French Moderns: Matisse / Renoir / Degas opens at The Frick Pittsburgh on June 20th! Chief Curator & Director of Collections Dawn Brean and Director of Learning & Visitor Experience Kelsie Paul spoke with Anna Singer about bringing the exhibition and its surrounding programs to life.

Dawn talks about the curatorial process, which begins with an idea and manifests as crates of artwork. Some of the featured artists--in addition to the eponymous three--include Paul Cézanne, Marc Chagall, and Gabriele Münter. Kelsie delves into the many opportunities to engage with the exhibition. Museum goers can attend art history lectures, evening tours, workshops, a concert given by pianist Leslie Amper, and more.

French Moderns: Matisse / Renoir / Degas will be on view through October 11th. You can find more information about the exhibition and explore its connected programs on the Frick's website.

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A rare staging of Shakespeare's Hamlet, based on the first quarto, will be at the University of Pittsburgh's Rauh Theater this weekend! Director Jeremy Seghers and actor Ayden Freed speak with Melissa Black about the show.

The first quarto, infamously referred to as the "bad quarto," is the earliest and least known text of Hamlet. Jeremy talks about why he wanted to tackle this version of the play and the key differences between Q1 and the first folio. Ayden, who graduated from Point Park University this past spring, plays Hamlet, and explains taking on the character and the rehearsal process.

Ayden also performs Hamlet's soliloquy from Act 1 Scene 2.

Don't miss your chance to see this rare staging of Shakespeare's earliest version of Hamlet. "Hamlet: The Bad Quarto" will be at the Richard E. Rauh Theater, located in the basement of the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning. The show opens this weekend, June 19th and runs through June 28th. More information and tickets are available through Eventbrite.

Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene.

Don’t miss our musician interviews, the latest local music news, and performing arts insights from across the Southwestern Pennsylvania region.

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Happy Pride Month, neighbors! In this episode, local drag artist Kaydence McQueen sits down with WQED Digital Correspondent Nick Tommarello to chat about Pittsburgh's drag culture and her Pride activities.

Kaydence was drawn to drag through gender expression, and she enjoys combining her passion for theater and fashion in her performances. Kaydence takes Nick through what goes into creating her drag performances, whether the process starts with a certain look, song, or story she wants to tell.

Nick and Kaydence comment on Pittsburgh's unique drag scene, which they say focuses less on pageantry and more on uplifting identity. Pittsburgh drag is built on connection and kindness. Kaydence recommends P Town Bar (where she hosts performances every Monday night), Blue Moon, and 5801 as top spots to see drag shows.

Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene.

Don’t miss our musician interviews, the latest local music news, and performing arts insights from across the Southwestern Pennsylvania region.

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The Lindsay Theater's 2026 summer season is bringing back the 90s! Their Director of Communications and Media Relations, Josh Axelrod, stopped by the WQED-FM studio to chat with Anna Singer about the lineup.

The series opens with Jerry Maguire, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. It also commemorates 35 years of Boyz N the Hood and Thelma & Louise. And, of course, Jurassic Park, Ghost, Basic Instinct, The Pelican Brief, and The Mask. Josh and Anna highlight what makes these films special, touch on fly fishing in A River Runs Through It, and champion the enduring appeal of cinema.

The Lindsay is also continuing its other exciting programs. On Thursday, June 18th, Phillip "DJ Big Phill" Thompson will present a documentary about the history of Black comic book culture. And on Friday, June 19th 7:30pm John "Buzz" Moyer, a Sewickley native, will give a talk about his work on Steven Spielberg's upcoming film, Disclosure Day.

There are two opportunities to see each of the nine movies in the series. For showtimes and ticket details, visit the Lindsay Theater's website.

Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene.

Don’t miss our musician interviews, the latest local music news, and performing arts insights from across the Southwestern Pennsylvania region.

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Bach, Beethoven, and Brunch returns to Mellon Park this summer! The City of Pittsburgh's Special Events Coordinator Melissa Culbertson speaks with Bryan Sejvar about the lineup.

East Winds Symphonic Band kicks off the series on June 21st, followed by River City Brass, TRYPO, the Pittsburgh Symphony, and Academy Concerts. Melissa explains the selection process for performers, bringing young musicians to the series, and the various brunch activities. All programs are free, with free parking available near the park.

Bach, Beethoven, and Brunch concerts take place every Sunday from 10:30am-12:00pm. The series takes a week off on July 5th to celebrate the July 4th holiday. Performance details and more information is available on the city's website.

Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene.

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Renaissance City Winds hosts an America 250 concert this weekend! Bassoonist and composer R. James Whipple and organist Mark Brampton Smith speak with Jim Cunningham about the program.

