March 2020
Harriman Jewell Series presents The Siberian State Symphony Orchestra
Since its founding in 1977, The Siberian State Symphony Orchestra has established itself as one of Russia’s great orchestras, which is quite an accomplishment. After opening with Rimsky-Korsakov’s colorful overture to the opera Tsar’s Bride, the Orchestra will perform two great Russian concertos: Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major, Op. 19, and Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18.
Find out more »Lyric Opera of Kansas City presents Lucia di Lammermoor
Despite ominous premonitions, young Lucia stokes the fire of a forbidden love with her brother’s greatest political enemy. But with her once-wealthy family on the brink of bankruptcy, she is forced to do her familial duty and marry the head of a rival family. Convinced by her ambitious brother that her true love has been unfaithful, she signs the marriage contract. When her former flame finds out, he flips out. And that’s when the wedding cake hits the finials.
Find out more »National Geographic Live presents Shannon Wild, Photographer and Cinematographer: Pursuit of the Black Panther
Wildlife photographer and cinematographer Shannon Wild is a passionate conservationist who lives in Africa but works wherever the wildlife calls. In her 15 years documenting wildlife, she’s been pinned by a cheetah, charged by an elephant, lions, and buffalo, and bitten countless times by snakes and lizards. But her most recent assignment might prove her most difficult yet: producing a documentary about a rare black panther – the only one living in 250 square miles of dense forest in southern…
Find out more »The Kansas City Youth Symphony presents: The Kansas City Classic Orchestra and Band Festival
Over 400 local musicians from eight Kansas City-area orchestras will be on stage at the Kauffman Center for a day of free music. The afternoon session will begin at 12:30 p.m. and the evening session will begin at 6 p.m. Come join this third annual Kansas City Classic Orchestra and Band Festival and Hear the Future Now! Presented by Youth Symphony of Kansas City.
Find out more »Kansas City Symphony presents: The Music of the Rolling Stones: Mic Jagger & Keith Richards 1969
Your Kansas City Symphony and Windborne present a full rock band with the orchestra to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Rolling Stones iconic albums, Beggar’s Banquet and Let It Bleed. Hear classic hits "Gimme Shelter," "Midnight Rambler" and "You Can't Always Get What You Want," plus rock anthems "Brown Sugar," "I Can’t Get No Satisfaction" and many more! Let’s spend the night together with the music of The World's Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band. Please note: The Rolling Stones…
Find out more »Heritage Philharmonic presents: The 75th Anniversary Concert
Celebrate Heritage Philharmonic’s 75th season with the presentation of its Anniversary Concert at Helzberg Hall. Program featuring Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Suite, A World Premiere 75th Anniversary Commissioned work by Dr. Ian Coleman, and Randall Thompson’s Testament of Freedom with Blue Springs South High School and Truman High School choirs. Sponsored by Henks Financial Group. FREE ADMISSION with reserved ticket.
Find out more »Fiddler on the Roof
Tony® Award-winning director Bartlett Sher and the team behind South Pacific, The King and I, and 2017 Tony® Award-winning Best Play Oslo, bring a fresh and authentic vision to this beloved theatrical masterpiece from Tony Award® winner Joseph Stein and Pulitzer Prize winner Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick.
Find out more »Kansas City Symphony presents Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto Schumann’s Rhenish
Due to the tragic onset of deafness, Beethoven made a farewell tour as soloist with his Fourth Piano Concerto. Guest conductor Johannes Debus leads the Symphony and piano prodigy Eric Lu for the extraordinary Fourth Concerto — a blend of haunting lyricism, technical finesse and musical innovation. Schumann’s Third Symphony, created during one of the happiest periods in his career, captures the simple joys of life from time spent in the Rhineland. Barber’s Second Essay for orchestra displays the composer’s…
Find out more »Kauffman Center presents Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Live: Neighbor Day
“Won’t you ride along with me?” Following the hugely successful Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Live: King for a Day tour that traveled to more than 50 communities in 2019, Daniel Tiger and all his friends from the beloved Emmy Award-winning PBS KIDS television series are hopping back aboard Trolley for Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Live: Neighbor Day.
