December 2009 Issue
Sounds of the Season
Ohio’s seasonal shows are music to the ears. Throughout the state there are musical performances to get you in the mood.
Ah, the musical sounds of the season: the jingle of sleigh bells, the angelic choirs, the oom-pah-pah of 500 tubas performing “Silent Night.”
The end of Thanksgiving leftovers and the beginning of December means there’s a wealth of holiday concert offerings in Ohio — well worth hopping in the car to enjoy an evening or weekend musical getaway. And there are performances for every taste and every budget (including free!).
Kenny G: The Holiday Show
Grammy-winning Kenny G’s soulful soprano saxophone defines the sound of the season — and for good reason. His 1994 compilation “Miracles” is the most successful holiday album in history, selling more than 13 million copies.
Kenny G returns to the Queen City after a sold-out 2007 holiday show. Appearing Dec. 9 at the state-of-the-art Aronoff Center for the Arts in downtown Cincinnati, Kenny G will wrap his smooth jazz sound around seasonal favorites like “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “Joy to the World.”
For show information, contact the Cincinnati Arts Association at 513/621-ARTS or visit cincinnatiarts.org. Tickets begin at $45.
TubaChristmas 2009
This season marks the 30th anniversary of a most unusual and beloved holiday tradition: TubaChristmas.
Founded and conducted by University of Akron music professor Tucker Jolly (Could there be a more perfect name for a tuba orchestra conductor?), this year’s show offers performances at noon and 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 19 at Akron’s E.J. Thomas Hall. The concerts will feature all the holiday favorites, including audience sing-alongs.
And hey, if you’ve got a tuba, a Santa hat and you’re interested in joining several hundred fellow tubists for a good time, you’re invited to take part. Simply contact Jolly at 330/972-6641. There’s a $5 fee for performers, but for audience members, the concerts are free. Tinsel-decorated tubas are optional, but encouraged.
For information on attending Akron’s TubaChristmas 2009, call E.J. Thomas Hall at 330/972-7570 or visit ejthomashall.com.
And if you can’t make it to Akron, there may be another TubaChristmas performance near you. Check online at tubachristmas.com to find out.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra Winter Tour
A Trans-Siberian Orchestra performance isn’t so much a concert as it is a sensory experience — combining elements of contemporary and classical music in a way few others can match. Think of it as rock opera meets “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” Throw in tender lyrics that touch all the themes of Christmas, add a jaw-dropping light show, and you’ve got the makings of a memorable holiday event.
TSO performs Dec. 18 at Cincinnati’s U.S. Bank Arena and settles in for four shows Dec. 19–20 at Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena. Free musical downloads at trans-siberian.com will give you a taste of what words can’t accurately describe.
For concert information, contact U.S. Bank Arena at 513/421-4111 or visit usbankarena.com, and Quicken Loans Arena at 888/894-9424 or theqarena.com. Ticket prices start at $25 to $38.50.
The Irish Tenors Christmas Show
If you’re looking for something that’s off the beaten path but still captures the best of the holiday spirit, consider The Irish Tenors — Finbar Wright, Anthony Kearns and Karl Scully — who will perform traditional carols and ballads of the Green Isle at Cincinnati’s Aronoff Center for the Arts on Dec. 12. This trio is one of the most successful Irish acts ever to tour the globe — second only to the rock group U2.
For tickets, call 513/621-ARTS or visit cincinnatiarts.org. Tickets start at $35.
Handel’s “Messiah” — The Cleveland Orchestra
To many hearts and ears, there is no more meaningful expression of the holiday season than Handel’s 1741 work, “Messiah” — especially its jubilant movement, the “Hallelujah” chorus. The voices of the Cleveland Orchestra Chamber Chorus will join the Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Robert Porco, for two performances, commemorating the 250th anniversary of Handel’s death.
Cleveland’s grand Severance Hall will be the setting for performances of “Messiah” Dec. 10 and 12, both at 8 p.m. Tickets begin at $31. For more information, call the Severance Hall ticket office at 800/686-1141 or visit clevelandorchestra.com.
“Messiah” is only one in a series of December Cleveland Orchestra events geared for listeners of all ages and interests. The annual Christmas Concerts, featuring both the orchestra and chorus, include holiday favorites and even some sing-alongs; there are eight concerts scheduled Dec. 11–20 and tickets start at $33. This year’s Holiday Musical Rainbow Series — appropriate for kids through age 9 — includes “The Music of Chanukah,” a “Christmas Brass Quintet” and “All About Kwanzaa.” Shows last 40 minutes and tickets are just $7.
Skaggs Family Christmas, The Oak Ridge Boys Christmas and Gaither Homecoming Christmas Tour
If you’re a little more country and little less rock ‘n’ roll, there is a trio of household names who will add some down-home flavor to Ohio’s holiday concert line-up.
