Calendar of Events

Knoxville Opera is thrilled to announce the expansion of its annual Rossini Festival to a two-day extravaganza on April 20th and 21st, 2024. For the first time in its history, the festival will span two days, promising an even more vibrant and enriching experience for the East Tennessee community and visitors from afar.

The Rossini Festival remains Knoxville Opera’s premier International Street Fair, celebrating the rich tapestry of music, food, art, and culture in East Tennessee. With non-stop entertainment across four outdoor stages featuring opera, classical, jazz, gospel, ethnic music, ballet, modern dance, and more, there's something for everyone. The festival also boasts scores of food vendors, artisans, and activities for children, making it a perfect family outing. Admission is free, reflecting the festival's commitment to community inclusivity.

This year's entertainment highlights include the sensational band Teen Spirit, set to deliver an electrifying performance on Saturday night at 8 pm. Their concert is bound to captivate audiences of all ages. Following this, the festival will transition into a unique Silent Disco experience on Market Square, capping off the night with an epic celebration of music that promises to be unforgettable.

Back by popular demand, the Journey Around the World offers festival-goers an enchanting quest through opera and international fairytales. With three tracks available, including two child-friendly fairy tale adventures and a 21+ track for adults seeking a downtown journey, participants will collect stamps and solve riddles to unveil their fairy tale ending and win exciting prizes.

In 2024, the Rossini Festival will elevate its offering with the new VIP Experience. This premium option grants exclusive access to a private oasis where guests can enjoy food, fine beverages, and private restroom facilities. The VIP experience is further enhanced with special events, including wine tastings, cheese pairings, and a mesmerizing performance by the acclaimed artist Flora Hawk.

Knoxville Opera: 865-524-0795, https://www.knoxvilleopera.org/rossini/

ASHLEY MCBRYDE: THE DEVIL I KNOW TOUR with BELLA WHITE
Saturday, April 20, 2024 at 8:00PM at the Tennessee Theatre.

Tennessee Theatre, 604 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. For information/tickets: 865-684-1200, www.tennesseetheatre.com

April 20 at 8 pm.

Jay Clark has been a staple in the East Tennessee music scene for more than 25 years. Jay grew up in Winchester, Tennessee, near where the western escarpment of the Cumberland Plateau crosses from Tennessee into Alabama. His dad was a Cumberland Presbyterian minister for 42 years. His mom an English teacher. Jay wrote his first song in 1990. He didn’t know how to play guitar, so he taught himself to play in order to put music to his first song. That song was the first of many. During his college years, Jay not only trapped & conducted research on black bears in the Smokies, but also played in a couple of different bluegrass bands, most notably a brother-style duo with Keith Garrett (currently of The Boxcars) and later in a bluegrass band, The Stringbeans, with Robinella and Cruz Contreras. Since releasing his first record in 2004 (Pen to Paper), Jay has supplemented his career as a scientist with performing his songs across the Southeast & southern Appalachia.

Tickets available at TicketLeap (jubilee-community-arts.ticketleap.com), by mail or at the door 30 minutes prior to show. $20 at the door, $15 General Audience Advance, $14 JCA members, students & seniors 65+

(865) 522-5851
1538 Laurel Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37916
Contact: concerts@jubileearts.org

Join us for a morning of learning and listening at MUSE Knoxville! Attendees will have the opportunity to experience exhibits at the MUSE, take part in special crafts and activities, and listen to a special concert from musician Rissi Palmer in the planetarium! There will be two sessions, each beginning with exploring the MUSE and craft-time followed by the performance.

The first session will be from 9:15am - 10:45am, and the second session will be from 10:00am - 11:40am.

Please arrive at the beginning of your session to allow time to enjoy MUSE and our special activities!

Rissi Palmer's gift lies in reaching across all musical boundaries. While she made her mark in Country Music, she is equally at home in R&B music, bringing the entire spectrum of popular music to bear on music she calls “Southern Soul.” This performance will feature Rissi’s first children’s album, Best Day Ever.

