Mainstage in Concert - Act I of Die Walküre

SEPT 13 | 7:30 PM

Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) is the second installment in Wagner’s epic tetralogy, Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung), commonly known as the Ring cycle.

Based on Norse mythology, Die Walküre tells the story of the title character, Valkyrie Brünnhilde, who comes to the aid of Sieglinde and Siegmund—and faces the revenge of the gods.

The Marriage of Figaro

SEPT 27, OCT 3 | 7:30 PM

SEPT 28 | 2 PM ● OCT 4 | 5 PM

One of opera’s greatest works, The Marriage of Figaro is the first of three collaborations between Mozart and librettist Lorenzo Da Ponte (followed by Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte).

A masterpiece of “opera buffa” based on the 1784 play by Beaumarchais, this raucous satirization of the aristocracy depicts servants Figaro and Susanna on their wedding day as they outwit their entitled employer in a whirlwind of general pandemonium.

L'Enfant et les Sortilèges

OCT 17, 18 | 7:30 PM

This one-act fantasy explores the enchantment and imagination of childhood when a young boy misbehaves, and all around him comes to life—assuming human qualities—to intervene.

Librettist and French icon Colette wrote this piece in eight days as a “fantasy ballet.” When approached about making it a musical work, the only composer she was excited about was Ravel.

Fall Ballet

OCT 24, 25 | 7:30 PM

OCT 25 | 2 PM

An evening of works that range from a piece dedicated to Chopin to a Balanchine classic and a world premiere from the youngest choreographer ever commissioned by the New York City Ballet.

An evening of beautiful music and thrilling dance!

Singing Hoosiers Fall Concert

NOV 1 | 2 PM, 7:30 PM

With this concert, IU’s famous Grammy-nominated show choir winds up its seventy-fifth- anniversary celebration. Though this hugely popular ensemble continues to delight audiences around the globe, it can’t wait to show off for its beloved home crowd this fall.

Both performances will take place in Auer Hall.

Jacobs Live at the Movies

NOV 7 | 7:30 PM

NOV 8 | 3 PM

Enjoy blockbuster films with their award-winning scores played live at the MAC! Previous hits like How to Train Your Dragon, Jurassic Park, and Back to the Future paved the way for this year’s pick. The IU Concert Orchestra will perform the score alongside all the action on the silver screen.

This year performed at IU Auditorium.

La Bohème

NOV 8, 14 | 7:30 PM

NOV 9 | 2 PM ● NOV 15 | 5 PM

Based on Henri Murger’s 1851 novel Scenes de la vie de Bohème, Puccini’s fourth opera is one of the world’s most popular and marked his true coming of age as a composer, and the end of his days as a starving artist.

This story of struggling bohemian artists and their friends, including Mimi and Rodolfo, in Left Bank Paris celebrates the joy, excitement, and carefree abandon of youth, as they dare to live their lives and emotions to the fullest. But even such passion cannot keep tragedy at bay.

The Nutcracker

DEC 5, 12, 13 | 7:30 PM

DEC 6, 7, 13 | 2 PM

Jacobs faculty choreographer Sasha Janes shatters stereotypes in his reimagined version of this classic ballet, telling the story from the perspective of curious young Marie.

This contemporary take on a fantastical story still features the iconic score by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky—and leaves us wondering where reality stops, and imagination begins.

Mansfield Park

FEB 13, 14 | 7:30 PM

Originally written for four-handed piano, this 2011 chamber opera for 13-piece orchestral ensemble is based on the 1814 novel by Jane Austen. The narrative follows the impoverished Fanny Price, who is sent as a child to live with her wealthy aunt and uncle at their family estate, Mansfield Park.

Cendrillon

MAR 6, 7 | 7:30 PM

Massenet lets us see a daughter’s immense grief—at the loss of her mother, their home, and her place in the family after her father’s remarriage. Yet her remarkable ability to not only survive but to forgive allows her to ultimately triumph.

Singing Hoosiers Spring Concert

MAR 28 | 7:30 PM

This uplifting group embodying excellence in the performance of popular song comprises 100 singers and instrumentalists—from the Jacobs School of Music as well as students representing over 20 majors from across the Bloomington campus. Don’t miss one of IU’s most cherished traditions since 1950.

Spring Ballet

APR 3, 4 | 7:30 PM

APR 4 | 2 PM

This night combines a new work, a classic and a to-be-determined delight for a rich mix of ballet choreography.

Five Balanchine duets followed by Sasha Janes combining ballet technique with big band rhythms offered by our own Jazz Studies Department. Plus, a third piece to be announced—check back to find out more!

Oklahoma!

APR 17, 25 | 7:30 PM

APR 18 | 5 PM ● APR 26 | 2 PM

The first successful production to seamlessly integrate music, dance, and plot into a cohesive narrative—pioneering the use of dance to drive the story—the show is credited with launching the “Golden Age” of Broadway musicals and won a special Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1944.  

Mainstage in Concert - The Ordering of Moses

APR 22 | 7:30 PM

Using the Biblical story of Moses, Dett broadens the terms of this individual tale to explore ideas of freedom, oppression, and hope as a cornerstone of American storytelling. This 1937 oratorio is widely considered his magnum opus both in compositional scale and in articulation of identity and artistry.

Jazz Celebration

MAY 2 | 7:30 PM

For this year’s swinging celebration, Jacobs jazz faculty and students will be joined by luminary alumni John Clayton on bass and Jeff Hamilton on drums.

Performing together since their twenties, these prolific musicians, composers, and arrangers have garnered multiple Grammy nominations with their Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, including for the 2025 awards, in addition to Clayton’s win for arranging for Queen Latifah.