Things are heating up outside. Literally, it’s hot as all hell. But you know what we love best about high summer? The promise of an art-filled fall. Local venues and organizations are gearing up for a new season, including the Gaillard, which puts their 2017-18 season single tickets on sale for their Classic Performance Series and Broadway series tomorrow, Fri. July 14.
The Gaillard’s season opens Oct. 24 with a performance by Ballet Hispánico, a New York City-based Latino dance organization. The company, founded 45 years ago by National Medal of Arts recipient Tina Ramirez, has been led since 2009 by first generation Cuban-American Eduardo Vilaro. Ballet Hispánico has performed in 11 countries on three continents, infusing their “bold and eclectic brand of contemporary dance” with Hispanic culture.
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Head down the Yellow Brick Lane on Nov. 5 with a performance of The Wizard of Oz. You know the classic 1939 film, right? Yeah, well expect all of the usual suspects: Toto Dorothy, Tin Man, and the like, in addition to special effects and yes, even flying monkeys.
On Nov. 9 the Gaillard presents soloist, chamber musician, recording artist and conductor Joshua Bell, who performs on the 1713 Huberman Stradivarius violin using a late 18th century French bow by acclaimed French bow-maker François Tourte. Bell’s career spans more than 30 years; he’s recorded more than 40 CDs and has been the recipient of Grammy, Mercury, Gramophone and Echo Klassik awards as well as the Avery Fisher Prize.
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“The People’s Diva” Renée Fleming takes the Gaillard stage Dec. 9. Winner of the 2013 Grammy award for Best Classical Vocal Solo as well as the National Medal of Arts, America’s highest honor for an individual artist, Fleming is both a champion of new music and a prolific artist, working with contemporary composers like Anders Hillborg, Henri Dutilleux, Brad Mehldau, André Previn, and Wayne Shorter.
Jan. 10-11 sees a visit from Riverdance, described as an “international Irish dance phenom.” Now in its 20th year, Riverdance draws from ancestral and modern Irish traditions with dances that honor the sun and “the blind urgings of nature,” as well as a scene that acknowledges the 19th century potato famine.
Kicking off the new year, the 5 Browns — Ryan, Melody, Gregory, Deondra, and Desirae — perform at the Gaillard on Jan. 19. The siblings all attended Juilliard — the first family of five ever to do so — and have performed all over the world, from Japan to New York City.
Cabaret the musical hits the stage on Jan. 28, taking audiences into the Kit Kat Klub, where the decadent nightlife of Berlin draws in those looking to escape pre-WWII Germany.
The Venice Baroque Orchestra is committed to the rediscovery of 17th- and 18th-century masterpieces. The VBO, founded in 1997 by Baroque scholar and harpsichordist Andrea Marcon, visits Charleston on March 6.
Tony-Award winning musical Million Dollar Quartet debuts on March 27. Inspired by the recording session that brought Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins together, this show features songs like “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Fever,” “Sixteen Tons,” “Hound Dog,” and more.
Closing out the 2017-18 Classical Great Performance Series is Carmina Burana, a ballet based on a collection of poems written by clergy and theology students in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries. On April 20, 150 singers from the Charleston Symphony Orchestra Chorus, more than 60 musicians from the CSO, and 28 dancers from the Nashville Ballet perform this ballet that explores love, fortune, and the cycle of life.
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder rounds out the Gaillard’s Broadway Series, telling the story of Monty Navarro, an heir to a family fortune who attempts to jump the line by eliminating the eight relatives in the way, on April 24. The show won a Tony in 2014 for Best Musical.
To purchase tickets to any of the Classic Great Performance Series shows contact the ticket office at (843) 242-3099 or ticketing@gaillardcenter.org. Love Best of Charleston? Help the Charleston City Paper keep Best of Charleston going every year with a donation. Or sign up to become a member of the Charleston City Paper club.