RSVP for this FREE event: https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/dHgqoCNIXJGedN0x6nxBpg

The Knoxville Symphony League proudly presents its 2024 Symphony Ball, Symphony of Spies: License to Trill. The KSL is thrilled to bring an evening of espionage and elegance to the Mill & Mine on April 20, 2024.

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to enjoy cocktails — including a unique specialty drink created just for this event — dinner, and a live auction to benefit the KSO. Live music will be provided by the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and the phenomenal vocalist Morgan James.

Tickets are on sale now at https://knoxvillesymphony.com/knoxville-symphony-league/symphony-ball/. Don't miss out on one of Knoxville's highly anticipated events of the year.

Knoxville Symphony Orchestra: 865-291-3310, www.knoxvillesymphony.com

An evening of piano music performed by UT pianists and guests. You can view our performance programs online. If you can’t attend in-person, you can listen in from our Powell Livestream.

Saturday, April 20 at 7:30pm

Natalie Haslam Music Center, Powell Recital Hall
1741 Volunteer Boulevard, Knoxville, TN 37996
https://calendar.utk.edu/event/piano-studio-recital

The streets of Victorian England come to life as Oliver, a malnourished orphan in a workhouse, becomes the neglected apprentice of an undertaker. Oliver escapes to London and finds acceptance amongst a group of petty thieves and pickpockets led by the elderly Fagin. When Oliver is captured for a theft that he did not commit, the benevolent victim, Mr. Brownlow takes him in. Fearing the safety of his hideout, Fagin employs the sinister Bill Sikes and the sympathetic Nancy to kidnap him back, threatening Oliver’s chances of discovering the true love of a family.

Thursday, April 18, 2024 8:00 PM
Friday, April 19, 2024 8:00 PM
Saturday, April 20, 2024 8:00 PM
Sunday, April 21, 2024 2:00 PM

$20.00 General Admission
$15.00 Seniors, Students (under 18), MC Theatre Alumni and College Students with ID
Free for MC Students, Faculty and Staff – Must get ticket from Clayton Center Box Office

Join the Maryville College Theatre Department and Broadway Center for the Arts for a theatrical event that will not be forgotten! https://claytonartscenter.com/event/maryville-college-theatre-presents-the-musical-lionel-barts-oliver/

Full length with live orchestra
At South Doyle High School Auditorium, 2020 Tipton Station Rd, Knoxville, TN
Dates / Times: Thu 4/18/24 7:00 pm
Fri 4/19/24 7:00 pm
Sat 4/20/24 1:00 pm
Sat 4/20/24 7:00 pm

Price: $15 for adults and $10 for students.
Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance at: https://app.memberhub.gives/sdhsmammamia/Campaign/Details
Questions please contact: South Doyle High School Booster Club at sdhschorusboosterclub@gmail.com

This sunny, funny, international smash hit sensation unfolds on a Greek island paradise when on the eve of her wedding, a young woman’s quest to discover the identity of her father brings three men from her mother's past back to the island they last visited twenty years ago. Non-stop laughs and explosive dance numbers, along with the magic of ABBA's hit songs that include “Super Trouper," "Dancing Queen," "Knowing Me, Knowing You," "Take a Chance on Me," "Thank You for the Music," "Money, Money, Money," "The Winner Takes It All," and "SOS," combine to make this enchanting show a trip down the aisle you'll never forget!

Kinky Boots
Book by Harvey Fierstein
Music and Lyrics by Cyndi Lauper
Clarence Brown Theatre
April 17 – May 5, 2024

A Tony-winning Broadway sensation packed with fun and a kick of pure joy! Looking to save the family shoe business, Charlie turns to his new friend Lola -- a cabaret performer and drag queen-- who gives him an outrageous idea that could change both of their destinies. Soon, this unlikely duo creates the most sensational footwear that’s ever rocked the runways of Milan… giving the factory and its hard-working family a sparkling new future.

