Category Archives: Holidays

LR Wind Symphony Christmas Celebration

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The Little Rock Wind Symphony will present its annual Christmas concert this evening at 7:30 pm.

To celebrate the season, the concert features an extravaganza of favorite Christmas carols performed by the Little Rock Wind Symphony and fabulous guest artists. Join the fun as Suzanne Hamilton, the winner of the Christmas baton, takes the podium to lead the LRWC in Leroy Anderson’s classic “Sleigh Ride.” And of course, don’t miss your chance to sing-along with the LRWS!

The concert features Suzanne Loerch, mezzo soprano as well as the Don Roberts Elementary School Children’s Choir.

The Little Rock Wind Symphony is under the baton of Karen Fannin.  The concert will take place at Second Presbyterian Church.

 

Ballet Arkansas presents THE NUTCRACKER

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One of the sure signs of the Christmas season is the return of The Nutcracker to ballet companies across America.  Ballet Arkansas presents the annual production this weekend on December 7, 8 and 9 at Robinson Center Music Hall.  (School performances are going on throughout the week.)

Celebrate the season with your professional ballet company as we continue a favorite Christmas tradition performing The Nutcracker accompanied by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Geoffrey Robson. Every year this fun field production creates lifelong memories for hundreds of Arkansas families. With gorgeous scenery, enchanting costumes and original choreography, Ballet Arkansas will present The Nutcracker at Robinson Center Music Hall on December 7th – 9th.

The Nutcracker tells the story of Clara and her magical nutcracker doll and their wondrous journey to the Land of Snow and Kingdom of Sweets. This year’s production boasts new choreography from Ballet Mistress, Marla Edwards, new to the company this season, as well as co-director Allison Stodola Wilson. These directors along with choreographers Traci Presley and Jana Beard have taken this much loved holiday favorite to new heights creating an enchanting production that will delight audience members of all ages.

This year’s production will feature the nine professional company members of Ballet Arkansas, comprised of Anna Maris (Arabian/Dew Drop), Sean Porter (Arabian/Russian/Rat King), Lauren McCarty Horak (Spanish/Marzipan), Paul Tillman (Snow King/Russian), Katchiri Tillman (Snow Queen/Marzipan), Amanda Sewell (Doll/Marzipan), Laurel Dix (Chinese), Toby Lewellen (Nutcracker Prince/Russian/Spanish) and Leslie Dodge (Sugar Plum Fairy). In addition to these nine company members, Ballet West Principal Artist and Ballet Arkansas Artistic Advisor, Michael Bearden, will grace the stage, dancing the roll of the Cavalier. Other corps rolls will be danced by Ballet Arkansas II company members Akiko Kyong-McClain, Mysti Kirkpatrick, Rachael Schwartz, Haley Jones, Laura Russell and Elizabeth Wing in addition to 175 other Arkansas students and performers.

The Nutcracker is the perfect yuletide gift, the ideal means of introducing children to the power and beauty of classical dance, and a delightful way for the entire family to ring in the holiday season. Make Ballet Arkansas’ Nutcracker part of your holiday celebration this December! To purchase tickets for the December 7th, 8th or 9th public shows to The Nutcracker, visit www.balletarkansas.org or call 501-666-1761. Tickets range from $20-$45.

Ballet Arkansas performances of The Nutcracker are generously sponsored by: Orthodontic Associates, Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Pleasant Ridge Towne Center, The Dance & More Store, Arkansas Times along with support from the Arkansas Arts Council.

A Capital Christmas: Capital Hotel Tree Lighting Tonight

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The Capital Hotel is wrapped up in the Christmas spirit. The 2012 edition of A Capital Christmas actually kicked off yesterday with Ballet Arkansas’ Nutcracker Tea. But at the Capital this evening, the hotel lobby’s famous Christmas tree will be lit in a Christmas celebration.

Tonight’s festivities kick off at 5pm. In addition to the tree lighting, Chef Tandra’s gingerbread village will be unveiled. The front windows of the hotel have been wrapped for over a week as the village has been built in an enclosed section of the lobby.

Throughout December there will be many other events at the Capital Hotel. This Saturday (December 8) Ashley’s will host a Teddy Bear Tea. Pre-paid reservations are required for this event which is sure to sell out. Contact 501.370.7015 or lingold@capitalhotel.com.

Saturday the 8th, Sunday the 9th and Sunday the 16th, there will be Gingerbread House Workshops for children 5 and up. A special Adults only workshop will take place on Saturday the 15th. For pre-paid reservations, contact 501.370.7015 or lingold@capitalhotel.com.

There will be other events and special activities throughout the season.  For more updates, visit the Capital Hotel website.

Make Your Own History at Holiday Open Houses

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The three Little Rock based museums of the Department of Arkansas Heritage will host Holiday Open Houses this Sunday, December 2.

Christmas Frolic 2012Historic Arkansas Museumwill host the 45th Annual Christmas Frolic and Open House.  While I have not attended all of them, I did attend as a child and do return as an adult.  (Sipping the cider for me seems to officially start the Christmas season.)

HAM encourages visitors to:

Keep your family tradition going, or make a new one and join hundreds of others who have danced their first Virginia Reel in the Hinderliter Grog Shop, the oldest house in Little Rock. It’s always fun to watch your kids sashay down the line for the first time, or to brush up on your own steps.

