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Beyond the Stage
Performances That Do It All: The Maximalist’s Guide to the 2026–27 Season
Performances That Do It All: The Maximalist’s Guide to the 2026–27 Season
While it may sound paradoxical, our “Maximalist” guide is designed for those who love the big picture precisely because of all the small details. When you see a grand performance, you don’t just see the end product; you see the convergence of many individual talents—in a single production, or even in a single performer—that all leave their mark on the stage.
In this article, you’ll find a hearty sampling of performances that each offer a multisensory feast, showcasing inspiring artistry across disciplines. You’ll never run out of things to look at, listen to, or make your jaw drop!
NOV 28–29, 2026, ZELLERBACH HALL
From the very first moment, WOW (World of Words) makes clear that it intends to deliver on its title. Led by Yamoussa Bangoura—a multidisciplinary artist of Guinean origin who founded both a school of circus arts and a company specializing in African arts—Cirque Kalabanté brings together traditional African movement and music with the Montreal circus arts tradition in a production that communicates its story almost entirely through dance, acrobatics, contortion, music, and clever staging in place of dialogue. Bangoura himself supplies a live soundtrack of singing and kora playing that matches the energy of everything unfolding around him, rooting the performance in a vivid African soundscape even as the acrobatics seem to defy every earthly limit.
What makes the company so extraordinary is that its maximalism is not merely aesthetic—it is personal.
Bangoura was trained in dance, kora, juggling, strap, acrobatics, and singing throughout his career, all of which impacts the company’s productions and the way he, in turn, trains with his troupe. The result is a troupe whose talents seem endless, and a performance that explores the transmission of knowledge and the meeting of cultures with as much warmth as it does spectacle.
NOV 12-15, 2026, HENRY J. KAISER CENTER FOR THE ARTS, OAKLAND
“The piece unfolds like a fever dream. At any one moment, multiple events are occurring onstage. Watching it, you want to be everywhere at once.” So wrote the New Yorker of The Head & the Load, William Kentridge’s largest and most celebrated work. Conceived for a massive 180-foot-long stage (presented this season at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts Arena) and performed by 37 dancers, actors, vocalists, and musicians, this sprawling, layered production incorporates music, dance, speech, shadow play, projection, and sculpture to tell the history of Africans who served and sacrificed during the First World War.
The sonic world created in this production is particularly symbolic.
According to the production notes, “One of the striking aspects of colonialism is Europe’s incomprehension of Africa—not being able to hear the very clear language that was being spoken by Africa to Europe. There is the sense of language breaking down into nonsense, which is what Dadaism was very much about.” Pulling from this Dada tradition, the libretto draws from an equally wide net of sources, from Frantz Fanon to Tristan Tzara to Setswana proverbs, cut up and reassembled. The score, composed by Philip Miller and Thuthuka Sibisi, uses collage as a tool to reflect the many varied, unpredictable sounds that commingle during wartime, here including traditional African songs, European compositions, war chants, and percussive interjections.
Choreography is by Soweto-born Gregory Vuyani Maqoma, who first pursued dance in the 1980s as a “a refuge from the political tensions in the township.” Maqoma’s visionary creations have been performed on international stages; and his leadership has earned him associate artistic director roles at Moving Into Dance Mophatong, the Dance Umbrella festival, and the Afro-Vibes festival in the Netherlands and the UK, as well as inclusion on the dance committee of the National Arts Festival. Set design is by Sabine Theunissen, costume design by Greta Goiris, projection design by Catherine Meyburgh, and lighting design by Urs Schönebaum, all long-time Kentridge collaborators whose work ensures the visual world of the production is every bit as commanding as its sound.
DEC 11-13, 2026, ZELLERBACH HALL
Mark Morris has always known how to bring together the best creative minds and let them loose on a single stage—and Holidayland may be one of his most delightfully overstuffed endeavors yet. The brand-new production, performed here in its world premiere by the impeccable dancers of the Mark Morris Dance Group (MMDG), tells the story of a magic village that bursts into light, music, and dancing for one day each year.
The production follows a story by none other than Goosebumps creator R. L. Stine, whose impact as an author (of no less than 350 novels) cannot be overstated. At the height of Goosebumps’ popularity, Stine sold approximately four million books per month and, according to a recent interview, he is not letting his foot off the gas, writing each day from 10am to 1pm, or until he hits 2,000 words, whichever comes first. Known especially for his riveting plot twists, Stine’s contributions to the production are sure to be exhilarating.
