FROM THE SORAYA TO BOSTON:
THOR STEINGRABER’S NEXT ACT

After transforming The Soraya at California State University, Northridge into one of the nation’s most adventurous and respected presenting organizations, Thor Steingraber is heading east. For Boston, it represents an exciting new beginning. For Los Angeles, it is the departure of one of the region’s most effective cultural leaders.

Vivo Performing Arts—formerly Celebrity Series of Boston—has announced that Steingraber will become its next President and Chief Executive Officer beginning this month. He succeeds Gary Dunning, who led the organization for 15 years.

Founded in 1938 by impresario Aaron Richmond, Celebrity Series has long been one of Boston’s premier presenters of music, dance, jazz, and international artists. The organization’s new name, Vivo Performing Arts, reflects an expanded vision that emphasizes community engagement, accessibility, and artistic experiences throughout Greater Boston.

For Southern California arts audiences, Steingraber’s departure marks the end of a remarkable chapter. Since becoming Executive and Artistic Director of The Soraya in 2014, he has elevated the Northridge venue into a major cultural destination, attracting world-renowned orchestras, dance companies, jazz artists, and international performers while commissioning and developing ambitious new works. Under his leadership, The Soraya became one of the country’s leading jazz presenters, often transforming the stage of the huge hall into an intimate club.

Stage and Cinema had a front-row seat to that evolution. Over the past fifteen years, we watched The Soraya grow from a venue still defining its identity into one of Southern California’s most adventurous and consistently rewarding performing arts centers. Under Steingraber’s leadership, world-class artists became regular guests, ambitious programming became the norm, and Northridge emerged as an unlikely but vital stop on the international performing arts map.

His impact extends well beyond programming. During the past decade, The Soraya evolved from a promising university-based performing arts center into a venue regularly attracting artists and audiences more commonly associated with institutions such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and major international festivals.

Steingraber is no stranger to Massachusetts. A graduate of Harvard University’s Kennedy School, he previously served as Harvard’s inaugural Arts and Culture Fellow, making the appointment something of a homecoming.

As Vivo Performing Arts approaches its centennial decade, the organization has chosen wisely. Steingraber brings a rare combination of artistic vision, administrative leadership, and audience-building expertise, along with a proven ability to elevate institutions while remaining connected to the communities they serve. Boston gains a dynamic cultural leader at a pivotal moment in the organization’s history. Los Angeles, meanwhile, says goodbye to one of the region’s most effective arts advocates—one whose impact on The Soraya will continue to resonate long after his departure.

photo of Thor Steingraber by Luis Luque