"This will be an exciting season with an outstanding lineup of programs," said Dawn Mays, director of UC/LS. "It will feature return engagements by the Philharmonia Hungarica and actor/singer Mandy Patinkin, who have delighted UC/LS audiences in the past."

The season opener on Oct. 16 will be "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," a concert of Johnny Mercer jazz favorites. Other performances on the schedule include the Philharmonia Hungarica and the Apollo Ensemble with UNCG music faculty member Andrew Willis.

Patinkin will perform at UNCG next April. Due to his widespread popularity and his return to the TV series "Chicago Hope," Patinkin is being rescheduled from his Nov. 3 date that was announced earlier. "He is absolutely sincere about rescheduling for Spring 2000 and has instructed his touring company to make our Greensboro performance a priority," said Mays. "We expect to confirm a date by mid-fall."

Season tickets are now available through the University Box Office and Arts Information Center. The University Box Office and Arts Information Center, located in Elliott University Center, will open on Monday, Aug. 16, and hours will be noon-5 p.m. weekdays. The telephone number is (336) 334-4TIX (4849).

UC/LS season ticket prices range from $99 to $129 depending on seat location. All seats are reserved and performances will be at 8 p.m. in historic Aycock Auditorium. Individual tickets will go on sale approximately three weeks prior to performance dates. The schedule will run as follows:

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre brings its vibrant style to UNCG Jan. 28 and 29.

• Oct. 16, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The evening draws its title from the best-selling book and popular movie, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," which centered on a shooting that took place at the Mercer House in Savannah, Ga. It features two of the book’s real-life characters, singer Emma Kelly and the Lady Chablis. (Individual tickets will cost $30, $25, $18 depending on seat location.)
  
• Jan. 28 and 29, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. Celebrating more than four decades since its founding in 1958, the Ailey company is known for its vibrant style. The company is led by artistic director Judith Jamison and continues to perform works by its founder and a variety of American choreographers. ($30, $25, $20).
  
• Feb. 14, Leslie Nielsen as Clarence Darrow. Nielsen, who is widely known for his movie performances, will present his one-man stage performance as Clarence Darrow, who was one of the nation’s best-known and most successful defense lawyers in the first half of the 20^th century. ($30, $25, $18).
  
• Feb. 23, Philharmonia Hungarica. Internationally known as an orchestra of the highest musicianship, the Philharmonia was formed in 1957 from exiled musicians. The orchestra has recorded more than 130 albums and performed in 250 cities around the world. Its artistic mentor and honorary president, violinist Yehudi Menuhin, has guided the orchestra since 1989. ($30, $28, $20).
  
• March 11, Apollo Ensemble with Andrew Willis of the UNCG School of Music. A period instrument chamber orchestra, The Apollo Ensemble was formed in 1991 to perform the symphonies of Joseph Haydn. The orchestra seeks to reproduce the tonal qualities and balance of an orchestra of Haydn’s day. ($17, $14, $10).
  
• April 2000 (date TBA), Mandy Patinkin: In Concert. To fans, Patinkin stands out in his roles as Dr. Jeffrey Geiger in "Chicago Hope" or the swashbuckling swordsman Inigo Montoya of "The Princess Bride." But he is also one of the leading interpreters of the American popular song, and his return to Aycock Auditorium promises to delight audiences once again.