Anyone who has heard Morris speak of his creative process knows that music is always the point of departure. For this production, he teams up once again with composer Nico Muhly, whose resume spans contemporary classical compositions, film scores, operas, and collaborations with artists as wide-ranging as Björk, Philip Glass, and Paul Simon. Muhly is beloved throughout the Bay Area, and his 2020 mini-concerto Throughline performed by the San Francisco Symphony received a Grammy nomination for Best Orchestral Performance. Here, his original score will be performed live by the MMDG Music Ensemble, ensuring the music is as alive and present as the dancers themselves.
Completing the picture is a visual world designed by several decorated talents in American theater.
Set designer Allen Moyer, the recipient of an Obie Award for sustained excellence, brings an extensive history from Broadway and opera stages (including the Metropolitan Opera, Houston Grand Opera, and Canadian Opera Company), as well as with Bay Area arts organizations including San Francisco Opera, Berkeley Rep (Paradise Square), and the San Francisco Ballet (Sylvia). Costumes are by Elizabeth Kurtzman, a longtime Morris collaborator whose work has, for years, helped define the visual identity of beloved MMDG productions such as Pepperland and Dancing Honeymoon. With choreography, story, music, set, and costume firing on all cylinders, Holidayland is a celebration in every sense of the word—perfect for anyone young at heart.
FEB 5–6, 2027, ZELLERBACH HALL
Named for the ancient Roman “Unconquered Sun” deity, Sol Invictus arrives with a clear message from its creator, French Algerian choreographer Hervé Koubi: that despite the fractures of the world, community is humanity’s saving grace. To deliver that message, Koubi enlists 17 extraordinary dancers from around the world whose unique visual language showcases mastery across contemporary dance, hip-hop, and martial arts. The choreography is deliberately arranged so that each performer can stand out,
and there is something different and intriguing to take in, no matter which direction you look.
Throughout the performance, references to the sun theme include a very long piece of golden, glowing fabric that transforms in the hands of the performers, becoming a veil, a pyramid, and a prop for head spins that seem to belong to another physical dimension entirely. A driving, cinematic score weaves together compositions by Mikael Karlsson and Maxime Bodson with the iconic minimalism of Steve Reich, giving the performance a pulse that never lets up. As Koubi himself says of the work, “Here, sun and dance will emerge victorious.”
NOV 21, 2026, ZELLERBACH HALL
Jazz pianist and composer Jason Moran returns to Cal Performances after his and wife Alicia Hall Moran’s outstanding 2022 Two Wings project about Black migration in the US for yet another deeply insightful exploration of history through the lens of music—this time, with a film component as well. This season’s performance spotlights the life and legacy of James Reese Europe, the underrecognized Black American composer and bandleader who landed in France with the all-Black Harlem Hellfighters unit during WWI and contributed to breaking the stalemate on the Western front, while at the same time leading a military music ensemble that helped popularize the new spirit of jazz in France.
The Absence of Ruin features Moran alongside his longstanding Bandwagon bandmates—bassist Tarus Mateen and drummer Nasheet Waits—with a seven-piece horn section.
An eclectic artist with paintings in the permanent collections of SFMOMA, MoMA, and the Whitney Museum of American Art, Moran understands the emotional power that can come from visual art just as much as sound. For this performance, he augments the rich sonic world with images filmed by Bradford Young, the first African American cinematographer nominated for an Oscar (for his work on the science-fiction movie Arrival). Young has contributed to dozens of film projects throughout his career, including Selma, A Most Violent Year, Pariah, Middle of Nowhere, and Mother of George, and here lends his creativity to flesh out what promises to be a “beautiful, poignant, reverent” (The Washington Post) tribute to Europe.
FEB 13–14, 2027, ZELLERBACH HALL
Seventy-five years ago, choreographer Amalia Hernández founded Ballet Folklórico de México with a vision: to take regional folk dances and their surrounding Mexican subcultures—from pre-Columbian civilizations to the modern era—and elevate them onto a global stage. In the decades since, the company has reached more than 45 million spectators worldwide and established itself as one of the world’s premier folkloric dance ensembles. This anniversary tour is a celebration of everything the company’s legacy encompasses:
a well-rounded feast of dance, music, storytelling, and vibrant, intricate costuming that amplifies and honors the full richness of Mexican cultural heritage.
To experience Ballet Folklórico de México is to understand, in the most visceral and joyful way possible, just how much a single performance can deliver. Each regional style brings its own rhythms and history—and the company’s dancers convey all of it with the kind of precision and passion that only comes from deep immersion in the material.
