Experience the grace, wit, and charm of French music. The program begins and ends with early works by Saint-Saëns and Fauré that recreate the elegant atmosphere of 19-century Parisian salons. In between, the Ravel sonata, written soon after World War I, uses just two string instruments to produce a composition of unique, austere beauty. These three inimitable works capture the essence of pure melody in its most delightfully fundamental form.

Limón Dance Company has been at the vanguard of American dance from its inception in 1946, bringing the immediacy of our common experience onto the stage, exuberantly and intensely, with musical and fully lived dancing. They speak, urgently and joyfully, of our lives now: how we face the world and how we sense that world around us, how we can be with others, how we can destroy the bonds between us, and how we can create community.

A standard-bearer of innovation and artistic excellence, audience favorite Orpheus Chamber Orchestra is one of the world’s foremost chamber orchestras. Orpheus was founded in 1972 by a group of young musicians determined to combine the intimacy and warmth of a chamber ensemble with the richness of an orchestra. With 71 albums, including the Grammy Award-winning Shadow Dances: Stravinsky Miniatures, and 42 commissioned and premiered original works, Orpheus performs without a conductor and creates extraordinary musical experiences that enrich lives and empower individuals through collaboration, innovation, and a passion for artistic excellence.

Contemporary and high-octane, The Villalobos Brothers (Ernesto, Alberto, and Luis, joined by Artistic Director and guitarist Humberto Flores, drummer Rosa Avila, and bassist Leo Sherman) are redefining contemporary Mexican music. Their original compositions masterfully blend elements of jazz, rock, classical, and Mexican folk to deliver a powerful message of love, brotherhood, and social justice.

From Bernstein to Motown, a sonic portrait of the beating American heart, with violinist Ray Ushikubo, saxophonist Chad Smith and tenor Ashley Faatoalia. Rachael Worby conducts this upbeat program that includes Bernstein’s famed West Side Story score arranged as a tour-de-force concerto.

Dance maker Paul Taylor first presented his choreography with five other dancers in Manhattan on May 30, 1954. That modest performance marked the beginning of 64 years of unrivaled creativity, and [add comma] in the decades that followed, Mr. Taylor became a cultural icon and one of American history’s most celebrated artists, hailed as part of the pantheon that created American modern dance.

The Manhattan Transfer remains a cornerstone for great pop and jazz hits, a legacy that the group has cemented since their first recording in 1972. With sold-out world tours and worldwide record sales in the millions, The Manhattan Transfer continues to bring unique and extraordinary melodic and jazz infused vocals to new and established audiences that span generations.  

MUMMENSCHANZ has been dazzling audiences worldwide for more than 45 years. The latest creation from the “Musicians of Silence,” you & me is a surreal and enchanting experience, with large scale masks, acrobatics, sculptural puppetry, and visual antics – but no music or sound aside from the awe, joy, and laughter of the audience.

Join us on a circus-style adventure about two siblings journeying through a surreal land of air, transforming the ordinary into objects of uncommon beauty. Fabrics dance in the wind, balloons have a mind of their own, confetti turns into the night sky, and an enormous canopy of hovering silk brings to life the very air we breathe. Flying umbrellas, larger-than-life balloons, giant kites, and the biggest snow globe you’ve ever seen will make you gasp in wonder and laugh until it hurts. Ages 6+

Three beloved stories by Eric Carle, award-winning children’s book illustrator and author - The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Little Cloud, and The Mixed-Up Chameleon - are retold on stage through the magic of black light and fanciful puppets. Adapted, designed, and directed by Jim Morrow, the production features the imaginative approach to storytelling through theatre that has earned international recognition for Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia. Ages 3+

It Gets Better brings the experience and message of the online It Gets Better Project to the stage as a moving musical theater performance – equal parts wit, whimsy, empowerment, and inspiration – featuring real stories from gay, lesbian, transgender, and straight allies from around the country. Produced by the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus in collaboration with the It Gets Better Project and Speak Theater Arts. Presented in partnership with The LOFT LGBT Community Center.

