Step into Tradition: A Curated Guide to the 2025–26 Season

Your cultural matchmaking guide to 2025–26 season highlights.

By Angelina Josephine Rosete, Cal Performances’ Engagement Writer

Looking for your next unforgettable cultural experience? Think of this as a “cultural matchmaking guide,” where your intellectual curiosity about history, tradition, and artistic innovation meets the performances best suited to you. This season, Cal Performances offers a carefully curated lineup that bridges past and present, highlighting the enduring power of artistic legacies while embracing fresh, contemporary interpretations. From the splendor of royal courts to the bold ingenuity of modern dance, from timeless choral masterworks to compelling cultural expressions, there is truly something for everyone—an opportunity to be inspired, challenged, and delighted by the dynamic dialogue that persists between classical artistry and contemporary expression.

If you have ever been captivated by the grandeur of imperial courts, the pageantry of royal ceremonies, or the ways music has shaped cultural heritage, the Vienna Boys Choir offers a window into a living heritage that has spanned over five centuries. Founded in 1498, this remarkable ensemble was originally formed by the Habsburg court, embedding the artistry of young voices into the very fabric of European life. Their repertoire spans centuries, highlighting works that demand precise intonation, clear diction, and the unique tonal purity only boy sopranos and altos can provide. Today, their performances continue to honor that legacy, blending classical masterpieces with carefully curated contemporary works that demonstrate how tradition can evolve without losing its essence.

Attending a Vienna Boys Choir concert is more than simply hearing music—it is experiencing history in motion. Their crystalline harmonies, precision, and youthful energy bring centuries-old compositions vividly to life, connecting audiences to the elegance and sophistication of the past while showcasing the enduring power of music to move and inspire. With each performance, the choir demonstrates mastery of vocal blend, phrasing, and contrapuntal clarity, indications of a practice perfected over generations.

If you are fascinated by the evolution of modern dance and the ways in which movement can express the deepest currents of human emotion, the Martha Graham Dance Company’s centennial program offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It is impossible to overstate Graham’s influence—her innovative technique of contraction and release, her sculptural use of the body, and her rigorous attention to emotional expressivity have shaped generations of dancers and choreographers.

Returning to Cal Performances for the first time in over a decade, the extraordinary Martha Graham Dance Company celebrates 100 years of her legacy with a program that balances canonical works with contemporary responses. Audiences will experience the iconic Appalachian Spring, a key work of American modern dance; the psychologically intense Night Journey; and the anti-war protest, Chronicle; each performed with Isamu Noguchi’s original sculptural sets that integrate seamlessly with Graham’s choreography. The program also highlights newly commissioned works inspired by Graham’s own pieces.

This performance exemplifies Graham’s lifelong commitment to artistic experimentation and social engagement, continuing her legacy of portraying powerful women, drawing from sources as varied as Greek mythology, Native American ceremonies, and modern art. From the precise articulation of her signature contractions, to the dramatic tension in every phrase of movement, this celebration of the company’s 100th anniversary offers both an immersive historical perspective and a vivid, contemporary reimagining of Graham’s revolutionary contributions to dance. For anyone captivated by the balance of continuity, originality, and expressive power, this program promises an unforgettable encounter with one of the 20th century’s most transformative artistic voices.

The world’s most celebrated interpreters of Renaissance polyphony, the Tallis Scholars return this Easter season with a program illuminating the profound mysteries of Christian faith. Anchoring the evening is Tomás Luis de Victoria’s magnificent Missa O magnum mysterium, surrounded by motets from Thomas Tallis, Giaches de Wert, and Jacobus Gallus. The program bridges five centuries by incorporating works from contemporary Estonian composer Arvo Pärt, whose Tribute to Caesar reflects on Christ’s teachings, while Virgencita presents a modern vision of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

Traditional Renaissance polyphony, the interweaving of multiple melodic vocal lines that became popular in the 15th century, forms the foundation of this repertoire, showcasing a style of music in which each voice contributes to a complex, harmonious texture. For listeners, the draw is not only in hearing these masterpieces live, but in experiencing the clarity, balance, and precision that the Tallis Scholars have perfected over five decades, demonstrating without question the expressive power of polyphony to evoke awe, wonder, and divine mystery.

Founded in 1973 by Peter Phillips, the ensemble has transformed Renaissance sacred music from specialized repertoire into an essential pillar of classical repertoire through over 2,200 concerts and 60+ acclaimed recordings. Phillips’ international recognition and the Tallis Scholars’ crystalline clarity and ethereal unity of voice continue to prove that the greatest expressions of faith speak across centuries with undiminished power. For those who delight in the sonority of interwoven voices, this concert offers a special chance to hear polyphony at its highest level: precise yet human, historical yet immediate, and sacred yet universally moving.

