News Roundup June 30, 2022
Two fun and promising festivals are starting in a few days: The Cactus Pear Music Festival and the Cinefestival San Antonio, the former devoted to chamber music, and the latter to original Latinx films. Both start on July 6.
This year will be CPMF’s 26th summer season, and the final one for founder and long-time artistic director – and former San Antonio Symphony member – Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio. The new artistic director is Ryo Yanagitani, a top-notch pianist who also has experience in organizational management as the former director of the Ryuji Ueno Foundation.
CPMF 2022 consists of six programs and seven “fully live on stage” concert performances, taking place July 6 to July 16. The inaugural event, I: In C will feature music by Mozart and Brahms in two performances (Jul 6-7), and it will be followed by French Whispers (July 8), Swan Song (July 9), Teutonic Triumphs (July 14 ), A Party of Six (July 15), and On the Treshold (July 16). Most concerts take place at the Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio, though the first concert will premiere at the Chapel in the Hills in Wimberley. In addition to the two already mentioned, a wide range of composers are represented, from Dmitri Shostakovich, Beethoven and Felix Mendelssohn to less-known ones such as Ernest Chausson, Cecile Chaminade and Kathryn Mishell. All those musical riches will be in the hands of 18 outstanding musicians. For complete info and tickets go to www.cpmf.us.
The 43rd Cinefestival takes place at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, July 6-10, “with a large Texas filmmaker presence.” Eighty-five films will be screened, including 22 from San Antonio and 24 from other Texas filmmakers. According to the press release, this was a record number of submissions received for the festival, with some coming from other countries. The fest will feature 24 screenings showcasing 12 feature films and 73 short films. It will open with “Pepe Serna, Life is Art,” a joyous look at life and work of Mexican-American character actor, Pene Serna, a Corpus Christi native. On closing night, audiences will see the world premiere of Cuerpo, directed by San Antonio’s own Mark Zuniga, a horror film set in 18th century San Antonio. And there will be a lot more than that, including some free screenings. (All screenings at the Guadalupe Theater, 1301 Guadalupe St.,78207, For full festival schedule and tickets visit www.guadalupeculturalarts.org or call 210-271-3151)
With the July 4 holiday coming up, there will be festive music around town and beyond. The Heart of Texas Concert Band will mark the holiday with The Sounds of Freedomin collaboration with The River City Ringers and The Cedar Mountain Chorale. (July 4 at 3 p.m., Trinity Baptist Church 319 E. Mulberry Ave., 78212; free admission)
An outdoor celebration will take place at the Cornerstone Church featuring Christian musician, Jason Crabb and “Duck Dynasty” personality Si Robertson. Fireworks at the end. (July 3, 6:30 – 10 p.m.; Cornerstone church, 18755 Stone Oak Parkway; free)
The “official” celebration, sponsored by San Antonio Parks Foundation, takes place at Woodlawn Lake Park with the help of the U.S. Air Force Band of the West. Expect a great fireworks finale. (July 4, 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.; Woodlawn Lake Park, 1103 Cincinnati Ave.; free)
Also, The Fourth of July River Walk Artisan Show is a fun event and an opportunity to pick up unique hand-made gifts. (July 1-4, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.; on the River Walk, near Losoya)
With a successful production of “Rigoletto” behind it, Opera San Antonio has taken its Apprentice Artists on a tour, giving free concerts in Laredo and Uvalde. We all know Uvalde could use some beautiful and comforting music these days. (July 1 from 6-7 p.m.; El Progresso Memorial Library in Uvalde.) OSA has also partnered with the San Antonio Public Library system to offer summer concerts in a number of local libraries. That series concludes July 2, with a concert at the Brook Hollow Library from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
This weekend you can also enjoy the music of Parker McCollum, but only on Sunday. The Friday & Saturday shows are sold out. The Gold Chain Cowboy creator will perform at the Whitewater Amphitheater. (July 3 at 8 p.m.; Whitewater Amphitheater, 11860 FM 306, New Braunfeld; 830-964-3800; www.whitewaterrocks.com)
Another country crooner, Dale Watson, who cleverly calls his music “Ameripolitan” will be at Gruene Hall. (July 3 at 7 p.m.; Gruene Hall, 1282 Gruene Rd., New Braunfels.; $15; 877-856-0806, www.gruenehall.com)
Poetry lovers – and there are many in San Antonio – may want to visit the Guadalupe Latino Bookstore and Gift Shop, where two poets will read their poems: Claudia Castro Luna and Irene Lara Silva. Conversation with both authors will be part of the event. (July 1 at 6 p.m.; 1301 Guadalupe St.; free)
San Antonio’s best- known poet, Naomi Shihab Nye, will explore what society throws away as trash, and junk at an event at the DoSeum on July 2. Her book Cast Away Poems for Our Time deals with the subject of trash and how it affects the planet we live on. The Authors Series program at the children’s museum complements the summer exhibit, Earth Matters. (July 2; there will be a morning and afternoon sessions; free with museum admission ticket; DoSeum, 2800 Broadway, 78209; 210-212-4453
And it’s always lively on the visual arts front.
Blue Star Contemporary is presenting three new summer exhibits, opening July 1. They are:
Andreas Till: De Ami that focuses on the influence of the presence of American troops in Till’s hometown, Heidelberg in Germany, and the relationship between Germans and Americans between 1945 and 2013, born out of this presence. Certainly, an interesting subject!
The second exhibit, The Other Side, presents a small collection of films “referencing ideas of transition and events that foundationally change a person.” The third show, Fake Plastic Forest, features the work of several artists dealing with themes of “artifice, truth, fiction and the theatricality of our interaction with nature.”
Meanwhile in the main gallery, you’ll find Travel Distance, an exhibit of artworks representing how veterans and their families process and move through their military service experiences. (Blue Star Contemporary, 116 Blue Star; www.bluestarcontemporary.org)
At the Briscoe Wester Art Museum, the unique exhibit, The Sons of Charlie Russell: Cowboy Artists of America Exhibition, is still on view, and worth visiting. It’s an exhibit that originated and premiered at the Briscoe, showing how current Western artists connect to traditions started by their predecessors. It closes Sept. 5. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 210 W. Market St., 78205; a variety of events relating to the show are scheduled throughout the summer.)
The unusual exhibit, Tony Parker’s Heroes and Villainsat the San Antonio Museum of Art will definitely delight fans of superhero characters like Spiderman and Batman, and Wonder Woman, and the lot of them. They are larger-than-life and made with skill and precision. (See story from June 29 on this site.)
San Antonio International Airport and USAA formed a partnership to support the creation of a new installation, Freedom’s Threads, created by veteran artist Jeffrey Stenbom. The work is being unveiled just in time for the July Fourth weekend. The artwork is made out of 100 military uniforms donated by USAA employees to commemorate the company’s 100th anniversary. These uniforms were actually worn in military conflicts dating back to World War 1, and represent all six branches of the military. The artist spent more than 1,000 hours weaving the uniforms together to resemble the American flag. Wow! We can’t wait to see it!
Cheech Marin, better known as part of the comedy duo Cheech & Chong, has been in the news recently, in connection with his remarkable art collection of some 700 works by Chicano artists. The collection is on display at the new Center for Chicano Art and Culture in Riverside, California. Well, San Antonio gallerist, Patricia Ruiz-Healy, has worked with, exhibited and sold the work of a number of artists in Marin’s collection. They include Richard Armendariz, Cezar Martinez, Maryta Sanchez and Patssi Valdez, among others. Interested? Contact Ruiz-Healy Art, 201-A E. Olmos Drive, 78212; 210-804-2219 or info@ruizhealyart.com.