Santa Fe Arts
General
Tickets for a wide variety of cultural and arts events can be found at www.ticketssantafe.org
Santa Fe Arts and Culture lists upcoming events and links you to ticket purchase. You can find various bits of perhaps surprising information, for example, recipes for New Mexican cooking. www.santafeartsandculture.org
My Culturenet Calendar lists music, art, and other upcoming events. You can sign up for a free monthly email to get information on the activities of your choice. Go to http://www.nmculturenet.org/calendar/email/
First Friday Art Walk -- the West Palace Arts District is between La Casa Santa Fe and the Plaza, about a ten-minute walk away. The galleries support a variety of openings and special events on the first Friday of every month, usually from 5:00-7:30 p.m. There are also more than 40 restaurants in the general area. http://www.westpalace.org
Santa Fe International Folk Art Market is a yearly event, usually in July. Hundreds of craftspeople from around the world bring their wares and demonstrate their crafts. Visit the website for particulars www.folkartmarket.org
The Lensic Performing Arts Center, an easy walk from La Casa Santa Fe, has theatermusic, dance, film, lectures and family programs, all in a beautifully restored early 1900’s building with excellent seating: http://www.lensic.com/
Music
The Santa Fe Opera
http://www.santafeopera.org/
The wonderful, open-air Santa Fe Opera has been bringing world-class artists to northern New Mexico since 1957. Besides the music, the opera house itself is an attraction. Our mild summer nights make it possible to have a physical plant that is open air, with cantilevered roofs covering the stage and a part of the audience area. Panels at the back of the stage slide open so that, when the story line permits, views of the Jemez mountains and the setting sun become a part of the performance. Because it does sometimes rain in the evening, you may be treated to the sight of people in fancy dress enjoying the opera while wearing raincoats. The backs of the comfortable seats have video screens which provide translations of the libretto in English or in Spanish, as you prefer.
The Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival
http://www.sfcmf.org/
The chamber music ensemble tours nationally, but maintains a six-week summer season in Santa Fe. Internationally renowned guest artists, along with resident musicians, present classic and commissioned works.
The Santa Fe Desert Chorale
http://www.desertchorale.org/
This year the Santa Fe Desert Chorale celebrates it’s silver anniversary. New Mexico musicians and performers from across the nation combine to present a wide variety of choral music, ranging from Gregorian chants, to folk songs, to classical composers, to Broadway show tunes. The Summer Festival for 2008 is June 26 - August 10, and features music of America, England, Scandinavia, and Spain. Ticket sales begin March 15 at www.ticketssantafe.org
Sangre de Cristo Chorale
http://www.sdc-chorale.org/
A self-governing, volunteer organization, the Sangre de Cristo Chorale draws its members from Santa Fe, Los Alamos, and Albuquerque. The Chorale presents a wide repertoire in six to nine concerts over a nine-month season.
Santa Fe Pro Musica
http://www.santafepromusica.com/
Fall through Spring is enlivened with the nine-month season of the Santa Fe Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra, enriched with visiting artists. Their December concerts in the Loretto Chapel are a treasured Santa Fe tradition.
Santa Fe Womens Ensemble
The Santa Fe Womens Ensemble presents chorale musice written for women's voices throughout the ages, and encourages new compositions designed to be sung by women. They will be performing in Italy in June, 2008, returning to Santa Fe in the latter part of the summer.
Dance
The Institute for Spanish Arts
http://www.mariabenitez.com/
Flamenco dance, song, and guitar are the heart and soul of the Institute for Spanish Arts. A combination of performance and multi-media presentations traces the career of Maria Benitez, inspiration to two generations of artists who aspire to keep alive the rich cultural traditions of Spain and Hispanic New Mexico. Besides performances by world renowned artists, the Institute provides training and performance opportunities for young dancers, singers, and musicians.
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
www.aspensantafeballet.com The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Company tours nationally, with a performance schedule which includes classical and contemporary offerings. The Santa Fe performances are usually scheduled in mid-summer.
