2018-19 Season - Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts - UC Davis by Mondavi Center

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Season of Performing Arts

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Welcome to the 2018-19 Season!

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Choose 5 or more events 15% discount on your package 10% discount on additional events purchased throughout the season * Free events do not count towards a CYO Subscription. † Ticket exchanges must be completed by end of the business day prior to the event.

Punch Brothers

Brochure key JH Jackson Hall

VST Vanderhoef Studio Theatre

JH STAGE On stage in Jackson Hall

An Evening with Lyle Lovett and his Large Band p. 3

FRI, SEP 7

TUE, AUG 21

Pre-Performance Talk Free to all ticket holders, these half-hour talks and conversations with UC Davis faculty, local experts and visiting artists provide context for our audiences. Q&A Session After select Mondavi Center performances, artists return to the stage to take questions from the audience, providing a unique opportunity to share reactions and insights. Uncorked event. Complimentary wine pours for Inner Circle donors one hour prior to show time and during intermission in the Bartholomew Room. Director’s Choice event. Intriguing shows recommended by Mondavi Center Executive Director Don Roth.

Paula Poundstone

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Indicates high-demand shows with few tickets remaining. We recommend that you buy now or join the waiting list to be notified when tickets become available. All programs and prices are subject to change.

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FRI, NOV 30

p. 12

Twisted Pine

p. 20 WED–SAT, APR 17–20

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p. 3

August–September Punch Brothers Opening Act: Madison Cunningham Punch Brothers are the acoustic quintet of mandolinist Chris Thile, guitarist Chris Eldridge, bassist Paul Kowert, banjoist Noam Pikelny and violinist Gabe Witcher. Says the Washington Post, “With enthusiasm and experimentation, Punch Brothers take bluegrass to its next evolutionary stage, drawing equal inspiration from the brain and the heart.” Their latest album, the T Bone Burnett-produced The Phosphorescent Blues (released in 2015 on Nonesuch Records), addresses the power and the pitfalls of our superconnected world with straight-up poignancy and subversive humor.

Your memories begin here.

TUE, AUGUST 21, 2018 7PM • JH

An Evening with Lyle Lovett and his Large Band Lyle Lovett has broadened the definition of American music in a career that spans 14 albums over three decades. Coupled with his gift for storytelling, the Texas-based musician fuses elements of Americana, swing, jazz, folk, gospel and blues in a convention-defying manner that breaks down barriers. Especially with his Large Band, Lovett’s live performances show not only the breadth of this Texas legend’s deep talents, but also the diversity of his influences. He is one of the most compelling and captivating musicians in popular music.

FRI, SEPTEMBER 7, 2018 8PM • JH Sponsored by Sactown Magazine

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis Spaces featuring dancers Lil Buck and Jared Grimes At its swinging heart, jazz is dance music, built on rhythms that have inspired the greatest tap dancers and given rise to dance crazes like the jitterbug. Inspired by the variety of movements in the animal kingdom, Wynton Marsalis’ Spaces is a 10-part suite described as a “jazz Carnival of the Animals” (Financial Times). This eveninglength work features two extraordinary dancers interpreting everything from snakes to chickens: Charles “Lil Buck” Riley, a specialist in a street dance called jookin’; and tap dancer Jared Grimes.

SAT, SEPTEMBER 22, 2018 8PM • JH Sponsored by Capital Public Radio

Akram Khan Company • NOV 4 p. 10

18–19 MONDAVI CENTER

September

September–October

Alexander String Quartet The Complete Shostakovich String Quartets String Quartet No. 1 in C Major, op. 49 String Quartet No. 2 in A Major, op. 68

“It was amazing, yet also absurd; strangely captivating, yet also campy and ridiculous. And in a way, it made the most sense of any of the musical holograms produced so far.”

SUN, SEPTEMBER 30, 2018 2PM • VST SUN, SEPTEMBER 30, 2018 7PM • VST Matinee has limited availability. Please call the ticket office at 530.754.2787 to purchase.

