Arts Alive San Antonio

The First Presbyterian Church of San Antonio has a musical gift for San Antonians: Haydn’s “Creation”
Oratorio performed by the Sanctuary Choir, Orchestra and soloists. It’s the epic musical oratorio retelling of the Genesis creation story by the great composer. (April 5 at 7 p.m.; First Presbyterian Church, 404 North Alamo St., 78205; 210-271-2730, www.fpcsanantonio.org; free)

Another grand choir – The Mastersingers – is also presenting a concert this weekend: “Theatrical Serenade” which will include Broadway and opera favorites. The concert will feature 120+ voices along with musicians from the San Antonio Philharmonic, the St. Philip’s College Choir, and soloists, including guest artists Rafael Moras and Sabatina Mauro. It will be conducted by Yoojin Muhn, the music director of the Mastersingers chorus. Rafael Moras has been praised by Classical Voice North America for his ability to communicate “romance and heartbreak with soaring tenor tones.” He has performed with a number of opera companies in the U.S. and in Latin America. Mauro has a similarly impressive credentials. (April 7 at 3 p.m.; Watson Fine Arts Center, 600 S. Mittman St. (on the campus of St. Philip’s College, 1801 Martin Luther King Drive, 78203; free but RSVPs are requested; www.samastersingers.org)

Musical Bridges Around the World, better known as MBAW, will present “Romani Rhapsody,” featuring Roby Lakatos & His Ensemble. Lakatos is a virtuoso violinist, master of classical violin, but also a jazz improviser, and composer. This is the group’s first San Antonio concert that will feature fusions of contemporary, classical and jazz elements with the folkloric traditions of Hungarian Romani (Gypsy) people. Sounds like it should not be missed! (April 7 at 7 p.m.; San Fernando Cathedral, 115 Main Plaza, 78205; free with registration at www.mbaw.org/sfc)

Camerata San Antonio, one of the premier San Antonio chamber ensembles, will present “Bold Brilliance” in three concerts at three different locations.  The program offers selections by Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, Ethel Smyth and Ludwig van Beethoven. The program will open with Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson’s peaceful “Movement for String Trio.” As a pioneering Black composer, he has a unique voice, “infusing his compositions with elements of jazz and blues, Baroque counterpoint and rhythmic ingenuity,” says the press release. The performing musicians are Laura Scalzo, violin; Emily Freudigman, viola, and Ken Freudigman, cello.

(April 5 at 4 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 800 Jefferson St.; Kerrville’
April 6 at 3 p.m. at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit, 11093 Bandera Rd.; San Antonio
April 7 at 2 p.m. at the Christ Episcopal Church, 510 Belknap Place, San Antonio
Admission $20; tickets can be reserved at www.cameratasa.org or by calling 210-492-9519.

The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio and its associated school, the Dance Center of San Antonio, are well-known providers of dance instruction and performance opportunities for young dancers in the city and region. But now they are expanding into musical theater production. Their first venture is: “Mean Girls JR,” described as “smart and ferociously funny.” The center, which occupies a fairly large building in a shopping center behind Noth Star Mall, has added a new Black Box Theater for the occasion. The show is an adaptation of Tina Fey’s iconic movie and subsequent Broadway hit, for audiences of all ages. The show tells the story of student Cady Heron who must learn to navigate the treacherous social hierarchy of high school when her family moves to suburban Illinois from Kenya. She grew up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the wild and vicious ways of her new school. The two protagonists are played by Valeria Velasco as Regina, and Madison Aikens as Cady.
(April 5,6 and 7, at 7:30 p.m.; Dance Center of San Antonio, 126 W. Rector, Suite 120, 78216; tickets $20; 210-462-7660; https://www.dancecenterofsanantonio.com/)

Dance of another style – flamenco – is the focus of Arte y Pasion, founded and led by Tamara Adira. The organization has brought to town a star of flamenco from Spain, Belen Maya, who has taken part in several appearances. Right now, Maya is conducting a workshop, The Belen Maya Transformation Workshop, that is currently ongoing. If interested, you may still be able to join. (April 4-7; call 210-241-2771 or email tamara.s.adira@gmail.com; also check www.Arte-y-pasion.com.

