The Turn of the Screw
Date: May 30, June 1, 3, 6
Venue: Dock Street Theatre
A dark and suspenseful chamber opera follows a governess who grapples with supernatural forces threatening her young charges.
Thaïs
Date: May 23, 25
Venue: Charleston Gaillard Center
Jules Massenet’s classic opera features the Festival Orchestra and Chorus on stage with the cast and dancers.
Limón Dance Company featuring Spoleto Festival USA Chorus
Date: May 31, June 1
Venue: Festival Hall
Limón Dance Company performs works from their diverse repertoire ranging from classical to cutting-edge, including Missa Brevis accompanied by the Festival Chorus.
Music from the Sole: I Didn’t Come to Stay
Date: May 23, 24, 25, 26
Venue: Emmett Robinson Theatre at College of Charleston
A Carnival-inspired performance by eight dancers and five musicians celebrating the beauty, complexity, and virtuosity of Black dance and music.
White Box
Date: May 29, 30, 31
Venue: Emmett Robinson Theatre at College of Charleston
In this U.S. premiere performance blending dance, music, film, and projection learn the true story of a lost expedition to fly over the North Pole in a gas balloon.
Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski
Date: June 5, 6, 7, 8
Venue: College of Charleston Sottile Theater
Following Jan Karski, a reluctant hero who witnessed the atrocities of war-torn Poland and exposed the horrors of the Holocaust to the western world.
Manual Cinema: The 4th Witch
Date: June 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Venue: Emmett Robinson Theatre at College of Charleston
Shadow puppets, live-action silhouettes, and captivating music reimagine Shakespeare’s Macbeth in a world premiere production.
Polar Bear and Penguin
Date: May 31, June 1
Venue: Rose Maree Myers Theater at Charleston County School of the Arts
Family-friendly play that follows an unlikely friendship between two iconic animals, a polar bear and a penguin.
Indian Ink Theater Company: Mrs. Krishnan’s Party
Date: June 6, 7, 8
Venue: The Riviera Theater
A family-friendly performance blending theater, music, and cooking at Mrs. Krishnan’s convenience store.
Gravity & Other Myths: Ten Thousand Hours
Date: June 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Venue: Festival Hall
Eight elite acrobats perform gravity-defying feats and breathtaking acrobatics celebrating the dedication and discipline required to achieve greatness in this U.S. premiere.
Bank of America Chamber Music
Date: May 23–June 8
Venue: Dock Street Theatre
Rich in revelry and fellowship, this Festival institution features globally renowned musicians performing 11 programs that span canonical classics and vibrant new works.
Spoleto Festival USA Chorus: The Chorus Concerts
Date: May 29, 30
Venue: St. Matthew's Lutheran Church
The Festival chorus fills the stunning St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church for these beloved performances, integral to the Festival since 1977.
Alisa Weilerstein: FRAGMENTS
Date: May 26, 28, 29, 31
Venue: College of Charleston Sottile Theatre
Alisa Weilerstein plays six unique recitals featuring Bach’s indelible cello suites paired with newly commissioned works by 27 of today’s great composers.
Kronos Quartet
Date: June 2
Venue: Charleston Music Hall
The renowned string quartet performs contemporary classics, collaborations, and experimental compositions that will leave you captivated.
Isaac Mizrahi: I Know Everybody
Date: June 5, 7
Venue: Charleston Music Hall
Entertainer and fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi hosts an evening of cabaret featuring his six-piece band, witty commentary, and a healthy dose of irreverence.
Rosenkavalier Suite + Sibelius Violin Concerto
Date: May 31
Venue: Charleston Gaillard Center
Under the baton of Timothy Myers, the Festival Orchestra performs Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier orchestral suite. Plus, violinist Alexi Kenney performs the iconic Sibelius violin concerto.
Mendelssohn’s Third Symphony
Date: June 5
Venue: Charleston Gaillard Center
On a stirring program, the Festival Orchestra performs Scherzo by Väinö Raitio and Mendelssohn’s Scottish Symphony, plus a solo by cellist Inbal Segev.
Mozart’s 29th Symphony
Date: May 26
Venue: St. Matthew's Lutheran Church
Members of the Festival Orchestra perform works by Arvo Pärt, Missy Mazzoli, and Mozart’s 29th Symphony in an intimate and beautiful setting.
Spoleto Festival USA Chorus + Orchestra: Bach’s Mass in B Minor
Date: June 7
Venue: Charleston Gaillard Center
In his final Spoleto performance after 19 years, Joe Miller conducts the Festival Orchestra and Chorus in Bach’s Mass in B Minor.
Branford Marsalis – Belonging Tour
Date: June 1
Venue: Charleston Music Hall
One of the most influential jazz ensembles of our time, led by saxophonist Branford Marsalis, perform works from their album Belonging.
