Art Notes: See 'Wizard of Oz' ballet, hear genre-bending Nu Deco, see outrageous Wilde farce 'Earnest'

'Creation'

The Akron Symphony Orchestra and Akron Symphony Chorus will welcome spring with Haydn's masterpiece "The Creation," which evokes heaven and earth, at 8 p.m. Saturday at E.J. Thomas Hall, 198 Hill St., the University of Akron. Soloists are soprano Nola Richardson, tenor Timothy Culver, bass Timothy Jones and alto Chris Albanese.

Cost is $20-$60 or $15 for those age 18 and under. See akronsymphony.or.

'Wizard of Oz'

Join Dorothy and her pals for Ballet Theatre of Ohio's production of "The Wizard of Oz" at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Akron Civic Theatre, 182 S. Main St. Cost is $32-$42. See akroncivic.com.

Nu Deco

Nu Deco Ensemble of Miami will perform classical reimaginings of everything from Queen to Bach at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at E.J. Thomas Hall, 198 Hill St., Akron. Guests are invited to join the musicians, presented by Tuesday Musical, for a post-concert reception celebrating the finale of the 2021-22 concert series and a preview of next season.

The orchestra, known for creating genre-bending musical experiences, was founded in 2015. Tickets cost $19-$49 or free for students. See tuesdaymusical.org or call 330-761-3460.

Check out Nu Deco's performance of "Toccata y Fuga" by Bach/Sam Hyken, which combines baroque music with a Latin beat, at www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov20JYkagsQ.

Laughs with Wilde

Enjoy all the mistaken identities and witty quips in the outrageous comedy "The Importance of Being Earnest," Oscar Wilde's most popular play, on stage at Ohio Shakespeare Festival. The farce previews at 8 p.m. Thursday, opening 8 p.m. Friday and continuing through May 15 at Greystone Hall, 103 S. High St., Akron. Cost is $15 for the preview, $5 to $50 for regular shows, pay-what-you-can for the May 1 performance. See www.ohioshakespearefestival.com/

French music

Akron Troubadour will perform the free concert "The Art of French Music" at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Akron-Summit County Public Library, sponsored by the arts nonprofit ORMACO. The concert will feature music by Debussy, Faure and Gaubert, along with projected images of French art. The roving classical music ensemble will perform with the Firestone High School Symphonic Choir. See urbantroubadour.org.

'The 39 Steps'

Great Lakes Theater's season finale is the madcap romantic thriller "The 39 Steps," a parody adaptation of the 1935 Alfred Hitchcock and 1915 novel by John Buchan. The whodunit, which mixes of Hitchcock masterpiece, spy novel and Monty Python-style humor, features 150 zany characters and an onstage plane crash.

The comedy previews at 7:30 p.m. Friday, opening 7:30 p.m. Saturday and continuing through May 22 at the Hanna Theatre at Playhouse Square in Cleveland. A sign-interpreted and audio-described performance will be at 3 p.m. May 22. Cost is $15-$89. Call 216-241-6000 or see www.greatlakestheater.org.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Laugh at 'Importance of Being Earnest' and '39 Steps,' see 'Oz' ballet