University of Florida Performing Arts announces 2007-08 season
May 1, 2007
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — From ballet to cutting-edge dance, treasured songstresses to popular vocal sensations, centuries-old classic works to the newest musical compositions, the University of Florida Performing Arts 2007-08 season will captivate your imagination, stimulate your mind and thrill your senses.
UFPA kicks off the year with “The Wedding Singer.” Based on the hit movie starring Adam Sandler, the musical version takes you back to the glorious days of the 1980s when pop music reigned, fashion was king and greed was good. “The Wedding Singer” will make its national tour debut at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 31.
The season also features some of the biggest names in classical music. Dame Kiri Te Kanawa makes a stop at the Phillips Center on Jan. 27 as a part of her North American farewell tour. Violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman will perform on April 13 and Australia’s The Ten Tenors will present a holiday-themed concert on Dec. 20.
Love to listen to Beethoven? Then you’ll love the Beethoven Cycle. This special, two-season program will feature some of the best and most exciting musical ensembles in the world performing all six of Beethoven’s string quartets. The 2007-08 season features the Talich String Quartet on Oct. 14, the Pacifica Quartet on Feb. 10 and Quatuor Parisii on March 2. Beethoven fans will also want to see The Eroica Effect featuring Andrew Manze conducting the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Beethoven’s Sinfonica Eroica on March 26.
Continuing its presence at the forefront of artistic development, UFPA will present several premieres. First up is the U.S. premiere of “Pamina Devi: A Cambodian Magic Flute” on Sept. 27. Choreographed by Sophiline Cheam Shapiro, “Pamina Devi” is a re-imagination of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” that blends the dance movements of Cambodia with the classical elements of Mozart’s story. New York-based dance company Urban Bush Women join forces with the Senegalese troupe Compagnie JANT-BI for a world premiere, international collaboration on Jan. 17. Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Larmore and Apollo’s Fire team up for a world premiere collaboration at the University Auditorium on March 1 in a program devoted exclusively to the music of Vivaldi.
There will also be something for the kids – or the kid in you. Dan Zanes hosts a Pajama Party at the University Auditorium on Nov. 9. Children and families can also enjoy the entrancing Salzburg Marionettes on Nov. 21 and 23; Momix’s Lunar Sea on Feb. 29; and Jigu! Thunder Drums of China on March 29.
If you’ve “gotta see dance,” then check out the Parsons Dance Company performance – set to music by the Dave Matthews Band – on Sept. 14, Les Ballet Jazz de Montréal on Nov. 8, Tango Buenos Aires on Nov. 20 and the renowned Martha Graham Dance Company on Feb. 8.
Fortunately, arts lovers won’t have to wait until August to get their fix. UFPA will host three special performances over the summer months. The Broadway smash hit “The Producers” makes its way to the Phillips Center June 29 – July 1; The Fab Four, a living tribute to the four musicians who led the “British Invasion” performs July 29; and Mr. Jack Daniel’s Original Silver Cornet Band takes you back to the good old days on Aug. 4.
Tickets for University of Florida Performing Arts 2007-08 season go on sale to the public at noon on June 1.
Tickets are available by calling the Phillips Center Box Office at 352-392-2787 or by calling Ticketmaster at 904-353-3309. Orders may be faxed to 352-846-1562. Tickets are also available at the Phillips Center Box Office, University Box Office at the University of Florida Reitz Student Union and all Ticketmaster outlets; and on the Web at www.ticketmaster.com.
The Phillips Center Box Office is open from noon to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and two hours before performances. The Box Office will also be open from noon to 6 p.m. on June 2.
Performance dates, times and programs are subject to change. All performances are at the Phillips Center main stage unless otherwise noted.
