The Sacramento Ballet returned to the Mondavi Center at UC Davis on Thursday to star in one of only a handful of "events" in the inaugural season of the Vanderhoef Studio Theatre's Studio Dance Series. The program, "An Evening of Solos, Duets and Trios," will be repeated at 8 tonight (Friday) and Saturday. Co-artistic directors Ron Cunningham and Carinne Binda have assembled a program of 10 dances representative of the company's breadth and depth. They chose four dances choreographed by the brilliant George Balanchine (from among 18 in the company's repertory); one by former company member Nicole Haskins, currently dancing with the Washington Ballet and recently selected for the prestigi

[Note: text written by Natalie Nelson, Director of the Pence Gallery in Davis. Natalie coordinated and moderated the "Arts Grown Locally" panel discussion.] For those living in mostly rural Yolo County, sometimesa town like Davis or Woodland can feel a little isolated. However, it means that you have a world of entertainment choices in terms of options for great art, music, and dance, despite Yolo’s small population of 200,000+ people. This past year of 2012 was a watershed year for the arts in Yolo County. The Nelson Gallery of UC Davis received a large naming gift, and embarked on a campaign to build a new facility. John Natsoulas created a gallery of public art throughout downtown Dav

On Wednesday the holiday season officially began at the UC Davis Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts. “An Nollaig in Éirinn,” or “Christmas in Ireland,” was the theme for the evening of entertainment by award-winning Irish ensemble, Danú. The performance was all about sharing Irish Christmas traditions – both those that include music and those that don’t.  Christmas in Ireland must be a whole lot of fun. The six-member group shared the stage throughout the night, each taking the mic on different occasions to introduce a song, story or joke to educate and amuse the Jackson Hall audience. Lead vocalist Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh had a voice that was powerful, smooth and entirely enchanting.

A current trend among some entertainers these days is to present their act as "A Conversation With ..," turning what would be a stand-up performance into a Q and A session with the audience. Robin Williams and Ricky Gervase are among those letting (or making) the audience do half the show's work. Not David Sedaris, who appeared Friday night at the Mondavi Center in Davis and is scheduled to perform tonight at the Center for the Arts in Nevada City. The essayist, radio personality and public speaker did include a question-and-answer session -- but only after -- a 90-minute program in which he actually structured a presentation of monologues, readings from his journals and essays, and a sel

It takes no time to be who you are, but it takes time to be misguided. And as the music started and lights dimmed at 8 p.m. at the Mondavi Center Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, to an almost sold-out audience, a sense of time disappeared. World-famous pianist Emanuel Ax tapped lightly on the ivory keys of the antique piano in front of him, made in Vienna circa 1700 AD, while musicians playing replicas or authentic instruments of the same time period sat behind him. The Western Health Advantage Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra played Beethoven’s Concerto No. 4, using only the instruments of that period. “Baroque is the period in which the music was written and played on the instruments of that tim

Alt-rock godfathers and Lollapalooza festival founders Jane's Addiction brought  their "Theatre of the Escapists" Tour to the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts at UC Davis Saturday night. Thenewno2 ("the new number two") opened. The band played a mix of songs ranging from three off of their most recent album, 2011's The Great Escape Artist, to their classic back catalog that prompted many full-throated audience sing-alongs. Their first studio album, 1988's Nothing's Shocking, was well-represented with "Mountain Song, "Ted, Just Admit It...," "Ocean Size," "Up The Beach," and with "Jane Says" played with Dave Navarro (on acoustic guitar) and bassist Chris Chaney sitting in comforta

photographs by Barry Wisdom /   Man comes into this world alone and he exits it alone. So it is only fitting that Elvis Costello is celebrating an anticipated 100th anniversary on Earth sans Attractions, and free from Imposters with his wholly solo "Centenary Show 1954-2054." Costello, who turned 58 last month, acknowledged in remarks to a Mondavi Center audience Friday night that the tour's name could be confusing to some – especially to American audiences who are more familiar with the term "centennial" than the UK version, which might be mistakenly read as the "Cemetery" tour. There was no mistaking how freaking talented, funny, smart and downright personable Costello is as he too