MAY 7–9, 2027, ZELLERBACH HALL
If you have ever wondered what it would look like for a dancer to transform into a flower, a wasp, or a force of nature itself, Botanica is your answer. The visual wizards of MOMIX—created more than four decades ago by Pilobolus co-founder Moses Pendleton—have built their reputation on performances that dissolve the line between the human body and the world around it, and this program is no exception. A tour through the four seasons,
Botanica unfolds with gravity-defying choreography and acrobatics, maximalist puppetry and props, and extraordinary costuming that turns performers into creatures and flora before your eyes.
Anchoring it all is a score that ranges from the sounds of birdsong to the soaring strings of Vivaldi, with lighting that shifts and breathes alongside the changing seasons. There is always something to watch, hear, and wonder at! After an enthusiastically received run of performances inspired by Alice in Wonderland during Cal Performances’ 2025–26 season, MOMIX’s return demonstrates the full range of what its acrobatic dancers can do—which, it turns out, is just about everything.
FEB 27–28, 2027, ZELLERBACH HALL
Founded in New York City in 1974, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo set out to do something that had never quite been done before: stage technically rigorous productions of classical ballet through the lens of parody—but executed by an all-male cast performing every role.
Best known for their satirical takes on the tropes of traditional ballet (though not limiting themselves purely to the one genre),
the dancers of the Trocks showcase artistry at so many levels: as expertly trained dancers, as storytellers and physical comedians, and as drag artists,
each with their own unique character and perspective. For more than 50 years, these exceptional performers have been offering something that no other artists can, a level of entertainment and critical nuance that must be seen to be fully appreciated. Expect a sampling of classic company repertoire that is sure to delight die-hard ballet fans and first-timers alike through what the troupe itself refers to as “the universal language of laughter.”
Explore More and Secure Your Seats
This list is just a sample of the multidimensional artistry you’ll see across genres during the 2026–27 season. Explore the full 2026–27 Season Calendar for yourself, and review our other season guides as well on Beyond the Stage.
Want to secure your seats early and save up to 25% on tickets? When you subscribe by bundling as few as four performances, you unlock the very best experience we have to offer! Explore our Subscriber benefits, and mark your calendars for when subscriptions go on sale at noon (PT) on May 5, 2026!
UC Berkeley students have access to exclusive student discounts, including a special bundle of 4 tickets called a Flex Pass. UCB Student tickets go on sale on August 21, 2026.
Related Events
Beyond the Stage: 2026–27 Season Guides
Explore the six guides to the season below to find the performances that were made for you.
Humans at the Heart: The Storyteller’s Guide to the 2026–27 Season
Humans at the Heart: The Storyteller’s Guide to the 2026–27 Season
There’s a reason we’ve been telling stories since the beginning of human history: hearing another person’s experience, real or imagined, makes us feel at once more connected. If getting to witness a deeply human journey unfold before you is what draws you to the performing arts, this is the guide for you.
The 2026–27 Cal Performances season is full of performances that put people at their center, following histories, relationships, inner lives, and even small human moments that all make a story worth telling. Some of these narratives are centuries old, passed down through music and myth. Others are more recent, drawing on memories that deserve to be honored and preserved. And some are deeply personal, the kind that feel like the performer is sharing something they’ve carried for a long time. Whether you already know these stories or are coming to them for the first time, you’re guaranteed to encounter a character who transcends the boundaries of the stage—someone you’ll want to learn about, learn from, and root for.
MAR 6, 2027, ZELLERBACH HALL
If you’ve watched enough Broadway, film, or television over the past two decades, you almost certainly know Cheyenne Jackson’s name. He has built one of the most varied careers in American entertainment as an Emmy- and Grammy-nominated actor, singer, songwriter, and performer.
A solo concert is where all of this comes together, combining the glamour of cabaret with the intimacy of a musical memoir.
Through evocative songs and magnetic storytelling, Jackson shares how “a super-tall, super-queer, super-Christian kid from northern Idaho” found his way to Broadway, television, and a national solo tour, bridging the divide between performer and audience to let us in on the kind of storytelling that only happens when someone has lived enough of a life to have something profound to share.
APR 25, 2027, ZELLERBACH HALL
For all his world-conquering ambition, Alexander the Great evidently could not make up his mind about which princess he loved, and composer George Frideric Handel found that far more interesting than any of his battles. Alessandro is less a portrait of a military hero than of a man undone by his own ego and indecision, caught between two women who both adore him and a court that’s starting to lose patience.
It’s vain, romantic, a little ridiculous, and a dramatic musical delight—
especially considering the cast includes such superlative vocalists as French countertenor and Handel specialist Christophe Dumaux as Alessandro; American soprano Joélle Harvey as Lisaura, and Australian mezzo-soprano Xenia Puskarz Thomas as her competitor, Rossane. The English Concert itself has built a reputation as one of the finest Handel ensembles in the world, and now it is your turn to experience this captivating story from its most renowned tellers.
