originally published: 01/22/2025
Photo by Shervin Lainez
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- McCarter Theatre Center presents the all-star trio of Béla Fleck, Antonio Sánchez, and Edmar Castañeda, performing on Tuesday, May 13, 2025. This is a WXPN Welcomes event. Showtime is 7:30pm.
An 18-time Grammy Award-winner and legendary banjo virtuoso, Béla Fleck is globally celebrated for his innovative work with the Flecktones. His illustrious career spans an extraordinary range of solo projects and collaborations across the musical spectrum, cementing his reputation as one of the most groundbreaking artists of our time.
Joining Fleck are two of the most accomplished musicians of their generation:
Antonio Sánchez, a five-time Grammy-winner, grew up in Mexico City and has established himself as one of the world’s great jazz drummers. Best known for his 18-year collaboration with guitarist Pat Metheny, Sánchez gained widespread recognition for his Golden Globe-nominated drum-set score for Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Academy Award-winning film Birdman.
Edmar Castañeda, a Colombia-native and trailblazing jazz harpist, has redefined the harp’s role in contemporary music with his unmatched virtuosity. Castañeda has performed with legends such as Wynton Marsalis, John Scofield, and Paco de Lucía, seamlessly blending jazz, Latin, and world music to captivate audiences around the globe.
Don’t miss this one-night-only performance at McCarter Theatre Center, where three world-class musicians will come together for an unparalleled evening of artistry, innovation, and musical mastery.
Tickets range from $33-$73 and are available for purchase online or calling 609-258-2787. McCarter Theatre Center is located at 91 University Place in Princeton, New Jersey.
McCarter is one of the country’s flagship theaters and a vibrant center for community and the performing arts. Located on the campus of Princeton University, the company is an independent nonprofit, serving as a nationally renowned, multi-disciplinary creative hub for arts and ideas, offering theatre, music, dance, spoken word, and educational programs for all ages. A two-time Tony Award winner, McCarter’s legacy of artistic excellence dates back to the theatre’s first performances in 1930. Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, Kaufmann & Hart’s You Can’t Take It with You, and William Inge’s Bus Stop all had their premieres on the McCarter stage, paving the way for a long history of collaborations with playwrights to launch remarkable works that have gone on to tens of thousands of performances, reaching millions of audience members around the world.
The company is equally revered for presenting global artists on its stages, including Alvin Ailey, Yo-Yo Ma, Samara Joy, Hasan Minhaj, Jon Stewart, Caetano Veloso, Rhiannon Giddens, Patti Smith, Esperanza Spalding, Lake Street Dive, and Herbie Hancock, among many others. Of the 100,000 community members who directly participate in the company’s work every year, more than 5,000 are students taking part in McCarter’s robust educational offerings in Princeton, Trenton, and schools throughout the region. McCarter leads with values of “justice and joy, and beauty in belonging,” creating stories and experiences that enliven minds, expand imaginations, and engage communities.
