For the last 17 years, Knoxville Opera’s Rossini Festival International Street Fair has grown and evolved from an event aimed mostly at opera-goers, into a multi-genre, multi-stage festival of performances, artisans, and food that attracts a diverse cross-section of Knoxvillians. Now in its 18th year, the festival this Saturday is again evolving to meet the demands of the city in 2019. Festival goers will notice a difference in the street areas involved—a shift to the west and a Gay Street open to vehicular traffic. According to Knoxville Opera executive director Brian Salesky: “The footprint of this year’s Rossini Festival includes most of the previous footprint, plus additional areas on Market Street and Church Avenue. Allowing traffic to proceed on Gay Street on Saturday will make it much easier for folks to approach the Festival.”
The Knoxville Opera and Choral Music Stage will be situated on Church Avenue near Gay Street facing south. A stage featuring Instrumental Ensembles (jazz, brass, klezmer, and other bands) will be located in the Krutch Park extension off of Gay Street. A Market Street Music Stage featuring other ensembles will be located in Market Street south of Church Avenue. As in the past, Dance Ensembles can be found on the stage in Market Square. Food vendors and artisan booths will be located on Union, Market, Clinch, and Church, as well as in the large parking lot between Church and the Bijou Theatre.
Check out the map and vendor list on the Knoxville Opera website.
On Thursday and Friday evenings, the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra presents its April Masterworks concerts, this week featuring Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. The orchestra, with conductor Aram Demirjian on the podium, will be joined by the Knoxville Choral Society, Webb School of Knoxville Chamber Singers, and soloists Kathryn Frady, soprano; Jan Wilson, mezzo soprano; Andrew Skoog, tenor; and Griffen Tracy, bass.
Starting off the evening is Banner for String Quartet and Chamber Orchestra by Jessie Montgomery and Mark Harrell’s Time Like an Everflowing Stream
Thursday and Friday, 7:30 PM, at the Tennessee Theatre
Tickets and information
Thursday thru Sunday, the Carpetbag Theatre presents SWOPERA (Spoken Word Opera) at UT’s Carousel Theatre.
“Swopera tells a contemporary story of gentrification, one family’s efforts to save their business, Lowell’s Soulfood Cafe, in light of changing community dynamics, and finding unexpected leadership in the youngest member of the family, Lem. The text is delivered in spoken word poetry and rhyme, accompanied by elements of hip-hop and soul. ”
Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 PM; Sunday afternoon at 4:00 PM at Carousel Theatre
On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the University of Tennessee Opera Theatre presents Bizet’s Carmen at the Bijou Theatre. The UT Opera Orchestra is conducted by Kevin Class; stage direction is by James Marvel.
There are four performances with multiple casts:
Friday, April 12 at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 13 at 2:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 14 at 2:30 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased at knoxbijou.org
Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay Street
Opening on Friday evening is Flying Anvil Theatre‘s production of A Doll’s House, Part 2 by Lucas Hnath.
“In the final scene of Ibsen’s 1879 groundbreaking masterwork, Nora Helmer makes the shocking decision to leave her husband and children, and begin a life on her own. This climactic event—when Nora slams the door on everything in her life—instantly propelled world drama into the modern age. In A DOLL’S HOUSE, PART 2, many years have passed since Nora’s exit. Now, there’s a knock on that same door. Nora has returned. But why? And what will it mean for those she left behind?”
Runs through April 28 – Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 PM; Sundays at 2:00 PM
Flying Anvil Theatre, 1300 Rocky Hill Road
Continuing Productions and Exhibitions
The Real Inspector Hound at the Clarence Brown Theatre’s Lab Theatre
Review
Through Sunday, April 14
Tickets and Information
One Slight Hitch at Theatre Knoxville Downtown (new location-800 S. Central)
Review
Through April 21
Tickets and Information
Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street:
• Knoxville Modern Quilt Guild Quilt Show 2019
• Framing the Scene: Seeing the Situation – Owens & Woodside
• Pam Hamilton: The Woman Within
• Judy Overholt Wheeler: Putting the Pieces Together – Mosaic Art
• YARDAGE by Doane, Everett, Beals Pace, Shebaro, Stair & Turner
UT Downtown Gallery, 106 S. Gay Street: Tommy Kha (Photography and video)
Elle Colquitt (Photography) at Awaken Coffee, 125 W. Jackson Avenue
“Colquitt is fascinated with reflections and their odd juxtapositions and layered imagery, suggesting that nothing is ever what it appears to be. In her photography series, Reflecting on Knoxville, she challenges the viewer to look closely for hidden components that lie just beneath the surface.”
Through April 28
At Broadway Studios and Gallery:
Knox County Schools Visual Arts Department in partnership with Broadway Studios and Gallery presents an art exhibition from Knox County Elementary Schools, “Every Child is an Artist.”
Broadway Studios and Gallery, 1127 Broadway
www.BroadwayStudiosAndGallery.com
At Dogwood Arts:
Limited Edition Print Artist Exhibition & Spring Event Showcase
Dogwood Arts information: 865-637-4561, https://www.dogwoodarts.com
Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church: Exhibit by Robert H. Thompson and Anita DeAngelis
April 13, 2019 — June 12, 2019
Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, 2931 Kingston Pike
Gallery hours: M-Th 10-5, Su 10-1. Information: 865-523-4176, www.tvuuc.org