Find out more »Kansas City Symphony presents Classics Uncorked: One-Hit Wonders
You know these tunes even if you don’t know the composer well. From the “Clown Song” (Entrance of the Gladiators) to The Sorcerer’s Apprentice made famous in Disney’s “Fantasia,” enjoy an evening of one-hit orchestral wonders played live by your Kansas City Symphony. The frenetic Sabre Dance is a throwback to spinning plates on the “Ed Sullivan Show” and Mascagni’s highly emotional Intermezzo from Cavalleria rusticana (and the movie “Raging Bull”) will tug at your heartstrings. After the concert, enjoy…
Find out more »Kansas City Symphony presents ABBA The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA
The world’s top ABBA tribute band joins your Kansas City Symphony to perform the iconic songs of a generation. “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” “Waterloo,” “S.O.S.,” “Gimme Gimme Gimme” and many more will have you dancing in the aisles and singing along. Tickets from $40.
Find out more »Shen Yun 2020
Shen Yun invites you to travel back to the magical world of ancient China. Experience a lost culture through the incredible art of classical Chinese dance, and see legends come to life. Shen Yun makes this possible by pushing the boundaries of the performing arts, with a unique blend of stunning costuming, high-tech backdrops, and an orchestra like no other. Be prepared for a theatrical experience that will take your breath away!
Find out more »April 2020
Kauffman Center Presents Martina McBride
Multiple GRAMMY nominee Martina McBride has sold over 18 million albums to date, which includes 20 Top 10 singles and six #1 hits. 2017 marked a milestone in Martina’s illustrious career when she hit her 25th year of touring. McBride has earned more than 15 major music awards, including four wins for Female Vocalist of the Year from the Country Music Association and won three Academy of Country Music for Top Female Vocalist. Martina has been awarded 14 Gold Records,…
Find out more »Kauffman Center presents Martina McBride Livin Life Up Tour
Multiple GRAMMY nominee Martina McBride has sold over 18 million albums to date, which includes 20 Top 10 singles and six #1 hits. 2017 marked a milestone in Martina’s illustrious career when she hit her 25th year of touring. McBride has earned more than 15 major music awards, including four wins for Female Vocalist of the Year from the Country Music Association and won three Academy of Country Music for Top Female Vocalist. Martina has been awarded 14 Gold Records,…
Find out more »Kauffman Center presents Champions of Magic
Champions of Magic started touring in October 2013, and has since completed six U.K. tours, and a U.S. tour in 2017. Their skills have been featured on-screen worldwide, with appearances on The CW’s Penn & Teller: Fool Us, NBC’s Caught on Camera with Nick Cannon, The Today Show, and Access Hollywood Live.
Find out more »Kansas City Symphony presents Midori Plays Dvořák: A Celebration of Isaac Stern
This blockbuster program with Michael Stern and your Kansas City Symphony reveals Beethoven’s lighter side in his joyous Fourth Symphony. Berlioz described the beautiful second movement as “breathed by the archangel Michael.” Dvořák’s Violin Concerto, with its flights of fancy and festive Czech folk music, gets the superstar treatment from Midori, another disciple of Isaac Stern. Drawing inspiration from Spanish and French poetry, This Midnight Hour by Anna Clyne seeks to “evoke a visual journey for the listener.” Tickets from…
Find out more »June 2020
HNC Living Foundation: Masks for Aid
Join HNC Living Foundation for a transformational evening, celebrating the connections that create powerful, life-changing opportunities for people living with head and neck cancer. By bringing together celebrated artists and the innovative performers of Quixotic, culinary masters and impressive craftsmen, MASKS for AID proves that extraordinary feats can be accomplished through the meaningful relationships that connect us to each other, even in the face of unexpected diagnosis. Within the world-renowned Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, experience with HNC Living…
Find out more »October 2020
Kauffman Center Presents Black Violin: Impossible Tour 2020
Classical-meets-hip-hop duo, Black Violin, returns to Muriel Kauffman Theatre for their Impossible Tour 2020. Violist Wil Baptiste and violinist Kev Marcus have crafted a style that’s often described as “classical boom,” aiming to change perceptions of classical and hip-hop music. For 16 years, Kev Marcus and Wil Baptiste have been merging string arrangements with modern beats and vocals. The two were classically trained on the violin and viola through their high school and college careers. Post-college, they reconvened to produce…
Find out more »August 2021
Maks & Val: Stripped Down Tour
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts | Muriel Kauffman Theatre The Stripped Down Tour is a unique experience that will bring you closer to Maks & Val than ever before. The intimate evening is packed with breathtaking dancing, deeply personal storytelling and world-class showmanship true to the Chmerkovskiy name. Genuine and heartwarming, the Stripped Down Tour promises to take your emotions for a ride, and have you smiling on the drive back. The boys leave their hearts out on stage…
Find out more »The BIG Event
