Current Release: September 11th, 2007 | Vol. XXIV Iss. 10

Photos courtesy of the Sandler Center - by craig mcclure

Ticket: Rock concerts and mosh pits not your cup of tea? Try a more classic approach.

By Katie Morris

kemorris@vwc.edu

With the NorVa down by the MacArthur Center and several other venues that play hosts to artists such as Hot Tuna in Virginia Beach, The White Horse Pub in Pembroke Mall and Volume Records in Lynnhaven, there’s no lack of places for music fans to go. There is also diversity in the local scene. If your tastes aren’t quite tuned to rock concerts, there are other venues around to consider.

For instance, there is the Sandler Center, a new, state of the art venue that recently opened its doors in the Va Beach area. The Sandler Center is playing host to a many events coming up during the course of the semester. The VA. Symphony Orchestra will be performing on March 9, and the renowned Celtic band The Chieftains will be giving a concert on March 12. It may not be music, but if you’re into theater, you can also find it here. On March 20, the Sandler Center will show Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice” and March 27-30 will see the staging of the musical “Titanic” (No, it’s not a musical version of the movie.) There is another play, “Smokey Joe’s Cafe,” running in April 24 to the 27. In May, the VA. Symphony Orchestra will return on the 3. The musical “Gypsy” will play May 8 and the Peking Acrobats will swing in on May 10 for a show. These are just a few of the many different talents that will be making their way to the Sandler Center’s advanced stage. More information on upcoming shows and tickets can be found at the website, www.sandlercenter.org.

Not to be forgotten, there is also the Virginia Opera, which is also located in Norfolk. So far for the current season, the Virginia Opera has run Jacques Offenback’s “Tales of Hoffmann,” Gilbert and Sullivan’s classic and much beloved “The Pirates of Penzance,” and the great Russian composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin.” The season will close out with Gaetano Donizetti’s classic opera

“Lucia di Lammermoor,” which will run in March 28 and 30 and April 2, 4 and 6. More information about the performances at the local Virginia Opera can be found at www.vaopera.org.

So, if you’re looking for a night of exotic entertainment in international music or seeking the beauty and depth of classic operas, there are plenty of places around.