UCLA Live... Because movie premieres don't cut it anymore. Click here for Tickets Photo Credits From Top to Bottom Dragon by Erick Labbe SriLouise Ann Dockx by Koen Broos Cesaria Evora (Courtesy of Sony BMG) Space Panorama by Jan Stradtmann My Uncle Arly by Richard Heeps Lang Lang by Felix Broede

Each of us wants our life to matter. None of us wants to simply go thru the paces. By extension, it has to be true that we want the same for our social & cultural lives. We, citizens of modernity, also want our cultural life to matter. It’s no longer enough just to be entertained, we want to be enlightened too. In a way, attending an artistic show is like participating in a meaningful conversation of our time. Where to go?

In LA, the meaningful choices are many but the most exhilarating and eclectic generally come from UCLA Live. The unveiling of their yearly season marks the high point of the cultural life here in this town. The rare jewels, the acclaimed returns, the coveted west coast premieres, it’s all part of their yearly program -which is about to get refreshed with the unveiling of their 08-09 season later today.

This city, for all its hoopla about its world class status, would be nothing but a movie town without the true backbone of art, theatre and performance art provided by entities like UCLA Live. Even if you don’t travel widely, attending their many shows makes you a citizen of your time: well informed, well exposed.

Once a stalwart of classical-leaning acts, UCLA Live has radically transformed itself since the arrival of David Sefton, its current director, into the most daring and in fact, the most comprehensive performance arts program in this city. Few other outlets are as wide-ranging in their offerings or take as many risks with unknown acts from around the world or introduce local crowds to the new “it” from here or abroad. To honestly call yourself part of the cultural life of this town you have to attend UCLA Live as often as you can.

Theatre? Although this town is filled with plays opening every day, UCLA Live's International Theatre Festival brings to town the finest in this category (did anyone forget Sir Ian McKellen just last year?). The 08-09 season will debut in LA Ireland’s Druid Theatre Company plus the US exclusive engagement of Berlin’s Volksbühne am Rosa-Luxemburg-Platz.

Exotic dances are more up your alley? Don’t miss Morocan-Flemish choreographer Sidi Larby Cherkaoui and the first North American tour of Guillermina Quiroga Dance Company, a return engagement by Batsheva Dance Company and Ballet Preljocaj.

Musique? Monsieur, nothing could beat this: Tangerine Dream’s 40^th anniversary concert (are you too hot for your chinchilla yet?), beloved local instrument shop McCabe’s celebrates its 50^th anniversary (McCabe’s, another outlet closely tied to LA’s cultural life appropriately celebrates its 50th anniversary inside Royce Hall’s cathedral).

But on music UCLA Live has got tons more: barefoot diva Césaria Évora  –raw interpretative power at its peak- jazz legends Chick Corea & John McLaughlin, Chinese pianist Lang Lang and the west coast premiere of Goran Bregovic Wedding and Funeral Orchestra.

A book worm? Have we got a treat for you: Pulitzer prize winning icons Edward Albee and John Updike discuss current affairs and relevant topics.

Cinema buff? Why don’t you call them already and reserve your tickets since this one will sell out quickly, German director Werner Herzog in Discussion and Cine-Concert.

I could go on almost indefinitely but even by internet standards, this program is huge: in all it encompasses over 50 programs and almost 100 individual performances covering, to quote their PR materials ‘a gamut of genres… spanning theatre, dance, spoken word, family, organ and music ranging from classical, jazz and world to folk, roots and electronica.’

Season subscribers and RCC members get a chance to purchase tickets before the general public. July 23^rd is when single tickets go on sale for the general public. For tickets, call their ticket line at 310.825.2101 or visit their website at www.uclalive.org