Canis Major, or Let’s Get Sirius
These are the “dog days” of summer—the heat, the humidity, the haze, the towering cumulus that sometimes lets loose with a vengeance—and to take the edge off a bit I always like to remember the starry origin of that term. It takes my mind to a vision of the night sky, and helps me chill a bit.
So there’s this constellation, Canis Major (the Big Dog, colloquially translated), in which the brightest star is Sirius. Long before it gave its name to a satellite-based broadcast service, Sirius was called the Dog Star, linked to the constellation it helps define. Sirius shines brightly as it rises in the pre-dawn sky beginning in mid-July, marking the start of the days that now, by association, bear its name.
But I, to the surprise of no one who is a regular reader of this column, digress. This newsletter is not about astronomy, after all, and yet the Hylton Center might as well be a planetarium as an arts center, since we see so many stars rising in the skies of our coming season of performances. We start with Broadway, film, and TV phenom Jeremy Jordan as the opener of Hylton Presents. Check out this feature on Jeremy to learn more, and then browse the rest of the Hylton Presents, Hylton Family Series, American Roots, and Matinee Idylls offerings too—a true constellation of superb artistry and entertainment.
Our amazing community of Arts Partners will also light up the night throughout the year with another strong lineup of music, dance, and theater made right here in our own dynamic corner of the galaxy. Read about these terrific ensembles here.
Best wishes for staying cool during the dog days from all of us at the Hylton Center, and for some relief, please accept my invitation to look ahead to the cool days and starry nights ahead at your favorite local world-class arts center. Siriusly!
Rick Davis
Dean and Executive Director