“Roanoke is a beautiful place to visit, especially in the fall,” said Mayor Nelson Harris. “This October, the city will be transformed into the arts capital of Virginia with riveting performances, dazzling art – and a whole lot of fun.”

The Roanoke Arts Festival schedule will feature more than 20 performances, events and exhibitions at multiple venues across the city. From world-renowned performers such as Judy Collins to jazz legend Ramsey Lewis and Rock ‘n’ Roll mainstays Little Feat, and from opera, theater and ballet, to “ephemeral art” and photography exhibitions, the Festival will celebrate the world of arts and culture in Roanoke’s historic setting.

The Festival opens Oct. 4 with a performance by the Ramsey Lewis Trio and a production of "Hank Williams: Lost Highway" at Mill Mountain Theatre. It picks up momentum Oct. 5 with concerts by Collins and the Audubon Quartet; poetry and fiction readings from Hollins University students, faculty and alumni; and the one-man play "The Neon Man and Me," by Richmond's Slash Coleman about his friend and Roanoke's late sign-making wizard, Mark Jamison.

The Festival’s third day features the classical James Piano Quartet, the Southwest Virginia Ballet and an Americana-themed "Great American Concert" by the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra and Opera Roanoke. A highlight will be maestro David Wiley performing George Gershwin's classic "Rhapsody in Blue," while conducting the orchestra from the piano.

The Festival’s final day, Oct. 7, is capped with a performance by Little Feat, a third performance of “Paper Cup Ocean,” an original full-length play at Mill Mountain Theatre's Waldron Stage written by Hollins alumna Rachel Nelson and directed by Ernie Zulia, a viewing of the Silent Film classic “The General” with Buster Keaton, and an original production by the Roanoke Ballet Theatre.
Throughout the Festival, there will be ongoing shows at four area museums, including the O. Winston Link Museum presenting “Civil War Photographs from the David L. Hack Collection” from the Chrysler Museum of Art, featuring rare and seldom-seen photographs made from the original glass plate negatives, and the Science Museum of Western Virginia’s colorful and original “In the Glow: The Science Behind the Art of Neon.”

“For our first year, we are delighted to feature so much variety and quality in the performing and visual arts,” Harris said. “With Roanoke’s spectacular setting, friendly people and year-round appreciation of the arts, we look forward to welcoming arts fans from throughout Virginia and the region.”

Tickets are now on sale. For ticket information and a complete schedule of events, visit www.RoanokeArtsFest.org.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Name

Email

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Add Comment