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Rita Deanin Abbey Museum:

RDA Performs Debuts Its New Season, Plus New Films, Books and TV Appearances

By Kendall Hardin

The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum’s RDA Performs concert series returns for its second season with “Movement,” an intimate four-concert series exploring the ways music can intersect with cinema, culture, storytelling, theatre and dance.

Curated by Dr. Alexandria Le, artistic director of RDA Performs and an internationally award-winning pianist, the 2026-27 season features four concerts on select Saturdays from September through April. Each performance is limited to 75 guests, creating an intimate setting surrounded by the museum’s collection and exhibitions. Guests are also invited to a post-concert reception with light refreshments and a champagne toast.

“We are elated to bring back RDA Performs for its second season,” said Lucy Formato, the museum's director of special events and public programming. “Each concert is uniquely designed to beautifully intertwine into the next within the series, taking guests on a one-of-a-kind journey through song and movement.”

RDA Performs brings musicians up close to audiences

The season opens Sept. 26 with “Crouching Tiger & Beyond: Cinematic Soundscapes,” featuring Hong Wang, whose traditional Chinese instruments have been featured in film, television, video games and concert productions, including "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness" and "Avatar: The Last Airbender." Wang will be joined by Le on piano for an exploration of ancient instruments and cinematic sound.

On Nov. 14, “El Camino: A Musical Journey” takes audiences on a musical journey through Latin America, featuring tango, windswept landscapes and a range of rhythmic and cultural influences. The program features internationally renowned classical guitarist Ricardo Cobo, with special guests Christina Castellanos, principal flutist of the Las Vegas Philharmonic, and Ráyo Furuta, who has been praised by Informador de Guadalajara as “the rockstar of the flute.”

RDA Performs Artistic Director Dr. Alexandria Le

The series continues Feb. 27 with “Broadway Reimagined: On the Move,” a program inspired by journeys, reinvention, escape and arrival. Beloved Broadway songs will be reimagined through an intimate museum setting, hosted by Las Vegas Broadway veterans Keith Thompson and Philip Fortenberry.

The season concludes April 24 with “Bolero: Music in Movement,” a celebration of Latin dance music featuring Le and Yunior Lopez, violist and music director of the Dr. Shirley Linzy Young Artist Orchestra of Las Vegas. Drawing from their forthcoming album, "Bolero," the program brings dance-inspired works to the museum for an evening centered on music, movement and Latin culture.

The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum is a natural destination for kids

“I’m especially thrilled to welcome audiences to this second season,” says Le. “Judging by the response of our first season’s concertgoers, this concert series has exceeded all expectations — from virtuosic artists delivering spellbinding performances just feet from the audience to thoughtfully crafted programs and the extraordinary artwork surrounding us. As a Las Vegas native, I’m incredibly proud to help shape the musical life of this spectacular venue — a setting that allows me to curate programs at the very highest level.”

Tickets are $95 per person, with VIP tickets available for $125, at ritadeaninabbeymuseum.org.

The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum creates opportunities for discovery for everyone

More News From the Museum

The museum also has several projects and appearances in the works, according to Executive Director Laura Sanders.

A documentary film exploring the life and work of Rita Deanin Abbey is nearing completion, with details about its public premiere expected in the coming months.
The museum will also serve as a key setting for "Burgundy," an upcoming feature film from independent filmmaker Jeffrey Lipsky. Filming at the museum is scheduled for next month. The film begins in Las Vegas, where Abbey’s artwork plays a central role, before moving to New York City and Oslo, Norway.
A forthcoming book by Becca Worby will examine Abbey’s life through a combination of biography, art writing, memoir and personal reflection. Drawing from archival materials, correspondence, interviews and Abbey’s artwork, the book will explore her formative years in the Southwest, her relationship with Edward Abbey and her early life in Las Vegas as a single mother, artist and professor.
Children’s author Carrie Higa is also working on a picture book introducing young readers to Abbey’s life and art. The book will highlight Abbey’s connection to nature, her close observation of the natural world and the physical work behind pieces such as her steel sculptures.
Next month, Sanders will appear on PBS’ award-winning broadcast and podcast "The Open Mind," hosted by Alexander Heffner. The program explores ideas and conversations spanning politics, science, technology, the arts and civic life.

The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum is open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For information and tickets, visit ritadeaninabbeymuseum.org.