2023-2024 Season Brochure

WELCOME TO THE 2023/24 SEASON!

Wisconsin Union Theater is where renowned talent meets the up and coming artists you don’t want to miss. Come and see what happens when fresh talent crosses paths with the best of the best.

See WHAT’S NEXT NOW at Wisconsin Union Theater. Get your tickets today!

Subscribers save up to 20%

That’s like getting a whole show for free! Choose which option is best for you: Classical, Jazz, or NEW! Build Your Own.

See pages 14–15 for details and subscribe today!

Brenda Rae, soprano

Chief Adjuah (formerly Christian Scott)

DEAR FRIENDS,

I am pleased to introduce the Wisconsin Union Theater’s new season, new look, and new ways to save on tickets to music concerts, dance performances, and special events.

The Wisconsin Union Theater presents the finest performing arts from around the world. Our stages are home to young, bold, changemakers; living legends and pioneers; and shining stars whether a protostar or a supernova!

This brochure will guide your way through the 2023-2024 season with a schedule of events, ticket information, ways to show your support, and dates to save for special events.

Come early to beat the parking rush and enjoy a beverage in our Sunset Lounge (drinks allowed in most events). We can’t wait for you to join us and find out “What’s Next Now!”

See you at the Theater!

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Snodgrass Director, Wisconsin Union Theater

Each year, the student leaders in the Wisconsin Union Directorate’s Performing Arts Committee (WUD PAC) play an instrumental role in programming the upcoming season. As the incoming WUD PAC Director, it is my honor to share the season we have spent the past year working hard to curate.

In this year’s season, we sought to showcase artistry that reflects the diversity inherent in the performing arts. From emerging to established talent, we believe each artist featured in our season brings something special. They are innovating their genres and exemplifying their craft, from piano solos to outstanding ensembles.

As students, it is an immense privilege to be able to help curate this season, and we are thrilled for you to see it come to fruition. We hope you will get to experience it as audience members, learners, and vital supporters in making WUT a destination for artistry around the world.

Sincerely,

Azura Tyabji & the WUD PAC Committee

Sheku Kanneh-Mason

2023/24 SCHEDULE

2023 2024

SEPTEMBER

THURS. SEPT. 28

Simone Dinnerstein, piano

classical

FRIDAY SEPT. 29

Brandee Younger

jazz

OCTOBER

WED. OCT. 11

Makaya McCraven: In These Times

jazz

NOVEMBER

WED. NOV. 1

Hasta La Muerte: A Day of the Dead show by

Las Cafeteras

Afro-Mexican music

JANUARY

FRIDAY JAN. 26

Blue Note Records

85th Anniversary Tour

FEBRUARY

THURS. FEB. 8

SUNDAY FEB. 18

TUES. FEB. 20

THURS. FEB. 29

MARCH

jazz Schumann Quartet classical

Ronald K. Brown / EVIDENCE

Afro contemporary dance

National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine

classical

Lady Wray jazz

FRIDAY NOV. 3

Sheku

Kanneh-Mason, cello classical

DECEMBER

FRIDAY DEC. 8

Isidore String Quartet classical

THURS. MAR. 7

Brenda Rae, soprano with Bénédicte Jourdois, piano

classical

THURS. MAR. 14

SAT.

MAR. 16

MAY

THURS. MAY 2

Julius Rodriguez jazz

Zakir Hussain Trio

Indian tabla, sarangi, bansuri

Chief Adjuah (formerly Christian Scott) jazz

SIMONE DINNERSTEIN

PIANO

THURSDAY, SEPT. 28 | 7:30 PM

Shannon Hall at Memorial Union classical series

An artist of “strikingly original ideas” (The Washington Post), pianist Simone Dinnerstein will draw from her 2022 album

Undersong in a recital that explores the idea of musical refrains and repetitions juxtaposing the diverse approaches of Couperin, Schumann, Satie, and Glass to this timeless musical convention.

Couperin

Schumann

Glass

Couperin

Satie

Schumann

Les barricades mystérieuses

Arabeske, Op. 18

Mad Rush

“ Le tic-toc-choc ou les maillotins” from Pièces de clavecin

Gnossienne No. 3

Kreisleriana, Op. 16

BRANDEE YOUNGER

FRIDAY, SEPT. 29 | 7:30 PM

Play Circle at Memorial Union jazz series

Come hear how the sonically innovative harpist, Brandee Younger, is revolutionizing harp for the digital era. Over the past fifteen years, she has worked relentlessly to stretch boundaries and limitations for harpists, working with cultural icons including Common, Lauryn Hill, John Legend, and Moses Sumney.

