December delights locals and visitors with the sights and sounds of the season. Catch the spirit and enjoy these holiday happenings in San Diego! http://buff.ly/2fYMjjX
Arts
Terri Graham
PassPort to San Diego
When the sun goes down, the curtain goes up on the stage of the Moonlight Amphitheatre in Vista. And viola — it’s Broadway’s Best Under the Stars.
I witnessed it last night when a group of us attended the Moonlight Amphitheatre to see “The Addams Family.” The production is the creation of the authors of The Jersey Boys and the composer and lyricist of Big Fish. I join Gomez and Morticia Addams for their morbid family gathering when their daughter Wednesday brings home her “normal” boyfriend and his uptight parents. The make-up, wordrobe, acting and singing were supurb.
The special effects, new sound system, the lighting system the live orchestra and, of course, the talented cast make this a first-class show.
The amphitheater is really a fun and fabulous venue. Just grab your picnic basket, something to drink and head for the floodlights. Upon arriving, you’ll receive a folding lawn chair, or for a few dollars more, you can sit in a regular reserved theater seat.
If you’ve never been you owe it to yourself to experience an enjoyable and memorable evening at this beautiful amphitheater under the stars.
Some of the wonderful shows coming your way in 2016 at the Moonlight Amphitheater, which will celebrate its 37th summer season, include “Aida,” “Little Mermaid,” “Sunset Boulevard” and “In The Heights.” Subscriptions and single tickets go on sale for this upcoming blockbuster season January 2017. Or call (760) 724-2110 now to reserve your seat!
September races into action with Fleet Week San Diego events, the annual Festival of Sail on the Embarcadero, wine harvest fun, museum exhibits, concerts under the stars, delicious dining and more! Check it out here: http://us3.campaign-archive1.com/?u=1f5f6c72c5913e0abb8de2ecc&id=dd5cde0b7e
June is jam-packed with water sports, cultural exhibits, kids’ camps, the county fair, Father’s Day fun and delicious dishes just in time for summer in San Diego! Read on!
http://us3.campaign-archive2.com/?u=1f5f6c72c5913e0abb8de2ecc&id=991afdb91b&e=0a36d4ceeb
Cathy Hendrie
PassPort to San Diego
The curtain has come down on another memorable Summer Pops season by the Bay. The fabulous lineup included a Beach Boys tribute, followed by a lightsaber-wielding, electrifying “Star Wars” fan concert during Comic-Con, and dazzling performances by LeAnn Rimes, Esperanza Spalding and Natalie Cole, among others. The rousing season-ending “1812 Overture” again wowed audiences.
My own experience, as Cole (or as her father, Nat King Cole) would say, proved “Unforgettable” too. A full moon and fireworks capped off a night of classic rock songs at the Pops in late August. Our staff and friends took a “Journey” through “Boston” and Kansas” and other great bands while taking in the beautiful waterfront and venue made possible by local community donors and the Port of San Diego.
Now the curtain goes up on the symphony’s downtown season, revealing a vibrant and robust 2015-2106 program with something for everyone. Performances begin the weekend of Oct. 9-11 with guest artist Yuja Wang, a world-class pianist set to take on Mozart’s 9th piano concerto. Other highlights in the classical Jacobs Masterworks Series include Tchaikovsky’s “Pathetique” in November, Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring” in December, Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” in January and Copland’s “Suite from Appalachian Spring” in May.
The Symphony’s also features exciting City Lights, Family Festival, Fox Theatre Film Series, International Passport, Chamber Music Series and a brand new at the Jacobs Music Center for 2015-16: Jazz @ The Jacobs!
City Lights concerts include Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” projected on the big screen accompanied by Danny Elfman’s enigmatic score performed live on Oct. 30-31; “A Tribute to the Music of Marvin Hamlisch” on March 4 and actor Jason Alexander, whose evenings with the symphony April 8-9, bring a hilarious re-telling of his journey to and on the Broadway stage and a program of great music from the theater.
Family Festival concerts are more fun than ever and feature, among others, “Holiday Pops” on Dec. 20. Sing along to popular holiday carols and hits including “Jingle Bells,” “Sleigh Ride” and many, many more in this one-hour afternoon version especially for families with young children.
Experience great American cinema and thrilling live organ music during the Symphony’s unique Fox Theatre Film Series bringing 1920s silent films once again to the silver screen. Films include:
“The Haunted House” (1921) and “The Cat and the Canary” (1927) on Nov. 1; “Cyrano de Bergerac” (1923) on Jan. 24 and “The Flesh and the Devil” (1926) on April 16.
International PassPort performances range from “Compañia Flamenco José Porcel” on Nov.15, a dazzling company of flamenco dancers and musicians, to Moscow Ballet on Feb. 9 to “globalFEST,” a multi-cultural musical tour on March 26.
The first jazz series in the orchestra’s 105-year history, “Jazz @ The Jacobs,” features Grammy Award-winning singers Dianne Reeves (Feb. 19) and Gregory Porter (May 7), along with some other leading names in the jazz world. First up are “Living Jazz Legends” on Nov. 21, featuring saxophonists Charles McPherson and Tom Scott, pianist Mike Wofford, singer Barbara Morrison, bassist Henry Franklin, drummer Roy McCurdy and trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos, who is curating the series.
The 2015-2016 season clearly brings many opportunities to hear the orchestra in a broad range of concerts. Buy your tickets today and experience the transformative power of great music at the San Diego Symphony! http://www.sandiegosymphony.org/