Amy Friedman

Loving v. Virginia: World Premiere Opera at the Center for the Arts

Laura Mertens — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 21:17:57 +0000

Loving v. Virginia: World Premiere Opera at the Center for the Arts Laura Mertens Thu, 03/27/2025 - 17:17

Get tickets for Loving v. Virginia

Learn more about the project

Richard and Mildred Loving, photo credit: Estate of Grey Villet

The Center for the Arts is thrilled to present the highly anticipated world premiere of Loving v. Virginia (May 3 & 4), a co-commission from Virginia Opera and the Richmond Symphony based on the true story of Mildred and Richard Loving. The couple from Central Point, VA was criminally charged for their 1958 interracial marriage and forced to leave Virginia to avoid prison sentences. In 1967, they courageously took their case to the Supreme Court and won a landmark victory for civil rights in this country. Widely considered the beginning of the dismantling of "Jim Crow" race laws, the case paved the way for future cases addressing equality, including Obergefel v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage in 2015.

The opera is composed by Virginia native Damien Geter, features a libretto by Jessica Murphy Moo, and is directed by Washington, D.C.-native and celebrated mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves.

Damien Geter

Jessica Murphy Moo

Denyce Graves

“Mildred and Richard Loving made my own family possible,” said Murphy Moo. “What an honor and responsibility it is to be part of a team telling their story… The vision they were working toward—equality, home, love—these subjects are part of opera’s vast terrain. I know that composer Damien Geter’s music will make us all feel—in new ways—the weight and importance of the Lovings’ contribution to racial justice in America.”

The performances of this opera are being accompanied by community outreach and engagement programming, including the Pride in Black Voices: A Loving Community events, which took place this winter in locations throughout Virginia. The events, including the one March 17 in Fairfax, featured excerpts from the opera performed by Virginia Opera’s talented Herndon Foundation Emerging Artists, and a community Q&A session. The programming also included a February 6 event at the Sherwood Community Center: The Constitution and Loving v. Virginia, co-presented by the City of Fairfax and Center for the Arts.

The Virginia Opera and Richmond Symphony participate in a workshop event for Loving v. Virginia. Photo credit: Dave Pearson Photography

“How the lived experience that is, at root, simply a celebration of love between a man and a woman became a Supreme Court case should ignite deep consideration for all freedom-loving Americans,” said Graves. “And it should because of the almost unfathomable animosities and clear misunderstandings that still swirl in the ethos of American engagement today. That Loving v. Virginia is now receiving operatic treatment will, I believe, lift this unique and particular story for the broader arts appreciating public to experience and to consider.”

We hope you’ll join us for this exciting world premiere event on May 3 and 4. See the Washington City Paper's Spring Arts Guide recommendation for Loving v. Virginia.

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Great Performances at Mason

Cirque Mechanics

Laura Mertens — Thu, 27 Mar 2025 16:04:54 +0000

Cirque Mechanics Laura Mertens Thu, 03/27/2025 - 12:04

Get tickets for Cirque Mechanics "Pedal Punk"

At the heart of Cirque Mechanics (4/5) is a love story—but maybe not the one you’d expect. The company’s co-founders, Chris and Aida Lashua, have been creative partners and life partners for nearly 30 years. A decade of that was spent with the legendary Cirque du Soleil, in which Chris performed a BMX bike act and a “German wheel” act. Aida worked on the marketing and sponsorship side. In 2004, they brought together their business sense and creative sensibility to launch Cirque Mechanics, a unique venture all their own. And they’ve been delighting audiences ever since.

One thing that sets Cirque Mechanics apart—which won’t surprise you given the company’s name—is their mechanical ingenuity.

“We distinguish ourselves from many of the other circus companies, new circus or old,” Chris Lashua said in a 2023 interview. “We have usually some large-scale mechanical apparatus component that we build the show around, and that device can take many shapes. Usually the desire is to find a way to accomplish the work of circus, whether that’s to lift and fly an aerialist or transport a contortionist”

Their show at the Center for the Arts, Pedal Punk, puts a “Gantry bike” at center stage: a 22-foot, pedal-powered performance platform. “Decked out in Victorian hats, goggles, sleeve garters and meticulously groomed facial fair, the astoundingly fit and funny ensemble kicks classic acts into high gear… spoke-less wheels become hula hoops, a penny-farthing transforms into an aerial hoop. Metal bars invite climbing and contortion, and, of course, unicycle and bicycle tricks abound.” (TimeOut)

Pedal Punk is an astoundingly original and completely dazzling circus performance. We hope you’ll bring your whole family to enjoy what the New York Times called an “exceptional, evocative, eye-catching, ear-catching and, to keep the list short, engrossingly entertaining” show.

