Fri, Nov 7

Music From the Masters The Santa Clara Chorale opens its season with Haydn's "Lord Nelson Mass" and Mozart's "Mass in F Major." 8pm. $12-$18. Mission Santa Clara, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, 408.979.0261 or www.scc.org.

SJSU Scholarship Concert The Mission Chamber Orchestra joins up with the San Jose State University Concert Choir and the SJSU Chorale for a concert to raise money for music scholarships. Featured on the program are selections from Carmen, La Traviata and others by Verdi and Wagner. 8pm. Also Sat, Nov 8, 8pm. $10-$50. Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph, 80 S. Market St, San Jose, 408.924.4332.

The Gifts of the Magi The Tabard Theatre Company kicks off its season with a holiday play based on two stories by O. Henry. Opening night, 8pm. Also plays Sat, Nov 8, 3pm and 8pm. Thru Nov 22. $10-$15. South Valley Christian Church, 590 Shawnee Lane, San Jose, 408.979.0231 or www.tabardtheatre.org.

The Rose of Persia Lyric Theatre presents a semi-staged concert with piano accompaniment of Arthur Sullivan's last completed opera, which builds on stories from the "Tales of the Arabian Nights." 8pm. Also Sat, Nov 8, 8pm. $15. Le Petit Trianon, 72 N. Fifth St, San Jose, 408.986.1455 or www.lyrictheatre.org.

Sat, Nov 8

Aladdin American Family Theatre presents a play for the whole family. The second showing is presented by D.E.A.F. Deaf Education and Access Foundation and RapidText as an open-captioned benefit production. 1pm and 3pm (captioned performance). $8-$16. Carriage House Theatre, Villa Montalvo, 15400 Montalvo Rd, Saratoga, 408.961.5802, TDD use 711 relay service, www.deafaccess.org or www.rapidtext.com.

Alieksey Vianna The South Bay Guitar Society presents the first prize San Francisco International Guitar Competition winner. 8pm. $10-$12. West Valley College Recital Hall, 14000 Fruitvale Ave, Saratoga, 408.292.0704.

Hello, Dolly! West Valley Light Opera Association opens its 39th season with a musical comedy about a meddling matchmaker who sets out to make a match for herself--with a stingy millionaire. Opening night, 8pm (champagne gala). Also plays Sun, Nov 9, 2:30pm (sold out). Thru Dec 6. $24 opening gala/$20-$22 regular performances. Saratoga Civic Theatre, 13777 Fruitvale Ave, Saratoga, 408.268.3777 or www.wvlo.org.

Kill Vito (A Diabolical Fund Raiser) City Lights Theater Company presents an interactive murder mystery event and silent auction benefiting the theater company. Includes a three-course dinner and no-host bar. 7pm-10pm. $50. Vito's New York Trattoria, 90 Skyport Drive, San Jose, 408.295.4200 or www.cltc.org.

Nova Vista Symphony The symphony opens its season with "What's in a Note? A Little Night Music," a program of Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff, Schumann, Debussy, Grieg and Stravinsky and featuring pianist Kana Mimaki, the winner of the 2003 International Russian Piano Music Competition. 8pm. $8-$15. Smithwick Theatre, Foothill College, 12345 El Monte Rd, Los Altos Hills, 408.530.0700 or www.novavista.org.

Omid and Michael in Concert Middle Eastern pop music. 9pm. $45-$70. Flint Center, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, 408.864.8816 or www.flintcenter.com.

Palo Alto Philharmonic The philharmonic holds a chamber music concert featuring the Palo Alto Chamber Ensemble performing a program of works by Thuille, Hindemith and compositions by the Palo Alto Winds and Ai Goldsmith and Jean Nakamoto. 8pm. $7-$14. Palo Alto Art Center, 1313 Newell Rd, Palo Alto, 650.857.0737 or www.paphil.org.

Quilt Museum Auction The San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles presents its 10th annual benefit auction featuring more than 200 quilts and textiles, as well as books, wearable art, dolls, jewelry, children's items, vacation packages, quilt software and more. 6:30pm-10pm. $15-$20. 110 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, 408.971.7226 or www.sjquiltmuseum.org.

SPEBSQSA Cabaret Dinner and Ice Cream Social The Palo Alto-Mountain View Chapter of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America hosts its annual Cabaret Dinner Show and Olde Tyme Ice Cream Social featuring performances by the Peninsulaires Barbershop Chorus, as well as chapter quartets. The ice cream social will feature a performance and ice cream, cookies and lemonade. 1:30pm. $8-$12. The cabaret show features a performance, a lasagna dinner and no-host bar. 6:15pm. $20. Both shows will be held at St. Albert the Great Church Hall, 1095 Channing Ave, Palo Alto. For more information, call 408.866.6458 or see www.barbershop-harmony.org.

WORKS Performance Night A night of Bay Area performance notables, including Lauren Crux, Jenny Makofsky, Joe Miller and Jack Toolin, artists in words and imagery. This performance also marks the conclusion of Toolin's tenure as producer and host of WORKS' performance nights. 8pm. $7-$10. WORKS/San Jose, 30 N. Third St, San Jose, 408.486.2640 or www.workssanjose.org.

