Modlin

All the Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented the Villain | September 3 & 4

Dubbed “The villain of Broadway” by Playbill, Patrick Page has never shied away from exploring his dark side. Now, with this tour de force show, he turns his attention to the twisted motivation and hidden humanity at the heart of Shakespeare’s greatest villains. Moving swiftly through the Shakespeare canon, Page illuminates the playwright’s ever-evolving conception of evil by delving into more than a dozen of his most wicked creations. Thrilling, biting, hilarious, and enlightening, what Page delivers is a masterclass on the most terrifying subject of them all: human nature.

Mavis Staples | September 11

Grim days call for fierce love—and Mavis Staples, one of America’s most enduring musical figures, delivers it powerfully. Sad and Beautiful World, her 15th solo album, stands as both a testimony to her life’s work and a beacon for future generations, weaving timeless reinventions with new songs that speak to hope, resilience, and faith in humanity.

Now 86, Mavis has been performing since the age of eight. Beginning with her father Roebuck “Pops” Staples and her siblings in The Staple Singers, she remains the group’s last surviving member – still carrying her family’s legacy of music and activism. Inducted into several music halls of fame (blues, rock, gospel), a Kennedy Center Honoree, and a winner of multiple Grammy Awards (including a Lifetime Achievement award), the incomparable Mavis Staples is our musical history.

The Crossing, David Lang’s poor hymnal, The Crossing | January 29 & 30

Premier chamber choir The Crossing, led by conductor Donald Nally and dedicated to new music, performs poor hymnal – a 14-piece song cycle by Pulitzer-winning composer David Lang. This reflective concert-length piece is built on texts from scripture and political speeches that explore community, loss, and the fragile threads that connect us.

David Lang’s poor hymnal tries to get to the core of what a religious experience can be. “What I love about hymnals,” the composer writes in his liner notes to the CD, “is that they’re a catalog of things a community of worshippers can agree on — a catalog that can be sung. And what the worshippers are singing about matters.”

This engagement is the world premiere of the fully staged work choreographed by Annie-B Parson, which is co-commissioned by the Modlin Center.

Bill’s 44th | March 19 & 20

This poignant, comedic puppet show for grown-ups is a wordless spectacle featuring puppetry, raucous balloons, and a cheeky piece of crudité that collide to examine the pitfalls of impatience, the wonder of loneliness, and the universal passage of time. ’This isn’t the birthday that Bill had hoped to have. But for the audience, his 44th is a gift’ (The New York Times).

The streamers are hung, the punch has been poured, and the cake is just begging to be eaten! Now all that remains is for guests to arrive. Desperate to fill his apartment with camaraderie and celebration, Bill’s imagination runs wild.

Bill’s 44th was originally conceived in 2016 by Brookly-based puppeteer Dorothy James and artist Andy Manjuck. It features an original, recorded score.

Remembering Empathy | April 9 & 10

As artist in residence with the Modlin Center for the Arts and Bonner Center for Civic Engagement, Marc Bamuthi Joseph has spent three years on campus and in the community engaging Richmond memory keepers, historians, storytellers, and artists in conversation about our past. Through this process of deep inquiry, he has created a libretto that explores six themes – Memory, Folklore, History, Truth, Facts, and Erasure – as a pathway to collective healing and imagination.

Remembering Empathy is a powerful new orchestral work that joins Joseph’s urgent spoken-word reflections with composer Tamar-kali’s soulful symphonic score performed by the Richmond Symphony under the direction of Valentina Peleggi. This world premiere of Remembering Empathy is co-commissioned by the Modlin Center and the Richmond Symphony.

“He’s been hailed by critics as one of the most compelling and important spoken-word performance artists.” — Miami New Times, on Marc Bamuthi Joseph

Gabriela Montero | October 15

Gabriela Montero’s visionary interpretations and unique compositional gifts have garnered her critical acclaim and a devoted following. Celebrated for her exceptional musicality and ability to improvise, she will perform a recital of Spanish and Spanish-inspired music. Her evocative program features works by Albéniz, Grandados, and others, including rarely performed miniatures composed by the greatest Spanish pianist of the 20th century – the legendary Alicia de Larrocha. Born in Venezuela, Montero lives in Barcelona. And this music lives in her heart.

Free Family Arts Day with Kadencia Orchestra | October 18

Join the Modlin Center for the Arts and Harnett Museum of Art for our annual Family Arts Day, a celebration featuring the vibrant sounds of Afro-Puerto Rican folk music with Richmond-based Kadencia Orchestra, interactive dance and music workshops, and hands-on arts activities led by University of Richmond students.

The Naghash Ensemble | November 13 

The Naghash Ensemble combines the earthy spirituality of Armenian folk song, new classical music, and contemporary post-minimalism with the energy of rock and jazz. Three brilliant female vocalists and some of Armenia’s finest instrumentalists on duduk, oud, dhol, and piano play captivating new music based on sacred texts by the medieval Armenian mystic poet and priest Mkrtich Naghash. 