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Moon Mouse: A Transcendent Family Show

Laura Mertens — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 17:12:57 +0000

Moon Mouse: A Transcendent Family Show Laura Mertens Wed, 03/26/2025 - 13:12

Get tickets for Lightwire Theater's Moon Mouse: A Space Odyssey

Calling all intrepid travelers: Moon Mouse: A Space Odyssey launches on April 6! You won’t want to miss Lightwire Theater’s dazzling aesthetic, which utilizes glow-in-the-dark puppets, technology, and music to tell captivating stories—in this case, the tale of one Marvin the Mouse. He desperately wants to be popular, but the cool rats aren’t having it. But in Marvin’s interior world of science fiction and fantasy, he’s the hero on the adventure of a lifetime: a trip to the moon! Hop aboard his homemade rocket for a cosmic trip about celebrating differences.

According to Broadway World, “it's a show that transcends language barriers and connects with viewers of all ages on a deep emotional level.”

You might recognize Lightwire Theater’s incredible talent from America’s Got Talent, when they were semi-finalists in season seven.

“Their performance was absolutely incredible,” Rolling Stone said of their time on the show. “Their glow-in-the-dark creations moved with grace and panache.”

Lightwire Theater was also the winner of Tru TV's Fake Off, and has brought incredible family programming all over the world, including to Hong Kong, Estonia, Canada, Belarus, China, and Abu Dhabi.

We hope your family won’t miss their performance here in Fairfax on April 6!

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Spring 2025 Semester Residencies at the Center for the Arts

Laura Mertens — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 05:23:21 +0000

Spring 2025 Semester Residencies at the Center for the Arts Laura Mertens Fri, 02/28/2025 - 00:23

Learn more about Mason Artists-in-Residence

In January and February 2025, we were honored to welcome two dynamic Mason Artists-in-Residence to the Center for the Arts, and our larger George Mason and Northern Virginia communities: Silkroad Ensemble and Versa-Style Street Dance Company. Residency activities were supported in part by the Wendy Frieman and David Johnson Fund.

Founded by Yo-Yo Ma and now led by Pulitzer Prize- and GRAMMY Award-winning multi-instrumentalist Rhiannon Giddens, Silkroad Ensemble completed the third year of its residency here at the Center. Silkroad operates as both a touring ensemble made up of world-class musicians from all over the globe, and as a nonprofit organization working to make a positive impact across borders through the arts. Their residency activities included:

A lecture an demonstration as part of the Art x Peace series, co-sponsored by the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. The main topics of discussion were cross-cultural collaboration, and music as a tool for social impact.

A masterclass with students in George Mason University’s Dewberry School of Music Percussion Studio.

Founded in 2005, Versa-Style Street Dance Company was created to promote, empower, and celebrate the artistry of Hip Hop and street dance culture. They’re known for electrifying performances and inspiring engagement activities with schools and local communities. Their residency activities included:

A lecture and demonstration for students in a Global Representations of Women class, as well as those in the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. Part of the Art x Peace series.
A workshop at Dance Place in Washington, D.C. Part of their Rooting the Dance series, the artists shared Hip Hop dance as a form of community connection, soul connection, and joy.

A performance at Hunters Woods Elementary School, in which the school's teachers also participated.

A schooltime matinee performance at the Center for the Arts for local students, who enjoyed not only incredible dancing, but also explored the historical context of street dance forms, and were invited to to get up out of their seats and dance with the company!

A West Coast dance fundamentals workshop, led in collaboration with Lion’s Den DMV. Participants learned many of the fundamentals of street dance forms originating in California, including Popping and Krump.

“We had such a beautiful time connecting and sharing with everyone,” Versa-Style said on Instagram. “Thank you… for bringing us out and making all those amazing community connections. You were all so kind and are doing some amazing things with your communities!”

A heartfelt thank you to Versa-Style Street Dance Company and Silkroad Ensemble, as well as to everyone who participated in the activities. Your time, talent, and engagement make such a strong impact on our community. Come visit us again soon!

The Silkroad Ensemble residency was supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. The Versa-Style Street Dance Company residency was supported in part by the City of Fairfax Nonprofit Grant Program.

The Mason Artist-in-Residence program is supported in part by the Wendy Frieman and David Johnson Fund.

