Arts Alive San Antonio

The Fall season is getting lively as music groups launch their seasons.

Camerata San Antonio is opening with QUARTETS, a concert of, well, quartets by Beethoven, Haydn and Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, an African-American composer who wrote a great deal of music inspired by jazz. The Camerata ensemble is trying to include more women composers and black composers who were often overlooked in the past. The concert opens with Perkinson’s “Calvary,” a piece rich with rhythmic vitality and emotional depth, blending classical traditions with elements of African-American musical heritage.

This group performs each program at three different locations to reach a large number of people. They are: Kerrville-Sept. 6: First Presbyterian Church, 800 Jefferson St.; San Antonio Sept. 7- Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit,11093 Bandera Rd.; and, Sept.8, Christ Episcopal Church, 510 Belknap. Tickets and season subscriptions can be reserved at www.cameratasa.org.

The Mid-Texas Symphony kicks off its new season with RAVEL’s BOLERO, “the technicolor concert”
 that starts with the brilliant fanfare of the light Cavalry Overture.  Akiko Fujimoto is the conductor. Also included in the program are Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from “West Side Story.” (Sept. 8 at 4 p.m.; Jackson Auditorium, Texas Lutheran University, 1000 W. Court St., Seguin, TX 155; 830-463-5353,  tickets are $30-$55, boxoffice@mtsymphony.org)

At the Boeing Center at Tech Port Arena, you can see the San Antonio rock band Nothing More which is on its Carnal Tour. The lead, drummer Jonny Hawkins, has rejoined the group. It promises to be a high energy show featuring “anthems” and blistering guitar solos. (Sept. 5 at 5:50 p.m.; tickets at
1-800-514-3849 or at www.boeingcentertechport.com)

Jazz on the Water Series brings some outstanding musicians to town to perform at the comfortable Buena Vista Theater. (No bad seat). Trumpeter Rick Braun will perform there in a couple of days.  (Sept. 7 at 7 p.m.; 501 W. Cesar E. Chavez Blvd; box office 210-458-5119, www.buenavista.live)

Singer, songwriter and musician, Alec Benjamin’s 12 NOTES Tour will stop at the Aztec Theater in a few days. His style leans toward Indie, pop and alternative. His breakthrough single was “Let Me Down Slowly.” (Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m.; Aztec Theater, 104 N. St. Mary’s; doors open at 6:30; tickets are $43-$106 at
www.concerts.livenation.com)
A Night with Glenn Hughes celebrating the 50^th anniversary of Deep Purple’s “Burn” album. Deep Purple was a very successful English rock band, considered the pioneers of heavy metal. It sold more than 100 million records worldwide. The band received the Legend Award in 2008 at the World Music Awards.
(Sept. 7 at 7 p/m.; Carver Center, 226 Hackberry, 78202l tickets are $28 – $63+ at www.ticketmaster.com)

At the Majestic Theater, catch Los Tucanes de Tijuana tour. The quintet isa well-known Mexican group that has left an indelible mark on the regional Mexican music scene. They play  norteno and corrido music. (Sept. 6 at 8 p.m. (doors at 7); Majestic Theater; tickets are $49-$150;
 at www.maajesticempire.com/events)

And here’s an interesting play: “All Things Equal: the Life and Trials of Ruth Bader Ginsburg” by Tony Award winner Rupert Holmes, starring Michele Azar. (Sept. 10 & 11, 7:30 p.m.; doors open at 6:30; Empire Theater; tickets $35-$112 reservation link above.

The San Pedro Playhouse is opening a new show in a few days: “The Fantasticos.” Set in a mysterious and magical world, the story follows two neighboring families who feign a feud to bring their children together. As boy meets girl, they journey through trials and discover the true meaning of love and the power of imagination. This bilingual adaptation, the first of this kind, has been granted special permission from Musical Theater International. This is Classic Theater’s first full musical production: (“The Fantastikos.”; Opening night is sold out but there are tickets for the rest of the run, Sept.14-29; boxoffice@thepublicsa.org.)

The Overtime Theater has a new original show: “THREES,” a new dark comedy by Rita Anderson.
(Performances run Sept. 20 to October 12; Fridays-Saturdays at 8 p.m. with a Sunday matinee on Oct. 6 at 2 p.m.; Tickets are $18, with discounts for military and students; 5409 Bandera Rd, Suite 205; 210-577-7562; www.theovertimetheater.org)

We devoted a lot of space last week to the visual arts, but here’s something we look forward to which was not included.  The charming and always welcoming Gallery Prudencia will hold its “First Friday Wine Down” this Friday, Sept 6^th with the gallery’s “Summer Show” on display. The show represents all the artists who have exhibited at Gallery Prudencia. Great occasion for mingling with the artists and having an artsy good time. (Sept. 6, 5-7 p.m.; At Gallery Prudencia; 2518 N. Main, 78212; 210-422-8681;
www.prudenciagallery.com)