You are probably familiar with the AGARITA Chamber Players, often mentioned in our News Roundup, but you may not know that the group has settled in its own place in Southtown, named the Agarita Loft, where they present visual art exhibits. The current exhibit, “Converging Realms of Nature” is curated by artist Katy Silva Leon and includes a mix of works on paper, paintings and sculptures by three artists: Joseph Bushman, Danville Chadbourne and Andrea Guttman. The art is on sale and proceeds support the artists and Agarita. You are invited to visit on First Friday. (April 5, from 5-9 p.m. AGARITA Loft, 724 S. Alamo St., #2 (second floor) 78205.; there’s free parking nearby)

The always welcoming Art Gallery Prudencia has a new exhibit, “Light & Shadow,” featuring the work of Andrea Almond. “In this body of work, I explore light and shadow to illustrate that duality exists as a defining theme in all of nature,” said the artist in a statement. (Opening reception is Saturday, April 6, 2-4 p.m.; 2518 N. Main, 78212; 210-422-8681; www.prudenciagallery.com)

A new exhibit is soon opening at Clamp Light Studios & Gallery titled “Between Eclipses.” It’s a solo show of mixed media works by D. Sire, who is meditating on the theme of solar eclipses, the one he had already experienced and the one coming up in a few days. (Opening reception is Friday, April 12, 6-9 p.m.
On view through May 4;1704 Blanco Rd., 104; https://clamplightstudios.com, clamplightatudios@gmail.com)

San Jose Tiles: The Art and Artists is a talk by San Antonian Susan Toomey Frost who wrote a book
“Colors on Clay” about art tile factories that existed in San Antonio decades ago, known collectively as the San Jose Workshops. We recommend this event because you will learn about a significant chunk of San Antonio history. A couple of years ago, the Witte exhibited examples of the beautiful tile work. (April 6 at 2 p.m.; San Antonio Public Library – Texana/Genealogy; 210-207-2500;
lucia.agado@sanantonio.gov)

And speaking of the Central Library, we want to tell you about a poetry reading this Saturday that will feature a group of women poets, including our editor, Jasmina Wellinghoff. (Reading starts at 11 a.m., Central Library, 600 Soledad, downtown, 78205, 210-207-2500)

At the Briscoe Western Art Museum, you can see the “Night of Artists” exhibit and buy a piece of Western art by some of the best artists of the genre living today: landscapes, wildlife, classic cowboys, Native Americans and dazzling vaqueros. Among the artists are Billy Schenck, Don Oelze, John Coleman, Kim Wiggins, Bonnie Marris, and many others.(Through May 5, 2024; Briscoe Western Art Museum, 210 W. Market Street, 78205; 210-299-4499; marketing@briscoemuseum.org)

Artpace has announced new leaders for its organization: Ada Smith Genitempo, the former Archive and Programs Associate at the nonprofit, has been appointed as the new Residencies and Exhibitions Manager. Elena Hernandez, the newest addition to Artpace, has assumed the role of Communications Manager. The current exhibit shows the creations of the last trio of resident artists: Melissa Joseph, Patrick Quarm and Jose Villalobos.

The city-owned and operated, Culture Commons Gallery is soon opening a new exhibit “Resilient and Responsive: Artists and the Environment.” Among the artists represented are Ashley Mireles, Andrea Willems, Celeste De Luna, Doerte Weber, Linda Monsivais and others. The exhibit will be free and open to the public, starting April 11. (On view through Jan. 17, 2025; the gallery is at 115 Plaza de Armas, 78205)

The Public Theater of San Antonio that has renamed itself The San Pedro Playhouse, will be presenting an interesting version of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in tandem with the Classic Theater, which now resides downstairs in the same building. It will be a new Latinx adaptation, created by Paco Farias, and told in English, Spanish and Shakespeare’s verse, and developed especially for San Antonio. Musical arrangements are by Jaime Ramirez. “This Texan twist transports you to a world where mariachi melodies meet the magic of the Bard,” says the publicity material. The performances will be outdoors in San Pedro Park, which surrounds the theater building. “With Texas as the mystical forest, this production weaves together the rich tapestry of Latinx culture and Texan charm. Love, laughter and cultural fusion – that’s this show! (April 9-14, 800 W. Ashby, 78212; 210-733-7258. Bring blanket or low chairs. tickets $25-$50, free for those younger than 18; www.thepublicsa.org)