Holiday Music and The Nutcracker

This week is all about holiday music and dance. Bel Canto Chorus holds their annual Christmas in the Basilica concert, the Wisconsin Philharmonic Orchestra gets into the holiday spirit with An Old World Christmas, and German a cappella quintet, Calmus, performs their Christmas A Cappella show. But the biggest show of the week: Milwaukee Ballet Company’s The Nutcracker opens on Saturday.

Music

Bel Canto Chorus presents Christmas in the Basilica on Saturday Dec. 14 and Sunday Dec. 15

Bel Canto Chorus holds their Christmas in the Basilica concert at The Basilica of St. Josaphat on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 15 at 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The concert will feature music from Bel Canto Boy Choirs and Stained Glass Brass and the audience will be invited to sing along to their favorite Christmas carols. Tickets start at $30, $27 for students and seniors, available online or call (414) 481-8801

Holiday Frosty & Friends Pajama Jamboree presented by the Festival City Symphony on Wednesday Dec. 11 at the Bradley Pavilion at 7 p.m. This free, one hour concert is the perfect event for a family to enjoy holiday songs and a sing-a-long together. Attendees are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food donation for Milwaukee’s Hunger Task Force.

Milwaukee Children’s Choir offers a weekend full of special events, including An Evening of Readings & Carols at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14 at Cathedral Church of All Saints. General seating tickets are $15. They will also perform Trumpets Sound & Voices Raise! At 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15 at MATC’s Cooley Auditorium. Tickets are $15, $12 for seniors and $9 for students. Tickets for both events are available by phone at (414) 221-7040.

German a cappella quintet, Calmus, will perform at South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center on Thursday, Dec. 12

South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center welcomes Calmus’ Christmas A Cappella at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 12 for a mix of festive holiday songs, new and old. Tickets start at $25, $20 for seniors and $15 for students, available online or call (414) 766-5049.

The Wisconsin Philharmonic Orchestra presents An Old World Christmas on Tuesday, December 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts. Tickets start at $27, $17 for students/children, available by phone at (262) 547-1858.

Wisconsin Lutheran College hosts Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel as part of their Guest Artist Series at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11 at Schwan Concert Hall. Tickets are $36, available online or call (414) 443-8802.

Live Music: Alverno College Choir and Chamber Ensemble at Milwaukee Art Museum’s Windhover Hall from 12:30-1:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 13. This performance is free.

Dance

Milwaukee Ballet Company presents the holiday classic, The Nutcracker, at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts from Dec. 14-27. Tickets start at $68.73, available online or call (414) 902-2103.

Theater

Soulstice Theatre Company presents Enhanced Readers’ Theatre on Friday, Dec. 13 and Saturday, Dec. 14. Tickets are 30.50, available online or call (414) 481-2800.

Visual Art

Milwaukee Art Museum hosts Gallery Talk: A Christmas Story with Barbara Brown Lee at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 10 in which Chief Educator Emerita Barbara Brown Lee will share stories from religious works in the galleries. This gallery talk is free with museum admission.

Last Chance

Milwaukee Chamber Theatre: Things Being What They Are, through Dec. 15

Marcus Center: The Second City’s Nut-Cracking Holiday Revue, through Dec. 15

Ongoing

Quasimondo: Americlown, through Dec. 21

Fireside Theatre: A Fireside Christmas, through Dec. 22

Waukesha Civic Theatre: Candy Cane Tales and Holiday Carols, through Dec. 22

Milwaukee Rep: A Christmas Carol, through Dec. 24 and Forever Plaid, through Dec. 29

First Stage: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, through Dec. 29

Skylight Music Theatre: Les Miserables, through Dec. 29

Sunset Playhouse: It’s a Wonderful Life, through Dec. 31

In Tandem Theatre: A Cudahy Caroler Christmas, through Jan. 5

Milwaukee Art Museum: Thomas Sully: Painted Performance , through Jan. 5