Posted April 3, 2025
Highlights include Garrick Ohlsson in a performance of Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto; Bizet’s Carmen; Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty; John Holiday in an orchestral performance; Broadway’s Jessica Vosk; a funk-infused collaborative performance with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company; Storm Large; Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess in Concert; violinist Charles Yang, Barbie The Movie: In Concert; and much more!
DAYTON, OH (April 3, 2025) —The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance (DPAA) announced its 2025–2026 Season at a launch event (sponsored by Pickrel, Schaeffer, and Ebeling) in the Wintergarden of the Benjamin and Miriam Schuster Performing Arts Center. Subscribers, Members, EnCorps volunteers, and other supporters gathered to hear artistic leaders Kathleen Clawson (Opera), Brandon Ragland (Ballet), and Keitaro Harada (Philharmonic) share details for the upcoming season.
Featuring exciting programming and star power, the vibrant season runs September 19, 2025, through June 20, 2026, and marks Keitaro Harada’s first year as Music and Artistic Director of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, sponsored by Barbara O’Hara.
Subscriptions are on sale now and can be purchased in person at the Schuster Center Box Office, by calling (937) 228-3630, or online at daytonperformingarts.org. Single tickets are available to DPAA Members on July 24, 2025; the general sale begins July 31, 2025.
Patrick Nugent, President and CEO of the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, comments: “The ’25–26 performing arts season is special and monumental. We welcome a new Music Director for the first time in thirty years, say farewell to another Music Director who has poured heart and soul into the Philharmonic for three decades, and embrace the work of our other two recently appointed Artistic Directors who energize and inspire us.”
Nugent continues: “This new season represents a brilliant collaboration of three fresh, vigorous artistic minds that will fill you with energy and admiration. It offers you sanctuary, escape, adventure, and joy. It opens the door to new worlds that invite you forward as well as old stories that will grip you in their power once again. This is your scene, and as you step into these new experiences, you are the main character!”
The 2025–2026 Season is presented by the AES Ohio Foundation.
Keitaro Harada’s Inaugural Year as Music and Artistic Director of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra
After his appointment in May of 2024, Keitaro Harada joins DPAA’s Artistic Leadership team as the next Music and Artistic Director of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra (DPO). Maestro Harada becomes the fifth Music Director in the orchestra’s 92-year history, preceded by founder Paul Katz (1933–1975), Charles Wendelken-Wilson (1975–1987), Isaiah Jackson (1987–1995), and Neal Gittleman (1995–2025). He formally assumes the role on July 1, but as Music and Artistic Director Designate, Harada has joined his peers Ragland and Clawson to plan the ’25–26 season.
Keitaro Harada comments: “I am brimming with excitement for the inaugural season as Music and Artistic Director of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra! This incredible organization presents a remarkable opportunity to connect with our community through the power of music, dance, and opera. My focus is on cultivating a distinctive and powerful sound with the orchestra, a sound that will captivate and inspire our audiences. Through collaborative exploration and passionate performances, we will create a legacy that truly belongs to the DPO and our community.”
2026 also marks the 60th Anniversary of the Miriam Rosenthal Foundation for the Arts, a major funder of DPAA. To celebrate the Anniversary, the foundation is providing special major support for three of this year’s major productions, as noted below.
Masterworks
The Masterworks Season opens September 19–20 with legendary pianist Garrick Ohlsson in a riveting performance of Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto. The concert begins with Nielsen’s soaring Fourth Symphony, nicknamed “The Inextinguishable.” Harada first led the DPO in a performance of Neilsen’s Helios Overture in April of 2024 and has since embarked on a multi-year cycle of the composer’s works. This marks the first of the Miriam Rosenthal Anniversary Productions.
On October 3–4, DPAA honors Neal Gittleman in a special program entitled With Friends, For Friends. Gittleman returns to the podium to lead two works (one a world premiere) by local composers, longtime collaborators, and personal friends Austin Jaquith and Steve Winteregg. The concert culminates in an homage to those on stage and in the audience with Elgar’s Enigma Variations, which Elgar wrote in honor of his own friends.
In Shostakovich 5 & Festive (January 30–31), Harada leads an exuberant program that reflects his own journey from Japan to Russia, where he mastered the art of conducting. Shostakovich’s jubilant Festive Overture and deeply powerful Fifth Symphony bookend the concert. Between them, Akutagawa’s Prima Sinfonia ignites with rhythmic energy.
