Some performances feel less like concerts and more like ceremonies, moments that blur the line between past and present, between what is sung and what is remembered. Kurbasy’s Songs of the Ukrainian Forest was one of those rare evenings. It didn’t simply perform; it reached, branching outward from deep cultural roots and carrying with it echoes of survival, sorrow, and hope. Before the first note was sung, the Weis Center was already steeped in reflection. The pre-talk, led by Heather Almer, Assistant Director of International Student & Scholar Services, set the tone for the evening with both warmth and understanding. […]

Originially published in The Bucknellian. On Oct. 21, 2025, the Weis Center for the Performing Arts filled with the glow of lamps, music and movement. The night carried a special meaning. It was Diwali, the Festival of Lights, when Hindus around the world celebrate hope, goodness and renewal. That same spirit of light and devotion came alive on stage as Nrityagram, one of India’s most celebrated dance ensembles, performed “KHAṄKHAṆĀ: The Sound of Dancing Feet.” It was an evening that went beyond performance. It was worship, storytelling and art all woven together with grace and meaning. Even before the lights dimmed, […]

It is not every day that Bucknell becomes a portal to the rainforest. On the evening of September 30, the Weis Center for the Performing Arts transformed. What began as a crisp fall night soon unfolded into an immersive journey through one of the world’s most vital and endangered ecosystems. The performance, an extraordinary multimedia presentation by National Geographic explorer and ecologist Dr. Nalini Nadkarni, pulled back the canopy’s veil and invited us not just to see the rainforest but to feel it. Even before the lights dimmed, the Atrium pulsed with life. The Environmental Expo turned the space into […]

On Monday, September 29, Nalini Nadkarni, National Geographic Explorer at Large, met and interacted with more than 100 Bucknell University students through the Residential College Common Hour program. She met with students from the Discovery Res College, Society and Technology Res College, and Nature and Innovation Res College. Nalini will present her multimedia presentation “From Roots to Canopy” at the Weis Center on Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 7:30 p.m. at the Weis Center. Professor Chris Martine will introduce Nalini and facilitate a post-show Q&A. Nalini talked about growing up in Bethesda, MD and climbing the eight trees lining her parents’ […]

After several years, the Weis Center opened its Atrium once more for performance, and for that moment there could not have been a better choice than the André Mehmari Trio. Some concerts are made for grandeur and scale, but others are meant for closeness, for stillness, for intimacy. This was the latter, a performance that felt less like spectacle and more like a bud slowly opening, quiet, delicate, and full of promise. André has lived for over twenty five years in the Atlantic Forest, the vast tropical rainforest along Brazil’s coast, and his music carried that landscape within it. The […]

The Kings Return performance on Thursday, Sept. 11th at the Weis Center was absolutely unforgettable. From the very first note, their music carried such a sense of liveliness that you could feel it in every cell of your body. Each song brought a new emotion, making every second feel completely worth it. I had been eagerly waiting since last year to see them live, and they exceeded every expectation. What made the night even more special was how they were not only insanely talented but also super goofy. I loved moments like when they called one of their friends “Jayance,” […]

Some nights feel like a spark. Others, like a flame. And then there are nights that feel like a seed planted, something that roots itself quietly, grows inward before it grows outward, and promises to linger long after the final note. Kings Return gave us that seed. It could not have been more fitting that their performance marked not only their long-awaited return to Bucknell but also the beginning of a new year for the Weis Center, itself reborn through a complete renovation. With its theme of trees, an image both simple and immense, ordinary and eternal, this season began […]

c A Night of Communion and Celebration: Ruthie Foster Closes the Weis Center Season There are evenings that entertain, and then there are evenings that stay with you quietly, completely, without asking for permission. Ruthie Foster gave us the latter. From the moment she walked onto the stage, there was a shift in the air. The audience, already pulsing with anticipation, rose to meet her energy, and she returned it with something even greater: presence. Ruthie wasn’t just here to perform; she was here to connect. And from her very first note, that intention carried the room. There was no […]

Ruthie Foster at the Weis Center: A Night I Truly Needed Last night, I had the chance to see Ruthie Foster perform at the Weis Center at Bucknell University, and it was truly one of the most meaningful nights I’ve had in a long time. After taking a peaceful evening walk with a friend, the timing of the 7:30 p.m. show felt just right — like the perfect way to start the weekend. As soon as Ruthie began singing, I could feel how much heart she put into every word. Two lines in particular stayed with me: “Time will reveal […]

Friday night at the Weis Center was truly unforgettable. Houston Ballet II took the stage, and it was amazing to see a crowd of 700–800 people from both Lewisburg and the campus community come together for the performance. The energy in the room was incredible—so many people gathering to experience the beauty of ballet made the night feel even more special. I especially enjoyed watching the young aspiring dancers in the audience, their faces lighting up with excitement as they took in every movement on stage. Seeing their admiration and wonder was a great reminder of how powerful the arts […]