Arts Alive San Antonio

This week we start with an early NEWS ROUNDUP. Here goes!

The 29^th Annual Mariachi Extravaganza begins this coming Thursday. The popular week-long festival will include three national competitions, a concert, a Serenata en el Rio, and dozens of performances. More than a thousand young mariachi musicians will be in San Antonio for the event. According to the press release, this is the largest event of this kind in the country. Included are the Mariachi Group and Vocal Competition, and an Original Songwriting Competition, featuring top-level, school-based and collegiate mariachi groups and vocalists from Texas, Nevada, California, Utah and Washinton State.

Additional events include a mariachi-themed art exhibit, a reception at the UTSA Southwest Campus, a Mariachi Mass at Our Lady of the Lake University, and the afore-mentioned Serenata en el Rio on the River Walk. According to the press release, the highlight of the fest is a concert featuring competition winners and Mariachi Nuevo Tecaliltan. The latter have released more than 75 albums since the group was founded in 1965, and have performed throughout the world. Vocalist Jonathan Palomar will perform as a guest artist with the award-winning Mariachi Aztlan. (Nov. 30 -Dec. 2, Lila Cockrell Theater, 200 E. Market St., 78205; tickets Are $46-$206 at Ticketmaster.)

And a lot more is happening on the music front.

The San Antonio Philharmonic will be presenting its Classics 4 concert this weekend, with guest conductor Sarah Ioannides and guest pianist Gabriela Martinez. On the program: Rachmaninoff’s
Piano Concerto #2 to mark the 150^th anniversary of the composer’s birth; Jesse Montgomery’s
“Caught by the Wind” which explores cycles of life in nature; and Tchaikowsky’s “glorious Symphony No.5.” (Dec.1 & 2, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. each day.; tickets are $35-$75 at the door or www.saphil.org and by calling 210-201-6006)

The celebrated Italian tenor, Andrea Bocelli, will probably fill the large Frost Bank Center Wednesday, though such large arenas are not ideal venues for his style of singing. (Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m.; tickets are $85-$365, at www.frostbankcenter.com or at Ticketmaster. Also, at the venue’s box office the day of the event. The Frost Bank Center is the former AT&T Center.)

The planned Tuesday Musical Club concert that was to feature piano virtuoso Olga Kern and her equally talented pianist son, Vladislav, will instead feature Olga alone. Her son is “under the weather” and cannot fly. But Olga alone is still a very promising concert. At only 17, she won the Rachmaninoff International Piano Competition and went on to have a great career as a soloist. (Nov. 28 at 7 p.m.’ Trinity Baptist Church, 319 E. Mulberry Ave.; free; for info call 210-454-7956)

UTSA is presenting the annual Winterlude Concert Series this week. It consists of three separate performances from the UTSA Lyric Theater, the combined orchestra and choirs, and a big holiday band. To find out more visit the UTSA School of Music site, www.music.UTSA.edu.

The Symphony of the Hills’ “Many Moods of Christmas” concert will feature the 75-piece orchestra, plus the Grand Symphony Chorus in a concert of Christmas favorites, a Hanukkah Suite, and movements from “Die Fledermaus” and more. A traditional Christmas carol singalong will precede the intermission.
(Dec. 7 at 7 p.m., Cailloux Theater, 910 Main, in Kerrville. A wine reception for ticketholders starts at 6 p.m.; box office 830-896-9393; tickets start at $34. www.symphonyofthehills.org)

The AGARITA Chamber Players quartethas established a new home base with The Agarita Loft. The space can be used for rehearsals as well as a small concert venue and art gallery. It’s located in Southtown on S. Alamo. And the very active ensemble has also partnered with artists Andrea Guttman and Joseph Bushman who are exhibiting their work at a pop-up gallery opening Dec. 8. 50% of all proceeds from selling the art will benefit AGARITA. (Dec. 8, 4-8 p.m., 221 Burleson St. 78202

There’s more activity in San Antonio theaters as well. The Public Theater of San Antonio is opening “A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story” a unique version of the familiar tale featuring American Sign Language shadow performances.  The press release says: “Watch in awe as the characters come to life through the graceful movements of ASL interpreters casting stunning shadows that capture the essence of Ebenezer Scrooge’s transformation.” This innovative adaptation brings a fresh perspective to the familiar holiday tale. The company promises “a magical journey of redemption and goodwill as we celebrate the spirit of Christmas through the beauty of ASL shadow theater.” (Dec. 1-17, San Pedro Playhouse, 800 W. Ashby PL. 78212; tickets are $20-$50, you can reach the box office at 210-733-7258; www.thepublicsa.com)

The Wonder Theatre is opening “Meet Me in St. Louis” this Friday. The performances will still be in the Woodlawn Theater, the company’s home for years. But it will soon relocate to the Wonderland of the Americas Mall. (Woodlawn Theatre, 1920 Fredericksburg Rd.; tickets are $18-$32; 210-267-8388, www.wondertheatre.org)

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center’s Theater Arts Program will present the classic Chicano comedy,
“Petra’s Pecado” in six performances from Dec. 8 to Dec.17. The play premiered at the Guadalupe in the fall of 1995, under the direction of Rodney Garza. Written by Rupert Reyes, the play has become a Chicano classic comedy that has been performed throughout the country. (Tickets are $15 and are available at www.guadalupeculturalarts.org or by calling 210-271-3151 ext. 250.)

