A bold new presence in the architectural and cultural landscape of Greater Los Angeles, the $125 million building, fronted by a four-story wall of glass, has been called an “instant landmark” and the Valley’s “crown jewel” of the arts.

As the Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC) gears up for its first full season beginning in September, audiences have already had a chance to savor some of the world’s most exciting musicians, dancers and performers now coming to Northridge from across the country and around the world.

The 2011–12 season will feature 30 programs, including humorist and author David Sedaris, the Mariinsky Orchestra with Valery Gergiev, legendary Broadway singer Bernadette Peters, Los Tigres del Norte, tap sensation Savion Glover, Grammy Award-winning violinist Joshua Bell and country music superstar Wynonna Judd.

The VPAC’s inaugural season was launched in February with the presentation of the Russian National Ballet’s Swan Lake, Shawn Colvin, Marvin Hamlisch, Betty Buckley, Joan Rivers, Rosanne Cash, The China Philharmonic Orchestra, Patti Lupone, Mandy Patinkin and others—many of them with sold-out performances.

“We need the arts in our lives—to be uplifted, to be inspired, to be entertained, to be transported to another place that is good for our souls,” said University President Jolene Koester. “California State University, Northridge has been a part of this community for more than 50 years and we are very proud to be the home of this magnificent facility.”

Presenting full spectrum of performing arts

VPAC is the realization of a decades-long dream by Cal State Northridge and civic officials to build a world-class regional performing arts center in the San Fernando Valley. For the first time, the Valley’s two million residents can now experience the full spectrum of professional performing arts programming—orchestra, opera, Broadway, film, spoken word, contemporary music and dance—in a venue befitting a community of its size and cultural diversity.

The Valley Performing Arts Center joins the Los Angeles Music Center and the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Orange County as one of the leading performing arts institutions in Southern California.

The stunning new facility was made possible through a combination of public funds and individual, foundation and corporate philanthropic support. It features a dramatic and elegant signature design by the Minneapolis-based architectural firm of HGA Architects and Engineers.

The building’s centerpiece is a 1,700-seat concert hall wrapped in undulating ribbons of acoustic wood panels that, for one architectural writer, evoke “the elegance of a cello.”

The hall provides artists and audiences alike with exceptional visual quality, superbly designed tunable acoustics and state-of-the-art theatrical systems. In addition to creating unparalleled opportunities for visitors to experience the arts, the Center also offers premier facilities for educating and training the next generation of arts professionals.

In July, the Valley Performing Arts Center was honored with a “Star of the Valley” award, given by the Valley Economic Alliance in recognition of VPAC’s vital contributions to the region.

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