Virtuoso bluegrass picker and 14-time Grammy Award winner Ricky Skaggs brings his Family Christmas show to the Palace Theatre in Columbus on Dec. 11. Playing multiple instruments, Skaggs and friends will perform a variety of new and old seasonal gems. For tickets, visit capa.com or call 614/469-0939. Prices start at $22.50.
The line-up of singers has evolved since the group was founded in 1943, but the pure Gospel-country harmonies of The Oak Ridge Boys have been a constant. The legends will be busy in Ohio this holiday season, performing Christmas favorites in Portsmouth on Dec. 10, in Toledo on Dec. 14 and in Lima on Dec. 15. Find all the details at oakridgeboys.com. Ticket prices start at $32.50 to $39.50.
When it comes to writers and performers of contemporary Christian and southern gospel music, there are few names that have had a more profound influence on American sacred music than the Gaither Vocal Band. Bill Gaither and his group bring their celebration of the season to Nationwide Arena in Columbus on Dec. 18. For ticket information, visit Ticketmaster at ticketmaster.com or call 800/745-3000. Tickets start at $31.50.
“The Nutcracker” Around the State
See the ballet that’s a story for the ages, loved by all ages.
The tale begins with a Christmas Eve party in a grand house with family and friends reveling around a dazzling Christmas tree. When it’s time to open presents, little Fritz becomes jealous of the gift his sister Clara received from their godfather Drosselmeyer: a handmade nutcracker so exquisite, it draws the admiration of everyone at the party. In a moment of holiday emotion that any family with children can relate to, Fritz grabs the beautiful nutcracker and breaks it. Though Drosselmeyer’s skilled hands quickly mend her new toy, Clara is heartbroken.
Later, as the party fades and Clara drifts off to sleep, the events of the evening lead her into a dreamy world of waltzing flowers, the Sugar Plum Fairy and toy soldiers led into battle by Clara’s beloved nutcracker, transformed into a handsome prince.
With music by Peter Tchaikovsky and the story by Ernst Hoffman, “The Nutcracker” ballet has become a timeless holiday classic since it was first performed in Russia in 1892. If it’s not part of your holiday tradition, why not make it one?
Happily, you can find “The Nutcracker” in every corner of the Buckeye State this season. Visit
nutcrackerballet.net, follow the links to the Ohio performances and you’ll be on your way to one of 17 shows – from easy-on-the-pocketbook community presentations to lavish stagings by international touring companies.
They include:
Moscow Ballet’s “Great Russian Nutcracker”
Sandusky State Theater, Dec. 9; Powers Auditorium, Youngstown, Dec. 11
Praised for its hand-painted backdrops and spectacular costumes, the renowned Moscow Ballet brings some original Russian flavor back to “The Nutcracker” for two Ohio performances. State Theater tickets, beginning at $24.50, are available through the box office at 419/626-1950 or through nutcracker.com. Powers Auditorium tickets start at $27.50 and are available at ticketmaster.com or by calling 800/745-3000.
Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet
PlayhouseSquare’s Allen Theatre, Cleveland, Dec. 10–13
There’s a distinctive north-of-the-border twist on this performance, with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet presenting the classic story of “The Nutcracker” in a turn-of-the-century Canadian setting. Tickets begin at only $10. Purchase by phone at 216/241-6000 or visit
playhousesquare.com.
Cincinnati Ballet
Aronoff Center for the Arts, Dec.17–27
Enjoy a performance “under the stars” in the Aronoff Center’s Procter & Gamble Hall, where the ceiling is studded with 3,000 fiber-optic lenses that add to the magic of the evening. Tickets begin at $30. Call the box office at 513/621-5282 or visit cincinnatiballet.com.
Ohio Dance Theatre
Stocker Arts Center, Elyria, Dec. 18–20
Question: What do baseball and “The Nutcracker” have in common?
Answer: Lake Erie Crushers outfielder Arden McWilliams will make his theatrical debut as Mother Ginger on opening night only in Ohio Dance Theatre’s annual production. Tickets begin at $12. Go online at ohiodancetheatre.org or call the box office at 800/995-5222.
BalletMet Columbus
Featuring the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Dec. 11–23
What does it take to assemble the Sugar Plum Fairy costume for the BalletMet Columbus production of “The Nutcracker”? A mere 133 flowers, 20 stars, 361 gems, 10 layers of tulle and 75 hours of patience. Add live accompaniment by the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and you’ve got a feast for eyes and ears. Tickets start at $29 and are available through ticketmaster.com or 800/982-2787. For more information, visit balletmet.org.
No matter which production you choose, one thing’s for sure: This holiday season, you’ll not only have visions of sugar plums dancing in your head, you’ll see them before your very eyes.
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