UCSB Arts & Lectures announces its 2022-2023 season featuring more than 45 events

SUMMARY:

• UCSB Arts & Lectures presents more than 45 events in its 2022-2023 season (events added quarterly)

• Series subscriptions on sale Fri., June 10, at 10 a.m. for Producer’s Circle members; series subscriptions on sale Fri., June 17, at 10 a.m. for the general public; single tickets on sale Fri., Aug. 5 at 10 a.m.

• A world-class lineup of dance, music, theater and speakers that features an eclectic blend of big names and emerging talents

• Season includes 12 Santa Barbara debuts

• Three new subscription series: Vanguard, Americana and Young at Heart

• A&L is a proud commissioning partner on four projects: Mark Morris, The Look of Love: An Evening of Dance to the Music of Burt Bacharach; Joyce DiDonato, EDEN; Danish String Quartet, The Döppelganger Project Part III and Alisa Weilerstein, FRAGMENTS

• Series subscriptions, season brochures and more info available online at www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu, by calling (805) 893-3535 or at the Arts & Lectures Ticket Office (bldg. 402 on the UCSB campus)

SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures, the Central Coast’s premier arts presenting organization, proudly announces its 2022-2023 season, featuring more than 45 engaging new events. Included are 12 Santa Barbara debuts, three new series and four commissioned performances.

UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L) offers a wide range of phenomenal cultural and artistic experiences in 2022-2023 – from fascinating talks by today’s thought leaders to command performances by some of the world’s premier dance companies, actors and musicians – at venues from UCSB to downtown Santa Barbara and beyond. Additional events, including performances, films and public lectures, will be announced throughout the season. In particular, look for another exciting season of Speaking with Pico and more thought leaders in the Race to Justice series.

Series subscriptions go on sale Fri., June 17, at 10 a.m. The season kicks off at the Arlington Theatre on Sunday, October 2, with rising Americana star Charley Crockett and his band. With his soul and blues-inspired songwriting, old-school country music twang, and sharp fashion sense, Crockett will have you dreaming of highways, heartaches, and honky-tonks.

A&L’s big opening week continues on Thursday, October 6, at the Granada, where DakhaBrakha, the world music quartet from Kyiv, Ukraine, will perform their electrifying blend of Ukrainian melodies and contemporary rhythms from around the world. These three women and one man amplify the heart and soul of their homeland with multiple instruments, powerful voices, and a post-modern sensibility derived from experimental theater. On Saturday, October 8, the season’s thrilling dance series begins with the Santa Barbara debut of Sw!ng Out. These improvising Lindy Hop dancers from New York’s Joyce Theater travel with a live orchestra. Wear your dancing shoes to join Sw!ng Out onstage for the jam session that concludes the show. And then, on Tuesday, October 11, join us at the Granada for a conversation with former White House adviser and founder of the Harvard Center for Public Leadership, David Gergen. He will be on hand to discuss the qualities possessed by successful leaders including contemporary game changers like Greta Thunberg, the Parkland students and the Black Lives Matter movement.

 

 “A&L’s 2022-2023 season of performances and public lectures unveils surprises and explores new ideas,” says Miller McCune Executive Director Celesta M. Billeci. “From opening week with Charley Crockett, DakhaBrakha and Sw!ng Out, to month after month of fantastic performances and enlightening talks, Arts & Lectures is once again the place to be.

“This season, you’ll find old friends and new faces. We are always eager to see favorites like the super trio of Emmanuel Ax, Leonidas Kavakos, and Yo-Yo Ma, Wynton Marsalis, Pink Martini and Joyce DiDonato – but we also look forward to meeting courageous crusaders Maria Ressa and Tig Notaro, along with global risk expert Ian Bremmer and other leading thinkers and change-makers.

“Dance is always a core component of an Arts & Lectures season, and 2022-2023 is no exception. Ballet Preljocaj’s Swan Lake explores new territory for grand ballet in a style that’s innovative, edgy and fun. We are delighted to be welcoming back two of our favorite ensembles, the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company and the Mark Morris Dance Group. It’s a privilege to host Sw!ng Out for their first visit to Santa Barbara, and to present the U.S. West Coast premiere of Don?a Pero?n by Ballet Hispánico, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s thrilling account of the life and legend of Eva Pero?n.

