News Roundup, June 9, 2022
Just as the Musicians of the San Antonio Symphony (MOSAS) wrapped up their short “season” at the First Baptist Church of San Antonio, the Classical Music Institute San Antonio is starting its series of concerts presented under the title, “Forbidden & Forgotten.” That title refers to composers whose works have been either ignored or have provoked governmental authorities.
The opening concert, “Affinity” will include the works of Elena Firsova (“Leaving”), Edvard Mirzojan (Symphony in C-major for Strings & Timpani), and Dmitri Shostakovich’s Concerto in C- minor for Piano, Trumpet & String Quartet, Op.35.
Russian composer, Firsova, was blacklisted in the Soviet Union because she took part in some festivals in the West. And, even the highly respected Shostakovich displeased the authorities when he premiered his opera “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk” in 1934.
The concert will be conducted by Gemma New, and performed by the CMI Chamber Orchestra, with soloist John Wilson on the piano.
The musicians performing in the CMI series come from all over the world, and are highly accomplished and well-known in their respective countries. (June 11 at 7:30 p.m.; Ruth Taylor Recital Hall, Trinity University; tickets are sold through the TOBIN box office since MCI is one of the TOBIN’s resident companies; $10-$35 at tickets@tobincenter.org or call 210-223-8624)
The opening concert will be followed by “Don’t Forget (US) Americans on June 15; “Unforgettable Women”on June 16; “Forbidden Exiles” on June 17; “Fear and Loving in LA” on June 18, and “Shuffle” on the 20th.Locations vary. The finale, “We Will Not Forget” takes place at the Carlos Alvarez Theater at the Tobin. For complete information go to www.cmi-sa.org/events/
Speaking of festivals, we want to remind you that the inaugural Sterling Houston Festival will conclude next weekend, with a staged performance of his play, “Le Griffon,” a production of the Jump-Start Performance Company but performed at the Little Carver Civic Center. The play is a take on Mary Shelly’s “Frankenstein.” In Houston’s version a white doctor creates a creature from the parts of free and enslaved black men. Steve Bailey, who directed the play when it premiered in 2000, returned to San Antonio to restage it for this occasion. (June 17-18 at 8 p.m., June 19 at 3 p.m..; Little Carver Civic Center, 226 N. Hackberry; for tickets go to www.jump-start.org or call 210-227-5867)
Also part of the fest is, URBAN-15’s “Silence Be Unheard,” described as “A listening party – the Lost 70’s Cassettes of Sterling Houston.” (June 22, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.; URBAN-15 Studios, 2500 S. Presa, 78210; RSVP to 210-736-1500; events@urban15.org). Unrelated to this event: URBAN-15 is looking for drummers to participate on its 2022-23 season. Open call sessions are scheduled for 2 p.m. June 12, July 10 and Aug. 15.