SEP 25–27, 2026, ZELLERBACH HALL
Inspired by the legacy and lore of one of literature’s most extraordinary minds, Christopher Wheeldon’s visionary choreography engages the superb dancers of The Australian Ballet to tell the story of Irish author Oscar Wilde. Known for his satirical prose, confident demeanor, and flamboyant fashion choices, Oscar Wilde is one of those figures whose life was almost as dramatic as anything he put on the page—a man of dazzling wit and triumph who also endured public heartbreak, and even imprisonment. What makes this ballet so special for anyone who loves a good story is that it incorporates Wilde’s life into the narrative, transcending a mere adaptation of his work. Choreographer Christopher Wheeldon threads Wilde’s personal journey together with characters from his own writings, including The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Nightingale and the Rose, so the line between the man and his imagination begins to blur in the most fascinating way.
Of the production, The Australian Ballet Artistic Director, David Hallberg, said,
“Working on Oscar has been deeply meaningful because it speaks to how ballet can continue to evolve, not only in movement, but also in the narratives it embraces.”
“For much of its history, ballet has told heteronormative stories, so to collaborate with Christopher Wheeldon on a work that so boldly brings a different experience to the stage has felt especially significant.”
There’s something deeply moving about watching a storyteller become the subject of someone else’s story, and this season-opening performance seems to understand that completely. Hallberg shared that Wheeldon “has a gift for marrying emotional depth and choreography, and through his storytelling he has created a ballet that feels both intimate and expansive. I hope audiences leave with a sense of having experienced something beautiful, but also something deeply human. A story of love, identity and vulnerability that has not often been given this kind of space in dance.”
NOV 1, 2026, HERTZ HALL
Virginia Woolf’s Orlando is one of literature’s great character studies, following a protagonist who travels through centuries, changes gender, navigates complex relationships, and somehow remains entirely, stubbornly themself. Orlando as a character invites us to reflect on identity, about what makes us who we are across time and circumstance—and turns out to be a perfect point of inspiration for an evening of music.
Mezzo-soprano Ema Nikolovska and guitarist Sean Shibe have built a program that riffs on the character and energy of Woolf’s groundbreaking 1928 novel, with echoes of the medieval Chanson de Roland and Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso.
The music itself features Nikolovska’s powerful vocals alongside acoustic and electric guitar for eclectic repertoire by artists like John Dowland, Schubert, Bob Dylan, and Laurie Anderson, in addition to commissioned works written in the past and coming year by exciting voices from the US, UK, and Canada. Passages from the novel run through the entire performance, resulting in something that feels less like a traditional recital, and more like a story being told by many voices across many eras.
NOV 12–15, 2026, HENRY J. KAISER CENTER FOR THE ARTS, OAKLAND
Over one million Africans labored in WWI as soldiers, as porters, and as people caught in the middle of a war that was never really theirs—yet most of their names were never recorded. William Kentridge’s extraordinary theatrical work is built around this silence, and what it means when people try to speak into it. Featuring outstanding contributions from composer Philip Miller, choreographer Gregory Maqoma, and music director and co-composer Thuthuka Sibisi, the production utilizes projection, music, movement, and a libretto collaged from fragments of poetry, proverbs, and historical texts in multiple languages to create a portrait of people whose stories were deliberately left out of the historical record. Maqoma shared,
“Working on The Head & the Load profoundly reshaped my understanding of history, particularly the scale and weight of African participation in the First World War, a history that has largely remained invisible.”
“Entering William Kentridge’s world of excavation and reconstruction made me confront how much of what we think we know is structured by absence.”
Performed here in its West Coast premiere, this electrifying, fiercely beautiful, and utterly engrossing work focuses its energy not on a simple retelling of events, but, according to Maqoma, a “re-evaluation of history, one that shifts the lens away from dominant narratives toward those who carried its invisible weigh.” The production immerses audiences in the type of memory that is energetically felt more than it is cognizantly understood. Across a 180-foot-long stage (presented this season at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts Arena), The Head & the Load sees the contributions of 37 dancers, actors, vocalists, and musicians—and enlists the emotional power of music, dance, speech, shadow play, projection, and sculpture—to deliver a deep meditation on a story that has rarely been told … and never been told like this.
