Astronomers tell us fall officially began on Wednesday. For the next six months Alaskans will endure more dark than daylight. But a dazzling onslaught of performing and fine arts events is waiting in the wings to see us through to spring. Today's calendar -- by no means complete -- is intended to help readers plan for shows that they really, really don't want to miss.
I've put together a list of 13 events that I'm particularly looking forward to, either because I know and like the work or because I'm not sure what to expect, but they sound intriguing. Limiting the list to a baker's dozen for the sake of space was no easy task, but here we go.
1. The Anchorage Symphony Orchestra season opener will kick things off with a properly noisy fanfare, 20-some brass instruments braying out the first movement from Janacek's "Sinfonietta." Van Cliburn medalist Joyce Yang should supply a pretty enjoyable rendering of the Grieg Piano Concerto, too.
2. "Van Gogh Alive -- The Experience" uses multimedia technology to project more than 3,000 enormous images, "giving viewers the sensation of walking right into Van Gogh's paintings." I'm not sure whether it will be an improvement on Van Gogh's originals, but it should be worth a look when it opens at the Anchorage Museum on Oct. 9. It's a ticketed show, but we museum members get in free.
3. Perseverance Theatre's lineup includes "Annapurna" (Sept. 25-Oct. 3), a stunning script performed by Kevin T. Bennett and Fairbanks actress Rebecca George; a new play by Anchorage's Vera Starbard, "Our Voices Will be Heard" (Feb. 19-28); and Sarah Ruhl's hilarious "In the Next Room" (April 15-24) about the invention of the vibrator. But it's the classic "Othello" (Oct. 16-Nov. 1), a play "everyone knows" but few have actually seen, that I'm most anxious to attend.
4. If "Othello" represents the apex of tragedy, Noel Coward's "Blithe Spirit" may be said to be the acme of refined comic wit. Anchorage Community Theatre will present it Oct. 9-Nov. 1. I'm also looking forward to their version of the satire "Visit To a Small Planet" by one-time Alaskan Gore Vidal (March 4-27).
5. Alaska has a number of great photographers and the best of the best are often found in the Rarefied Light Juried Show, which will open at the International Gallery of Contemporary Art on Oct. 2.
6. The Anchorage Concert Association is involved in bringing up several musicals, but for my money the best music -- and probably the best costumes -- will be found in "My Fair Lady" (Oct. 20-25).
7. The UAA Dance Ensemble's first series (Nov. 5-8) promises "all new works" by faculty and students. Original work always has priority, in my book, and director Brian Jeffery has been pushing the envelope impressively for years.
8. I was not prepared to like the musical version of "King Island Christmas," but Valley Performing Arts' production a few years back was surprisingly delightful. It will be interesting to see how it's presented in its Anchorage debut at Cyrano's (Nov. 27-Dec. 22). Another Cyrano's show fans of Kurt Vonnegut may want to note is his only play, "Happy Birthday, Wanda June" (Jan. 15-Feb 7).
9. The UAA Opera Ensemble and Anchorage Opera are teaming up for an Inupiaq adaptation of "Hansel und Gretel" titled "Aklaq and Nayak" (Dec. 11-13).
10. Speaking of Anchorage Opera, their production of tango king Astor Piazzolla's "Maria de Buenos Aires" should have us tapping our toes and crying at the same time (Jan. 21-24).
11. "Dino Light," part of the Alaska Junior Theater lineup, is a play for children about a friendly dinosaur told using light sticks. It's gotta look like a neon cartoon. AJT usually saves their public performance for the end of the week, after the shows have been presented to school groups. "Dino Light" will have its public performance on Saturday, March 26, for instance. But the first show up, the delightful tweaking of George Orwell, "Click, Clack, Moo," will have its public performance at the start of the run, to coincide with Halloween, Oct. 31, still a Saturday.
12. The stage version of former ADN reporter David Holthouse's gripping tale of sexual abuse and revenge opened in New York last year. UAA will present "Stalking the Bogeyman" from April 1-24. If the scripting team has done their job, it will not be easy viewing.
13. The Anchorage Concert Chorus will reprise Verdi's oft-sung "Requiem" on April 8 and 10 in a multimedia presentation uniting the live performance of the piece with the historic performance given by concentration camp prisoners during World War II and recorded on film. We'll be waiting to see whether the "Defiant Requiem" makes this powerful music any more stunning than it already is.
