Santa Cruz Foundation for the Performing Arts

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.