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Center for the Arts

Mason Artists-in-Residence

Great Performances at Mason

Community Engagement

Joya Kazi and the art of Indian dance

Laura Mertens — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 05:05:00 +0000

Joya Kazi and the art of Indian dance Laura Mertens Fri, 02/28/2025 - 00:05

Get tickets for Rhythm India: Bollywood and Beyond

In the Indian dance world, Joya Kazi is a rising star. She’s a World Choreography Award Nominee and Telly Award-winning director and choreographer, as well as the creator of Rhythm India: Bollywood & Beyond, which we’re thrilled to present on our stage on March 22.

Kazi was born in Mumbai and raised in the Bay Area, where she began dancing professionally at the age of eight. Her credits span Hollywood to Bollywood, and include Mindy Kaling's Never Have I Ever, Disney, Dreamworks, Nickelodeon's Monster High, FOX’s New Girl, International Indian Film Academy Awards, Grammys, Saweetie, A.R. Rahman, DJ Snake, and The Strokes.

Rhythm India explores the rich history of Indian dance, showcasing classical, folk and Bollywood dance styles. Audiences can look forward to elaborate costumes, soulful beats, and a night of celebratory fun.

“One thing that's so special to me,” Kazi said in an interview with KERANews, “is making sure that the art forms are performed as authentically as possible while still making them accessible to the West and modern audiences without ridding it of its soul… I hope people can just get a sense of the feeling of joy and happiness and also resilience, seeing these art forms that have survived thousands and thousands of years.”

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Center for the Arts

Great Performances at Mason

Indian dance

Bollywood

A Vivaldi renewal with Les Arts Florissants

Laura Mertens — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 04:37:09 +0000

A Vivaldi renewal with Les Arts Florissants Laura Mertens Thu, 02/27/2025 - 23:37

Get tickets for Les Arts Florissants

“What I really want to do in my life,” said violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte in an interview with The Strad, is “to find forgotten composers, and to express myself through their music as if it were mine, written yesterday. One of the wonderful things about human beings is that we feel the same emotions as the people painted by Caravaggio. And I was looking at Caravaggio’s Boy with a Basket of Fruit, this Italian teenager, and thinking that perhaps he and I shared the same feeling: of the slightly uncertain future, the heightened emotions, the thought of needing to do something extraordinary. These thoughts made me want to play… with Les Arts Florissants.”

It's clear de Swarte has a sensitive and thoughtful touch, which translates directly to his playing. BBC Music Magazine calls it “so compelling it will have you on the edge of your seat.”

You won’t want to miss his performance alongside Les Arts Florissants (3/30) at the Center for the Arts, celebrating Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at 300. The new recording of de Swarte playing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons debuted at number two on Apple Music’s classical chart a week after its release, and we’re thrilled to bring him to our stage with Les Arts Florissants.

One of the most renowned baroque music ensembles in the world, Les Arts Florissants has been bringing audiences authentic concert experiences, including playing on period instruments, since 1979. In addition to The Four Seasons, their program at the Center for the Arts will also include works by Monteverdi, Uccelline, and Geminiani. Join us for a “performance to be celebrated” (New York Times).

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Center for the Arts

Great Performances at Mason

Baroque music

Mason Arts

Celebrate Celtic music with Cherish the Ladies

Laura Mertens — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 22:52:08 +0000

Celebrate Celtic music with Cherish the Ladies Laura Mertens Thu, 02/27/2025 - 17:52

Get tickets for Cherish the Ladies

If you ask us, there’s no better way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day than with the ebullient sounds and thrilling sights of Cherish the Ladies (March 15). One of the world’s most illustrious Irish musical ensembles, the GRAMMY Award-nominated group has been entertaining audiences for more than four decades.

"We were playing Celtic music before Celtic was cool,” said band leader, and dynamic flute and whistle virtuoso Joanie Madden, in an interview with the Herald-Tribune.

“Cherish the Ladies has been a leading group in the Irish traditional world...it is simply impossible to imagine an audience that wouldn't enjoy what they do.”

–Boston Globe

Their rousing performances lean into traditional melodies, beautiful vocals, virtuoso instrumentation and thrilling step dancing. They’re Irish to the the core, though Madden hails from the Bronx, New York. And she knows why American audiences connect to their music so much.

“It's music from the ground up. It was written by people who didn't know what key they were playing in. They were emulating the sounds of the birds and the bees. Also, so much of American music – bluegrass, country music, Appalachian music, for example – comes down the river from Irish music. It is the basis for so many other musical genres."