“New this year is the Vanguard series, featuring performances from Australia’s Circa ensemble, 10 acrobats who have reinvented Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring for the new century, alongside Sam Green’s innovative live film experience 32 Sounds and a category-defying concert by S? Percussion with composer, vocalist and Pulitzer Prize winner Caroline Shaw. We are also proud to include a new Americana series featuring Charley Crockett, Allison Russell from Our Native Daughters and the Watkins Family.

“We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to introduce three extraordinary musical experiences to Santa Barbara audiences for the first time in our Hear & Now series: the sensational harpsichord artistry of rising French star Jean Rondeau, the New York-based Attacca Quartet’s groundbreaking interpretations of new music by composer Caroline Shaw, and the crystalline technique and programming insight of Icelandic piano virtuoso Víkingur Ólafsson. To welcome fresh talents of this caliber in our season is an honor and a delight.

“Arts & Lectures is a community-based program. We couldn’t do it without our patrons, our Friends, UCSB students and University administration, our media partners and our supporters of educational outreach. We are so grateful for their continued support. Without their support and that of countless others, we wouldn’t be able to do this.”

 

SERIES PACKAGES AND TICKET INFO 

For discounts of up to 25 percent, great seats, early notice about newly added events and free ticket exchanges, patrons can subscribe to any of Arts & Lectures’ 11 fixed series packages: Dance, Great Performances, Word of Mouth, World Arts & Music, Jazz, Chamber Arts, Hear & Now, Americana, Vanguard and Young at Heart. Another option is the popular Create Your Own series: Purchase tickets to four or more events and save 10 percent off single ticket prices.

Series subscriptions go on sale Fri., June 17, at 10 a.m. and can be purchased by phone at (805) 893-3535, online or in person at the Arts & Lectures Ticket Office in Building 402 (parking lot 12 off Mesa Road) on the UCSB campus. For a season brochure, an order form or more information, call or visit the A&L Ticket Office or visit www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu. Single tickets go on sale Fri., Aug. 5 at 10 a.m.

 

UCSB ARTS & LECTURES’ 2022-2023 SEASON BY SERIES

DANCE

The DANCE series features inventive, passionate, spellbinding productions that redefine dance landscapes. Sw!ng Out opens the series with a joyous celebration of the Lindy Hop, America’s competitive and partnered dance form. Under the direction of choreographer Caleb Teicher, a dozen talented dancers will respond to the live music of Eyal Vilner’s 10-piece Big Band before inviting audience members to join them on stage for a group jam session finale (Sat., Oct. 8 / 8 p.m. / Granada Theatre). Local community members will have a second opportunity to participate in a dance series performance when the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company presents What Problem? The piece, which draws on Melville’s Moby-Dick and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, features live music enhanced by a chorus drawn from the Santa Barbara community (Tue., Nov. 15 / 8 p.m. / Granada Theatre).

Ballet Preljocaj returns for two performances with its most ambitious program yet, an entirely reimagined version of the great Swan Lake. The company’s 26 dancers will soar on fresh wings in this evening-length story ballet set to Tchaikovsky’s original score plus new arrangements created especially for Preljocaj (Sat., Feb. 25 / 8 p.m. & Sun., Feb. 26 / 3 p.m. / Granada Theatre). Another evening-length piece will have its U.S. West Coast premiere when Ballet Hispánico presents choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Don?a Pero?n. Set to live music, this portrait of Argentine icon Eva Pero?n establishes a new horizon for Artistic Director Eduardo Vilardo’s talented company (Sat., Mar. 11 / 8 p.m. / Granada Theatre). Santa Barbara favorites and internationally renowned innovators the Mark Morris Dance Group will deliver a final evening-length work in May. is an homage to the great pop songwriter and a celebration of the power of live music and dance (Sat., May 6 / 8 p.m. / Granada Theatre).

