datebook. STEVE TYRELL & FRIENDS Mar 13 With a little help from his friends Diane Schuur, Lew Soloff and Judith Hill, Grammy award-winning vocalist and Houston hero Steve Tyrell returns to sing with the Houston Symphony. Experience a night filled with once-in-a-lifetime performances of American standards like You’re So Nice to Come Home To, Bewitched, The Way You Look Tonight and I Get a Kick Out of You. Tickets $29-$119. 7:30 pm. Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. 713.224.7575. houstonsymphony.org
triggers a searing examination of the past in this tour-de-force written for superstar Frederica von Stade. The story is rich with regional imagery by Horton Foote, the legendary Texas playwright and author. Tickets $20-$80. Wortham Center, 501 Texas. 713.228.6737. houstongrandopera.org BEETHOVEN’S MASS IN C Mar 21-23 In this program of extraordinary contrast and similarities, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos conducts works of two great composers – Beethoven and Stravinsky – born more than 100 years apart but connected by their approach to composition. The music is indeed charming and disarmingly simple, inspired by the traditional hero of the Neapolitan commedia dell’arte. Tickets $25-$119. Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. 713.224.7575. houstonsymphony.org
JEREMY DANIEL
AMERICAN IDIOT Mar 21-23 Direct from Broadway, the smash-hit musical American Idiot tells the story of three lifelong friends, forced to choose between their dreams and the safety of suburbia. Based on Green Day’s Grammy Award-winning multi-platinum album and featuring the hits Boulevard of Broken Dreams, 21 Guns, Wake Me Up When September Ends, Holiday and the blockbuster title track, American Idiot boldly takes the American musical where it’s never gone before. Adult content and strong language. Tickets start at $35. Hobby Center, 800 Bagby. 800.745.3000. thehobbycenter.org
ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER Mar 14-15 A Houston favorite returns. Experience the power of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and see for yourself why this extraordinary company is hailed as America’s cultural ambassador to the world. From the pulse-racing thrill of contemporary favorites to the spirit–lifting joy of beloved classics, these magnificent dancers offer something for every taste. Closing the program will be Alvin Ailey’s masterpiece, Revelations, which The New York Times hails as “one of the great works of the human spirit.” Tickets $43-$118. Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. 713.227.4SPA. spahouston.org A COFFIN IN EGYPT Mar 14-21 An intimate afternoon conversation
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ISRAEL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Mar 27 The Israel Philharmonic has not graced the Jones Hall stage since 1993, and SPA is proud to present them once again. Israel’s consummate cultural ambassador, the Israel Philharmonic is under the musical direction of Zubin Mehta and led by Principal Guest Conductor Gianandrea Noseda. Founded in 1936, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the country’s oldest and most influential cultural institutions and has dedicated itself to presenting the world’s greatest music to audiences in Israel and around the world. Houston audiences will be delighted with a program that includes Berlioz’ unforgettable Symphonie fantastique, and Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite and Daphnis et Chloé: Suite No.2.
downtownhouston.org
Tickets $33-$153. 8 pm. Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. 713.227.4SPA. spahouston.org DREAMS AND NIGHTMARES Mar 28 Fanciful and ominous concertos featuring Vivaldi’s recorder concerto, La Notte Tickets $10-$65. 8 pm. Wortham Center, 501 Texas. 713.533.0080. mercuryhouston.org 100 YEARS OF BROADWAY Mar 28-30 Centennial celebrations continue as Michael Krajewski assembles a night that encompasses American musical theater’s absolute greatest hits. You’ll hear songs like Music of the Night from Phantom of the Opera, Circle of Life from The Lion King and Summertime from Porgy and Bess. Tickets $25-$130. Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. 713.224.7575. houstonsymphony.org SUSANNA Mar 29-30 Ars Lyrica is proud to present the Texas première of this magnificent Handel oratorio on the Old Testament story of Susanna and the Elders, starring mezzo-soprano Marie Lenormand in the title role. With soprano Melissa Givens, mezzo-soprano Abigail Levis, tenor Zachary Averyt, baritone Brian Shircliffe, bass-baritone Timothy Jones, and the UH Moores School of Music Concert Chorale, Betsy Weber, director. Tickets start at $35. Hobby Center, 800 Bagby. 713.315.2525. thehobbycenter.com WAYNE SHORTER QUARTET Apr 1 Legendary saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter’s continually expanding body of work is inextricably linked to the history of modern music. A pioneer since his emergence in the 1950s, his trajectory has restlessly embodied continual exploration and unencumbered momentum. Tickets $35-$65. 8 pm. Wortham Center, 501 Texas. 713.524.5050. dacamera.com A LITTLE DAY MUSIC Apr 2 A Little Day Music concerts fulfill an important aspect of Da Camera’s mission to develop the audience for chamber music and jazz by making it accessible to everyone and part of everyday life. The April concert features The Woody Witt Quartet as it celebrates jazz legend Wayne Shorter’s 80th birthday. Bring your lunch and enjoy the wide variety of artists and ensembles presented this season. Free. Noon. Wortham Center. 501 Texas. 713.524.5050. dacamera.com COMMUNICATING DOORS Apr 4-27 Award-winning playwright Alan Ayckbourn (House & Garden) returns to the Alley in this ingenious comic tour de force where Back to the Future meets Hitchcock. In 2024 Phoebe, a “private personal services consultant,” finds herself with an elderly client in a posh hotel room. She opens the wrong door and finds herself running for her life. Soon she is confronting her own past by way of a woman named Ruella, and the two join forces to prevent a murder, while Phoebe’s gradual friendship with that remarkable woman changes the future for both of them. Tickets $26-$80. Alley Theatre, 615 Texas. 713.220.5700. alleytheatre.org