Johnny Mathis, traditional holiday program returns to Segerstrom

Johnny Mathis Courtesy photo

Segerstrom Center announces the return of its popular holiday tradition – American Ballet Theatre’s captivating production of The Nutcracker. Co-presented by the Center and ABT with choreography by ABT Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky. This is the 6th time that Segerstrom Center for the Arts presents American Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker, Southern California’s grandest production of this beloved holiday tradition.

This Nutcracker features ABT’s international all star cast and students from Segerstrom Center’s American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School. ABT has a long, storied history of producing several critically acclaimed productions of this annual child-friendly classic tale of Clara and the Nutcracker over the years (previous versions were by Mikhail Baryshnikov and ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie). The Nutcracker, with its timeless music by Tchaikovsky and fairytale costumes and exotic dances, is the perfect way to introduce children to dance and even inspire them to study dance and become a little Clara or Nutcracker Prince.

LA Jewish Symphony: Violins of Hope with Lindsay Deutsch
SUN | DEC 12 | 3PM
Lindsay Deutsch
The violins from the Holocaust were on their way to Los Angeles when their journey was interrupted by the COVID-19 crisis. The historic instruments stand as testament to resilience, now more than ever, in their triumphant return.
The Los Angeles Jewish Symphony, conducted by Noreen Green, dedicated to the performance of works of distinction that explore Jewish culture, heritage and experience, performs a program with violinist Lindsay Deutsch and cellist Barry Gold on Sunday December 12 at 7pm at The Soraya that is a celebration of perseverance and music’s power to transcend: John Williams: Schindler’s List Suite; Max Bruch: Kol Nidre; Ernest Bloch: Baal Shem: Three Pictures of Hassidic Life; and Sid Robinovitch: Suite for Klezmer Band and Orchestra.
Violins of Hope is a project created to celebrate the triumph of the human spirit, based on a private collection of over 60 violins, violas and cellos all restored since the end of World War II. The instruments have been collected by Amnon Weinstein and his son Avshi in Tel Aviv and restored in an effort to continue to tell the story of their previous owners, each with their own personal stories from the Holocaust.
Segerstrom Center for the Arts
300 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
www.scfta.org
A magical roster of international music, dance, legendary recording artists and family holiday cheer makes for a most remarkable holiday season at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Celebrate all month long beginning (December 3 &10) with holiday movies outside on the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza, Elf and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Free family fun will be had before the Nutcracker with the annual Holidays Around the World festival on the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza (December 4 & 11) .Sugar plums and fairies grace the stage with the return of American Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker (December 10-19), followed by seasonal concerts “The Beautiful Day” – Kurt Elling Sings Christmas (December 11), Salsa Navidad- Spanish Harlem Orchestra (December 12), “Voice of Christmas” Johnny Mathis (December 21), Fiesta Navidad (December 22), A Magical Cirque Christmas (December 26), and the season will culminate with Salute to Vienna New Year’s Concert (January 1).

Tickets are available for purchase online at www.SCFTA.org, and at the Box Office at 600 Town
Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling (714) 556-2787. For inquiries about group ticket
savings of 10 or more, please call the Group Services office at (714) 755-0236.

The Beautiful Day – Kurt Elling Sings Christmas
December 11, 2021 (at 7 and 9 pm)
Samueli Theater
Grammy Award winner Kurt Elling returns to celebrate the holidays with his acclaimed show, The Beautiful Day. With a mix of traditional carols and contemporary holiday songs, the jazz vocalist and favorite of Center audiences celebrates the promise and magical energy of the holiday season.

Spanish Harlem Orchestra – “Salsa Navidad”
Sunday, December 12, 2021 at 2 p.m.
Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
Jazz lovers enjoyed incredible shows when Spanish Harlem Orchestra first brought Salsa Navidad to Segerstrom Center in 2019. Now the two-time Grammy winning Salsa and Latin Jazz band returns to celebrate the winter holidays with music that will make you want to stand up and dance. It simply doesn’t get any better when this Latin jazz powerhouse exudes an energy on stage with musical precision that captivate audiences until the last note is played.

John Lloyd Young’s Broadway Center Debut
December 15 – 17, 2021
Samueli Theater
Tony® and Grammy Award® winner John Lloyd Young interprets the spine-tingling, soul-bearing showstoppers that shaped his earliest Broadway aspirations with passion. With music director Tommy Faragher on piano, Young sings from Jersey Boys, The Wiz, Chicago, Hair, Dreamgirls and more, along with classics by legendary Broadway writers including Rodgers, Hart, Hammerstein, and Loesser.

Johnny Mathis Christmas Concert
CORRECT DATE – Dec 21, 2021 at 7:30 p.m.
Segerstom Hall
Celebrating his 65th year in the music industry, legendary singer Johnny Mathis’ sublime vocal approach to music eclipses passing fads and trends. He has performed songs in an incredible variety of styles and categories — from music composed for stage and film to golden era jazz standards, contemporary pop hits, and holiday music, all of which has assured his reputation as one of the most enduring vocalists in music history.