CFA

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) returns to the Center for the Arts on January 28 with an exciting program featuring the acclaimed 2022/2023 RPO Artist-in-Residence pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason, RPO Music Director Vasily Petrenko, and pieces by Debussy with orchestration by Ravel, Prokofiev, and Rimsky-Korsakov. Cemented in its place at the forefront of classical music performance, RPO demonstrates an unwavering dedication to excellence while developing its programming, breaking down barriers, and making classical music accessible and inclusive.  

Longtime Friend of the Center for the Arts Bob Warakomsky collected cherished holiday memories at the Center for the Arts from other Friends, compiling snapshots of joyful stories from across the years.

Coming to the Center with new arrangements of classic yuletide carols is the vibrant Latin GRAMMY-nominated group Mariachi Herencia de México with A Mariachi Christmas on December 10. For the holidays, the ensemble shares the Latin American tradition of Las Posadas with songs of the season, such as “Feliz Navidad,” “Ave Maria,” and more. The Chicago Sun-Times notes, “...for freshness and originality, it’s hard to top Mariachi Herencia de México’s south-of-the-border ode to Christmas.”

The Center for the Arts makes it easy for your class or group to attend field trips, which are all offered in person. From their seats, students will be introduced to music, theatrical puppetry, film, and more, with instruments and rhythms from around the world. This spring, experience FREE schooltime performances for Hamid Rahmanian’s "Song of the North" on Friday, January 26 and Small Island Big Song on Friday, April 19.

Renée Fleming, one of the most celebrated singers of our time and a 2023 Kennedy Center Honoree, joins the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra (FSO) for an exclusive evening at the Center for the Arts on November 18.

Returning for their second of three years as a Mason Artist-in-Residence, Silkroad Ensemble and Artistic Director Rhiannon Giddens present the world premiere of American Railroad, an initiative that maps American music through the various communities involved in building the late-1800s Transcontinental Railroad and its connecting railways. As a Mason Artist-in-Residence, Silkroad artists will also work with the community through classes and workshops surrounding the performance, which are detailed within.

The holidays are right around the corner and if you listen closely, you can hear the quiet jingle bells and merriment heading to the Center this season. From family-favorite classics to brand-new traditions in the making, the Center has a wide offering of performances that will leave your heart shining with holiday spirit!

Get ready to laugh and cheer for everyone’s favorite barber! Virginia Opera’s 2023-2024 season continues with Gioachino Rossini‘s beloved masterpiece The Barber of Seville running at the Center for the Arts November 11—12.

Audio describer Ermyn King will be joining the Center for the Arts to audio describe the following performances: Virginia Opera: The Barber of Seville on Nov. 12, Virginia Opera: Sanctuary Road on Feb. 4, Peking Acrobats on Mar. 10 at 1 p.m., and Virginia Opera: Madama Butterfly on Mar. 17.

ARTS by George! returned on Saturday, September 30, 2023, hosted by the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) at George Mason University. The benefit event, which was headlined by GRAMMY and Tony Award winner Renée Elise Goldsberry, raised more than $275,000 for student scholarships in visual arts, dance, music, theater, game design, film, arts management, as well as for the Mason Community Arts Academy, Green Machine Ensembles, and the Great Performances at Mason season at the Center for the Arts.