Premieres, favorites, collaborations all part of upcoming Tucson arts seasons

With the 2021-22 Tucson performing arts season weeks away from wrapping up, Tucson arts organizations already are eyeing next season.

A few of them — Broadway in Tucson, Arizona Opera and Tucson Symphony Orchestra — have already publicly announced their upcoming seasons, while several others including True Concord Voices & Orchestra are announcing in the coming weeks. (One concert on True Concord’s upcoming season that we do know for sure: Susanna Phillips performing the world-premiere of Jocelyn Hagan’s “Here I Am,” commissioned by True Concord, on Jan. 27-29. The concert, which was set to be performed this January as part of the Tucson Desert Song Festival, was postponed in light of rising omicron COVID cases.)

Arizona Opera is presenting the regional premiere of a moving ode to the sacrifice military members make in “The Falling and the Rising” while Broadway in Tucson brings back Disney’s iconic “The Lion King,” which set attendance records when it was here in 2006.

Meanwhile, TSO is collaborating with Tucson indie mambo band Orkesta Mendoza, a first for the symphony, and Ballet Tucson, as well bringing back its SuperPops series.

Season tickets are on sale soon for most of the groups and single tickets usually aren’t available until mid- to late-summer. One thing the past two years have taught is that everything is subject to change.

Broadway in Tucson

Performances at Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd., on the University of Arizona campus; broadwayintucson.com.

Disney’s epic musical “The Lion King” opens the season with a limited run Sept. 14-25. It’s the first time the Tony Award-winning show is returning to Tucson since it was here 16 years ago.

The breakaway Broadway hit “Six” — Henry VIII’s six wives turn Tudor heartache into 21st century girl power — is on stage Oct. 11-16.

The original hard-knock life kiddo “Annie” kicks off the new year Jan. 3-8.

Aaron Sorkin has taken Harper Lee’s masterful “To Kill A Mockingbird” to the stage, earning critical acclaim. It’s here Jan. 17-22.

One of the season’s most highly anticipated productions comes Feb. 21-26 with the Tony winning musical “Dear Evan Hansen.”

The season closes with the hilarious direct-from-Broadway smash “Mean Girls” March 28-April 2, 2023.

Arizona Opera

Performances of the McDougall Red Series of chamber operas in October and December are at the Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave.; Main Stage Series events beginning in January are at Tucson Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave.; azopera.org.

Zack Redler’s moving “The Falling and the Rising” is an ode to service members and their sacrifice that takes you through the coma-induced dreamscape of a soldier and her powerful encounters with fellow soldiers. Oct. 22-23.

Strauss’s “Ariadne auf Naxos” is a dinner date that turns into an opera within an opera, packaged in Strauss’ beautiful score. Dec. 10-11.

Puccini’s political thriller “Tosca” features some of the composer’s most iconic music including the heart-wrenching “E lucevan le stelle” (The stars were shining brightly) — one of the most popular arias in the tenor repertoire. Jan. 28-29.

Rodgers & Hammerstein “The Sound of Music” is a classic that never gets old and whose story resonates with every generation. March 11-12.

Mozart’s comic opera “The Magic Flute” — a fairy tale of sorts where the prince sets out to save the princess and relies on magical musical instruments to bail him out of the obstacles — closes the season April 15-16, 2023.

Tucson Symphony Orchestra

Performances are at Tucson Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave., and Catalina Foothills High School, 4300 E. Sunrise Drive; tucsonsymphony.org

“Orkesta Mendoza and the Magic of Mexico,” Sept. 17 (preseason concert to launch Hispanic Heritage Month).

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Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers performing Arturo Márquez’s Violin Concerto “Fandango,” Sept. 23 and 25.

Violinist Francisco Fullana, the TSO’s artist in residence, performs Max Richter’s reimagining of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Oct. 8-9.

Conductor Shiyeon Sung makes her TSO debut with a program inspired by fairy tales, Oct. 14 and 16.

“Revolutions: The Music of the Beatles,” with the return of guest conductor Bob Bernhardt and the TSO’s SuperPops series, Oct. 22-23.

“Coco in Concert” cineconcert, part of the city’s 2022 Dia de los Muertos celebration, Oct. 29 and 30.

Premiere of TSO co-commissioned work “MeChicano” and guest pianist Natasha Paremski performing Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto, Nov. 11 and 13.

Principal timpanist Alana Wiesing celebrates Women in Music with Conductor Holly Hyun Choe making her U.S. conducting debut, Nov. 19 and 20.

Guest conductor Ankush Kumar Bahl and guest pianist Kenny Broberg make twin TSO debuts with an American-inspired program, Dec. 2 and 4.

Holiday concerts featuring the Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus and Tucson Girls Chorus, Dec. 17-18.

Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker,” a collaboration with Ballet Tucson, Dec. 22-24.

TSO winds perform Frank Martin’s Concerto for Seven Wind Instruments, Jan. 7-8.

Pink Martini returns, Jan. 14-15.

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 “Choral” which was on the calendar for the COVID-postponed 2020-21 season, Jan. 20 and 22.

Pianist Michelle Cann makes her TSO debut with Schumann’s Piano Concerto, Feb. 4-5.

Venezuelan trumpeter Paco Flores returns with the American premiere of Roberto Sierra’s “Salseando,” Feb. 17 and 19.

“Latin Fire” featuring conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez, trumpeter José Sibaja and vocalist Mónica Abrejo, Feb. 25-26.

Ravel and Schubert share the spotlight with Tucson composer Vincent Calianno’s “The Facts and Dreams of the World According to Michael Jackson,” March 11-12.

Canadian violinist Kerson Leong debuts with Paganini’s challenging Violin Concerto No. 1, March 17 and 19, 2023.

Special event: Grammy-winning violinist Hilary Hahn returns for the first time since 2007, performing Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, March 23, 2023.

TSO Music Director José Luis Gomez takes us on a cinematic tour of the music of the great Hollywood composer John Williams, March 25-26, 2023.

Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 “Resurrection,” another event postponed due to the pandemic, March 31 and April 2, 2023.