Jazz legend Herbie Hancock and the 20th anniversary of the biennial ELLNORA Guitar Festival highlight the 2025-26 Krannert Center for the Performing Arts season.
The September to May slate, announced Thursday, features a mix of emerging and world-class artists. ELLNORA is scheduled for Sept. 4-6, with night one serving as Krannert’s traditional opening night party with free performances from national touring artists. On Friday and Saturday, featured artists for ELLNORA include Roseanne Cash, Jeff Tweedy, Sharon Isbin and Strings for Peach, and Samantha Fish, among others.
Hancock will open his 2025 North American Tour at Krannert on Oct. 16.
Other highlights:
- Cirque Kalabante on Jan. 29-30.
- Three Italian Tenors on March 26.
Cirque Kalabante performs next season at Krannert Center. Photo provided - Violinist Joshua Bell and soprano Larisa Martinez with Voice and the Violin on April 17.
- The Chicago Symphony Orchestra will make its annual visit in Nov 4.
- Jazz heavyweights saxophonist Ravi Coltrane and trumpeter Terrence Blanchard offer a tribute to John Coltrane and Miles Davis on March 6.
- Family friendly programming is headed by guitarist Kaki King with her multimedia presentation BUGS on Nov. 15.
- Krannert will host a Hip Hop Convene on Feb. 26-28, featuring a return visit by Versa Style Street Dance Company, among other hip-hop dance artists.
- University of Illinois’ resident producers present a number of selections, including Little Women on April 16-18.
- The Krannert Center Youth Series has expanded to feature eight performances for K-12 students in ’25-’26, including student-only performances from the center’s marquee selections such as Cirque Kalabante.
- The newest Pygmalion festival will arrive Sept. 28-20, featuring poet and author Carmen Gimenez and comedians Josh Johnson and Hannibal Buress.