From holiday productions and festivals to a rock-guitar god to San Jose seasonal fun, there is a lot to see and do this weekend.
Here’s a partial rundown.
Victorian London comes to life
“Please sir, I want some more” overnight-oats porridge with almond milk? OK, so it might not have the ring of the original “Oliver Twist,” but you can expect things to be a little more upscale at the “Great Dickens Christmas Fair” at the Cow Palace.
Celebrating its 40th year, the fair is a total immersion into the Dickensian universe of Victorian London with dozens of costumed characters from the famed books and also history. Father Christmas? He’ll be there. Ebenezer Scrooge, Mrs. Fezziwig and the Ghost of Christmas Present? Them, too. Visitors can explore 4 acres of Victorian-style theaters, pubs, dance halls with live music and — most importantly for holiday shoppers — plenty of lamp-lit shops selling handmade gifts. For adults, this year there are special add-on events like a port-and-chocolate tasting, a Jekyll & Hyde pub crawl where you solve a mystery and a racy-sounding “Dark Garden Corset Experience” where you are personally fitted by a world-renowned corsetiere. And then there’s a miniature steam train for all the real Tiny Tims (and Tinas) out there.
Details: Through Dec. 22 at the Cow Palace, Daly City; hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays (plus the Friday after Thanksgiving); admission is $18-$45; dickensfair.com.
— John Metcalfe, Staff
Classical picks: ‘General,’ ‘Amadeus’ with soundtracks; ‘Elijah’
This week’s classical music scene includes two concerts enhanced by film — and another celebrating one of the world’s great oratorios. Here are three events to help launch the holiday season.
Silent No More: Movie lovers might want to make their way to the Telegraph Quartet’s Sunday concert at Noe Valley Ministry. The award-winning foursome will play the West Coast premiere of Stephen Prutsman’s score to “The General” alongside a screening of the classic 1926 silent film starring Buster Keaton, still one of the funniest and most innovative movies of all time.
Details: 5 p.m. Sunday; Noe Valley Ministry, San Francisco; $45 general, $15 students; noemusic.org.
“Amadeus” at the Symphony: The San Francisco Symphony’s Film with Live Orchestra series continues to yield treasures for movie lovers. This weekend, it’s “Amadeus,” the 1984 film and winner of eight Academy Awards, directed by Miloš Forman and starring actor Tom Hulce in the title role. The event is conducted by Constantine Kitsopoulos and features pianist John Wilson; Kevin Fox leads the San Francisco Symphony Choir.
Details: 7:30 Friday and Saturday; Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco; $130-$299; sfsymphony.org.
“Elijah” sings: The San Jose Symphonic Choir is set to present a single performance of Mendelssohn’s masterful oratorio about the Old Testament prophet; under conductor Leroy Kromm, the performance features bass-baritone Christian Pursell in the title role, along with soprano Marnie Breckenridge, tenor Arnold Geis, and mezzo-soprano Katherine Trimble Mills.
Details: 5 p.m. Saturday; United Methodist Church, Campbell; $35-$40, 12 and under free; sanjosesymphonicchoir.org.
— Georgia Rowe, Correspondent
‘Carols’ getting a new song
What the Dickens is going on with “A Christmas Carol” in the Bay Area? For …read more
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment