Friday
April 10, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW!

The historic Ariel Opera House presents and brings to the stage on April 10, 2026 All That Jazz featuring the Ohio University Jazz Ensemble I under the direction of Dr. Matthew James and the Jackson High School Jazz Band I under the direction of Ryan F. Hurd.

Ohio University Jazz Ensemble I is one of five jazz ensembles that have shaped the longstanding track record of excellent jazz education and performance at Ohio University. Big bands, small groups, and the Jazz Percussion Ensemble offer OU students a means to explore their creativity through improvisation and jazz music. The annual Athens Jazz Festival (athensjazzfestival.org) features these student groups, guest artists, and faculty in a week-long celebration that includes events on the OU campus and at SE Ohio venues. The Minor in Jazz Studies is available to any OU student and pairs ensemble experiences with courses in jazz theory, jazz arranging, jazz pedagogy and jazz history.

Premium seats are available for Rows A-F and Row AA and BB in the balcony. Group of 10 tickets get 10% off! If a group of more than 10 tickets is required, please call the Box Office at (740) 446-2787 and leave a detailed message.

Note there is no elevator to balcony seating.
Only bottled water is permitted in the historic auditorium, no food or other beverages.

Door open 7:00 p.m. Concert starts at 7:30.

Sunday, April 19, 2026

The historic Ariel Opera House is pleased to welcome Marshall University faculty members Dr. Júlio Ribeiro Alves, guitarist, and Dr. Wendell Dobbs, flutist who form Violauta Duo.

This is a concert of ancient and modern music for flute and guitar starting with music by the renowned Italian guitarist and luthier Luigi Legnani. Legnani is remembered both for his virtuosity and for his association with violinist Niccolo Paganini. Later in life, he turned his attention to guitar and violin making. Austrian composer and publisher Anton Diabelli is mostly remembered for his waltz which was used as the theme for Beethoven’s 30 Diabelli Variations. He was trained as a chorister at the cathedral in Salzburg. As a publisher, he championed the music of Franz Schubert. He was the first publisher of Schbert’s “Erlkönig” in 1821. Cuban American guitarist José Lezcano’s Sonatina Tropical reflects musical life in his native Cuba. En Clave de Són refers to the rhythmic foundation of the first movement. Canción de Madrugada is an early morning song. The Sonatina ends with a vivacious Samba. Italian guitarist and composer Giorgio Tortora was trained at the conservatory in Trieste and is active particularly in Italy. Serpenti e Scale is a classic board game that is also applied to language studies. In playing the game, one climbs to higher levels on ladders and then slides back down on snakes.

Seating will begin at 1:30pm in the 3rd floor Ariel Chamber Theatre.  This is a Free concert, donations are welcome.

Lora Lynn Snow is the founder and executive director of the Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre in Gallipolis, home of the Ohio Valley Symphony. Lora, an oboist, was inspired in 1987 to form a professional orchestra in Gallia County and recognized the amazing acoustics in the long-neglected 1895 Ariel Opera House that had been abandoned for 25 years. Lora spearheaded the restoration and set about to organize the community toward the grand reopening of the historic Ariel in 1990 with a performance of the Ohio Valley Symphony. Mrs. Ann Carson Dater gifted the Ariel as a permanent home to the Ohio Valley Symphony (OVS) in 2005, which added an additional theatre, conference room, and banquet rooms. The OVS, now in its 30th season as the only professional orchestra in the Ohio River Valley, recently premiered Songs of Rural America on PBS nationwide with folk singer Michael Johnathon.

Having a holistic view of the arts, Lora also established a music education program, a double reed festival, a community theatre troupe, and OVS woodwind and dance programs at the Ariel. An active recitalist, clinician, and consultant with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music performance and education from the Ohio State University, Lora has taught at several universities and public schools covering kindergarten through graduate level inclusive. She is principal oboist for the Ohio Valley Symphony and OVS Woodwind Quintet, a member of the West Virginia Symphony, and a freelance musician.

 

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Our #FeaturedFriday doubles as a #FlashbackFriday today as we take a look at the Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre in Gallipolis, Ohio. The first image in this video is from the opera house’s grand opening celebration in 1895, and the second is a photo taken in 2019 by #OHGovernorsAwards2020 #ArtsAdministration award winner Lora Lynn Snow. A professional oboist and Gallipolis resident, Lora was integral to the restoration of this architectural and artistic jewel in Southeast Ohio. . Under Lora’s leadership, the community came together to clear the pigeon manure and other debris that had collected in the Ariel during its 25 years of disuse. Inspired by the opera house’s marvelous acoustics, Lora envisioned the restored space as a top-class performance venue for internationally renowned musicians and ensembles, including the Ohio Valley Symphony (OVS), the only professional orchestra in the Ohio River valley. In 1990, the newly restored Ariel Opera House celebrated its grand opening with a performance by the Symphony, and it has since welcomed many guest conductors and artists to its stage, including folk singer Michael Johnathon, who recently performed “Songs of Rural America” with the OVS in a concert that was nationally broadcast on PBS. . As executive director of the Ariel-Ann Carson Dater Performing Arts Centre, Lora has worked to engage audiences through a holistic view of the arts, establishing at the Ariel a music education program, a double reed festival, a community theatre troupe, OVS woodwind and dance programs, and more. She is principal oboist for the Ohio Valley Symphony and OVS Woodwind Quintet, a member of the West Virginia Symphony, and a freelance musician. . We’re thrilled to recognize Lora’s passionate dedication to leadership in the arts with this award! Come celebrate with us and learn more about Lora and all our winners at the 2020 Governor’s Awards luncheon on March 25. Get your tickets today via the link in our bio! . Photos courtesy of Lora Lynn Snow | #ArtsAdministration #OhioArtists #ArtsOhio #ArielOperaHouse #Gallipolis #OhioHistory #OperaHouse

A post shared by Ohio Arts Council (@ohioartscouncil) on Feb 28, 2020 at 11:07am PST

Join the fun at the ARIEL’S MERRY TUBACHRISTMAS!

MERRY TUBACHRISTMAS is celebrating its 49th Anniversary (1974-2023). Created by Harvey Phillips, MERRY TUBACHRISTMAS 2023 will be presented in over 300 cities throughout the United States and in several foreign countries. TUBACHRISTMAS ensembles may attract participants aged 8 to over 90 years! The warm, rich organ-like sound of tuba-euphonium choir has won the ears and hearts of every audience!

Come and Listen 100% FREE!
TUBACHRISTMAS is 100% FREE for audience members who just want to come into our hall and experience the event. No tickets are necessary. It’s sure to be loads of fun, and will get you in the Christmas Spirit! Always the second Saturday in December at 2 pm.

-OR-
Join in the Fun and PLAY ALONG!

Pre-Register to Participate Today!

Bring your Tuba, Baritone, Euphonium, or other big brass buddy and join in the fun at the Ariel Theatre! Participants pay  $10 to participate and will receive a 2023 commemorative button! Plus there are lots of souvenirs and music books available for purchase! Register at the door, or save time and Pre-Register here and we’ll have everything ready for you when you arrive!

Registration begins at 10:30am ~ Rehearsal begins at 11:00am