Things were different two decades ago when the Newman Center first opened and began presenting what we comfortably called back then “fine art.” The venue quickly built a reputation for vintage European classical music, mixed with American jazz and dance from the 20th century. There were always exceptions on the annual Newman Center Presents season — it was never boring — but the community came to think of it as a place to see artistic standard bearers, acts that needed no introduction, like the Martha Graham Dance Company, or the London Symphony Chorus, or Dizzie Gillespie’s All-Star Big Band. This year’s season, which is particularly tantalizing, shows how far the venue has come — and perhaps how far the tastes of Denver audiences have evolved and opened up.