1. Cincinnati Ballet: "The Nutcracker"
When Clara receives a nutcracker on Christmas Eve, her dreams take her on a grand adventure. Follow Clara and her Nutcracker Prince to the wondrous Land of Sweets, where she meets the Snow Queen and her King, the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier, mischievous mice, brave toy soldiers, chicks, bumblebees and even Minnie the Poodle.
The magic and wonder of "The Nutcracker" return to the Music Hall stage for a 16-performance run beginning Thursday, Dec. 16. Dozens of local young performers join Cincinnati Ballet's professional dancers onstage for these holiday performances. With sparkling choreography, awe-inspiring sets, exquisite costumes and Tchaikovsky's beloved score performed live by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, this beloved holiday classic is sure to delight the entire family.
Showtimes this weekend are 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, with additional performances at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 21; at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; at 1 p.m. Dec. 24; and at 1 and 6:30 p.m. Dec. 26. There are no performances on Christmas Day. Music Hall is located at 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. Tickets start at $29. cballet.org.
2. Christmas in Loveland
This annual holiday tradition transforms historic downtown Loveland into a Christmas wonderland filled with horse-drawn carriage rides, carolers, visits from Santa and Mrs. Claus and other seasonal festivities. Families can enjoy crafting ornaments, visits with Elsa and Anna from "Frozen" and a holiday puppet show. You can hop on the complimentary Holiday Trolley between Harrison Avenue and the Loveland Museum Center (201 Riverside Drive), where kids can enjoy the children's Christmas train. The museum and log cabin will be open and decorated for the holidays.
Area restaurants will be offering complimentary tastings, and you'll find holiday entertainment, specials and giveaways inside many local businesses. A live nativity scene and entertainment can also be found in the center of town by the fountain. Maps of all activities will be inside businesses and available by the clock tower. Christmas in Loveland takes place from 4-8 p.m. Saturday. lmrchamberalliance.org.
3. Christmas with Over the Rhine
One December, not long after Cincinnati band Over the Rhine began recording and touring, they were invited to perform some seasonal songs on a local public radio station. After the performance, fans began asking the band if they planned to record an album of holiday music. In December of 1996, they did just that, releasing "The Darkest Night of the Year" and performing a special concert on the winter solstice to herald the album's arrival.
Fast-forward 25 years and the band continues to celebrate the holiday with special year-ending concerts, featuring a mix of original Christmas music and other Over the Rhine compositions. This December's shows will be held at Memorial Hall (1225 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine). Showtimes are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with a matinee performance at 2 p.m. Sunday. At publication, only a few tickets remain. Tickets start at $45. memorialhallotr.com.
4. Sister's Christmas Catechism: The Mystery of the Magi's Gold
From the author of "Late Nite Catechism," it's "CSI: Bethlehem" in this holiday mystery extravaganza as Sister takes on the mystery that has intrigued historians throughout the ages: Whatever happened to the Magi's gold? Employing her own scientific tools, assisted by a local choir as well as a gaggle of audience members, Sister creates a living nativity unlike any you've ever seen.
You don't have to be Catholic to enjoy this witty, improvised, interactive Christmas comedy, which runs for one night only here in Cincinnati. Catch it at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Jarson-Kaplan Theater at Aronoff Center for the Arts (650 Walnut St., Downtown). Tickets run $37.75-$51.75. cincinnatiarts.org.
5. Ancient Middle East Gallery Opens
The Cincinnati Art Museum's ancient Middle East collections number more than 1,000 objects, with the monumental architectural fragments from Khirbet et-Tannur – a large Nabataean temple complex located 70 miles north of Petra in present-day Jordan – as well as lavish royal goods, intricate votive objects and architectural fragments from the Assyrian, Achaemenid and Sasanian civilizations, among others.
Most of the collection has been in storage since 2004 awaiting new gallery space, and the wait is finally over. The museum's 2,800-square-foot ancient Middle East gallery has been reimagined into light and airy new galleries incorporating contemporary reflections on ancient pasts and includes architectural changes like LED lighting, custom-built casework and new windows to allow more natural light and provide great views of the courtyard.
You can see the new space, the largest collection of Nabataean art in the United States and a new commission in glass from artist Shahzia Sikander that encourages visitors to rethink the way a 21st-century museum interprets ancient Middle Eastern art when the gallery opens to the public at 11 a.m. Saturday. Admission is free. The museum is open Tuesday-Sunday, with extended hours on Thursdays. Cincinnati Art Museum is located at 953 Eden Park Drive, Mount Adams. cincinnatiartmuseum.org.
Honorable mention: Downtown Dazzle
It's the final weekend to catch this show, featuring fireworks and Santa rappelling down a skyrise on Fountain Square (520 Vine St., Downtown). It takes place from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday. Make an evening of it by booking an ice skating/bumper cars session at the ice rink. myfountainsquare.com.
Honorable mention: Yuletide Village Season of Lights
It's also the final weekend to explore the winter fairyland and scenic holiday village at the Ohio Renaissance Festival Grounds (10542 E. Ohio 73, Harveysburg). Enjoy the yuletide market, lights, live music, festive food and drink and more. 5-10 p.m. Friday and 3-10 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $15, free for ages under 12. Parking is free. yuletidevillage.com.
Source link
