Briefs: Music, theater and family fun

Music

PIANIST LANG LANG

VISITS SMITH CENTER

When pianist Lang Lang visits The Smith Center’s Reynolds Hall Monday night, he’s bringing along two friends: Chopin and Mozart.

“I grew up with Chopin and Mozart’s music, and I’m now relearning and presenting it” to audiences, the pianist says in an email.

Heralded as the “hottest artist on the classical music planet” by The New York Times, the Chinese superstar looks forward to his return to Las Vegas.

“I love the city,” he writes, noting “it is full of passion and friendliness.”

Which, come to think of it, could describe Lang Lang’s musical talents as well.

Lang Lang performs at 7:30 p.m. Monday in Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, 361 Symphony Park Ave. For tickets ($39-$129), call 749-2000 or visit www.thesmithcenter.com.

Theater

‘SALESMAN’ CALLS

AT ART SQUARE

Cockroach Theatre concludes its season with Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer Prize-winning classic “Death of a Salesman,” which opens a four-weekend run tonight at downtown’s Art Square Theatre.

Directed by Troy Heard, this “Salesman” features a blend of traditional stagecraft and technological performance art, creating an “audio/visual dreamscape” for the production rather than employing conventional sets, according to Erik Amblad, Cockroach Theatre’s artistic director.

Ernie Curcio, leading the 13-member cast, portrays Miller’s doomed salesman Willy Loman, whose pursuit of “the American Dream” has blocked his path to love and happiness.

“Death of a Salesman” will be staged at 8 p.m. today and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Art Square Theatre, 1025 S. First St. Additional performances are 8 p.m. May 2-4, May 9-11 and May 16-18, with additional 2 p.m. matinees May 5, 12 and 19.

For tickets ($18 general admission, $15 for seniors, students and military) and additional information, visit www.cockroachtheatre.com.

Music

CITY OF LIGHTS FEST

SALUTES JAZZ, R&B

Jazz and R&B share the musical spotlight this weekend during the 21st annual City of Lights Jazz & R&B Festival at the Clark County Government Center Amphitheater, 500 S. Grand Central Parkway.

Saturday is the festival’s jazz day, which runs from 1 to 10 p.m. Leading the lineup: legendary bassist Stanley Clarke and equally celebrated keyboardist George Duke, reuniting for the Clarke/Duke 4 “Bring It” Tour. Also on the bill: trumpeter Rick Braun and Richard Elliott , vibe player and vocalist Roy Ayers and saxophonist Paul Taylor with keyboardist Bob Baldwin.

R&B takes over the festival spotlight from 2 to 9 p.m. Sunday. Headliners include Grammy-winning vocalist Stephanie Mills, fellow singers Will Downing, Ledisi and Anthony David and the band Mint Condition.

For tickets ($91.50-$281.12 general admission, $25 for 13-17 years old, 12 and under free), go online to www.yourjazz.com.

Theater

ACADEMY PRESENTS

‘STILL LIFE WITH IRIS’

A little girl’s quest to find home inspires the award-winning play “Still Life With Iris,” which continues through Saturday at the Las Vegas Academy.

Steve Dietz’s fantastical adventure — the first play for young audiences to receive the Kennedy Center’s Fund for New American Plays Award — follows the title character as she searches for clues to her past that will lead her home.

The Las Vegas Academy production will be staged at 7 p.m. today and Saturday at the Lowden Theater for the Performing Arts, at Ninth Street and Clark Avenue. Tickets ($15) are available by calling 855-9729 or clicking on www.lvacademytheatre.org.

Family fun

SPRINGS PRESERVE

HOSTS DIA DEL NINO

Children — of all ages — will celebrate childhood Saturday at Springs Preserve’s fourth annual Dia del Nino ( Children’s Day).

Among the attractions: shows, magicians, interactive games, face painting, a petting zoo, a photo booth and bumper cars, along with the chance to explore Telemundo’s on-location TV studio.

Traditional Mexican foods top the eat-and-drink options.

Dia del Nino runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd. Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for children 5-12 (children 4 and under are free) and are available online at springspreserve.org.

International music

ARAB ENSEMBLE

VISITS WINCHESTER

Something old, something new: That’s the musical menu Saturday night at the Winchester Cultural Center, when Bishr Hijazi and the Arab Ensemble perform the work of Arab composers, contemporary and classic.

Hijazi, who plays the lutelike oud , has led the ensemble for the past decade, accompanied by percussionists Charbel Azzi and Charl Azzi . Classical violinist Laraine Kaizer-Viazovtsev , a recent addition to the ensemble, brings an element of Gypsy music to the group’s repertoire. Dancer Zhanna also performs.

The concert begins at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Winchester Cultural Center, 3130 McLeod Drive. For tickets ($10 in advance, $12 on concert day), call 455-7340.

Classical music

CHORAL SOCIETY

SETS CONCERT

Continuing its 50th anniversary season Sunday, the Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society presents “A Haydn, Mozart and Rutter Celebration” in Artemus Ham Hall at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

The concert features the 55-voice Musical Arts Chorus, soprano soloist Amy Cofield Williamson, bass-baritone soloist Neil Wilson and the 25-piece Musical Arts Orchestra in Haydn’s “Lord Nelson Mass.” Also on the program: Mozart’s motet “Exultate Deo,” selections from Rutter’s “Suite for Strings” and his setting of “When the Saints Go Marching In.”

The concert begins at 3 p.m. Sunday in Ham Hall at UNLV, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. Tickets ($18 for adults, $12 for seniors, disabled and military and $12 for students) are available by calling 895-2787 or going online to pac.unlv.edu.

— By CAROL CLING