The 22-23 season marks another spectacular year at the award-winning Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts, which has quickly become one of the cultural jewels of the city of Los Angeles.
Under the leadership of Executive Director Thor Steingraber, The Soraya continues to expand its programming and outstanding multidisciplinary performances. The mission of The Soraya is to present a wide variety of performances that not only includes new and original work from the Los Angeles region but also work from around the world that appeal to all of LA’s rich and diverse communities.
Located on the campus of California State University, Northridge, The Soraya’s season offers a vibrant performance program of nearly 50 classical and popular music, dance, theater, family, and international events that will serve to establish The Soraya as the intellectual and cultural heart of the San Fernando Valley, and further establish itself as one of the top arts companies in Southern California. The award-winning, 1,700-seat theatre was designed by HGA Architects and Engineers with lead design architect Kara Hill and was recently cited by the Los Angeles Times as “a growing hub for live music, dance, drama, and other cultural events.”
The Soraya’s 2022-23 season begins Thursday, September 22, with Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, and Brian Blade.
This is the first of The Soraya’s 42-performance season which will include the return of Jazz at Naz, a month-long February festival that will feature some of the best and brightest jazz artists — with two concerts held in The Soraya’s one-of-a-kind Jazz Club, their 21st-century iteration of a low-lit smoke (less) speakeasy.
The jazz trailblazers reunite to perform works from their 1994 album MoodSwing – a recording that’s known to have changed jazz forever.
Celebrated tenor saxophonist Joshua Redman introduced his first permanent band with his 1994 album MoodSwing, an astonishing collection by four precociously talented musicians who would rapidly establish themselves as creative beacons.
After years of individual triumphs, the original group reunites – with Redman, pianist Brad Mehldau (who won the 2020 Grammy for “Best Jazz Instrumental Album”), bassist Christian McBride, and drummer Brian Blade – for a performance that showcases Redman’s “musical breadth, emotional depth, and intellectual savvy” (Chicago Tribune).
The schedule continues through year-end with Aida Cuevas on Saturday, October 1, Malpaso Dance Company on Thursday, Oct 13, with Luis Enrique + C4Trio on October 22, Nature and Nurture: Becoming Wild Thursday, October 27 and Soweto Gospel Choir on Saturday Oct 29.
November’s schedule includes the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra on Saturday, November 5, an acoustic evening with Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt on Wednesday, November 9, Concierto para Dolores: A Musical Tribute to Dolores Huerta on Sunday, November 13 and Emily Bear Plays Syberia: The World Before on Sunday, November 20.
Closing out the year will be the Watkins Family Hour Christmas on Saturday, December 3, All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 on Wednesday, December 7, Nochebuena on Saturday and Sunday, December 10 and 11, Alton Brown Live on Saturday, December 17 and the London Handel Players on Sunday, December 18.
The 2023 season begins January 21 and continues to May 13.
The Soraya is located at 18111 Nordhoff Street. For a complete schedule visit thesoraya.org.
