European music diva Mariza will perform at 7:30 tonight at the Eisenhower Auditorium for the first time, showcasing her popular style of Portuguese fado music.

Tickets for the show are $29 for adults and $19 for patrons 18 and younger. Discounted student tickets are available for $10.

"I'm very excited we are bringing Mariza here," Center for the Performing Arts (CPA) Director George Trudeau said.

He added this performance is one of many culturally diverse programs students can benefit from during the course of the season.

Laura Sullivan, marketing and communications director for CPA, said Mariza's performance at the auditorium is a result of a "women in world music" program that also brought Angélique Kidjo to Penn State this fall.

"She is a Portuguese fado singer," Sullivan said of Mariza. "Fado is a traditional Portuguese style of music. Mariza presents it in a new and exciting way."

Mariza performs this traditional style with a new edge by incorporating aspects of flamenco, jazz and folk music, Trudeau said.

"She gives it a contemporary feel and appeals to a wide range of audiences," Trudeau said.

Sullivan said Mariza sings in Portuguese, but her song's meanings are clearly conveyed by the music.

"She has a beautiful voice, and she sings very passionately," Sullivan said, adding the concert programs will also include English translations of Mariza's lyrics.

Though not a household name in the United States, Mariza enjoys considerable fame in her home country. According to Mariza's Web site, she was born Marisa dos Reis Nunes in Mozambique and moved to Portugal at the age of 3. She began singing fado music before she could read.

Mariza has won a number of awards for her music, Sullivan said. In 2007, Mariza became the first Portuguese woman to be nominated for a Grammy Award when Concerto em Lisboa was nominated for best folk album.

Mariza's latest album, Terra -- released in the United States in January -- is expected to match the success of her last four, all of which went platinum.

Sullivan said the Center for the Performing Arts relies on people willing to take a chance on new music to make shows such as tonight's successful.

"Ticket sales have been great," Sullivan said. "We've already exceeded our predicted ticket sales. We expect a really nice crowd."

Sullivan said tickets will still be available at the door.

Those who attend tonight's performance will also have the option of participating in a special Artistic Viewpoints session before the show, according to the Center for the Performing Arts. Mariza will take part in a moderated conversation with the audience. The program contains a question-and-answer session, which begins at 6:30 p.m.

-- Andrew Steadman and Kelly Martin