The 15th Annual BIG Event will celebrate hope, transformation, and investment in the lives of children all around the world who are served by The Global Orphan Project. Guests can attend in-person at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts OR tune in virtually to experience this beautiful evening that will inspire you with stories that God is writing through our local church partners and the orphaned and vulnerable children we are called to serve. In-person attendees will NOT be…
Find out more »September 2021
C.S. Lewis The Great Divorce
Take a bus ride to heaven in C.S. Lewis’ imaginative The Great Divorce! C.S. Lewis’ mesmerizing fantasy about heaven, hell and the choice between them comes to life with Lewis’ signature wit, amazing actors and dazzling, state-of-the-art stagecraft! Lewis’ brilliantly drawn characters take a fantastical bus trip from hell to the outskirts of paradise. Each receives an opportunity to stay . . . or return to hell, forever divorced from heaven. The choice proves more challenging than imagined. An 85-minute…
Find out more »KC Celebrates Kenny Broberg | Presented by Park University and the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra
In his first concert appearance since winning the coveted American Pianists Awards this summer, pianist Kenny Broberg will be celebrated by Kansas City audiences in a performance with the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra in Helzberg Hall. Already a favorite in Kansas City, Kenny is one of the most decorated pianists of his generation having previously won the bronze medal in the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2019 and the silver medal in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2017. A…
Find out more »October 2021
Shen Yun Performing Art Show
China Before Communism | Shen Yun Shen Yun Performing Arts is the world's premier classical Chinese dance and music company, established in New York in 2006. Shen Yun presents what Chinese culture was like before it was destroyed by decades of communism. For 5,000 years, divine culture flourished in the land of China that treasured virtue, kindness, loyalty, and integrity. Through breathtaking music and dance, Shen Yun is reviving this glorious culture. Shen Yun, or 神韻, can be translated as:…
Find out more »November 2021
UMKC Conservatory Crescendo 2021
Crescendo 2021 will be held on Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, at the stunning Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts and is one of the premier art events in Kansas City. Guests will enjoy a delectable dinner in Brandmeyer Grand Hall followed by spectacular performances on the stage of Helzberg Hall. It is a fast-paced, one-hour, collage-style performance put together by the talented students and internationally acclaimed faculty of the UMKC Conservatory, where one ensemble flows into the next in uninterrupted succession…
Find out more »January 2022
Kansas City Ballet Presents ‘Dracula’
Back by popular demand, the internationally renowned Dracula, based on Bram Stoker’s classic gothic horror story tantalizes as it terrifies. This lush theatrical work has it all…sensuous costumes, thrilling sets and special effects, and a gripping original score that will take your breath away. This Valentine’s, Dracula in Kansas City invites you for an incredible theatrical experience at the Kauffman Center.
Find out more »Kansas City Symphony Presents Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in Concert Film + Live Orchestra
Harry Potter™, Ron Weasley™, and Hermione Granger™ return for this unforgettable film concert event. Experience Harry and his friends racing through the Department of Mysteries, practice Defense Against the Dark Arts in secret, and endure Professor Umbridge™ with Nicholas Hooper’s iconic score. Relive the magic with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™ displayed on a giant screen in high-definition and accompanied by your Kansas City Symphony.
Find out more »February 2022
Kansas City Symphony Presents Prokofiev’s Fifth, with Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations
Dvořák’s Othello Overture was originally conceived as the middle work of a trilogy; between the two other overtures, one celebrating nature and the other, the revelry at a carnival, this one is a musical depiction of all of the themes in Shakespeare’s drama: love, conflict, jealousy and heartbreak, the full spectrum from joy to tragedy. At 21 years of age, Zlatomir Fung is a rising star, with an already long list of awards and accomplishments to his credit. The youngest…
Find out more »Kauffman Center Presents The Beach Boys
As The Beach Boys mark more than a half-century of making music, the group continues to ride the crest of a wave unequaled in America’s musical history. The Beach Boys have become synonymous with the California lifestyle and have become an American icon to fans around the world. The Beach Boys are led by Mike Love, who, along with longtime member Bruce Johnston, musical director Scott Totten, Brian Eichenberger, Christian Love, Tim Bonhomme, John Cowsill, Keith Hubacher and Randy Leago…
Find out more »Kansas City Symphony Presents Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi in Concert Film + Live Orchestra
Luke Skywalker heads a mission to rescue Han Solo from the clutches of Jabba the Hutt and faces Darth Vader one last time. Experience “Return of the Jedi” in this remarkable concert event, featuring your Kansas City Symphony performing John Williams’ iconic score live as the complete film is shown on a giant screen in Helzberg Hall.