The Vijay Iyer Trio featuring Linda May Han Oh and Tyshawn Sorey
Date: June 3
Venue: College of Charleston Sottile Theater
Pianist Vijay Iyer, drummer Tyshawn Sorey, and bassist Linda May Han Oh push the limits of improvisation and composition, delivering a truly unforgettable sonic affair.
Phillip Golub
Date: May 25, 26, 27
Venue: Various
Pianist, improviser, and composer, Phillip Golub creates original and expressive music, grounded in—but not constrained by—his engaged practice in jazz, creative music, and new music.
Ambrose Akinmusire
Date: June 5, 6, 7
Venue: Various
Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire demonstrates depth, range, and creative breadth in a four program residency in three different venues.
Cécile McLorin Salvant
Date: May 28
Venue: Charleston Gaillard Center
Vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant teams up with the Festival Orchestra and her jazz trio to present timeless jazz ballads newly arranged for this project.
Etienne Charles Gullah Roots with Special Guest Quentin Baxter
Date: June 4
Venue: College of Charleston Cistern Yard
Trinidad-born trumpeter Etienne Charles and Charleston-native drummer Quentin Baxter explore the deep connections between Afro-Caribbean, Gullah, and American jazz traditions.
Band of Horses
Date: May 31
Venue: College of Charleston Cistern Yard
Grammy-nominated Band of Horses performs their unique blend of indie rock, folk, and country for an evening of raw power and emotional intensity.
Mavis Staples
Date: May 30
Venue: College of Charleston Cistern Yard
Blues and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Mavis Staples performs hits from her six decades-long career in a return to the Cistern stage.
Lucinda Williams
Date: June 7
Venue: College of Charleston Cistern Yard
One of the most celebrated singer-songwriters of her generation, Lucinda Williams performs roots rock, country, folk, and blues music from her career spanning more than four decades.
Yo La Tengo
Date: June 8
Venue: College of Charleston Cistern Yard
American indie rock band Yo La Tengo presents their eclectic sound that blends elements of folk, noise rock, and country for an intimate live experience beneath the night sky.
Corinne Bailey Rae
Date: May 23
Venue: College of Charleston Cistern Yard
Known for soulful vocals and introspective lyrics, Corinne Bailey Rae performs her hits including “Put Your Records On” to open the Front Row Series.
Jeff Tweedy
Date: June 6
Venue: College of Charleston Cistern Yard
An evening under the stars with American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and multi-instrumentalist Jeff Tweedy of Wilco fame.
aja monet
Date: June 2
Venue: Dock Street Theatre
Spoken word poet aja monet performs her powerful and socially conscious verse accompanied by a jazz band.
Red Baraat
Date: May 27
Venue: Charleston Music Hall
Indian-inspired party band Red Baraat performs rhythmic and percussive music in a celebration of joy and unity.
Patti Smith
Date: June 3
Venue: College of Charleston Cistern Yard
Under the oaks, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and pioneer of punk rock Patti Smith performs her fusion of rock and poetry.
Valerie June with Jake Xerxes Fussell
Date: May 25
Venue: College of Charleston Cistern Yard
Valerie June performs a gorgeous blend of astral folk and meditative R&B with North Carolina-based American folk singer and guitarist Jake Xerxes Fussell.
Patterson Hood with MJ Lenderman
Date: May 24
Venue: College of Charleston Cistern Yard
Acclaimed singer-songwriter, guitarist, and co-founder of Drive-By Truckers Patterson Hood performs after a set from emerging singer-songwriter MJ Lenderman.
Arooj Aftab
Date: May 29
Venue: Charleston Music Hall
Pakistani composer and vocalist Arooj Aftab performs a blend of jazz, South Asian classical music, pop, and blues, a mix she calls “global soul.”
Opening Ceremony
Date: May 23
Venue: Charleston City Hall
Spoleto and the Charleston community unite to open the 49th Spoleto Festival USA at this public event.
Tell Your Story
Date: May 29
Venue: Simons Center Recital Hall at College of Charleston
Four Festival Orchestra fellows pair with Charleston-based entrepreneurs, artists, and activists to create aural memoirs—works of creative placemaking distinct to the South Carolina Lowcountry and to this moment.
Conversations With
Date: May 27, 29, June 4, 5
Venue: Various
Emmy Award-winning CBS News correspondent Martha Teichner hosts riveting, intimate conversations with the artists and companies of Spoleto Festival USA, illuminating the creative process and delving into the stories that form the 2025 productions.
Jazz Talks
Date: May 26, June 2
Venue: Various
Spoleto Festival USA’s Jazz Curator Larry Blumenfeld speaks with artists from the 2025 Wells Fargo Jazz Series.
Opening Gala
Date: May 22
Venue: Hotel Bennett
Kick off the 2025 Festival in high style at Spoleto’s Opening Gala—your chance to mix and mingle with some of this season’s extraordinary talent.