Written by Armenian-American composer John Hodian, The Naghash Ensemble’s Songs of Exile is a meditation on man’s relationship to God from the perspective of a monk forced to live in exile for many years. “Part folk music, part classical, and profoundly moving. Unmistakably Armenian, but out of this world” – Armenisch-Deutsche Korrespondenz

Silkroad Ensemble featuring Sandeep Das: Prism | February 24

Sona Jobarteh | March 25

Sona Jobarteh is a living archive of the Gambian people, her musical spirit honoring the West African griot tradition. Jobarteh is the first professional female kora virtuoso, a pioneer within an ancient tradition previously and exclusively passed down from father to son. Jobarteh’s uplifting vocals lend even greater depth to her music, which is uniquely poised between the preservation of a rich cultural heritage and a contemporary style.

Her latest album, Badinyaa Kumoo, is an exciting fusion of traditional music with Afropop and blues. From Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl to New York’s Symphony Space in New York, London’s Barbican to Cologne’s Philharmonie, Jobarteh’s performances have enthralled sold-out crowds worldwide.

Isadore String Quartet | November 5

Winners of the 2023 Avery Fisher Career Grant and the 2022 Banff International String Quartet Competition, the Isidore String Quartet was formed with a vision to revisit, rediscover, and reinvigorate the classical canon. The quartet began at the Julliard School and is heavily influenced by the Juilliard String Quartet and the idea of “approaching the established as if it were brand new, and the new as if it were firmly established.”

The centerpiece of their program is Grammy-winning jazz pianist Billy Childs’s Quartet No. 4, “American Mosaic,” a riveting meditation on race relations in the United States written expressly for them. This new work will be paired with Haydn’s String Quartet No. 23 in F Minor, Op. 20, No. 5, Webern’s Langsamer Satz, and Mendelssohn’s Opus 80 quartet.

The Crossing, David Lang’s poor hymnal, The Crossing | January 29 & 30

Premier chamber choir The Crossing, led by conductor Donald Nally and dedicated to new music, performs poor hymnal – a 14-piece song cycle by Pulitzer-winning composer David Lang. This reflective concert-length piece is built on texts from scripture and political speeches that explore community, loss, and the fragile threads that connect us.

David Lang’s poor hymnal tries to get to the core of what a religious experience can be. “What I love about hymnals,” the composer writes in his liner notes to the CD, “is that they’re a catalog of things a community of worshippers can agree on — a catalog that can be sung. And what the worshippers are singing about matters.”

This engagement is the world premiere of the fully staged work choreographed by Annie-B Parson, which is co-commissioned by the Modlin Center.

Third Coast Percussion, Ripples in the Water: Philip Glass at 90 | February 18

Third Coast Percussion creates exciting and unexpected performances that “push percussion in new directions, blurring musical boundaries and beguiling new listeners” (NPR). The ensemble returns to the Modlin Center for a program honoring the tremendous impact of composer Philip Glass on contemporary music.

As Glass turns 90 in 2027, his unmistakable influence resonates across a vast spectrum of contemporary music creators also included on this program: electronic music producer Jlin, pop polymath Devonté Hynes, TCP’s own David Skidmore, and minimalism master Steve Reich, a contemporary of Glass’s. At the heart of this program are TCP’s acclaimed arrangements of Aguas da Amazonia and Metamorphosis One. These enchanting works bring focus to Glass’s gorgeous harmonic vocabulary, performed on an array of traditional and unexpected percussion instruments.

Remembering Empathy | April 9 & 10

As artist in residence with the Modlin Center for the Arts and Bonner Center for Civic Engagement, Marc Bamuthi Joseph has spent three years on campus and in the community engaging Richmond memory keepers, historians, storytellers, and artists in conversation about our past. Through this process of deep inquiry, he has created a libretto that explores six themes – Memory, Folklore, History, Truth, Facts, and Erasure – as a pathway to collective healing and imagination.

Remembering Empathy is a powerful new orchestral work that joins Joseph’s urgent spoken-word reflections with composer Tamar-kali’s soulful symphonic score performed by the Richmond Symphony under the direction of Valentina Peleggi. This world premiere of Remembering Empathy is co-commissioned by the Modlin Center and the Richmond Symphony.

“He’s been hailed by critics as one of the most compelling and important spoken-word performance artists.” — Miami New Times, on Marc Bamuthi Joseph

Tyreek McDole | October 23

Tyreek McDole is a multi-award-winning Haitian-American vocalist from Central Florida whose deeply reflective artistry has made him one of jazz’s most exciting young voices. With a soulful baritone and fearless sense of style, he brings a fresh perspective rooted in the sounds of the Caribbean, Florida, and New York.