We hope you’ll join Cherish the Ladies to celebrate the season with their incredible concert on March 15.

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Center for the Arts

Celtic music

Great Performances at Mason

A storied tradition and modern marvel: The Peking Acrobats

Laura Mertens — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 22:04:12 +0000

A storied tradition and modern marvel: The Peking Acrobats Laura Mertens Thu, 02/27/2025 - 17:04

Get tickets for The Peking Acrobats

Acrobatics is part of a deep cultural tradition in China, and The Peking Acrobats (3/9) have been a storied part of this legacy for nearly 40 years. Their astounding performances feature world-class gymnasts, jugglers, cyclists, and tumblers, providing a gravity-defying spectacle with amazing displays of contortion, flexibility, and control—all accompanied by live musicians who skillfully play traditional Chinese instruments.

The training to join this legendary troupe can be intense. Some families send their children to special acrobatics schools as young as age six, where they learn juggling, martial arts, tumbling, and dance, in addition to traditional subject matter. Mastering the handstand can be one of the most rigorous parts of the curriculum. According to Cal Performances’ SchoolTime Study Guide for the Peking Acrobats:

“An acrobat trains in progressive steps from basic to advanced handstands… Beginning students begin by doing handstands against a wall. In three to six months, they build up to a half hour of wall handstands… [the] body becomes stronger until at last students are able to hold the free handstand… After the initial two-year training, only a few acrobats specialize in the handstand. However, handstand training is essential to all acrobatic work, due to the role it plays in strengthening the body, mind and spirit.”

The Peking Acrobats have made countless appearances on TV shows and in movies, including Ellen, Nickelodeon’s Unfabulous, The Wayne Brady Show, ABC’s Wide World of Sports, and even in the Ocean’s 11 movies, which featured troupe member Shaobo Qin playing contortionist Yen.

We hope you’ll join in the fun for this impressive spectacle! The Peking Acrobats perform Sunday, March 9 at 1* p.m.and 5 p.m. (*audio described) in the Center for the Arts. Get tickets.

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circus arts

Theater

Center for the Arts

Great Performances at Mason

Mason Arts

Jeremy Denk Performs Favorite Beethoven Piano Concerto with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra Nov. 23

Laura Mertens — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 18:36:18 +0000

Jeremy Denk Performs Favorite Beethoven Piano Concerto with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra Nov. 23 Laura Mertens Mon, 11/04/2024 - 13:36

In This Story

Dr. John Healey

Get tickets for Jeremy Denk with the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra

Register to observe Jeremy Denk's masterclass with George Mason Dewberry School of Music students

Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58, might just be Jeremy Denk’s favorite piano concerto. It’s the favorite of many pianists, he concedes, in a YouTube video breaking down his interpretation of the piece. But there’s good reason. The concerto can be seen as a “musical thought castle,” blending “playfulness and seriousness together… [creating] meaningful synthesis.” It’s a “brew of wits and the most profound emotion.” It's the piece he’ll play alongside the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra (FSO), onstage at the Center for the Arts on November 23 at 8 p.m.

Denk is one of the nation’s foremost pianists, "one of the most thoughtful and reliably interesting artists of our time" (Cleveland Plain Dealer)—a frequent performer at Carnegie Hall, and a collaborator with renowned orchestras like the Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic. His YouTube videos are exemplary of the thoughtful and witty writing about music Denk is also known for. “Learning to play the piano is learning to reason with your muscles,” Denk wrote in a 2013 New Yorker article titled ‘Every Good Boy Does Fine.’ But that’s just the beginning. Denk expanded on his own musical and personal journeys in his 2022 New York Times bestselling memoir with the same title.

Denk’s relationships with his teachers are a significant theme throughout the book. He’ll also share some of his own knowledge with four George Mason University Dewberry School of Music students during a masterclass on November 21, which is open to the public. Denk’s Center for the Arts concert will also feature the regional premiere of Quinn Mason’s She Dreams of Flying, and Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances. We hope you’ll join in for what’s sure to be an evening of lively music, performed with warmth and spirit.

Read WETA Classical's Q&A with pianist Jeremy Denk about Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4.

On November 23, a pre-performance discussion with pianist Jeremy Denk, composer Quinn Mason, and FSO Maestro Christopher Zimmerman, moderated by Mason Dewberry School of Music Professor John Healey, will take place in Monson Grand Tier, which is located on the third level of the Center for the Arts Lobby, 45 minutes prior to curtain.

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CFA

Center for the Arts

Fairfax Symphony Orchestra

Great Performances at Mason

classical music