Legendary Violinist Itzhak Perlman Makes His Centre In The Square Debut This November
Landmark performance reflects Centre In The Square’s ambitious programming direction and its growing stature as one of Canada’s leading destinations for live experiences
KITCHENER, ON – Centre In The Square announced today that Itzhak Perlman, violin, accompanied by Rohan De Silva, piano, will perform in the Raffi Armenian Hall on Thursday, November 19, 2026, at 7:00 pm. Tickets go on sale to Priority Plus and above Members on Friday, September 25 at 10 am, to Priority Members on Saturday, September 26 at 10 am, and to the public on Monday, September 28 at 10 am. The engagement is a rare opportunity for audiences across Southwestern Ontario to see one of the world’s most celebrated musicians without travelling to Toronto.
For Kitchener and Waterloo Region, Perlman’s appearance is a significant moment: this marks Itzhak Perlman’s first performance at Centre In The Square. It means audiences across the region can experience an artist of this stature close to home, in the heart of Downtown Kitchener, rather than making the trip to Toronto. Student and youth tickets are priced at $49.50, reflecting the Centre’s commitment to ensuring young people have access to performances of this calibre.
Perlman’s engagement is part of a broader programming direction at Centre In The Square, which has spent the past two years building its reputation as one of Canada’s leading destinations for live experiences. Major international and Canadian artists are increasingly choosing to perform in Kitchener on its own terms, not as a stop on the way to somewhere else. The booking reflects an intentional point of view behind the Centre’s programming, not a one-off engagement, and signals the organization’s growing profile on the national stage.
“Bringing an artist of Itzhak Perlman’s stature to Kitchener is exactly the kind of moment we’ve been building toward,” said Eric Larivière, Executive Director of Centre In The Square. “This is a rare chance for our community, and for the students and new audiences we hope to introduce to a performance like this, to experience one of the great musicians of our time close to home. It reflects the confidence we have in what this city and this region can support.”
The performance will take place in Centre In The Square’s 2,000-seat Raffi Armenian Hall. Acoustics for the hall were designed by Russell Johnson Associates of New York, and the orchestra pit was modelled on the one at Bayreuth, holding up to 100 musicians. Moveable stage towers, curved walls and a system of canopies work together to shape the room’s sound for a wide range of performances. Designed to bring audiences close to the performance, the hall is well suited to a program built around a single, intimate performance.
Undeniably the reigning virtuoso of the violin, Itzhak Perlman enjoys superstar status rarely afforded a classical musician. Beloved for his charm and humanity as well as his talent, he is treasured by audiences throughout the world who respond not only to his remarkable artistry but also to his irrepressible joy for making music.
Having performed with every major orchestra and at concert halls around the globe, Mr. Perlman was granted a Presidential Medal of Freedom – the Nation’s highest civilian honor – by President Obama in 2015, a National Medal of Arts by President Clinton in 2000 and a Medal of Liberty by President Reagan in 1986. Mr. Perlman has been honored with 16 GRAMMY® Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Kennedy Center Honor, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and a Genesis Prize.
Tickets for the November 19 performance start at $88.50, with early access for Centre In The Square Priority Plus and above Members on Friday, September 25 at 10 am and for Priority Members on Saturday, September 26 at 10 am, ahead of the public on-sale on Monday, September 28 at 10 am. Youth/Student tickets are available for $49.50. Tickets are available at centreinthesquare.com or by calling the Box Office at 519-578-1570 or 1-800-265-8977. Centre In The Square is a fully accessible venue; for accessibility information or to arrange accommodations, contact the box office. For more information and to become a Member, patrons can visit centreinthesquare.com/members.
Centre In The Square is among Canada’s leading destinations for live experiences. Located in the heart of Downtown Kitchener, the 2,000-seat Raffi Armenian Hall and the Studio Theatre welcome more than 150,000 people a year to a season that spans Broadway, international and Canadian touring artists, the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, the Grand Philharmonic Choir, and locally produced work including the Kitchener Creates education and community program. Centre In The Square is a not-for-profit registered charity that earns roughly 80 percent of its own revenue.
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Media Contacts
Eric Lariviere
Executive Director, Centre In The Square
416-557-8498
ELariviere@centreinthesquare.com
Jonathan Randall
Director, Marketing & Development
416-735-3347
JRandall@centreinthesquare.com
