Top Tickets: April 29-May 5

Diablo's picks for the can't-miss events of the coming week: Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg, Livermore Wine Country Festival, Sacred Mountain exhibit, Animals on Broadway, California Symphony, and Working In Wax.

Where do you want to go this week? Russia? Wine Country? Japan? Space? The East Bay explores places near and far in several unique events this week.  Here are your Top Tickets…

May 1–3: Eifman Ballet of St. Petersburg
Renowned Russian choreographer Boris Eifman presents the American premiere of Onegin, a ballet in two acts inspired by Alexander Pushki’s novel Eugene Onegin (written almost entirely in iambic tetrameter!) and set to the music of Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Alexander Sitkovetsky. Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, $36–$62, (510) 642-9988, calperfs.berkeley.edu.

May 2–3: Livermore Wine Country Festival
Celebrate the grape at this annual downtown festival, featuring three wine-tasting locations, live entertainment, fine arts and crafts, and children’s activities. Plus, on Saturday, the Livermore Shakespeare Festival hosts a fundraising scavenger hunt in which you can solve puzzles and find secret locations throughout the festival ($25). First and Second streets, Livermore, Saturday 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m., free, (925) 373-1795, festival: livermoredowntown.com, treasure hunt: livermoreshakes.org.

May 2–July 3: Sacred Mountain: Images of Mt. Diablo and Mt. Fuji
They’re on opposite ends of the globe, but Mt. Diablo and Mt. Fuji are both icons of their locales. View more than 100 artworks depicting these majestic mountains from 1650 to 2009 in Saint Mary’s exhibit. On Sunday, Save Mount Diablo’s executive director Ron Brown will speak about Diablo preservation at a 2 p.m. reception. Hearst Art Gallery, 1928 Saint Mary’s Rd., Moraga, $3, (925) 631-4379, stmarys-ca.edu/arts.

May 3: Animals on Broadway
Bring Fido and Fluffy to Animal Rescue Foundation’s annual pet-centric bash at Broadway Plaza. Vendor booths offering pet gifts, clothing, and treats; Paws on Parade dog walk and fundraiser; dog obedience training and police K-9 unit demonstrations; a dog wash; contests for Cutest Beg and Silly Pet Tricks… it’s a can’t-miss event for any pet lover. Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., free, (925) 296-3118, arf.net.

May 3 and 5: California Symphony
Earlier this year, Cal Symphony presented The Dead Symphony (with music from the Grateful Dead).  Now it’s offering the world premiere of Symphony in 3-D: Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition paired with the new 3-D film Astronomical Pictures at an Exhibition by astronomer and artist Jose Francisco Salgado. Classical music has never been cooler. Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek, $39–$59, (925) 943-7469, tickets: lesherartscenter.org, info: californiasymphony.org.

May 3–June 21: Working In Wax
Bedford Gallery’s new exhibit highlights more than 80 artists working in encaustic media (creating art with beeswax). Show juror Eileen P. Goldenberg says wax “gives endless possibilities for expression,” and exhibited works include painting, collage, and sculpture. Bedford Gallery, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek, $3–$5, (925) 295-1417, bedfordgallery.org.

For even more events happening this week, browse the complete listings on Diablo’s Community Calendar.
 

Posted at 11:48 AM in Best Of Editor Picks | Permalink