Santa Cruz Foundation for the Performing Arts

09/01/2026

We are pleased to report that a subscription package for the 2026-2027 season just went on sale on the website. Tickets for individual events will be available on October 1st . We promised this season, our 10th, will be a very special one. https://scfpapresents.org/performance-schedule/category/concert-series/benderly-series/

08/29/2026

06/29/2026

We are thrilled to announce that the Benderly-Kendall Opera House has again been selected as one of the concert venues for the winners of the Arizona Early Music Emerging Ensemble Residency Program – Quartet Novalis from New York City.

Join us on Monday July 20 at 5 pm in congratulating the winners and celebrating their dedication to enriching the world of early music! Admission is free but donations are gratefully accepted.

This prestigious EER program aims to support and showcase emerging talent in early music, and we are honored to host these musicians at our exquisite venue in Patagonia. We hope you won’t miss the opportunity to be a part of this exciting musical event!

https://scfpapresents.org/performance/quartet-novalis-winners-of-the-arizona-early-music-emerging-ensemble-residency2026-competition/

05/26/2026

SAVE THE DATES for the 2026 – 2027 Season. Join us for an unforgettable concert series at the Benderly – Kendall Opera House, where the beauty of chamber music meets an intimate setting. Experience captivating performances by local and international artists in a venue designed for exceptional acoustics and ambiance.

The Santa Cruz Foundation for the Performing Arts, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to presenting high quality performances of live classical chamber music.

04/18/2026

We invite you to step back in time and rediscover a remarkable decade when art, music and literature responded to a world in upheaval. Our retrospective festival – happening in April and May – explores the 1940s through the voices and sounds that shaped cultural history. Set in the intimate atmosphere of Patagonia, this festival invites us to experience the era not just as history, but as a living conversation between artists, writers and musicians whose works continue to resonate today.

The Santa Cruz Foundation for the Performing Arts is proud to sponsor the Santa Cruz Singers in a special performance of American composer Aaron Copeland’s work and others.

Patagonia is fortunate to have a group dedicated to preserving this cultural art form – a non-auditioned community chorus – a rarity in all of Santa Cruz County. Friends and neighbors with backgrounds and experiences that are truly remarkable and diverse meet each week to share in the music that they have learned and practiced – a place where the differences come together to speak as one voice.

We hope you will come and show your support. Suggested donation $10.

04/11/2026

Please join us as we celebrate Mother Earth...

04/02/2026

Please join us on Sunday, April 12th at 3 pm for a performance by Grupo Arizona – Classical and Jazz Fusion Chamber Ensemble. Tickets are $30 online and are available at: https://rebrand.ly/3268c8

With unique arrangements and a deep respect for the rich traditional music of Mexico and Latin America, these super talented musicians who make up Grupo Arizona pay homage to the original composers while performing their works with amazing creative flair.

03/28/2026

Mackenzie Melemed - The Showcase Series. March 31 at 5 pm at the Opera House. Tickets are $20 and are available online. https://rebrand.ly/54dcf1

The series concludes with internationally acclaimed pianist Mackenzie Melemed, on tour in the United States, brings us “Keys Across America” —a celebration of music spanning 150 years of creative effort, exploring the history of America’s most influential composers.