Lied's single ticket sales begin Aug. 14

The Lied Center for Performing Arts will begin sales of single tickets for the 2012-13 season performances at 11 a.m. on Aug. 14. Tickets may be purchased at the Lied Center Ticket Office or at http://www.liedcenter.org.

Ticket buyers may select from a wide range of categories including Broadway, popular music, comedy, dance, classical music, world and jazz, family offerings and theater. More than half of the 36 scheduled shows make their Lied Center debut this season.

"The Lied's Broadway lineup is incredible, featuring the return of 'Chicago' and 'Peter Pan,' along with the Nebraska premieres of Green Day's 'American Idiot' and Broadway revue 'Broadway Today!', which showcases hit music from Broadway's recent seasons," said Bill Stephan, executive director of the Lied Center. "Internationally renowned conductor of the Boston Pops Keith Lockhart leads the BBC Concert Orchestra in their Nebraska premiere and the Joffrey Ballet celebrates the 100th anniversary of 'The Rite of Spring' in a triumphant performance."

Additional highlights the high-energy Celtic music of Gaelic Storm, William Shatner in a hilarious one-man-show, "Shatner's World," acclaimed jazz/pop trumpeter Chris Botti and the world premiere of "What the Wind Taught Me," a new play commissioned by the Lied through a partnership with the Angels Theatre Company.

Lied Center artistic director Ann Chang said she is especially excited to present one of the world's premiere pianists, Emanuel Ax, to Lincoln audiences on Sept. 23 as part of the Lied's opening weekend.

"Emanuel Ax is a multi-Grammy Award-winning pianist and has collaborated with artists familiar to Lincoln audiences, including Yo-Yo Ma, Isaac Stern and Itzhak Perlman," Chang said. "As one of the world's finest pianists, it is an extraordinary opportunity to hear him perform live at the Lied Center. We are also thrilled to welcome back the Vienna Boys Choir as well as violinist Philippe Quint, who astounded Lied audiences with his performance with the Capetown Philharmonic in 2011."

The 2012-13 season features a wide array of family-friendly programming. An interactive juggling circus and live jazz music takes the Lied stage for Jugglemania with Shoehorn and is the first FamFest of the season on Nov. 1. The Spencers Theatre of Illusion returns after an amazing magic performance that wowed Lied audiences in 2009. The second FamFest event is slated for March 15 with black lights filling the stage for John Tartaglia's "ImaginOcean," a musical magical undersea adventure.

Season ticket sales have exceeded numbers of the past five seasons and some shows are now sold out, including Mannheim Steamroller Christmas and the Jackie Allen Jazz Quintet. Several shows have limited seating so early purchase is encouraged. Patrons may still purchase a season subscription and save up to 20 percent off listed prices. A season package consists of a ticket purchase of four or more events.

— Maureen Ose, Lied Center for Performing Arts