Performania: A Spotlight on Texas Stages

Nancy Wozny·
AustinDallas/Ft WorthDanceHoustonMusicSan AntonioTheater
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Austin

DakhaBrakha at Texas Performing Arts/Fusebox

Texas Performing Arts and Fusebox present DakhaBrakha, the world music quartet from Kyiv, Ukraine, on April 11 at Bass Hall. DakhaBrakha, which translates to “give and take,” creates a trans-national sound rooted at the crossroads of Ukrainian folklore and theatre. Expect a powerful vocal range and a mix of contemporary and traditional rhythms

Bob & Jean: A Love Story at ZACH Theatre

ZACH Theatre presents Bob & Jean: A Love Story, the latest play from Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan, March 19-April 19. Based on his parents’ letters, Bob and Jean tells the story of endearing and enduring love. Schenkkan, an Austin native, draws from his Texas roots for this heartfelt new play.

Houston

The Sleeping Beauty at Houston Ballet

Houston Ballet presents Ben Stevenson’s The Sleeping Beauty with music by  Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, March 13-23 at Wortham Center. “Since its debut in 1990, Houston Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty remains a favorite for the company and is recognized as a supreme achievement of classical ballet,” says Houston Ballet’s Artistic Director Stanton Welch. With Houston Ballet’s outstanding dancers and sets and costumes by the legendary designer Desmond Heeley, the production is a great introduction to ballet and the city’s jewel of a company.

Kodō: Warabe at Performing Arts Houston

Performing Arts Houston presents Kodō: Warabe on March 29 at Jones Hall in a production that “blends simple forms of taiko expression that celebrate the unique sound, resonance, and physicality synonymous with Kodō―forever children of the drum at heart.”

Dallas/Fort Worth

Whim W’Him at TITAS/Dance Unbound

TITAS/Dance Unbound presents Whim W’Him making their Texas debut in an evening of new work by Cameron Fraser-Monroe, Robyn Mineko Williams and

Whim W’Him founder Olivier Wevers on April 11 at Winspear Opera House. The award-winning Seattle-based contemporary dance company is known for  showcasing innovative dance in collaboration with global artists.

Orchestra of New Spain

Orchestra of New Spain presents On the Eve of Rose Sunday – A Spanish Easter Celebration. Celebrate the Lenten season on April 5 at Zion Lutheran Church in a program that includes Haydn’s Symphony 49 “La Passione,”plus music for Lent by Francisco Courcelle and more.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch at Stage West

Stage West presents Hedwig and The Angry Inch, with text by John Cameron Mitchell with music and lyrics by Stephen Trask, March 13-30. The Tony Award- winning musical is now considered a classic of glitter and grit.

San Antonio

Pablo Sáinz-Villegas and Agarita at the Tobin Center

World-renowned guitarist Pablo Sáinz-Villegas returns to San Antonio for a collaboration with Agarita on March 9 at the Tobin Center for the Arts. “His sheer virtuosity, combined with a natural ability to connect with his music and audiences, make him an unforgettable artist.”

Madame Butterfly at Opera San Antonio

Opera San Antonio presents Giacomo Puccini’s Madame Butterfly April 17 & 19 at the Tobin Center for the Arts, produced in collaboration with Austin Opera, The Orchestra San Antonio presented by Classical Music Institute. The cast includes Raquel Gonzalez as Butterfly and Joseph Dennis as LT Pinkerton and is conducted by Francesco Milioto.

—NANCY WOZNY

Nancy Wozny

Nancy Wozny is editor in chief at Arts and Culture Texas, a contributing editor at Dance Magazine and a frequent contributor to Pointe Magazine and Dance Teacher.