Calendar of Events

2009-2010 Chamber Classics series: In January local pianist David Northington solos in Mozart's exquisite Piano Concerto No. 9. Also on the program are symphonies by a teacher and his student: Haydn's Symphony No. 16 and Beethoven's Symphony No. 4.

At the Bijou Theatre, 803 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. More information: 865-291-3310, www.knoxvillesymphony.com

The free admission event will take place at the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Center (1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, TN 37830). The program, which features the Oak Ridge Chorus, includes highlights from Knoxville Opera and UT Opera Theatre 2010 productions. This year’s special guest artist is soprano Rachele Gilmore, the stunning young star of Knoxville Opera’s production of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor (February 12, 14) who is currently on the roster of the Metropolitan Opera. In addition to singing selections from Lucia, The Tales of Hoffmann, and The Daughter of the Regiment, Ms. Gilmore will perform a scene from Knoxville Opera’s production of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville (April 23, 25). The concert will also feature selections from Knoxville Opera’s production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance (March 12, 14 starring David Keith). Performing will be principal artists from the production, including Carroll Freeman (UT Opera Theatre Director) as “the very model of a modern Major-General,” soprano Rachel Anne Moore as his daughter Mabel, and baritone Jesse Stock, as Pirate Sam. Gems from the UT Opera Theatre’s April production of Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi will be performed by Mr. Stock, soprano Jessica Cates and tenor Stefan Barner. Exciting ensembles from Verdi’s Rigoletto and Bellini’s Norma will round out the program. For more information: 865-524-0795, www.knoxvilleopera.com

It’s a rusty old machine gun, with tattered strap and battle-scarred wooden stock—not even very large by today’s standards. By itself, it’s not that impressive. But mention the name Sgt. Alvin C. York, and this war relic takes on special meaning. It represents “the flag on the hill,” a brave deed by a backwoods soldier who remained cool under fire, silencing machine gun nests that were raining a firestorm of bullets on Allied troops. York was the leader of seven men who captured 132 German machine gunners on October 8, 1918, in the Battle of the Argonne Forest in northern France. For this heroic deed, York received the National Medal of Honor and became the most decorated soldier of World War I. This M1908/15 Maxim light machine gun is documented as one of the German weapons confiscated on that day. This historic artifact will become the centerpiece of an already extensive exhibit at the Museum, revealing the man behind the medals—a simple and honest East Tennessee backwoodsman who used his fame to help others. To introduce the exhibit, a special screening of the classic 1941 film “Sergeant York” will be held at the Tennessee Theatre in downtown Knoxville. The event begins at 3 p.m. with music by Dixie Gray, one of the Museum’s most requested bands, followed by showing of the movie at 3:30 p.m. All proceeds will support the non-profit Museum’s mission to preserve the Appalachian history and culture.

At the Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Information: 865-494-7680, www.museumofappalachia.org

China is viewed by most in the Western world as a homogeneous country with a single culture. Its land mass is similar to that of the United States, but it is inhabited by 1.3 billion people, making it the most populous country in the world. This population is composed of more than 56 official ethnic groups, each with its own customs, traditions, language, foods, and in some cases, religious beliefs.

In the many centuries of China’s history, numerous ethnic groups have ruled, and each has made contributions to the art and culture of what we have come to view today as “Chinese.” In this exhibition, the museum presents a brief glimpse into China’s history, with 80 examples of art from the Han Dynasty (206 B.C.–220 A.D.) to the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911 A.D.) and several contemporary works. Panels introducing each of the dynasties provide historical, geographical, and economic background.

1327 Circle Park Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996. Hours: Mon - Sat: 9:00A to 5:00P, Sun: 1:00P to 5:00P. Information: 865-974-2144, http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu

Visual artist Anne Wilson has been at the forefront of artwork connecting conceptualism and handiwork, activism and aesthetics, investigating new possibilities for what has been called "relational aesthetics." Discussion with the artist on January 23.

Wilson's practice extends the relational in terms of labor, collaboration, and identity construction, blending pedagogy with aesthetic production. Her work has been exhibited extensively including exhibitions at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London; the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art in Kanazawa, Japan; the Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; and as part of the 2002 Biennial at the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Anne Wilson: Wind/Rewind/Weave is an exhibition organized by the Knoxville Museum of Art, installed by Wilson to investigate the crisis of production and skill based textile labor. Included is Rewinds, a new work created entirely in glass; video documentation of Wind-Up: Walking the Warp, a 2008 performance in Chicago; and a large site-specific project, Local Industry, that takes the form of an active weaving/winding factory set up in the museum space. Run over the course of several months, this project will involve the Knoxville community in the collaborative production of a unique bolt of cloth. http://www.annewilsonartist.com

Free admission. Hours: Tues-Thurs 10-5; Fri 10-8; Sat 10-5; Sun 1-5. 1050 World’s Fair Park Drive, Knoxville, TN 37916. 865-525-6101, www.knoxart.org, info@knoxart.org

Aladdin is inconsiderate toward his poor mother, rude to authority, and generally ill-mannered. But a powerful genie, fiercely sought by an evil-hearted sorcerer, gives Aladdin the chance to rise above himself, to dare great things -- even to win the hand of a princess.

