They're heating things up.

For its summer 2005 season, Montalvo is doing anything but scaling back. The center has established partnerships with two additional venues, the California Theater in San Jose and the Flint Center in Cupertino, and it has booked an impressive list of high-profile acts, such as Vanessa Williams, Brian McKnight, Gordon Lightfoot, the Indigo Girls, Julio Iglesias, Los Lobos, Sonny Rollins, Keb' Mo' and, for the first time ever, ZZ Top.

Montalvo has also renewed its contract with the Fox Theater in Redwood City for a second season. This is all in addition to Montalvo's classic on-site venues, the 1,150-seat Garden Theater, the indoor 300-seat Carriage House Theater and the festival-style concerts often held on the villa's front lawn.

Bruce Labadie, Montalvo's performing arts director, says that while Bay Area concert ticket sales have been slipping in the past year or two, Montalvo's plan of attack is to offer bigger and better things rather than cut back.

"We're facing challenges, definitely, but we're not shying away from anything," said Labadie in a press conference on April 5, when the 2005 season was announced. "We're offering great things this year."

"The summer concert series at Montalvo is a great tradition for individuals and families around the Bay Area. This year, as we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the arts center, we welcome visitors to enrich their lives through great music and performances in a location unlike any other," says Elisbeth Challener, executive director, referring to Montalvo's appeal as a concert venue--intimate performances amidst sweeping, wooded hills. Also offered are dinners on the villa's veranda before many of the concerts, with gourmet meals by Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, in partnership with many Bay Area restaurants.

In addition to its popular music calendar, Montalvo is also announcing its 2005-06 Classical Music Series, featuring concerts by top names in the genre, including renowned pianist Peter Serkin, Pinchas Zukerman with his Zukerman ChamberPlayers, and violinist Joshua Bell in a special performance, when he will debut a new work by composer Edgar Meyer, commissioned especially by Montalvo Arts Center.

"Montalvo is committed to keeping classical music not just alive but thriving in the South Bay," says Challener.

Montalvo also offers the Robert Greenburg Lecture Series in partnership with the Montalvo Education Program, which includes presentations to help music lovers of all levels better understand and appreciate classical works and artists. This season's lectures will focus on the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in recognition of the 250th anniversary of the composer's birth.

In addition, the arts center at Montalvo is raising the bar this year with a list of prestigious authors that will be visiting as part of its Literary Arts series.

Some of this year's big names in literature include popular historian David McCullough, satirist Tom Perotta, culture critic Sarah Vowell--who also appeared as the voice of Violet in Pixar's animated film The Incredibles--and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Gary Snyder. Invited authors offer an intimate presentation with a look into their lives, and a question-and-answer session and conversation with audiences.

"We've found that the majority of authors end up in conversation for most of the night, reading very little from their published works," says Leslie Zane, director of literary arts at Montalvo.

This season also features the return of events such as Tellabration!, a special night when three nationally renowned storytellers take the stage, and Saratoga Reads, when Montalvo partners with the community to promote the reading of a single book and sponsors interactive discussions and activities around the selection.

Many local parents may also be happy to know that many of last year's youth education programs and summer camps will also be returning this year.

"Based on the success of last year's programs, we are pleased to offer them again this year," said education director Katie Haggerty at the April 5 press conference.

The week of June 27 to July 1, the Missoula Children's Theatre Performing Arts Day Camp will roll into town. This year, the weeklong crash course for children--where they learn everything that goes into putting on a full-scale musical production--will culminate in a performance of Pinocchio on the Garden Theater stage.

For theater-lovers, Montalvo is also proud to offer the Target Family Theater Series in partnership with the retail giant. Upcoming productions include Beauty and the Beast on April 16 and Junie B. Jones on April 30, which is based on the popular book series by Barbara Park about a girl in the first grade.

Staff members at Montalvo are also planning their large Community Open House event on Oct. 15, when festivities for the 75th anniversary celebration of the arts center will begin.

"Seventy-five years is really such an awesome achievement," says Challener.

Tickets for the 2005-06 season are already on sale to Montalvo members and go on sale to the general public on April 17. Visit Montalvo Arts Center online at www.villamon
talvo.org or call 408.961.5800 for more information.