—The New York Times on Callas in Concert

Barbara K. Jackson Rising Stars of Opera San Francisco Opera Adler Fellows UC Davis Symphony Orchestra Since its inception in 2010, Rising Stars of Opera has featured vocal artistry, stirring arias and a glimpse at the opera stars of tomorrow; and every ticket has been free to the public thanks to Barbara K. Jackson. This year we celebrate our dear friend’s 100th birthday with an evening sure to contain a few surprises. What we can promise: a talented collection of young singers from the San Francisco Opera Adler Fellows program performing in recital and with full orchestral accompaniment from our own UC Davis Symphony Orchestra.

THU, OCTOBER 4, 2018 8PM • JH

FREE. Limit 4 per order.

This event does not count toward a CYO subscription.

Callas in Concert

I’m With Her

Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera

Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O’Donovan

Generations of opera lovers have only known American soprano Maria Callas from her immortal recordings. Callas in Concert celebrates her enduring power, drama and beauty through a cinematic experience that brings the beloved La Divina back to the stage. The remastered audio features iconic arias from Bellini, Bizet, Verdi and Puccini, all performed with the live accompaniment of the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera. Be among the first to witness this groundbreaking digital and laser holographic technology and toast the legacy of one of the 20th century’s great artists.

Opening Act: The Brother Brothers

For Sara Watkins (Nickel Creek), Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O’Donovan, what began as an impromptu show in 2014 at the Sheridan Opera House in Telluride, Colorado, became the spark that formed I’m With Her, sending the trio of Americana multiinstrumentalists on a worldwide tour. Along the way, a special, family-like chemistry developed, garnering acclaim for the trio’s unique blend of instrumental interplay combined with their indelible harmonies “that could be sweetly ethereal, as tightly in tandem as the Everly Brothers or as hearty as mountain gospel” (The New York Times). Their debut album, See You Around, was released in February 2018.

SUN, SEPTEMBER 23, 2018 7PM • JH Sponsored by Sactown Magazine

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SUN, OCTOBER 7, 2018 7PM • JH

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18–19 MONDAVI CENTER

October

October Preet Bharara

Sir James Galway, flute

During his tenure as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara earned a reputation as one of “the nation’s most aggressive and outspoken prosecutors” (The New York Times), with a special focus on big banks, terrorists, hedge funds and public corruption. Since leaving the U.S. Attorney’s office, Bharara has kept busy as a distinguished scholar-in-residence at the NYU School of Law, as the creator of the podcast Stay Tuned with Preet, focusing on justice and fairness, and as an outspoken Twitter presence.

Globally renowned as the ultimate interpreter of the classical flute repertoire, Sir James Galway is a consummate performer whose appeal transcends musical boundaries. His uniquely expressive interpretations span an extensive range of genres, from classical masterworks to high-profile commissions. He has also collaborated on film soundtracks such as The Lord of the Rings and partnered with such popular artists as Stevie Wonder and Sir Elton John. The diversity of Galway’s repertoire reflects his impressive musical range and has served to establish him as an artist of the very highest stature.

MON, OCTOBER 8, 2018 7PM • JH Sponsored by Downey Brand

“Galway put the flute on the musical map in modern times.” —Gramophone magazine

SUN, OCTOBER 14, 2018 7PM • JH

“A dauntingly skilled trumpeter.” —The New York Times on Marquis Hill

Marquis Hill Blacktet The first thing you note about trumpeter and composer Marquis Hill is his tone: warm, precise and so unlike the brittle winters in his hometown of Chicago. A winner of the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition in 2014, Hill has pursued performance and pedagogy in equal measure, releasing a string of intriguing recordings while fitting in teaching stints throughout the Midwest. Hill’s longtime quintet, dubbed the Blacktet, provides the power and drive to underpin a font of melodic and rhythmic ideas that embrace hard bop, R&B, hip hop and soul.

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WED, OCTOBER 10, 2018 7PM THU–SAT, OCTOBER 11–13, 2018 8PM VST CABARET

“Jazz at its highest levels.” —Daily Gazette, Albany

Julie Fowlis For an artist who will forever be known for “Touch the Sky,” the stirring theme song from the Disney/ Pixar film Brave, Julie Fowlis is anything but a one-hit wonder. Fowlis, a native of the Outer Hebrides, is one of the preeminent modern interpreters of traditional Gaelic songs and a deeply knowledgeable scholar of Highland and Gaelic culture. Her latest album, alterum, is a continued exploration of those storied traditions and further evidence of her unique gift. Following a sold-out run in the Vanderhoef Studio Theatre in 2015, we are pleased to welcome her to Jackson Hall.

