Where could you find Tibetan monks, astounding child-prodigy mandolinists and bellydancing stars all in the same place?
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EVERYTHING FROM MONKS TO ROVERS
Balboa Theater 2008-2009 season (events presented by San Diego Theatres, Inc.):
Sept. 14: Tibetan Monks, “Sacred Music, Sacred Dance” ($25-$50)
Sept. 28: Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer ($35-$65)
Nov. 17: The Song and Dance Ensemble of West Africa ($25-$50)
Dec. 7: Eddie Carroll stars in “The Story of Jack Benny, 'Laughter in Bloom' ” ($25-$50
Feb. 1, 2009: New Shanghai Circus ($25-$45, children's discounts available)
Feb. 8: Bellydance Superstars ($30-$55
Feb. 10: Russian National Ballet Theatre, “Swan Lake” ($35-$65
Feb. 22: “3 Redneck Tenors: A New Musical Adventure” ($25-$50
Feb. 28: “In the Mood: A Swinging 1940s Musical Revue” ($30-$50
March 7: Tiempo Libre ($35-$55
March 15: The Irish Rovers ($30-$50
April 28: Mariza ($35-$60
Tickets/information: (619) 570-1100 or sdbalboa.org.
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Look no further than downtown's Balboa Theatre.
“It's a grand space,” said Donald M. Telford, president and CEO of the San Diego Theatres. “So, when you walk in, you have the expectation of something grand.”
Something grand is what San Diego Theatres say they plan to provide at the Balboa Theatre this season, opening with the celestial multiphonic singers of the Drepung Loeslin Monastery, a group that performed more than a decade ago at the Civic Theatre.
“Music is a universal language, and the songs we perform have an ancient Tibetan message of compassion and loving kindness,” said Tsepak Rigzin, who performs with the group and is its spokesman. “We are very much looking forward to sharing our message of peace and universal connectivity with San Diego.”
In addition to performances presented by San Diego Theaters at the 1,339-seat Balboa, Broadway San Diego, the San Diego Symphony, La Jolla Music Society, California Ballet, San Diego Men's Chorus, Classics 4 Kids and Mainly Mozart will be offering events at the facility, as many of them did during the theater's inaugural season.
“We take an approach of not wanting to compete too much,” Telford said. “We are very cognizant of what the (La Jolla) Music Society and other venues are doing. Our goal is to provide something different.”
Telford said the first season, which began in January, went well considering the uncertainty of opening midyear.
“We had certain shows that sold out and others that did not do as well as we had hoped,” Telford said. “Due to the economy, it was a challenging time to start but the audience's reaction to the theater was amazing.”
Just as the programming for the Balboa Theatre is unique, the 1924 theater is like none other. From its distinctive tile dome to the waterfalls that flank the stage, the Balboa Theatre is a completely atypical space.
“We know of no other theater in the world that was designed with similar stonework as these waterfalls,” Telford said. “It's a very different place. It's a totally unique venue in San Diego, and the audiences as well as the performers are just loving it.”
Chris Thile is one performer who is very much looking forward to seeing the theater and performing there for the first time. Thile, who will duo with double bassist Edgar Meyer, is mandolin player of the Grammy-winning band Nickel Creek.
“I certainly love playing in well-designed venues,” Thile said. “If we're doing our job correctly, it will hopefully be a transcendental experience – that's what we're looking for: to take people out of their normal lives.”
Wendy Fry is a Union-Tribune intern.