For 50 years, San Francisco’s Kronos Quartet has redefined what a string quartet can be—pushing the form beyond its Western European roots to become a living, evolving art that engages with the people and issues of our time. Their impact spans thousands of concerts, recordings, and commissioned works, but their upcoming performance at Cal Performances offers something especially resonant: stories of migration, memory, and belonging told through music.

Joined by the celebrated pipa virtuoso Wu Man and cultural historian David Lei, Kronos presents Beyond the Golden Gate, a far-reaching hybrid presentation that traces Chinese American experiences across generations. From intimate personal reflections to newly commissioned works, the evening highlights how music can carry cultural identity—bridging continents, honoring ancestry, and speaking directly to the present. For audiences curious about the intersection of personal heritage and artistic innovation, this performance is more than a concert; it is a portrait of cultural resilience. Kronos’s legacy reminds us that string quartets are not only keepers of tradition, but also vital storytellers reminding us of who we are and where we come from.

Experience the vibrant celebration of Día de los Muertos with Lila Downs, the Grammy- and Latin Grammy-winning singer whose artistry is deeply rooted in her Mixtec heritage. Audiences who love storytelling through music will be captivated by Downs’ seamless blending of traditional songs, original compositions, and performances in Spanish, English, and the indigenous languages of Oaxaca. Backed by a dynamic all-star band, her commanding voice and stage presence turn each song into an immersive, celebratory experience, making the past feel alive in the present—the perfect atmosphere for a holiday dedicated to honoring an remembering loved ones who have passed on. This is a performance for anyone eager to experience music that bridges generations, honors ancestral legacies, and traces rich cultural traditions—making it both an unforgettable experience and deeply moving moment.

For those captivated by classical ballet’s rich heritage, the Paris Opera Ballet offers a rare glimpse into a company whose artistry stretches back to the era of Louis XIV. But in Red Carpet, tradition meets a thrillingly modern vision: UK-based choreographer Hofesh Shechter transforms the stage into a world where classical precision collides with dynamic, emotionally charged movement.

The choreography fuses disciplined technique with bold, raw gestures, creating a performance that is both technically masterful and intensely expressive. Audiences will be drawn into a visually striking spectacle, complete with moving catwalks, a monumental chandelier, and CHANEL-designed costumes inspired by evening wear and cabaret, balancing glamour with grit. Shecter and Yaron Engler’s original score, performed live and blending free jazz, Mediterranean influences, and pulsing techno rhythms, amplifies the energy and immediacy of the dance. This singular West Coast performance offers an incredibly unique opportunity to witness a company at the forefront of ballet, where centuries-old traditions are reinvigorated with daring, contemporary artistry. Far from conventional ballet, Red Carpet fuses rigorous classical technique with bold, modern movement, creating a performance that is as exhilarating and provocative as it is breathtaking.

The Julia Keefe Indigenous Big Band offers a rare and vital perspective on jazz, illuminating a long-overlooked chapter of the genre’s history. Emerging from a legacy shaped by resilience and creativity, Indigenous musicians have long contributed to jazz as vibrant ensembles and big bands flourished across the US and Canada in the early twentieth century. Yet, despite their talent and influence, their contributions were often uncredited, and their influence unrecognized.

Guided by composer and arranger Julia Keefe and co-founder Delbert Anderson, this ensemble celebrates that legacy while forging new paths. Drawing on traditional songs, rhythms, and stories from Indigenous cultures spanning North and South America, the band reimagines them through the language of jazz, creating a repertoire that is both rooted in heritage and electrifyingly contemporary. Each performance honors the past while uplifting the next generation of Indigenous jazz musicians, blending virtuosity, improvisation, and cultural narratives into a singular musical experience. For listeners, this is more than a concert—it is a journey through history, identity, and innovation, showcasing the depth, diversity, and enduring vitality of Indigenous contributions to jazz.

From the rich layers of choral harmonies to the striking force of modern dance, this season’s lineup demonstrates that the arts are living, evolving dialogues between past and present. Each performance invites audiences to step into a world shaped by legacy, originality, and cultural memory—whether through the reinterpretation of ancestral music, the reinvention of classical forms, or the celebration of identity. These experiences remind us that curiosity, openness, and a willingness to explore new perspectives are at the heart of truly engaging with the arts. No matter your passion—whether it be history, cultural storytelling, or artistic experimentation—there is a performance waiting to ignite your imagination and expand your understanding of the world around you.