FEB 10, 2027, ZELLERBACH HALL
At its core, Dido and Aenas is a story about what happens when love and duty pull in opposite directions—and when someone gets left behind. Purcell wrote this epic opera in 1689, but the heartbreak at the center of it feels “[astoundingly] so modern, fresh and utterly captivating,” shared Joyce DiDonato. The plot follows Dido, Queen of Carthage, falling for the Trojan hero Aenas, who ultimately abandons her to fulfill his destiny; what follows is one of opera’s most devastating portraits of grief.
DiDonato, one of the most celebrated mezzo-sopranos of her generation, has spent years living with this role, and brings to it something beyond technical mastery.
Her hope with this program is that the audience leaves “deeply moved, knowing that to love is always worth it”—which, really, is the story of Dido in a single sentence. Drawing on the talents of period ensemble Il Pomo d’Oro and soloists including lyric tenor Nicholas Phan, this is a performance that treats a 45-minute opera (paired here with Carissimi’s deeply moving Jephte) with the full emotional weight it deserves.
NOV 21, 2026, ZELLERBACH HALL
Before he led his regiment through the trenches of World War I, James Reese Europe packed Carnegie Hall, built a union for Black musicians, and was widely considered the most important bandleader in America. And yet, within a decade of his untimely death at 39, his name had almost completely vanished from the history books.
The Absence of Ruin is jazz pianist and composer Jason Moran’s meditation on Europe’s life,
particularly remembering his role in WWI as a bandleader who landed alongside the all-Black Harlem Hellfighters unit that contributed to breaking the stalemate on the Western front, and led a military music ensemble that helped popularize the new spirit of jazz in France. The production features a full ensemble reimagining Europe’s original compositions alongside photographs and film footage that piece together a portrait of a man who knew, even as he marched into war, that his music meant something bigger than himself.
SEP 27, 2026, HERTZ HALL
A regal presence on stages the world over, dramatic baritone Lester Lynch combines his captivating voice with the talents of pianist Korth to create emotional milieus that movingly depict love, loss, and mortality. Among the repertoire is Samuel Barber’s Dover Beach. Barber held onto a special affection for Matthew Arnold’s poem of the same name for his entire life, composing music inspired by the very textures he felt within the writing. Decades after creating his own Dover Beach, Barber still remarked on how contemporary the emotions felt, and it’s easy to hear why.
Arnold’s poem is about the loneliness of losing faith, and the desperate human appeal that follows: “Ah love, let us be true to one another.”
Barber’s setting takes that plea seriously, building from a quiet and atmospheric opening into something far more painful before hauntingly returning to where it began. Paired with additional works including Mahler’s Rückert Lieder—a piece about the private, almost sacred act of creation—it’s a program that sits with some of the most tender, yet exposed aspects of being human. Lynch is a baritone known for commanding the grandest roles in opera, but what makes this recital so compelling is the intimacy it demands. Stripped of staging and costuming, it’s just the voice and the story within the song.
Explore More and Secure Your Seats
This list is just a taste of the stories waiting for you during the 2026–27 Cal Performances season. We encourage you to explore the full season for yourself, and to discover our other season guides as well on Beyond the Stage.
Want to secure your seats early and save up to 25% on tickets? When you subscribe by bundling as few as four performances, you unlock the very best experience we have to offer! Explore our Subscriber benefits, and mark your calendars for when subscriptions go on sale at noon (PT) on May 5, 2026!
UC Berkeley students have access to exclusive student discounts, including a special bundle of 4 tickets called a Flex Pass. UCB Student tickets go on sale on August 21, 2026.
Related Events
Beyond the Stage: 2026–27 Season Guides
Explore the six guides to the season below to find the performances that were made for you.
“Organic Seeds” in the Sanctuary: Silkroad’s Artistic Approach to Music
“Organic Seeds” in the Sanctuary: Silkroad’s Artistic Approach to Music
“‘Organic’ is a term completely subjective to the individual. In the context of this Sanctuary tour, it meant allowing for each unique artist to bring their idea, their musical ‘seed,’ and share it in a way that felt authentic to them.”
By Angelina Josephine Rosete, Cal Performances’ Engagement Writer
Of all ensembles that perform music across cultural boundaries, Silkroad Ensemble emerges as a living testament to what music can fully be, transcending audience expectations with their signature organicism and collaborative ethos. Founded 25 years ago under the vision of Yo-Yo Ma, the Silkroad Ensemble has long operated on the guiding principle that music is a living conversation that grows richer with each voice that is invited in. This season, that conversation has taken on a new urgency. As part of Cal Performances’ Illuminations: “Exile and Sanctuary” programming, Silkroad arrives with artistic director Rhiannon Giddens at Zellerbach Hall on March 19–20 with Sanctuary: The Power of Resonance and Ritual, a program that begs the question: what does it mean for music to be a home?