PART OF THE DAVID & KATO PERLMAN CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES

MAKAYA CRAVEN

IN THESE TIMES

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 11 | 7:30 PM

Shannon Hall at Memorial Union jazz series

Composer, producer, and percussionist Makaya McCraven transcends labels by synthesizing styles and cultures to make music that The New York Times calls “one of the best arguments for jazz’s vitality.” With his 2022 album In These Times, a project seven years in the making, McCraven “untangles the intricacies of rhythm and tumult” (GRAMMY Magazine).

HASTA LA MUERTE: A DAY OF THE DEAD SHOW BY

LAS CAFETERAS

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 1 | 7:30 PM

Shannon Hall at Memorial Union

LA-based Las Cafeteras presents “Hasta La Muerte,” an enthralling new production celebrating Life and Death, in the spirit of the Indigenous/Mexican practice known as Day of the Dead. The performance is multidimensional, filled with music, dance, theater, and folklore.

SHEKU KANNEH-MASON

CELLO

FRIDAY, NOV. 3 | 7:30 PM

Shannon Hall at Memorial Union classical series

Since winning the BBC Young Musician competition in 2016 and then performing as part of the 2018 royal wedding, Sheku Kanneh-Mason’s star shines bright. In a recital featuring UK composers old and new—including Britten, Gwilym Simcock, and Edmund Finnis—paired up with cello favorites from Bach and Cassado, his compelling versatility will be on full display.

Bach

Simcock

Britten

Brouwer

Finnis

Cassadó

Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1008

Prayer for the Senses

Cello Suite No. 1, Op. 72

Sonata No. 2 for Solo Cello

Five Preludes for Solo Cello

Suite for Solo Cello

ISIDORE STRING QUARTET

FRIDAY, DEC. 8 | 7:30 PM

Shannon Hall at Memorial Union classical series

Fresh from a 2023 Avery Fisher Career

Grant win, the Isidore String Quartet “are a talented young ensemble to watch” (Chicago Classical Review). Approaching the time-honored classics as though they were new and approaching recent compositions as though they were already classics, the quartet hopes to spark both curiosity and appreciation with every note.

Mozart Childs Brahms

String Quartet No. 19 in C Major, K. 465, “Dissonance”

String Quartet No. 2, “Awakening”

String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 51, No. 2

PART OF THE DAVID & KATO PERLMAN CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES

BLUE NOTE RECORDS

85th

85 TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

FRIDAY, JAN. 26 | 7:30 PM

Shannon Hall at Memorial Union

jazz series

Celebrating the 85th anniversary of the label that ushered in styles from hot jazz and blues to cool jazz, bebop, and fusion, and built the bridge into today’s avantgarde, hear “The Blue Note Quintet” featuring Gerald Clayton, Joel Ross, Immanuel Wilkins, Kendrick Scott, and Matt Brewer.

SCHUMANN QUARTET

THURSDAY, FEB. 8 | 7:30 PM

Shannon Hall at Memorial Union classical series

Racking up Europe’s top accolades, the three brothers Mark, Erik, and Ken Schumann plus violist Veit Hertenstein continue to challenge themselves to take their music to the extremes, exploring and maximizing the spontaneous and unscripted element that only live performance offers.

Mozart Janáček

Beethoven

String Quartet No. 18 in A Major, K. 464

String Quartet No. 1, “Kreutzer Sonata”

String Quartet No. 12 in E-flat Major, Op. 127

PART OF THE DAVID & KATO PERLMAN CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES

NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF UKRAINE

TUESDAY, FEB. 20 | 7:30 PM

Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall at Hamel Music Center classical

series

RONALD K.

BROWN / EVIDENCE

SUNDAY, FEB. 18 | 7:30 PM

Shannon Hall at Memorial Union

EVIDENCE is a Brooklyn-based dance company founded by Ronald K. Brown in 1985. Fusing African dance with contemporary choreography and spoken word, the company strives to provide a unique view of human struggles, tragedies, and triumphs.

One of Europe’s top-tier orchestras, the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine has been engaging audiences for more than 100 years. Its storied history includes collaborations with such legends as Leopold Stokowski, Arthur Rubinstein, Yehudi Menuhin, Isaac Stern, Mstislav Rostropovich, Monserrat Caballe, Jose Carreras, and Placido Domingo.

Bortniansky

Schumann Brahms

Overture to Il

Quinto Fabio

Cello Concerto, Op. 129

Symphony No. 2 in D

Major, Op. 73

LADY WRAY

THURSDAY, FEB. 29 | 7:30 PM

Play Circle at Memorial Union

jazz series

Virginia-born singer Lady Wray’s sound harkens back to the best of late ‘90s R&B. Her new album, Piece of Me, released on Brooklyn’s Big Crown records, showcases her R&B style with a heavy dose of soul.

