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By JASMINA WELLINGHOFF, Editor Before accepting the new position, McLendon was the director and chief curator at the Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia. He will assume his leadership duties at the McNay on Feb. 13, 2023. In the press release, McNay’s search committee co-chair, Darryl Byrd, expressed confidence in the choice. “Matthew stood out from numerous, …

By BERIT MASON and JASMINA WELLINGHOFF Anyone who’s plunked a brush into a pot of paint, pushed it about freely on a fresh, white canvas, knows the relaxed feeling or intense focus that comes with making art. One escapes the real world for fantasy. Art can be a career, a profession, self- expression and it can be therapy. In fact, …

The festive holiday mood is everywhere, which also means great music, often performed in beautiful churches with excellent acoustics. We told you about many of those last week but there’s a new crop of events taking place in the coming days. The most original concert must be the new choral version of “A Christmas Carol” to be performed by the …

By JASMINA WELLINGHOFF, Editor ‘Tis the season for caroling and for productions of “A Christmas Carol, and, in fact, at least two San Antonio theaters staged their different versions of the classic tale, including a Broadway-style musical. But here comes a novel take. The upcoming performance by the San Antonio Choral Society is billed as a “modern-day dramatization” of Charles …

Compiled by DON MATHIS From luminarias to the Riverwalk lights, San Antonio loves to light up the nights. Here is an abecedarium from Arts Alive San Antonio of the best in local holiday lights. Alamo Nights feature twinkling lights in the live oak and pecan trees on the Alamo grounds as well as larger-than-life decorated figures of the heroic defenders. …

‘Tis the season for “The Nutcracker,” so you have plenty of choices. Last week we told you about Ballet San Antonio’s production, which continues this weekend. Now under the artistic direction of the former internationally acclaimed ballerina, Sofiane Sylve, BSA is the only professional ballet company in San Antonio. This version of the iconic ballet was commissioned by the company …

By JASMINA WELLINGHOFF, Editor Would you like to spend Christmas with C.S. Lewis? If you know who he is, you’ll probably say “YES,” a very affirmative “YES.” Well, the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts is giving you an opportunity to do just that by bringing to town the play, “Christmas with C.S. Lewis” by writer and actor David Payne. …

BY PHIL HOUSEAL, Contributing Writer “I love that I can see a dog show on Saturday and a ballet on Sunday.” That single statement sums up the value that a world-class entertainment venue brings to a smaller city. The city is Kerrville, the venue is the Kathleen C. Cailloux City Center for the Performing Arts, and the quote is from …

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 …