 

GREAT PERFORMANCES

The GREAT PERFORMANCES series offers access to the most celebrated artists in the world performing in the grandeur and relative intimacy of Santa Barbara’s Granada Theatre. The series opens with an Arts & Lectures’ co-commission by the multi-award-winning mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato. In EDEN, DiDonato weaves together music, theater and movement into a breathtaking tour de force. Inspired by her deep understanding of four centuries of music history and dedicated to exploring humanity’s connection to the natural world, EDEN offers an opportunity to share in this outstanding artist’s searing and singular experience of hope (Tue., Jan. 24 / 7 p.m. / Granada Theatre). Musical collaborations don’t come any more accomplished than the chamber trio of Emmanuel Ax, Leonidas Kavakos and Yo-Yo Ma. Following a series of widely praised recordings, they present a program saturated with the faultless musicianship and boundless joy they are known to bring to each performance (Fri., Jan. 27 / 7 p.m. / Granada Theatre). Expect musical fireworks when Lang Lang takes on Bach’s Goldberg Variations in a program that will excite animated discussions among fans and critics alike (Mon., Feb. 27 / 7 p.m. / Granada Theatre). Jazz mastery reaches its apex whenever the Wynton Marsalis Quintet performs. Catch the trumpet leader in this classic format while you can – this appearance is one of only a handful of performances for this group in 2023 (Tue., Apr. 4 / 7 p.m. / Granada Theatre). (Note special 7 p.m. start time for all Great Performance series concerts.)

 

WORD OF MOUTH

In the WORD OF MOUTH series, Arts & Lectures finds the most inspiring new books and authors of the season and brings them here to share their wisdom and insight directly with you, our audience. For 2022-2023, the series includes insider accounts of the White House, the Supreme Court, the dictatorship in the Philippines, global politics and the biology of human cells. David Gergen kicks things off with observations on leadership drawn from his book, Hearts Touched with Fire (Tue. Oct. 11 / 7:30 p.m. / Granada Theatre). In November, political scientist Ian Bremmer distills his new book, The Power of Crisis, into lessons on how we can turn global emergencies into opportunities for positive change (Thu., Nov. 10 / 7:30 p.m. / Granada Theatre). Journalist Maria Ressa won the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for practicing what she preaches in How to Stand Up to a Dictator, her forthcoming  book about exposing the corrupt authoritarian regime of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (Thu., Jan. 19 / 7:30 p.m. / Campbell Hall). Beloved NPR correspondent Nina Totenberg writes about her decades-long friendship with the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships (Tue., Feb. 7 / 7:30 p.m. / Granada Theatre). Cancer physician, researcher, and Pulitzer Prize winner Siddhartha Mukherjee explores our radical new ability to manipulate cells in his forthcoming book, The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human (Wed., Mar. 8 / 7:30 p.m. / Granada Theatre).

WORLD ARTS & MUSIC

Since 2014, the members of the Ukrainian world music group DakhaBrakha have been ending concerts with the chant, “No war! Stop Putin!” They make their long-awaited Santa Barbara debut at a time when their cry is more urgent than ever.Don’t miss what promises to be the most compelling cultural event of the season (Thu., Oct. 6 / 8 p.m. / Granada Theatre). Experience the sinuous movement and intense emotions of Odissi, the most ancient form of South Asian dance, with India’s Nrityagram Dance Ensemble and special guests Chitrasena Dance Company from Sri Lanka (Wed., Oct. 19 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall). Celebrate freedom and civil rights with the 17-member Soweto Gospel Choir in their new program, HOPE – It’s Been a Long Time Coming, featuring the music of South Africa alongside songs by Billie Holiday, Otis Redding and James Brown (Wed., Nov. 2 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall). Percussion takes center stage when Kodo arrives from Japan with Tsuzumi: One Earth Tour, the latest incarnation of their highly developed taiko drumming mastery (Fri., Feb. 10 / 8 p.m. / Granada Theatre).

 

JAZZ

At 21, pianist Matthew Whitaker has already released three acclaimed albums and collaborated with some of the biggest names in jazz. Experience his transcendent playing and hear his remarkable story this fall at his Santa Barbara debut (Thu., Nov. 17 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall). The Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour returns this season with two of the all-time greatest jazz vocalists, Kurt Elling and Dee Dee Bridgwater (Sun., Jan. 29 / 7 p.m. / Campbell Hall). Each member of ARTEMIS, the sextet formed under the banner of International Women’s Day in 2017, is a formidable composer and bandleader in her own right (Sun., Apr. 23 / 7 p.m. / Campbell Hall).