Lakecia Benjamin & Phoenix | October 24

A charismatic performer, saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin fuses traditional concepts of jazz, hip hop, and soul to create a fresh new sound. With her captivating live performances and dynamic sax work, the six-time Grammy nominee returns to the Modlin Center stage with her sensational band for a standout performance.

Cory Henry & the Funk Apostles | October 24

Grammy-winning Hammond organist, composer, and bandleader, Cory Henry and his Funk Apostles band create an alchemy of gospel-inflected R&B, funk, jazz, and global influences with fearless imagination. With powerhouse grooves, rich harmonies and uplifting, message-driven songs, the group turns every performance into a soulful, dance-filled experience that feels both timeless and boldly modern.

Christian McBride & Ursa Major | October 25

Known for his expansive artistry and forward-thinking vision in jazz, Christian McBride has blazed an extraordinary trail as one of the most preeminent musicians of his time. The 11-time Grammy Award-winner has excelled as a dynamic musician, a prolific composer-arranger-producer, a distinguished curator, and a dedicated educator and mentor. A prolific bandleader, McBride’s ensembles are each distinctive extensions of his creative inspiration, which span jazz funk, soul, Latin, hip hop, and rhythm and blues. His celebrated groups – including his newest, Ursa Major – have not only enjoyed consistent critical acclaim, but they have also emphasized his role as an early presenter of rising stars. McBride’s staggeringly diverse career also includes the role of host of NPR’s public radio program Jazz Night in America as well as The Lowdown: Conversations with Christian on SiriusXM and several artistic director titles at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, the TD James Moody Jazz Festival, among others.

Brandee Younger Trio | October 25

Brandee Younger, three-time Grammy-nominated harpist and composer, is among the most celebrated artists to emerge in contemporary jazz. She puts the harp at the center of a modern, powerful sound that moves effortlessly between soul, jazz, groove, and deep expression.

Inspired by the legacy of jazz harp legends Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane, Brandee Younger is revolutionizing the harp’s role in modern music. The first Black woman to be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition, her original composition, “Hortense”, was featured in the Netflix Concert-Documentary, Beyoncé: Homecoming. Her latest album, Brand New Life, is about forging new paths, and is filled with a sense of purpose and respect for legacy, creating a larger platform for the harp to reach newer and wider audiences than ever before.

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis | March 31

Celebrate Wynton Marsalis in his final season as Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center and Music Director of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. After decades of shaping the future of jazz, Marsalis brings his signature artistry and unforgettable performances to the stage one last time. With its trademark swing, soul, and sophistication, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra showcases more than a dozen of today’s finest soloists and ensemble players performing music by the great jazz composers alongside contemporary new works that celebrate and expand the American jazz tradition.

After nearly 40 years as the visionary face of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Wynton Marsalis has announced he will step down as managing and artistic director by July 2027, transitioning into an advisory role through 2028. Since the organization’s inception, Marsalis has been instrumental in transforming it from a small summer series into a world-class institution—the “House of Swing”—while tirelessly advocating for jazz as a vital pillar of American culture.

Cirque Kikasse: SANTÉ! | September 18

Experience the thrill of Quebec’s Cirque Kikasse in an extraordinary, one-of-a-kind mobile circus where daring acrobatics are performed on top of and around a food truck. Expect breathtaking performances of skill and spectacle for all ages paired with craft beer and delectable bites served from inside the truck.

Watch in awe as the troupe prepares their rooftop terrace for service through a series of playful transformations, from arranging furniture that becomes a towering 35-foot balancing act, creating comic chaos as they clean their truck and trampoline, and joyfully flooding the area with popcorn. A bold, fun, and visually striking showcase that delivers remarkable virtuosity it will thrill even the most seasoned circus fans while delighting your inner child.

Johnny Loves Johann | September 26

Johnny Loves Johann unites violinist Johnny Gandelsman’s folk-inspired interpretation of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cello Suites with original choreography created and performed by John Heginbotham, Caili Quan, Jamar Roberts, and Melissa Toogood. The performance is a whimsical, intimate take on Bach’s music, celebrating the dance and humanity at the heart of these iconic works.

Named "a violinist who can do anything" by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Grammy Award-winning violinist, producer, and 2024 MacArthur Fellow Johnny Gandelsman created this multidisciplinary project to explore the relationship between sound and movement - not as parallel forms, but as collaborators.

The Great Keyboard Variations, Joanne Kong | April 18

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Modlin Center for the Arts, faculty keyboardist Joanne Kong presents the two acknowledged masterpieces of the variation genre, Bach’s Goldberg Variations on harpsichord, and Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations on piano. These works are often cited as the most significant and ambitious variation sets ever written for keyboard instruments, and Kong is the first artist to present these works together on their respective instruments.