Articulations

It seems Austin's arts institutions rarely undergo big personnel changes in isolation. If one company suffers a big change, wait a few minutes and you're likely to see another big change at another company. That's what's happening in the ballet community this year. First, Austin Contemporary Ballet lost its artistic director when Greg Easley resigned a few months back. Now, Ballet Austin is losing its general manager. Paul Kaine, who has been with the company since 1993, is leaving to take the post of executive director with the Sarasota Ballet of Florida. Turns out Kaine was recruited for the job after the Sarasota company conducted a nationwide search. He'll head east at the end of June, with his successor already named. The BA board of directors appointed executive development director Cookie Gregory Ruiz to the position.

Opera Honor

Used to be Joseph McClain only had to worry about opera in Austin. Now he has to worry about opera all over the entire country. That's because the longtime general director of Austin Lyric Opera has been elected to the board of directors for Opera America, an association of 130 opera companies from across the nation. Some 20 general directors comprise the group's board, each serving a three-year term. McClain calls the act "significant and advantageous for Austin Lyric Opera as it singles out the company for its great achievements over the past ten years. This puts us at the core of the art form in terms of what is going on in the world of opera."

Festivals, One More Time!

Can't let you forget: Music festivals are in full bloom all over the city this weekend. The first Austin Chamber Music Festival concludes in high style with a concert by the James Polk Jazz Quintet Thursday; workshop student recitals Friday evening, Saturday morning, and Saturday evening; and the gala evening of Viennese music with artists from the Austin Chamber Music Center and Lyric Opera Sunday. Call 454-TIXS.

The New Texas Festival winds up its fifth year with For the Wonder of Each Hour: Song and Celebration Throughout the Day, at 8:30am, noon, 7:30pm, and 10pm Thursday; a new choral setting of Green Eggs and Ham at 11am Friday; a Brazilian splash party with Ta Mére at 8pm Friday; Midnight Mahler at 9:30pm Saturday; and the J. S. Bach Mass in B Minor at 8pm Sunday. Call 476-5775.

The Clarksville/West End Jazz & Arts Festival in Pease Park Saturday and Sunday features performances by not only dazzling jazz artists, but a host of local dancers, poets, and actors, including breakdance crew Auspicious; Tapestry Dance Company; the Ebony Poets; the casts of Deviant Craft and Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind; the Toni Bravo-KINESIS Dance Project; performer Jason Phelps; Austin Poets at Large; dance group Creeps; improvisational dancer Ivry Newsome; West African dancer Chandra Washington; VORTEX Repertory Company; dancer Kuruna; and more.