In an interview with Maeve Gilchrist, Silkroad’s Scottish-Irish harpist, we explore the ensemble’s approach to music that unfolds organically, and how the conversations that happen in music create a sanctuary for both artist and spectator alike.
Edinburgh-born and currently based in Kingston, New York, Gilchrist has been credited as an innovator on the Celtic (lever) harp, taking the instrument to new levels of visibility and performance. A member of the Grammy-winning Arooj Aftab Vulture Prince Ensemble and the Grammy-winning Silkroad Ensemble, she has performed and recorded alongside Yo-Yo Ma, esperanza spalding, and Ambrose Akinmusire, among others. She is ultimately an artist deeply fluent in the art of cross-cultural musical dialogue, and an ideal guide into the world Silkroad is building with Sanctuary.
The seeds from which we grow our roots build the foundation for future processes, especially in creative fields where we draw on tradition to forge new innovations. Gilchrist grew up in a household where every social gathering was an occasion for songs and storytelling. Music was never a fully individual pursuit. She shares, “Now, as a professional musician, I reflect on the joy of my musical baptism on a regular basis. It gives me perspective, reminds me of the importance of inclusion and passing on what was shared so generously with me.” That spirit of transmission, of music as something that is received and in turn offered forward, runs through everything Silkroad does.
At the heart of the program is an intentional shift in how the ensemble works. Rather than using commissioned scores, artistic director Rhiannon Giddens pushed for the group to learn primarily by ear, promoting in turn collective arranging and improvisation. The result, Gilchrist shares, is something that feels genuinely alive. “‘Organic’ is a term completely subjective to the individual,” she explains. “In the context of this Sanctuary tour, it meant allowing for each unique artist to bring their idea, their musical ‘seed,’ and share it in a way that felt authentic to them.” Each musician draws from their own cultural tradition and personal story—ranging from Sicilian tarantella to Moroccan Gnawa, Indian classical music to American old-time—planting these seeds into a shared ensemble soil, then tending them together.
To build this entire program by ear, with no sheet music and relying on collective instinct of a highly collaborative nature, is no easy feat. It requires, as Gilchrist puts it, “time and patience and a generosity of spirit.” But the payoff is a sense of communal ownership that she believes audiences will be able to feel. “I think the mindfulness that was present in the rehearsal process translates to a feeling of ownership within the ensemble. A feeling that in each piece of music there is a real part of each of us.” Of all the different cultural conversations occurring through this musical process, Maeve calls their collectivity “a family.”
Perhaps that is what makes Sanctuary so timely. “Music transports us to a place where we can have important emotional, contemplative, and connective experiences in ways that might not otherwise be possible,” Gilchrist reflects. “Helping create pathways to those heart spaces, where healing and change is possible, is essential now more than ever.” For Gilchrist, the heart of Silkroad lies in the process, in the moments of unexpected connection. “It’s the only organization I’ve ever been associated with that is focused on those moments. That’s a beautiful thing.”
To watch the Silkroad Ensemble perform this special program is to partake in a communal concert experience that emphasizes collaboration and improvisation to create music that heals. Through bearing witness to the conversations happening in this performance, the audience is invited into the sanctuary created in the dialogue between artists, instruments, and music. The seeds have been planted, and on March 19 and 20, Zellerbach Hall becomes the garden.
Q&A with Midsummer Night’s Dream vocalist Anna von Hausswolff
Q&A with Midsummer Night’s Dream vocalist Anna von Hausswolff
Giving a voice to Midsummer
Anna von Hausswolff thought she had done it all. That was before choreographer Alexander Ekman and composer Mikael Karlsson sought her out for a performance unlike any other. That performance was Midsummer Night’s Dream (which makes its West Coast premiere at Cal Performances in April 2026) and it put the young indie rock sensation squarely at the center of Ekman and Karlsson’s wild fantasy, in which the traditions of the Scandinavian Midsommar holiday get turned on their head by the magnificent dancers of The Joffrey Ballet.
How would you describe your role in the performance?
I’m the storyteller and the contemplator. I’m an insider and an outsider. I’m a foreigner and a friend. I’m a mythological creature telling the story of tradition, celebration, and love.
How did you react when Alex and Mikael approached you about collaborating for Midsummer?
I felt happy and honored, but also very nervous. I had never worked with such a big set-up and usually I work alone.
Had you worked with dancers before?
I have never worked with dancers before. Usually, when I do music, I have my own band and I’m the center of attention. This time I had to take a step back and let the dancers lead. It was inspiring to see them translate the music into movement. I was just a tiny particle in this big, amazing, colorful universe.
