News Roundup, April 17, 2025
The excellent ensemble, Camerata San Antonio, will conclude its 2024/25 season with
“Romantic Resonances,” featuring the works by Saint-Saens, Mendelssohn-Hensel and
Dohnanyi. The full Camerata San Antonio Ensemble will collaborate in this program “that explores the richness and diversity of the Romantic era music. From the lyrical elegance of
Saint-Saens to the expressive depth of Fanny Mendelssohn and the brilliance of Dohnanyi, the program offers a comprehensive look at the different facets of Romanticism in music,” says the press release. The performers are: Laura Scalzo (violin), Matthew Zerweck (violin), Emily Freudigman (viola), Ken Freudigman (cello) and Viktor Valkov (piano).
(April 25 at 4 p.m.; First Presbyterian Church, 800 Jefferson St. in Kerrville, 78028; to reach Camerata San Antonio, call 210-492-9519.)
Opera San Antonio has produced a new version of one of the most loved operas in history –
Madama Butterfly, in collaboration with the Austin Opera. Composed by Italian composer
Giacomo Puccini with a libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, the opera is about a young Japanese woman’s unrequited love for an American sailor, set against a background of cultural contrasts and the rigid binds of honor. The music is fabulous. (April 17 and 19 at 7:30 p.m.; Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditorium Circle; tickets are $34-$158 at
www.tobi.tobincenter.org/OperaSA/onlinr/)
The San Antonio Philharmonic has postponed its April 18 event that was to feature the Grammy-winning vocal band, Roomful of Teeth. No new date was listed.
The Hill Country Chorale will present its Pops Concert featuring the music from the 60’s through the 80’s. (April 26 at 4 p.m.; Tucker Hall, 320- St. Peter’s Street in Kerrville; admission $15 at the door or online; you can contact the Hill Country Chorale at 830-321-0303 or check the site https://www.hillcountrychoralr.org/)
The Baroque Ensemble, Sonido Barroco, will perform Bach’s St. John’s Passion, played on period instruments. (April 18 at 7 p.m.; Zion Lutheran Church, 9944 Leslie; free)
The 2025 County Line Music Series that benefits the San Antonio Food Bank is back for its 23rd year with performances every Thursday, from 7-9 p.m. through June 26. The live music is free, but attendees are asked to make a food or monetary donation to the San Antonio Food Bank.
More than 1 million meals have been provided to the community over the last decade, thanks to the Music Series. Visit www.countyline.com/music-series-i-10/ for the full concert list. County Line Bar-B-Q Restaurant is at 4334 Hyatt Place Drive, 78230; 210-641-1998; www.countyline.com
The Carver Community Cultural Center will present the Branford Marsalis Quartet, whose music was described as “a combination of fire and tenderness, with idealism and irreverence.”
Marsalis is an award-winning saxophonist, band leader, classical soloist and a film and Broadway composer. He has won three Gammy Awards. The Marsalis Quartet, formed in 1986, remains his primary means of expression. (April 25 at 8 p.m.; Jo Long Theater; 226 N. Hackberry tickets are $19-$42 through www.ticketmaster.com or calling the box office at 210-207-2234)
For something very different you may want to see “Disney on Ice” at the Alamodome; (1 and 7 p.m. today; 11a.m., also 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday; and 3 p.m. Sunday,100 Montana St.$20-$48; www.alamodome.com)
“Remembering the Queen of Tejano.” Sonya Aleman, Ph.D. will present insights from the research process that informed her course on how Selena’s life and career have influenced Mexican-Americans’ identity. A special Q&A and tribute featuring performances (April 19 at 3 p.m.; San Antonio main library downtown/ Texana/Genealogy; free; the library is at 600 Soledad St., 78205; 210-207-2500)
As you probably know, April is National Poetry month. For the occasion, URBAN-15 will once again present its Mega Corazon Poetry Festival. It premiered on April 16 and continues through April 30. You can watch online and the audience will have a chance to vote for their favorite poet at urban15.org. This vote will determine the winner of Maga Corazon, who will be awarded the $500 Gregg Barrios Precious Words Prize. (for more info call 210-736-1500; or go to http://urban15.org)
At the Collins Garden Branch Library, you can kick off Fiesta with a music and a dance performance by the Grupo Folklorico de Bendiciones. (2 p.m. April 19, Collins Garden Branch Library, 200 N. Park, 78204, 210-207-9120.)
And there are other fests, like the Festival of India, presented by the India Association of San Antonio. The dancing and costumes are beautiful and the music has intricate melodies, with an emphasis on solo vocals, rooted in oral tradition and religious practices. (April 19, 3 to 10 p.m.; Civic Park at Hemisfair, 630 E. Nueva St. 78205; to reach organizers, call 210-910-4421)
Let’s see what’s going on in theater. The San Pedro Playhouse and the Classic Theater, which share the San Pedro playhouse building, have announced the 2025-26 season: “The Rest is HERstory, a season that spotlights women-centered stories. It includes “Real Women Have Curves,” “Dreamgirls,” “Twelfth Night,” “The Seagull,” and a few other plays. And the focus will not just be the stage stories. Women will be leading the way behind the stage, too. With a mixture of designers, directors, choreographers and other creatives, women are shaping every part of the artistic process. The first play of the new season will open Sept. 5 of this year. You can subscribe today. Contact the box office at 210-733-7258 or go to boxoffice@sanpedroplayhouse.org; coming up in May is “Anything Goes” that opens May 9.
Currently, you can visit the Jump-Start Theater that’s about to open “CHUPACABRONA,” a play by company members – and twins – Lilith and Sarah Tijerina. Upon discovering that men in their city are going missing, with allegation that a demon is responsible for their disappearance, the friends are caught up in confusion. The local band FUCHI accompanies the action. (April 18-19, and April 25-26 at 8 p.m.; Jump-Start Theater, 710 Fredericksburg Rd.; tickets are choose-what-you-pay up to $25. Intended for mature audiences.
On the visual arts front, we recommend the annual Night of Artists Exhibition and Sale, a
breathtaking showcase of contemporary Western art, which will be open to the public through May 11. This event highlights the work of some of the most celebrated Western artists in the world. (Briscoe Museum, 210-W. Market St., 210-299-4499; admission $16)
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