(Birmingham Royal Ballet’s “Black Sabbath”)
By Jeff Maisey
Familiar names — each with their own twist — in the performing arts world represent the highlights of the 2025 Virginia Arts Festival season.
Perhaps top of the list will be the Birmingham Royal Ballet’s American premiere performance May 30 and 31 at Chrysler Hall) of “Black Sabbath,” a new ballet paying homage to fellow Birmingham, England native sons Black Sabbath, the hard rock band known for dark-toned music headed by Ozzy Osbourne.
The Ballet choreographed dance performances to the following Sabbath tunes “Paranoid,” “Ironman,” “War Pigs,” “Black Sabbath,” “Solitude,” “Orchid,” “Laguna Sunrise,” and “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.”
In addition to this fourth appearance by Birmingham Royal Ballet in the Festival’s 28 years, Executive Director Rob Cross said he’s equally excited to present the return classical music vocalist Renee Fleming (June 1, Harrison Opera House), cellist Yo-Yo Ma (June 8, Chrysler Hall), and 2023 & 2024 Grammy-winning jazz singer Samar Joy (June 7, Chrysler Hall).
Another highlight includes the return of Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis (April 11). Marsalis and the orchestra will be in town for a week working with musicians from 10 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).
Additionally notable will be an all Beethoven Festival curated and featuring pianist Olga Kern with several variations of performance extending from late May to mid-June.
Young German composer/conductor Alma Deutscher will work with musicians from the Governor’s School for the Arts for a performance of her opera, “Cinderella,” March 15 at Sandler Center.
Virginia Arts Festival Composer-in-Residence Jessie Montgomery will perform a mix of her solo works and those of her influences on April 15 at the Robin Hixon Theater.
Virginia Arts Festival Spring 2025 Season At A Glance
All tickets available at vafest.org
Cinderella
Alma Deutscher, composer/conductor
featuring student performers from the Governor’s School for the Arts Vocal & Instrumental music departments
Saturday, March 15, 7:00 pm
Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, Virginia Beach
Momix
ALICE
Inspired by Alice in Wonderland
Connie and Marc Jacobson Opening Night Celebration
Wednesday, April 2, 7:30 pm
Chrysler Hall, Norfolk
Friday, April 4, 7:30 pm
Ferguson Center for the Arts, Newport News
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s
The Sound of Music
Sing-A-Long
Sunday, April 6, pre-show costume contest 2 pm, film 3 pm
Chrysler Hall, Norfolk
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
with Top Ensembles from the Jazz at Lincoln Center and Virginia Arts Festival HBCU Jazz Residency
Friday, April 11, 7:30 pm
Chrysler Hall, Norfolk
Jessie Montgomery, violin & composer
Virginia Arts Festival Chamber Players
Tuesday, April 15, 7:30 pm
Robin Hixon Theater, Clay & Jay Barr Education Center, Norfolk
Los Angeles Guitar Quartet
Wednesday, April 16, 7:30 pm
Norfolk Academy, Norfolk
Zakir Hussain And Masters Of Percussion
Zakir Hussain, tabla; Melissa hié, djembe; Anantha Krishnan, mridangam & vibraphone; Shikhar Naad Qureshi, multi-instrument percussionist; Sriram Ramesh, khanjira
Featuring Tabla Choir
Thursday, April 17, 7:30 pm
Perry Pavilion, Norfolk
Virginia International Tattoo
Thursday, April 24, 7:30 pm
Friday, April 25, 7:30 pm
Saturday, April 26, 7:30 pm
Sunday, April 27, 2:30 pm
Scope Arena, Norfolk
The Tallis Scholars
Tuesday, April 29, 7:30 pm
Christ & St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Norfolk
John Moreland, singer-songwriter
Sunday, May 4, 7:30 pm
Perry Pavilion, Norfolk
Edgar Meyer, double bass
Tessa Lark, violin
Joshua Roman, cello
Wednesday, May 7, 7:30 pm
Concert Hall at the College of William & Mary, Williamsburg
Mahler Symphony No. 9
Virginia Symphony Orchestra
Eric Jacobsen, conductor
Friday, May 9, 7:30 pm
Ferguson Center for the Arts, Newport News
Saturday, May 10, 2:30 pm
Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, Virginia Beach
Alcée Chriss III, organ
Christ & St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Norfolk
Sunday, May 11, 4:00 pm
Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda and Antonio Sánchez Trio
Wednesday, May 14, 7:30 pm
Perry Pavilion, Norfolk
Towne Bank Jazz Series with Jimmy Masters
Lena Seikaly, vocalist
Thursday, May 15, 7:30 pm
Miller Studio Theatre, Sandler Center for the Performing Ats, Virginia Beach
Zemlinsky Quartet
Olga Kern, piano
Wednesday, May 21, 7:30 pm
Concert Hall at the College of William & Mary, Williamsburg
Thursday, May 22, 7:30 pm
Robin Hixon Theater, Clay & Jay Barr Education Center, Norfolk
Coffee Concert I:
Zemlinsky Quartet; Olga Kern, piano
Friday, May 23, 10:30 am
Miller Studio Theatre, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, Virginia Beach
Birmingham Royal Ballet
Black Sabbath — The Ballet
with Virginia Symphony Orchestra
Friday, May 30, 7:30 pm
Saturday, May 31, 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm
Chrysler Hall, Norfolk
Renée Fleming, soprano
Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene
Sunday, June 1, 3:00 pm
Harrison Opera House, Norfolk
Coffee Concert II:
Lana Trotovšek, violin
Nina Kotova, cello
János Balázs, piano
Olga Kern, piano
Wednesday, June 4, 10:30 am
Miller Studio Theatre, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, Virginia Beach
Coffee Concert III:
Lana Trotovšek, violin
Nina Kotova, cello
Olga Kern, piano
Thursday, June 5, 10:30 am
Concert Hall at the College of William & Mary, Williamsburg
An Afternoon with Yo-Yo Ma
Reflections in Words and Music
Sunday, June 8, 3:00 pm
Chrysler Hall, Norfolk
Lana Trotovšek, violin
Nina Kotova, cello
János Balázs, piano
Olga Kern, piano
Friday, June 6, 7:30 pm
Robin Hixon Theater, Clay & Jay Barr Education Center, Norfolk
Samara Joy
Saturday, June 7, 7:30 pm
Chrysler Hall, Norfolk
Olga Kern, piano
Virginia Arts Festival Chamber Players
Wednesday, June 11, 7:30 pm
Robin Hixon Theater, Clay & Jay Barr Education Center, Norfolk
Coffee Concert IV:
Virginia Arts Festival Chamber Players
Thursday, June 12, 10:30 am
St. John’s Episcopal Church, Portsmouth
Coffee Concert V:
Olga Kern, piano
Virginia Arts Festival Chamber Players
Friday, June 13, 10:30 am
Towne University, Suffolk
Towne Bank Jazz Series with Jimmy Masters
Sachal Vasandani, vocalist
Thursday, June 19, 7:30 pm
Miller Studio Theatre, Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, Virginia Beach