The Mondavi Center and the Crocker Art Museum offered a free opera screening in the park Thursday, July 12. The screening took place across the street from the museum at the Sacramento Crocker Park. The marvelous Italian opera “La Bohème,” written by Puccini and performed by the San Francisco Opera, was presented when the weather had finally started to cool off. Before the outdoor screening the Crocker Art Museum hosted their Thursdays ‘til 9 Art Mix series. Guests enjoyed live music by Yolo Mambo. Yolo Mambo played an array of international songs. As I walked around Friedman Court I heard "Quizás, Quizás, Quizás” being performed and the song drew me in. The group played a blend of ja

Capital city music lovers, rejoice! Sacramento and the surrounding areas are a hotbed for incredible music talent and excellent venues.  Sacramento’s collection of venues includes notable venues such as Harlow’s, Ace of Spades, the Crest Theatre, the Memorial Auditorium, and Power Balance Pavilion.  Add Thunder Valley, Folsom’s Three Stages, UC Davis’ Freeborn Hall and Mondavi Center, and seasonal outdoor venues such as Wheatland’s Sleep Train Amphitheatre and Cal Expo’s stages during the California State Fair, and there are so many places to go for a great show.  And no, I haven’t forgotten about Midtown favorites like The Distillery, Blue Lamp, and Marilyn’s.  I also never forget about

It was a unique experience seeing Lyle Lovett and his Acoustic Group perform in the acoustically impressive environment of the Mondavi Center. Despite the bop of bluegrass and the Texas toe-tapping tempo of many of the tunes, the audience remained — in contrast to my bobbing knees and drumming digits — unnaturally inert, except for a random shoutout every now and again. Even Lovett seemed slightly unnerved, tuning his guitar numerous times, and at one point, complimenting the exceptional sound, but adding, “The problem with a room like this is … you can hear!” Lovett — with an ensemble that included drummer Russ Kunkel, Keith Sewell on guitar and vocals, Viktor Krauss on bass, Luke Bulla

The Shins (with opening act Gardens & Villa) played Monday night at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts at UC Davis. The show was the last of series of four concerts in Davis in April produced by the Bay Area's Another Planet Entertainment that I started calling "mini-Coachella," since the headlining bands (and many of the openers) also played that desert mega-festival the last two weekends: Explosions In The Sky at the Mondavi, Bon Iver at Freeborn Hall, and Florence + the Machine at the Mondavi. Other recent Coachella stopovers in the region include fIREHOSE at Harlow's, The Buzzcocks at Ace of Spades, Givers at Harlow's, and Mazzy Star at Harlow's. The Shins are touring to suppo

Audience members sat on the edge of their seats during a multitude of spectacles known as Circus Oz's show "Steampowered." Almost 1,000 people from all backgrounds and ages, filled the Mondavi Center on Sunday to watch the world-renown, Australia-based Circus Oz. The light rock music, fog and the costumed performers who were interacting with the audience on stage and within the crowd, set the mood for what would be a two-hour, high-energy rock-n-roll adventure of acrobatics, death-defying feats and irreverent humor . The families that made up the audience sat in anticipation of the stage-contained show. Some performers mingled with the crowd before the show, while another played with gu

Fun for all ages, every child or child-at-heart will enter a fantastical Victorian Era where top hats and petticoats are mixed with contemporary elements such as human pyramids and juggling, during the two hour, high-energy, extravaganza of dazzling acrobatics, death-defying feats, irreverent humor and rock-n-roll also known as Circus Oz. The world renown, Australia-based circus is performing at the Mondavi Center in Davis this weekend. The show "Steampowered" is animal-free and performed by 13 people, one of which is a rigger (person whose job is very heavy lifting), all of whom juggle between different jobs within the chaos of the show, such as being part of the live band, performing a

