Arts Alive San Antonio

Have you missed the ballet?

We have. So, we are overjoyed that Ballet San Antonio will once again brighten the Tobin Center’s main stage this weekend, live and in-person, with its season opener, A Night at the Castle. That’s a clever title for a medley of dances from the greatest ballets of the classical repertoire such as Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty. The opening also marks the beginning of the first season under the direction of new artistic director, Sofiane Sylve.

A night at the Castle will showcase the most exciting and virtuosic moments from those ballets, such as The Rose Adagio from Sleeping Beauty and the grand Black Swan pas de deux from Swan Lake.In both cases, the original choreography by famed choreographers of the past – Marius Petipa (Beauty) and Julius Reisinger (Swan Lake) has been adapted by Sylve, Mary Jo Crews and ballet master Rafael Ferreras. Several of the top BSA company members are also returning this season, so the dancing should be pretty spectacular.

During her own dancing career, French-born Sofiane Sylve, was considered one of the best ballerinas in the world, for whom choreographers liked to create challenging new choreography. She recently retired from the San Francisco Ballet where she had been a principal dancer since 2008. Earlier in her career, she was a principal dancer with the Dutch National Ballet and the New York City Ballet. As the artistic director of BSA, she also oversees the company’s newly created ballet school. According to the press release for A Night at the Castle, Sylve “is implementing a new artistic vision” and has formulating the French curriculum for the School of Ballet San Antonio. (A Night at the Castle opens Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m., and continues through the weekend: Saturday, Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 24 at 2 p.m.; Tobin Center, 100 Auditorium Circle; tickets $35-$114, by phone 210-223-8624, at tickets@tobincenter.org or in person at the Tobin box office.)

There’s a lot more happening at the Tobin and elsewhere. The Beach Boys will grace the Tobin stage Oct. 25, and Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo will follow on Oct. 26. The Beach Boys have been around for 50 years at least and have won all the awards in the industry and sold more than 100 million records. They are no longer young surfers but they are still beloved by audiences. (Oct.25, Tobin Center, tickets $54.50-$104.50 plus VIP packages; see box-office info above to purchase tickets). Benatar & Giraldo are big stars, too, with multiple platinum and gold albums to their name, and four consecutive GRAMMY Awards. (Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m.; tickets $39.50 – $89.50, plus VIP packages; to purchase tickets see above.)

Over at the Majestic Theater, The Lion King will be roaring for a while. Easily, one of the internationally most popular musicals, the show will run through Nov.7, featuring the popular songs crafted by a well-known team of artists, Elton John and Tim Rice. (Majestic Theater, 224 E. Houston; tickets start at $45; starting times vary, so consult the theater’s website or call 210-226-3333; www.majesticempire.com

For a special musical treat, you may want to get a ticket for The Divas of Eastwood, a group of seven terrific singers/entertainers from right here in San Antone. They present a musical review that celebrates the rich musical history and legacy of the so-called Chitlin’ Circuit, a network of black-owned nightclubs, dance halls and theaters where black artists performed back in the dark days of segregation. The Divas are: Cassandra L. Small, Danielle King, Evonne Nathaniel, Ellen Washington, Briana Epps, Nerryl Williams, and Jessica Mitchell. They portray the famed divas of the past, including Dinah Washington, Etta James, Sarah Vaughn, Gladys Knight, and the Supremes. Accompanied by a live band under the direction of Darrin Newhart, the Divas will bring back to life seven decades of African American music and history. (Oct. 23, at 8 p.m., Carver Community Cultural Center, 226 N. Hackberry; tickets $30 at Carver box office, 210-207-7211 or through Ticketmaster, 800-745-3000; for info go to https://thecarver.org)

A Chilean diva, Mon Laferte, is stopping in San Antonio for a single concert at the Aztec Theater Saturday. The versatile singer/songwriter is known for writing songs in a variety of styles, from rock and pop to bolero, cumbia and salsa. We don’t know much about her but, according to reports, she’s also a talented visual artist. She received the Latin Granny in 2017 for the song Amarrame, which she recorded with another South American star, Juanes, who also visited San Antonio recently.

It seems like Camerata San Antonio just opened its season but it’s second concert is already here – The Camerata Recital, scheduled for Oct.22^nd and 24^th at, respectively – The Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit (11093 Bandera Rd.) and the University of the Incarnate Word (4301 Broadway). Founder and artistic director, cellist Ken Freudigman, will be joined for this concert by pianist Viktor Valkov, who often performs with the Camerata quartet. On the program: Brahms’ Cello Sonata No. 2, Barber’s Cello Sonata, Op.6, and a piece called Lamentations by Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, a less known American composer. (Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 24 at 3 p.m.; Tickets $20 + $2.85 fee; www.cameratasa.org)

Another cellist, GRAMMY winning Jonah Kim, will perform with pianist Robert Koenig at a concert hosted by the Tuesday Musical Club, a venerable San Antonio music presenting organization. Kim was called “the next Yo-Yo Ma” by the Washington Post, and has appeared as a soloist with just about every prominent orchestra in the U.S. and quite a few in other countries. (Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. at Laurel Heights United Methodist Church. Tickets can be purchased both online and at the door. (Smart move!) For more info and for tickets ($25) visit www.satmc.org/artist-series or call 210-710-7582.)