Find out more »Kansas City Broadway Series Presents STOMP
STOMP is explosive, provocative, sophisticated, sexy, utterly unique and appeals to audiences of all ages. The return of the percussive hit also brings some new surprises, with some sections of the show now updated and restructured and the addition of two new full-scale routines, utilizing props like tractor tire inner tubes and paint cans. STOMP. See what all the noise is about.
Find out more »Kansas State University Kaleidoscope Concert
Join the Kansas State University Music Department for a musical Kaleidoscope featuring the K-State Symphony Orchestra, Concert Choir, Wind Ensemble, and Concert Jazz Ensemble. Special guest musicians representing high school orchestra programs from across the Kansas City Metro will join the KSU Symphony Orchestra as they kick off this magical night. Admission is free.
Find out more »Kansas City Chorale
Be a part of a live concert recording! Celebrating the Kansas City Chorale’s 40th anniversary, follow Marco Polo’s epic journey with one of the Chorale’s most popular concert programs featuring music from Rome to the Far East. Highlights include Chen Yi’s Chinese Folk Songs, lavish choral tapestries of the Mongolian steppe, thunderous rhythms from the Middle East and India, and restored from the Vatican library, witness the second performance in nearly 500 years of Bartolomeo Escobedo’s masterpiece, Missa ad te levavi.…
Find out more »National Geographic Live Presents Improbable Ascent Maureen Beck, Paraclimber
Maureen Beck loves to prove people wrong. Born with one hand, she tried rock climbing for the first time after a camp counselor told her she could skip it. Her love of the sport was instantaneous, but there was no guide for climbing with one hand. Unfazed, she decided to figure it out for herself through trial and error—one of her early adaptive climbing innovations even involved taping a metal ladle to her arm. Before long she was leading a…
Find out more »Kansas City Symphony Presents Free Symphony Happy Hour Concert
Musicians of the Kansas City Symphony perform a one-hour chamber music program that will add joy- and Mozart's Piano Quintet- to the middle of you week. Cash bars open at 5 p.m. and the concert begins at 6 p.m.
Find out more »March 2022
Kansas City Symphony Chorus Concert
Your Kansas City Symphony Chorus returns with a very special evening of choral masterpieces. Enjoy soaring voices performing an inspiring and interesting program.
Find out more »Buckets N Boards
This hilarious and dynamic show handcrafted by Matt Levingston and Gareth Sever is chock-full of precise percussion, ridiculous songs, spectacular tap dancing, inventive instrumentation, and unique musical talent. A Branson sensation, Buckets N Boards is an experience sure to entertain the entire family.
Find out more »La Mer and Brahms’ Violin Concerto
This concert begins with hidden stories. While Anna Clyne based “This Midnight Hour” on two very different poems, by Juan Ramón Jiménez and Charles Baudelaire, she explicitly avoided depicting any specific narrative. She wrote, “my intention is that it will evoke a visual journey for the listener.” The visual imagery in Debussy’s La Mer is astonishing. Debussy portrays subtle shifts on the water, the play of the waves, the swells of the ocean so vividly it makes one taste the…
Find out more »Broadway Series: Jesus Christ Superstar
Celebrating its 50th Anniversary, a new mesmerizing production of the iconic musical phenomenon returns to the stage. Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and helmed by the acclaimed director Timothy Sheader (Crazy for You, Into the Woods) and cutting-edge choreographer Drew McOnie (King Kong, Strictly Ballroom), this production won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival garnering unprecedented reviews and accolades. Appealing to both theater audiences and concert music fans, this production pays tribute to the historic 1971 Billboard Album…
Find out more »April 2022
Pétrouchka, plus Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto
One of America’s most unique voices, Joan Tower has always followed her muse. Tambor, the Spanish word for drum, features the members of the KC Symphony percussion section – their rhythmic vitality will certainly get your heart pumping. Mozart’s final year was miraculously inspired, and among the many works he completed just months before he died was his only concerto for the clarinet. Our own Principal Clarinetist Raymond Santos brings his artistry to this achingly wistful and singing masterpiece as…
Find out more »Sinatra and Friends
As the undisputed stars of their era, they ignited the stage when they joined forces. Relive the magic of Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald with their classics “The Lady Is a Tramp,” “They Can’t Take That Away From Me,” “Body and Soul” and so many more. Amazing chanteuse Capathia Jenkins and crooner extraordinaire Tony DeSare join the orchestra to recreate the special friendship between Frank and Ella that led to so many exquisite performances together. Please note: Sunday subscribers will…
Find out more »Peter and the Wolf: Tales of Adventure
The timeless Prokofiev tale of Peter & the Wolf is just the beginning, as we also perform music from other classic stories and adventures near to far.
