The Holiday Season is In Full Swing
News Roundup
Yes, the holiday season is definitely in full swing and San Antonio arts organization are doing their best to make it memorable.
Ballet San Antonio will be presenting five more performances of its ambitious, updated version of the beloved Nutcracker, Friday-Sunday at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, featuring more vigorous, more audacious choreography performed by the 23-member company and dozens of young dancers recruited from area dance schools. The San Antonio Symphony will play live for all the performances. Though there are multiple Nutcracker stagings around town, this is the only opportunity to see two of our best professional ensembles work together to bring you the holiday classic as it was meant to be presented. (Tickets: online at www.balletsanantonio.org, by phone 210-223-8624 or in person at the Tobin box office, 100 Auditorium Circle) (See feature article on this site)
Another local holiday tradition is the Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza, which is a multi-day-long event of mariachi group competitions and workshops, culminating in a grand concert by the world-famous Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, and the winners of the competitions. The competitions start Friday and continue through Saturday at the Lila Cockrell Theater. The final concert is Saturday night at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $66-$200 through ticketmaster.com. (See feature article on this site)
More music and dance is on the calendar this weekend at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, which is presenting Fiesta de Navidad, it’s December version of the ongoing Celebrando Tradiciones monthly programs. The top-notch Guadalupe Dance Company will be joined by the Mariachi Azteca, the resident mariachi group under the direction of Gino Rivera. (8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, Guadalupe Theater, 1301 Guadalupe St., 210-271-3151)
A very different kind of music will be heard at the San Fernando Cathedral this Sunday courtesy of Musical Bridges Around the World. Named “Under the Paris Sky,” the free concert will feature Spanish-born accordionist extraordinaire Victor Prieto, and the Canadian-American Thalea String Quartet, a young chamber group – founded in 2014 – that has already won acclaim across Europe and North America. In 2018, the quartet won top prizes at both the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and the Chamber Music Yellow Springs Competition. At San Fernando, they will perform Joseph Haydn’s Emperor quartet.
Beyond that, it’s unclear what the program holds. Expect “an unprecedented fusion program” which, we presume, will feature all the musicians. This has a potential to be fun and new as Prieto is a jazz accordionist, a genre he has pretty much invented himself. As to why the concert was titled “Under the Paris Sky” is a mystery at present but it may become clear at the concert. (7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, San Fernando Cathedral, Main Plaza; free; for info: www.musicalbridges.org)
For lovers of choral music and the enduring masterpiece Messiahby George Frederic Handel, the Mastersingers will once again rise to the occasion and perform the work in the sanctuary of the University United Methodist Church at 3 p.m. Sunday. Of all the Christian music composed over the centuries, Messiah is recognized as the most powerful. When Joseph Haydn heard The Hallelujah Chorus, he reportedly wept, sating simply “He is the master of us all” referring to Handel. The composer himself was so deeply involved in his work that his servant was startled one day when he opened the door to Handel’s room to encounter his master in tears, crying out to him: “I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God himself.” Messiah remains a unique experience to this day. (University United Methodist Church, 5084 De Zavala; tickets $25, $50 for special front seats; www.brownpapertickets.com, www.samastersingers.org)
And for folks who appreciate contemporary visual art but feel that they cannot afford to buy original artwork, Say Si’s digital auction of art donated by prominent local and regional artists may give them a great opportunity to own a new little treasure. More than 100 pieces are being auctioned and the prices are super reasonable. They call it Small Scale – Big Change and variety is the name of the game. To see what is being offered go to https://saysi.org/small-scale-big-change. On Dec. 6, the organization will have a First Friday reception in connection with the auction, featuring their youth theater in a live show. Say Si is a youth arts-based development organization for middle and high school students. (Say Si, 1518 S. Alamo; 210-212-8666.)