Arts Alive San Antonio

Let’s start with the opera! There are so few opera productions in San Antonio, that the few that we have are precious. Opera San Antonio (OSA) has produced a new version of the old opera “Hansel and Gretel” composed in 1892 by German composer Engelbert Humperdinck. As the title implies, it was based on the even older and familiar fairy tale.

The unusual part about the current production is that – in addition to OSA – it involves all the companies that are resident companies of the Tobin Center: Ballet San Antonio, Children’s Chorus of San Antonio, Youth Orchestras of San Antonio and the Classical Music Institute. There will be a lot of people on stage. The production director is E. Loren Meeker who is also OSA’s artistic director.

The story may be familiar but the music not-so-much. The Classic Music Institute is in charge of assembling an orchestra which will be conducted by OSA’s music director Francesco Milioto. Altogether, it promises to be an adventure for all.  (Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. and Oct 7 at 7:30 p.m.; Tobin Center for the Performing Arts; tickets at www.tobincenter.org, via phone at 210-223-8624 or in-person at the box office, 100 Auditorium Circle.)

There will be lots of other music in town and in the area in the upcoming days.

You will have to travel north into the Hill Country to enjoy Kerrville-based Symphony of the Hills, which will open its season Oct. 5, featuring internationally known cellist, Qizhen Liu who will perform Eduard Lalo’s Cello Concerto in D Minor.  She joined the Symphony of the Hills in 2021 as principal cello. Born and raised in Shanghai, the cellist moved to the U.S. at age 17 and has since performed all over the world, including Italy, Germany, France, Canada, Japan and her native China. She holds a doctorate in cello performance from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and a master’s degree from the Yale School of Music.

The program will also feature works by Brahms, and Elgar, as well as the premiere of “Everyone Sang” a piece for soprano and orchestra by composer Donald Grantham, which was commissioned to commemorate Schreiner University’s Centennial celebration. Haley Dove Montoya will be the soprano soloist. WOW! This sounds like a concert worth a drive! (Oct. 5 at 7 p.m.; Cailloux Theater; tickets start at $29; seats can be reserved online at www.caillouxperformingarts.com or by calling 830-896-9393. Also at the theater’s box office, 910 Main St.)

The San Antonio Chamber Music Society is launching its 81^st season with a concert featuring the Decoda Ensemble, which is an affiliate ensemble of Carnegie Hall. This concert will be performed by five members of the group: Clara Lyon (violin), Saeunn Thorsteinsdottir (cello), Catherine Gregory (flute), Brad Balliett (bassoon) and David Kaplan (piano). On the program: “Reimagined Dance Suite after excerpts from Suite Italienne, and Les Gentil Airs” by Igor Stravinsky. (That work needs to be renamed!) Other compositions are: “Maombi Asante” by Valerie Coleman, and Piano Trio No.4 in E Minor, Op.90 “Dumky” by Antonin Dvorak. (Oct. 8 at 3:15 p.m.; Trinity Baptist Church, 319 E. Mulberry Ave., tickets $25 via www.paypal.com)

The AGARITA Chamber Music Ensemble will present two of its Humble Hall concerts this Saturday. Those are outdoor concerts in various parks and other locations in the city, when the musicians play for free from the back platform of a truck. The AGARITA members will be joined by guest pianist David Kaplan. The music is free; bring blanket or folding chairs. (Oct. 7: at 10 a.m. in Eisenhower Park, Pavilion #1; and at 12:30 p.m. in Chris Park at Ruby City, just south of downtown off Flores St.)

And, of course, there are other music styles.

At the Frost Bank Center (formerly known as the AT&T Center), you can see the Jonas Brothers who hardly need an introduction. Their tour is called “Jonas Brothers: FIVE ALBUMS ONE NIGHT World Tour. In January 2023, they received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They are also recipients of a number of other awards. (Oct. 5 at 7 p.m., Frost Bank Center, tickets are $40-$229+, via Ticketmaster.)

Country music fans will probably love to see Hall-of- Famer Marty Stuart, a five-time GRAMMY winner, who has just released his first album in five years, exploring “a cosmic country landscape populated with dreamers, misfits, drifters and angels.” (Oct. 6 at 8 p.m.; Charline McCombs Empire Theater; tickets are $25-$85 at www.majesticempire.com/box-office/contact-us/)

At the Espee, the new entertainment complex downtown developed by the folks who run the Majestic and Empire Theaters, they are planning Alamo Fest, featuring rapper Juvenile (Terius Gray) and singer/songwriter Tweet (Charlene Keys). (Oct. 7 at 4 p.m.; tickets are $50-$200; www.theespee.com/events)

Dropkick Murphys will appear live in concert at the Boeing Center at Tech Port. Special guests are the Interrupters & Jesse. (Oct.8, 7-11 p.m.; tickets are $35.50-$95.50 at www.etix.com/ticket)

And there’s something for dance lovers at the Empire as well. It’s called “iLuminate” a show that’s a fusion of dance and technology. You will see dancers in electrified, glow-in–the-dark suits performing routines and illusions on a darkened stage. The show is the brain child of Miral Kotb, a woman whose true passions are dance and software engineering. (Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m., Empire Theater; tickets are $35-$150 at the link above.)