Find out more »Broadway Series: An Officer and a Gentleman
Based on the Oscar-winning film, AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN is a timeless love story that celebrates triumph over adversity. The new musical features an iconic score including the Grammy and Oscar-winning #1 hit “Up Where We Belong” (Joe Cocker/Jennifer Warnes), and your favorite 80’s hits including: “Higher Love” (Steve Winwood), “Owner of a Lonely Heart” (Yes), “Love is a Battlefield” and “Invincible” (Pat Benatar), “Lost In Your Eyes” (Debbie Gibson), “Right Here Waiting” (Richard Marx), “Venus” (Bananarama), “I Can’t Hold…
Find out more »AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN: Presented by The American Theatre Guild
The American Theatre Guild is pleased to present the Kansas City engagement of AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN: First National Tour at the Kauffman Center. This production is part of the BROADWAY IS BACK IN KANSAS CITY SERIES and will take the Kauffman Center stage.
Find out more »ABBA The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA
The world’s top ABBA tribute band joins your Kansas City Symphony to perform the iconic songs of a generation. “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” “Waterloo,” “SOS,” “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” and many more will have you dancing in the aisles and singing along.
Find out more »Miraculous Mandarin with Rachmaninoff’s Fourth Piano Concerto
While visiting Mexico in 1932, Aaron Copland visited a popular dance hall and was entranced by the freshness and beauty of Mexican folk melody. He set about composing a piece to reflect the lively spirit he felt there. El Salón México includes bits of Mexican songs woven together with Copland’s characteristic zest. Multitalented Conrad Tao has garnered international acclaim as a pianist, composer, and recording artist and will be making his debut with the Symphony to perform Rachmaninoff’s Fourth Piano…
Find out more »The Queen’s Cartoonists
“As I watched The Queen’s Cartoonists slip and slide through decades of cartoon music in a matter of minutes, with the animations projected on a large screen behind them, I followed a captivated crowd of young and old consciously connect what they were watching with what they were hearing. The pleasure of the perfect synchrony of sound and pictures was instantly recognizable.” - Mashable Since their inception in 2015, The Queen’s Cartoonists have gone from playing in the New York subway system…
Find out more »The Elders
The Elders return to the Kauffman Center for their first live performance since taking a two-year hiatus. This nationally recognized Irish band will perform in Helzberg Hall for this year’s Spring Members Concert & Reception. The iconic local Irish band will perform many fan favorites, as well as original songs from their newest album, “Well Alright Then,” which releases March 17. The Elders also will bring to life the songs they were creating with the band’s beloved guitarist Steve Phillips before his…
Find out more »May 2022
The Composer is Dead and other Musical Mysteries
There’s dreadful news from the concert hall — the composer is dead! Where exactly were the violins on the day in question? Did anyone see the harp? Is the trumpet protesting a bit too boisterously? his perplexing Lemony Snicket mystery is but one of the musical stories on a well-orchestrated afternoon program that super sleuths of any age will enjoy.
Find out more »KC Ballet Presents The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz in Kansas City is filled with all the familiarity of the classic movie – Dorothy and Toto swept to Oz join three unlikely heroes on a quest to see the Wizard and must battle a Wicked Witch in order to return home. This award-winning production seamlessly combines bold new elements like costumes, sets, projections, and special effects with an incredibly original soundtrack making it the must-see family event of the season.
Find out more »Sleeping Beauty with Sibelius’ Violin Concerto
French composer Lili Boulanger’s D’un matin de printemps (Of a Spring Morning) is as delightful and delicate as its name suggests. From this soft Gallic spring to the Nordic fire and ice of Jean Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, the amazing young conductor Ryan Bancroft leads your Kansas City Symphony. They are joined by violin virtuoso Augustin Hadelich, who plays with passion and intelligence, a splendid match for Sibelius’ mighty concerto. The suite from Tchaikovsky’s ballet score of The Sleeping Beauty is…
Find out more »The Music of Queen
Who isn’t familiar with the classic tunes of Queen? This electrifying tribute has garnered critical acclaim around the country for staying true to the original recordings with great vocals and stellar harmonies. The genius of Freddie Mercury comes alive with high-energy versions of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Will Rock You,” “We Are the Champions,” “Another One Bites the Dust” and many others.
