Jack Harlow Headlines Forecastle Festival’s Return to Waterfront Park May 27-29
The Forecastle Festival, Louisville’s longest running music festival returns for its 20th anniversary event Memorial Day weekend, May 27 – 29, 2022 with an all-star lineup boasting GRAMMY-winning rapper Tyler, the Creator, psychedelic rock powerhouse Tame Impala and GRAMMY-nominated hometown hero Jack Harlow.
More than 50 artists across hip-hop, alternative, electronic and more will grace the Forecastle stages over the course of the three-day event including Rüfüs Du Soul, Phoebe Bridgers, Porter Robinson, Clairo, 6Lack and Black Pumas.
Tickets are available immediately via SMS presale with a general on-sale to follow on Thursday, January 6 at Noon EST. Ticketing options include 3-Day and 1-Day tickets for General Admission, GA+ and VIP experiences.
Louisville Ballet CHORSHOW Performance Moves Digital Due to COVID-19 Rates
Dear Louisville Ballet Patrons,
I am reaching out today let you know that, in light of the recent, alarming rise in COVID-19 infection rates throughout our community, we have made the difficult decision to cancel our in-person performances of this season’s CHORSHOW, originally scheduled for January 12-16, 2022 inside our Main Street studios.
Please know that this decision was made because the health and safety of our patrons, artists, and staff is our highest priority. But that doesn’t mean we’re cancelling the CHORSHOW experience.
Performance Preview: Bob Bernhardt Celebrates John Williams January 15
Principal Pops Conductor Bob Bernhardt will celebrate his 40th season as part of the Louisville Orchestra with Irresistible John Williams on January 15. In this performance, Bernhardt selects his favorite musical hits from the iconic composer for an evening of the most memorable compositions in American film history.
Audiences can look forward to hearing beloved classics that have enchanted generations of listeners, including scores from Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park, and Star Wars. Even Harry Potter is expected to make an appearance (musically, of course).
Louisville Orchestra Performance Preview: Yuja Wang Premiers Teddy Abrams’ First Concerto
The Louisville Orchestra is bringing superior performances to the stage to kick off the new year.
One of the first shows in an exciting 2022 lineup will be held on January 8, when charismatic piano superstar Yuja Wang will debut celebrated Music Director Teddy Abrams’ very first concerto. The world premiere of his highly anticipated concerto will showcase Abrams’ remarkable originality and invigorating leadership as a gifted maestro and composer. The Louisville Orchestra has performed 14 of his original works during his eight years as Music Director, including Unified Field (2016), The Greatest: Muhammad Ali (2017), and The Order of Nature (2018, in collaboration with Jim James from the band, My Morning Jacket).
Performance Preview: The Brown-Forman Nutcracker – Louisville Ballet
A Louisville Ballet tradition since 1963, The Brown-Forman Nutcracker returns to the Kentucky Center with exciting updates to the classic. A magical story for all ages, the show dazzles with beautiful performances by the artists of Louisville Ballet, Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece symphony played live by The Louisville Orchestra, and the sweet addition of children’s cast dancers from throughout the community.
Louisville Ballet’s artists are delighted to bring this beloved holiday experience live for the first time since 2019. Natalie Harris, Director of Marketing for the organization, remarks, “We can’t emphasize how exciting it is to be performing live and to bring back the magic of the season to so many in our community.” This feat of artistic collaboration between professional cast dancers, children’s ballet school students, local craftsmen and designers of the set and costumes, and musicians from The Louisville Orchestra must not be missed.
Old Louisville Holiday Home Tour Set for December 4 & 5
Unwrap the history of Old Louisville during the 44th annual Old Louisville Holiday Home Tour. Taking place Saturday, December 4th, and Sunday, December 5th, patrons will get a rare glimpse inside Victorian-era residences and historic buildings during the Yuletide season.
Tour-goers will learn the diverse history of Historic Old Louisville, which is home to the largest contiguous collection of Victorian mansions in the United States. In fact, two of Old Louisville’s most iconic mansions will be dressed in their holiday finery and open for tours this year. Known by locals as The Pink Palace, this Victorian Style Mansion is easily one of the most photographed mansions in Old Louisville.
The Pink Palace has not been open for public tours in 14 years. The Sloane Mansion, which has not been open to the public in over 25 years, is another Victorian Style Mansion on the 2021 Holiday Home Tour.
Louisville Orchestra Performance Preview: Schumann & Brahms – November 20
Jorge Federico Osorio
The Louisville Orchestra’s Classics Series continues this month with “Schumann and Brahms” on November 20 at 8 p.m. The audience will be treated to an evening with guest conductor Edwin Outwater, who works with orchestras throughout the world.
“Edwin is a distinguished American conductor with whom we have had an ongoing relationship,” says Matthew Feldman, LO’s Director of Artistic Operations. “He conducted the LO almost 20 years ago and has an enormous range in terms of his abilities at the podium and the repertoire that he conducts.”