SAT, OCTOBER 13, 2018 8PM • JH

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SFJAZZ Collective Music of Antônio Carlos Jobim and Original Compositions An all-star ensemble comprising eight of the finest performer/composers at work in jazz today, the SFJAZZ Collective’s mission each year is to perform fresh arrangements of works by a modern master—and newly commissioned pieces by each Collective member. The challenge this year? Picking only eight songs from the massive catalog of bossa nova master Antônio Carlos Jobim, which includes the smash hits “The Girl from Ipanema,” “Desafinado” and “Corcovado.” Whatever the repertoire, one thing is certain: The SFJAZZ Collective packs intelligence, humor, virtuosity and emotion into every performance.

WED, OCTOBER 17, 2018 7PM • JH Sponsored by Capital Public Radio

18–19 MONDAVI CENTER

October

November

“It’s breathtaking, fulfilling the promise of dance and the human desire to escape gravity.” —Bachtrack on Company Wang Ramirez Company Wang Ramirez Borderline Sébastien Ramirez and Honji Wang create dancetheater works that are deeply rooted in hip hop and street culture, but also thrive on blending different artistic traditions to enlightening artistic effect. Created for six performers—five dancers and an aerial rigger— Borderline is a series of stunning and intimate vignettes about human relationships, love and hate, joy and sorrow, and how the dialogue between technique and creativity takes flight. The performers thwart gravity and defy borders with movements both poetic and primal, set to an atmospheric original soundtrack that incorporates electronica, spoken word and trance guitar.

TUE, OCTOBER 23, 2018 7PM • JH

LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Nobuntu The word “Nobuntu” is an African concept that values humbleness, love, unity and family from a woman’s perspective. This exhilarating female a cappella quintet from Zimbabwe embodies their name, presenting luminous shows that feature a fusion of traditional Zimbabwean music, Afro jazz and gospel. Pure voices, minimalistic percussion, traditional instruments and authentic dance are the powerful tools that these award-winning, gifted performers use to preserve their cultural heritage while also promoting positive change through the unifying power of music.

THU–SAT, NOVEMBER 1–3, 2018 8PM • VST CABARET Sponsored by UC Davis Office of Global Affairs

Sponsored by Hallmark Inn, UC Davis

Current prices online at MONDAVIARTS.ORG

Igor Levit, piano Winner of Gramophone magazine’s Recording of the Year award in 2016, Igor Levit has established himself as “one of the essential artists of his generation” (The New York Times). Highly anticipated debuts in recent seasons include performances with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras, and a 2017 performance on the BBC Proms’ opening night alongside the BBC Symphony Orchestra. His debut recital at the Mondavi Center features a program rich with thematic interconnections and virtuosity. Bach (arr. Brahms) Busoni Schumann Wagner (arr. Liszt) Liszt (arr. Busoni)

Chaconne in D Minor Fantasia after J.S. Bach Geistervariationen (Ghost Variations) Parsifal: Solemn March to the Holy Grail Fantasy and Fugue on the Chorale

FRI, NOVEMBER 2, 2018 8PM • JH STAGE Sponsored by Capital Public Radio

18–19 MONDAVI CENTER

November

November Pinchas Zukerman, violin Violinist Pinchas Zukerman has remained a phenomenon in the world of classical music for more than four decades. The Tel Aviv native studied at Juilliard, and Mondavi Center audiences have come to know him as guest conductor and soloist with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. But it is his violin playing, featured in this recital, that has drawn effusive praise throughout his career. In the words of The Herald (Glasgow) “His sound is utterly inimitable, as it has been for more than 30 years, from its intense sweetness on high to its throaty richness at the depths of the instrument … And the molten gold that streams from the instrument is completely breathtaking.”

SAT, NOVEMBER 10, 2018 8PM • JH

“An absolute triumph.” —The Scotsman on Akram Khan Company

Akram Khan Company Chotto Desh

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Chotto Desh, meaning “small homeland,” draws on choreographer Akram Khan’s unique ability to tell crosscultural stories, creating a compelling tale of a young man’s dreams and memories from Britain to Bangladesh. Using a magical mix of dance, text, visuals and sound, Chotto Desh celebrates the resilience of the human spirit in the modern world and promises to be a thrilling and poignant dance theater experience for families to enjoy together.

