Opening Nights at Florida State University’s 2024-2025 Season lineup consists of 29 world-class artists, bringing a variety of genres to the Tallahassee area.
“With performances taking place in eleven different venues throughout our community, Opening Nights has a season of offerings that will reach a broad range of interests in performances,” said Michael Blachly, interim director of Opening Nights. “My hope is to give our local audiences the opportunity to be enriched by talents from North America and beyond.”
The season will kick off with two-time Grammy winner Lauren Daigle on Sept. 29. Other featured artists include Lyle Lovett and his Large Band (Oct. 6) and KC and The Sunshine Band (Oct. 12).
This season will spotlight a range of folk music. The Henhouse Prowlers (Oct. 15) are a bluegrass quartet with a robust repertoire of traditional American music. Twisted Pine (Jan. 16) describes their sound as Americana Funk. The Six One Five Collective’s (Jan. 30) sounds are steeped in a musical mix of country, Americana, folk and pop.
FSU Jazz Trumpet Professor and two-time Grammy Award winner Scotty Barnhart will direct The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra on Feb. 28. Fans of jazz will also enjoy vocalist Samara Joy (Oct. 20), the joint performance of Imani Winds and Boston Brass (Jan. 22), and “Hollywood’s hottest little big band” Phat Cat Swinger (Feb. 18).
This season showcases artists representing a variety of different cultures. Cirque Kalabanté (Jan. 13) pays homage to the West African nation of Guinea through high-level acrobatics and innovative choreography. Doolin’ (Feb. 25) is France’s premiere Celtic band that will bring the sounds of Ireland to Tallahassee. Anoushka Shankar (Mar. 23) and American Patchwork Quartet (Apr. 11) both draw influence from traditional Indian music. DakhaBrakha (Apr. 1-2) turns “Ukranian folk-pink” into an epic stage production.
Fans of classical music will enjoy pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason (Oct. 9), Vitamin String Quartet performing the music of Taylor Swift, Bridgerton, and Beyond (Feb. 4), The Music of Billy Joel Starring Michael Cavanaugh with the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra (Feb. 14), and string trio Time for Three (Mar. 19).
You can enjoy award-winning dancing and acting with Urban Bush Women (Oct. 24 & 25), New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players in “H.M.S. Pinafore” (Jan. 29), Twyla Tharp Dance (Mar. 6), and the family-friendly performances of “Treasure Island” (Mar. 19). Comedian Henry Cho will also take the stage at The Moon on Nov. 7.
Tickets will go on sale to the public at 11 a.m. on Aug. 5. Members get early access. To learn more, visit openingnights.fsu.edu/give/membership/.
To order tickets and view the full season lineup, visit OpeningNights.fsu.edu.