Tag archives: Arts & Lectures

Tommy’s Touch
By Steven Libowitz   |   December 12, 2019

Two-time Grammy-nominated guitarist Tommy Emmanuel – whose ability to approach his instrument by using all 10 fingers to play a variety of parts simultaneously has earned him worldwide respect – actually doesn’t care all that much about technique. The veteran Australian axeman, who has been playing professionally since age six, and at 44 became one […]

Dance Theatre of Harlem Review
By Joanne A Calitri   |   December 5, 2019

On their 50th Anniversary tour, Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) performed at the Granada Theatre in November as part of the UCSB Arts & Lectures Dance Series, with Montecito sponsors Irma and Morrie Jurkowitz, Margo Cohen-Feinberg and Bob Feinberg, Annette and Dr. Richard Caleel, Barbara Stupay, Sheila Wald, and Jody and John Arnhold. The 15 […]

Divine Dance
By Richard Mineards   |   November 14, 2019

Dance Theatre of Harlem, celebrating its half century, put on a most impressive display when the company performed at a sold-out show at the Granada. The two hour show, part of UCSB Arts & Lectures program, consisted of four works, starting with a classical amber alert, Orange, featuring six dancers and music by Vivaldi, beautifully […]

Feeling Z.E.N.
By Richard Mineards   |   October 31, 2019

Hahn Hall at the Music Academy of the West was socially gridlocked when the Z.E.N. Trio, made up from the initials of pianist Zhang Duo, violinist Esther Yoo, and cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan, performed as part of UCSB’s popular Arts & Lectures series. The concert, part of the long-running Robert Weinman-sponsored Up Close & Musical Series, […]

Goal Oriented
By Richard Mineards   |   October 24, 2019

It must have been one of the quickest ticket sales in UCSB Arts & Lectures history when 2,000 tickets were snapped up in just 90 minutes when the two co-captains of the U.S. Women’s World Cup winning team, Megan Rapinoe, 34, and Alex Morgan, 30, spoke at the Arlington. The Evening of Achievement, moderated by […]

Chenoweth at the Granada
By Lynda Millner   |   October 24, 2019

I may be prejudice since Broadway is my favorite thing, but I think the best concert I’ve ever seen for UCSB Arts & Lectures was Kristin Chenoweth. She’s a teeny tiny thing (4’ 11”) with a mighty voice that reaches the rafters. And she thinks we Santa Barbarians are so lucky to have Hidden Valley […]

A&L Kicks Off
By Richard Mineards   |   October 10, 2019

The venerable Granada Theatre was the place to be when UCSB Arts & Lectures launched its latest season. Author and historian Tara Westover, 33, whose memoir Educated debuted at number one on The New York Times bestseller list, and was a finalist for myriad awards, including the National Book Critics Circle Award, spoke to a […]

Caliente Cocina
By Richard Mineards   |   August 29, 2019

To La Cocina, formerly Somerset, with my snapperazzi Priscilla, to check out the made-over East Anapamu Street eatery, which now features Mexican-Californian cuisine. The charming back courtyard, filled with lavender bushes and gnarled ancient fig trees brought in by flatbed trucks from Northern California and craned in over the rooftops when it first opened after […]

Fun After the Sun: Fifties Flicks al Fresco
By Steven Libowitz   |   July 11, 2019

What could be more fun than spending a Friday evening with your friends watching a free classic film outdoors in a gorgeous garden setting? That’s basically the premise behind UCSB Arts & Lectures and the Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture’s annual summer film series at the Courthouse Sunken Gardens downtown – a […]

Go Where You Wanna Go
By Steven Libowitz   |   July 4, 2019

Echo In The Canyon, Andrew Slater’s documentary about the 1964-68 era in Laurel Canyon when folk-rock bands formed in the neighborhood that offered both seclusion and proximity to Hollywood studios before giving way to the psychedelic and singer-songwriter movements, may well prove to be the most commercially successful movie to have emerged from this year’s […]