SUN, NOVEMBER 4, 2018 2PM • JH Sponsored by Hallmark Inn, UC Davis and UC Davis Office of Global Affairs

LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Czech Philharmonic Semyon Bychkov, music director & chief conductor Kirill Gerstein, piano For over a century, the Czech Philharmonic has represented the pinnacle of Czech cultural achievement. In 1896, Dvořák conducted the Czech Philharmonic’s debut performance at the Rudolfinum in Prague. In 1908, Mahler conducted the Czech Philharmonic for the world premiere of his Symphony No. 7. Semyon Bychkov, an exceptional conductor in his first season as music director with the Czech Philharmonic, leads an all-Tchaikovsky evening featuring pianist Kirill Gerstein performing the original, less-bombastic, more lyrical version of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor.

MON, NOVEMBER 12, 2018 7PM • JH Sponsored by Western Health Advantage

Sammy Miller and The Congregation Sammy Miller and The Congregation make music that entertains and enriches—but most of all, uplifts. Upon completing his master’s degree at The Juilliard School, Miller formed The Congregation, a band focused on sharing the power of community through music. While all the musicians in the sextet are in-demand players, they have opted to stick together to spread joy throughout the world. In addition to being fine players, the group’s onstage antics add an extra dash of uplift to a style of music they like to call joyful jazz. Fans of The Hot Sardines and Jon Batiste should not miss this Mondavi Center debut.

FRI, NOVEMBER 9, 2018 8PM • JH Sponsored by Hyatt Place, UC Davis

Current prices online at MONDAVIARTS.ORG

SOLD OUT

Joan Baez Fare Thee Well Tour Acclaimed artist and activist Joan Baez will begin an extensive run of shows throughout Europe and North America, marking Baez’s last year of formal touring. “I’m looking forward to being on the road with a beautiful new album of which I am truly proud,” says Baez. “I welcome the opportunity to share this new music as well as longtime favorites with my audiences around the world.” Each ticket purchased includes a download of Baez’s latest album. Whistle Down the Wind (Bobolink/Razor and Tie Records).

WED, NOVEMBER 14, 2018 8PM • JH 18–19 MONDAVI CENTER

November–December

December

Alexander String Quartet The Complete Shostakovich String Quartets String Quartet No. 3 in F Major, op. 73 String Quartet No. 4 in D Major, op. 83

SUN, DECEMBER 2, 2018 2PM • VST SUN, DECEMBER 2, 2018 7PM • VST Matinee has limited availability. Please call the ticket office at 530.754.2787 to purchase.

Paula Poundstone With smart, observational humor and a legendary spontaneous interaction with the crowd, Paula Poundstone is one of our country’s preeminent comedians. A frequent panelist on NPR’s weekly news quiz show Wait, Wait … Don’t Tell Me, she improvises like a jazz musician, swinging in unexpected directions without a plan, without a net. There’s a disarming ease in her craft, an immediate sense that she’s so quick on her feet you need never worry about the possibility of something going wrong.

FRI, NOVEMBER 30, 2018 8PM • JH

“Heart, mind, soul, passion, full-out dancing and introspective solos that bridged the history of minstrel days with present struggles.”

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center J.S. Bach Complete Brandenburg Concertos The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (CMS) returns to the Mondavi Center to perform Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, works that unfailingly provide spiritual fulfillment for music lovers of all faiths and beliefs, inspiring strength at year’s end and a vision of the brightest future. The artistic core of CMS is a multigenerational, dynamic repertory company comprised of an evolving and unparalleled roster of performers. Demonstrating the belief that the future of chamber music lies in engaging and expanding the audience, these expert chamber musicians draw more people to the genre than any other organization of its kind.