The San Antonio Choral Society will present its in-person concert, Sensational Brass & Rutters’s Gloria, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Sunday Oct. 24 at 3 p.m. The “sensational brass” will be performed by the South Texas Symphony Orchestra brass section. On the program: Tchaikovsky, Wagner, Walton, and more. The concert ends with the “thrilling choral work Gloria by English composer John Rutter.” Trilling indeed. (502 E. Nueva St., 78205; 210-223-2611; To reach the Choral Society go to https://sanantoniochoralsociety.org or call 210-228-4147)

For a different kind of musical/social experience, discover the fun at the “second official” Musician’s Market this Saturday in the parking lot of Dellview Music, an interesting place that sells musical instruments, offers music lessons and seems to know how to bring together musicians and music fans in a number of ways. It’s run by two classically trained musicians, Andrew Walker and Nick Visser. The Saturday Market will feature live performances as well as local bands selling their albums and other merchandise. Though Dellview Music is hosting the event in its parking lot, the organizer and founder of Musician’s Market is John Hernandez. (Oct. 23, 2-7 p.m.; Dellview Music, 122 Latch Dr. off Vance Jackson. Food truck will be on the premises and other food vendors will also be represented. Sounds like fun!)

Also Saturday, one of our favorite local Country/Americana singers/songwriters, Garrett T. Capps will perform at the Lonesome Rose nightclub, on N. St. Maty’s St. He wrote the song “Born in San Antone” and more recently released his newest “I Love San Antone.” The Lonesome Rose has a huge backyard with fire pits and lots of seating, and a food truck is there to provide for the hungry. (Oct. 23, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.; also performing Sarah Shook & the Disarmers; 2114 n. St. Mary’s St., 78212; www.thelonesomerose.com; 210-455-0233)

Dylan Thomas’ masterpiece, Under Milk Wood: A Play for Voices will be presented this weekend by the Extended Run Players at the University of the Incarnate Word. Directed by seasoned director Diane Malone, it will feature a cast of veteran actors that includes Susan Brogdon, Jeanne Conarko, Linda Ford, Michael Howard, Jim Mammarella, John O’Neill and Barbara Simpson.

First presented in 1954 as a radio drama, the play invites audience members to listen to the dreams and intimate thoughts of the inhabitants of a fictional small town. Subsequently, the audience observes these same characters as they go about their normal lives, and understands how their inner thoughts and feelings affect their behavior. (Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. & Oct. 23 at 2 p.m.; Seddon Hall in UIW’s music building; Tickets $10 at the door; masks required)

The McNay Art Museum is opening a new exhibit on Thursday, Oct. 28: Wayne Thiebaud 100: Paintings, Prints and Drawings, which is a survey of what the title says – 100 works of the California artist, who is 100 years old. He personally selected the McNay as one of five presenting locations of his work.  A lot of his paintings depict ordinary edibles of the sweet variety, such as pie slices, cakes, and ice cream cones. Because of that, some consider him a pop artist, a label he doesn’t care much for. But he also painted landscapes and the human figure in later years. Reportedly, he described himself as “just an old-fashioned painter.” His work is today in the permanent collections of multiple American museums.
(Oct. 28-January 16; McNay Art Museum, 6000 N. New Braunfels, 78209; www.mcnayart.org; more about the show in an upcoming article.)

The Musical Bridges Around the World Gallery is opening a new show Saturday featuring two San Antonio artists: Tim Beard and Conan Chadbourne. According to the press release, Beard is an abstract painter, while Chadbourne’s “drawing-based images explore the intersection of mathematics and the organic world, science and mysticism, ancient and modern.” That sounds like a tall order! (Opening reception, Oct. 23, 5-8 p.m.; 23705 IH-10 Frontage Rd., suite 101; 78257. On view through Dec. 30; for viewing appointments contact the gallery director at dlr@musicalbridges.org)

The Dia de los Muertos festivities start this weekend at Hemisfair, merging traditional practices with a lineup of live entertainment, music dance and poetry readings. (October 23-24, free)

And we end today with sad news. The former, long-time director of the Carver Community Cultural Center, Jo Long Williams, has died. During her long tenure, 1976-2000, she transformed the Carver into a high-level multi-faceted performing arts venue, that offered a veritable window into the world while remaining accessible to the entire community. She’s also credited for “bringing up a generation of new cultural leaders.” A memorial service is planned for Saturday, Oct. 30 at 11 a.m. in the Jo Long Theater at the Carver Center, 226 N. Hackberry.