Find out more »June 2022
Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony, World Premiere of Rogerson’s Violin Concerto
Guest conductor Gemma New is taking the symphonic world by storm with her dynamic and insightful leadership. The New Zealand-born conductor will bring to life the Mother Goose fairy tales so colorfully set to music by Maurice Ravel. Chris Rogerson is no stranger to Kansas City Symphony audiences and his inspired music is always a delight to hear. We’ll be the first to hear his new violin concerto, premiered by violin phenom Benjamin Beilman. The New York Times notes, “Mr.…
Find out more »The Music of the Rolling Stones: Mick Jagger & Keith Richards 1969
A full rock band joins your Kansas City Symphony to celebrate the 50th anniversary of two iconic Rolling Stones albums, “Beggars Banquet” and “Let It Bleed.” Hear the Stones’ hits you know and love, like “Gimme Shelter,” “Midnight Rambler,” “Brown Sugar” and so many others. Please note: The Rolling Stones will not be performing at this event.
Find out more »Ode to Joy: Beethoven’s Ninth
In a fitting season finale, Maestro Stern and the Symphony are joined by the Symphony Chorus and talented vocal soloists in Beethoven's triumphant Symphony No. 9 — his “Ode to Joy.” From its whispered beginning, the symphony leads inexorably to the culmination of Beethoven’s genius: the glorious final movement with a united powerhouse of chorus, soloists, and orchestra. The experience is unforgettable! Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 "Choral" is the only work being performed on Thursday, June 23, 2022.
Find out more »The Glenn Miller Orchestra
The world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra brings timeless classics like “In the Mood,” “Moonlight Serenade,” “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” “Pennsylvania 6-5000,” “String of Pearls” and “Tuxedo Junction” back to the stage. Even 80 years after founding his famous orchestra Glenn Miller’s music is alive and well. Over 18 musicians and singers bring the unforgettable Glenn Miller sound and perform those songs that everyone remembers. This is a show not to miss for jazz and swing fans alike or the incurable romantics who…
Find out more »February 2023
KC Ballet Presents Cinderella
Devon Carney’s world-premiere choreography accompanied by Prokofiev’s captivating music brings this enchanting story to life. Enjoy a special twist on this favorite fairy tale where the characters are sure to delight. The Fairy Godmother, the pumpkin that becomes a carriage, fairies weaving spells, the handsome prince, and of course, the wicked stepmother and riotous, bumbling stepsisters all come together to tell this beloved story.
Find out more »My Fair Lady Musical
Director Bartlett Sher’s glowing production of My Fair Lady is “thrilling, glorious and better than it ever was” (The New York Times). Boasting such classic songs as I Could Have Danced All Night, The Rain in Spain, Wouldn’t It Be Loverly, and On the Street Where You Live, My Fair Lady tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into his idea of a “proper lady.”…
Find out more »Ruth Reinhardt Conducts Sibelius
Ruth Reinhardt, a young conductor from Germany with a master’s degree in that discipline from The Juilliard School, makes her Kansas City Symphony debut from February 10 to 12 with “programmatic imagination,” something she is known for. She’ll also introduce us to a work by little-known Polish composer and violinist Grażyna Bacewicz whose spirited Overture gives us a melodic, violin-forward flourish, first bloomed in World War II Poland. Billy Childs, a four-time Grammy Award winner, will offer a classical/pop/jazz saxophone…
Find out more »Filharmonie Brno with Dennis Russell Davies and Laurie Anderson
Take the ultimate flight of fancy with iconic creative pioneer Laurie Anderson as she channels Atchison, Kansas’ own Amelia Earhart in an expansive work for Filharmonie Brno under the baton of renowned American conductor Dennis Russell Davies. Earhart’s own radio transmissions, diaries, and news clippings are used in Anderson’s sweeping sonic score that show off the technical capabilities of Helzberg Hall. The roots of the Filharmonie Brno go back to the 1870s when young Leoš Janáček endeavored to establish a…
Find out more »National Geographic Live Presents Wild Cats of India – Sadness Kadur, Photographer & Filmmaker
With landscapes spanning the towering Himalaya, arid plains and dense jungles, India is home to an unmatched diversity of wild cats. While many of the big cats are well known and thoroughly documented, photographer and filmmaker Sandesh Kadur is on a mission to highlight the country’s lesser-known felines in order to protect their future. Discover the tiny, grumpy-faced Pallas’s cat, the fishing cat that jumps into water to catch its prey, and the ancient, elusive clouded leopard. Through Kadur’s captivating…
Find out more »The Future feat. Lee Langston & Eboni Fondren
The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra embraces the future of music through performance and education. The Future is built wholly upon that tenet, providing the stage for this art to emerge, featuring current and future legends one and all. Along with our lively big band, the great vocalists Eboni Fondren and Lee Langston will put their modern spin on great tunes from the likes of Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, Natalie Cole, and Sam Cooke. In addition, we are inviting some of Kansas City’s rising stars, students from Soundwave…
Find out more »Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Founded in 1891, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is consistently hailed as one of the greatest orchestras in the world. Performing more than 150 concerts each year, the orchestra’s talented musicians are the driving force behind the famous sound heard on best- selling recordings as well as in performance. Their concert in Kansas City will feature one of the world’s preeminent conductors, Riccardo Muti, as well as violinist Julia Fischer performing Schumann’s Violin Concerto as well as Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony.