Sizzling Season
By Richard Mineards   |   June 20, 2019

UCSB Arts & Lectures 61st season promises to be a cracker! With 60 world class events, including 11 Santa Barbara debuts, two world premieres of new works commissioned by the popular program, a U.S. premiere, and a West Coast debut, Miller McCune executive director Celesta Billeci described it as events for the “intellectually curious, the […]

Soirée at Sara’s
By Richard Mineards   |   May 23, 2019

Uber philanthropist Sara Miller McCune opened the doors of her Montecito home, just a tiara’s toss or two from the San Ysidro Ranch, to host a dinner, along with her publishing company, SAGE Publications, for a 60th anniversary benefit for UCSB’s Arts & Lectures program featuring CNN host and Washington Post columnist Fareed Zakaria. The […]

Three’s Company
By Richard Mineards   |   May 16, 2019

At the Granada it was time for the tony triumvirate of violinist Joshua Bell, cellist Steven Isserlis, and pianist Jeremy Denk to shine, part of the popular UCSB Arts & Lectures program. The talented threesome were in glorious harmony playing works by Mendelssohn, Shostakovich, Rachmaninoff and Ravel. A blockbuster show… Like Father, Like Daughter CAMA […]

Arts & Lectures
By Lynda Millner   |   May 9, 2019

UCSB Arts & Lectures brought best-selling Blue Zones author Dan Buettner and photographer David McLain to Campbell Hall on the campus for their presentation on the secrets to living longer and better lives after studying the world’s happiest, healthiest, and longest-living people. Prior to the talk there was a private dinner reception at sponsors Nicole […]

Tap into Stage Percussion
By Steven Libowitz   |   May 2, 2019

Pianist Jeremy Denk isn’t the only MacArthur Fellow returning to town under the auspices of Arts & Lectures this week. Michelle Dorrance, the founder of the New York City-based dance company that bears her name, won the prestigious prize back in 2015. ETM: Double Down is the title for her latest evening-length work that merges […]

Legal Immigrant
By Richard Mineards   |   April 25, 2019

Multi-talented Scottish actor and performer Alan Cumming brought his highly entertaining show Legal Immigrant to the sold-out Granada, part of the popular UCSB Arts & Lectures program. The almost two-hour intermission-free performance, with a four-member backup band, was a meditation on his ten years as an American citizen and the experiences and change has witnessed […]

Captivated by Koh
By Richard Mineards   |   April 18, 2019

UCSB Arts & Lectures supporters, Richard and Annette Caleel, opened the doors of their magnificent modern and tribal art filled Birnam Wood home for a reception for violinist Jennifer Koh, who later performed to a sold-out audience at St. Anthony’s Chapel, her second consecutive year, featuring works by Philip Glass, David Lang, Bryce Dessner, Andrew […]

Still Alice: Understanding Alzheimer’s
By Lynda Millner   |   March 28, 2019

Still Alice is considered the definitive and illuminating novel about Alzheimer’s disease and it was written by Lisa Genova. She recently gave a lecture on the subject for UCSB’s Arts & Lectures at Campbell Hall. Prior to the talk, sponsors Hollye and Jeff Jacobs gave a private reception for her at their home. Genova’s TED […]

Charting a World Without Borders with Pico Iyer
By Joanne A Calitri   |   March 28, 2019

On March 15, one of our town’s world celebrated authors, Pico Iyer, had an open discussion about travel, literature, and what brings people of different cultures together. Roman Baratiak from UCSB Arts & Lectures led the discussion. The free event was at the SB Public Library downtown. Pico is usually quoted for saying, “We travel, […]

Pulitzer Prize Winner
By Lynda Millner   |   March 21, 2019

Author Eli Saslow was brought here by UCSB Arts & Lectures and the Walter H. Capps Center for the Study of Ethics, Religion, and Public Life as well as sponsors Tracy and Michael Bollag. Susan Rose had a private reception at her Hope Ranch home for Eli before his presentation at Campbell Hall. This handsome […]