Jeremy Geffen Introduces the 2026–27 Season

I’m proud to unveil wide-ranging programming that demonstrates what makes Cal Performances such a stronghold of artistic excellence. We continue to deepen invaluable relationships with return visits by artists like the Vienna Philharmonic with conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin and guest soloists Elīna Garanča, Christiane Karg, and Yuja Wang; expansive programs honoring milestones for composers Philip Glass, John Adams, and Steve Reich; Wynton Marsalis’ final US tour as artistic director of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra; two performances and campus activities by the Attacca Quartet, our 2026–27 Ensemble in Residence; and the West Coast premiere of William Kentridge’s The Head & the Load, an epic masterpiece spotlighting African soldiers of WWI and the first performance in a new initiative that will see a Kentridge multidisciplinary work on each of our next five seasons.

While we honor the familiar, we also promote curiosity and innovation—investing in new works, artists, and ideas. Our season-opening weekend (September 25–27) serves as a strong example of this commitment, featuring the extraordinary dancers of The Australian Ballet in the North American premiere of Oscar, a bold new creation about Oscar Wilde by famed choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. Oscar also kicks off the exploration of our 2026–27 Illuminations theme, “Innocence & Experience.”

And there is so much more in store! I’m grateful to our community for supporting the live performing arts in the Bay Area. That Cal Performances’ programming has inspired countless memories and moments of transformation over our 120 years is not lost on me, and I look forward to all the 2026–27 season will add to our shared history.