Entertainment

Best bets: Fancy hats fitting for Arlington's opening weekend

Posted May 01, 2012 6:00 am

By Scott C. Morgan

Horses leave the starting gate in the first race on Opening Day in 2011 at Arlington Park. JOE LEWNARD/jlewnard@dailyherald.com, May 2011

And they're off!

Another season of horse-racing at Arlington Park commences Friday with Opening Day and Kentucky Derby Day on Saturday at 2200 Euclid Ave., Arlington Heights. Free admission on opening day; $10 Derby Day. (847) 385-7500 or arlingtonpark.com. 10:45 a.m. gates open, first race at 3 p.m. Friday, May 4; Derby Day: 10:45 a.m. gates open, 12:15 p.m. first race Saturday, May 5

Orchestral exotica

Exotic locales are conjured up aurally whenthe Elgin Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Victor Yampolsky and featuringcellist Matt Haimovitz, perform music of Rimsky-Korsakov, Saint-Saëns and more for the concert “One Thousand and One Nights” this weekend at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. $25-$75. (847) 931-5900 or elginsymphony.org. 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 4; 8 p.m. Saturday, May 5; and 3:30 p.m. Sunday, May 6

Uncommon mom

Start marking Mother's Day this month by catching former opera singer-turned cabaret artist Gillian Kelly in her intimate show “Not Your Ordinary Mother!” on Friday evenings at Davenport's, 1383 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. $15 plus two-drink purchase. (773) 278-1830 or davenportspianobar.com. 8 p.m. Fridays through May 25

Midwestern mirth

Comedian Michael Palascak has been known for joking about living with his parents. See if he's still under their roof when he performs this weekend at Zanies at Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. $23 plus a two-menu item purchase. (630) 584-6342 or zanies.com. 8 and 9:45 p.m. Friday, May 4, and 7:30 and 9:45 p.m. Saturday, May 5

Cars to ogle

Fans of pricey cars like Ferraris, Porsches, Lamborghinis, Roadsters and more should check out Supercar Saturday Car Show this Saturday at The Promenade, 631 E. Boughton Road, Bolingbrook. Free. thepromenadebolingbrook.com. 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 5

Balanchine bash

Ballet Chicago performs George Balanchine's “Concerto Barocco,” “Rubies” and “Who Cares?” as part of the concert of “Balanchine Masterworks” this weekend at Millennium Park's Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago. $25-$40. (312) 334-7777 or balletchicago.org. 8 p.m. Saturday, May 5, and 3 p.m. Sunday, May 6

Smooth jazz

Saxophonist and Latin pop star Jessy J performs smooth jazz this Saturday at the Montrose Room at the InterContinental O'Hare Hotel, 5300 N. River Road, Rosemont. $20-$40. (847) 544-5300 or montroseroom.com. 8 p.m. Saturday, May 5

Cinema ‘Ring'

Wagner's massive four-opera epic based upon Norse mythology officially known as “Der Ring des Nibelungen” (otherwise known as “The Ring Cycle”) will be rescreened starting Wednesdayat select participating movie theaters. Approximately $18 per opera. fathomevents.com. “Das Rheingold” is at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 9; “Die Walküre” is at 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 14; “Siegfried” is at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 16; and “Götterdämmerung” is at noon Saturday, May 19

Cellist Matt Haimovitz will perform with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra for the concert One Thousand and One Nights at the Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin.

Comedian Michael Palascak headlines Zanies at the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles.

See all kinds of deluxe cars at the Supercar Saturday Car Show at The Promenade Bolingbrook on Saturday, May 5.

Ballet Chicago performs Balanchine Masterworks featuring Concerto Barocco, Rubies and Who Cares at Millennium Parks Harris Theater for Music and Dance in Chicago. COURTESY OF VINCENT CHAIGNE/THE GEORGE BALANCHINE

Jessy J performs smooth jazz at the Montrose Room at the InterContinental O'Hare Hotel in Rosemont.

Wotan (Bryn Terfel) gets dodgy advice from the fire god Loge (Richard Croft) in Wagners Das Rheingold, the first of four operas staged in Robert Lepages production of the monumental Der Ring des Nibelungen for the Metropolitan Opera. The four operas are rescreened in select movie theaters in May. COURTESY OF KEN HOWARD/METROPOLITAN OPERA

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