Fort Bend Lifestyles and Homes Magazine Mar 2009: Calendar of Events 3

BEGINNING MARCH 12

SUGAR LAND OPERA FIRST MAJOR PRODUCTION, A U. S. PREMIERE

Sugar Land Opera is an ongoing project of Imperial Performing Arts, and is Fort Bend County ’s first and only professional opera company.

Edward Crowell, executive director of Imperial Performing Arts, is pleased to announce that Sugar Land Opera ’s inaugural production will be a fully professional production of two comic one-act operas –The Impresario by W. A. Mozart, and the U. S. Premiere of The Station by famed London composer Howard Blake.Professional singers and full professional orchestra will present the pieces under the baton of Keith Chambers, music director of Opera New Jersey, and assistant conductor of New York City Opera. The entire production will be directed by Nicole Kenley, artistic director of Imperial Performing Arts and Sugar Land Opera.

Blake will be in attendance for the U. S. premiere of his opera and will offer a pre-show lecture to patrons. Soprano Catherine May of London will perform lead roles in both pieces.

Edward Crowell says, “It is a great honor that the newly-formed Sugar Land Opera has been chosen by Mr. Blake to premiere his opera in the U.S. We are excited that Sugar Land and Fort Bend County residents are so supportive of the development of professional performing arts in their community. ”

This inaugural production of Sugar Land Opera will also benefit Wigs for Kids, a charitable organization based in Cleveland, Ohio, that provides wigs for pediatric cancer patients. Tom Magliaro, who serves on the Advisory Board for Imperial Performing Arts, has arranged this mutually beneficial relationship.

These performances will be open to the public. Tickets are on sale now, and may be purchased by phone, e-mail, or mail. The opening night performance will be Thursday, March 12, and will include a seated multi-course dinner. Individual and corporate sponsorships are available. There will also be a matinee performance on Sunday, March 15. Both performances will be presented at fabulous Briscoe Manor in Richmond.

Contact Imperial Performing Arts for underwriting opportunities and information on donor programs. Imperial Performing Arts of Sugar Land is a regional professional performing arts organization, organized as a Texas not-for-profit corporation.

IPA’s goal is to present the full range of professional performance art, including professional fine art and popular art, professional performances on tour, community and volunteer performances, and arts education for all ages, through the establishment of seven ongoing projects: Sugar Land Opera, Sugar Land Theatre, Sugar Land Philharmonic, Sugar Land Ballet, Sugar Land Picture Show, Sugar Land LIVE!, and Imperial Arts Education.

For more information, write to: Imperial Performing Arts, Frost Bank Building, 8410 Highway 90A, Sugar Land, TX 77478; call 713-628-2468, e-mail admin@theimperial.org or www.imperialperformingarts.org.

James Keller’s wood sculpture made from recycled wood.

BEGINNING MARCH 27

richmond resident to participate in Bayou City Art Festival

Wood sculptor James Keller of Richmond and pastel artist Jim Offeman of Missouri City will be among the 300 artists participating in the Bayou City Art Festival in Memorial Park from March 27-29.

The juried fine art event, showcases 19 media formats, transforming the park’s tree-lined, 1.1-mile loop into a canopied outdoor art gallery, bursting with fine art and multi-cultural music and dance. The colorful offerings include clay, drawing/pastel, fiber/textiles, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, watercolor and wood creations.

Admission is $10 for adults and free for children 12 and under. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

For a schedule, pre-sale discount purchases and further information, go to www.bayoucityartfestival.com or call 713-521-0133.

sslw upcoming activities

Suburban Sugar Land Women is a volunteer, nonprofit service organization that provides human services and financial resources to infants thru seniors. Its mission is to design, implement, maintain and evaluate service, educational, civic and cultural programs that build confidence and expand knowledge and skills to succeed in school and life.

Upcoming activities include:

March 1, U. S. mail postmark deadline for receipt of scholarship packets;

March 21, Programs’ meeting, 1 p.m.-2 p.m., in Missouri City Library Conference Room.

April 1-15: Scholarship Committee notifies parents, recipients and counselors;

April 25, 9:45 a.m.-11:45 a.m., Scholarship recipients mandatory attendance reception.

For more information, call 713-256-7953 or 281-499-3097; e-mail SSLW1989@aol.com or visit www.sslw.org.

Annual caladium bulb sale, order by march 13

The Garden Club of Richmond is holding its annual Caladium Bulb Sale. Bulbs can be pre-ordered and will be available for pick up the first week of April at Joseph ’s Store, 202 Morton Street in Richmond.

The bulbs are No. 1 “fancy-leafed” caladium bulbs and are available in the following colors: red (Red Flash), pink (Carolyn Wharton) and white (Candidum).

Prices are $25 for 25 bulbs; $50 for 50 bulbs; and $90 for 100 bulbs. Orders must be paid in advance. The last date to order is March 13. Call 281-450-8724 or 281-342-5997 to place an order.

autism play group of fort bend county, march 14, april 11

The Autism Play Group of Fort Bend County will meet on March 14 and April 11 from 10 a.m.-noon at Lost Creek Park in Sugar Land.

This group provides social opportunities for children with autism ages 1-12 years old and their families while building a support network in Fort Bend County.

The group meets on the second Saturday of every month. Thanks to local sponsors, drinks, snacks and door prizes are provided. The cost is free, but donations are appreciated. RSVP is required. For more information, contact Susan at susan@susangar.com or 281-726-2665.

annual perennial sale, march 14

The Fort Bend Master Gardeners will hold their annual perennial sale on March 14 at the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds, Building D.

Heidi Sheesley, owner of TreeSearch Farms, will give an overview of plants at the sale at
8 a.m. The program is free and open to the public; no reservations are required. The sale will open at 9 a.m. and run until 1 p.m. or until sold out. For more information, go to www.fbmg.com.

pin oak charity horse show, march 18-29

The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, the country’s oldest and most prestigious horse competition, will celebrate its 64th year with its show at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy from March 18-29. BBVA Compass will return as the lead sponsor.

The Pin Oak Charity Horse Show is held over a two-week period and features a wide array of equestrian talent featuring hunters and jumpers, American Saddlebreds, Andalusians, Welsh ponies, and new for 2009, Dressage and the United Mountain Horse breed.

No tickets are required Tuesdays-Saturdays. Tickets are required for both Saturday, March 21 and Saturday, March 28, at 6 p.m. General admission tickets are $10 for adults; children 12 and under are free. Sponsorship opportunities are available for the Gala dining experience.

For a complete show schedule, go to www.pinoak.org or call Wendy Cook at 713-621-6290.

St. Laurence Chamber Singers and Orchestra, under the direction of Kevin Klotz.

ONLY APRIL 16

MOZART’s REQUIEM PRESENTed by
ST. LAURENCE CHAMBER SINGERS

The St. Laurence Chamber Singers, under the direction of conductor Kevin Klotz, will present Mozart ’s masterpiece Requiem at St. Laurence Catholic Church in Sugar Land on Thursday, April 16, at 7:30 p.m. This deeply moving composition will be performed by a 40-member chorus and a 20-piece professional orchestra. Admission is free of charge, and a reception will immediately follow the concert.

The Chamber Singers rely fully on donations to underwrite the cost of presenting these professional quality concerts free to the public. Interested patrons are encouraged to contact sponsor chair Linda Isgitt before April 1, at lkisgitt@comcast.net.

For more information, visit www.stlaurence.org or contact the parish office at 281-980-9812.