Arts Alive San Antonio

The holidays and “The Nutcracker” are inseparable in our “Nutcracker Nation.” The latter is actually the title of a book by Jennifer Fisher, who traces the path of this Russian ballet based on a German story, as it crossed the Atlantic Ocean and ultimately conquered North America. At this time of the year, a version of “The Nutcracker” is performed by virtually every professional and amateur dance company in the U.S. and Canada.

As in years past, before the pandemic, Ballet San Antonio, will present its own opulent version in six performances at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. BSA’s version was originally commissioned by the company and choreographed by the husband-and wife team, Easton and Haley Smith, who have also overseen the 2022 production, tweaking it a bit here and there while introducing some novel touches. The cast will include more than 120 area children, 26 professional ballet dancers and four non-dancing “character artists.” BSA has also introduced the practice of featuring prominent citizens, renamed “local heroes” in the role of Mother Ginger. That’s the character who appears wearing a huge hoop skirt that hides a bunch of little kids called Polichinelles, who emerge from other the skirt to joyfully take over the stage. It’s a scene that always delights and amuses audiences.

The dancers will dance to live music again, performed by an orchestra put together by the Classical Music Institute, a fellow resident company at the Tobin Center.  (Opens Dec. 2 at 7:30 p.m., continues Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. This schedule repeats the following weekend Dec. 9-Dec. 11; Tobin Center, 100 Auditorium Circle; tickets $25-135; www.balletsanantonio.org or via phone 210-223-8624, and in person at the Tobin box office)

The San Antonio Philharmonic musicians will join the San Antonio Mastersingers for a single – but probably spectacular – performance of Handel’s “Messiah,” the soaring choral music that’s bound to put you in a transcendental mood. (Dec. 4 at 3 p.m.; University United Methodist Church. 5084 DE Zavala Rd., 78249; tickets $30, $15 for students, on sale now at www.mastersingers.org)

Musical Bridges Around the World is also offering festive music! This Sunday, the program, named “Joy to the World” will be performed by one of the most successful vocal groups in Germany, the Calmus Ensemble which performs a cappella.They will sing carols going back to the 11^th century and all the centuries since. (Dec. 4 at 7 p.m., San Fernando Cathedral in Main Plaza; free but you must register at www.musicalbridges.org)

The Kerrville-based Symphony of the Hills will perform “The Miracle of Christmas” at the Cailloux Theater in Kerrville, featuring the music from the classic movie “Miracle on 34^th Street” and a piece written for “The Christmas Carol” movie. The musicians will be joined by the Grand Symphony Chorus for Handel’s “Messiah. Guest soloists are: Sarah Davis, soprano, Alexis Korbe, alto, Seth Lafler, tenor and Christopher Besch, bass. The concert will be conducted by Eugene Dowdy. (Dec.1 at 7:30 p.m.; tickets online at www.caillouxperformingarts.com or call 830-896-9393)

Several free concerts will be offered through the Midday Noels Concert Series at First Presbyterian Church of San Antonio. It’s a celebration of “Merry Melodies and Holiday Harmonies” live and in-person. All three concerts will also be streamed live at www.fpcsanantonio.org/noels. Lunch can be enjoyed after each concert for $15. or choose a “Grab & Go” lunch for $5.

Here are the details about the concerts: Dec. 1 – Merry Organ Pipes Celebrate the Season!; Dec. 8 – “Shimmering Songs and Sparkling Singing” by FPC Chamber Singers: seasonal choral pieces, interspersed with vocal solos that span genres, including opera and pop songs; Dec. 15 – “Christmas with the Monte Vista Strings and Jazz.” (All concerts are on Thursdays at 12-12:45 p.m.; First Presbyterian Church of San Antonio, 404 N. Alamo St., 78205; 210-271-2730; www.fpcsanantonio.org)

For a different kind of holiday experience, head downtown to the Riverwalk to enjoy the sounds of caroling by the Prickly Pear Clarinet Ensemble. Pick your favorite spot on the river and listen to the music that will start ay 7:15 p.m., carried along on boats. (Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m.; free; for more info go to https://www.facebook.com/pricklypearclarinetensemble)

