From the Symphony to a Broadway play to Mexican roots music, we've found there's much to do around the Alamo City this weekend. First we speak to the San Antonio Symphony's Sebastian Lang-Lessing.
"A hundred years ago the October Revolution happened in Russia."
Lang-Lessing's built a program of Russian music to look back at that world-changing event.
"We start the program with a Soviet composer, Kabalevsky. And his music is amazing. Colorful, joyful. The counter-position is Shostakovich. His reference to the October Revolution is Symphony #12, the year 1917. Underneath that surface as always with Shostakovich there is criticism. Doubt. And there's uprising."
In between the two is Tchaikovsky's violin concerto.
"We have Augustin Hadelich coming in, one of the most exciting violinists around."
That's Tonight and tomorrow night at the Tobin. Then on Saturday night at the Esperanza, Azul Barrientos returns to her Mexican roots.
[hear her sing by hitting "listen" above]
As the Esperanza is prone to saying, tickets are $7--"mas o menos." Also this weekend, an American classic.
"I am the I in The King And I."
Heather Botts plays British school teacher Anna in the touring production of The King and I. So why's the 70 year-old musical still relevant?
"You have a woman coming in who's fighting for freedoms. She's very much a feminist who believes in education for everyone."
Botts saw the original movie, and a year ago, she saw the Broadway show.
"Oh my gosh--absolutely! It's iconic. This was a masterpiece that I wanted to be a part of. I mean who knew that a year later I would be launching the first national tour."
Catch it through Sunday night at the Majestic.
"It's so beautiful. It's haunting."
Find more on the San Antonio Symphony Russian night here.
Find more on Azul Barrientos here.
Find more on The King and I here.
