Center for the Arts

Dedicated to performing every note ever composed by Frédéric Chopin, the internationally celebrated pianist Brian Ganz continues his quest in "Romantic Revolutionary" at the Center for the Arts on May 4. Maryland Theatre Guide notes that when attending a concert by Brian Ganz, audience members are sure to be enraptured by “one of the foremost pianists of his generation.”

Join the Friends of the Center for the Arts for just $100 by Wednesday, April 24 to receive an exclusive invitation to the 2024-2025 Season Announcement event on Wednesday, May 1. This complimentary Friends-only event offers a first look at the upcoming season at the Center, a fantastic opportunity to purchase tickets before the general public and enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres.

In a pledge to nurture the next generation of new opera experiences, Virginia Opera is thrilled to continue its 2023/2024 season with the “lyrical and historically vibrant” (NPR) contemporary opera Sanctuary Road by composer Paul Moravec and librettist Mark Campbell, both of whom are Pulitzer Prize winners, on February 3 and 4. Based on the life and writings of William Still, an African American leader on the Underground Railroad who helped more than 800 enslaved people escape to freedom, this production brings to life the many interviews of men and women Still helped find passage north.

Culminating its second of three years in residence at the Center for the Arts at George Mason University, Silkroad Ensemble engaged with George Mason University’s campus, as well as the local Fairfax community, as Mason Artist-in-Residence in conjunction with its November 5 performance of the world-premiere program American Railroad.

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) returns to the Center for the Arts on January 28 with an exciting program featuring the acclaimed 2022/2023 RPO Artist-in-Residence pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason, RPO Music Director Vasily Petrenko, and pieces by Debussy with orchestration by Ravel, Prokofiev, and Rimsky-Korsakov. Cemented in its place at the forefront of classical music performance, RPO demonstrates an unwavering dedication to excellence while developing its programming, breaking down barriers, and making classical music accessible and inclusive.  

Longtime Friend of the Center for the Arts Bob Warakomsky collected cherished holiday memories at the Center for the Arts from other Friends, compiling snapshots of joyful stories from across the years.

Coming to the Center with new arrangements of classic yuletide carols is the vibrant Latin GRAMMY-nominated group Mariachi Herencia de México with A Mariachi Christmas on December 10. For the holidays, the ensemble shares the Latin American tradition of Las Posadas with songs of the season, such as “Feliz Navidad,” “Ave Maria,” and more. The Chicago Sun-Times notes, “...for freshness and originality, it’s hard to top Mariachi Herencia de México’s south-of-the-border ode to Christmas.”

The Center for the Arts makes it easy for your class or group to attend field trips, which are all offered in person. From their seats, students will be introduced to music, theatrical puppetry, film, and more, with instruments and rhythms from around the world. This spring, experience FREE schooltime performances for Hamid Rahmanian’s "Song of the North" on Friday, January 26 and Small Island Big Song on Friday, April 19.

Renée Fleming, one of the most celebrated singers of our time and a 2023 Kennedy Center Honoree, joins the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra (FSO) for an exclusive evening at the Center for the Arts on November 18.

The holidays are right around the corner and if you listen closely, you can hear the quiet jingle bells and merriment heading to the Center this season. From family-favorite classics to brand-new traditions in the making, the Center has a wide offering of performances that will leave your heart shining with holiday spirit!