OK, we cheated in a few of the entries above by doubling and tripling up on some numbers. The calendar in today's issue will help you sort 'em for yourself. One thing to note is that where two dates and different venues are given, as with Whistling Swan shows, the first date refers to the first named venue and the second to the other.
MORE ALASKA ARTS in the Aug. 30 edition of 61° North Magazine, www.adn.com/list-article/20150830/61-north-magazine-august-2015.
Tickets for most events in Anchorage are available at centertix.net. Additional information is available at the websites of the presenting groups. Details given here are subject to change.
A quick guide to the 2015-16 arts season
Abbreviations for frequently-appearing groups and venues
SEPTEMBER
Music
25 BREAK OF REALITY, cello rock band, ACA, ACPA
26 ASO, "Pines of Rome," Grieg Piano Concerto, ACPA
29 ALASKA SOUND CELEBRATION SEND-OFF SHOW, women's barbershop group prepares to head to world championships, ACPA
Theater
25-Oct. 3 ANNAPURNA, Perseverance/ACA, ACPA
25-Oct. 11 TRIBES, Cyrano's Theatre Company
OCTOBER
Art
2 JOE HAMILTON sculptures, KRISTEN LINK sketches, opening reception, APU
2 RAREFIED LIGHT, statewide photo exhibit, opening reception, IGCA
2-Feb. 21 NEW ACQUISITIONS, AMRC
9-Jan. 10 VAN GOGH ALIVE, AMRC
Dance
10 PULSE DANCE COMPANY, Season Reveal Party, Out North
Music
1-2 GRACIAS CHOIR, Christmas Cantata 2015 U.S. Tour, ACPA (christmascantata.us)
2 THE WELL PENNIES, performing with the Anchorage Youth Symphony, ACA, ACPA
3 SCOTT BRADLEE'S POSTMODERN JUKEBOX, ACA ACPA
4 ARMIN ABDIHODZIC and MARI HAHN, Spanish music for guitar and voice, UAA Arts
8 A CAPPELLA FESTIVELLA, guest artists The Exchange, UAA Student Concert Board, Williamson Auditorium
9 MARTHA REDBONE, ACA, ACPA
9-10 JOHN SEBASTIAN, Whistling Swan, Glenn Massay Theater (Mat-Su College) and ACPA
10 ASO, "Disney at the Movies," ACPA
16 and 18 ALASKA CHAMBER SINGERS, Brahms' "German Requiem," Our Lady of Guadalupe (Anchorage) and St. Andrew Church (Eagle River)
17 4 STRINGS & 2 WINDS, chamber music for strings and winds, AFM, private home
28 JAZZ WEEK BENEFIT CONCERT, UAA Arts
31 ANCHORAGE CONCERT CHORUS, Halloween Pops, ACPA
Musical theater
20-25 MY FAIR LADY, ACA, ACPA
23-25 CARMEN, Anchorage Opera, ACPA
Theater
2-11 44 PLAYS FOR 44 PRESIDENTS, UAA Arts
9-Nov. 1 BLITHE SPIRIT, ACT
16-Nov. 1 OTHELLO, Perseverance/ACA, ACPA
16-Nov. 8 BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE, VPA
23-Nov. 15 OTHER DESERT CITIES, Cyrano's
31 CLICK, CLACK, MOO (public performance) and Halloween Afternoon, AJT, ACPA
Etc.
