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Starting out as an Art Deco movie theater in 1934, the Colony is now a state-of-the-art venue for some of the city’s best classical music concerts, dance, theatrical performances, and experimental film.

The ambience is a nostalgic recreation of Old Havana clubs before the 1960s, when the Cuban city was a pleasure zone for the free-spending and fastliving. Latin American superstars often feature, though most of the shows are indistinguishable from their Las Vegas counterparts.

The theater is unmistakable for its electric blue color and Lichtenstein’s Mermaid outside. This is the main Miami venue for top-drawer productions on tour.

The 1940s Deco-style movie theater was converted into a playhouse in 1995 and was soon winning accolades for musicals such as West Side Story.

In 1956, Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot premiered at this restored 1920s venue. Nothing so history-making has since occured, but the likes of Kathleen Turner and Jimmy Buffett perform.

This is a world-class ballet company, under the direction of Edward Villella. The repertoire consists of some 85 ballets.

The opera house sometimes brings global luminaries to Miami, but their programs also feature new works, such as the compelling Balseros , based on the trials of Cuban refugees who attempt to reach Florida by raft.

The major Downtown venue offers a program of plays, music, dance, and film.

The Lincoln is home to the New World Symphony, which is made up of music college graduates. The young virtuosos perform an incredible mix of gospel, Piazzolla tango, symphonies, and chamber works.

Built in 1951, this Deco-style venue is proud to have been one of the first in the country to host Luciano Pavarotti when he was still a virtual unknown. Operas, concerts, and touring events all benefit from the excellent acoustics in the auditorium.