227 Broadway in Historic Jackson Square, Oak Ridge, TN 37830. For more information, call (865) 482-9999 or visit www.orplayhouse.com

Sundays at 8:00 PM. 17th-18th Century Dancing with live music. A performance group, newcomers are welcome. Rapper sword and morris dance teams. Free. At the Laurel Theatre in Knoxville, 16th Street and Laurel Avenue. Information: 546-8442, www.jubileearts.org

Tennessee Stage Company presents the readings of three new plays at the Knox County Public Library. All readings are free to the public.

+ CUPID’S ITCH by Paul Leeper - Saturday, January 30, 3:00 pm, at Lawson McGee Library. Cupid’s Itch is a unique and off beat love story set in the world of women’s boxing! A shadowy world where things aren’t always what they seem and people aren’t always what you expect. What else might one expect from a Paul Leeper play?

+ THE GOOD SON by Craig Smith - Saturday, January 23, 3:00 pm, at Fountain City Library, and Saturday, January 30, 1:30 pm, at Lawson McGee Library. The Good Son is a crime caper telling the story of a crime that went wrong and the way it comes back to haunt the guilty and the innocent. But who is guilty and who is innocent?

+ THE LAST WAFFLE HOUSE IN AMERICA by Leslie Agron - Saturday, January 16, 3:00 pm, at Fountain City Library, and Sunday, January 31, 2:00 pm Lawson McGee Library. According to playwright Leslie Agron there are no Waffle House’s in California, so as you go west across America you come, literally, to the Last Waffle House somewhere in Arizona. This slice of life play takes place in and around the Last Waffle House in America.

For over ten years the Tennessee Stage Company has presented a New Play Festival including World Premiere performances as well as readings and staged readings of new, un-produced scripts. The playwright’s attend the readings and afterwards a discussion is held with the playwright, cast and audience on the script. For more information contact the Tennessee Stage Company: 865-546-4280, www.tennesseestage.com, tennesseestage@bellsouth.com

First Friday Reception February 5, 5:00 - 9:00pm
The 10th International Shoebox Sculpture Exhibition continues a tradition begun by the University of Hawai‘i Department of Art. By invitation only, this exhibition is comprised of 81 sculptures by artists from 14 countries and includes “Meta Physical #4” by Knoxville artist Richard Jolley. The small format of the works in the exhibition, with the subsequent ease and economy of handling, provides exposure to a broad spectrum of contemporary sculpture. These triennial exhibitions were initiated as an attempt to incorporate a variety of multicultural traditions and a range of sculptural ideas, styles, and materials. As geographical borders are fractured and the global context dominates, the identity of the individual often becomes hybrid. Whether defined by the artist’s ethnicity or the location of production, all art is increasingly integrated into the fabric of contemporary society. Although the act of affirming cultural identity becomes more complex, these sculptures demonstrate the imaginative spirit and endless creativity of the individual artist.

Located at 106 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Gallery Hours: Wed – Fri 11-6 Sat 10-3. Information: 865-673-0802, http://web.utk.edu/~downtown

Reception January 15, 6:30-8:30 PM
213 Hotel Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37918. Information: 865-357-2787, www.fountaincityart.com

Directed by Jayne Morgan with musical direction by Vicki Masters. Cast: Dennis Bussell, Brandon Gibson, Bill Howard, Lisa Slagle, Chelsea Samples, Dana Wham, Annie Millett, Krisha Newport.
Performances are Thursday-Sunday at 8:00 PM. Tickets are $10 plus fees for Thursday & Sunday; $15 plus fees for Friday & Saturday. For more information on the show: 865-544-1999, www.theatreknoxville.com

A co-production with Tanasi Girl Scouts Council, based on the novel by Kelly Weil. Here’s the complete performance schedule: Friday, January 15 at 7 PM; Saturday, January 16 at 1 PM and 5 PM; Sunday, January 17 at 3 PM; Thursday, January 21 at 7 PM; Friday, January 22 at 7 PM; Saturday, January 23 at 1 PM and 5 PM; Sunday, January 24 at 3 PM; Thursday, January 28 at 7 PM; Friday, January 29 at 7 PM; Saturday, January 30 at 1 PM and 5 PM.

Located at 800 Tyson Street, Knoxville, TN 37917. Information: 865-599-5284, www.childrenstheatreknoxville.com, info@childrenstheatreknoxville.com.