The Luckman 2012-13 Season Announced: Lila Downs, Buika, Woodkid, Yann Tiersen & Many More–Tickets On Sale 6/15

Photo by Sung: Luckman Fine Arts Complex from Tindersticks, Live at The Luckman, April 30, 2011

[Tickets & Info]

Full press release continues below.

The Luckman Fine Arts Complex is excited to announce its 19th season featuring stellar international headliners. The Luckman continues in its mission to present genre-bending and boundary pushing contemporary music, dance, and visual art from around the globe.

The 2012/2013 season will kick off with a dynamic performance by Mexican-American singer and composer Lila Downs (Sep 22). Downs has created one of the most singular explorations of Mexican roots music; and in the process become one of the most internationally renowned world music artists.

Spain’s Latin Grammy-nominated artist Buika (Nov 17) will bring her flamenco soul to the Luckman Theatre for an evening performance that is sure to impress. Noted by NPR as “one of the most lively and spontaneous artists in the current Spanish musical scene,” NPR has named her one of its “50 Great Voices.” Legendary Latin jazz pianist Chucho Valdés (Nov 10) returns to the Luckman Theatre featuring his critically acclaimed quintet. The New York Times has proclaimed Chucho Valdés as “the dean of Latin jazz” and “one of the world’s great virtuosic pianists.”

Internationally revered triple-threat director, singer, songwriter Yoann Lemoine, known by the alias Woodkid (Nov 3), will make his Los Angeles debut at the Luckman. Based in Paris the Wall Street Journal has praised Woodkid’s live performances as “spine-tingling.” The critically adored Punch Brothers (Dec 1) make their return to Los Angeles with the combined elements of the band’s many musical interests, including, indie rock, folk, jazz, bluegrass, and classical music. The New Yorker calls Punch Brothers “wide-ranging and restlessly imaginative.”

“Justifiably hailed as one of the great pianists of the future” by the Guardian, the Georgian pianist Khatia Buniatishvili (Feb 23) will make her Luckman debut. Khatia has performed with many of the world’s premiere orchestras including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Israel Philharmonic, the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, and the NDR Hamburg Symphony Orchestra.

Renowned French composer Yann Tiersen (Jan 26) makes his highly anticipated return to the Luckman to perform his revered film scores. Tiersen gained worldwide acclaim for his score to Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Amélie, and Wolfgang Becker’s German tragicomedy, Goodbye Lenin! The Luckman welcomes back Israeli musican, producer, and humanitarian Idan Raichel and the Idan Rachiel Project (Jan 19). Fresh off his recent collaborative work ’Open Door’ with R&B Grammy-winner India.Arie, Idan Raichel performs with his critically acclaimed Project featuring Israeli pop music with Middle Eastern, African, Indian, and global influences. The New York Times calls Idan Raichel an “Israeli singer of the world.”

The Luckman will also feature a season-long tribute series by the Luckman Jazz Orchestra, to influential jazz musicians that changed the landscape of the genre in large ways. The tributes will include music by Kenny Dorham feat. Barbara Morrison (Oct 6), Jimmy Heath feat. Carmen Lundy (Jan 19), Slide Hampton feat. Dwight Trible (Apr 6), and Sonny Rollins feat. Ernie Andrews (Jun 8).

The Luckman Fine Arts Complex continues to be the home of cutting-edge contemporary dance. Northwest Dance Project (Apr 20) is the premiere company dedicated to the creation and performance of innovative, contemporary new works from established and emerging choreographers. Montreal based RUBBERBANDance (Mar 9) will perform their unique blend of hip-hop meets contemporary ballet. Luckman alum Raiford Rogers Modern Ballet (Jun 15) peforms a special return engagement.

The Luckman Gallery will showcase work by renowned local contemporary artists as well as the pop art legend Andy Warhol. The first exhibition by Jennifer Bolande titled Landmarks (Sep 22), is the first critical survey exhibition of Jennifer Bolande, spanning three decades of her work in a wide array of media. This exhibition, curated by Nicholas Frank, originated at the Institute of Visual Arts (Inova) in Milwaukee, and traveled to the Institute of Contemporary Arts in Philadelphia. The second exhibition will feature the works of legendary pop artist Andy Warhol. Polaroids: by Andy Warhol (Jan 12) is a cohesive look at celebrities to unknown individuals to objects that fascinated him; told through the lens of his Polaroid camera. This will be the first public viewing of these rare images from the Luckman permanent collection. The final exhibition will feature a collection of paintings by Los Angeles-based artist Antonio Puleo (Apr 12). Antonio Puleo examines patterns, both man-made and natural, and how paintings can play off of the architecture of an exhibition space.

The Luckman Fine Arts Complex delivers cutting edge music, dance, and visual arts from around the world to the Los Angeles community. A professional arts entity on the campus of California State University, Los Angeles, located just five miles east of downtown, the Luckman Complex is home to three unique space: the Luckman Theatre, with a capacity of nearly 1200; the Intimate Theatre, with modular seating of up to 300; and the Luckman Gallery, with contemporary presentations throughout the year. Since 1994, the Luckman has featured the best in international and local music, dance, theatre, and visual art. Bringing once-in-a-lifetime experiences and artists from all over the globe to Los Angeles, the Luckman furthers its mission of presenting the best of world-class arts to a diverse community.