Clarence Brown Theatre, 1714 Andy Holt Ave on the UT campus, Knoxville, TN 37996. For information/tickets: 865-974-5161, www.clarencebrowntheatre.com

They Sang What They Lived: The Story of Carl and Pearl Butler is the first retrospective exhibition of Carl and Pearl Butler, the iconic country music duo whose timeless lyrics and harmonious melodies left an indelible mark on country music. With a career spanning over four decades, Carl and Pearl Butler became celebrated figures in the world of country music. “Carl made scores of major-label records during the 1950s,” says Bradley E. Reeves, the exhibition’s guest curator and author of the new book Honky Tonkitis: On the Road with Carl Butler and Pearl. “These are some of the best bluegrass, gospel, and hard country records ever made, although none could be called a massive hit.” That honor would come in 1962, when Carl and Pearl recorded “Don’t Let Me Cross Over.” The song remains among the fastest ever to ascend to No. 1 on Billboard Hot Country Singles. Carl and Pearl’s unique “Knoxville sound,” along with heartfelt lyrics, earned them a dedicated fan base who supported them at performances across the United States and Canada through the 1970s. The exhibition offers visitors a rare glimpse into the lives of these music legends.

Key highlights of the exhibition include:
1. Rare Family Archives: Museum guests will have the opportunity to view the Allen “Junior” Butler Family Collection, which has been made publicly available for the first time and includes never-before-seen photographs, home movies, original instruments, and stage costumes that belonged to Carl and Pearl Butler. “I’m grateful to Allen Butler and his family for opening their home and archives to share with us,” says Reeves.
2. Musical Journey: Explore the duo's musical journey through a feature film, which transports visitors through various periods of their career and traces their unfiltered, raw singing style, one that derived from and advanced the “Knoxville sound.”
3. Behind-the-Scenes: Gain insight into the lives of Carl and Pearl Butler through never-before-seen family photographs and recently uncovered anecdotes from the family and fellow musicians, including Dolly Parton who viewed the Butlers as her “second parents.” “Despite their successes,” says Adam Alfrey, Assistant Director for Historical Services at Knox County Public Library, “Carl and Pearl faced personal and professional struggles, which are intimately documented through the family’s photographs.”
4. Interpretive Experience: Engage with the exhibition to understand how both Knoxville and Nashville played a role in the development of country music. Also, learn how chart-topping artists can quickly become all but forgotten, even in their hometown. “The Butlers somehow fell through the cracks,” reflects Reeves. “It’s my hope that this book and exhibition will contribute to a reappreciation of their great body of work.”
They Sang What They Lived: The Story of Carl and Pearl Butler promises to be a heartfelt educational experience for country music enthusiasts and fans of all ages. It serves as a testament to the enduring influence of Carl and Pearl Butler on the world of music.

At 5:00 pm, Friday, October 6, 2023, there will be an opening reception for They Sang What They Lived: The Story of Carl and Pearl Butler. The event will include a meet and greet with Carl and Pearl Butler’s family, a book signing by guest curator Bradley E. Reeves, and an exhibition of Appalachian musical pioneer paintings by artist Amy Campbell. At 7:00 pm, there will be a “Tribute to Carl and Pearl,” opened by a performance of the Paul Brewster and Friends Band, comprised of 14-year-old mandolin prodigy Wyatt Ellis and Grand Ole Opry performers Daniel Grindstaff, Kent Blanton, Stephen Burwell, and John Meador. A screening of 8mm home movies shot by the Butlers (watch for an appearance by 10-year-old Dolly Parton), as well as some of the Butlers’ rarest television appearances, will conclude the evening.

East Tennessee Historical Society, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. Museum hours: M-F 9-4, Sa 10-4, Su 1-5. Information: 865-215-8824, www.eastTNhistory.org/lights-camera