Find out more »March 2023
KC Symphony Presents ‘Rapsodie’ & ‘Poem of Ecstasy’
Guest conductor Matthias Pintscher brings his unique insight to György Ligeti’s San Francisco Polyphony. Composed while Ligeti was living near San Francisco, the work’s melodic patterns rise out of the fog but fall back into a miasma of sound. Two marvelous works by Maurice Ravel form the heart of this program. Pianist extraordinaire George Li returns to Kansas City for another star turn in Ravel's delightful Piano Concerto in G Major. Drawing on his mother’s Basque heritage, Ravel captured the flavor…
Find out more »Lyric Opera Presents ‘The Shining’
Deep in the shadows of the Colorado Rockies and miles from where anyone can hear you scream; the Overlook Hotel awaits. For its new caretakers, the Torrance family, the only thing more unnerving than their profound seclusion and solitude is the realization that they are not the hotel’s only guests. While the young son with a sixth sense endures this house of horrors, his father faces demons – past and present, real and remembered – that ultimately turn him into…
Find out more »Park University ICM Presents Stanislav & Friends
On March 11, 2023, Park University’s International Center for Music (ICM) will commemorate the 20th anniversary of its founding here just outside of Kansas City. As part of the commemoration, the ICM will feature its young stars, alums and friends of its founder and artistic director, Stanislav Ioudenitch, in a special concert which promises to be emotionally stirring and undeniably powerful.
Find out more »Kenny G with the Kansas City Symphony
Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Kenny G is the top-selling instrumental musician of our time. His easy style and smooth sounds will transport you to Havana and beyond. Hear Songbird, Forever in Love, Heart and Soul, Silhouette, and My Heart Will Go On. Kenny G will captivate and carry you away. Sponsored by Country Club Bank.
Find out more »Kansas City Symphony Presents ‘The Planets’
Join your Kansas City Symphony for a concert that’s out of this world! Guest conductor Teddy Abrams is known for his unquenchable enthusiasm and imaginative approach to classical music. He’ll bring that zest to Gustav Holst’s The Planets, an orchestral tour de force. Stargazers can revel in Caroline Shaw’s expansive piece, The Observatory. Inspired by a visit to Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, Shaw juxtaposes chaos and clarity in this work, using as she describes it, “very large chords and some very…
Find out more »Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in Partnership with Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater grew from a now-fabled performance in March 1958 at the 92nd Street YMCA in New York City. Led by Alvin Ailey and a group of young African American modern dancers, that performance forever changed the perception of American dance. The Ailey company has gone on to perform for an estimated 25 million people at theaters in 48 states and 71 countries on six continents and has reached millions more online and through television broadcasts and…
Find out more »Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Presented by Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey
The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) from New York City returns to Kansas City, its official second home, for a limited engagement presented by Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey in partnership with the Harriman-Jewell Series. AAADT is an internationally known, award-winning, modern dance company founded by the hypnotic brilliant dancer and genius choreographer Alvin Ailey in 1958, redefining the genre of American dance. AAADT has performed for an estimated 25 million people at theaters in 48 states and…
Find out more »Gershwin’s ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ & Nielsen’s ‘Inextinguishable’
You’ll delight in this marvelous springtime program led by guest conductor Thomas Wilkins, principal conductor of the Hollywood Bowl orchestra. English composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s ballet Hiawatha draws on his musical setting of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s epic ode. The music is radiant, rhythmically animated and utterly captivating. Gershwin’s ever-popular Rhapsody in Blue features rising talent Ray Ushikubo. Bridging the worlds of classical and popular music, Rhapsody in Blue is beloved for its cheeky tunefulness, jaunty rhythms and unabashed sentimentality. Confronted with the ravages of World War I,…
Find out more »April 2023
Menopause The Musical
Four women at a lingerie sale have nothing in common but a black lace bra and memory loss, hot flashes, night sweats, not enough sex, too much sex, and more! This hilarious musical parody set to classic tunes from the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s will have you cheering and dancing in the aisles! See what more than 17 million women and fans worldwide have been laughing about for over 20 years! It’s the Hilarious Celebration of Women and The Change!
