Arts Alive San Antonio

Fortunately, there’s one more pair of concerts to look forward to before the San Antonio Philharmonic closes shop for the summer. The orchestra’s Classics 10 concert will be conducted by Colombian conductor, Lina Gonzalez-Granados, and will feature violinist Randall Goosby as the soloist.

The program opens with: “Jeder Baum spricht” (“Every Tree speaks”) by Iranian-Canadian composer Iman Habibi, followed by the Violin Concerto in E minor by Felix Mendelssohn, and Symphony No. 5 by Ludwig van Beethoven. Goosby “who delighted the SA Phil audience last season,” will perform one of the greatest violin pieces ever written – Mendelssohn’s Concerto in E minor, says the concert announcement. And Beethoven’s glorious symphony -one of the most famous works of all time – concludes the concert and the season. (Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1, at 7:30 both days; First Baptist Church of San Antonio, 515 McCullough Ave., 78215; tickets are $35-$75 by phone 210-201-6006 or www.saphil.org/tickets.)

“Echoes in Time” may be a concert you don’t want to miss. Performed by the San Antonio Choral Society, it’s a concert of sacred music that the large ensemble will also perform during its upcoming tour of France and England. This concert illuminates choral works ancient and modern, starting with
“El Cantico de Alba,” a hymn from the California Missions, that conductor, Jennifer Seighman, included, hoping that this music will give European audiences “some San Antonio flavor.” That hymn “is the closest to what music would have sounded like in our local missions,” she explained.
(“Echoes in Time,” June 2 at 3 p.m.; St. John’s Lutheran Church, 502 E. Nueva St., across from La Villita; tickets are $5-$18, at the door and online www.sanantoniochoralsociety.org)

You can spend An Evening of Jazz with Lani Gillespie at the Carver Community Cultural Center!  Referred to as a “San Antonio sensation,” Gillespie is known for her contribution to San Antonio’s Gospel scene.
“Lani has jazz in her soul,” says the announcement. She will sing some of her favorite jazz tunes and introduce “new music from her soul.” (May 30, starting with a reception at 6 p.m. and show 7-9 p.m.)

The New York Times said this about her: “The close precision and frothy power of her voice stand out immediately, and so does the depth of her comfort within the jazz tradition.” (May 30, 6–9 p.m.; Carver Center, 226 N. Hackberry; Little Carver Civic Center; tickets are $30 at www.ticketmaster.com/an-evening-of-jazz-with-lani)

She will be followed by rising star, Samara Joy, on Saturday, June 1, a triple GRAMMY winner.
(June 1 at 8 p.m.; tickets are $41; Jo Long Theater, Carver Center, (address above) via www.ticketmaster.com)

Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire will “Sing a Song All Night Long” when they take over the stage at the Frost Bank Center. (June 4 at 7:30 p.m. tickets are $30-$249+ at www.ticketmaster.com/lionel-richie-and-earth-wind-fire-san-antonio) Parking opens at 4:30 p.m.)

At the Charline McCombs Empire Theater, you can catch Tod Rundgren, musician, singer, songwriter who has performed as a solo artist as well as a member of the bands Nazz and Utopia. He refused to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, which he criticized. Among his hits are “Hello It’s Me” and “I saw the Light.” His current tour is called “Me/We 2024 Tour.” (June 8 at 8 p.m., Empire Theater, 226 N. St. Mary’s St.; tickets are $39-$95 at www.majesticempire.com/events or call 210-226-3333.)
At the Tobin, the interesting offering is the Industry Night Reading of “The Kiss of a Spider Woman,” by Manuel Puig. An “industry reading’ is a staged reading/performance of a play when actors perform with scripts in hand and the stage direction is shared loud and clear. The audience is likely to be composed of people in the theater industry. As an audience member you can actually observe the creative process.
(June 3 at 7 p.m.; Carlos Alvarez Studio Theater; tickets are $13.50 – $15.00; Tobin Center, 100 Auditorium Circle; 210-223-8624; tickets@tobincenter.org)

