Lang Lang
Harriman-Jewell’s Season 62 features classical star power
The Harriman‑Jewell Series has announced its 2026–27 season, a year overflowing with brilliant talent. The Series’ artistic director, Clark Morris, describes the season as the result of deep listening and intentional redesign. “We’ve been listening to our patrons and trying to discern what they want,” he says. That feedback has led to a major shift: instead of organizing subscriptions by venue, the Series will now package events by genre.
The Music & Dance package is designed as a broad, audience‑friendly sweep through the performing arts, pairing major dance events with vocal, jazz, and crossover programs. The Ingram Classics package focuses on the core classical repertoire, but with the same star‑driven approach that defines the Series. The Series will also introduce a new, intimate Salon Series, small‑scale, artist‑driven evenings designed to create “nights you can’t get anywhere else in the world.”
The Music & Dance package opens with the return of Stars of American Ballet, curated by New York City Ballet principal Daniel Ulbricht. The ensemble last appeared in Kansas City in 2017, and Morris calls it “a great way to see just the top talent in the world of dance.” The season also brings a long-awaited first appearance by The Swingles.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis returns as part of Marsalis’s final tour as artistic director, an especially meaningful engagement for the Series. The package also includes a St. Patrick’s celebration featuring the Martin Hayes Quartet, Ye Vagabonds, pianist Thomas Barlett, and guest Irish dancers, followed by a visit from Broadway icon Audra McDonald.
The Ingram Classics package highlights major debuts and rare appearances. Cellist Alisa Weilerstein and pianist Inon Barnatan open the series, followed by the return of Les Arts Florissants with William Christie in The Magic of Monteverdi. February brings a landmark event: Bach’s St. Matthew Passion performed by the English Baroque Soloists and the Monteverdi Choir conducted by renowned Bach expert Masaaki Suzuki. “This is a once‑in‑a‑lifetime opportunity,” Morris said.
The National Symphony Orchestra makes its long‑awaited Series debut with conductor Gianandrea Noseda and violinist Ray Chen, leading into a season finale with global piano superstar Lang Lang. “We feel really lucky to get to bring him back to Kansas City,” Morris said.
“We bring the stars. That’s what we do.”
