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    Soluna Festival Insider's Guide

    Soluna Festival 2015: 6 must-attend events at the Dallas Arts District first

    Kendall Morgan
    kendall Morgan
    May 5, 2015 | 9:13 am

    Named after the Spanish combination of “sol” and “luna” (sun and moon), the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s inaugural Soluna Festival is a unique and ambitious undertaking, blending disparate visual art, music, dance, theater and orchestral performances during a three-week window in the Arts District.

    Founded by director of festival advancement Anna-Sophia van Zweden, DSO music director (and her father) Jaap van Zweden, and DSO president and CEO Jonathan Martin, Soluna blurs the lines between genres as it explores what it means to be an eternally optimistic citizen of this country with this year’s theme “Destination (America.)”

    “There are many reasons why we picked it and many layers,” says van Zweden of this year’s focus. “We wanted to make these connections and do projects that are reflective of Dallas and the people who live here. There are so many different cultures in the city.”

    The marriage of visual and performing arts may be an unusual undertaking for Dallas, but it’s a natural one for van Zweden. Raised with the soundtrack of Amsterdam’s Concergebouw, she attended the Amsterdam School of the Arts, Reinwardt Academie before conducting research on the dynamics between private collectors and museums in both her hometown and Dallas.

    Having interned at the DMA, she is currently finishing her master’s at Sotheby’s in New York, and her time in New York’s vibrant arts scene helped to inspire her Soluna journey.

    “In New York, there’s so much in the performance art world I really appreciate, and that’s something that didn’t exist in Dallas,” she explains. “I want to take bits and pieces of that and combine it with a classic orchestra to create something really interesting.”

    Just over year in the planning, Soluna is expected to draw attendees from both across the U.S. and Europe to indulge in its eclectic programming. Although it’s hard to narrow down the must-sees, van Zweden has hand-picked six key performances that you simply can’t miss.

    1. Soluna opening performance
    “For me, it’s mostly the visual arts,” explains van Zweden of her first choice, the May 6 opening night performance with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra providing a live soundtrack to film screenings by artist Alex Prager. “This is the first time her films will be screened with live music. She collaborated with a composer [Ali Helnwein], so that would be my first highlight.”

    Prager follows the event with an exhibit May 7 at the Goss-Michael Foundation, showing five never-before-viewed photographs shot as a companion to her film Face in the Crowd, which draws on everything from street photography to classic cinema.

    2. ReMix: Hollywood Exile
    Another cinematic treasure is behind van Zweden’s second pick — namely a world premiere video by Swiss video artist Pipilotti Rist with accompanying music by Conrad Tao. Part of the “Hollywood Exile” concert, the performance, May 8 and 9, honors the great composers who found a home in Tinseltown during the second World War. Created specifically for Soluna, the piece will travel around the globe once the festival is over.

    “It’s going places, I can promise you that,” laughs van Zweden.

    3. Francis Moreno’s WCD [after Leutze’s Washington Crossing the Delaware]
    Local talent Francisco Moreno’s participation in Soluna is van Zweden’s third highlight. Drawn to Moreno’s work for its natural fit in the Destination: (America) theme, van Zweden cites his in-progress painting WCD [after Leutze's Washington Crossing the Delaware] as “a symbol of him being a Mexican artist, but trying to connect with American culture.

    “He’s been working on this project for years already, but he added this layer of black and white camouflage that tries to confuse the viewer on where to approach him.”

    The painting will be revealed May 9, 1-4 pm, in a free event (along with a painted Tandem Automotive car originally used in World War II) at 2900 Bataan St. Moreno’s black-and-white camouflaged interpretation of a symbolic American story reaches its culmination in a May 23 performance in the same Trinity Groves warehouse.

    4. Kevin Beasley’s Black Rocker
    New York-based Kevin Beasley’s May 15 site-specific Black Rocker is van Zweden’s fourth, rather avant-garde choice. Incorporating rap and hip-hop culture, this exploration of what it means to be an American features a rocking chair accompanied by 24 bespoke seat cushions equipped with microphones.

    Free and part of the DMA’s Late Night series, the performance (6 pm-midnight) invites audience members to interact with the artist in real time.

    5. Yael Bartana’s Inferno screening
    Israeli artist Yael Bartana explores cultural identity in her film Inferno, which screens before a performance of Leonard Bernstein’s Kaddish on May 14 and 16. “It’s an incredibly powerful film, and my father’s mesmerized by it,” says van Zweden. The pre-concert screenings begin at 6:30 pm.

