Oprah brings new live “AHA” experience to Las Vegas Sphere in April
Oprah Winfrey will host “Oprah Winfrey’s AHA,” a two-hour live event at the Las Vegas Sphere on April 2-4. Tickets go on sale to the general public Sept. 25. The Sphere is a $2.3 billion arena that has hosted performances by The Backstreet Boys, Phish, the Eagles and No Doubt, along with a “The Wizard of Oz” film experience.
Winfrey said the idea came to her after she attended U2’s opening night performance at the Sphere in 2023.
“You could use this technology as a visual, immersive experience to allow people to go deeper for themselves and walk away with a sense of awe and wonder about what it means to be alive,” Winfrey told The Associated Press. “I know that there’s more, and the more could really help people see themselves differently. It has the potential to be an incredible experience of magnificent wonder.”
The event will feature Winfrey with special guests and performances, including multiple Grammy winner Jacob Collier, poet and author Ocean Vuong, musician Ajeet and gospel singer Wintley Phipps. Collaborators on the experience include Oscar-nominated composer Max Richter, Grammy-nominated musicians Jason White and Jon Hopkins, playwright and MacArthur “genius grant” recipient Tarell Alvin McCraney, and Es Devlin, the stage designer for Beyoncé’s “Formation” and “Renaissance” world tours.
It has been 15 years since Winfrey ended her talk show, which last week celebrated its 40th anniversary of reaching U.S. syndication. She remains CEO of her namesake OWN TV network and continues her podcast and live events. At 72, Winfrey said she is not ready to slow down.
“I thought about sitting behind the gate and picking roses,” Winfrey joked. “The truth is, I got another strong decade. I feel the urgency of time, and I feel like I have something to say … and using all of these collaborators to help me say it in a more forceful and phenomenal and immersive way is my offering for this remaining decade.”
Winfrey said she hopes attendees will be inspired to pursue their own opportunities.
“Maya Angelou says, ‘Baby, I can see why you are where you are because you have been obedient to the call,'” Winfrey said, recalling conversations with the late poet. “That’s my message to everybody: Everybody has the call. If you are obedient to the call, if you surrender to the call, you will be led to higher ground than you ever even imagined.”