SAT, DECEMBER 8, 2018 8PM • JH Sponsored by Capital Public Radio

—The Herald Sun on Camille A. Brown & Dancers

Boston Brass Christmas Bells Are Swinging

Camille A. Brown & Dancers

For 31 years, Boston Brass has set out to establish a one-of-a-kind musical experience. The ensemble’s lively repartee, touched with humor and personality, attempts to bridge the ocean of classical formality and delight audiences with an evening of great music and boisterous fun. For this holiday concert, Boston Brass performs the swinging seasonal chart-toppers made famous by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra, combined with some solo and combo selections as well as fun surprises.

“I am fascinated with tying history to my personal experiences and bringing those things to life.” So says Camille A. Brown, whose company makes its Mondavi Center debut this season. Brown, a former dancer with Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE, leads her troupe through dazzling excavations of ancestral stories—with a keen sense of theatricality, gutsy moves and deep musicality. This program features four works representing her farreaching talent: Mr. TOL E. RAncE (2012); excerpts from BLACK GIRL: Linguistic Play (2015) and ink (2017); and New Second Line.

SAT, DECEMBER 1, 2018 8PM • JH Sponsored by UC Davis Health and UC Davis Office of Campus and Community Relations

Current prices online at MONDAVIARTS.ORG

SUN, DECEMBER 16, 2018 2PM • JH Sponsored by MAK Design + Build

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18–19 MONDAVI CENTER

January–February

February

Las Cafeteras and Villalobos Brothers

Douglas Abrams

Las Cafeteras, the “uniquely Angeleno mishmash of punk, hip hop, beat music, cumbia and rock,” (Los Angeles Times) are remixing roots music and telling modern-day stories. Using traditional instruments infused with fresh remixing and multilingual lyricism, the band uses music as a vehicle to build cultural bridges and create “a world where many worlds fit.” Born and raised in Veracruz, Mexico, the Villalobos Brothers are internationally acclaimed as one of today’s leading contemporary Mexican ensembles, creating original compositions and arrangements that masterfully blend the richness of Mexican folk music with the intricate harmonies of jazz and classical music.

Campus Community Book Project When Douglas Abrams organized a weeklong meeting between Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama, he had profound doubts about his role facilitating a conversation between the two iconic leaders. The result of those conversations, The Book of Joy, shows that the longtime author, editor and literary agent was the perfect person to capture the shared compassionate, hopeful outlook of these two largerthan-life figures. Especially moving for the Campus Community Book Project selection committee was the book’s potential for addressing mental health and well-being topics within a larger discussion on community building.

FRI, JANUARY 25, 2019 8PM • JH

MON, FEBRUARY 4, 2019 7:30PM • JH

Sponsored by UC Davis Office of Global Affairs

Sponsored by Downey Brand and UC Davis Office of Campus and Community Relations

Lara Downes, piano and Theo Bleckmann, voice In Our Time: Ellington, Bernstein and Weill Pianist Lara Downes and vocalist Theo Bleckmann present a duo cabaret showcasing the music of Leonard Bernstein, Duke Ellington and Kurt Weill. A window into the lives and music of these composers as they captured the quickly-changing world of the 1940s, In Our Time is nostalgic yet timeless, and infused with the magnetic charisma for which Downes and Bleckmann are recognized. Inspired by Downes’ recent tribute album For Lenny, the evening will feature works by Bernstein and his fellow travelers through mid-century America: Marc Blitzstein, Charlie Chaplin, Duke Ellington, Morton Gould, Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Kurt Weill.

SAT, JANUARY 26, 2019 8PM • JH STAGE

7 Fingers Cirque Reversible Through a riveting mix of theater, circus, dance, music and acrobatics, Reversible is dedicated to a generation who forged the world that we live in today and whose stories might hold the key to a better tomorrow. With The 7 Fingers’ Reversible, be prepared for the best in contemporary circus: moments of pure grace yielding to rushes of adrenaline, as a cast of multitalented performers travel through time and space. Be part of a vibrant journey that will give you goosebumps: Peek through the key hole at a reversible world, where everyday life is turned upside down into something spectacular—and universes are filled with beauty, emotion and yes, hope.