    6. St. Vincent with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra
    Admittedly, narrowing down Soluna’s expansive offerings is difficult, but the sold-out May 17 performance of Grammy-winning songstress is the last must on van Zweden’s list.

    “It’s going to be more of a collaboration than just her performing,” promises van Zweden. “We really want to be open-minded and have pop artists collaborate with musicians and do all kinds of interesting things to open up and make new connections.”

    Soluna Festival performances range from free to $150 and run through May 24.

    Kevin Beasley
 will be at the DMA on May 15 with his Black Rocker.

    Kevin Beasley
      
    Photo by Paula Court
    Kevin Beasley
 will be at the DMA on May 15 with his Black Rocker.
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    news/arts

    Football for Footlights

    Dallas Cowboys player debuts on Broadway before heading to Texas

    Lindsey Wilson
    Jun 16, 2025 | 1:57 pm
    Solomon Thomas MJ The Musical
    Photo by Andy Henderson
    Solomon Thomas onstage at the Neil Simon Theatre in New York City.

    Before he hits the field for the Dallas Cowboys’ 2025 season, NFL veteran Solomon Thomas took a final bow in New York City — not at MetLife Stadium, but on Broadway.

    Earlier this year, Thomas signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the Cowboys after three seasons with the New York Jets. But before heading to Oxnard, California, for training camp with the 'Boys in July, he gave the Big Apple a dramatic farewell befitting a true Broadway fan.

    On June 13, Thomas made his Broadway debut in MJ the Musical, appearing for one night only in a special cameo role. The hit show, which celebrates the life and career of Michael Jackson, has long been a favorite of Thomas', who’s seen it six times.

    “I cannot think of a better way to celebrate my time in New York than by making my Broadway debut!” Thomas shared in a statement ahead of the performance. “I am so grateful to MJ for making this dream come true and for the support over the past few years. It’s truly an honor to be able to witness the greatness of these performers. I hope to see everyone at the Neil Simon Theatre on June 13!”

    Solomon Thomas outside MJ The MusicalSolomon Thomas outside "MJ The Musical" at the Neil Simon Theatre.Photo by Andy Henderson

    Thomas famously brought nearly a dozen teammates to see MJ, a moment featured in an episode of HBO’s Hard Knocks. He has also served as a CBS theater correspondent and presented at the 2024 Tony Awards.

    Thomas' special cameo is reminiscent of when Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson made her Broadway debut in late 2024 with a walk-on role in the hit jukebox musical & Juliet at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.

    “Solly has been such a great supporter and friend of Broadway and our show,” said MJ producer Lia Vollack in the statement. “We couldn’t think of a better way to thank him for his time in New York: giving him his Broadway debut!”

    MJ the Musical opened in 2021 and focuses on the creative process behind Michael Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous World Tour. With a book by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and direction and choreography by Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon, the show blends dazzling spectacle with emotional depth. It earned four 2022 Tony Awards, including Best Choreography, Lighting Design, and Sound Design in a Musical.

    The current Broadway cast stars Elijah Rhea Johnson, who made his Broadway debut in the show in April 2023. Johnson was involved in the development of the role as “Middle Michael” and succeeded original star Myles Frost, who made history in 2022 as the youngest performer ever to win the Tony for Best Leading Actor in a Musical.

    The national tour of MJ recently stopped at Fort Worth’s Bass Hall in May as part of the 2024–25 Broadway at the Bass season. Other productions are currently running in London, Hamburg, and Sydney.

    Solomon Thomas MJ The MusicalThomas in his Broadway dressing room.Photo by Andy Henderson

    Solomon Thomas MJ The Musical
      

    Photo by Andy Henderson

    Solomon Thomas onstage at the Neil Simon Theatre in New York City.

    While Thomas is known now for both football and footlights, his off-the-field work continues to make a difference. He co-founded the nonprofit The Defensive Line with his parents in honor of his sister Ella, who died by suicide in 2018. Now in his ninth NFL season, the three-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee works to end the epidemic of youth suicide, especially among young people of color, by promoting open, honest conversations around mental health.

    As Thomas trades curtain calls for play calls, there’s no doubt he’ll bring the same heart and presence to the Cowboys locker room that he brought to the Broadway stage. And here's hoping the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders don't mind sharing the spotlight with Broadway's newest star.

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