From sack races to stilts, from fiddling to frolicking, this favorite seasonal event charms one and all with old-fashioned fun. Bring the whole family out and enjoy live music, crafts, carols, pioneer games and our famous hot cider and ginger cake.

Don’t forget to stop by the Museum Store for Arkansas-made holiday shopping. Kay Collett Goss will be in the Museum Store during the Frolic signing copies of her book Mr. Chairman: The Life and Legacy of Wilbur D. Mills.

The Christmas Frolic and Open House runs from 1pm to 4pm and is free.

 

The Old State House will host its own Holiday Open House.

The traditions of joyous family holiday celebrations past can be relived at Holiday Open House. Visitors will find the Old State House colorfully decorated for the season. Fun, hands-on activities will be available to children; they can create unique holiday cards and more! Delightful carols will be performed by local music groups. Visitors will also enjoy delicious cookies and punch.

The Open House at the Old State House runs from 1pm to 4:30pm and is free.

 


143657The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center is the newest museum of DAH.  Though the new kid on the block, it is creating its own Holiday Open House traditions.  Their holiday celebration will include holiday music by local choirs, children’s activities, refreshments, and the first event sweet potatoe pie contest.  It is also a great opportunity to view the exhibit “A Voice Through the Viewfinder: Images of Arkansas’s Black Community” which closes on January 5, 2013.

The Open House at Mosaic Templars is from2pm to 5pm and is free.

CITY MOUSE, COUNTRY MOUSE, CHRISTMAS HOUSE at the Children’s Theatre

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It’s sleigh-loads of Christmas excitement at the City Mouse house with a whole lotta stirrin’ going on this Christmas Eve! It’s hardly the “silent-night-hot-cocoa-and-candy-canes-by-firelight” Christmas that Country Mouse expected with his City Mouse cousin. And to top it all off like a star on a tree, you’ll never believe who comes to visit!

This year’s holiday offering is an original script written by Keith Smith for the Arkansas Arts Center Children’s Theatre. The musical is very loosely based on Aesop’s fable “Town Mouse and Country Mouse.” Full of physical comedy, this production is a refreshing twist on a classic story.

The production opens tonight and runs through December 16.  Public performances are Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 1 and 3 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Handel’s MESSIAH tonight

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PhotoThe Arkansas Choral Society’s annual presentation of selections from Handel’s MESSIAH takes place tonight.

Tonight’s performance of will consist of the Christmas portion of Handel’s oratorio Messiah plus some selected other choruses and solos. The ACS will be joined by the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Vesper Choir.  They will be accompanied by musicians from the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.

The performance takes place at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the First Pentecostal Church, 1401 Calvary Drive (off Interstate 40), North Little Rock. Tickets: $15, $10 students. Call (501) 376-8484 for more information.

The Arkansas Choral Society is under the direction of Dr. Kent Skinner.  He is currently the Director of Choral Activities for the University of Arkansas at Monticello. In this capacity, Dr. SKinner leads the choral program and serves as both stage and music director for the university’s opera and music theatre.

The Arkansas Choral Society is central Arkansas’s oldest continually operating musical organization. Best known for performing Handel’s Messiah in whole or in part every year since 1930, the Society’s repertoire includes both classical and contemporary works. Historically the group has traveled Arkansas performing concerts and has also performed at special events such as the Arkansas Sesquicentennial Celebration in 1986.

The Arkansas Choral Society partners with high school and college choirs throughout Arkansas for its performances, and offers scholarships for college students. The mission of the Arkansas Choral Society is to further and improve choral singing in Arkansas, by performing Handel’s Messiah on an annual basis; by partnering with Arkansas college and high school choruses; and by awarding scholarships to choral singers who are or will be college students, while inviting everyone to join us and to attend our concerts.

Moscow Ballet NUTCRACKER in LR on November 25

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arabian-new

Karyna Shatkovskaya in Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker

On Sunday, November 25, the special 20th Anniversary production of Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker will be performed at Robinson Center Music Hall.

This production features a spectacular new “Dove of Peace,” where 2 dancers become one stunning bird, inspired by the early works of Stanislov Vlasov, original choreographer and director of Moscow Ballet’s inaugural Great Russian Nutcracker. The production also features a Christmas tree that grows to 7 stories tall; falling snow and Troika-styled sleigh escorted by Russian folk characters Ded Moroz (Father Christmas) and Snegurochka (Snow Maiden); towering hand-made silk puppets; 200 all new, lavish costumes; and 9 hand-painted backdrops, all set to Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s complete Nutcracker Suitescore.

For 20 years, Great Russian Nutcracker performances have featured the finest Russian ballerinas and danseurs. From former Bolshoi soloist Stanislov Vlasov and partner Lilia Sabitova (People’s Artist of Russia) in 1993 to the classic Marina Alexandrova and Vitaly Zabelin in 1996; danseur and upstart choreographer Anatolie Emelianov and Honored Artist of Russia Tatiana Predenia in 2002; Varna IBC Gold Medalists Cristina and Alexei Terentiev in 2006; and award winning partners Karyna Shatkovskaya and Vladimir Tkachenko in 2011. Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker celebrates 20 years of soaring holiday spirit!

Tickets can be purchased here.