The Jump-Start Performance Company is launching its season with an informal gathering at the theater that includes previews of upcoming productions, and light refreshments. Jump-Star has been dedicated to presenting original, innovative performances for 39 years. The Staunch Launch will feature work by company members Holly Nanes, Clint Taylor, Marisela Barrera, and Lilith and Sarah Yijerina. INKubator artist, Fred Himes, will present a snippet of his show, and there will be information on the company’s Guest Artist Residency, Performance Party 39 and 8×8 Cabaret du Jump. And the new season will be announced. (Nov. 28 at 7:30 p.m., Jump Start Theatre, 710-Fredericksburg Rd., 78201, tickets are “choose what you pay” from $0 to $20; www.jump-start.org)

Teatro Audaz will present the Texas premiere of “It’s a Wonderful Vida,” a play written by Herbert Siguenza and directed by Nora Moreno-Jarrell. The play examines an immigrant family trying to assimilate and achieve the American Dream. But a visit from Mexico turns their whole world upside down. (Dec.7-17, Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday at 5:30 p.m., McCreless Theater, 799 W. Dewey
Place, 78212; tickets are $25-$35; students $15; https://www.teatroaudaz.com/)

Ballet San Antonio is getting ready to open “The Nutcracker,” its annual holiday tradition, at the Tobin Center. The beloved story includes a cast of 25 professional ballet dancers, some 100 local children and community heroes in the role of Mother Ginger. The ballet is once again choreographed by Haley Henderson Smith and Easton Smith. They will dance to live music performed by the Classical Music Institute’s Orchestra. (Eight performances, Dec. 1- 10. In addition, there will be three shorter student matinee performances Dec. 6-8, as well as a free sensory-friendly show on Dec. 5.
All shows take place at the Tobin Center, 100 Auditorium Circle Tickets are $25 – $132 and can be purchased online at www.balletsanantonio.org or by phone at 210-223-8624, or in person at the Tobin Box Office.)

The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio is also staging “The Nutcracker” featuring guest artist Aliaksandra Krukava and CBSA II principal Nurlan Kinerbayer, both trained in the Vaganova method made famous by great Russian ballet stars. The two guest artists will dance the famous roles of the Sugar Pum Fairy and her Cavalier. CBSA alumna, Lucy Hassman, returns to San Antonio to also participate in the production.

As always, CBSA strives to include young performers of all abilities and ages, even the very young who sometimes need a little help from their older friends. (Dec. 8 at 7 p.m.; Dec. 9 at 2 p.m. and Dec. 9 at 7 p.m.; Lila Cockrell Theatre, 200 E. Market At., 78205; tickets via Ticketmaster. A holiday market and photos with Santa are part of the festivities.)

And the Cirque du Soleil is still in town and is having performances through Dec. 3 Under the Big Top at the Nelson W. Wolff Stadium. (Tickets $36 at www.tickets.cirquedusoleil.com/shop)

For a different holiday tradition, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center is offering La Pastorela Folklorica, with flamenco and Mexican folkloric dance flair. It will feature the Guadalupe Dance Academy dancers in addition to the Guadalupe Dance Company members who will portray the main characters, Mary, Joseph, Lucifer and the Archangel. (Dec. 8 at 6:30 p.m.; tickets at 210-271-3151 or visit www.gudalupeculturalarts.org)

If you have kids, The Briscoe Western Art Museum has a fun event for you – The Briscoe’s Cowboy Christmas this Sunday. Kids can meet and take pictures with Cowboy Santa, while a special 12 Days of Christmas scavenger hunt leads you through the museum great collection. Christmas crafts, including ornament making, will give everyone “a bit of the West” to take home. Parents and children will also enjoy a stroll through the museum’s McNutt Sculpture Garden and walk down a few steps to the River Walk. You can also see the current exhibit, “American Cowboys” that features photos by French photographer Anouk Masson Krantz. The Briscoe is always free for locals on the first Sunday of each month.

Among the museum’s treasures, you can see Santa Anna’s sword, works by Frederick Remington, Pancho Villal’s last known saddle, an Alamo diorama and artifacts, as well as historic and contemporary paintings, sculptures, a spur collection and other cowboy and Native American relics and weapons.
(Dec. 3, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.; On Locals Day, all Bexar County residents get free admission.)

We also want to tell you about a new holiday initiative called San Antonio Holidays on Houston Street,
dreamed up by the City of San Antonio, CENTRO San Antonio and Visit SanAntonio. The “holiday” kicks off Nov. 24 and runs through Jan. 2. The three entities “have partnered to bring more holiday sparkle to five blocks of Houston Street, from Legacy Park to the Alamo.”

The stretch will glisten with twinkling lights and oversize décor elements, bustle with entertainers and themed offerings, from restaurants, shops and partners along the way… Houston Street businesses are participating with special holiday offers, décor and ambience. Part of the festive ambiance, will be Holiday Lights in the Sky, as drones perform in a themed display choreographed with holiday music. And a lot more! For a full list of happenings and access to ticketed events, go to www.visitsanantonio.com.

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