BRENDA RAE

SOPRANO WITH BÉNÉDICTE

JOURDOIS

PIANO

THURSDAY, MARCH 7 | 7:30 PM

Collins Recital Hall at Hamel Music Center classical series

With a “mesmerizing stage presence and crystal-clear voice” (New York Classical Review), soprano and UW–Madison alumna Brenda Rae has thrilled opera audiences across Europe and the US.

Teaming up with pianist Bénédicte Jourdois, Rae will showcase her astonishing coloratura and deep artistic sensitivity.

Works by : Prokofiev, Szymanowski, and Poulenc

JULIUS RODRIGUEZ

THURSDAY, MARCH 14 | 7:30 PM

Play Circle at Memorial Union jazz series

23-year-old pianist Julius Rodriguez dares to imagine a future of new standards and sonic excitement, which has earned him a reputation of an “interesting, fresh sound”

ZAKIR HUSSAIN TRIO

SATURDAY, MARCH 16 | 8 PM

Shannon Hall at Memorial Union

Experience the enthralling music of tabla virtuoso and Indian classical superstar Zakir Hussain. After coming to worldwide attention as a child prodigy, Hussain matured into a musician known for building bridges across genres and geography, developing new fusions of North and South Indian music.

Zakir Hussain, Tabla

Sabir Khan, Sarangi

Debopriya Chatterjee, Bansuri

CHIEF ADJUAH (FORMERLY CHRISTIAN SCOTT)

THURSDAY, MAY 2 | 7:30 PM

Shannon Hall at Memorial Union jazz series

Chief Adjuah (formerly known as Christian Scott) is a 2022 Doris Duke Artist in the jazz category and six-time Grammy Award-nominated musician, composer, and producer. Adjuah is the progenitor of “stretch music,” a jazzrooted, genre-blind musical form that attempts to “stretch” jazz’s rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic conventions.

MORE EVENTS TO ENJOY

2023 Black Arts Matter Festival

NOVEMBER 8–12, 2023

Black Arts Matter (BAM) Festival is an interdisciplinary arts festival dedicated to building community around Black artistry. More information about the 2023 Black Arts Matter Festival will be released on our website this fall.

with support by the National Endowment for the Arts & Madison Arts Commission

2024 Madison Jazz Festival

COMING JUNE 2024

The Madison Jazz Festival is a multi-day, city-wide celebration of jazz that includes live concerts, workshops, talks, and more throughout the city of Madison, culminating at the Memorial Union Terrace. Celebrate Jazz, Juneteenth, Pride, and more.

Information about the 2024 Madison Jazz Festival will be released on our website in spring 2024.

Questions about tickets?

Our box office is happy to help!

VISIT CALL EMAIL WEB

Memorial Union 800 Langdon St. Madison, WI 53706

608-265-ARTS (2787)

boxoffice@union.wisc.edu

For questions about programming or events: theater@union.wisc.edu

For box office hours and to purchase tickets: artsticketing.wisc.edu

MANY WAYS TO SAVE

Student tickets

UW-Madison students can see most of our exciting season performances for less than $12! Additionally, we also offer discounted ticket prices to non-UW students and youth (17 & under). To purchase student tickets, choose the price that correlates to your student status while checking out—no promo code required. You will be asked to present your valid Wiscard or student I.D. when picking up your tickets.

Single tickets

Available now for all performances!

Become a subscriber

NEW! BUILD YOUR OWN

Save 20%:

When you bundle six or more Wisconsin Union Theater performances into a Build Your Own subscription, you’ll save 20% off the single ticket price.

Save 15%:

Pick three to five Wisconsin Union Theater performances to build your own subscription and save 15% on tickets! Mix and match across any genres that interest you.

CLASSICAL OR JAZZ

Save 20% on 6 performances

Isidore String Quartet

Here’s how it works:

1 2 3

CHOOSE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION PACKAGE OR PERFORMANCE (if purchasing single ticket)

• Classical

• Jazz

• Build-Your-Own:

a) 3-5 Shows, Save 15%

b) 6 or More Shows, Save 20%

CHOOSE YOUR SEATING ZONE:

• Zone A: prime seating in center orchestra and lower balcony

• Zone B: excellent seating in left and right orchestra, mezzanine, and balcony

• Zone C: great seating in side and back balcony

COMPLETE YOUR PURCHASE:

• In-Person: Memorial Union Box Office 800 Langdon Street, Madison, WI 53706

• By Phone

608-265-ARTS (2787)

• Online uniontheater.wisc.edu or scan below

Support the performing arts

You can be a vital part of Wisconsin Union Theater’s (WUT) mission to present, promote, and cultivate a lifelong appreciation of the performing arts.

André De Shields Fund Support diversity in the arts

Fan Taylor Fund Support programming major artists of the highest quality

Theater Director’s Fund Support the Theater’s most current initiatives

Wisconsin Union Theater Program Endowment Fund Support affordable, accessible student tickets

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