BEST BETS: FEBRUARY 10th – FEBRUARY 16th

This week’s Best Bets: February 10th – February 16th finds a world-class soprano making her final recital of the year, a tribute to a Broadway legend (with a few legends appearing), some groundbreaking dance and music that will make you all rise.

Here are my Best Bets: February 10th – February 16th:

LISE DAVIDSEN RECITAL – BroadStage – Santa Monica, CA – February 11th

There’s good news for Lise Davidsen: She’s expecting twins. The bad news for opera fans is she’s cancelling all engagements after she appears in Beethoven’s Fidelio at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. 

The good news for fans in Los Angeles is she has only one recital on her schedule and it takes place February 11^th at the BroadStage in Santa Monica.

I saw her there in 2023 and she was mind-blowing. This recital, which includes works by Grieg, Purcell, Verdi, Strauss, Schubert and Wagner (including the Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde) finds Davidsen accompanied by pianist Bryan Wagorn.

For tickets (and there aren’t many left) and more information, please go HERE.

The production of Fidelio runs March 4^th – March 15^th. You can get tickets and more information HERE. The last performance on March 15^th will be screened in cinemas around the world in the Met’s Live in HD series. You can find your theater and get tickets HERE.

OLD FRIENDS – Ahmanson Theatre – Los Angeles, CA – Now – March 9th

This tribute to Stephen Sondheim began its life as a one-night only concert in London in 2022, less than a year after his passing. An immediate sell-out, it was then remounted with some new cast members and ran for 16 weeks on the West End in 2023. Bernadette Peters, who appeared in the concert, returned to the show where she was joined by Leo Salonga.

Old Friends is on its way to Broadway, but Los Angeles gets to see the show first and Peters and Salonga are amongst the London cast that have returned. Amongst those in the show are Beth Leavel, Gavin Lee, Joanna Riding and Jeremy Secomb.

Sondheim fans will NOT want to miss this.

The New York run begins March 25^th at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Opening night is scheduled for April 8^th.

For tickets and more information for Los Angeles, please go HERE. For tickets and more information for New York, please go HERE.

CHAUTAUQUA AT 150: WYNTON MARSALIS’ ALL RISE – PBS – Check Local Listings

All Rise, a powerful jazz symphony by Wynton Marsalis, had its world premiere in December 1999. I saw this amazing work at the Hollywood Bowl in 2022. You now have the chance to see a documentary that features All Rise on PBS and the full work on PBS Passport. I encourage you to do so.

Chautaqua Institution is in New York and has an annual summer season.

This documentary celebrates their 150^th year!

The documentary is scheduled to begin airing on February 11^th. Check your local listings.

WINTER MIX – Miami City Ballet – Miami, FL – February 14^th – March 9^th

The world premiere of choreographer Pam Tanowitz’s Coincident Dances is the main attraction in Miami City Ballet’s Winter Mix program.  She has collaborated with composer Jessie Montgomery for this new work.

Not much is known about what it is, but the combination of these two women is more than enough to make dance fans want to take notice.

Also on the program is Walpurgisnacht Ballet by Balanchine with music by Gounod and also Balanchine’s La Valse with music by, who else, Ravel.

There are three venues in which to see Winter Mix: Adrienne Arsht Center (February 14^th-16^th), Broward Center (February 22^nd – 23^rd) and Kravis Center (March 8^th – 9^th).

For tickets and more information, please go HERE.

TWYLA THARP DANCE DIAMOND JUBILEE FEATURING THIRD COAST PERCUSSION – Multiple Venues February 15^th – April 12^th.

Legendary choreographer Twyla Tharp celebrates her company’s 60^th year with a tour that will feature the premiere of SLACKTIDE which features a new arrangement of Amazonia by Philip Glass. For most of the dates below, members of Third Coast Percussion will be accompanying the performances.

The program also includes her Diabelli, which is set to the music of Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations. This tour marks the first time the work has been performed in the United States.

Twyla Tharp Dance will be at the Segerstrom Center in Costa Mesa February 15^th – 16^th; The Soraya in Northridge, CA February 22^nd – 23^rd (with pianist Vladimir Rumyantsev); New York City Center in New York March 12^th – 16^th; the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC March 26^th – 29^th; the Modlin Center for the Arts in Richmond, VA April 5^th and the Harris Theater for Music and Dance April 10^th – 12^th.

For tickets and more information, please click on the venue names above.

That’s all for Best Bets: February 10th – February 16th. Enjoy your week and go see a show!

Main Photo: Lea Salonga and Bernadette Peters in Old Friends (Photo by Danny Kaan/Courtesy Center Theatre Group)