On Sunday morning at the University of California, Davis Mondavi Center, Kevin O’Connor, Slater Penney, Christine Germain and Emily Leap led two free workshops on rope climbing, juggling, building human pyramids and using the trapeze. Each 90-minute workshop accommodated 60 very lucky participants ranging from age 4 to adult. More than 300 people could not be accommodated. Kevin O’Connor, an MFA choreography candidate and graduate of the National Circus School of Montreal, was the event’s organizer. O’Connor invited three other trained professionals to lead the four simultaneous workshops sponsored by the new UC Davis Institute for Exploration in Theatre, Dance and Performance. The morn

Just moments after Wilco’s enigmatic guitarist Nels Cline had peeled the paint off the walls inside UC Davis' Mondavi Center with a little psychedelic freakout on "Impossible Germany," front man Jeff Tweedy pulled out the line of the night: "You know, something just occurred to me - the guy yelling 'Free Bird!' might help explain the pepper spray incident." Ohhh, too soon? Tweedy asked that too, amidst the smattering of "ohhh's" and groans that were peppered (zing!) in with the laughter and the applause - although there seemed to be a resounding agreement that a little aerosol Tabasco to the face would be an appropriate response for a guy who apparently still thinks it's cool or funny t

Did you ever want to be in the circus, swinging around on ropes and juggling? The UC Davis Mondavi Center is hosting three free workshops Feb. 5 where families are invited to learn some basic circus skills. “They’ll learn to climb a rope, hang from a rope and do aerial work,” said 32-year-old master’s student Kevin O’Connor, who is one of two artists who will teach the workshops. “There will be juggling, too.” O’Connor is using the workshop as a way to explore how the Mondavi Center can be used to bring people in for creative energy that can then be returned to the outside community, a part of his master’s coursework. Other skills taught in the workshop will include making human pyramid

Rock journs dream about interviewing guys that have the mystique of Jeff Tweedy. So why not try and steal a few hundred seconds on the phone with one of rock's most intriguing (living) front men? Because it would have been met with about the same response I repeatedly got in my pre-teen years when sending those letters with requests for a dinner date to Jennifer Love Hewitt, c/o Producers of "Party of Five." Crickets. In principle, Jeff Tweedy wouldn't be the kind of guy to scoff or turn his nose up at anyone who wanted an interview - that's not his style. There is no visible penthouse or caviar in his songwriting, his performance persona, or in the man himself - it's pretty much all ba

Low lights and a sultry combination of magenta, fuchsia and violet lighting provided the ambiance for the evening. A glance around the room showed an audience of seasoned listeners: a mature, diverse crowd of jazz enthusiasts. At center stage, donning a shimmering purple sequin dress and fishnet stockings stood the quartet's leader, Tia Fuller. The Tia Fuller Quartet starred in a four-day run at the UC Davis Mondavi Center Wednesday through Saturday, sponsored by the Capital Public Radio Studio Jazz Series. Fuller emits a raw charisma, sassiness, an uncanny edginess and outright star quality onstage. She picked up her saxophone and began to play her first set. The opener "Decisive Steps,

Tia Fuller and the Fuller Quartet are scheduled to perform at the UC Davis Mondavi Center tonight through Saturday, with daily show times at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $19 to $38. The group’s recent accolades include the chart-topping album “Decisive Steps,” ranked No. 1 and touting the nomination for best jazz album in Jazz Week. Fuller made time in her demanding schedule to speak with The SacPress to give audiences a glimpse into the heart and soul of this jazz sensation. Fuller's passion for music is literally “in her blood” — the gifted saxophonist hails from a family of musicians. She said it is this personal connection that is the source for her inspiration. She is a musician with

The Crocker Art Museum will present “Dreams,” the visually stunning film from Academy Award-winning director Akira Kurosawa, on Thursday, Dec. 1 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets include Museum admission and are $6 for museum members and $12 for nonmembers. Comprised of eight separate vignettes inspired from actual dreams of the world-renowned filmmaker, “Dreams” is a collection of fantastic and evocative stories, separate in narrative, but intertwined with themes of nature and spirituality, life and death, and peace and war. Born in early-20th-century Japan, Kurosawa made his international directorial debut in 1950 and went on to receive numerous accolades throughout Asia and the U.S., including an