Lifestyle

Best bets: Nutcrackers of the week, dog show, The Met in HD

Posted December 15, 2009 10:00 pm

Daily Herald Staff Report

The Skokie Valley Kennel Club All Breed Dog Shows are at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont.

Nutcrackers of the week

Two vital versions of Tchaikovsky's classic Christmas ballet "The Nutcracker" play in Lake and DuPage Counties this weekend.

Civic Ballet of Chicago's "The Nutcracker" is the one to see if you long for the celebrated staging by late Chicago dance pioneer Ruth Page (seen many seasons at the Arie Crown Theatre). This version plays College of Lake County's Lumber Center for the Performing Arts, 19351 W. Washington St., Grayslake. $12-$27. (847) 543-2300 or jlcenter.clcillinois.edu. 1 and 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19; 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 20

Von Heidecke Chicago Festival Ballet's "The Nutcracker" gets a big boost from the live orchestral accompaniment courtesy of the New Philharmonic at College of DuPage's McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. $27-$37. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org. 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19; 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 20

Kennel set

Dog lovers won't want to miss the Skokie Valley Kennel Club All Breed Dog Shows, especially with a display of 300 puppies (on Saturday) promised in addition to a flurry of other Fido-related events this weekend at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont. $5; $2 kids ages 5 and under. (630) 893-5796 or skokievalleykc.org. 9 a.m. Friday and Sunday, Dec. 18 and 20; 8 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 19

Seasonal spirituals

Five-time Grammy Award-winning opera soprano Kathleen Battle teams up with Chicago Children's Choir for a special concert of holiday favorites and spirituals at Millennium Park's Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago. $45-$75. (312) 334-7777 or harristheaterchicago.org. 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18

Unbeaten Bliss

If you missed the local launch of the Lingerie Football League, then don't miss out on the second and final home game when the undefeated Chicago Bliss take on the third-ranked Philadelphia Passion tonight at the Sears Centre Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. $10-$65; ($10 parking). (800) 745-3000. 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18

Thwarted love

Worldwide audiences get a glimpse of Tony Award-winning director Bartlett Sher's new Metropolitan Opera production of Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffmann" ("Les Contes d' Hoffmann") courtesy of a live HD simulcast shown in area movie theaters on Saturday. Sung in French with English subtitles. $22. $20 seniors; $18 kids. Visit fathomevents.com for exact locations. 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13

Gaither gathering

Gospel legend Bill Gaither reunites with the Gaither Vocal Band for the Gaither Homecoming Christmas Tour 2009 this Saturday at the Sears Centre Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates. $31.50-$44.50 ($15 parking). (800) 745-3000. 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19

Veddy English

Anglophiles won't want to miss "A Proper English Christmas," a special holiday concert featuring the combined forces of the Elgin Choral Union and the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra this weekend at the Blizzard Theatre in Elgin Community College's Visual and Performing Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. $22; $17 seniors; $14 students. (847) 622-0300 or elgin.edu/arts. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19; 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 20

Holiday Idols

Get your dose of Christmas pop for the season with former "American Idol" contestants Gina Glocksen, David Hernandez, Alexis Grace and Michael Sarver in "American Stars in Concert for the Holidays" this Saturday at the Paramount Theatre, 8 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora. $24.50. (630) 896-6666 or paramountaurora.com. 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19

The Gaither Vocal Band reunite for the Gaither Homecoming Christmas Tour 2009 at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates.

Kathleen Kim as Olympia and Joseph Calleja as Hoffmann in Offenbach´s "Les Contes d´Hoffmann." A live high definition Metropolitan Opera simulcast is screened to area movie theaters on Saturday, Dec. 19. Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera

Joseph Calleja stars as Hoffmann in "Les Contes d´Hoffmann" ("The Tales of Hoffmann"). A live high definition Metropolitan Opera simulcast is screened to area movie theaters on Saturday, Dec. 19. Micaela Rossato/Metropolitan Opera

Naperville's Gina Glocksen, former "American Idol" contestant, appears in "American Stars in Concert for the Holidays" at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora.

The undefeated Chicago Bliss take on the Philadelphia Passion at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates. Courtesy of Sears Centre and the Lingerie Footall League

Von Heidecke's Chicago Festival Ballet's production of "The Nutcracker" plays the McAninch Arts Center in Glen Ellyn. The New Philharmonic accompanies the performances.

The Civic Ballet of Chicago's "The Nutcracker" plays the Lumber Center for the Performing Arts in Grayslake.

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