SUN, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 2PM • JH Sponsored by Hallmark Inn, UC Davis

“He is already on the list of our great musicians of all time.” —O Estado de São Paulo on André Mehmari

Curtis on Tour

André Mehmari

Curtis Opera Theatre Vocal Quartet

From his youth, André Mehmari’s musical sensibility has known no borders, freely flowing between Frédéric Chopin, Scott Joplin and Ernesto Nazareth. From this wide-ranging foundation of his native Brazilian music, classical and jazz, the pianist and composer has forged a language of tremendous expressive power. His discography (more than 20 albums to date) and extensive list of collaborators speaks to the powerful pull of his curiosity, with the common thread being Mehmari’s blend of lyricism, dynamism and elegance.

WED, JANUARY 30, 2019 7PM THU–SAT, JANUARY 31–FEBRUARY 2, 2019 8PM • VST CABARET

The Mondavi Center’s longstanding partnership with Curtis on Tour brings us an ensemble of four vocalists from the Curtis Opera Theatre in a program of operatic favorites—arias, duets and ensemble pieces—as well as gems from the Great American Songbook and Brahms’ Liebeslieder Waltzes. This tour celebrates the Curtis Opera Theatre’s legacy of educating and training many of the world’s most gifted singers. Curtis on Tour is the Nina von Maltzahn global touring initiative of the Curtis Institute of Music, and its alumni are engaged regularly at the world’s great opera houses and professional training programs.

THU, FEBRUARY 14, 2019 8PM • JH

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18–19 MONDAVI CENTER

February–March

March

LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Jodi Kantor

Veronica Swift with the Benny Green Trio At an age most artists are just launching their careers, Veronica Swift is a knowing veteran of the stage. But to be awed at her precocity misses the point. Swift is a fearless performer who displays deep and pure musicality in her singing and scatting, a truly rare gift. Her interplay with fellow musicians is a hallmark of her talent, and here she is matched with the remarkable hard bop pianist Benny Green and his trio. Expect new life breathed into nuggets from the Great American Songbook, Tin Pan Alley and beyond.

WED, FEBRUARY 27, 2019 7PM THU–SAT, FEBRUARY 28–MARCH 2, 2019 8PM VST CABARET

We Shall Overcome featuring Damien Sneed A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Inspired by the words and actions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., We Shall Overcome ties together a living lineage of music and culture that includes traditional gospel, modern gospel, classical, jazz, Broadway and spirituals. Five astounding singers and a quartet of musicians led by music director Damien Sneed bring together songs from Aretha Franklin, Duke Ellington, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone and Donny Hathaway, as well as traditional spirituals to evoke the inspirations, struggles and triumphs of civil rights activists and defenders.

When Jodi Kantor, along with Megan Twohey, broke the story of Harvey Weinstein’s decades of alleged abuse, she sparked a movement exposing systematic abuses across industries. In a riveting program, the Pulitzer Prize–winning Kantor takes audiences behind the scenes of investigative journalism, showing how she and her colleagues expose secrets that have been hidden for decades and what makes a story impactful. In exploring the resonance of the Weinstein investigation, she tackles topics such as common patterns and means of intimidation, as well as why so many women are now finding their voices and why people are finally listening.

MON, MARCH 4, 2019 7PM • JH Sponsored by Downey Brand and Sactown Magazine

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Academy of St Martin in the Fields 60th Anniversary Tour Jeremy Denk, piano Celebrating its 60th anniversary, the world’s bestknown chamber orchestra returns with pianist Jeremy Denk to perform notable firsts from its acclaimed repertoire—including the Albinoni Concerto Op. 5, No. 5 (the first piece the orchestra played at St Martin in the Fields Church in 1959) and Piano Concerto No. 12, the first Mozart piano concerto recorded by the Academy.

FRI, MARCH 1, 2019 8PM • JH

FRI, MARCH 8, 2019 8PM • JH

Sponsored by UC Davis Office of Campus and Community Relations

Sponsored by Western Health Advantage

Current prices online at MONDAVIARTS.ORG

18–19 MONDAVI CENTER

March

April Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain Using instruments primarily bought with loose change, the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain is a group of all-singing, all-strumming players who believe that every genre of music is available for reinterpretation, so long as they are played on the ukulele. The orchestra uses the limitations of the instrument to create a musical freedom that reveals unsuspected musical insights. As Mondavi Center audiences know very well, a concert by “the Ukes” is a funny, virtuosic, twanging, awesome, foot-stomping party of rock ’n’ roll and melodious entertainment, featuring only the “bonsai guitar” and a menagerie of voices.

