2025–2026 Season Announcement
Long Live the Arts:
Experience Carolina Performing Arts’ 2025–2026 Season
“This season is a love letter to the transformative power of performance. At a time when belonging is more important than ever, we’re creating moments that connect people to one another—and to something greater.”
Alison Friedman, James and Susan Moeser executive and artistic director of Carolina Performing Arts
At Carolina Performing Arts, we believe live performance isn’t a luxury—it’s a force for health, joy, and human connection. As we unveil our 2025–2026 season, we invite you to join us in celebrating what brings us together to feel, question, and grow—at UNC–Chapel Hill and beyond.
This season, you’ll experience artistic debuts and longtime favorites, global icons and local luminaries, unexpected storytelling, and timeless sound. Across genres and generations, these performances ignite a joyful rallying cry: Long Live the Arts—for our well-being, for our communities, for the public good.
“Long Live the Arts is more than a slogan. It’s our promise to this campus, this community, and this moment,” says Friedman. “Audiences are seeking experiences that are joyful, meaningful, and real—this season meets them with open arms.”
Schedule
See the full schedule here and start planning!
 | October 10, 2025 Chris Thile |
 | October 28 & 29, 2025 Pony Cam, Burnout Paradise |
 | November 4 & 5, 2025 The Philadelphia Orchestra with Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Music and Artistic Director Emanuel Ax, piano |
 | November 13, 2025 Nora Brown and Stephanie Coleman |
 | November 19 & 20, 2025 Lost Lear |
 | December 6, 2025 Aakash Odedra Company, Samsara |
 | December 10–13, 2025 Johnny Loves Johann |
 | January 23, 2026 Renée Fleming, Music and Mind |
 | January 24, 2026 Renée Fleming, Voice of Nature: the Anthropocene |
 | February 12–14, 2026 Blind Summit Theatre presents The Sex Lives of Puppets by Mark Down and Ben Keaton |
 | February 21, 2026 The TEAM, Reconstructing |
 | February 24 & 25, 2026 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater |
 | February 26, 2026 Danish String Quartet |
 | March 25, 2026 Martha Graham Dance Company, GRAHAM100: The Centennial Celebration |
 | March 30 & 31 and April 10 & 11, 2026 Culture Mill, Eclipse |
 | April 24, 2026 Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis |
 | May 2, 2026 Mahler Chamber Orchestra with Yuja Wang, piano and director |
Season On Sale Information
On Sale Dates
Donor presale: August 5 at 12 p.m.
Public on sale: August 12 at 12 p.m.
$11 Student Tickets
UNC students + ALL K-college students statewide can purchase $11 tickets for every CPA season show.
Choose Your Price Tickets:
Five percent of tickets are released 24 hours before each show at pay-what-you-can pricing.
Ticket Discounts & Savings
Check our ticketing FAQ, and see if you qualify for one of our many ticket discounts for UNC employees, first responders, and more.
Box Office Hours (Beginning August 5)
Monday-Friday 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and one hour prior to performances.
More Questions?:
Check out our FAQ page.
Students: New to CPA? Start Here!
First of all, nice to meet you! We’re UNC-Chapel Hill’s professional performing arts presenter. That means we host a season of artists from across the globe right here on campus.
Student tickets are just $11
That’s right—world-class performances for less than the cost of your next takeout order. Whether you’re into jazz, dance, poetry, or puppets, there’s something in this season just for you.
Come for the shows. Stay for the community!
Get involved with us beyond the audience! Work with us as an usher or stagehand, join our Student Advisory Committee, or attend free student events, workshops, and artists talks throughout the year. We also partner with instructors and professors to create connection in the classroom—for CLE credit!
Explore our venues
Most performances take place at venues like Memorial Hall and the Joan H. Gillings ArtSpace + CURRENT Studio, located at Carolina Square just off Franklin Street.
Stay in-the-know
Follow us on Instagram or Facebook for more information on all things CPA.
Our Season in Pictures
Signature Moments of the Season
This season’s performances embody the spirit of Long Live the Arts and offer artistic brilliance, personal resonance, and creative longevity. Among the many highlights:
- October 10 | Chris Thile opens the season with his signature blend of virtuosic mandolin, sharp storytelling, and unfiltered spontaneity.
- January 23 & 24 | Renée Fleming makes her CPA debut with two powerful events: Music and Mind, a multimedia presentation and conversation featuring UNC neuroscientists and Voice of Nature: the Anthropocene, a visually immersive concert reflecting on the environment, empathy, and artistic legacy.
- April 24 | Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis returns with an unforgettable evening—blending swing, soul, and storytelling in a performance that honors jazz legacy and innovation.
“When we programmed this season, we leaned into what people told us they’re hungry for—experiences that are joyful, thought-provoking, and restorative. We see CPA as a partner in public well-being and believe we can help cultivate that kind of nourishment.”
Amy Kolling, senior director of artistic and production
Other Highlights
Chamber & Orchestral Performances
This season’s offerings combine tradition with the spark of contemporary interpretation. Whether intimate or epic in scale, these performances showcase the power of music to move and inspire lasting connection.