Back to music: Singer/songwriter Alejandro Escovedo, has recorded new and repurposed versions of songs of the past. By doing so, he actually gets a chance to rewrite his life and see himself anew. “Turning a past song inside out leads to discovery of new ideas,” he said. So, the songs are always evolving. To see him in action, get a ticket for Friday, May 31 at Stable Hall. (May 31 at 8-midnight; Stable Hall, 307 Pearl Parkway, 78215; tickets are $25+; https://www.stablehall.com)

The City of San Antonio’s Arts & Culture Department is promising a mix of musical events to brighten our summer, starting with Make Music Day San Antonio as the signature event. “Make Music Day will give all of our residents and visitors a chance to experience the city’s diverse musical riches in a free and accessible way,” noted the Department of Arts & Culture Director Krystal Jones. “The event is all about coming together and making or enjoying music.”

Events are planned from June 1 through Aug. 16. Among them are Fiesta Noche del Rio at the Arneson River Theater; an Alamo City 4^th  concert by the Heart of Texas Concert Band at Trinity Baptist Church; Cactus Pear Music Festival at various locations; San Antonio Music Showcase in St. Paul Square; Alamo City Symphony Viva Musical Portraits by Alamo City Arts at Travis Park United Methodist Church, and a number of others.

And if you would like to dance this weekend, rather than just listen to music, there’s an Olde Tyme Barn Dance, with recording artist Ronnie Pfeil. (June 1; doors open at 5 p.m.; Alzafar Shrine Pavilion, 901 N Loop 1604 W; BBQ dinner at $25; tickets available at www.hotsands.com)

And there’s quite a bit of film screening going on. The 2024 TPR Cinema Tuesday Series starts May 28 and continues through August 27.  The films will be screened at the Santikos Northwest Theater. Among the presented films are “The Godfather, Part II,” “Bonnie and Clyde,” “Zoot Suit,” “Pandora Box,” Xanadu,” “What’s Up, Doc?” “The Tales of Hoffmann”  and a few others.; 7600 I-10 West. 78230.

There’s also the Arcadia Live’s Iconic Film Series celebrating cinema classics and family fun. (May 2
6-9:30 p.n.; Arcadia Live Theater, 717 Water St., Kerrville, 78028; 830-3155-483; tickets are $7.50; boxoffice@thearcadialive.org)

And the Hill Country Film Festival will take place at multiple locations in Fredericksburg; tickets are $12; through June 2; it’s a celebration of independent films. For more info visit www.hillcountryff.com

And back here in San Antonio, here’s something for the family: Mission Marquee Plaza Farmers & Artisans Market and the Outdoor Family Film Series will screen “Trolls Band Together.” Free; Sat. Jan. 1 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. This event is organized by the city’s World Heritage Office, 210-207-3905. Visitors are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs.

Speaking of film fests, the big one, SAFILM- San Antonio Film Festival announced that it received a $20,000- grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to support its 30^th anniversary celebration, July 30 – Aug, 4, 2024.More about that later. Tickets for the 2024 fest go on sale in June, and are available at the Tobin Center for the Arts. The schedule will also be announced at that time.

Let’s take a look at developments in SA theaters. 
The Jump-Start Performance Co. is hosting a 3-day Writing for Theater workshop led by Diana Burbano, which will culminate with original workshop performances. Burbano will complete her visit with her solo performance, ”Linda at Jump-Start Theater.” The event is open to the public. Wearing a wonder Woman costume and carrying a guitar, a Chicana embarks on a journey to figure out her place in the world. But there are challenges, such as racist boys on the playground, mean girls at a talent show and her own self-doubts. Will she cave in or find new kinds of superpower and strength in learning to embrace her heritage. The show also includes new works by Diana’s workshop participants. (June 8 at 8 p.m.; tickets are 0-$25.; Jump-Start Theater, 710 Fredericksburg RD., 78201; info@jump-start.org)

There’s always a lot going on, on the visual arts front. If you have never visited Ruby City, here’s an opportunity to do that. It is opening a new exhibit “Unsettled Eye” with director Elyse A. Gonzales leading a walkthrough of the show (June 1 at 2 p.m.; reception 3-5 p.m.; 150 Camp St.; 210-781-180; http://rubycity.org)