Out and About: Top 10 things to do

The Hebrew University will celebrate Sakura Festival – the traditional Japanese festival in honor of blossoming of cherry trees.

By COMPILEDAMBERLEA CENTNER
Sakura Festival 370 (photo credit: Courtesy)
Sakura Festival 370
(photo credit: Courtesy)
FILM
1. MIRROR, MIRROR
A modern take on the classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. An evil queen (Julia Roberts) steals control of a kingdom, and an exiled princess (Lily Collins) enlists the help of seven diminutive resourceful rebels to win back her birthright.
At selected cinemas throughout the country.
ART
2. A TALE OF THREE CITIES
The Haifa Museum of Art will host an exhibition of the art of past and contemporary artists from Haifa, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, starting this Saturday. The exhibition is divided into two sections.
The first part features works by noted artists that have lived in and created in Haifa, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in the past, such as Michael Gross (Haifa), Rafi Lavie (Tel Aviv) and Yehezkel Streichman (Jerusalem). The second part of the exhibition focuses on works by groups of contemporary artists from the respective cities who have created new forms of cooperation, organization and action, such as cooperative galleries and artists’ groups. The groups featured in the second part of the exhibition include the Agaf (Haifa), Barbour (Jerusalem) and Hanina (Tel Aviv) among others.
March 10 to June 2, Haifa Museum of Art, (04) 911-5990
THEATER
3. WEST SIDE STORY
The Youth Division of the Encore! Educational Theater Company is staging West Side Story, one of the landmark musical plays of the 20th century. Catch this modern- day version of Romeo and Juliet, featuring a talented cast of 30 singers and dancers, an orchestra, a full set and elaborate costumes. In English.
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday at 8 p.m; Wednesday at 5 and and 8:30 p.m. Masorti High School, Talpiot, Jerusalem, 054-578- 9006; www.Encore-etc.com
CHILDREN
4. A MILLION CRANES
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Botanical Gardens will celebrate the Sakura Festival – the traditional Japanese festival in honor of the blossoming of the cherry trees – with a host of fun activities for children. In addition to kite-making and origami workshops, Japanese martial art demonstrations and tours of the Botanical Gardens’ cherry orchard, children are invited to participate in the Million Crane Project, which aims to collect one million paper cranes in support of the victims of the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that hit Japan in March last year. The paper cranes will be placed in a special Wish Crane loaned to the Botanical Gardens by the Israel-Japan Friendship Society and will be sent to Japan after the festival, where they will be hung in the streets of Sendai, a city badly affected by a tsunami caused by the earthquake, as part of the cherry blossom festivities there.
Hebrew University of Jerusalem Botanical Gardens, Thursday and Friday, (02) 679- 4012/3, www.botanic.co.il
DANCE
5. FLAMENCO FUSION
The 18th annual Dias de Flamenco dance festival opens at the Suzanne Dellal Center on Tuesday. This year’s theme is Modern and Fusion. Headlining performer Rocio Molina’s featured act Vinatica is a passionate work inspired by the classic 1962 film Days of Wine and Roses and set to modern interpretations of traditional Spanish Seguiriya, Buleria, Zambra and Liviana rhythms melded with Chopin’s classical music. Also on the bill are Einat Saruf and Sharon Sagi in Ladino, Flamenco and In-between, The Compas Dance Company in Carmen, workshops, a competition and more.
March 15 – 17, Suzanne Dellal Center, (03) 510-5656 or (03) 637-0822
MUSIC
6. A FAMILY AFFAIR
The Ra’anana Symphonette will host international clarinet player and klezmer musician Giora Feidman and his granddaughter, harp soloist Hila Ofek, for a concert of modern and classic Jewish music. On the program are Prayer (composed by Feidman), The King’s Fanfare (composed by Andre Hajdu), a world premiere of Ora Bat Haim’s Suite for Harp, Clarinet and Strings and more.
Saturday, Ra’anana Center for Music and Arts, 8:30 p.m., (09) 745-7773
7. CELEBRATING GERSHWIN
Looking for a different way to spend Saturday morning? The Anglican Church in Ramle is hosting a celebration of George Gershwin’s music featuring singer Hadas Eshed, saxophonist Shlomi Goldenburg, bassist Elad Muscatel and keyboardist Tamir Miller.
Saturday, 11:30 a.m., Anglican Church, Ramle, (03) 696-9776
8. A NIGHT AT THE OPERA
The Israeli Opera presents Lucia di Lammermoor, a tragic opera in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. When Lucia’s brother tricks her into marrying a man she does not love, a tragic set of circumstances ensues.
March 10 – 24, Israel Opera – Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center, (03) 692-7777, www.israel-opera.co.il
9. SIZZLING SALSA SOUNDS
Swing your hips to the sizzling sounds of Cuban singer, musician and percussionist Igor Arias Baro and the Hot Jazz Salsa Band at the fifth installment of the Hot Jazz Cuba! Salsa! series in locales around the country this week.
March 10 – 17, Ganei Tikva Center for Performing Arts, the Tel Aviv Museum, Beit Abba Khoushy House in Haifa, Gerard Behar Center in Jerusalem, Modi’in Maccabim-Reut Performing Arts Center and Zappa Herzliya, *3221; 072-275-3221
10. UPCOMING MUSIC JERUSALEM OPERA BONANZA
The recently launched Jerusalem Opera will celebrate its inception with a gala performance of operatic pieces by Mozart, Rossini and Bizet on March 18. The program will be overseen by Andre Hajdu and will feature a number of singers and soloists, including European guests Anna Peshes and Gabriele Ribis, as well as the Ankor Choir, Atila Tirosh, Anastasia Kalvan, Eitan Drori, Hemi Levison and Yannai Gonsherovsky.
March 18 at 8:30 p.m., Gerard Behar Center, Jerusalem, (02) 623-7000