Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum Brings Music, Culture and Artistic Expression Together for Second Season of RDA Performs
by Debbie Hall
The connection between music and art takes center stage as the Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum continues RDA Performs, its signature concert series, for a second season. Titled “Movement,” the 2026–27 series invites audiences to explore how music moves the body and spirit through cultural influences, storytelling, cinema, theater, song and dance.
The next performance, “El Camino: A Musical Journey,” takes place Saturday, Nov. 14, and explores Latin American music through tango, windswept landscapes, and kaleidoscopic sound worlds.
Inspired by the idea of the road, the concert explores how music reflects movement, memory, place and cultural imagination. The program features internationally renowned classical guitarist Ricardo Cobo, accompanied by special guest artists Christina Castellanos, principal flutist of the Las Vegas Philharmonic, and Ráyo Furuta, whom Informador de Guadalajara praised as “the rockstar of the flute.”
Castellanos is a returning favorite of RDA Performs, while the collaboration brings together three accomplished musicians for an evening designed to transport audiences through diverse musical traditions.
Curated by Dr. Alexandria Le, an internationally award-winning concert pianist and artistic director of RDA Performs, the season features four intimate concerts on select Saturdays from September through April. Each performance takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. in the museum’s distinctive setting, with seating limited to 75 guests.
The boutique concert experience brings accomplished musicians within close proximity to audiences, surrounded by the artwork of visionary artist Rita Deanin Abbey. Following each performance, guests are invited to enjoy a reception featuring light refreshments and a celebratory champagne toast.
“We are elated to bring back RDA Performs for its second season,” said Lucy Formato, director of special events and public programming at the museum. “The brilliant mind and talent of Alexandria Le is undeniable, and we are honored to take part in this collaboration together. 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.”
For Le, the second season builds on the enthusiastic response to the inaugural series, which introduced audiences to an intimate approach to live musical performance.
“I’m especially thrilled to welcome audiences to this second season,” Le said. “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. Guests are captivated from the moment they step through the front door.”
Born and raised in Las Vegas, Le said that she is honored to give back to her hometown by offering programming that brings world-class musicians and audiences together in an unbelievable setting.
The musician has performed concerts in Carnegie Hall and around the globe. In addition to serving as Artistic Director of RDA Performs, she founded an innovative project called “Notes with a Purpose,” which highlights music’s power to inspire, unite, and transform communities. Her programming philosophy is elegant, intimate and revolutionary at the same time.
The Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum provides a distinctive environment for the concert series. Located on a serene 10-acre campus, the 10,500-square-foot museum celebrates the legacy of artist Rita Deanin Abbey, whose creative vision was deeply inspired by the beauty and mystery of the Desert Southwest.
Her extensive artistic collection includes abstract expressionist paintings, monumental stained-glass works, sculpture, landscapes, figure studies, murals, enamels and other mediums. The museum offers visitors an immersive look at the breadth of her artistic expression.
The combination of visual art and live music creates an experience that extends beyond a traditional concert hall, allowing guests to appreciate multiple artistic disciplines within one setting.
For the Nov. 14 performance, the museum will be closed to the general public throughout the day to accommodate the private event. General admission tickets are available. VIP tickets include priority seating, a pre-concert reception with light bites and refreshments, and opportunities to meet Le and the featured performers. Additional insider experiences may include instrument demonstrations, pre-concert insights from Le and the artists, a curated behind-the-scenes museum experience and exclusive artist engagement opportunities.
For those planning to attend multiple performances, discounted season passes are available for the remaining concerts. Pass holders receive the benefits of an individual VIP ticket for each performance, along with an invitation to an exclusive concert for Rita Deanin Abbey Art Museum members.
The museum, located at 5850 N. Park Street in northwest Las Vegas, is open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are available by appointment only and may be purchased online. For more information, please the museum on Instagram or Facebook or visit www.ritadeaninabbeymuseum.org.
