One of country music’s greatest artists is celebrated in Dean Regan’s A Closer Walk with Patsy Cline at Thousand Islands Playhouse in leafy Gananoque until June 11. The musical tracks Cline’s trajectory from small-town Virginia to Carnegie Hall and includes heartbreaker hits like Walkin’ After Midnight and I Fall to Pieces (Cline was never better than on the latter, her voice floating like dust after the collapse of something titanic). Tickets: box office, 1-866-382-7020, 1000islandsplayhouse.com
Folk — Lynn Saxberg
The title of Martin Sexton’s latest album, Mixtape of the Open Road, says a lot about an artist with a wide-ranging musical style and a penchant for touring. Inspired by the mixed tapes that people used to make for road trips, the Syracuse, N.Y.-born musician wrote his own selection of original tunes, drawing on blues, folk, soul and rock, and topping it off with his amazingly supple voice. The road leads him back to Ottawa on Friday, May 27, for a concert at Zaphod Beeblebrox, 27 York St. Tickets are $25 advance plus surcharges, available through spectrasonic.com. Doors open at 8 p.m.
Jazz — Peter Hum
Vocalist Geri Childs has enlisted some of Ottawa’s best jazz musicians and singers to stage a fundraising concert in support of Ottawa Centre Refugee Action. Sunday afternoon’s event will feature pianist Mark Ferguson, bassist John Geggie and saxophonist Rene Lavoie supporting guitarist Roddy Ellias, and singers Karen Oxorn, Nicole Ratte, Sharon Timmins, Dominique Forest, Childs herself, and the Juliet Singers. The music runs from 1 to 3 p.m. at Southminster United Church in the Glebe. Tickets: $20. Info: gerichilds1@gmail.com
In what conductor Kevin Mallon says is “a spectacular way for us to end the season,” Ottawa’s Thirteen Strings will present a semi-staged production of Haydn’s opera L’isola disabitata (The Desert Island) Friday, May 27, at Dominion-Chalmers Church. Staged by Alaina Viau, the opera tells the story of two sisters who have lived on an island for many years. The cast includes soprano Valerie Belanger, mezzo-soprano Maude Brunet, tenor Stephan Bell and baritone Bradley Christensen. 8 p.m., O’Connor Street at Cooper. Ticket information: thirteenstrings.ca or 613-738-7888.
Festival — Vito Pilieci
The largest annual showcase of craft breweries in the national capital region kicks off its 6th year at the Canadian Museum of History — the festival has shifted locations from Jacques Cartier Park, allowing for shelter for festival goers in the event of bad weather. More than 40 breweries are expected to attend the event, bringing hundreds of different beers with them. The event will feature live entertainment including Juno award winning hip hop artist Classified. Doors open Thursday at 3 p.m. through to Sunday until 1 p.m. Tickets can be bought online at the festival’s website (festibiere.ca) or at the door.
