Krannert Center 2026–27 Season Editor Picks
The Krannert Center for the Performing Arts can always be counted upon to bring exciting, world-class arts programming to the Champaign-Urbana community. The 2026–27 season is shaping up to be no different. With the season officially kicking off on September 3 in grand style with a punk marching-band parade across campus, we thought we’d highlight our picks for each month of the season so you can mark your calendars and secure your tickets in time. Of course, we encourage you to attend as many concerts and shows as you can, but if you can only choose one performance per month, we’ve got you covered.
September 10/11: I Hear America Singing
Created to honor the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, “I Hear America Singing” is a uniquely conceived multimedia musical evening. Led and performed by Nathan and Julie Gunn, with guest vocalists Adrienne Danrich, Ben Jones, Catheryn Kuhar, and narrator Lisa Dixon, the program weaves together traditional spirituals, work songs, and contemporary music by celebrated composers across genres. We spoke with Julie Gunn about the project back in March when it debuted at the Peoria Riverfront Museum. Read our interview here.
October 10: Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra: Mahler Symphony No. 3
Maestro Stephen Alltop and the CUSO open the season with Gustav Mahler’s Third Symphony, a work of epic proportions and powerful emotions. CUSO is joined by the University of Illinois Women’s Glee Club, the Central Illinois Youth Chorus, and mezzo-soprano soloist Susan Platts. Blending orchestra majesty with the joyous sounds of bells and children’s voices, Mahler’s Third Symphony is an incredible composition to experience in concert. The final movement is one of the most moving in the symphonic repertoire, which you may recognize from its prominent role in the opening ceremony of the 2004 Athens Olympics.
November 10: Apollo’s Fire: Echoes across the Atlantic
Led by conductor and harpsichordist Jeannette Sorrell, Apollo’s Fire is renowned for its compelling explorations of multicultural influences in early music, creating timely programs that ask us to ponder our shared history. In this concert, Trinidadian soprano Jeanine De Bique joins the Cleveland-based early music ensemble to explore the historical connections between Europe and the Caribbean colonies in the 18th century. Across the waters, tales of love, despair, and resilience emerge from the palaces of Europe and the plantations of the Caribbean—with surprising resonance for today.
December 4: Sinfonia da Camera: Handel’s Messiah
Handel’s Messiah remains one of the most enduring and beloved works in the choral repertoire, offering a profound synthesis of musical beauty and spiritual reflection. In collaboration with the University of Illinois Choirs under the direction of Andrea Solya, Sinfonia da Camera presents this monumental work with a distinguished roster of soloists: soprano Ollie Watts Davis, mezzo-soprano Thereza Lituma, tenor John Swedberg, and bass Ricardo Herrera. Curious how Handel’s Messiah became a ubiquitous holiday tradition? Read my article here.
January 29/30: Mark Morris Dance Group and Music Ensemble: Holidayland
In its annual visit to Krannert Center, the Mark Morris Dance Group presents Holidayland, a family-friendly dance and music production that celebrates the richness and diversity of communal traditions across cultures and seasons. In the story written by bestselling Goosebumps author R.L. Stein, two siblings encounter a magic village that bursts into light, music, and celebration just one day each year. Morris’s exceptional creative team includes acclaimed composer Nico Muhly, Obie Award-winning scenic designer Allen Moyer, longtime costume collaborator Elizabeth Kurtzman, and lighting designer Mike Faba. MMDG Music Director Colin Fowler leads the six-piece ensemble that integrates all components of the production.
February 18: Jupiter String Quartet with Jeremy Denk, Piano
The Jupiter String Quartet, quartet-in-residence at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, collaborates with acclaimed pianist Jeremy Denk for Dvôrák’s Piano Quintet in A Major, Op. 81, one of the most inspiring and treasured works of the genre. Denk, whom The New York Times proclaimed “a pianist you want to hear no matter what he performs,” will also play a Beethoven piano sonata. The program begins with Britten’s String Quartet No. 3, Op. 94.
March 25: Renée Elise Goldsberry with the Illinois Wind Symphony
The Illinois Wind Symphony, led by conductor Kevin M. Geraldi, welcomes acclaimed singer/actor/songwriter Renée Elise Goldsberry for a high-energy, nondenominational spiritual journey. The Tony- and Grammy-winning Goldsberry is renowned for her portrayal of Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton. Alongside numerous television and film appearances, her other Broadway credits include starring roles in The Color Purple, The Lion King, and Rent. Using jazz, blues, pop, rock, soul, folk, and Broadway showtunes, Goldsberry invites you to fall in love with love, reminding us who we are and what unifies us.
April 1: Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Augustin Hadelich, Violin
The Chicago Symphony’s trademark power and brilliance will be on full display when conductor Philippe Jordan steps onto the podium to lead Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4. From the opening brassy fanfare to its gorgeous melodies and emotional intensity, Tchaikovsky’s breakthrough masterpiece swings from dark despair to exuberant triumph. The concert begins with Wagner’s Overture to Rienzi, before showcasing violinist Augustin Hadelich in Korngold’s cinematic and virtuosic Violin Concerto.
May 4: An Evening with Audra McDonald
Another Broadway powerhouse descends upon Krannert Center this spring for what will undoubtedly be an unforgettable evening. Widely regarded as one of the greatest performers of her generation, Audra McDonald is the only artist to win six Tony Awards across all four acting categories, along with two Grammy Awards, an Emmy, and the National Medal of Arts. In this intimate concert setting, the classically trained singer brings her luminous voice and profound interpretive skill to a richly varied program of Broadway favorites, selections from the Great American Songbook, and more.
Honorable Mentions:
Some months, it’s impossible to pick just one concert. Here are a few other programs we think will be well worth your while.
February 19: Midori, Violin with Festival Strings Lucerne
February 24: Jazz Singer Samara Joy
March 6: Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra: Orff’s Carmina Burana
April 20–24: Lyric Theatre @ Illinois: Mozart’s Così fan tutte
