Welcome Palais Nostalgique!

If you have visited the Center these last few weeks, you may have noticed a flurry of activity on the Arts Plaza. Behind the barricades and within the white tents you will find the ever historic and grand Spiegeltent (mirror tent) the Palais Nostalgique. For the next few months, this very special venue will call Segerstrom Center's Arts Plaza home.

Teatro ZinZanni is in town and on October 24 the brand new show Love, Chaos & Dinner will debut. Patrons will enjoy a three-hour whirlwind of international cirque, comedy and cabaret all served up with a delectable five-course feast and fanciful libations from Patina Catering. Palais Nostalgique is the magical setting for all this revelry.

This beautiful and antique theater originates from Belgium and is ornate with red velvet and gold brocade, stained glass and deep mahogany. The European cabaret tents, known as Spiegeltents, were constructed in the 1910’s by renowned craftsman Willem Klessens. These warm, intimate circular theatres hosted dances, wine tastings, cabarets and celebrations in Europe for almost a century.  Palais Nostalgique was buried deep underground during WWII and made it through the conflict unscathed. The century-old tent is still in fine form. Standing twenty-nine feet tall, with a circumference of 211 feet, it can comfortably accommodate 285 audience members, along with the wait staff, clowns, singers, jugglers, trapeze artists, contortionists, musicians and acrobats. 

Each tent consists of more than 4,000 pieces. Designed to be set-up and broken down in one day, Klessens’ Spiegeltents require no metal fasteners for construction and can be assembled by a team of three or four in a single day.

The tents are still owned by the Klessens family who lovingly restore and tour their grandfather’s tents. The crew from Belgium arrived in Costa Mesa on September 26 to oversee the construction of Palais Nostalgique.

(L-R) Willie Klessens, Johnny Klessens, Dries Verschueren and Gilbert De Doncker

For more information about Teatro ZinZanni's Love, Chaos & Dinner, please click here.

Photos by Joesan Diche

Cultural Connections at the OC Children’s Book Festival

Nearly 800 people enjoyed performances by Danza Azteca and Swazzle, two of Segerstrom Center’s teaching artists, during the Orange County Children’s Book Festival held at Orange Coast College. The performers entertained and engaged with audience who were there to share the fun of reading, literacy, the performing arts and cultural diversity. Were you there? Post your photo to the Center’s Facebook page.  

Patina’s ZinZational Menu for Teatro ZinZanni

You can preview the spectacular dinner menu that Patina’s Chef Ross has in store for audiences at Teatro ZinZanni when it opens at the Center on October 24.  (Ross Pangilinan is also the executive chef at Segerstrom Center’s Leatherby’s Cafe Rouge.) We are also sharing the recipe for Patina's signature braised prime beef short rib.


Patina's Braised Prime Beef Short Rib, Truffle Potato Fondue, Baby Carrots, Mushroom Red Wine Sauce

Patina Catering has created a very special five-course thematic dinner that audiences will enjoy when they attend Teatro ZinZanni’s Love, Chaos & Dinner at Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Click here to learn more about the menu, download the recipe as well as purchase tickets.

See you at the Spiegeltent!

 

Opportunities to Reach the Artists and Audiences of the Future

The Center has an extensive roster of exceptionally talented teaching artists who offer more than 3,000 sessions throughout the region each year. Each of these specially-trained teaching artists meets the high standards that we require of this group, with equal emphasis on artistry, instruction and engagement.

To continue to meet the changing needs of the community we serve, we are always on the lookout for new artists to join our ranks especially in the areas of ballet folklorico, beat boxing, hip hop, mariachi, musical theater, string quartets, guitarists, jazz ensembles and visual artists.

If you know of an artist or artists that you think would make an valuable addition to the team, click here to learn more about this program.

STOMPing Success!

Cast of STOMP performing at Taft Elementary

During last week's successful visit at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the cast of STOMP not only thrilled Center audiences with its high energy creative performances but also engaged with the community and helped to make a difference.

Thanks to the generosity of our great patrons who brought in canned goods during STOMP Out Hunger, we collected more than 500 pounds of canned food items that will be donated to Second Harvest Food Bank.

STOMPing Grounds at Founders Hall

Another great success was STOMPing Grounds, the pre-show activity taking place at Founders Hall. Audience members were able to become STOMPers themselves by jamming out with items similar to props used in the show. Urban percussion performer and Segerstrom Center Arts Teach artist Andrew Grueschow led each session of STOMPing Grounds and depending on the night, actual cast members would visit and help lead sessions as well.


STOMP and DHH Students at Taft Elementary

Nearly 300 students from Taft Elementary in Santa Ana, including deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) as well as hearing students from third through sixth grade classes assembled for a special outdoor performance as STOMPers used every day items to showcase how vibrations create sound waves. Following the performance, 40 DHH students participated in a workshop led by STOMP cast memebers.

So the next time you find yourself tapping your toes or drumming on pots & pans, just smile knowing you are celebrating your inner STOMPer.

Center Partners with CSUF in Teacher Training Program

 © Joesan Diche

Segerstrom Center for the Arts’ education department is partnering with Cal State University, Fullerton’s Department of Education. This program, “Arts: Avenues to Learning,” is training 80 student teachers and 30 classroom teachers in the arts and how to connect them with other subjects.

This is one way to be sure that the arts will continue to be taught in elementary public schools and in more integrated and creative ways as part of the regular curriculum. This program is part of the CSUF student teachers’ coursework requirements.  More than 2,400 enthusiastic students are expected to benefit from this program next year alone.

Post-Performance Hob Nobbing at Leatherby’s Cafe Rouge

There’s no reason to rush home when the show’s over this Friday and Saturday night. Following performances of the Mariinsky Ballet’s Swan Lake and Jane Monheit and John Pizzarelli, stop by Leatherby’s Cafe Rouge and treat yourself to selections from their new Appetizer and Small Plate menu.  Top your evening off with their crispy mushroom risotto fries or house made beef and veal meatballs braised in pomodoro sauce.  And there’s much more to sample and enjoy. You might even spot some of the performers. Leatherby’s is located in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. They’re also be open for dinners before every evening performance.

Verdi Rules in Concert Hall

© Doug Gifford

Segerstrom Center presented the inaugural LA Opera Off Grand on October 1 with a special concert performance of Verdi’s The Two Foscari in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. The performance featured the same cast as in LA Opera’s fully-staged production, with Plácido Domingo starring as Francesco Foscari and James Conlon conducting the LA Opera Orchestra and Chorus.

During the post-performance cast party hosted by South Coast Plaza at Marche Moderne, Center President Terry Dwyer said, “Through the years, there have been many wonderful performances at the Center by both Plácido and his marvelous company, and it is always a pleasure to welcome them back.”