WED ▪ 17
If you can look past the “Deutschland über alles” jingoism of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, it’s actually a rather enjoyable time. The Metropolitan Opera runs an encore broadcast of this, the only comic opera that Wagner ever wrote, and with acclaimed Wagner interpreter James Levine conducting, you can go in with high expectations. The broadcast begins at 6:30pm at various theaters; check Calendar for showtimes. Tickets are $16-24. Call 818-761-6100.
THU ▪ 18
Continuing with the Italian theme running through its entire 2014-15 season, Symphony Arlington programs its Christmas concert with excerpts from Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors, Corelli’s Christmas Concerto, and Respighi’s incredibly cheesy The Adoration of the Magi, the musical equivalent of an ugly reindeer sweater. The concert is at 7:30pm at Arlington Music Hall, 224 N Center St, FW. Tickets are $16.50-46.50. Call 817-385-4084.
FRI ▪ 19
Based on a rather lurid fairy tale by the Uruguayan writer Horacio Quiroga, How the Flamingos Got Their Stockings is a ballet that imagines the birds originally having white legs but getting their current red ones after an attempt to impress the other animals at a party goes horribly wrong. The ballet receives only one performance at 7:30pm at Rose Marine Theater, 1440 N Main St, FW. Tickets are $3-7. Call 817-624-8333.
SAT ▪ 20
Contemporary Dance/Fort Worth holds an unusual event this evening. Unsilent Night encourages you to either participate as a dancer (dress appropriately) or as a musician by downloading your choice of specific tracks and then playing it at the event on your portable music player. The result will be a unique twist on the holiday caroling tradition. The event is at 7:30pm at Magnolia Green Park, 1201 Lipscomb St, FW. Admission is free. Call 817-922-0944.
SUN ▪ 21
The Night & Day curse, which the Dallas Cowboys appeared to have quashed last season, has returned, with the Cowboys losing all the games that this page has previewed so far this year. Is it because we’re only highlighting games against quality opponents, or do the Cowboys just suck at home? We’ll see if they can reverse the jinx in their regular-season home finale against the Indianapolis Colts at 3:30pm at AT&T Stadium, 1 Legends Way, Arlington. Tickets are $75-500. Call 800-745-3000.
MON ▪ 22
Why would you pay to see A Charlie Brown Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas when TV networks will broadcast those renowned specials for free this holiday season? Well, there’s something to be said for experiencing them in a theater with a lot of other children who are seeing these classics for the first time. The episodes, the last of the holiday movies being shown this year at Palace Theater, are screened Mon-Tue at 300 S Main St, Grapevine. Tickets are $5. Call 817-310-4100.
TUE ▪ 23
TubaChristmas, the annual tradition of performing Christmas carols on impromptu bands of tubas, makes its first-ever appearance at UNT over the weekend, but it’ll also be at TCU today to bring a whole lot of bass to your Tuesday afternoon. Players of instruments related to the tuba are welcome, so if you have an ophicleide, helicon, or euphonium in your closet, now’s a good time to dig it out. The performance is at noon at Ed Landreth Auditorium, 2800 S University Dr, FW. Admission is free. Call 817-233-8920.
