DALLAS (November 7, 2007) – The Dallas Center for the Performing Arts announced today that TITAS, the Dallas non-profit presenter of the world’s most highly acclaimed touring music and dance companies, will become the resident fine arts presenter at the Center.  Opening in fall 2009, the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts is the most significant new performing arts center since New York City’s Lincoln Center. With four new venues, the Center will feature a full spectrum of performing arts programs, from classical opera, theatre, dance and music, to Broadway, popular music, festivals, films and family programs, to cutting-edge, culturally diverse music and dance companies such as those presented by TITAS. 

“Hosting the TITAS season in the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts will provide a world-class setting in which to enjoy the remarkable artists TITAS annually brings to Dallas and will help the Center fulfill its mission in presenting the most extraordinary performers in the world,” said Bill Lively, president and CEO of the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts.  “We are excited about our new partnership with TITAS and we look forward to enjoying the productions TITAS will present in the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts that will enrich the cultural fabric of our city and entertain and inspire the next generations of Dallas families and visitors.”

With a strong commitment to artistic excellence and innovation, TITAS has brought the world’s most acclaimed dance, music and performing artists to Dallas for 25 years. In its eclectic and culturally diverse seasons of dance and music, TITAS has previously presented renowned artists of the international performance world including American Ballet Theatre, Mark Morris Dance Company, Laurie Anderson, Philip Glass, Mikhail Baryshnikov, MOMIX, STOMP, Pilobolus, France’s Lyon Opera Ballet, KODO Drummers of Japan, Korea’s Samulnori and Twyla Tharp.

Currently under construction in the Dallas Arts District, the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts will include four venues, including the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, Annette Strauss Artist Square and City Performance Hall, all of which will be unified by the 10-acre Performance Park.

“The Dallas Center for the Performing Arts was designed to feature all of the performing arts, both the classical and the progressive, and we are pleased to present the groundbreaking performances of the TITAS season in the spectacular venues of the Center,” said Charles Santos, executive director of TITAS. “When TITAS presents its 2009-2010 season, we will be able to showcase incredible performers in all of the venues of the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts and create new opportunities to bring preeminent music and dance programs from around the world to Dallas.”

More than 400 productions will take place each year at the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts, including those presented by TITAS as well as performances of the Center’s resident companies, a Broadway series, the Brinker International Forum, and a wide range of concerts, festivals, lectures and films. TITAS will present as many as 18 performances at the Center annually, in both the 2,200-seat Winspear Opera House and in the 600-seat Wyly Theatre, with some performances taking place in the Center’s outdoor stage, the Annette Strauss Artist Square, with lawn seating for up to 5,000.

“TITAS is the Dallas presenter of record for many of the most significant touring cultural attractions in the world, and with TITAS presenting its season at the Center, we ensure that some of the greatest performing artists of our time will perform at the Center,” said Michael Rilley, vice president of operations of the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts. “We look forward to the 2009, when we will begin to showcase these great performances at the Center.”

About TITAS:

TITAS was co-founded by Tom Adams and Gene Leggett in 1982 to provide opportunities for North Texas communities to experience the best American and international music, dance and performance art through performances, cultural presentations and educational and community outreach activities. Now celebrating its 25th season, TITAS has presented more than 380 performances and is committed to programming that brings new discoveries to audiences, including Portugal’s Fado superstar Mariza and New York’s East Village Opera Company, as well as more established artists such as Steve Reich, Monterey Jazz Festival 50th Anniversary Tour, Dianne Reeves and American Ballet Theatre. As a result of the tremendous diversity that TITAS presents on stage, the TITAS audiences are highly diverse both ethnically and demographically. TITAS is currently under of the leadership of executive director Charles Santos. For more information, visit www.titas.org.

About the AT&T Performing Arts Center:

The AT&T Performing Arts Center, a new multi-venue Center for music, opera, theatre and dance will open in October 2009, completing the 25-year vision of the Dallas Arts District. The Center will provide multi-state-of-the-art facilities woven together by an urban park covering more than ten acres to create a dynamic cultural destination that will be unparalleled in the world. The Center will feature the following:

• The Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, designed in a modern horseshoe configuration, will seat 2,200 (with capacity up to 2,300), designed by Foster + Partners.
• The Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre will serve as a gateway to the Dallas Arts District from the downtown Dallas business center and will seat 600, designed by REX/OMA, Joshua Prince-Ramus (partner in charge) and Rem Koolhaas.
• The completely new Annette Strauss Artist Square will be the Center’s outdoor entertainment venue, designed by Foster + Partners.
• The City Performance Hall will provide main stage production space for many of Dallas’ smaller performing arts organizations, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.
• The Elaine D. and Charles A. Sammons Park will unify the venues within a lush urban oasis and will create a dynamic cultural destination in downtown Dallas, designed by Michel Desvigne.
• Two underground parking areas that will accommodate more than 850 vehicles.

The Dallas Fort Worth Lexus Dealer Association is the title sponsor of the Center’s Lexus Broadway Series, the official vehicle of the Center and its resident companies, the official valet sponsor and the naming rights holder for the Center’s two underground parking areas. More information on the AT&T Performing Arts Center is available at www.attpac.org.

Contact:

Maria May
AT&T Performing Arts Center
214.978.2834
maria.may@attpac.org