Find out more »Annie The Musical
Annie, directed by Jenn Thompson, features the iconic book and score, written by Tony Award winners Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse, and Martin Charnin. This celebration of family, optimism, and the American spirit remains the ultimate cure for all the hard knocks life throws your way.
Find out more »May 2023
KC Ballet – Bliss Point
Mark Morris’ hip Sandpaper is an inventive pop ballet that teases your imagination with wit, humor, and dazzling movement. Petite Mort, the tantalizing contemporary ballet by Jiří Kylián, returns to Kansas City Ballet and this popular masterpiece remains an absolute must-see. Alexander Ekman’s gleeful ballet, Cacti, pokes fun at the pretentious and often hilarious way that people interpret art. Don’t ask, “what does it all mean?” Experience it. Enjoy it.
Find out more »June 2023
Disney Pride in Concert
The magic of Disney is coming to Kansas City’s Kauffman Center reimagined by the Heartland Men’s Chorus in Disney PRIDE in Concert, a multimedia musical celebration of LGBTQ life, love, family, and perseverance! This first-of-its-kind family-friendly show will draw inspiration from iconic Disney films like The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, and Mary Poppins; modern classics like Coco, Zootopia, and Wreck-It Ralph; and the beloved music of Disney Theme Parks. The multimedia extravaganza will feature HMCKC’s 150-member chorus alongside a…
Find out more »January 2024
Girl From The North Country
GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY is the Tony Award-winning new musical that the Chicago Tribune declares is “a Broadway revelation!” Written and directed by celebrated playwright Conor McPherson and featuring Tony Award-winning orchestrations by Simon Hale, GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY reimagines 20 legendary songs of Bob Dylan as they’ve never been heard before, including “Forever Young,” “All Along The Watchtower,” “Hurricane,” “Slow Train Coming,” and “Like A Rolling Stone.” It’s 1934 in Duluth, Minnesota. We meet a group of wayward travelers whose lives…
Find out more »February 2024
Johnny Cash The Musical
The music never stops in JOHNNY CASH – The Official Concert Experience. Produced in collaboration with the Estate of Johnny Cash, this multi-media celebration is like nothing you’ve seen before. Using state-of-the-art technology, Johnny Cash’s rich, iconic baritone has been lifted from archival concert footage and recordings, enabling the “Man in Black” to perform his biggest hits – “I Walk the Line,” “Ring of Fire” – with a live band again! In addition to never-before-seen footage and on-screen narration by…
Find out more »April 2024
Clue
Murder and blackmail are on the menu when six mysterious guests assemble at Boddy Manor for a night they’ll never forget! Was it Mrs. Peacock in the study with the knife? Or was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the wrench? Based on the cult 1985 Paramount movie and inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, Clue is the ultimate whodunit that will leave you dying of laughter and keep you guessing until the final twist. Showtimes and Dates:…
Find out more »Clue
Murder and blackmail are on the menu when six mysterious guests assemble at Boddy Manor for a night they’ll never forget! Was it Mrs. Peacock in the study with the knife? Or was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the wrench? Based on the cult 1985 Paramount movie and inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, Clue is the ultimate whodunit that will leave you dying of laughter and keep you guessing until the final twist. Showtimes and Dates:…
Find out more »Clue
Murder and blackmail are on the menu when six mysterious guests assemble at Boddy Manor for a night they’ll never forget! Was it Mrs. Peacock in the study with the knife? Or was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the wrench? Based on the cult 1985 Paramount movie and inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, Clue is the ultimate whodunit that will leave you dying of laughter and keep you guessing until the final twist. Showtimes and Dates:…
Find out more »Clue
Murder and blackmail are on the menu when six mysterious guests assemble at Boddy Manor for a night they’ll never forget! Was it Mrs. Peacock in the study with the knife? Or was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the wrench? Based on the cult 1985 Paramount movie and inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, Clue is the ultimate whodunit that will leave you dying of laughter and keep you guessing until the final twist. Showtimes and Dates:…
Find out more »Clue
Murder and blackmail are on the menu when six mysterious guests assemble at Boddy Manor for a night they’ll never forget! Was it Mrs. Peacock in the study with the knife? Or was it Colonel Mustard in the library with the wrench? Based on the cult 1985 Paramount movie and inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, Clue is the ultimate whodunit that will leave you dying of laughter and keep you guessing until the final twist. Showtimes and Dates:…
Find out more »