Lawrence Brownlee, tenor and Eric Owens, bass-baritone Bel Canto translates from Italian as “beautiful singing”—an apt description for American tenor Lawrence Brownlee. His voice, praised by NPR as “an instrument of great beauty and expression,” earned him Male Singer of the Year awards from both the International Opera Awards and Bachtrack. Sharing the stage with Brownlee is bass-baritone Eric Owens, an esteemed interpreter of classical works and a champion of new music. Equally at home in orchestral, recital and operatic repertoire, Owens brings his powerful poise, expansive voice and instinctive acting faculties to stages around the world. This vocal combination assures us a rare duo performance by two exceptional musicians.

MON, MARCH 11, 2019 7PM • JH Sponsored by Capital Public Radio

TUE, APRIL 2, 2019 7PM • JH Sponsored by Hyatt Place, UC Davis

John Leguizamo With boundless energy and visceral creativity, John Leguizamo has created a body of work in film, theater, television and literature that defies categorization. His award-winning one-man stage shows feature his trademark unabashed, uncensored and uninhibited take on being Latino in America. He has brought his intensity to Shakespeare and his sensitivity to a slew of indie dramas—including his role as a drag queen in To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar!, which garnered him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. His most recent stage show, Latin History for Morons, continues his cultural exploration in “a funny and surprisingly poignant quest for the perfect Latino hero” (The New York Times).

WED, APRIL 3, 2019 7PM • JH Sponsored by Downey Brand and UC Davis Office of Campus and Community Relations

LIMITED AVAILABILITY

Royal Scottish National Orchestra Thomas Søndergård, music director Olga Kern, piano

Eileen Ivers and JigJam St. Patrick’s Day Celebration Get ready for great craic at our annual St. Patrick’s Day Celebration! The evening starts off with a pre-concert beer tasting in the Yocha Dehe Grand Lobby, and then the celebration ramps up with the Mondavi Center debut of JigJam. This powerhouse quartet from the heart of the midlands blends traditional Irish music with bluegrass and Americana for a concoction all their energetic own. Next up is Grammy Award–winner Eileen Ivers, one of the great innovators and pioneers in the Celtic and world music genres. Her list of accomplishments is dizzying and her stage show “electrifies the crowd with a dazzling show of virtuoso playing” (The Irish Times).

SUN, MARCH 17, 2019 7PM • JH

Fe st ival ’19

Throughout its history, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) has played an integral part in Scotland’s musical life, performing regularly in concert halls throughout Scotland, at the Edinburgh International Festival and at the BBC Proms at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård, newly installed as the RSNO’s music director, leads a crowd-pleasing program, with Olga Kern, winner of the 2001 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, playing Rachmaninoff’s ever-popular Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.

SAT, APRIL 6, 2019 8PM • JH Sponsored by Western Health Advantage

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18–19 MONDAVI CENTER

April

April Ballet Preljocaj La Fresque The Mondavi Center’s long history with Ballet Preljocaj dates back to our 2002 opening season, when the company performed an astonishing The Rite of Spring. Its most recent visit brought the U.S. premiere of Blanche Neige, a wondrous retelling of the Snow White story. In La Fresque, artistic director Angelin Preljocaj continues his exploration of fairy tales, plunging the audience into the fantastical world of Pu Songling’s “The Painted Wall.” The ideas of illusion, transcendence and the place of art in today’s society are omnipresent in this contemporary adaptation for 10 dancers.

WED, APRIL 10, 2019 7PM • JH Sponsored by UC Davis Health

Havana Cuba All-Stars U.S. Encore Tour featuring Banda Asere and Dancers Back by popular demand, this high-energy ensemble of exceptional Cuban musicians and dancers is dedicated to promoting the entire tapestry of Cuban music through a fresh, contemporary lens. With rhythms and melodies from the cha-cha to the rumba, from son Cubano– style to the salsa, the Havana Cuba All-Stars are joined by three of Cuba’s finest dancing couples. With the greatest dancers and musicians of Cuba working in tandem, the American encore of the Havana Cuba All-Stars’ tour will be a spirited spectacle of song and dance, exemplifying Cuba’s greatest musical traditions.

