 OPENING SEASON
IN SAN ANTONIO
Enjoy these attractions with
your child,
your best friends
or your special someone
By LEIGH BALDWIN
For those of us who no longer have
the excitement of returning to school,
there is still something to anticipate every
autumn — the start of the new performing
arts season.
San Antonio is blessed not only with a
series of fall arts festivals supporting everything
from photography to wine and food
to music of all kinds, but a world-class symphony,
theater and opera season.
Here are the top picks for the season
from Bravo! San Antonio:
BEST DATE NIGHTS
If you and your special someone
share an interest in live music, you’re in
luck this fall. Sept. 20 and 21 mark the
25th anniversary of Jazz’SAlive, a free
two-day outdoor festival in Travis Park.
Grab a blanket and pack a picnic —
legendary jazz genius Dave Brubeck is
this year’s headliner.
San Antonio has a surprisingly vibrant
tango scene, so expect a packed house
at the Empire Theatre on Oct. 24. Tango
Argentino will showcase dance performances
by Buenos Aires Metropolitan
Tango finalists, Aldo Romero and Ana Lía
Carrizo, and Carlos Cañedo and Leah
Barsky of New York City’s The Tango
Company. A night of incredible romance
and passion awaits you!
The San Antonio Opera delivers high
drama and more with two electric performances.
The season opens Sept. 26-28 with the world’s most requested
opera, Bizet’s Carmen, named for its
shocking femme fatale lead. Opera
heartthrob Andrea Bocelli will come to
San Antonio Nov. 25 and 26 to perform
Cavalleria Rusticana, a tale of lust,
betrayal and intrigue.
 HANG OUT WITH THE GANG
Houston Street, with a number of eclectic bars and restaurants, is a perfect destination for double
dates or a big group of friends. Hit the Majestic Theatre for one
of these popular performances, and then enjoy a drink or aftertheater
dinner.
Doc Severinsen, Johnny Carson’s longtime Tonight Show maestro, is back on the road with El Ritmo de la Vida (The
Rhythm of Life). The all-new show features classical Spanish
music with a jazz flair and movie tunes. It’s at the Majestic
Theatre as part of the San Antonio Symphony’s Pops series,
Oct. 31-Nov. 2.
The Broadway Across America series returns to the Majestic
as well. Get inspired and uplifted with The Color Purple, running
Sept. 9-14, an unforgettable family drama set to a raucous, singalong
jazz, gospel and blues score.
Grab the guys for a funny night out with recent Tony Award
winner Avenue Q, a puppet/people hybrid that's definitely NOT
for the kids. Avenue Q, known for its bawdy humor and puppet
nudity, plays Oct. 7-12.
Nov. 11-16, local flavor reigns with the third installment from
ever-popular small-town Tuna, Texas, in Tuna Does Vegas, its first
new show in 10 years. Get together with the girls in your bunco
group and make an event of it!
 Don’t miss Stephen Sondheim’s classic A Funny Thing
Happened on the Way to the Forum, playing at the San Pedro
Playhouse Sept. 19-Oct. 19. The tale of a Roman slave who tries
to win his freedom by helping his master woo the girl next door,
the original Broadway production was made into a film and has
been revived several times, most recently by Nathan Lane.
TAKE THE KIDS
Research has shown that a solid foundation in artistic expression
and appreciation helps
children in all areas of learning,
including spatial and verbal
skills. But with arts education
on the decline in public
schools, step up and take your
kids to the many child-oriented
performances this fall.
The Children’s Fine Art
Series, now in its 25th season, is
the perfect place to begin.
CFAS is the only performing
arts series in San Antonio
developed exclusively for kids.
To accommodate a child’s
attention span, each performance
is approximately one
hour in length and encompasses
all performing art
forms, including music, dance
and drama.
Both fall performances are
at the Empire Theatre: The
Gruffalo, a charming tale of a
smart mouse who evades
danger by calling on his
imaginary friend, the gruffalo, is on Oct. 8. Frog in the Clouds,
based on the popular children’s book series by Max Velthuijs,
plays Nov. 12.
 The San Antonio Symphony opens with an introduction to
classical music for children (but good for grown-ups too), as
artistic advisor Christopher Seaman conducts Christopher’s
Guide to the Orchestra with celebrated pianist Orli Shaham
on Oct. 3 and 4. The evening opens with Benjamin Britten’s
popular The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, written
specifically for children. The piece follows all of the sections, or
families, of the orchestra along a simple theme, with in-depth
performances by members of the woodwinds, brass, strings
and percussion.
Before we know it, December and the holiday season will be
here again. Welcome back the perennial family favorite,
Handel’s Messiah, with Canadian conductor Jean-Marie
Zeitouni on Dec. 12 and 13 at the Majestic Theatre.
Then bring the family to a new season of Holiday Pops with
the San Antonio Symphony and the Children’s Chorus of San
Antonio. The performances Dec. 19-21 feature a fun-filled program
of singing, dancing and holiday cheer, with traditional
songs and a sing-along for the audience.
If your kids haven’t been exposed to classic Broadway musicals
before, the recent explosion of musical animated films with
animal casts will prepare them for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats Dec. 23-28.With its sweet, silly feline cast and classic melodies,
this show has been the longest-running success story in
Broadway history.
Whoever your favorite companions are, the fall performing
arts season in San Antonio offers something for everyone. On
with the show!
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