By MIKE DUNHAM

Anchorage Opera opened its 50th anniversary season on Saturday night with a concert version of “The Grapes of Wrath,” by Ricky Ian Gordon. By my count it was the third time that the company has presented a “new” opera. The others would be John Luther Adams’ “Earth and the Great Weather,” which was hardly an opera in any conventional sense, and Willard Straight’s “Toyon of Alaska,” the only premiere of a staged dramatic work and one which, I think, was never performed outside Alaska.

It had to happen. The original date for Mannheim Steamroller's concert in Atwood Hall sold out quickly (there might be a seat or two left, but...). So the Anchorage Concert Association has added a second show, 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 30. Get tickets at centertix.net.

By MATT SULLIVAN
Matt Sullivan / Anchorage Daily News: Anchorage Museum prepares for its "SuperTrash" exhibit, which opens Friday, Nov. 4

Today was the press preview of two new exhibits at the Anchorage Museum, “SuperTrash” and “Earth, Fire and Fibre XXVII.” Both open tomorrow and run through Jan. 8.

Brian Meacham and Alex Trebek: Photo courtesy Jeopardy Productions, Inc.

Brian Meacham, a film preservationist from Anchorage, will appear on the television game show Jeopardy tonight. Meacham is competing in the show's Tournament of Champions. Tune into channel 13 at 6 p.m. to see how he does.

Cigarette Dance 1: Photo: James H. Barker

“Wild Bra’s on Parade,” a fund-raiser and breast cancer awareness event hosted by Casting for Recovery, will have a reception and silent auction from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight at Cafe Del Mundo.

The bras are on display now at the coffee shop on Benson.

Casting For Recovery-Alaska is a nonprofit group of volunteers dedicated to helping breast cancer survivors heal through its free fly fishing retreats every summer.

This year’s “Foundations for Recovery – Wild Bras on Parade” event features over 20 works of art, with themes ranging from Scrabblephiles to chocoholics.

By MIKE DUNHAM
Fourplay: Missy & Lindsay Lamar rehearsing Arlitia Jones' "Shoe Story." Photo, Aaron Wiseman.
The latest edition of Three Wise Moose Productions’ “Fourplay” opened at Anchorage Community Theatre, 1133 E. 70th, as ACT’s production of “Arsenic and Old Lace” was wrapping up.

Dot Bardarson: The Seward artist at work on her painting "Tones from the Deep."

Seward artist Dot Bardarson has been named Alaska Artist of the Year by Exploring TOSCA, a comprehensive arts guide in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota area. The magazine has introduced a section called American Artist Series in which one artist is chosen to represent each state.

More information is available at tctosca.com.

By MIKE DUNHAM
Anton Belov: Baritone gave outstanding Anchorage premieres of "Dichterliebe" and Liszt's "Petrarch Sonnets."
The concert of the year may have been "Songs of Love," a recital by baritone Anton Belov and pianist Svetlana Velichko in Sydney Laurence Theatre on Sunday evening.

By MIKE DUNHAM
Jane Park Drebert and puppets: The best part of Cyrano's "Carnival."
I had high hopes for “Carnival” at Cyrano’s, mainly because of the caliber of the cast members. But it takes more than a good performance to make good theater or good music. You need a good writer and a good composer, too.

By MIKE DUNHAM

You can never have too much Bach and the resumption of the Alaska Chamber Singers' all-Bach series after a one year break provided a welcome start to the local concert lineup. But I have heard ACS do much better than what I heard at out Lady of Guadalupe Church on Friday night.

The program consisted of pieces previously performed by the group, including the cantatas "Jesu, der du meine Seele," and "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" and the motets "Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden" and "Der Geist hlift unsrer Schwachheit aut."

'Woman in Black': D.J. Rotach (left)and Ted Carney are the cast in VPA's thriller.
Just in time for Halloween, Valley Performing Arts has put together a chilling ghost story. Imagine yourself caught in a horror movie, the characters have come to life and reality seems far away.

"Carnival" and "Fiddler" casts: Anchorage "Carnival" principals(more or less l-r), Torrie Allen, director Bill Fabris, Rachel Gregory, music director Brendon Mezzetti, Scarlet Kittylee Boudreux, John Fraser, Anthony Lounsbury, Jeff Brion, Rob Wood and Patrick Killoran pose with members of the traveling troupe for "Fiddler on the Roof" after "Carnival's" preview at Cyrano's on Oct. 20. The "Fiddler" folks are out of makeup, but I'm pretty sure the woman next to the puppet is Pamela Chabora, who plays Yente.

Santee Smith

Alaska Junior Theater invites everyone to a community potluck welcoming the Kaha:wi Dance Theatre to town. The ground-breaking company, headed by choreographer and dancer Santee Smith, combines American Indian and contemporary dance in their performances. They've been doing workshops and shows at local schools this week and will present a public performance on Thursday night at the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts.

By MIKE DUNHAM
Momentum Dance Collective: Pondering the words in "Off the Page."
"Off the Page," a collaboration between the Momentum Dance Collective and local poets being presented at Out North, approaches the concept of mixing the media in several ways. In the opening piece, "Ponder This," live poet Wisdom recites her piece on stage with the dancers.

The Alaska Trio: UAF faculty ensemble brings Schubert to Soldotna on Saturday
The Alaska Trio from UAF - Eduard Zilberkant, piano; Karl Knapp, cello; Kathleen Butler-Hopkins, violin - will be joined by guest musicians Vince Cee, bass and Gail Johannsen, viola, in a chamber music concert at 7 p.m. on Saturday at the Soldotna United Methodist Church.

The program will include Schubert's "Trout" Quintet and his gorgeous Trio in B-flat Major.

Debby Dahl Edwardson: photo courtesy of the author
Debby Dahl Edwardson of Barrow is one of five authors announced on Wednesday as a finalist in the Young People’s Literature category for the 62nd National Book Awards.

Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan, the Anchorage Arts Advisory Commission and the Anchorage Cultural Council have announced the honorees selected for the 11th annual Mayor’s Awards for the Arts in the following categories:

Outstanding Individual Artist: Steven Wounded Deer Alvarez

Champion of the Arts: Rasmuson Foundation

Kay Linton Volunteer in the Arts: Dr. Brian Saylor

Youth Arts Award: Emily Blahous

Lorene Harrison Award for Lifetime Achievement: Sandy Harper

Outstanding Arts Organization: Asian Alaskan Cultural Center

Juror Andrew Wagner announced his picks for this year's "Earth, Fire & Fibre" statewide craft/art exhibit. From 273 pieces submitted by 92 artists, he selected a final exhibit of 82 pieces by 43 artists. There were a total of 273 pieces entered from 92 artists. Out of these artists, 22 were new artists to the Anchorage Museum's database. Out of these 22 new artists, 8 have works in the exhibition, with 2 winning an award.

* $1000 Juror’s Choice Award: Lael Gordon, Seward, "Greek Key Sideboard," a piece of furniture with Douglas fir, jatoba, Sitka spruce and Alaskan birch

By MIKE DUNHAM
Sket One
I read a listing that said the show of work by Andrew Yasgar – aka “Sket One” – would have an opening reception on Friday afternoon, so made it my first stop. UAA’s Kimura Gallery seldom has First Friday openings and, in fact, I was sure the information I’d received said the reception had already taken place earlier that week.