 

CHAMBER ARTS

Ensemble Intercontemporain, based at IRCAM in Paris, is widely recognized as the world’s foremost contemporary music ensemble. In this multimedia presentation, they will perform a score by composer Olga Neuwirth written to accompany the long-lost political satire film The City Without Jews from 1924. Composer and conductor Matthias Pintscher will lead the group in what is sure to be an unforgettable performance (Sat., Jan. 28 / 7 p.m. / Hahn Hall). UCSB Arts & Lectures co-commissioned the latest project from cellist and MacArthur Fellow Alisa Weilerstein. FRAGMENTS recontextualizes Bach’s cello suites with compositions by contemporary composers presented in a highly theatrical setting (Fri., Mar. 10 / 7 p.m. / Campbell Hall). The much anticipated third and final installment of the Danish String Quartet’s Doppelgänger Project arrives this April for its U.S. premiere. Co-commissioned by Arts & Lectures with partners including Carnegie Hall, this concert will garner international recognition (Thu., Apr. 13 / 7 p.m. / Campbell Hall).

HEAR & NOW

The premise of the HEAR & NOW series is simple: find the best musicians in the world who have not yet played Santa Barbara and get them here – now. French keyboard virtuoso Jean Rondeau is a phenomenon on the harpsichord. Expert listeners worldwide follow his every concert, sharing extensive notes on his fantastically nuanced yet devoutly humble approach. He will perform Bach’s Goldberg Variations on the harpsichord (Fri., Nov. 4 / 7 p.m. / Hahn Hall). The Attacca Quartet moves easily from the music of the Renaissance to Minimalism and beyond. Their Grammy Award-winning work with composer Caroline Shaw forms the basis for this exceptional performance (Sun., Mar. 5 / 4 p.m. / Hahn Hall). Icelandic pianist VÍkingur Ólafsson is that rare musician whose deep understanding of music history matches his extraordinary technical ability. You won’t want to miss this recital (Thu., May 11 / 7 p.m. / Hahn Hall).

 

AMERICANA

A&L’s new AMERICANA series embraces the spirit of eclecticism and authenticity that has transformed the music world over the last two decades. The series starts our season with a bang when Texan troubadour Charley Crockett arrives with his band for an evening of country, blues and streetwise soul (Sun., Oct. 2 / 7 p.m. / Arlington Theatre). Allison Russell is another rising star whose stellar thrice Grammy Award-nominated 2021 album Outside Child was a singular achievement in contemporary songwriting (Wed., Nov. 16 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall). For two decades, Sean and Sara Watkins have been performing as the Watkins Family Hour. You may know them from another of their bold bluegrass ventures, Nickel Creek, which featured their good friend Chris Thile (Tue., Nov. 29 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall).

 

VANGUARD

The third new series of the 2022-2023 season is VANGUARD, and it’s all about the new – new forms, new artists and new approaches brought to you with an eye toward the future. Circa takes the contemporary circus world to a place it’s never been before. Adapting Igor Stravinsky’s notoriously disruptive Rite of Spring to the circus stage means these Australian performers fuse daring acrobatics with dark humor and runaway desire in Sacre (Wed., Oct. 12 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall). The live cinema movement meets documentary and foley artistry in 32 Sounds, an original composition for film, live music and performance by Sam Green and JD Samson (Thu., Apr. 6 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall). And the ever-charming and thoroughly unpredictable rhythm masters of S? Percussion return this season with guest artist Caroline Shaw on vocals (Fri., Apr. 21 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall).

 

YOUNG AT HEART

Families aren’t the only ones who need rejuvenation, and that’s why we’ve booked the YOUNG AT HEART series with acts guaranteed to satisfy every generation. Cirque FLIP Fabrique’s Muse offers another example of how circus artists are breaking new ground in the 21st century. Thrill to their death-defying feats as you muse on the nontraditional gender roles displayed in this sparkling entertainment from Canada (Sun., Feb. 5 / 7 p.m. / Granada Theatre). Founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, Step Afrika! is the first professional company dedicated to the tradition of stepping (Thu., Feb. 16 / 7 p.m. / Campbell Hall). Back by popular demand, the daffy musicians of the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain are sure to worm their way into your heart with clever covers, dry humor and every imaginable size ukulele (Sat., Apr. 22 / 7 p.m. / Campbell Hall).