23 ACTION BRONSON, UAA Student Concert Board, Egan Center
NOVEMBER
Art
6 GARRY KAULITZ, SANDY STOLLE, TOM MISSEL, opening reception, APU
6 ROSEMARY REDMOND and WENDY GINGELL, opening reception, IGCA
6-Feb 7 LIVING ALASKA, group show curated by Sven Haakanson Jr., AMRC
13-Jan. 10 100 SNAPSHOTS, amateur photos of Anchorage taken in the past century, AMRC
Dance
5-8 UAA DANCE IN PERFORMANCE, UAA Arts
13-21 PULSE DANCE COMPANY, "Everybody Loves Magic," Chilkoot Charlie's
27-29 NUTCRACKER BALLET, ACA, ACPA
Music
1 UAA FACULTY TRIO, Dvorak, Beethoven, Shostakovich, UAA Arts
5 UAA WIND ENSEMBLE, Fall Tour, Dimond High School
7 ALASKA SOUND CELEBRATION, 11th Annual Celebrate the Music Fall Show, ACPA
?8 JAZZ FIGHTING HUNGER, AMRC
11-13 CHRISTMAS WITH THE ALASKA CHAMBER SINGERS, St. Patrick's Parish (Anchorage) and St. Andrew Church (Eagle River)
13 UAA WIND ENSEMBLE, Fall Tour, Kenai Central High School
13 SARA DAVIS BUECHNER, piano music by Mozart, Gershwin, UAA Arts
14-15 CHRIS SMITHER, Whistling Swan, ACPA and Glenn Massay Theater (Mat-Su College)
14 ASO, Bartok, ACPA
18 EDDIE IZZARD, ACA, ACPA
?20 ANCHORAGE CIVIC ORCHESTRA, Gorecki Symphony 3 and Rodrigo Guitar Concerto, ACPA
21-22 DAN BERN, Whistling Swan, Tap Root and Vagabond Blues (Palmer)
Musical theater
27-Dec. 22 KING ISLAND CHRISTMAS, Cyrano's
Theater
20-Dec. 20 THE SECRET GARDEN, ACT
20-29 MARIE ANTOINETTE, UAA Arts
Etc.
14 LETTERS ALOUD, ACA, ACPA
14 LETTERS ALOUD, ACA, ACPA
DECEMBER
Art
4 ALASKA PHOTOGRAPHIC CENTER, group show, opening reception, APU
4 NATHAN SHAFER, "Centennial Project," opening reception, IGCA
Music
1 ANCHORAGE YOUTH SYMPHONIES, Bizet, Moussorgsky, Copland, ACPA
4-5 DOM FLEMONS, Whistling Swan, ACPA and Vagabond Blues (Palmer)
6 ANCHORAGE CONCERT CHORUS, "Messiah," West High Auditorium
5 UAA SINFONIA, Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons," UAA Arts
9 UAA CHAMBER MUSIC CLASS, Schubert, Brahms, Beethoven, Stravinsky, UAA Arts
10 UAA PIANO MASTER CLASS RECITAL, UAA Arts
12 BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA, ACA, ACPA
12 ALASKA CHILDREN'S CHOIR, holiday program, St. John Lutheran, Palmer
19 ALASKA CHILDREN'S CHOIR, holiday program, Anchorage concert, location TBA
20 ANCHORAGE CONCERT CHORUS, Family Holiday Pops, ACPA
Musical theater
11-13 AKLAQ AND NAYAK, an Inupiaq adaptation of "Hansel und Gretel," UAA Opera Ensemble/Anchorage Opera, UAA Arts
Theater
5 MADELINE AND THE BAD HAT (public performance), AJT, ACPA
18-27 A CHRISTMAS CAROL, Perseverance/ACA, ACPA
JANUARY
Art
8 ANNUAL MEMBER ARTIST EXHIBIT, opening reception, IGCA
8 RHONDA SCOTT landscapes and CHARLES MASON photography, opening reception, APU
Music
9-10 ALASDAIR FRASER and NATALIE HAAS, Whistling Swan, ACPA and Vagabond Blues (Palmer)
10 MUSIC INSPIRED BY BIRDSONG, Grieg, Liszt, Stravinsky, Messiean, AFM, private home
30 ASO, world premiere of Eric Ewazen's Concerto for Violin and Cello, ACPA
Musical theater
12-17 MAMMA MIA, ACA, ACPA
21-24 MARIA DE BUENOS AIRES, Anchorage Opera, ACPA
Theater
15-31 THE HALLELUJAH GIRLS, VPA
15-Feb. 7 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WANDA JUNE, Cyrano's
22-Feb. 14 OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS, ACT
Etc.