Outwater is pleased to reunite with LO during this very special season.
Performance Preview: Louisville Ballet: Swan Lake – November 11-14
Louisville Ballet returns to the historic Brown Theatre for an exhilarating update to the timeless classic, Swan Lake. The inaugural production of the 70th Anniversary season, Swan Lake has been reimagined again from Artistic and Executive Director Robert Curran’s original premiere in 2016.
Curran collaborates with Louisville-based media artists, Ryan Daly and Garrett Crabtree, laser scenic designers, and Tiffany Woodard, costume designer, to create a unique interpretation of this classic tale of love and betrayal.
October Performance Preview: Louisville Orchestra Presents Music of Prohibition and Teddy Talks Schubert
The time if finally here for what is surely the most anticipated season in recent memory for the Louisville Orchestra. Like many Orchestras and entertainment groups around the world, the Louisville Orchestra also had to endure the grueling hiatus from performing for almost twenty months due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are ready to get back on stage for their patrons, and the community. Once again, Whitney Hall at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts will be filled with the majestic symphonic sounds by YOUR Louisville Orchestra musicians and conducted by Bob Bernhardt and Teddy Abrams, and everyone is ready for the season debut.
Audience is excited to offer previews of each performance this season to give you some background for each performance as well as insight into what ot expect and what to look for when you attend. Find more articles in Audience Magazine, our digital monthly magazine dedicated to the arts and entertainment in Louisville. CLICK HERE to subscribe for FREE.
We hope you enjoy the previews written by local arts aficionado, Julie Engelhardt.
Master Magician Lance Burton Headlines Magic & The Wonder at Kentucky Center October 16
In this month’s Show Spotlight, we are excited to present an event that will entertain and mesmerize the audience with ‘can’t believe your eye’ antics.
The Magic & The Wonder is a Vegas-style magic show that will take place Saturday, October 16th at the Kentucky Center for the Performing arts. The show is headlined by world-famous (and Louisville-native) LANCE BURTON, and renowned performers Stewart MacDonald, Dinky Gowan, The Great Kaplan, and local magicians Patrick and Janice Miller and will be emceed by Bob Brizendine.
Foxhollow Farm: This is the WHY
Life on the farm is one that is full of hard work and hopefully many fruitful rewards. That is certainly the case at Foxhollow Farm where you’ll find a hard work and innovation are daily occurrences. We hope you enjoy this look into a day at Foxhollow Farm and consider checking out their top quality beef and other products.
It’s barely 6am as the first tendrils of pink-tinged light break across dewey fields, illuminating spiderwebs suspended in the grass. The cattle wake, shaking out their legs to start their simple day of grazing the pastures. Birds have just responded to warmth as the sun begins to peek into the stagnant garden, patiently waiting for the warmth of spring. The calico barn cat stretches. The trees are heavy with overnight precipitation and slow, joyful anticipation of the dawn.
The Paul Thorn Band Kicks Off the Return of Live Music at Old Forester’s Paristown Hall August 27
When the pandemic shut down stages around the world, entertainers and audiences alike were left searching for ways to fill their entertainment needs. Livestreams and other creative collaborations were plentiful and fantastic, but they didn’t quite replace the feeling you get at a live performance: The bass in your belly. The camaraderie of fellow fans.
The energy from the lights going down and hearing that first note, to the moments after the final encore when the lights come back on.
After a long and quiet year and a half, Old Forester’s Paristown Hall is ready to rock again with a lineup of bands and musicians that will bring audiences to their feet. The first performance will feature The Paul Thorn Band on Aug. 27. It is sure to be a show you won’t want to miss.
Audience Interview: Paul Thorn:
Audience Interview: Teddy Abrams – Louisville Orchestra’s Music Director – Season Outlook
The Louisville Orchestra has been a staple in the arts community since Robert Whitney founded the company in 1937, when Charles Farnsley served as mayor of Louisville. Farnsley led the orchestra as its music director for 30 years, until 1967, and then turned the reins over to Jorge Mester from 1967 to 1979. Farnsley returned in 2006 until 2014, after several other talented music directors came and went.
In 2014, the company introduced the current music director, Teddy Abrams who brought new and exciting energy to LO and the city of Louisville. He is an inspiration to many, a thought leader for the arts community as a whole, and the city is lucky to have him. We are excited to celebrate his work as he embarks on his fifth season with the Louisville Orchestra, and one that is likely to be the most anticipated ever.
Audience Magazine publisher, G. Douglas Dreisbach, caught up with Abrams to learn more about his background, his interest in music and the community, and what he is excited about for the upcoming season.
Teddy Abrams Interview – Part 1
Teddy Abrams Interview – Part 2
Audience Magazine -Your Connection to Louisville Arts & Entertainment! Sign-up for FREE Today!
