Arts Alive San Antonio

Musical Bridges Around the World – MBAW – is offering a concert actually titled “Holiday Gifts,” featuring Belgian husband-and-wife musicians, Nikolaas Kende, piano,and Jolente de Maeyer, violin. They will be joined by American star tenor, Eric Taylor.  Kende and De Maeyer “have a wealth of international awards under their belt,” says the press release, and have performed throughout Europe and America. MBAW’s audience did get a chance to get acquainted with the duo virtually during the pandemic but now they will have a chance to see them live at the San Fernando Cathedral. Together with Taylor, they will “indulge in gourmet musical bites” by Schubert, Kreisler Strauss and more, including selections from Stravinsky’s “Suite Italienne,” Fritz Kreisler’s “Schon Rosmarin,” Schubert’s great “Ave Maria,” and Pablo Sorozabal’s “No puede ser,” arranged by San Antonio native, composer Yvonne Freckmann. (Sunday, Dec. 10 at 7 p.m. at the San Fernando Cathedral downtown; free but registration required. To register go to www.mbaw.org/sfc); for info call 210-464-1534)

The famed Trans-Siberian Orchestra will be in town this weekend with “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve -The Best of TSO” and more. We have wondered why an American rock band would choose to call itself “Trans-Siberian” and now we know. Paul O’Neill, one of the leaders visited Russia and saw Siberia back in the 1980s. He was quoted as saying: “Siberia is incredibly beautiful but incredibly harsh and unforgiving. The Trans-Siberian railroad is the only connection between people and towns.” He thought of music as being that connection between people, and that’s how the band got its name. Unique name, great story!
The hugely successful band that plays both rock and classical music will be in San Antonio this weekend.
(Dec. 9 at 3 and 7 p.m.; Frost Bank Center; tickets start at $75; at www.Ticketmaster.com)

Croce plays Croce 50^th Anniversary Tour stops at the Tobin Center Tuesday. A.J. Croce, the multi-talented singer/songwriter, is hitting the road to celebrate two legendary albums by his father, Jim Croce – “Life and Times” and “I got a Name.” (Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m.; Tobin Center, 100 Auditorium Circle; Tickets start at $39.50; at tickets@tobincenter.org or by calling 210-223-b624)

Take 6 has won 10 GRAMMYs.,10 Dove Awards and a membership in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. The group has six virtuosic voices that can sing anything and everything. They will perform at the Carver Saturday. (Dec. 9 at 8 p.m.; Carver Community Cultural Center, 226 N. Hackberry; tickets are $41 at Ticketmaster.)

The Tobin Center will also host the Rocky Mountain High Experience: John Denver Christmas, a tribute to Denver, that features Rick Schuler and “all your favorite Denver hits, including our favorite, “Take Me Home Country Road” and “Leaving on a Jet Plane.” According to press materials, Schuler sounds just like Denver. (Dec. 14-15 at 7:30 p.m.; Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater; tickets at box office, 210-223-8624 or tickets@tobincenter.org)

For a traditional Christmas concert, you may attend The Christmas Pops Concert at the St. Mark’s Episcopal Church; Conducted by Matthew Mirales, the Brass and percussion band will play “The Night Before Christmas” and other holiday selections. (Sunday Dec. 10; 315 E Pecan St., 78205; free; for info call 210-226-2426; https://stmarks-sa.org)

And for something different again, you can attend the Christmas Mariachi Performance at Our Lady of the Lake University, at the Collins Garden Library. The performing group is the school’s own Mariachi de Los Santos. (Dec. 9 at 2 p.m.; Collins Garden Library, 200 N. Park; 210-207-9270

And then, there’s the “Nutcracker”! We never get tired of it. it’s beautiful and it’s tied to so many Christmas memories. If you want to see a polished professional production, catch one of Ballet San Antonio performances which end with the last show on Dec. 10. (Check times and ticket prices on the Tobin’s site, www.tobincenter.org)

The San Antonio Youth Ballet, consisting of advanced young dancers who study at the San Antonio Ballet School (not to be confused with Ballet San Antonio) will present several shows of “The Nutcracker” at the Scottish Rite Auditorium. And the dancers will be accompanied by a live symphonic orchestra led by Ronnie Sanders, who is also the director of the nonprofit orchestra. 100 students will be performing. (Dec.10 at 6 p.m.; Dec. 15 at 7 p.m.; Dec. 16 at 5 p.m., and Dec.17 at 2 p.m.; Scottish Rite Theater, 308 Ave. E, 78205; for more info and tickets, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/0/san-antonio-youth-ballet) To contact the school, call 210-802-7931)

And we already told you about the Children’s Ballet of San Antonio’s “Nutcracker” last week. Performances are this weekend at the Lila Cockrell Theater. And yet another production will be announced soon.

And here’s an event for everyone, that will feature the music and dances of multiple countries and cultures. Appropriately named Joy to the World, it is organized by Heritage Festivals of San Antonio, and features The Alamo City Community Marching Band, Bedouin Dancers, Celtic Union, Community Drum Circle; Korean Dance, and dances from Ukraine, the Phillippinrs, Turkey, Mexico, and more. And Santa will be there, too. It’s all free. (Dec. 9 & 10, noon to 5:30 p.m.; Rolling Oaks Mall; free and free parking. Ethnic foods and crafts will be available for purchase. For more info go to info@SAFDF.org)

Theater stages will also be alive with shows. The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center is presenting “Petra’s Pecado” a play written by Rupert Reyes and directed by Rodney Garza. The play focuses on conflicts in a small town trying to stage a play about the appearance of the Vergin De Guadalupe to Juan Diego. (Dec.8-Dec.17, Guadalupe Theater, 1301 Guadalupe St., 78207; general admission tickets are $15;
210-271-3151 ext. 250. www.guadalupeculturalarts.org)

The Guadalupe will also present “La Pastorela Folklorica” a celebration of the traditional shepherd’s play with folkloric and flamenco flair. (Dec. 8 at 6:30 p.m.; Tafolla Middle School Auditorium; for more info email info@guadaluprculturalarts.org)

The Jump-Start Performance Co. announces this season’s INKubator artist Fred Himes and his new work,
“Devil on the Crossroads – Storytelling in Blues.”  It’s a fusion of original blues music, animation and storytelling. Roland de la Cruz and Watne Cole join him on stage. INKubator is a program in which the company invites a San Antonio artist to create original performance work, with the company’s assistance. (Dec. 8 at 8 p.m., Jump-Start Performance Co., 710 Fredericksburg Rd., 210-227-5867,
https://www.jump-start.prg)

At the always busy Overtime Theater, they are presenting a new play: “All About Christmas Eve,” “A jazz-age night of fun.” (Friday-Saturday through Dec. 23; 5409 Bandera Rd., Ste 205, 78238; 210-557-7562, http://theovertimetheater.org

The Public Theater’s production of the “Christmas Carol” will run for two more weeks. For more info, see last week’s NEWS ROUNDUP

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