A mile of brilliant nature: Powell Gardens’ Festival of Lights draws classical acts

That Grinch known as COVID-19 has severely curtailed holiday entertainment options this year. So you might consider trundling the family off to Powell Gardens for its annual Festival of Lights, which promises to be bigger and better than ever. There’s certainly no problem maintaining social distance at the 175-acre botanical gardens, and the dazzling lights promise to lift any drooping spirits.

Helping make this year’s festival extra special are performances by the Kansas City Ballet and the Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Tabitha Schmidt had extensive experience working with Kansas City’s arts organizations before she became CEO and president of Powell Gardens. She saw this year as the perfect opportunity to team up with the ballet and opera, groups that have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic.

“My heart breaks for them,” Schmidt said. “It’s just so hard to think about what everybody’s going through. We wanted to figure out how we could partner for this year, but also to begin to create some really deep relationships so that we can work together on a more regular basis.”

Schmidt sounds as joyful as a little kid at Christmas when she talks about Festival of Lights. The annual holiday light show was her vision, and she speaks with pride about its unique attractions and how it has grown.

“This is my baby,” she said. “I feel very personally connected to this event. I started at Powell Gardens in 2016 and we had this up by the next year in 2017.

“Honestly, there isn’t any other experience quite like it. We light 25 acres, a mile-long path. The goal of our lighting display was always about focusing on the bones of the garden. Gardens in winter are just beautiful. It’s so magical.”

Powell Gardens is combining nature and technology with some of Kansas City’s finest talent. Quixotic, the internationally acclaimed high tech performance art collective, will be contributing its theatrical razzle-dazzle.

“They’re doing our fountain of light at our fountain garden this year, which will be a kinetic, moving experience,” Schmidt said. “This is the first year we’re working with Quixotic, and each year we’re planning on building more elements with them because they’re just experts at lighting and design.”

Schmidt emphasizes that visitors can experience the festival at their own pace, walking as much of the path as they like, or just hanging out at the various rest stops along the way. One stop is the tropical greenhouse, which will have a “Mele Kalikimaka,” Hawaiian Christmas theme with a tiki bar serving exotic cocktails.

“We also have a vineyard, so when you go out there you’ll see green lights representing vines and purple lights in clusters representing grapes,” Schmidt said. “We’re adding a winter wine bar this year. We’ll have heaters and a couple of fire pits, so you can have a glass of wine and just hang out under the vineyard lights.”

There will be plenty of treats for kids, too, including hot chocolate and hot cider and sweets from Annedore’s Fine Chocolates. More substantial food will also be available, including a soup bar with bread and garnishes and homemade potato chips and smoked ham salad from Brobecks Barbeque.

At the end of the trail is the performance tent. On certain nights, the Kansas City Ballet will perform selections from Devon Carney’s “Nutcracker” and new jazzy-themed holiday numbers. On another night, singers from the Lyric Opera will belt out opera arias and Christmas classics.

Also at the end of the trail, you can climb the stairs or take the elevator to the top of the Powell Gardens silo to get a spectacular, panoramic view of the whole shebang.

“I just grin whenever I talk about this experience,” Schmidt said. “It’s a break from the stress of the holidays, a true time-out. We’re not a Vegas show and we’re not a drive-thru. Our focus is very much on beauty. The beauty and joy of this time of year and bringing the garden to life.”

Festival of Lights Nov. 13 through Jan. 3, 2021, Thursdays through Sundays, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day, but will be open Dec. 21-23 and Dec. 28-30. Performances by the Kansas City Ballet on Nov. 13, 14 and 15 at 6 p.m., 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. and the Lyric Opera on Nov. 21 at 6 p.m., 7 p.m., and 8 p.m. Powell Gardens, 1609 NW U.S. Highway 50, Kingsville, Missouri. $5-$12. 816-697-2600 or www.powellgardens.org.

Bach Aria Soloists - Notes and Letters

The relationship between pianist and composer Clara Schumann and the younger composer Johannes Brahms has been perennial fodder for scholarly speculation. Bach Aria Soloists will use their passionate correspondence as the basis for “Notes and Letters,” a concert of music and spoken word, Nov. 8. The virtual performance was recorded at the 1900 Building.

Guest pianist Sora Park will join Bach Aria Soloists for music by Mozart, Bach, Brahms and Clara Schumann and actors Alisa Lynn and Justin Barron will read excerpts from the Schumann and Brahms’ letters. Ticket holders will be provided a link to watch the concert.

7:30 p.m. Nov. 15. $15. www.bachariasoloists.com.

Kansas City Chamber Orchestra - Sunset Serenade

The Kansas City Chamber Orchestra is stretching out the outdoor concert season with “Sunset Serenade” Nov. 8 at the Magnolia Brookside Event Space. It’s a climate controlled indoor/outdoor venue that will let in as much of the outdoors as the weather allows. So no matter what Mother Nature has in mind, the show will go on in a pandemic-safe environment.

The ticket price not only includes a concert of Kansas City Chamber Orchestra favorites conducted by Bruce Sorrell, but also food provided by Feasts of Fancy and wines by the Cellar Rat. The table service will be socially distanced and patrons will be required to wear masks when not seated.

5 p.m. Nov. 8. Magnolia Brookside Event Space, 624 E. 63rd St. $65-$75. www.kcchamberorchestra.org.

You can reach Patrick Neas at patrickneas@kcartsbeat.com and follow his Facebook page, KC Arts Beat, at www.facebook.com/kcartsbeat.

This story was originally published November 6, 2020 at 5:00 AM.