7:30 p.m. UA Centennial Hall
For 10 years, New York based Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet has been performing feats of athleticism in dance on stages in the U.S. and Europe. In its first appearance at the UA, Cedar Lake will perform three works that show grace, power and the complexity of lyrical dance.
“Violet Kid,” choreographed by Hofesh Shechter, is about a search for harmony and balance within a complicated world. The piece also incorporates voice recordings by its choreographer. Los Angeles Times reviewer Debra Levine said, “Violet Kid” ratcheted the entire visit the Manhattan-based troupe onto a high plane.” The company will also perform “Tuplet” choreographed by Alexander Ekman, and “Grace Engine” choreographed by Crystal Pite.
Spotlighted on the grand stage in Centennial Hall, the Tucson premiere of this world famous ballet company is not to be missed.