 

CREATE YOUR OWN SERIES

For maximum flexibility and savings, the CREATE YOUR OWN series lets patrons hand-pick their favorite shows. Purchase any four or more events and save 10 percent on each ticket.

 

SUBSCRIBER BENEFITS

Subscriber orders are filled in the order received. Subscribe early for the best available seating. Thu., Aug. 4 is the last day subscribers get first dibs on this season’s events before single tickets go on sale Fri., Aug. 5 at 10 a.m.

 

Subscribers receive great perks:

• Subscribers have first crack at the best available seats at the season’s lowest prices.

• Subscribers receive up to 25 percent off single ticket prices.

• Subscribers can take advantage of fee-free exchanges up to one full business day before a performance.

• Subscribers can add to orders until Aug. 4, even if their order has already been processed.

An Arts & Lectures subscription is an investment in personal enrichment that also enriches the community. It’s a commitment to make time for inspiring conversations, magical experiences and a sense of community.

 

INDIVIDUAL NON-FIXED SERIES EVENTS

UCSB Arts & Lectures’ 2022-2023 season features individual events that can be part of the Create Your Own series, added on to a fixed series package purchase (no discount) or purchased separately when single tickets go on sale on Fri., Aug. 5. They include:

• The Linda Lindas. These teenage women from Los Angeles make punk rock that appeals to kids their age and fans of original female rock rebels alike (Sat., Oct. 15 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall).

• An Evening with Laird Hamilton, legendary big-wave surfer and ocean action sports innovator (Sun., Oct. 16 / 7:30 p.m. / Arlington Theatre)

• An Evening with John Irving, National Book Award winner and best-selling author of The World According to Garp, A Prayer for Owen Meany and other acclaimed novels. (Tue., Oct. 25 / 7:30 p.m. / Campbell Hall)

• Mexican Indie Pop star Carla Morrison in concert (Thu., Oct. 27 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall)

• An Evening with Nigella Lawson, chef, cookbook author and beloved television personality on her first U.S. tour. (Sat., Nov. 12 / 7:30 p.m. / Granada Theatre)

• Jake Shimabukuro, Christmas in Hawai’i, for a night of holiday music, ukulele-style (Thu., Dec. 1 / 7 p.m. / Granada Theatre)

• Mariachi Sol de México presents José Hernández’ Merry-Achi Christmas, with Christmas carols from all traditions in a mariachi style (Wed., Dec. 7 / 7 PM / Arlington Theatre)

• An Evening of Stand-up with Tig Notaro, the popular comedian and actor from One Mississippi (Sat., Jan. 21 / 8 p.m. / Campbell Hall)

• An Evening with Amor Towles, the Santa Barbara debut of this bestselling novelist, author most recently of The Lincoln Highway (Thu., Feb. 2 / 7:30 p.m. / Campbell Hall)

• By popular demand, the return of Pink Martini with China Forbes (Fri., Feb. 3 / 8 p.m. / Granada Theatre)

 

ABOUT UCSB ARTS & LECTURES

The 2022-2023 season marks UCSB Arts & Lectures’ 63rd year of bringing unique, world-class performances, films and lectures to Central Coast and campus audiences. With a mission to “educate, entertain and inspire,” Arts & Lectures is the largest performing arts and public lectures presenter between San Francisco and Los Angeles, beloved by audiences for its award-winning, diverse and innovative programming that deeply enriches lives and extends the intellectual life of the community beyond the classroom.

Arts & Lectures’ award-winning educational outreach programs provide rare opportunities for students to meet and learn from visiting artists and speakers. In the 2022-23 season, most of the speakers and performers will participate in master classes, lecture-demonstrations, open rehearsals and classroom discussions at UCSB and in the community.

Through ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara!, Arts & Lectures’ nationally-recognized program, A&L provides free public performances featuring international talents and arts education to underserved populations throughout Santa Barbara County. In 2011 the program received the prestigious APAP/MetLife Arts Access Award for “engaging underserved communities.”

For more information about Arts & Lectures, call (805) 893-3535 or visit www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu

UCSB Arts & Lectures gratefully acknowledges TK.