The series continues with An American Portrait: Gershwin, Barber & Beyond (March 6–7), a bold program that celebrates American music and features Gershwin’s “An American in Paris,” Adams’ “Absolute Jest” with the Poiesis Quartet, Barber’s Adagio for Strings, and Still’s “Afro-American” Symphony, among other works.
In At the Still Point, Pianist Awadagin Pratt joins the DPO on May 1–2 to perform two concertos written especially for him, both inspired by T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets. The program concludes with Mozart’s Requiem, a choral masterpiece that traverses the depths of human existence.
The Masterworks Season closes June 5–6 with virtuoso violinist Charles Yang and Mahler’s Fifth Symphony. Yang—of the genre-defying supergroup Time For Three—performs a mesmerizing concerto by Kris Bowers, the visionary composer behind Bridgerton, The Color Purple, and King Richard. Mahler’s monumental work closes the season.
Opera
DPAA’s thrilling opera season begins with Bizet’s masterpiece Carmen (November 1–2), the story of a fiery woman who dances to her own rhythm, a soldier ensnared by her captivating spirit, and the jealousy that propels them toward tragedy. The production is led by an all-female team composed of Chelsea Gallo, a rising star within the conducting world, Irene Rodriguez, an award-winning Flamenco dancer and choreographer, and Dayton Opera’s Artistic Director Kathleen Clawson as stage director. Carmen is the second of the Miriam Rosenthal Foundation Anniversary Productions.
The series continues with a culinary-themed double feature: Shawn E. Okpebholo’s The Cook-Off and Lee Hoiby’s Bon Appétit! (February 6–7) at the Roger Glass Center for the Arts. Presented in conjunction with the University of Dayton’s Alumni Chair in the Humanities’ Food and Cultural Festival, this comedic pairing explores the art—and drama—of cooking. The Cook-Off, a new opera by acclaimed Nigerian American composer Shawn E. Okpebholo, unfolds in the high-stakes world of a reality TV cooking competition, where three chefs compete for glory. In Hoiby’s Bon Appétit!, Julia Child demonstrates how to make the perfect chocolate cake.
On April 25, John Holiday takes the stage, backed by the full Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. An internationally acclaimed countertenor and a 2020 finalist on The Voice, Holiday’s performance redefines boundaries and proves that true talent knows no limits. His dynamic program is cross listed, appearing on the SuperPops Series as well as the Opera Series.
The season wraps with Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess In Concert (May 15–16). Widely considered to be the greatest American opera, Porgy and Bess premiered on Broadway in 1935 and its music took root in our culture, with iconic songs like “Summertime” and “I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin’” becoming popular classics. Its themes of community resilience, acceptance, and redemption weave a poignant story, all told through a “melting pot” of musical styles. This program also appears on the Masterworks series.
Kathleen Clawson, Artistic Director of the Dayton Opera and Dr. Ron Anderson and Robb Sloan-Anderson Chair, comments: “This season offers a vibrant journey through the diverse landscape of opera. From the smoldering passion of Carmen and the comic culinary delights of the Bon Appétit!–The Cook-Off double bill, to Gershwin’s masterpiece, Porgy and Bess, we’re celebrating the power of storytelling through the human voice. The dazzling artistry of countertenor John Holiday in concert adds another dimension to this incredible season, promising an unforgettable experience. It’s a season designed to move, entertain, and inspire.”
Ballet
The Ballet Series kicks-off October 10–12 with Giselle, a ghostly and supernatural story about love, betrayal, madness, and forgiveness. A young woman dies of a broken heart, yet her spirit returns to save the man who deceived her. Dayton Ballet Artistic Director Brandon Ragland choreographs, after Jules Perrot.
After a record-breaking run in 2024, Brandon Ragland’s The Nutcracker returns (December 13–22). Set in Dayton, this beloved tale follows Clara on a time-traveling adventure filled with dazzling choreography, enchanting sets, and Tchaikovsky’s iconic score. A heartwarming story for all ages, The Nutcracker is Dayton’s favorite holiday tradition.
Dayton Ballet’s production of The Sleeping Beauty returns to the Schuster Center stage February 20–22, but with new choreography by Brandon Ragland. Lush scenery, gorgeous and familiar music, and dazzling dancing transport audiences to a world of fantasy.
The series closes with an exciting collaboration between Dayton Ballet and Dayton Contemporary Dance Company—Rhythm of the City (April 10–12). Dayton’s two prominent professional dance companies join forces with local musicians for a night of newly commissioned works and original compositions that amplify and celebrate our city’s rich history in funk music. This is the third of the Miriam Rosenthal Foundation Anniversary Productions.
