2025 Grammy winner and Portland Opera’s Artistic Ambassador Karen Slack brings her celebration of historic African Queens to The Reser. New works by acclaimed composers Jasmine Barnes, Jessie Montgomery, Shawn Okpebholo, Dave Ragland, Carlos Simon, Joel Thompson, and Portland Opera’s Interim Music Director Damien Geter thrill alongside carefully selected pieces from the traditional repertoire in…
Jason McNeal Graham (aka MOsley WOtta) works across multiple mediums, including writing, painting, music, and performance. In that, he asks, “What are we willing to risk to see each other’s humanity?” To explore that question, as well as themes of connection, boundaries, and our shared future history, MOsley WOtta stages a performance of storytelling, conversation,…
The Reser is excited to present an engaging panel discussion featuring artists Tammy Jo Wilson, Jeremy Okai Davis, and MOsley WOtta, as they reflect on the history, challenges, and triumphs of BLACK MATTER—an ongoing, evolving art exhibition showcasing Oregon-based Black artists. Curated by Tammy Jo Wilson since its inception in 2020, BLACK MATTER offers a…
Swan Lake is a ballet masterpiece that tells the story of a prince who falls in love with a beautiful swan princess under a spell. The ballet is renowned for its stunning choreography, intricate set design, and Tchaikovsky’s captivating music. Its themes of love, sacrifice, and redemption continue to resonate with audiences of all ages…
A native of the Bronx, Samara Joy became entranced by classic R&B as a child and cut her teeth as a singer in her church’s gospel choir. And while her family history is deeply musical—her grandparents helmed the Philadelphia gospel group the Savettes, and her father, the musician and songwriter Antonio McLendon, has produced, composed…
ONN launches the season with a vibrant exploration of musical wit and transformation across time. Portland’s own Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw opens the program with Entr’acte, a work inspired by the elegant and surprising turns of Haydn’s string quartets. Next, Anna Clyne’s Sound and Fury draws from the same Haydn source and Shakespeare’s Macbeth,…
The Reser’s debut of Worlds of Song brings together three extraordinary soloists who are reshaping musical boundaries. The show consists of short solo sets from each player alongside duets and trios for a true ‘one time only’ experience. The inaugural Worlds of Song event showcases the dazzling artistry of Brazil’s Badi Assad, the alternative folk…
Join The Reser for an engaging and participatory performance during First Friday. Featuring the sculptural and performative works of Sadé DuBoise, guests will enjoy sharing the story of The Giving Tree Was Black. Reimagining a familiar story through the lens of Black motherhood and generational endurance, Sadé DuBoise stands in silence, her body becoming a…
Multiple award-winning actress and singer Lea Salonga is renown across the world for her powerful voice and perfect pitch. Lea most recently starred in the new musical Here Lies Love at the Broadway Theater and headlined Old Friends (alongside Bernadette Peters) on London’s West End. Her latest album, Sounding Joy | The Holiday Album, was…
Noam Pikelny is widely recognized as the preeminent banjoist of his generation. Hailed by the Chicago Tribune as the “pros top banjo picker,” Noam is a founding member of Punch Brothers, a string ensemble which The Boston Globe calls “a virtuosic revelation” and The New Yorker describes as “wide- ranging and restlessly imaginative.” Pikelny was…
Leading the way in the use of Rhythm. HealthRHYTHMS® is a research-based group drumming program developed over 20 years ago through the interdisciplinary collaboration of experts in Neuroscience, Music Therapy, and Recreational Music Making. Saturday, October 11, 2025 1 PM – 2 PM Drums will be provided. If you prefer to use a personal instrument, you…
In 2017, Grammy-nominated artist Joan Osborne released the critically acclaimed album, Songs of Bob Dylan. Her artistic and soulful reinterpretations of the selection of Dylan songs was an eye-opening moment in an already celebrated career. Eight years after milestone recording, Osborne will release the stunning Dylanology Live on April 25th. The captivating recording finds the…