Another “Joy to the World” celebration will take place at the Rolling Oaks Mall Sunday, this one organized by the Heritage Festivals of San Antonio. The music, dance and food event, celebrates a range of cultural and folkloric traditions of San Antonians who have roots in a number of cultures, including Scottish, Indian, Hungarian, Serbian, Hawaiian/Polynesian, and others. For years before COVID changed all our ways, the people behind the organization cultivated folk dancing of different nations/cultures through dance classes and an international folk-dance festival which took place at Our Lady of the Lake University. So, if you want to be part of this fun fest, and learn a few steps and twirls while sampling unfamiliar delicacies, this is a great opportunity. (Dec. 4, 12 noon to 5 p.m.; Rolling Oaks Mall, 6909 N. Loop 1604 East; stage performances will take place by the entrance to JC Penney’s; free with free parking)

A celebration of all types of Texas Fiddle Music will take place during the Festival of Texas Fiddling every day through Jan. 3, 2023 in Blanco. (Twin Sisters Dance Hall, 6720 US HWY 281, Blanco, TX 78606; 830-833-5773; https://www.twinsistersdancehall.com/calendar/

On the visual arts front, San Antonians always have lots of choices. If you are interested in contemporary art, pay a visit to the Contemporary at Blue Star to see its Red Dot Exhibit featuring some 100 San Antonio contemporary artists. This is the organization’s main annual fundraising event, so it’s an opportunity to buy a piece of brand-new art. Also, the Contemporary will present recent work by MOSAIC student artists in the exhibition “With Urgency: Yesterday, Tomorrow, and Today” opening Dec. 2 at 6 p.m. The public is also invited to a Free Family Saturday on Dec. 3, 1-4 p.m. (116 Blue Star in the Blue Star Complex; 210-227-6960,  www.bluestarcontemporary.org)

The Gentileschi Aegis Gallery Association, better known as GAGA, is presenting “Present Presence,” an exhibit featuring the work of its member artists. GAGA is an all-female group founded by artist Sylvia Benitez to help women artists find exhibiting opportunities. The artists in this show are: Ilna Colemere, Diana Gutierrez Fernandez, Lesta Frank, Lyn Beslisle, Carol Koutnik, Caroline Royall, Vera Smith, Paula Suusman, Gloria Garcia, and others. The exhibit is online only and can be seen by going to the GAGA site: www.gagaart.org/presentpresence. It’s definitely worth a visit and you may find a piece you just have to have. Most prices are reasonable.

Last week we told you about the opening of “A Christmas Carol” at the Public Theater. That show is a musical version of the familiar play and story. But there’s another “Christmas Carol” in town, produced by the Classic Theater of San Antonio. This one is a one-man show adapted for the stage by Greg Oliver Bodine. It includes all the characters audiences know and love “inside one engaging storyteller.” Two actors will portray Dickens on different nights, as the famous British author tours the United States in 1867, retelling his beloved Christmas classic to audiences. He has to rely on his memory because his luggage was lost. The two actors portraying Dickens are Ray Seams and Kurt Wilkinson.

Select performances will also feature the Youth Orchestra of San Antonio. (Dec. 1 -18; at 7:30 p.m.; on the lawn of the Maverick-Carter House, across from the Tobin Center.; 119 Taylor St. 78205; there are arrangements in place in case of bad weather to move the show into the Radius Center. (Tickets at 210-589-8450 or www.ClassicTheatre.org)

Zeb Hogan, a National Geographic Fellow and host of the Nat Geo WILD series “Monster Fish” will be at the Witte Museum this weekend speaking with visitors in connection with the exhibition “Monster Fish: in Search of the Last River Giants.” Visitors will have multiple opportunities to interact with him as they learn about the critical role monster fish play in the ecosystem. (Saturday, Dec. 3, 2-3:30 p.m. Hogan will be in the “Monster Fish” exhibition to answer visitors’ questions. Sunday, Dec 4, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.. he will sign books at the museum’s Holiday Market, and participate in the STEAM Sunday: River Giants program.)

For the last three years, Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson has been San Antonio’s hard-working poet laureate, serving a year longer than her predecessors due to COVID interference into our human affairs. Now the city wants y’all to send nominations for the next poet Laureate. The nomination period closes Jan. 31, 2023. To see the rules and requirements, visit https://www.getcreativesanantonio.com/