A feast for the eyes and ears, Bartók’s ingenious creation stands alone in the chamber music literature, an astonishing synthesis of percussion and keyboard. Also featured on the program are two more milestones: Dohnányi’s delectable Serenade, the 20th century’s first string trio, and Tchaikovsky’s String Sextet ne plus ultra, “Souvenir de Florence.”

Immerse yourself in the rich colors and sounds of Mexico through an evening of authentic dance and music with the internationally recognized Ballet Folclórico Nacional de México Silvia Lozano.

Conceived and arranged by Deke Sharon, vocal producer of Pitch Perfect and The Sing-Off, this high-energy musical celebration of contemporary a cappella brings together four of todays' top acts - The Filharmonic, Committed, Blake Lewis, and Women of the World - for an absolutely fun and extremely entertaining afternoon of vocal music.  

America’s favorite mariachi ensemble brings their solid-gold Mexican sound to Purchase for one night only. Acclaimed by audiences at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, The Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and other major venues throughout the U.S., their skillfully arranged versions of classic mariachi melodies and regional styles of traditional music feature full-throated harmonies and unforgettable festive pageantry.

Adapted from the picture book by Mara McEwin, commisisoned by The PAC, and choreographed by Emily Bunning, this new dance-theatre piece from Treehouse Shakers tells the story young Rink Bowagon, who lives on top of Lonesome Mountain with his unusual family of rattlesnake tamers and shape-shifters. Incorporating shadow puppetry, original music, and movement, The Boy Who Grew Flowers is a thoughtful story that lends itself to themes of diversity, creating empathy, and celebrating individualism. Ages 4+

Black Violin’s Impossible Tour heads our way, spreading the message that anything is possible and there are no limits to what one can achieve, regardless of circumstance. Stereotype-smashing Black Violin blends classical, hip-hop, rock, R&B, and bluegrass to create a sound they call “classical boom." Headed by Kevin Sylvester and Wilner Baptiste, a.k.a. Kev Marcus and Wil B. on violin and viola, alongside DJ SPS and drummer Nat Stokes, Black Violin uses their music to overcome stereotypes and encourage people of all ages, races, and economic backgrounds to join together to break down cultural barriers.

For more than 30 years, Doug Varone and Dancers has devoted itself to the humanity and virtuosity of dance, reaching out to audiences well beyond the proscenium arch. They are one of the most respected dance companies working today, having created an expansive legacy and impressive body of work encompassing dance, theatre, opera, and film. Included in the program will be the world premiere of a new work, commissioned by The PAC.

The explosive Montreal-based RUBBERBAND has a style all its own, creating and producing innovative, high-energy works that are inspired by breakdancing, classical ballet, and dance theatre. Fascinated by the raw dynamic of hip-hop and breakdancing and the purity of classical formalism, choreographer and RUBBERBAND Artistic Director Victor Quijada has been demolishing barriers between these contrasting dance styles for 17 years.

Shostakovich’s Piano Quintet holds a rightful place in the line of great piano quintets going back to Schumann’s of 1842. Combining the rigor of Bach with the powerful energy and extreme irony of Soviet era music, the work is a milestone not only of chamber music but also of Shostakovich’s career: it won him the coveted Stalin Prize. This essential quintet is accompanied by a youthful Beethoven sonata and Mendelssohn’s appropriately tempestuous First Piano Trio.

Playful, joyous, and stunning, A Simple Space sets audiences alight with non-stop feats of unbelievable acrobatic ability and human physicality. No make-up, no theatrical lighting, just seven acrobats and live percussion. The audience is brought in close, so intimately that you can feel the heat, hear every breath, and be immersed in every moment. With nothing left to hide behind personal narratives come through naturally; this honesty is the essence behind A Simple Space.  

From its beginning in 1994, Compañía de Danza Tania Pérez-Salas was founded with the ambition of becoming a point of reference in the world of modern dance. Adhering relentlessly to an artistic core grounded in quality, precise technique, and multiculturalism, the company is well-recognized with a portfolio of performances at the major cultural capitals of North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.