9 ASO, "City Lights," live orchestra accompaniment to Charlie Chaplin film, ACPA
23 CAPITOL STEPS, ACA, ACPA
FEBRUARY
Art
5 AMY MEISSNER fiber art and COLE ROBBINS sculpture, opening reception, APU
5 DON DECKER, opening reception, IGCA
Dance
19-28 PULSE DANCE COMPANY, "Thrice," triple bill of new work, APU
Music
5-7 ALASKA AIRLINES WINTER CLASSICS CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES, guests include the Cypress Quartet and Paul Rosenthal, UAA Arts
6 JAKE SHIMABUKURO, ACA, ACPA
?6 ANCHORAGE CIVIC ORCHESTRA, Dvorak and Mozart, ACPA
12 AFIARA QUARTET, ACA, ACPA
20 ASO, "James Bond and Beyond," ACPA
23 ANCHORAGE YOUTH SYMPHONIES, ACPA
26 DUBLIN GUITAR QUARTET, ACA, ACPA
27 RECYCLED PERCUSSION, ACA, ACPA
?27-28 SYMPHONY OF SOUNDS, UAA Arts
27-28 ALASKA CHAMBER SINGERS, Celebrating 30 years of song, Our Lady of Guadalupe (Anchorage) and St. Andrew Church (Eagle River)
Theater
6 ALICE IN WONDERLAND, public performance, AJT, ACPA
25-March 20 GOOD MEN WANTED, TossPot Productions, Cyrano's
26-March 6 EURYDICE, UAA Arts
19-March 13 ANNE OF AVONLEA, VPA
19-21 POTTED POTTER, ACA, ACPA
19-28 OUR VOICES WILL BE HEARD, Perseverance/ACA, ACPA
Etc.
12-13 NEW SHANGHAI CIRCUS, ACA, ACPA
MARCH
Art
4 KATHERINE COONS and TRACY ANN BADER, opening reception, APU
Music
3 UAA EARLY MUSIC ENSEMBLE, UAA Arts
4 DONALD SINTA SAXOPHONE QUARTET, ACA, ACPA
5 ASO, "Carnival of the Animals," ACPA
?9-12 JAZZ WEEK, UAA Arts
11 LOVE CANON, ACA, ACPA
12 DAVID SANBORN, ACA, ACPA
18 SOLAS, ACA, ACPA
?31 JOHN LUTTERMAN, music for solo cello and viola da gamba, UAA Arts
Theater
4-27 VISIT TO A SMALL PLANET, ACT
26 DINO LIGHT: A GLOW-IN-THE-DARK ADVENTURE, public performance, AJT, ACPA
31-April 24 RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN, Cyrano's
APRIL
Art
1 APU STAFF AND STUDENTS GROUP SHOW, opening reception, APU
Dance
14-17 NEW DANCES 2016, UAA Arts
Music
2-3 ASO, Hovhaness' "Mysterious Mountain" and Dvorak's "New World Symphony," ACPA
8 and 10 ANCHORAGE CONCERT CHORUS, "Defiant Requiem," Verdi at Terezin, ACPA
?9 UAA FACULTY CONCERT, UAA Arts
16 ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL, ACA, ACPA
23 DALA, ACA, ACPA
24 BAROQUE CABARET, music by jazz man Claude Bolling and Enlightenment giant Marin Marais, AFM, UAA Arts
26-May 1 PETER PAN, ACA, ACPA
30 ANCHORAGE YOUTH SYMPHONIES, ACPA
Musical theater
15-17 THE MIKADO, Anchorage Opera, ACPA
Theater
1-24 STALKING THE BOGEYMAN, UAA Arts
1-17 ON GOLDEN POND, VPA
15-May 15 DEATHTRAP, ACT
15-24 IN THE NEXT ROOM, OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY, Perseverance/ACA, ACPA
MAY
Art
6 LORRIE DAVIS and MARY LEE GUTHRIE paintings, opening reception, APU
?Music
6 SCRAP ARTS MUSIC, public performance, AJT
13-14 LIVINGSTON TAYLOR, Whistling Swan, Glenn Massay Theater (Mat-Su College) and ACPA
15 BELA FLECK and ABIGAIL WASHBURN, ACA, ACPA
Musical theater
6-29 THE FANTASTICKS, VPA
20-28 SWEENEY TODD, Perseverance/ACA, ACPA
Theater
5-29 THE GOOD TIMES ARE KILLING ME, Cyrano's