Free Tickets for Students This Week — Take a Finals Reset
Pick up your FREE student walk-up ticket one hour before showtime at Joan H. Gillings ArtSpace at Current. Limited availability as supplies last.
Carolina Performing Arts is proud to bring back longtime CPA collaborator, inaugural Curator-in-Residence, and violinist Johnny Gandelsman. He returns with the world premiere of Johnny Loves Johann, a CPA-commissioned work that unites choreographers John Heginbotham, Caili Quan, Jamar Roberts, and Melissa Toogood. This evening-length performance pairs Gandelman’s unique interpretation of Bach’s Cello Suites—performed live on violin—with original choreography, celebrating the humanity and dance at the center of this iconic music.
More On The Show
Johnny Loves Johann is co-commissioned by Carolina Performing Arts and the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, who serve as lead co-commissioners of this world premiere. Additional developmental support was provided through a one-week residency hosted by the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts at UNCSA in December.
This work also received commissioning support from The Joyce Theater’s Stephen and Cathy Weinroth Fund for New Work (with additional support from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund); the Modlin Center for the Arts at the University of Richmond; Works & Process; and The Yard. Additional funding support was provided by Jody and John Arnhold, Alva Greenberg, Michael Hostetler and Erica Pascal, John Mittelman, Marty Peretz, Michael and Amy Tiemann, and Ken and Florence Umezaki. Johnny Loves Johann receives fiscal sponsorship from Producer Hub.
This premiere reflects a new model of cross-campus collaboration—one that supports shared artistic development, education, and presentation.
Event Details
December 10, 2025 | 7:30 PM
December 11, 2025 | 6:00 PM
December 12-13, 2025 | 8:00 PM
- Runtime: approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes, including intermission
- Intermission: 10 minutes
- Additional information: visit our FAQ page
- Late seating policy: not permitted
Ticket & Discount Information
Tickets available starting at $20-29. Student tickets always $11. Eligible for CLE Credit.
Discount Information
We offer several discounts for CPA series performances only. Partner and rental events are not eligible.
Important Notes:
- Discounts must be applied at the time of purchase and cannot be added retroactively.
- Only one discount can be used per order.
- We reserve the right to cancel tickets that do not follow these guidelines
Available Discounts:
Military & First Responders
- Discount: 15% off
- Limit: 4 tickets per person, per performance
- How to redeem: Use promo code SERVICE2526 online or call our box office
Seniors (65+)
- Discount: 15% off
- Limit: 4 tickets per person, per performance
- ID Required: Yes
- How to redeem: Use promo code SENIOR2526 online or call our box office
UNC-Chapel Hill Faculty & Staff
- Discount: 25% off
- Limit: 4 tickets per person, per performance
- ID Required at Entry: Yes (UNC One Card)
- How to redeem:
- Current faculty/staff: Use promo code UNCFS2526
- Retired faculty/staff: Use promo code UNCRET2526
UNC Health Staff
- Discount: 25% off
- Limit: 4 tickets per person, per performance
- ID Required at Entry: Yes (UNC Health ID)
- How to redeem: Use promo code UNCFS2526 online or call our box office
UNC-Chapel Hill Students
- Discount: $11 tickets (Zones 3, 4, and 5)
- Limit: 2 tickets per student, per performance
- ID Required at Entry: Yes (UNC Student ID)
- How to redeem: Use promo code UNCST2526 online and select price type “UNC Student,” or call our box office
Non-UNC Students (K-College, Statewide)
- Discount: $11 tickets (Zones 3, 4, and 5)
- Limit: 2 tickets per student, per performance
- ID Required at Entry: Yes (UNC Student ID)
- How to redeem: Use promo code UNCST2526 online and select price type “UNC Student,” or call our box office
Carolina Alumni Members
- Discount: 15% off
- Limit: 4 tickets per order
- How to redeem: Use promo code GAA2526 online or call our box office
Watch our video on applying discount codes when checking out!
Visit our FAQ page for more details.
Why We’re Presenting This
Bach’s music is often put in the context of order and notions of perfection. While we can enjoy hearing it this way, it can also limit our experience of this music as the celebration of humanity and beautiful opportunity for connection that it is.
Gandelsman’s interpretation of Bach’s Cello Suites is special in its folk music and dance-like qualities. Building upon that, the Johnny Loves Johann collaborators—each known for visceral, big-hearted art-making—re-visit the suites by leading with their humanity and curiosity. CPA is proud to have supported convening this community of creatives to practice reinvention and vulnerability together, and to offer audiences a deeply personal experience and a renewed activation of the dance at this music’s core.
Read more about the process behind this collaborative project—When Violin Dances: Johnny Loves Johann World Premiere.
About the Performers
Johnny Gandelsman
GRAMMY® Award-winning violinist, producer, and 2024 MacArthur Fellow Johnny Gandelsman blends diverse musical influences into a unique style. A founding member of Brooklyn Rider and former Silkroad Ensemble artist, he has collaborated with luminaries including Yo-Yo Ma, Béla Fleck, and Mark Morris.
Caili Quan
New York-based choreographer and former BalletX dancer, Caili Quan creates works for leading ballet companies and festivals. Her choreographic voice is shaped by her Chamorro Filipino heritage and diverse dance training.
Jamar Roberts
Former Resident Choreographer of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Jamar Roberts is acclaimed for his powerful works and performances. He has created pieces for major companies worldwide and is a recipient of the Bessie Award for Outstanding Performer.
Melissa Toogood
Renowned modern dancer and teacher, Melissa Toogood is Dean and Director of Juilliard’s Dance Division. A former Merce Cunningham dancer and longtime collaborator with Pam Tanowitz, she is celebrated for her artistry and mentorship worldwide.
John Heginbotham
Brooklyn-based choreographer and Artistic Director of Dance Heginbotham, John Heginbotham is known for his innovative works (2019 Broadway revival of Oklahoma! and Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy), and collaborations with top musicians and opera companies. He has received numerous awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award.
Go further
Want to learn more about the artists behind this world premiere? Start here.
Listen:
New Combinations – Caili Quan: Dive deep into Caili’s past for a conversation about her path from studying dance to full-time choreography.
Watch:
Learn:
Dancing through Bach’s sublime Cello Suites, on the violin: Read this fantastic review of Johnny Gandelsman playing the Bach Cello Suites on violin
Jamar Roberts | The New York Times: Read more about Jamar’s collaboration with the Martha Graham Dance Company & Rhiannon Giddens, “We the People”.
Want to see more performances?
Check out the full lineup for the 2025-2026 CPA Season, and discover more incredible shows!