How would you describe the music?
It is a combination of different things: classical, contemporary, experimental music, pop, and traditional Swedish folk music.
What do you enjoy most about this production?
To see the dancers and to interact with them. They give me so much energy and adrenaline.
By your own account, Midsummer is your first large stage production. Any surprises that you weren’t expecting?
I didn’t realize what a big team it takes to make such an ambitious show come to life. There are dancers but also musicians, technicians, producers, production assistants. It was amazing to see these creative people synchronize with each other and make magic happen. If one person failed, somehow the problem was fixed. It takes patience and precision. I was amazed by everyone around me.
Do you have a fond Midsommar memory from childhood?
We had this beautiful summer house in the Swedish countryside. My favorite thing was to run in the field in front of the house and pick seven different flowers to put them under my pillow. Tradition says that if you put these flowers under your pillow before you go to bed, you will dream of your future love.
What makes Midsommar unique to other Swedish holidays?
It feels more connected to Norse mythology and Aesir faith with its weird traditions and beliefs connected to nature and nature-beings. It’s full of folklore and superstition. It’s one of the most interesting, weird, and magical celebrations in Sweden.
Explaining the “Early Music” Genre with Jeremy Geffen
Explaining the “Early Music” Genre with Jeremy Geffen
“It’s a combination of performance and scholarship.”
Video editing by El Zager, Cal Performances’ Social Media, Digital Content and Engagement Specialist
So, what is “Early Music” anyway? What movements does it include? And are Early Music artists really trying to recreate what the music sounded like at the time it was made—before recordings even existed?!
While genre tags are generally intended to help listeners create a clearer picture of the music they’re about to experience, genres that are tied to time periods can feel much harder to grasp. In this five-minute video, Jeremy Geffen, Cal Performances’ Executive and Artistic Director, helps to demystify the “historically informed performance movement” and shares more about the styles and performers who are defining Early Music for modern times.
To see what Early Music performances are coming up at Cal Performances during the 2025–26 season, see our genre calendar page here.
Transcript
Jeremy Geffen:
Hi everyone. I’m Jeremy Geffen, the Executive and Artistic Director for Cal Performances, and I’m here for question time!
What periods fall under the Early Music umbrella?
We think of things like Renaissance, Medieval, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and it starts to get a little bit more broad from there. Even within those, there are groupings. Like, anything from essentially Medieval to Baroque is often classified as early music. These are post-hoc categorizations rather than deliberate decisions on the part of a composer to write in a specific style.
What are the qualities that distinguish Early Music?
The variety of sonic experience of Early Music varies enormously, because it can be an a capella concert in which you’re just hearing early music vocal techniques, which in many cases are not totally dissimilar from modern vocal techniques, and especially from some very specific styles of new music where the sound is essentially performed with what they call straight tones, so there’s no vibrato—you just want the purity of the sound and the pitch, and it all fits together like an organ… In other types of early music performance, you’re hearing music performed on instruments, or versions of instruments from the time in which they’re written. Sometimes they’re performed on the traditional instruments, like the folk instruments that led to the creation of those more modern, formalized instruments… So, there’s an enormous amount of variety within early music.
And one of the things I love about it is that there’s often not much of a divide between what was formalized music and what was the full tradition. So, much of the dance music that is so prevalent in Medieval and Baroque music directly comes from music that was meant to be danced to, and therefore is accompanied by more folksy types of instruments.
What is the role of scholarship in Early Music performance?
The historically informed performance movement was really an outgrowth of the second half of the 20th century, and it’s a combination of performance and scholarship. Bach was quite specific in his scores. There’s not a lot of room for improvisation within it, except in places where he’s very specific that he wants something to be improvised, or maybe an ornament here or there. There are no recordings from this time. Recording technology didn’t exist until the 20th century or the very end of the 19th century, so, it’s really a guess as to how the music sounds. And to fill in those blanks, you have to rely on scholarship. People like Jordi Savall and Christopher Hogwood, these are great performers, but they’re also great researchers. And what they bring to a performance is a combination of their sonic imagination combined with the accounts, the firsthand accounts, that they would’ve read of the performances of pieces during this time.
There’s an Indiana Jones element to this. There’s an element of discovery, because we’ll never know exactly how these pieces sounded at the time of their premiere. For many elements of the Baroque tradition, there’s much more onus on the performer. Renaissance and Medieval periods, we have a lot of vocal music. There were so many composers writing during these periods. In many cases, the idea of composer as a sole profession did not exist in the way that it does now.