November 4–5 | The Philadelphia Orchestra led by Yannick Nézet-Séguin, returns for two evenings of sweeping works by Beethoven, Brahms, William Grant Still, and Jennifer Higdon—joined on November 4 by the incomparable pianist Emanuel Ax.
February 26 | Danish String Quartet brings their spellbinding blend of technical command and warm storytelling.
May 2 | Mahler Chamber Orchestra with Yuja Wang closes the season with a high-voltage program featuring Prokofiev and Hindemith.
Dance That Moves Us
Dance remains one of CPA’s boldest and most popular presentations—where legacy, innovation, and cultural memory become a kinetic expression of Long Live The Arts.
December 6 | Aakash Odedra Company’s Samsara translates Buddhist philosophy into movement, tracing an epic journey through transformation.
February 24 & 25 | Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater brings its signature blend of spiritual depth and technical brilliance.
March 25 | Martha Graham Dance Company returns with Graham at 100, a centennial celebration of the woman who revolutionized modern dance.
Bold Stages, Brave Stories
These aren’t just performances—they’re experiences that stretch the imagination, break the fourth wall, and unlock new ways of seeing.
October 28 & 29 | Burnout Paradise by Pony Cam humorously unpacks overwork and exhaustion—performed entirely on four treadmills.
November 19 & 20 | Lost Lear reimagines Shakespeare’s tragedy through the lens of dementia and memory in a moving and darkly comic remix.
February 12-14 | Sex Lives of Puppets presented by Blind Summit Theatre by Mark Down and Ben Keaton is gloriously unhinged, unapologetically adult, and wildly inventive.
CPA Premiere: Johnny Loves Johann
December 10-13 | Premiering this December, Johnny Loves Johann is a world premiere CPA-commissioned work that unites choreographers John Heginbotham, Caili Quan, Jamar Roberts, and Melissa Toogood with longtime CPA collaborator and violinist Johnny Gandelsman. This evening-length project pairs Bach’s Cello Suites—performed live on violin—with original choreography, celebrating the humanity and dance at the center of this iconic music.
Resonance Through Voice
The human voice takes center stage in an intimate performances at the Chapel of the Cross, where sacred space meets sonic storytelling. These artists honor heritage, reimagine tradition, and connect us across generations and geographies.
November 13 | Nora Brown with Stephanie Coleman bring Appalachian folk music to vivid life through banjo, fiddle, and tight-knit harmonies.
Brown—hailed as a generational talent—and Coleman—regarded as one of the premiere fiddlers of today—pair haunting clarity with deep respect for the music’s roots, making each performance both archival and alive.
Southern Futures
CPA continues to advance Southern Futures—our ongoing initiative that commissions artists to explore the South’s past, present, and future through bold, interdisciplinary performance. This season features two commissions:
February 21 | The TEAM’s Reconstructing—a genre-defying theater piece that confronts myth, memory, and the complexities of American legacy.
March 30-31 & April 10-11 | Culture Mill’s Eclipse, which first debuted in 2022, returns this season, blurring boundaries and exploring race, place, and Southern identity through movement and community ritual.
Community & Campus Partners
Read more about our partner events
Live performance thrives through partnership—and this season, CPA is proud to continue serving as the leading presenter and producing partner for artistic organizations, student groups, campus ensembles, and regional collaborators including:
North Carolina Symphony
As one of the state’s most cherished cultural institutions, the North Carolina Symphony’s presence at Memorial Hall strengthens our shared commitment to access, excellence, and community connection with eight performances this season.
Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle
Renowned for its artistic excellence and adventurous programming, Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle brings dynamic performances and rarely heard works to the stage. With a focus on emerging talent and bold repertoire, the orchestra enriches the season with depth, refinement, and regional pride, highlighting their remarkable range across eight performances this season.
Campus Organizations
From the pitch-perfect harmonies of the UNC Clef Hangers to the electrifying energy of Panhellenic Greek Groove, our campus partners and their performers embody the vibrancy and creative spirit that keep the arts alive at Carolina.
Click here for the full calendar of the CPA season and rental events.
New & Noteworthy
Read more about what is new at CPA
Be In The Know Before The Show
Want to know about pre-show talks, special guests, or free pop-up events? Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest updates delivered right to your inbox. It’s the best way to stay connected—and never miss a moment.
Enjoy Drinks & Treats From Epilogue
Our concessions partner at Memorial Hall is Epilogue Books Chocolate Brews, a locally owned and operated bookstore cafe in downtown Chapel Hill. Grab a drink, a snack, or something sweet—and skip the line by pre-ordering via QR code when you arrive.
New Number, Same Stage
Memorial Hall is now listed as 140 East Cameron Avenue (formerly 114)—a small update from a campus-wide address change. The building is right where you remember it and is still home to the CPA Box Office for all your ticketing needs.
A New Name For A Space You Love
CURRENT ArtSpace is now the Joan H. Gillings ArtSpace at CURRENT, honoring the bold spirit and visionary support of longtime arts champion Joan H. Gillings. Thanks to her generous philanthropic investment, the space continues to ignite imaginations with adventurous, genre-defying performances.
Long live discovery. Long live connection. Long live the arts.