Debbie Blunden-Diggs, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC) comments: “It is amazing to have the opportunity to bring the two major dance companies together on stage—two companies that were once brought together at the beginning of DCDC’s establishment in 1968, under the two leads of Josephine and Hermene Schwarz.”
Brandon Ragland, Artistic Director of the Dayton Ballet, sponsored by Dr. Troy Tyner and Dr. Ingrid Brown, comments: “I’m absolutely thrilled about our ‘25–26 season at the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance. We’ve curated a transformative experience that brings together bold innovation with timeless, classic masterpieces. This season also represents the moments of genuine connection where the Dayton community can experience the power of live arts together. This season promises to move, challenge, and inspire. Don’t miss your chance to be part of these unforgettable artistic experiences that will resonate long after the curtain falls.”
SuperPops
Celebrating the best of Americana, the SuperPops series launches September 27 with John Williams & Friends. Richard Kaufman (Pops Conductor Laureate with the Dallas Symphony) leads an evening of cinematic favorites from the legendary John Williams and other renowned film composers.
Dayton favorite Canadian Brass returns to the DPO stage for a spectacular night of holiday cheer (November 22). Renowned for their dazzling musicianship and charismatic stage presence, Canadian Brass infuses beloved seasonal classics with their signature wit, warmth, and brilliance.
On April 18, the DPAA Artistic Directors proudly present American Soundscapes, a special collaboration showcasing the Ballet, Philharmonic, and Opera in a dynamic celebration of American music and dance. This extraordinary program features iconic works, from the spirited energy of Copland’s “Hoe-Down” to the jazz-infused brilliance of Bernstein and Robbins in West Side Story. Also included on the program is Gershwin’s timeless masterpiece, Rhapsody in Blue, performed by University of Dayton professor and distinguished prize winner Ji-Hyang Gwak.
The series wraps on June 21 with trumpet virtuoso Byron Stripling in an electrifying evening of jazz classics. With his signature blend of brilliance and showmanship, he breathes new life into beloved standards, delivering a performance packed with energy, soul, and irresistible swing.
Rockin’ Orchestra
The ‘25–26 Rockin’ Orchestra series begins with Queens of Soul (November 8), a celebration of the powerhouse women who changed the face of music. Broadway artist Shayna Steele leads songs by Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, Adele, and more.
In A Night of Symphonic Rock (January 24), a six-piece band of rock veterans join the orchestra on stage to deliver anthems by Led Zeppelin, Journey, Joan Jett, Kansas, Pat Benatar, and others.
DPAA pays tribute to the music of David Bowie with Changes on February 28, capturing the chameleonic magic of Bowie’s music with dazzling orchestral color and theatrical flair.
On March 28, the sultry, force of nature Storm Large (of Pink Martini and America’s Got Talent fame) brings her band Le Bonheur to perform songs by Queen and Brandi Carlile in addition to some from her own catalog.
The series concludes on May 23 with California Dreamin’: Jessica Vosk Sings the Songs of Laurel Canyon. Known for her role as Elphaba in Wicked, Jessica Vosk brings her signature flair to the golden age of West Coast pop, in a performance of hits by Joni Mitchell, Linda Ronstadt, Neil Young, The Mamas & the Papas, and more.
Special Events
In addition to its subscription concerts, DPAA presents a diverse array of special events throughout the season.
On October 25, DPAA heads to Hollywood with Barbie The Movie: In Concert. This record-shattering film comes to life with a full-length screening accompanied by a live orchestra, performing both the sweeping score and the iconic pop songs from its beloved soundtrack.
In December, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra and the Dayton Philharmonic Chamber Chorus unite for a stirring performance of Handel’s Messiah (December 16), a timeless masterpiece of grandeur and devotion.
Additional dates for Chamber Music, Stained Glass Concerts, and Family and Learning programming will be announced at a later time.
Subscription and Ticket Information
New and renewal subscriptions are on sale now. Composed packages include Ballet, Opera, Masterworks, Rockin’ Orchestra, SuperPops, and the Family series. Other package options include Create Your Own (three or more select performances) and FlexPass (packages of four, six, eight, ten, or twelve vouchers that can be redeemed for any performance). Create Your Own and FlexPass purchases can combine performances from any series into one package.
To purchase or renew a subscription to DPAA’s 2025–2026 Season, visit the Schuster Center Box Office in person, call (937) 228-3630, or visit daytonperformingarts.org.
DPAA offers its Members the special opportunity to purchase individual tickets earlier than the general public. The Members’ Presale begins July 24, 2025. The general sale begins July 31, 2025.
25-26 Season Events