This week’s 5 best bets for arts and culture in Las Vegas
‘The Sleeping Beauty’
The Russian National Ballet brings Marius Petipa’s “The Sleeping Beauty” to UNLV on Monday. Elena Radchenko, former principal dancer with the Bolshoi Ballet, directs the performance of the classic tale featuring music by Tchaikovsky at 7:30 p.m. in Artemus Ham Hall, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway. Tickets are $20 to $50 at unlv.edu/pac.
‘National Geographic’
Egyptologist Kara Cooney reviews women’s roles thousands of years ago in “When Women Ruled the World” on Friday at The Smith Center. The second installment of the “National Geographic Live” series includes stories of Nefertiti, Cleopatra, Neferusobek and others at 7:30 p.m. in Reynolds Hall. Tickets are $19 to $49 at thesmithcenter.com.
King Ibu
He sings in five languages, plays the guitar and the talking drum. Senegal native and Las Vegas musician King Ibu performs traditional West African folk music and contemporary arrangements at 7 p.m. Saturday at Winchester Cultural Center, 3130 S. McLeod Drive. Tickets are $12 in advance ($14 day of) at the front desk or clarkcountynv.gov.
Kenny Rampton
The Essentially Ellington festival ends with a concert featuring Kenny Rampton of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. The trombonist and Las Vegas native plays with drummer Butch Miles and the UNLV Jazz Ensemble I at 7 p.m. Friday in UNLV’s Artemus Ham Hall. Tickets are $8 to $10 at unlv.edu/pac.
Opera Las Vegas gala
Opera Las Vegas celebrates its upcoming mainstage opera (“The Elixir of Love”) with music, cuisine and cocktails Saturday at Green Valley Ranch Resort. The evening features performances by Metropolitan Opera tenor Gregory Schmidt, the company’s youth chorus, sopranos Athena Mertes and Rebecca Morris and bass-baritone Richard L. Hodges at 6 p.m. in the La Sirena Ballroom. Tickets are $150 at operalasvegas.com.