In collaboration with the performing arts groups of Louisville, we are excited to bring you Audience Magazine, an all-digital publication that delivers a behind-the-scenes look into the performing arts and entertainment during this unprecedented time of reflection and artistic creation.
Audience Magazine highlights enlightening articles and information about the arts groups as well as spotlights on Louisville Landmarks and interviews with inspirational representatives from the arts community. And the best part about it all is …. it’s FREE!
Imagine Mural Festival Resurrected and Reimagined
Fund for the Arts and the Imagine Greater Louisville 2025 Steering Committee in partnership with PBS, KET, The Muhammad Ali Center, and Louisville Metro Government are announcing the resurgence of the transformational Imagine Mural Festival, which had its inaugural year in 2019.
The new Imagine Mural Festival will bring together collaborative teams of interdisciplinary artists to create multimedia art installations in the downtown Louisville blocks adjacent to the Muhammad Ali Center.
Audience Interview: Andre Kimo Stone Guess – President & CEO – Fund for the Arts
Fund for the Arts President & CEO, Andre Stone Kimo Guess
The Fund for the Arts is a vital asset for the arts in Louisville. Its goal is to provide arts access and education, and foster diversity, as well as promote the city as a nationally recognized epicenter of the arts. During a roller coaster of a year — the arts and the community overall are just now starting to rebound from the challenges of the pandemic — Christen Boone, who has navigated the Fund for the past seven years, announced her resignation.
After a national search for a new President and CEO, the Fund for the Arts’ next chapter will be led by one of Louisville’s own, Andre Kimo Stone Guess. On Tuesday, June 30, Guess was publicly introduced at the Fund for the Arts Summer Arts Kick-off that was attended by Mayor Greg Fischer, this year’s Campaign Chairperson, and Brown-Forman Chairman, Campbell Brown, Board Chairman and CEO of Stock Yards Bank, James ‘Ja’ Hillebrand, and outgoing President & CEO for the Fund, Christen Boone.
Audience publisher, G. Douglas Dreisbach, caught up with Guess to learn more about his background, his interest in the arts and the community, and what he is excited about for the future of the Fund for the Arts.
Listen to the full interview below:
Kentucky Opera’s 21/22 Brown-Forman Season is now on sale!
Kentucky Opera is excited to announce their 2021-2022 live and in-person season that includes mainstage operas of Orfeo and An American Dream with add-on performances to include Holiday Celebration and Robin Hood: a youth opera. After an entire season away from the stage, KO is thrilled to invite you to subscribe to the full season and seeing their longtime supporters as well as new ones back to their home stage in the Brown Theatre to celebrate and gather with our community.
The season includes the following performances and season subscriptions can be found at KYOpera.org.
Audience Interview: Bob Bernhardt – Louisville Orchestra’s Pops Series Conductor
The Louisville Orchestra recently announced its return to live and in-person performances with a stellar season of fan favorites, as well as some creative collaborations that will have audiences applauding with roars of ovation.
Pops Series conductor, Bob Bernhardt, is entering his 40th season with the Louisville Orchestra and is ready to feel the energy of a live audience. We are fortunate to have such great leadership and talent with his wealth of knowledge garnered over decades of musical collaborations with various symphonies around the country. He is not only a staple with the Louisville Orchestra, but also works with the Grand Rapids Symphony in Michigan, the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, and is an Artist-in-Residence at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee.
Audience publisher, G. Douglas Dreisbach, caught up with the busy conductor to talk about LO’s return to Whitney Hall, his musical influences of John Williams and a snapshot of the season ahead.
Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park Returns June 16
Kentucky Shakespeare, the Official Shakespeare Festival of the Commonwealth, is returning to the C. Douglas Ramey Amphitheater in Old Louisville’s Central Park from June 16 to August 15, 2021. “We are beyond excited to finally return to the magical in-person experience of Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park, after being away from it since the summer of 2019. We look forward to coming together to connect, heal, and again experience the joy together of the free summer festival under the stars,” said Matt Wallace, Producing Artistic Director. “Opening with the stage adaptation of the Oscar-winning Shakespeare in Love is a fitting love letter to Shakespeare and theatre, and it wouldn’t be possible without the presenting sponsor of the production, our partner Churchill Downs. We also return with the epic history Henry V, the culmination of the four-year Henriad tetralogy, Kentucky Shakespeare’s Game of Kings series. What a homecoming this will be – together again in Central Park.”
Billy Strings Announces Two Shows at Waterfront Park – May 21 & 22
Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and musician Billy Strings will perform two shows as part of Louisville, KY’s new concert series, Live On The Lawn at Waterfront Park, May 21 and 22. Tickets for shows go on-sale this Friday, April 16 at 10:00am ET/9:00am CT with a selection of pod-based purchase options. Full details can be found at billystrings.com/tour.
The newly confirmed dates follow an ambitious spring run for Strings, who continued to perform throughout the past year, both virtually and in-person.
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