Wisconsin Union Theater season debuts with a packed theater, continues with September Classical Series kick-off and jazz
Posted: 09/24/24
The Wisconsin Union Theater (WUT) season began with a packed theater for the performance of five-time Grammy winner esperanza spalding on Sept. 19 and continues with three more music events in September: chamber music collective Eighth Blackbird on Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m., University of Wisconsin–Madison Wind Ensemble featuring Eighth Blackbird on Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m., and bassist, singer, rapper, and composer Meshell Ndegeocello: “No More Water / The Gospel of James Baldwin” on Sept. 28 at 7:30 p.m.
Hailed by the Chicago Tribune as one of the smartest, most dynamic ensembles on the planet, four-time Grammy winner Eighth Blackbird has become known for performing pieces by both well-known and emerging composers and will perform at Shannon Hall on Sept. 26 as part of the Classical Series with pieces all written in the 21st century.
The ensemble includes flautist Lina Andonovska, Clarinetist Zachary Good, violinist Maiani da Silva, guest cellist Bryan Hayslett, percussionist Matthew Duvall, and pianist Lisa Kaplan.
Eighth Blackbird will perform “My Charming Murderer,” “Bass Drum Moon” and “She Comes Undone” from Amy Beth Kirsten’s “Colombine's Paradise Theatre”; “to no end” by Ari Sussman; “Doublespeak” by Nico Muhly; “Electric Aroma” by Viet Cuong; “intertext” from “composition as explanation” by David Lang; and “Into the Night” by Joan Tower.
On Sept. 26, WUT patrons can purchase pre-show beverages in the Shannon Sunset Lounge across from Shannon Hall, including a limited-time signature drink, called the Harmonium. The Union mixologist took inspiration from the Blackbird cocktail in crafting this, which is available in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions.
On Sept. 27, the Classical Series will continue when Eighth Blackbird joins with the UW–Madison Wind Ensemble at the Mead Witter Foundation Concert Hall at the Hamel Music Center to perform “Vital Signs” by Viet Cuong. Cuong has described the piece as using repetition to depict rising and falling, like a series of breaths and heartbeats.
Two-time Grammy winner, Ndegeocello will perform on Sept. 28 at Shannon Hall as part of WUT’s Jazz Series.
She won the first-ever Grammy for Best Alternative Jazz Album in 2024 and Best R&B Song for “Better Than I Imagined” in 2021. At Shannon Hall, she will perform her newest recording, “No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin,” which explores Baldwin’s theme: it is our inner struggle that is truly universal to all people. The album was released on Aug. 2, the 100th anniversary of Baldwin’s birth.
Throughout Ndegeocello’s career, she has collaborated with many artists and performers, such as The Rolling Stones, Chaka Khan, Madonna, and the Indigo Girls. Additionally, Ndegeocello’s work has been heard in film soundtracks, including “Love and Basketball” and “How Stella Got Her Groove Back.”
The Sept. 28 event will feature a pre-show reception at the Shannon Sunset Lounge with a signature beverage, called The Impossible, which is a rum margarita based on a line from James Baldwin’s 1963 book, “The Fire Next Time”: “The impossible is the least one can demand."
“We have a September to remember. This start of this new season is one of the hottest I can remember, and I don’t mean the summer temperatures outside,” WUT Director Elizabeth Snodgrass said. “A patron recently told me she rerouted her flight so that she could attend esperanza spalding’s performance. After seeing the show, she said she was so glad she changed her plans, and she hoped it was setting the tone for the rest of the 2024-2025 season. I can vouch that it is. And I can say that without bias since the student-led Wisconsin Union Directorate Performing Arts Committee is behind the programming choices, not just me.”
Patrons can purchase WUT Classical Series subscriptions through Sept. 26 and build-your-own subscriptions and single ticket sales throughout the season. WUT event tickets are available online, in person at the Memorial Union Box Office, or by phone at (608) 265-2787.
The WUT 2024-2025 events continues through May 2025 with a season of what’s next now in jazz, classical music, theater, and hip-hop.
Throughout more than 80 seasons, the WUT team in collaboration with student leaders has brought treasured and emerging artists to Madison stages.
Additional information about the September performances and all 2024-2025 WUT season events, including ticket purchasing, can be found at union.wisc.edu/theater.