Fall is in the air. Get your tickets now!

The smell of football is in the air. You can almost feel the excitement building with each passing day. All the orange clothes are being moved to the front of the closet.

But guess what. While everyone is getting ready for football season, the cultural season also is kicking off. And you need to get your tickets now because it’s going to be a good one.

Here are some highlights:

Dale Dickey (Blanche) and Matthew Ventura  (Stanley)

Dale Dickey (Blanche) and Matthew Ventura (Stanley)

• “A Streetcar Named Desire” opens in a preview tomorrow night at the Clarence Brown Theatre. Official opening night is Friday. (See a previous Blue Streak post for details.) But suffice it to say that everyone associated with the Clarence Brown is breathlessly anticipating the play, which features the return of Knoxville native Dale Dickey in the role of Blanche.  The theater is celebrating its 35th year with a very appealing line-up of plays including “Little Shop of Horrors,” “A Christmas Carol,” and “Man of La Mancha.” I’d recommend the season tickets. But, if you prefer, tickets for individual plays are all on sale now. Box office phone is (865) 974-5161.

• Pianist and crooner Michael Feinstein highlights the Knoxville Symphony Pops series this year. Feinstein’s latest CD is a tribute to Frank Sinatra, so expect a lot of that, as well as the rest of his repertoire featuring music that has come to be known as “The Great American Songbook.” Other Pops performances include pianist and singer Jim Witter playing the songs of Elton John and Billy Joel; the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber for Valentine’s Day; and acrobats, jugglers and aerialists in “Cirque de la Symphonie,” which I can’t really imagine but look forward to seeing. KSO box office number is (865) 291-3310.

Michael Feinstein

Michael Feinstein

• Then there’s the symphony’s Moxley Carmichael Masterworks Series, which we are happy to sponsor. Maestro Lucas Richman has, as usual, assembled a beautiful, accessible season, which kicks off Sept. 24 with “Pictures at an Exhibition.” The personable Richman,whose Hollywood roots often show, has brought so much fun and interest to the KSO that the Tennessee Theatre is nearly always full and the orchestra has never sounded better. Some high points this season surely will include Tchaikovsky’s “Serenade for Strings,” Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto No. 3,” and Respighi’s “Pines of Rome.” Again, same phone number as above: (865) 291-3310.

Monty Alexander

Monty Alexander

• An international jazz star, pianist Monty Alexander, returns to Knoxville to climax the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra’s 10th anniversary season.  Other performers on the schedule are vocalists Deborah Brown and Karmin Allyson, as well as saxophonist Wessell Anderson and trumpter Ingrid Jessen. But my favorite concert of the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra’s season is always “A Swingin’ Christmas.” It’s on Dec. 22 this year. Phone number is (865) 573-3226.

• Finally, what says Valentine’s Day better than a husband getting murdered on his wedding night? That’s what happens in “Lucia de Lammermoor,” which the Knoxville Opera will present Valentine’s weekend. Sweet! Season is rounded out by “The Barber of Seville” to be presented during the fabulous Rossini Festival in April. Box office: (865) 524-0795, Ext. 1.

So get those credit cards ready and pick up the phone or click on one of the links. I’ve got everything on my calendar (in addition to the football, basketball and Lady Vols schedules, of course) and hope to see you there. Knoxville is so blessed with talent.

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