“The Producers”
7:30 p.m., June 29-July 1
2 p.m., June 30-July 1
The Fab Four
7:30 p.m., July 29
Mr. Jack Daniel’s Original Silver Cornet Band
7:30 p.m., Aug. 4
“The Wedding Singer”
7:30 p.m., Aug. 31
Parsons Dance Company
7:30 p.m., Sept. 14
“Pamina Devi: A Cambodian Magic Flute”
(performed by the Khmer Arts Ensemble)
7:30 p.m., Sept. 27
Vanguard Jazz Orchestra
7:30 p.m., Oct. 6
University Auditorium
Marvin Hamlisch and Joel Grey
7:30 p.m., Oct. 13
American Indian Dance Theatre
2 p.m., Oct. 14
Talich String Quartet
5 p.m., Oct. 14
University Auditorium
Rinde Eckert, “Horizon”
7:30 p.m., Oct. 16-18
Phillips Center Black Box Theatre
“Evita”
7:30 p.m., Oct. 19-20
Meyer/Bush/Douglas
7:30 p.m., Oct. 24
Murray Perahia, piano
7:30 p.m., Oct. 25
Paul Taylor Dance Company
7:30 p.m., Oct. 30
Zehetmair String Quartet
5 p.m., Nov. 4
University Auditorium
Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal [bjm_danse]
7:30 p.m., Nov. 8
Dan Zanes
7 p.m., Nov. 9
University Auditorium
Russian Patriarchate Choir
7:30 p.m., Nov. 10
University Auditorium
Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández
7:30 p.m., Nov. 11
The Actors’ Gang in “1984″
7:30 p.m., Nov. 13
Marion J. Caffey’s “3 Mo’ Divas”
7:30 p.m., Nov. 15
Ahn Trio with the David Benoit Trio
7:30 p.m., Nov. 16
Yamato The Drummers of Japan
7:30 p.m., Nov. 18
Tango Buenos Aires
7:30 p.m., Nov. 20
Salzburg Marionettes
7:30 p.m., Nov. 21 & 23
2 p.m., Nov. 23
The King’s Singers – Holiday
7:30 p.m., Dec. 3
The Ten Tenors – Holiday
7:30 p.m., Dec. 20
“BLAST!”
5 p.m., Jan. 6
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
7:30 p.m., Jan. 8
Urban Bush Women with Compagnie JANT-BI
7:30 p.m., Jan. 17
The State Symphony of Mexico
7:30 p.m., Jan. 19
Interpreti Veneziani
5 p.m., Jan. 20
University Auditorium
Aquila Theatre Company in Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22″
7:30 p.m., Jan. 20
Aquila Theatre Company in William Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar”
7:30 p.m., Jan. 22
“Annie”
7:30 p.m., Jan. 25
Dame Kiri Te Kanawa
7:30 p.m., Jan. 27
AEROS
7:30 p.m., Jan. 31
“The Worlds of Fingerman”
a production of Gaia Teatro)
7:30 p.m., Feb. 1
11 a.m., Feb. 2
2 p.m., Feb. 2-3
Phillips Center Black Box Theatre
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
7:30 p.m., Feb. 2
Martha Graham Dance Company
7:30 p.m., Feb. 8
“Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”
7:30 p.m., Feb. 9
2 p.m., Feb. 10
Pacifica Quartet
5 p.m., Feb. 10
University Auditorium
Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary Tour
7:30 p.m., Feb. 14
Sweet Honey in the Rock®
7:30 p.m., Feb. 15
Kátia Moraes & Sambaguru
7:30 p.m., Feb. 23
University Auditorium
David Finckel and Wu Han, “Voices of Vienna”
5 p.m., Feb. 24
University Auditorium
Fresh Aire: The Music of Mannheim Steamroller
7:30 p.m., Feb. 27
“Carmen”
St. Petersburg Theatre Ballet
7:30 p.m., Feb. 28
Momix – Lunar Sea
7:30 p.m., Feb. 29
Jennifer Larmore with Apollo’s Fire
7:30 p.m., March 1
University Auditorium
Quatuor Parisii
5 p.m., March 2
University Auditorium
“Movin’ Out”
7:30 p.m., March 3-5
American Ballet Theatre
7:30 p.m., March 7
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and The Band of the Coldstream Guards
7:30 p.m., March 12
The Eroica Effect
Andrew Manze conducts the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra
7:30 p.m., March 26
Jigu! Thunder Drums of China
7:30 p.m., March 29
Diavolo
7:30 p.m., April 3
“Chicago”
7:30 p.m., April 11-12
Takács Quartet with Joyce Yang
7:30 p.m., April 12
University Auditorium
Itzhak Perlman
7:30 p.m., April 13
Spirit of Uganda
7:30 p.m., April 16