What Early Music performances are at Cal Performances this season?
The Tallis Scholars comes every year. And we have a piece later this season by Tomás de Victoria, who is certainly the most famous Spanish composer of his time, if not one of the most famous Spanish composers of all time. It’s called O magnum mysterium. It is heaven, and highly encourage everyone to come hear the Tallis Scholars sing that. Jordi Savall, one of his, or sometimes more than one of his ensembles will come once a year. In more recent years, The English Concert comes once a year, and their offering is exclusively a Handel opera or oratorio. So, it’s actually a very similar type of experience from year to year.
10 Things You May Not Know About Chris Thile
10 Things You May Not Know About Chris Thile
Chris Thile’s Musical Journey Across Genres and Generations
Mandolinist, singer-songwriter, composer, and radio host Chris Thile has built a career that bridges bluegrass, classical, and contemporary music. Best known for his work with the bands Nickel Creek and Punch Brothers, and as the former host of public radio’s Live from Here, Thile is widely recognized for redefining the mandolin for the 21st century.
Ahead of his return to Zellerbach Hall on Friday, February 27, 2026, we’re diving into details about his work and career, and why his live show is a can’t-miss experience for the whole Bay Area.
1. He was a child prodigy (in the truest sense).
Chris Thile started playing the mandolin at the young age of 5, setting the foundation for a lifelong career as a performer and composer. His early exposure to music within a family setting shaped his technical fluency and musical range.
2. Nickel Creek began as a family project.
Thile’s first band, Nickel Creek, formed in 1989 when he was just 8 years old, when he met his bandmates—siblings Sara and Sean Watkins, who were 8 and 12, respectively—through a mutual tutor. The group went from performing a weekly gig at a local pizza spot to touring as one of the most influential progressive acoustic bands of its generation. After a hiatus, Nickel Creek reunited and continues to perform and record today.
3. He was touring professionally before his teens.
Because Nickel Creek functioned as a family band, Thile was already touring nationally while still a child. This early professional experience contributed to his comfort on stage and deep familiarity with live performance.
4. He released solo music early in his career.
In addition to his work with Nickel Creek, Thile released solo recordings as a teenager, including Stealing Second (1997), which showcased his compositional voice and technical command of the mandolin outside of a band setting.
5. He’s a MacArthur Fellow.
In 2012, Thile received a MacArthur Fellowship—the prestigious “genius grant” awarded to just a handful of individuals each year who demonstrate exceptional creativity and potential. The foundation recognized his rare ability to forge a new musical language that seamlessly draws from bluegrass, classical, and other traditions, placing him among an elite group of artists, scientists, and innovators. At 31, he was one of the youngest recipients in the 2012 class.
6. He founded Punch Brothers.
In 2006, Thile formed Punch Brothers, an ensemble known for its intricate compositions, collaborative structure, and genre-crossing approach. The group has released multiple acclaimed albums and remains a central part of his musical output.
7. He’s hosted major variety shows on public radio and podcasts.
Thile became host of A Prairie Home Companion in 2016, later renamed Live from Here with Chris Thile. During its four-year run, the variety show blended live music, conversation, and original songwriting, and reached a national audience through public radio. More recently, he’s been focused on the production of a new musical variety show, The Energy Curfew Music Hour. Created with Claire Coffee and featuring Punch Brothers, Season One is available on all podcast platforms, with Season Two exclusively out on Audible.
8. Bach is a major part of his work.
Thile has long engaged with the music of J.S. Bach, performing and recording the Sonatas and Partitas originally written for solo violin, adapted for mandolin. His 2025 release, Bach: Sonatas and Partitas, Vol. 2, reflects an interpretive approach informed by both classical tradition and contemporary performance practice. For this project, he embraced a more personal interpretation, taking creative liberties with the scores and recording in unconventional locations of deep significance to him—including New York’s Tompkins Square Park.
9. He Founded His Own Music Camp to Foster Acoustic Community
A reflection of his deep commitment to nurturing the artistic community, Thile created “Acousticamp“—a four-day immersive program where he and hand-selected professional musicians, including members of Punch Brothers, share their expertise with acoustic instrumentalists of all skill levels. Through an energetic schedule of masterclasses, Q&A sessions, and spirited jam sessions, campers experience both rigorous musical growth and genuine joy. This year marks four years of camp, and registration is now open!
10. His career spans awards, collaborations, and multiple disciplines.
Across his work with Nickel Creek, Punch Brothers, solo projects, and radio, Thile has received multiple Grammy Awards and nominations. His career reflects a sustained commitment to collaboration, composition, and live performance rather than a single genre or format.