Opening Nights Welcomes Second Half of 2023-2024 Season
New year brings art forms for all to enjoy
Art is the great connector, and Opening Nights, presented by Florida State University, intends to connect diverse communities through song, spoken word, dance and other artistic expressions performed by world-class acts.
The second half of the season, which spans from January to May, features 22 performances occurring on FSU’s campus and throughout the capital city. Each artist will present performances meant to educate, inspire and cultivate awareness for the importance of the arts.
“Opening Nights really has something for everyone, from rock to classical and visual artists to authors and so much more,” said Noelle Enright, marketing associate with Opening Nights. “Our programming encompasses a variety of genres that welcome all audiences.”
On January 10, Elvis Costello & The Imposters will bring their signature flare to the Ruby Diamond Concert Hall stage. With a career spanning 40 years, Costello has explored many genres from punk rock to symphonic pop and much in between.
Known for his wordplay on notable hits such as “Pump It Up” and “Watching the Detectives,” Costello puts a unique spin on each performance with the help of his talented band, The Imposters. The Imposters features longtime collaborators Steve Nieve on the keyboard and Pete Thomas on the drums who follow the bombastic frontman wherever his musical fancy may lead.
The soulful songstress Ruthie Foster is celebrating her ninth studio album on the Opperman Music Hall stage by sharing it with rapt audiences. On Feb. 29, Foster will sing from Healing Time, an album that showcases the most extensive of
her songwriting.
Throughout her career, Foster has received multiple Grammy nominations for her music that is equal parts compassion and resolve. Foster describes her style as Texas blues-Americana with bits of New Orleans influence.
Mandy Patinkin is a multitalented force having experience in theater, film, television and music. Patinkin’s performance on March 9 at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall will focus on his musicality as he shares songs alongside pianist Adam Ben-David.
In his 1980 Broadway debut, Patinkin won a Tony Award for his role as Che in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita and was nominated in 1984 for his starring role as George in the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, Sunday in the Park with George. For his concerts, Patinkin draws from his diverse Broadway background.
On April 5 at Ruby Diamond Concert Hall, Terence Blanchard and the E-Collective with the Turtle Island Quartet will speak as a collective voice for American tragedies past and present. As a composer and renowned trumpet player, Blanchard has been a consistent artistic force for making powerful musical statements.
As a seven-time Grammy winner and two-time Oscar nominee, Blanchard’s work in jazz, film scores, television and opera has situated him as a voice on social, cultural and racial injustice issues. Each work he touches is with powerful sentiment.
Taking art outdoors, Word of South and Opening Nights will present Rising Appalachia, a free concert on April 27 at Adderley Amphitheater in Cascades Park. As world travelers for nearly two decades, Rising Appalachia have merged multiple global music influences with their own Southern roots to create the inviting new folk album, Leylines, which they will present to the capital city audience.
“Our hope is attendees learn something new whether it be a new artist or genre or learning something new about an artist they’ve long known,” said Enright. “The more people can learn about and through the arts, the better.”
Opening Nights
To see all events occurring at Opening Nights visit: openingnights.fsu.edu/events.