And speaking about dance, there are San Antonio-based shows, too.

 The Karavan Dance Studio, which specializes in belly dancing will present GoLive! a weekend of Arab music and dance. There will be three shows:

Friday, Oct. 6 at 7:30 p.m. – Arabic Music by the Georges Lammam Ensemble from San Francisco, followed by the local jazz/funk band Isaac and the Metafour.

 Saturday, Oct. 7 at 7:30 p.m. – Arabic music by the National Arab Orchestra Takht Ensemble and Karavan Studio dancers. In addition, the Saturday show will also feature dance instructors Tamalyn Dallal from New Orleans, and Sahira from Houston, plus several guest dancers.

 Sunday, Oct. 8 – Arabic music by the Ghafour Brothers Band from Houston, with guests Georges Lammam, Naser Musa and Michael Ibrahim. Local dancers and guest dancers from across the U.S. will be performing each night.

(Oct. 6 and Oct.8 performances are at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel downtown at 502 W. Cesar Chavez Blvd., while the Saturday show will take place at 7:30 p.m.; Buena Vista Theater, UTSA downtown, 501 W. Cesar Chavez Blvd. For tickets and more info go to www.karavanstudio.com/concerts.)

The Guadalupe Dance Company will present Bailes y Musica! At the San Antonio Museum of Art. The performance will feature excerpts of dances inspired by the stories of Mexican American leaders. A Q&A will follow. (Oct. 6, 6-7 p.m.; free for members, $5 for others. SAMA, 200 W. Jones Ave.)

Book lovers will probably enjoy the Boerne Book Festival, which will take place on the town’s beautiful Hill Country Mile. It’s a celebration of all things literary, including author discussion panels, children’s activities and, of course, books. The fest focuses on Texas and its rich history. The Writers’ League of Texas kicks off the morning activities with a discussion on Writing about the Lone Star State, featuring Stacey Swann, James Wade and Kimberly Garza. The event will also pay a special tribute to the writing of Larry McMurtry, with well-known writers such as Stephen Harrigan, Douglas Swanson, Sherry Kafka Wagner and WK “Kip” Stratton. And there’s a lot more. (Festival hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Main Plaza Park. For more information visit www.boernebookfest.com)

San Antonio’s literary organization, Gemini Ink, is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with a “timely and intimate” literary discussion about current publishing trends and Latinx representation in books. The discussion will feature authors and publishers Cloud Delfina Cardona, Eddie Vega, Katie Gutierrez, and moderator Norma Elia Cantu.

And did you know that San Antonio has an international Black Film Festival? It’s still going on through Oct. 8. Screenings and events take place at the Carver Community Cultural Center (226 N. Hackberry) and St. Philips’s College (1801 Martin Luther King Drive) Day passes are $40; closing Award Brunch is $25. For more info check out www.sabiff.tv

As you already know from reading ARTS ALIVE SAN ANTONIO, the live theater scene in the city is not exactly vibrant. But there’s some good news. The company that has been known for years as the Woodlawn Theater – named after the theater building it occupied on Fredericksburg Rd. – is close to moving to its new digs in the Wonderland of the Americas Mall. From there on, the company will be named the Wonder Theater. At present, they are asking theater lovers to contribute to The Wonder Awaits Capital Campaign, that finances the renovation of the mall space. To help, visit the campaign page on the website: https://www.wondertheatre.org. This company is primarily known for its polished productions of musicals. Also, the Wonder Theatre has been selected as a 2023 Impact San Antonio Grant Finalist. It will find out whether it won on Grant Award Night Oct. 23.

And here’s another bit of news from the Wonder. It’s seeking a full-time marketing associate. To apply send letter to Wonder Theater, 6800 Park Ten Blvd, Ste 115N, 78213.

Things are looking up at the San Pedro Playhouse, too, where both the Public Theater of San Antonio and The Classic Theater have joined forces, and the 2023-24 season was recently announced. The season is described as “an anthology of stories centered on the importance of “home.” Subscriptions, flex passes and single tickets are available. You get 50% off season tickets if you buy before Oct. 29. As we already reported, the 2023-24 season is packed with great shows.

A couple more things: Gallery Prudencia is currently featuring “What Is and What Was” that showcases the work of artist Mary James. The show is a collection of expressive abstract paintings that explore “the fragility and resilience of the human experience and the interplay between the present and the past.”
The Artist’s Talk is scheduled for Oct. 14 at 2 p.m. The exhibit continues through Oct. 28. (Gallery Prudencia, 2518 N. Main, 78212; 210-422-8681; for more visit www.prudenciagallery.com)

This weekend is your last chance to see the 2023 Manhattan Short Film Festival at URBAN-15. Oct. 6 and 7, 7-10 p.m.; URBAN-15 Studio, 2500 S. Presa St., 78210; for tickets go to
https://urban15.ticketleap.com/manhattan-short-film-festival-2023/

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