The month of November in the arts

The exhibit opening Nov. 12 at the Museum of Fine Arts St. Petersburg is one of those mission-fulfilling things – the sort of display that the museum founders, back in 1965, doubtless had in mind when they were excitedly talking about their potential future.

True Nature: Rodin and the Age of Impressionism showcases a select survey of Auguste Rodin’s best-known sculptures, together with other masterworks by leading Impressionist painters including Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Paul Cézanne and Pierre Auguste-Renoir.

The works, more than 70 in total, are on loan from the permanent collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and will be in St. Pete through March 26.

The first new Dali Museum exhibit in a while, The Shape of Dreams, opens Nov. 25. It explores 500 years of dream-inspired paintings from the 16th to 20th century, from such artists as Paul Delvaux, Pat Steir, Philip Guston, Max Beckmann, Lodovico Carracci, Odilon Redon (“many of which are monumental canvases”) … and Dali himself.

Claude Monet, Nympheas, circa 1897-1898, Oil on canvas, Mrs. Fred Hathaway Bixby Bequest, photo © Museum Associates/LACMA

Big laughs

It’s a fertile month for comedians, as Jim Breuer is at the Palladium Theater Nov. 4, Adam Sandler comes to Amalie Arena Nov. 6, Steven Wright has a Palladium date Nov. 10, Paul Reiser plays the Capitol Theatre Nov. 18, and Daniel Tosh returns to the Mahaffey Theater (for two shows) Nov. 26.

Concerts

Some interesting stuff this month. Let’s run ‘em down:

Marc Anthony: The Latin heartthrob has a date with Amalie Arena Nov. 4

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band: Jeff Hanna and Jimmie Fadden are still holding down the fort in one of the country’s most beloved Americana bands; perhaps founding member John McEuen, a bay area resident, will sit in when the Nitty Gritties play the Capitol Theatre Nov. 4?

Luke Bryan: The Georgia country star plays the Mid-Florida Credit Union Amphitheatre Nov. 5.

Steep Canyon Rangers: Ashville bluegrass aces, who sometimes gig with banjo man Steve Martin (not this trip, though). Capitol Theatre, Nov. 5.

Mike Zito: The acclaimed Missouri blues guitarist visits the Safety Harbor Art & Music Center Nov. 10.

Reba MacIntire: Loretta Lynn’s gone; doesn’t that now make Reba officially the Queen of Country? Amalie Arena, Nov. 11

Ann Hampton Callaway: One of New York’s premiere cabaret singers makes her semi-regular trip down south for a Palladium show Nov. 11.

Gipsy Kings: Fiery world music from guitarist Nicolas Reyes and his band of brilliant European musicians, speed-welding flamenco, rumba, salsa, jazz, pop, Afro-Cuban sounds, et cetera. Nov. 11, Ruth Eckerd Hall.

Joe Satriani: “Surfing With the Alien” is one of the most evocative electric-guitar instrumental albums of the 20^th century. Satriani remains a class act, in a category all his own. Nov. 12, Ruth Eckerd Hall.

J.D. Souther: Out of the blue, here’s a name you don’t hear a lot these days. The 1970s singer/songwriter has a Nov. 13 show at the Central Park Performing Arts Center in Largo.

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas: Melodic electronic Yuletide returns to the Mahaffey Nov. 15.

Bow Wow: With Mario, Keri Hilson, Lloyd, Pleasure P, Bobby V and others. Amalie Arena, Nov. 18.

Straight No Chaser: The stupefyingly cool all-male a capella singing group returns to Ruth Eckerd Hall Nov. 18.

Bonnie Raitt: Marc Cohn is the opening act for the flame-haired rock ‘n’ blues legend’s Nov. 19 concert at Ruth Eckerd Hall.

Lorrie Morgan: The throaty country music legend (“What Part of No,” “Watch Me”) plays the Capitol Theatre Nov. 20.

Warren Haynes/Jamey Johnson: The “Last Waltz Tour” also features Anders Osborne, Kathleen Edwards, John Medeski, Cyril Neville, Don Was and a cast of … more. Mahaffey, Nov. 20

Five Finger Death Punch/Brantley Gilbert: Nov. 22, at Amalie Arena.

Lindsey Sterling: A unique performing artist, Stirling is a classically-trained violinist, dancer … and extremely popular video-creator. The music is a blend of Celtic and electronica. Stirling and her band are touring behind Snow Waltz, her new holiday album. Nov. 29, Ruth Eckerd Hall.

Theater

Actor and singe Patrick Sullivan, most recently seen in Rose and Walsh, returns to freeFall Theatre with Travelin’ Light Nov. 4, a musical, semi-autobiographical cabaret. Matthew McGee’s Christmas musical The Night Before begins its 2022 freeFall run Nov. 25.

Playwright Lucas Hnath’s A Doll’s House Part 2, from the Tampa Repertory Theatre, opens Nov. 3 at Stageworks Theatre. The drama, a sequel of sorts to Ibsen’s classic A Doll’s House, the play is directed by former American Stage producing artistic director Stephanie Gularte.

Caryl Churchill’s futuristic drama A Number is next up at Studio Grand Central, running Nov. 10-20.

And American Stage has George C. Wolfe’s The Colored Museum, an episodic satire of African-American culture, Nov. 2-27.

The classics

St. Pete Opera’s “Pinocchio.”

St. Petersburg Opera Company’s 60-minute opera for kids, Pinocchio, is back for its yearly visit Nov. 12, 13, 19 and 20. On weekday mornings, hundreds of local schoolchildren are bussed into see it – giving most or all of them their first taste of opera’s skillful storytelling.

The 80-member, all-volunteer Tampa Bay Symphony, conducted by St. Pete Opera’s Mark Sforzini, is at the Palladium Nov. 1 and 6 with a program called Heroes and Villains. Among the selections: “The Laws of Motion” by Angus Davison, the annual International Composition Competition finalist.

For November, The Florida Orchestra concert schedule includes Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade Nov. 5 and 6 (with Alexandra Dariescu performs Clara Schumann’s Piano Concerto); Brahms’ Violin Concerto (with soloist Stefan Jackiw) on the 12^th and 13^th; Arabian Fantasy on the 17^th; and an orchestral Led Zeppelin concert on the 18th. Then it’s Thanksgiving week, and the band’s on break ‘til December.

Other stuff

Enchant, formerly Enchant Christmas, takes over Tropicana Field with its sweping, lighted holiday fantasyland starting Nov. 25. It’ll be open daily through Jan. 1.

Disney Princesses: At the Mahaffey Nov. 11, featuring vibrant young Broadway singers – not in costume – performing the big numbers from Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and the like.

Tampa Bay Times Festival of Reading: The 30th anniversary of St. Pete’s biggest book-and-author event finds it considerably abridged, with fewer readings in a smaller space. Dennis Lehane  and Charlayne Hunter-Gault headline. Nov. 12, Palladium.

Suncoast Jazz Festival: Multiple artists perform over multiple days (Nov. 18-20) between hotels on Sand Key/Clearwater Beach.

As always, events are subject to change, and additional events will likely be added as the month progresses.

Please add us to your mailing list – send all press releases and event info to bill@stpetecatalyst.com.

You can also submit your events to the Catalyst calendar, by clicking here.