Holiday Train, Jonas Brothers Concert: What to do in Ottawa this week

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WORLD MUSIC

Powerful female musicians visiting Ottawa this weekend are sure to deliver high-spirited world-music shows. On Friday Nov. 24, Nobuntu, an all-female a cappella vocal group from Zimbabwe, will present its fusion of Zimbabwean roots music, jazz, gospel and more at the Shenkman Arts Centre in Orléans (245 Centrum Blvd.). Tickets for the 8 p.m. show range from $20 to $45 at shenkmanarts.ca. On Saturday, Nov. 25, at 8 p.m., the Cuban project OKAN, led by violinist/vocalist Elizabeth Rodriguez and percussionist/vocalist Magdelys Savigne, brings its music to Club SAW (67 Nicholas St.), for an all-ages show. Tickets are $25 plus fees, available at ticketweb.ca.

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COUNTRY

Paul Brandt and Terri Clark have teamed up for an intimate acoustic tour that brings them to the National Arts Centre (1 Elgin St.) on Saturday, Nov. 25. The pair of long-time friends, who are both members of the Canadian Country Music of Fame, will share the songs and stories that have shaped their careers. Tickets start at $60.75, available at ticketmaster.ca.

OPERA

A semi-staged production of The Magic Flute, one of Mozart’s most popular operas, will be mounted Sunday afternoon, Nov. 26, at 2:30 p.m. by OperOttawa at First Baptist Church (140 Laurier Ave.). Sung in the original German, with dialogue in English, it features a cast of women and an orchestra conducted by Norman E. Brown, the Canadian baritone who founded OperOttawa a decade ago. Tickets are $50 ($25 for students), available at eventbrite.ca.

ART

A new outdoor art project designed to enhance Little Italy launches Thursday at the School of Photographic Arts of Ottawa (77 Pamilla St.). The SPAO Photo Walk features a curated series of large-scale photographs created by photographic artists from across the country. They’re installed in the Preston Street neighbourhood, with a QR code on each piece and a self-guided map to point the way. Celebrate the kickoff, and see what else is going on at the gallery, from 5-9 p.m. Nov. 24, with a musical performance by Ottawa singer Rebecca Noelle at 7 p.m. Admission is free.

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CHAMBER MUSIC

Composer Kevin Lau, who recently moved to Ottawa, will have his music feted at Tuesday night’s concert at Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre featuring violinist Scott St. John, pianist Angela Park and cellist Rachel Mercer, the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s principal cello. Lau’s new work Under A Veil of Stars, commissioned by the trio, is on the program, along with two other compositions by Lau and Maurice Ravel’s Piano Trio in A minor. The concert starts at 7 p.m. Nov. 28, but Lau will speak with Ottawa Chamberfest’s artistic director Carissa Klopoushak between 6 and 6:30 p.m. Tickets, ranging from $35 to $59, are available at chamberfest.com.

THEATRE

Orpheus Musical Theatre’s elaborate production of Mary Poppins finishes a triumphant run at Meridian Centrepointe Theatre (101 Centrepointe Dr.) this weekend. It’s the biggest show Ottawa’s long-running amateur community theatre company has ever produced, complete with a live orchestra, video screens, a cast of dozens — including children, and the magic of a flying nanny. It runs until Sunday, Nov. 26. Limited tickets remain, priced at $51, with discounts for students and seniors. Go to meridiancentrepointe.com for availability.

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POP

The reunited Jonas Brothers strut into the Canadian Tire Centre next Wednesday, Nov. 29, as part of a swing through Canada to promote their unimaginatively named new release, The Album. Brothers Kevin, Joe and Nick are also making it a retrospective tour, touching on material from all five of their albums. Tickets start at $53, plus fees and taxes, available at ticketmaster.ca. Opening the 7 p.m. show is the New York City pop duo Lawrence the Band, featuring siblings Clyde and Gracie Lawrence.

CHRISTMAS

The annual Canadian Pacific Holiday Train rolls through the region on Monday, Nov. 27, bringing a free concert to Eastern Ontario railroad towns. Now called the CPKC (after the merger with Kansas City Southern railroad), this year’s festively decorated train features a 30-minute concert by the Canadian supergroup Anyway Gang, which consists of Sam Roberts, Chris Murphy from Sloan, Menno Versteeg from Hollerado, and Dave Monks from Tokyo Police Club. The train stops in Finch at 2:30 p.m., Merrickville at 4:45 p.m., Smiths Falls at 6:20 p.m. and Perth at 7:40 p.m. Food-bank donations will be collected along the way.

lsaxberg@postmedia.com and phum@postmedia.com

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