Check out these 6 must-see shows in the upcoming University of Missouri Concert Series

Aarik Danielsen, Columbia Daily Tribune
·2 min read
The St. Louis Symphony will perform this spring as part of the University of Missouri Concert Series
The St. Louis Symphony will perform this spring as part of the University of Missouri Concert Series
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A crucial component of the Columbia arts calendar has clicked into place.

This week, the University of Missouri Concert Series unveiled its 2023-24 season lineup, one that hews to its typically refined and diverse aesthetic. From folk music to Broadway shows, choral depths and heightened strings, the series brings home a wide variety of expression.

Here are the six most promising shows on the season slate:

Nobuntu, Oct. 24

Voice, percussion and dance complement each other in the work of this female a capella quartet from Zimbabwe ($26-$39).

Vienna Boys Choir, Nov. 12

This iteration of the standard-bearing chorale gathers members of "four touring choirs that hail from dozens of nations," the Concert Series notes ($34-$40).

'The Nutcracker,' Dec. 6

A holiday tradition that radiates warmth from the stage to the farthest seats, this ballet sets the tone for the Christmas season ($35-$55).

'North,' Feb. 6

Written by the multi-talented Ashli St. Armant, this musical wraps personal and generational history together as it follows a boy and his mother heading for true daylight across the Underground Railroad ($25-$35).

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, April 10

The model of a great Midwestern — or truly world-class — orchestra makes its yearly return to the Concert Series, performing from its remarkable repertoire ($40-$56).

Mandy Gonzalez, May 6

Mandy Gonzalez performing onstage during "The Bloomberg 50" Celebration at Gotham Hall in 2017 in New York City.
Mandy Gonzalez performing onstage during "The Bloomberg 50" Celebration at Gotham Hall in 2017 in New York City.

From "Hamilton" and "In the Heights" to "Wicked" and "Aida," Gonzalez has applied her vocal talents to some of our most beloved modern musicals ($50-$60).

Local talent shares the spotlight

Per its usual approach, this year's Concert Series will enfold great talent across Columbia. The poetry-in-motion inherent to Mareck Dance Company will stretch across the stage on both sides of the 2023-24 ledger. November 3-4, the troupe will present its "Elevate" show ($32-$48), then return April 26-27, collaborating with the Choral Arts Alliance of Missouri for a dynamic production of "Carmina Burana" ($32-$48).

MU Choral Union, which joins students, MU faculty and staff and members of the broader community, will also perform twice this season. "Considering Matthew Shepard," presented with the University Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, takes the life and death of Shepard into account in beautiful and tragic form on Nov. 16 ($25). On April 18, the Choral Union will inhabit Haydn's Lord Nelson's Mass and "Credo" from the wonderful composer Margaret Bonds ($25).

Show-Me Opera, which also calls MU home, will offer Handel's intriguing, Scotland-set "Ariodante" March 16-17 ($25).

For a full look at this Concert Series season, visit https://concertseries.missouri.edu/.

Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. He's on Twitter @aarikdanielsen.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: 6 must-see shows in 2023-2024 University of Missouri Concert Series