The Montagues and Capulets en Pointe
On Sunday, Jan. 21, the Sunrise Theater will present the Bolshoi Ballet, captured in HD live from Moscow as they perform the company’s premiere of “Romeo and Juliet.” With choreographer Alexei Ratmansky’s dramatic urgency and Prokofiev’s romantic and cinematic score, this production of Shakespeare’s beloved story of the two star-crossed lovers who defy their feuding families to be together is both fresh and timeless. This is classical ballet at its finest. The show begins at 12:55 p.m. and runs for 2 1/2 delightful, if heart-wrenching, hours. Tickets are $25. Sunrise Theater is located at 250 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. For more information, call (910) 692-8501 or visit sunrisetheater.com.
The Carolina Philharmonic
Begin your New Year with two of the most celebrated orchestral masterworks of all time: Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and Schubert’s Unfinished Symphonies. Beethoven’s “knock of fate” — the most famous four notes in Western civilization — begins an epic journey of transformation that ends in renewal and triumph. Schubert’s Unfinished Symphonies are haunting and uplifting; and the mystery of what prevented him from finishing his most immortal work remains as great today as when the notes first flowed from his quill. Join Maestro David Michael Wolff on Wednesday, Jan. 10, as he leads the Carolina Philharmonic in an unforgettable concert, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Owens Auditorium, Sandhills Community College, 3395 Airport Road, Pinehurst. Tickets range from $30 to $60, and military and student discounts are offered. For more information, call (910) 687-0287 or visit www.carolinaphil.org.
Meet the Author
A.J. Tata is an author of nine novels; a speaker; a national security expert; and a retired brigadier general of the U.S. Army, who commanded nearly 25,000 troops on his last combat tour in Afghanistan. You can meet Gen. Tata at The Country Bookshop on Saturday, Jan. 13, at 12 p.m. and hear him talk about his latest thriller, Direct Fire, in which Capt. Jake Mahegan is fighting the war on terror in America — right here in North Carolina. The Country Bookshop is located at 140 N.W. Broad St., Southern Pines. For more information, call (910) 692-3211.
Chamber Music at Weymouth
On Sunday, Jan. 7, the popular, Durham-based Mallarmé Chamber Players are coming to Southern Pines as part of the Weymouth Chamber Music Series. These flexible and innovative professional musicians celebrate diversity and innovation in their programs, which often include new or rarely heard works. The evening’s ensemble will feature Elizabeth Phelps on violin, Suzanne Russo on viola, Nate Leyland on cello and Jeremy Thompson on piano — all of whom you will have the opportunity to meet at the reception following the concert. Tickets are $10 for Weymouth members and $20 for non-members and are available at the Weymouth Center office, in person or by phone, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Monday-Friday; or at the door on the day of the performance. The concert will take place from 3–5 p.m. at the Weymouth Center for the Arts, located at 555 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. For more information, call (910) 692-6261 or visit www.weymouthcenter.org.
A Walk in the Winter Woods
The towering longleaf pines of the Weymouth Woods-Sandhills Nature Preserve rise up majestically over expanses of wiregrass, ferns and other native plants, providing a habitat for many rare and intriguing creatures. On Saturday, Jan. 6, join a park ranger at 8 a.m. for a 2-mile walk along easy trails to look for dark-eyed juncos, yellow-bellied sapsuckers, ruby-crowned kinglets and other birds visiting North Carolina over the winter. Or just enjoy the glimpse into the past — when longleaf pine forests like this one covered millions of acres in North Carolina and the southeastern U.S. Bring binoculars and field guides if you have them, and dress warmly. The Preserve is located at 1024 Fort Bragg Road in Southern Pines. Call (910) 692-2167 for more information.
The Rooster’s Wife
Friday, Jan. 5: Farmer and Adele bring Texas swing, and a whole lot more. $10.
Sunday, Jan. 7: The Gibson Brothers, two-time International Bluegrass Music Association Entertainers of the Year, make their annual stand at the Spot in a matinee and evening performance. Doors open at 11:59 a.m. for a 12:45 p.m. brunch and show for $40, or $33 without brunch. The evening performance at 6:45 p.m. includes dinner for $42, or $33 without dinner.
Sunday, Jan. 14: Louise Mosrie and Cliff Eberhardt, with insight and lamentations, joy and sorrow, sing songs that get right to the heart of what matters. $15.
Friday, Jan. 19: Ben and Joe (Hunter and Seamons) perform acoustic blues, ragtime and folk music of the Northwest. $10.
Sunday, Jan. 21: The Contenders, with their infectious rhythms and sublime two-part harmonies, bring amazing songs to life. With special guest Randy Hughes opening. $15.
Friday, Jan. 26: Graymatter plays your favorites and some new songs that will be your favorites at this dance party. $10.
Sunday, Jan. 28: Chicago-bred banjo and fiddle player Rachel Baiman brings her new project to the Spot: songs with a message, and chops to match. $15.
Doors open at 6 p.m. (11:59 a.m. for Jan. 7 brunch performance) and music begins at 6:46 at the Poplar Knight Spot, 114 Knight St., Aberdeen. Prices given above are advance sale. For more information, call (910) 944-7502 or visit www.theroosterswife.org for tickets.
Stitches and Clay
The Arts Council of Moore County invite you to attend the opening of ACMC’s January exhibit, “Stitches & Clay,” at the Campbell House Galleries on Friday, Jan. 5, from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibit showcases works by Judy Foushee of Freeman Pottery (miniatures), Rita Ragan (needlework miniatures) and the Sandhills Quilters Guild. Come meet the artists and enjoy light refreshments as well as quilting and sewing demonstrations. Hosts for opening night reception are Anne Jorgensen of Raven Pottery, the Sandhills Quilters Guild, Robin Smith and Dotty Starling. The reception is free and open to the public, and the exhibition will run through Jan. 26. The Campbell House Galleries are located at 482 E. Connecticut Ave. in Southern Pines. For more information, call (910) 692-2787.
Musical Depictions and Cheerful Notes
On Thursday, Jan. 11, the North Carolina Symphony performs at Lee Auditorium. Rune Bergmann will conduct the evening’s program, which pairs Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition,” a poignant and thrilling tribute to the composer’s artist friend, with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4, a cheerful and sunny composition. Prior to the 8 p.m. performance, you are invited to meet the musicians in the Band Room, starting at 7 p.m. Tickets cost from $18 to $49 and are available at the door or in advance through the N.C. Symphony Box Office, The Country Bookshop, or the Arts Council of Moore County (Campbell House). Lee Auditorium is located at Pinecrest High School, 250 Voit Gilmore Lane, Southern Pines. For more information, call (877) 627-6724 or visit www.ncsymphony.org.