Moving People Dance Theatre
http://www.movingpeopledance.org/
Performances by this contemporary dance company have been called “riveting”, “dazzling,” and a host of other adjectives expressing amazement and delight at the athletic, creative choreography . . . “performances are a fusion of classical and contemporary styles ranging from ballet to hip hop with Indigenous and Hispanic traditional movement and mythology". This local, non-profit company takes a cross-cultural approach in its repertoire, and reaches out to youth who otherwise might dismiss dance as irrelevant.
Theatre
Theatrework
http://www.theaterwork.org/
The theatre on Rufina Circle creates an intimate arena for contemporary and classical productions. Theatrework folks focus on character – not only on the characters portrayed, but on connection with community and values. They have an impassioned commitment to bringing themselves to the joy of providing thought-provoking entertainment.
Santa Fe Playhouse
http://www.santafeplayhouse.org/
You won’t find this anywhere else: the oldest continually running local theatre west of the Mississippi (85 seasons and counting) in Barrio de Analco, one of the oldest neighborhoods of the United States. Here you will find first-time productions of comedies, dramas and musicals. Every fall they produce “The Fiesta Melodrama,” where the storyline and characters poke fun at “The City Different” sparing neither long-time residents and traditions nor newcomers. While enjoyable for anyone, the Melodrama is particularly relished by residents for its insider humor. Anonymous authorship may be all that deters libel suits!
College of Santa Fe Performing Arts Department
http://www.csf.edu/csf/academics/pad/index.html
Here is where students learn all facets of stage production and hone their acting skills. College faculty are supplemented with national and international performers to give students an excellent base for professional theatre while presenting solid interpretations of classical and contemporary works.
Film
Of course, we have our share of motion picture theatres, showing both main-line and independent films. Selections from the Banff Mountain Film Festival mountaincultureare brought to town in the spring, sponsored by local sporting goods stores and conservation groups. The Banff films show in the Lensic Theatre, which is an easy walk from La Casa Santa Fe, and has wonderful seating . . . it’s easy to feel you are in the scene itself www.lensic.com The sponsoring organizations also hold a drawing to match your admission ticket with a wide range of outdoor clothing, gear, and experiences.
Santa Fe Film Festival
http://www.santafefilmfestival.com/
The Santa Fe Film Festival is your first opportunity to see a variety of new American and foreign film, including local New Mexican film. They also present retrospectives and revivals of important prior releases. The 2007 festival ran from November 28 – December 2. Visit their site in late October for the particulars and the line-up of films.
Northern New Mexico Art Tours
Northern New Mexico abounds with fine artists and fine crafts people. Various geographically-based arts tours take place throughout the year, but you can visit most of the studios year-long.
The El Dorado Studio Tour -- The next tour is May 17-18, 2008. To see last year's artists, and to check on the coming event, visit their webpage http://www.eldoradoarts.org/home.html
The "High Road Art Tour" connects Santa Fe with Taos, travelling through mountain villages where artists invite you into their studios. Although the"high Road Art Tour" is a specific event, you can visit the studios throughout the year. See more about the artists and connect to a map at www.highroadnewmexico.com
The Abiquiu Studio Tour takes the "low road to Taos," following the Chama and the Rio Grande rivers. See the 30+ artists you can visit at http://www.AbiquiuStudioTour.org The 2008 Tour takes place Columbus' Day weekend, October 11 and 12.
The El Rito Studio Tour features work by several dozen artists and craftspeople, some showing in their studios and some in group sites. Many work in media that are particular to northern New Mexico, such as micaceous pottery, Spanish Colonial furniture and religious figures, and tin work. The El Rito 2008 Studio Tour will take place October 18 and 19. http://www.elritostudiotour.org
The Artesanos del Valle Tour for 2007 showcased artists living to the east of Santa Fe, as one moves into the Pecos River valley. Although no tour is currently planned for 2008, the webpage has links where you can investigate the works of the various artists, who create in basketry, quiltmaking, jewelry, pottery, collage, sculpture, weaving, watercolors, and wrought iron, among other media. http://www.artesanosdelvalle.com
We look forward to meeting you in Santa Fe!