High art does not have to be high-priced. LA and OC are replete with free and low-cost quality arts events. The trick is finding them. What follows is a partial list for this weekend.
Art
Feb. 2: Free Fullerton Art Walk from 6:00pm to 10:00pm.
Feb. 3: Free Santa Ana Art Walk from 7:00pm to 10:00pm
Opera
Feb. 2-4: Jules Massenet opera work at Fullerton College. Opera is expensive but not when you see selection portions at the college level. Prices are $10 – $5.
Classical Music
Feb. 4: Free classical music concerts every Sunday at the Nixon Library. Free parking, too!
Feb. 2 and 4: Free South Bay Chamber Music Society in Wilmington and in Rolling Hills Estates. The Saguaro Piano Trio is playing on these dates. They are fantastic! Do not miss them. I have paid $50 to see them.
Feb. 3: Free Northern Arizona Symphony Orchestra at SOKA. SOKA’s performing arts center is amazing and their campus is beautiful. Plus, the parking is free and that adds to the beauty.
Inexpensive recitals at CSULB (Feb 2.), CSUF (Feb. 2), Irvine Valley College (Feb 3.) and UCI (Feb. 3). These are performed by professors and the cost is $10 or less.
Ballet
On Feb. 4, a high-definition broadcast of The Bolshoi Ballet’s The Lady of The Camellias is playing at select theaters. Usually, price is $17. I’ve been to several of these. They are great events!
Theater
Orange County has several regional theaters. Prices range between $15 – $25. The following theaters have shows this weekend: The Costa Mesa Playhouse, STAGES Theatre, Modjeska Playhouse, The Cabrillo Playhouse, Newport Theatre Arts Center, The Maverick Theater, Concordia University, UCI Claire Trevor School and The Stage Door Repertory Theatre.
Culture
Feb. 4: Free celebration of the Asian lunar new year at The Bowers Museum. Includes music, dance and kids’ activities.
Jazz
Jazz is an art form born in America. I get to say that because this is my blog. There is abundant live jazz around OC this weekend. In most cases, there is no cover charge. A jazz singer I love is Elizabeth Lamers. She is playing at Bacchus on Feb. 3 and The Cellar on Feb. 4. Highly recommended.
There is also jazz at Bayside (Feb. 2 and 3), The Parks Bistro (Feb. 2 and 3), Boathouse Collective (Feb. 2) and Ziing’s Bistro (Feb. 3). Mozambique has a jazz brunch on Feb. 4.