At the Woodlawn Theater, they are ready to open a big musical production, “Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” based on Hans Christian Anderson’s stories and the classic Disney animated film. “The show is a hauntingly beautiful love story” with music by eight-time Oscar winner Alan Slater. Favorite songs include “Under the Sea,” “Kiss the Girl,” and “Part of Your World.” The musical is directed by Ivan Ortega and stars Kayla Gavigan as Ariel. The musical has a huge cast, which bodes well for big choral and dance numbers. (June 17-July 10, Friday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m.; Woodlawn Theater, 1920 Fredericksburg Rd., Tickets $18-$32; 210-267-8388, www.woodlawnteatre.org)
After all the delays the Public Theater of San Antonio had to deal with due to COVID-positive cases among cast and crew, it is finally getting a chance to showcase its production of “She Loves Me” for three performances this weekend. Hope y’all go to see it. The company needs support at his point. (June 10-11 at 7:30 p.m., June 12 at 3 p.m. San Pedro Playhouse, 800 W. Ashby tickets $17-$47; 210-733-7258, www.thepublicsa.org)
A theatrical production you may not want to miss will be playing at the Majestic Theater, starting Friday, June 10. We are referring to “Beautiful: The Carol King Musical.” King was an exceptionally talented singer/songwriter who received many awards and recognitions, including the 2013 Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, the first woman to be so honored. She was also honored by the Kennedy Center in 2015. We don’t know who is portraying her on this tour, but that actress/singer has big shoes to fill. (June 10-12, Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 & 8 p.m., and 2 p.m. Sunday; Majestic Theater, 224 E. Houston St., tickets $40-$150, 210-226-3333, www.majesticempire.com)
Country music fans will be packing the AT&T Center Saturday to see Brooks & Dunn, the venerable Country duo who started performing together in 1990. They later separated to pursue individual careers but, wisely, reunited in 2015. In 2019, they were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. So many of their songs became genuine all-American favorites, including “Only in America,” which was used by two presidential campaigns. (June 11 at 7 p.m.; AT&T Center, 1 AT&T Center Parkway; $29.55-$439; www.attcenter.com)
The pop-rock group from Spain, Hombres G will perform at the Aztec Theater Saturday. It has a large following throughout Latin America. (June 11 at 7 p.m.; Aztec Theater, 104 N. St. Mary’s; tickets $99.50-$209.50; 210-812-4355, www.theaztectheatre.com)
Sam’s Burger Joint is presenting Creed Fisher and his band, a group that is unapologetically singing patriotic songs in the rock/country format. We listened to “This Place Called U.S.A” and “Don’t California My Texas.” (June 10 at 9 p.m.; Sam’s Burger Joint, 330 E. Grayson; $15-$20; 210-223-2830, www.samsburgerjoint.com)
Have you heard about the SAGA Light Show in the Main Plaza downtown? It was created in 2014 by French artist Xavier de Richemont and it consists of multi-colored light projection on the facades of the historic building in the plaza, including the San Fernando Cathedral. According to Main Plaza Conservancy, it has become a destination for residents and visitors alike. To mark the 8th anniversary of the spectacle, there will be a celebration on June 11 from 4 to 10:30 p.m. Officially referred to as San Antonio/The SAGA, the 24-minute show covers 7,000 square feet of light and visual narration about the history and development of San Antonio. Access is free and open to the public. The display shows run year-round Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 9 p.m.
And on June 18, there will be a performance of “Opera Under the Stars” featuringOpera San Antonio’s Apprentice Artists, right before the SAGA light show. (Bring your own chairs)
Several San Antonio arts organizations have recently announced receiving significant grants from the National Endowment for the Arts or charitable foundations. The McNay Art Museum received a $750,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation given for operating support for the next two years. This support comes following an award from the Mellon Foundation’s Art Museum Future’s Fund, an initiative created in 2020 to help sustain mid-size art museums as they faced pandemic-induced financial obstacles. The National Endowment for the Arts also awarded a $50,000 Inaugural Creative Forces Community Engagement Grant to Bihl Haus Arts, to expand the organization’s Forward Arts! program that offers art classes for military veterans suffering from PTSD and other trauma.
And the Magik Theatre received $10,000 from the Endowment in support for a special show, “Eddie and Vinnie,” a production for children that focuses on a student with dyslexia, a neurobiological disorder that affects one in five school children in America.
Additionally, Artpace received a “major financial contribution” – $250,000 – from the Linda Pace Foundation in support of the newly formed Artist Residency Endowment Fund. The money is expected to ensure financial support for the program “in perpetuity.”
Congratulations to them all!
Two arts organizations, The Carver Community Cultural Center and The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, have announced summer camp programs for children and teens. At the Carver, it’s the Summer Dance Intensive with the Dallas Black Dance Theatre, a two- week program that will teach ballet, modern dance, jazz and West African dance to intermediate and advanced dancers. (July 11-22. At the Guadalupe, the summer program is called Grupo Animo 2022 Summer Theater Camp for students ages 13-18. It’s a three-week commitment that will end with a performance July 23. (for info visit www.thecarver.org and www.guadaluprculturalarts.org, respectively.)