Herberger Institute sets stage for dynamic performing arts season
The ASU Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts is offering a dynamic 2013-2014 season of dance, theatre, guitar and opera performances, including the world premiere of "The Fall of the House of Escher" and a 100th birthday celebration of the music of Benjamin Britten.
“The arts are vital to the cultural health of our society, and the Herberger Institute performing arts season is one way that we connect with our community and showcase the amazing talent of our world-class students, faculty and guest artists," said Heather Landes, interim director of the ASU School of Music and associate dean of the Herberger Institute. "We make the arts accessible to everyone by offering stellar performing arts experiences at less than the cost of a night at the movies."
The Herberger Institute continually strives to grow event patronage and reach out to new audiences in order to provide a full audience experience for their students.
“Perhaps the most important component to these productions is not found on-stage, but rather in the audience. Audiences are absolutely integral to the training we provide our students, as each and every audience adds a special and unique learning experience for the performers,” explained Dale Dreyfoos, professor of music in the ASU School of Music.
A new single ticket discount program was launched last year with the hope it would encourage the local community to experience the variety of top-tier artists performing on the ASU stages and concert halls by creating their own season. Patrons who create their own season by ordering tickets to three or more events by Oct. 1 receive a 20 percent discount on their total purchase.
Sarah Hough, communications and marketing manager for the institute, says, “We’ve been actively working to reach more of the local community to get the word out about what has essentially been a hidden gem in the local arts scene for more than 50 years. We’ve been able to grow our weekly email newsletter subscriber list from nearly 9,000 to more than 35,000 in the past year. My hope is that this will result in greater community engagement with, and support for our immensely talented students and faculty.”
Highlights of the season include:
Sept. 27–29: Fuse – A collaboration by artists in dance and theatre at ASU, “Fuse” will feature collaborative, interdisciplinary work by students, faculty and guest artists from the newly fused School of Film, Dance and Theatre.
Oct. 3-6: La Périchole – Lyric Opera Theatre kicks off its 50th anniversary season with Offenbach’s sparkling operetta, “La Périchole,” filled to the brim with enchanting melodies, high-kicking can-cans, whirling waltzes and riotous comic action. A fun-filled evening for the entire family!
Oct. 4: Roland Dyens – The immensely popular French guitarist, composer and arranger Roland Dyens is known for his extraordinary capacity for improvisation.
Nov. 1: The Music of Benjamin Britten – Join faculty artists Andrew Campbell and Katherine McLin along with guest artists Ron Brendel and Kristin Dauphinais for a 100th birthday celebration of the iconic English composer.
Dec. 7-8: 11th Annual Organ Christmas Concert – To celebrate the 11th anniversary of Christmas concerts, Goldman Professor of Organ, Kimberly Marshall, and the ASU Organ Studio will pull out all the stops. The glorious music and festively decorated Organ Hall will get you in the holiday spirit.
Jan. 12: Michael Kocour – Always a hit, ASU associate professor Michael Kocour presents an evening of musical explorations through American standards, jazz classics and original compositions.
March 28: St. Lawrence String Quartet – The third in this three-part concert series includes Haydn’s “D major, Op. 71 No. 2,” Britten’s “No. 2” and Beethoven’s “Op. 59 No. 3.”
April 4-6, 10-13: Nation – A parallel world, 1860. Two teenagers thrown together by a tsunami that has destroyed Mau’s village and left Daphne shipwrecked on his South Pacific island, thousands of miles from home.
April 17, 19, 24-27: RENT – Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, “RENT” has become a pop culture phenomenon with songs that rock and a story that resonates with audiences of all ages. This show is meant for mature audiences only.
April 26-27: Dance Annual – The Dance Annual highlights the season by presenting some of the most captivating work created throughout the year. This collection features the work of faculty, visiting artists and alumni, as well as graduate and undergraduate students.
For a complete listing of the Herberger Institute season, visit herbergerseason.asu.edu or contact the Herberger Institute box office at 480.965.6447.
In addition to the performances in the 2013–14 performing arts season, the Herberger Institute offers numerous additional events on the ASU Tempe campus and throughout the community that are open to the public, many of which are free to attend.
“The availability of this variety and caliber of live performing arts is an invaluable cultural resource for Valley residents," said ASU School of Film, Dance and Theatre Director, Jacob Pinholster.
Additional events include art and design exhibitions, film screenings, talks, lecture series, workshops, recitals, concerts and symposia each year. Among this year’s highlights are weekly, stunning and thought-provoking student and faculty art exhibitions in the five School of Art galleries; open studio nights, lecture series and InnovationSpace and design exhibitions from The Design School; interactive Digital Culture open houses from Arts, Media + Engineering; the 9th Annual ASU Student Film Festival; and world-class contemporary art exhibitions and collections at the ASU Art Museum.
Box office hours are 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Wednesday through Friday, and 2 to 4 p.m., Saturday, excluding holidays. Box office hours are subject to change, so contact the box office at 480.965.6447 before visiting.