Words by Penny Neef. Images Courtesy of the Virginia Arts Festival.
Virginia Arts Festival has announced the 27th season lineup of great performances in dance, theater and music coming to Hampton Roads.
You can look forward to performances by some of the best in the world - Dance Theatre of Harlem, Van Cliburn Gold Medal-awarded pianist Olga Kern, Step Afrika!, Chris Thile, Jessie Montgomery, and so much more.
“We’re honored to present an array of artists who represent the best in their fields: revered dance companies, critically acclaimed composers and musicians, bright new stars of jazz and Broadway, and more. We’re fostering collaborations with regional arts organizations including the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and we’ll be bringing artists from around the world to our beloved Virginia International Tattoo. It’s a season full of thrills, and we can’t wait to share it with you,” said Virginia Arts Festival Perry Artistic Director Robert W. Cross.
Norfolk Mayor Kenneth Alexander was on hand at the announcement of the new season. He outlined the tremendous economic benefits of the VAF on tourism to the region. Over a third of ticket holders come from outside Hampton Roads for at least one performance. He also spoke about the fantastic educational outreach that is at the core of VAF’s mission. Dance Theatre of Harlem will offer a week-long residency of master classes and performances to local students. The Virginia International Tattoo educates and entertains hundreds of area students each year at no cost to them. Many of the other artists who perform at VAF come early to teach classes and workshops.
Sweeney Todd, an orchestra concert with Virginia Symphony Orchestra and Broadway soloists is the official opening of Virginia Arts Festival on Saturday, April 13 at Chrysler Hall. Broadway music director and VAF’s Goode Family Artistic Advisor for Musical Theater and American Songbook Rob Fisher will conduct.
Hampton Roads native Adrienne Warren will come back to town in a one night only performance at the historic Attucks Theatre on Thursday, May 30. She won a Tony for her performance as icon Tina Turner in Broadway’s Tina: The Tina Turner Musical.
Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Anthony Davis also has deep roots in Hampton Roads. Davis has created “a legacy of operas that have broken through a centuries-old color barrier to place stories from the history of African-Americans to the centerstage.” He will present pieces from X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, Amistad, and his most recent work, The Central Park Five with his longtime collaborator/ pianist Alan Johnson and singers Christine Jobson and Carl DuPont at the Attucks Theatre on Sunday, June 2.
There will be much more classical music, dance, vocal and other unique performances. Save the date for the closing line-up at Williamsburg Live! June 21-23 outdoors in Williamsburg. Those artists will be announced soon.
As Maurice Jones, VAF Chair of the Board of Directors said, “One of the greatest forces that brings people together in troubling times is the arts. Let’s affirm our humanity and come together to celebrate the arts at Virginia Arts Festival.”
For more information and to purchase tickets for any or all of the performances, go to https://www.vafest.org
Choose 3 performances and save 10%. Choose 4 or more performances and save 15%.
NOTE – if you’re looking for some great Holiday music, VAF is offering several performances in December 2023. Click here for those great choices - https://www.vafest.org/tickets-and-events/