The concert features a touring program, which includes John Knowles Paine's "variations on Star-Spangled Banner," Joseph Haydn's "St. Anthony Chorale", and a piece by Jim Whipple called "Wedding Music for Kensington." Mark and Jim talks about the venue's rebuilt pipe organ and their respective careers.

Jim, Mark, and Jim also listen to recordings made by Renaissance City Winds: "The Vale of Dreams" and "The Night Winds" from Charles Tomlinson Griffes' Three Tone-Pictures, and "Co-motion," the third movement of Maria Thompson Corley's Sextet in C's.

The concert will take place at St. Anthony Church in Troy Hill on Friday, June 12 at 7:30pm. Tickets are a $20 suggested donation. More information is available on Renaissance City Winds' website.

Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene.

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The Mariposas Galácticas is an 8-piece Cumbia Klezmer Punk band from Philadelphia, PA. Combining band members’ South American and Jewish ancestries, the band creates a unique diasporic sound that gets audiences everywhere dancing with rebellious joy. By honoring their Indigenous Andean musical roots, blended together with punkified ancient Jewish melodies, the band plays a mixture of original and classic tunes that span different languages, cultures, and genres.

The band plays the Three Rivers Arts Festival on Saturday June 13th at 4pm on the Arts Landing Dollar Bank Stage.  WQED-FM's Melissa Black spoke to members Maria Paz Ordoñez (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Gary Galapagos (lead electric guitar), and Ariel Goodman (clarinet, vocals) about the groups musical identity; where they band started; and what Pittsburghers can expect from their show.   

Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene.

Don’t miss our musician interviews, the latest local music news, and performing arts insights from across the Southwestern Pennsylvania region.

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RESCHEDULED: Performances of The Cowboy Evolves have been rescheduled to the following dates:

Monday, July 13 at 7pm - City of Asylum

Tuesday, July 14 at 7:30pm - Vanka Murals, St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church in Millvale

Chamber Music Pittsburgh presents their 2026 Pittsburgh Performs series! Jim Cunningham speaks with PSO Paul J. Ross Fellow bassoonist Carlos Clark, PSO violinist Jennifer Orchard, and violinist Omari Abdul-Alim about the programs.

The first concert is titled A Hip Hop 250, featuring singer-songwriter-producer INEZ and the Guardians of Sound Hip Hop Orchestra. Omari talks about working with INEZ and arranging hip hop for orchestra. Carlos curated the second program, The Cowboy Evolves: Journeys Through the Music of Americas, which highlights music by Florence Price, Miguel del Águila, Villa Lobos, and Wynton Marsalis.

There are two chances to see each concert, with four total performances across four different venues. Tickets are pay-what-you-wish. For more detailed information, visit Chamber Music Pittsburgh's website.

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Thousand Bridges Opera returns to the Margaret Partee Performing Arts Center for their 2026 Pride Month performance! Anna Singer spoke live on the QED Afternoon Show with co-founders Alicia Jayourba and Bridget Johnston, and cast members Denver Perdomo, Zachary Dean Smith, and Brienne Sharo.

On the bill are the world premiere of Jodi Goble's Sirens vs Amazons, a sapphic rom-com, and a genderqueer English adaptation of Jacques Offenbach's Isle of Tulipatan. Bri, Zach, and Denver tell the story of Tulipatan, and talk about their characters. Bridget did a new translation for this adaptation, and Alicia directs. Bridget directs Sirens.

Join Thousand Bridges Opera for "delightfully queer" performances this weekend, Friday, June 12th and Saturday, June 13th. They'll be at the Margaret Partee Performing Arts Center in Bellevue at 7:30pm both evenings. More information and tickets can be found on Thousand Bridges' website.

Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene.

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The Sacred Nine Project will be at The Woods House in Hazelwood tomorrow evening with a program titled Foster's Foils. Anna Singer speaks with creator C. Leonard Rayban and tenor Robert Frankenberry about the event.

This program celebrates Stephen Foster's 200th birthday and serves as a commemoration of his work, while condemning his personal choices. "Nelly Bly" (Nelly Brown) appears in the program, which includes spirituals, abolitionist contemporary music, and original compositions. Leo and Rob will perform in a vocal quartet with collaborative pianist Ellen Fast, and featuring Regina YC Garcia as Nelly Bly. Regina will also read some of her own poems.

Leo and Rob also recorded a mash-up Foster's piece, "Where is Thy Spirit Mary," which has strong connections with the Woods House, and Vincenzo Bellini's "Vaga luna, che inargenti."

Foster's Foils takes place tomorrow, June 9th, at The Woods House in Hazelwood. Doors open at 6:00pm, followed by a dinner and book discussion with author Christopher Lynch, and the performance. The evening is sold out. More information is available at Sacred Nine Project's website.

Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene.

Don’t miss our musician interviews, the latest local music news, and performing arts insights from across the Southwestern Pennsylvania region.

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