The University of Notre Dame’s Department of Art, Art History & Design is proud to present its annual MFA thesis exhibition, highlighting the culminating work of four graduate students set to earn their Master of Fine Arts degrees in May 2025. This highly anticipated exhibition will be displayed in two groups, each offering a distinct and engaging artistic experience. The first exhibition will run from February 28 to March 20 at the AAHD Galleries (214/216 Riley Hall), featuring the thought-provoking works of Thomas Callahan and Emma Ryan. An opening reception will be held on Friday, February 28, from 5 to 7 pm, providing an opportunity to meet the artists and experience their work firsthand. The second exhibition will showcase the exceptional pieces of Norah Amstutz and Griffin Liu, on display from April 3 to April 16 at the AAHD Galleries. The opening reception for this group will take place on Friday, April 4, from 5 to 7 pm. This annual exhibition is a celebration of creativity, dedication, and artistic vision, offering visitors a glimpse into the future of contemporary art. We invite you to join us in supporting these talented emerging artists and experiencing their extraordinary work. Originally published at artdept.nd.edu.

The Keough-Naughton Institute invites you to a staged reading of The Invasion of Melos, an adaptation of Thucydides' Melian Dialogue, by visiting playwright Colin Murphy. A panel discussion and reception will follow the reading.Play Description When is war "just"? Are there laws of war? Who will hold belligerents to account? Is geopolitics only about self-interest and the survival of the fittest? What does it mean to be a “realist”? These questions are not new: one of the first people to document them was the Greek historian Thucydides, in his influential History of the Peloponnesian War. The Peloponnesian War was a long-running war between Athens and Sparta. In 416BC, Athens opened a new front in that war, when it invaded the vulnerable island of Melos. That led to “peace” negotiations between Athens and Melos, and Thucydides documented these in a chapter of his History known as the Melian Dialogue. We present a rehearsed reading of a new adaptation of the Melian dialogue, by one of Ireland’s leading political dramatists, Colin Murphy, with the aim of provoking reflection on today’s conflicts. The staged reading is directed by Notre Dame Professor Kevin Dreyer and features a cast of Notre Dame students. The short performance will be followed by an expert panel discussion on conflict and the ethics of war with Colin Murphy, Professor Michael Desch (ND International Security Center) and Professor Anne García-Romero (Film, Television, and Theatre).  The original production was presented in Dublin in 2024 by ClassicsNow in association with Once Off Productions.   Playwright BiographyColin Murphy is a playwright, screenwriter and journalist from Dublin, Ireland, best known for his series of plays about Irish political history. His new play, The United States vs Ulysses, will run at the Irish Arts Center in New York this May. Other plays include The Asylum Workshop, The Treaty and Guaranteed!, all published by Bloomsbury. His radio plays include #Antigone and Hamlet, Prince of Derry. Screenplays include The Guarantee. He writes a weekly column for the Sunday Independent.       Director BiographyKevin Dreyer is a Professor of Theatre in Notre Dame's Film, Television, and Theatre Department. He is an experienced lighting designer and a member of the United Scenic Artists with an active freelance career. He has designed for major companies across the United States and around the world with reviews and award nominations from four continents. He has been on the faculty at Notre Dame since 1989, where in addition to teaching he has designed lighting and scenery for the theatre season. In recent years he has added the responsibilities of producing and directing for the University. He published the first book about lighting design for dance in 2020. Kevin's work as a lighting designer has been seen in Chicago and around the world with the Joffrey Ballet and Ballet West. His design work is featured in Robert Altman’s film The Company. Originally published at irishstudies.nd.edu.

World-renowned pianist Martin Katz performs with Department of Music voice faculty and students in a vibrant program spanning classical to Cole Porter, performed in seven languages. Katz, distinguished emeritus professor at the University of Michigan, has collaborated with opera legends including Cecilia Bartoli and Marilyn Horne. This event is free and open to the public.  Originally published at music.nd.edu.

HEART ON FIREa new musical Presented by Notre Dame Film, Television, and Theatre by Olivia Seymour '25Directed by Matt Hawkins As the political climate of 1960s California heats up, sisters Lisa and Cassie find themselves on either side of the growing counterculture phenomenon. While Lisa is content with her simple life of running her late mother’s diner and trying to start a family, Cassie desires more for herself, wanting to be a great singer and leave behind all she knows. With the hippie movement on the rise and the Vietnam War continuing to escalate, Lisa does her best to protect her family from the world while Cassie finds herself inevitably drawn into it, causing a divide between the sisters and their ideas of what it means to be a young woman in a rapidly evolving country. Olivia Seymour's HEART ON FIRE is the official selection for Notre Dame Film, Television, and Theatre (NDFTT)'s 2024 New Works Lab. The New Works Lab is a program developed alongside the Musical Theatre minor that allows for students to develop and stage a musical that they have written as part of NDFTT's theatre season. The student whose project is selected will workshop their script throughout the fall semester, which means that the above show description is subject to change as the story develops. Previous New Works Lab productions have included An Old Family Recipe, My Heart Says Go (formerly Stupid Humans), and Dawn's Early Light. Performance Schedule February 19-23, 2025; February 26 - March 2, 2025Wednesday - Saturday at 7:30 PMSunday at 2:30 PM Philbin Studio TheatreDeBartolo Performing Arts Center Tickets Tickets for HEART ON FIRE are $10 for the general public and $5 for Faculty/Staff, Students, and Seniors (65+). If you would like to purchase tickets for the full NDFTT season, a season bundle is currently available. Tickets may be purchased by phone at 574-631-2800, in person at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center ticket office (M-F 12:00 - 6:00 PM), or online at performingarts.nd.edu. BUY TICKETS SEASON BUNDLE Parking Free parking is available daily after 5:00 pm in the Stayer Center parking lot, just north of the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. Patrons may now receive free event parking at the Eddy Street Commons Parking Garage by bringing your event tickets and parking ticket to the DPAC Ticket Office to receive a pre-paid parking voucher. An accessible lot for disabled patrons is available immediately adjacent to the center; a valid hangtag or license plate is required. There is a ten-minute parking zone on the north drive of the center for ticket pick-up; during inclement weather you are welcome to drop off guests in this area and proceed to parking. Originally published at ftt.nd.edu.

With special guests the Sylvan Trio, the NDSO will present concerto movements by Ibert and Nielsen, and will conclude the evening with William Grant Still’s Afro-American Symphony. For tickets, call 574-631-2800 or visit performingarts.nd.edu. Originally published at music.nd.edu.