Mason's Center for the Arts unveils the 2012-2013 performance schedule

(screen capture of the 2012-2013 Great Performances at Mason brochure.)

The Mason Center for the Arts unveiled its 2012-2013 season of performances last week at a press conference attended by faculty and supporters of performing arts at Mason.

The 2012-2013 Great Performances at Mason season will feature over 50 performances by nationally and internationally acclaimed artists from across the globe.

“I’m thrilled to reveal a fantastic season of performances with a range of extraordinarily diverse offerings: from The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Ensemble to The Blind Boys of Alabama, from the Russian National Ballet Theatre to Savion Glover to Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, and everything in between,” said Tom Reynolds, Center for the Arts director of artistic programming, marketing and audience services.

The Great Performances at Mason season comprises nine performing arts series, beginning in September 2012 and continuing through May 2013.

The April 12 press conference and luncheon took place in the lobby of the Center for the Arts building on Mason’s Fairfax campus. The event began with an introduction from William Reeder, Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, who acknowledged the collective efforts of the Center for the Arts staff and sponsors before welcoming George Mason University President Alan Merten to say a few words about the facility.

“It takes a village,” said Reeder. “None of this would be possible without the excellent underwriting that we receive from our sponsors, who recognize the value that the arts have in the lives of their customers and employees.”

President Merten thanked patrons in attendance and praised the Center for the Arts for inviting the Fairfax County community to be a part of Mason’s commitment to education and the arts for more than 20 years.

“One of its greatest gifts is its ability to accommodate events as diverse as high school and college graduations, military bands, student performances and speeches by the president of the United States,” said President Merten. “The highlight of each year is the diverse group of outstanding artists that visit the Center as part of the Great Performances at Mason series.”

Reeder said the range of programming offered in the new season should entice a broad audience.

“This season encompasses such a wide array of performances that I think we can truly claim to offer something for everyone,” said Reeder. “From the classical to the contemporary and spanning all kinds of performance styles.”

The 2012-2013 Great Performances at Mason season brochure is available online.