The long-awaited opening of the new Steinmetz Hall performance space at the Dr. Phillips Center is almost upon us, along with two weeks' worth of eclectic performances to fully show off the "acoustically perfect" space.
Shows at the Steinmetz commence this week with the "Grand Celebration," eight big-name events happening from Jan. 14-26, with seemingly a little something for everyone — from ballet devotees to soul-music aficionados — even an extended performance residency at the Steinmetz by London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for the duration of the Grand Celebration.
After the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, Jan. 14, the schedule for the Grand Celebration looks like this:
Jan. 14: Rise & Shine
Over 200 local artists (including members of the Orlando Phil, SAK Comedy Lab, CFCArts and the Wynn Family) representing Orlando's arts community will be featured in this collaboration between the Dr. Phillips Center, Creative City Project's Cole NeSmith and the Orlando Phil's music director, Eric Jacobsen.
Jan. 15: Michael Feinstein & Friends
Feinstein presents an evening of Broadway hits and selections from the Great American Songbook. Notable is that three of his "friends" for the evening will be local singers Norm Lewis, Davis Gaines and Sofia Victoria Deler.
Jan. 19: The Royal Ballet & the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Eight dancers from the Royal Ballet Covent Garden join the RPO for an evening of Tchaikovsky. Yes, pieces from Swan Lake and Nutcracker are on the program.
Jan. 20: Leon Bridges & the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Grammy-winning young soul singer Bridges leads the RPO through a set of original arrangements — and it's Bridges' first time in front of an orchestra.
Jan. 22: Jennifer Hudson & the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Grammy- and Oscar-winning performer Hudson fronts the RPO for a one-off and wide-ranging program of songs you know and original orchestral arrangements put together by Hudson just for the evening.
Jan. 23: The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Royal Philharmonic takes center stage for this night, teaming with Winter Park's Bach Festival Choir to tackle Beethoven, Rachmaninoff and more.
Jan. 25: Lyle Lovett & the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Americana master and country outlier Lovett will tear through a set of his best work backed up by, you guessed it, the RPO.
Jan. 26: 'Black, Brown and Beige' and 'Sacred Music'
Emmy- and Grammy-winner Audra McDonald, the RPO, and members of the Jazz Orchestra at Dr. Phillips Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Bethune-Cookman University Concert Chorale will join together to perform the prescient Duke Ellington masterworks Black, Brown and Beige and Sacred Music. This is the first time Ellington's piece Black, Brown and Beige, improbably panned at the time, has been heard like this.
Tickets for all of the Grand Celebration events are available now.
Please note that the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts recently reinstated their face-mask requirement, so if you want to make sure indoors events can continue in this new space, do your part.