FRI, APRIL 12, 2019 8PM • JH Sponsored by UC Davis Office of Global Affairs

Mayumana Currents Having entertained millions of people around the world, Mayumana has become one of Israel’s leading cultural exports. The group’s shows combine custom-made musical instruments, massive video art projections and performers in constant motion. For their debut performance at the Mondavi Center, they will present Currents, inspired by the historic “Battle of Currents” between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla in their quest to find new energy sources for the world.

SUN, APRIL 14, 2019 2PM • JH

Young Artists Competition Young Artists Finalists Showcase The Young Artists Competition weekend kicks off with a very special opportunity to meet the 2018 Founders’ Division finalists.

Twisted Pine Moving beyond the standard verse-chorus-solo structure of traditional string bands, Twisted Pine is a multilayered ensemble that brings the enveloping sound and pop hooks of indie music to an acoustic, instrumental setting. In its early days, Twisted Pine hewed close to its bluegrass origins, but over time the quartet developed a unique, infectious style without limits. Full of energy and surprise, wit and subtlety, Twisted Pine has quickly become one of the most acclaimed young string bands in the Northeast, drawing audiences in to their forthright songwriting, lush harmonies, musical daring and charismatic appeal.

WED, APRIL 17, 2019 7PM THU–SAT, APRIL 18–20, 2019 8PM VST CABARET

FRI, APRIL 26, 2019 8PM • VST Young Artists Competition Finals

Talented young instrumentalists and pianists from across the United States take the stage before an internationally renowned panel of judges to compete for cash scholarships and a spot in the Young Artists Competition Winners Concert.

SAT, APRIL 27, 2019 10AM • VST Young Artists Competition Winners Concert

Lara Downes hosts the celebratory concert featuring the newly-announced laureates of the 15th annual Mondavi Center Young Artists Competition.

SAT, APRIL 27, 2019 8PM • VST

Current prices online at MONDAVIARTS.ORG

18–19 MONDAVI CENTER

May

May–June Storm Large & Le Bonheur As her name portends, Storm Large is every bit the natural phenomenon. After shooting to prominence on Rock Star: Supernova, Large has built a career that includes regular gigs with Pink Martini and the Oregon Symphony as well as her own one-woman shows Crazy Enough and Cabaret. With her longtime band, Le Bonheur, Large leads a bold show that includes the Great American Songbook, Broadway standards, rock anthems and some of her own original songs—alongside some unfiltered stage banter that will entertain (and perhaps elicit a few blushes along the way).

FRI, MAY 3, 2019 8PM • JH Sponsored by Hyatt Place, UC Davis

“Quite simply an amazing pianist.” —The New York Times on Vladimir Feltsman

Vladimir Feltsman, piano Connections, Influences and Inspirations, Part II: Brahms and Schumann Pianist and conductor Vladimir Feltsman is one of the most versatile and commanding musicians of our time. He returns to the Mondavi Center for the second concert in a three-year project—Connections, Influences and Inspirations—featuring a performance that explores the ways in which some of the greatest composers for the keyboard drew on the work of those who came before. Following his 2018 performance (focused on the work of Bach, Chopin and Beethoven), this second performance of the project will focus on the work of Schumann and Brahms.

WED, MAY 8, 2019 7PM • JH

Vijay Iyer Sextet Polymath. Genius. Vijay Iyer is no stranger to lofty names being thrown his way. From his first Trio albums, it was clear that his is a unique talent. What is more impressive is how he has grown as a composer and arranger over the past decade. With his sextet, Iyer makes a fascinating leap into ensemble writing that takes advantage of a powerful lineup (cornetist Graham Haynes, drummer Tyshawn Sorey, saxophonists Steve Lehman and Mark Shim and bassist Stephan Crump) veering between tight horn lines, grooves and moments of atmospheric elegance.

TUE, MAY 7, 2019 7PM • JH

Alexander String Quartet The Complete Shostakovich String Quartets String Quartet No. 5 in B-flat Major, op. 92 String Quartet No. 6 in G Major, op. 101

SUN, MAY 19, 2019 2PM • VST SUN, MAY 19, 2019 7PM • VST Matinee has limited availability. Please call the ticket office at 530.754.2787 to purchase.