Sun, Nov 9

California Youth Symphony The symphony opens its 52nd season with a program of works by Berlioz, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff and John Adams, featuring the winners of the symphony's young artist competition in the piano category. 2:30pm. $6-$12. Flint Center, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, 650.325.6666 or www.cys.org.

Guy Clark The singer/songwriter performs gritty,down to earth country music. 7:30pm. $27-$32. Carriage House Theatre, Villa Montalvo, 15400 Montalvo Rd, Saratoga, 408.961.5858 or www.villamontalvo.org

Salzburg Hyperion Ensemble The San Jose Chamber Music Society presents a performance by the eight-member Austrian music ensemble during its debut North American tour. On the program will be selections by Zemlinsky, Brahms and Dohnanyi. 7pm. (Preconcert talk 6:15pm.) $20-$30 ($3 discount for students and seniors). Le Petit Trianon, 72 N. Fifth St, San Jose, 408.286.5111 or www.sjchambermusic.org.

San Jose Jewish Film Festival This 12th annual event features films from around the world; love and friendship is the theme of many of them. Screenings are held every Wed, 7:30pm and Sun, 3pm or 5:30pm thru Nov 23. Camera 3 Theater, 288 S. Second St, San Jose, 408.358.5907 or www.sjjff.org.

Willow Glen Schools Benefit Winetasting to raise money for Willow Glen Middle School and Willow Glen High School. Wine, hors d'oeuvres, live music, a student art exhibit and a silent auction will be featured. 2pm-7pm. $35 per person. The Grapevine, Lincoln Ave, San Jose. For more information, call 408.267.0605.

Mon, Nov 10

Celebrity Forum With former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani. 7:30pm. Call for ticket information. Flint Center, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, 650.949.7176.

Wed, Nov 12

Li-Young Lee Award-winning poet. Reading, public Q&A and booksigning. 7:30pm. In conversation with SJSU Center for Literary Arts director Mitch Berman, public Q&A, booksigning, Thu, Nov 13, noon. Both events will be held at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Main Library, Fourth and San Fernando streets, San Jose, 408.924.4600 or www.litart.org.

Ongoing

A Little Night Music TheatreWorks presents the romantic musical by Stephen Sondheim. Thu, Nov 6-Fri, Nov 7, 8pm. Closes Sat, Nov 8, 8pm. $20-$48. Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View, 650.903.6000 or www.theatreworks.org.

d.p. Fong Galleries "Ancient Roots," mixed media and acrylic works by Mary Medrano. Thru Nov 8. 371 S. First St, San Jose, 408.298.8877.

Euphrat Museum of Art "Daily Dramas: Currents and Undercurrents," an exhibit of works by six artists who depict people or imply human presence in various dramas of our day, some chosen freely, others imposed by systems or regimes. A reception featuring artist presentations will be held Tue, Nov 11, 6pm-8pm. Thru Nov 26. Hours: Mon-Thu, 10am-4pm. De Anza College, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, 408.864.8836 or http://www.deanza.edu/euphrat/

The Insanity Case of Mrs. A. Lincoln The Santa Clara Players present the West Coast premiere of a psychological drama that delves into the mystery of whether a son who had his mother committed was after her money or did it out of genuine concern for her own well-being. Thu, Nov 6-Sat, Nov 8, 8pm, Sun, Nov 9, 2:30pm. Thru Nov 15. $10-$12. Santa Clara Players Theater, Don and Warburton avenues, Santa Clara, 408.248.7993 or www.scplayers.org.

Japanese American Museum "1942: Luggage From Home to Camp." Thru June 2004. Tue-Fri, 11am-3pm, Sun, 11am-2pm. 535 N. Fifth St, San Jose, 408.294.3138 or www.jamsj.org.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Sunnyvale Community Players present the popular Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. Thu, Nov 6, 7:30pm, Fri, Nov 7-Sat, Nov 8, 8pm, Sun, Nov 9, 2:30pm. Thru Nov 16. $13-$18. Sunnyvale Community Center Theatre, 550 E. Remington Dr, Sunnyvale, 408.733.6611 or www.sunnyvaleplayers.org.

Listening Hour The San Jose State school of music and dance hosts a regular music series featuring a variety of performances: classical, jazz and world music. Every Tue and Thu, 12:30pm-1:15pm. Concert Hall, San Jose State University, 408.924.4631.

Mary's Wedding San Jose Repertory Theatre presents a romantic drama about a young Canadian couple separated by World War I. Thu, Nov 6-Fri, Nov 7, 8pm, Sat, Nov 8, 3pm and 8pm, Sun, Nov 9, 2pm and 7pm, Tue, Nov 11-Wed, Nov 12, noon and 8pm. Thru Nov 16. $18-$52. 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, 408.367.7255 or www.sjrep.com.

Montalvo "Sculpture on the Grounds," a new installation piece created by sculptor Herb Parker during his residency at Montalvo. Thru May 3, 2004. Montalvo, 15400 Montalvo Rd, Saratoga, 408.961.5813.

San Jose Museum of Art "Bean Finneran Installation," sculptures of thousands of handmade clay cylinders (thru Oct) and "Hidden Lives: Eleanor Prager and Don Martin," works from the museum's permanent collection (thru Jan 2004). "Beyond Tradition: Permanent Collection Photographs," a survey of new and less-recent acquisitions from the museum's permanent collection. Thru Aug 22, 2004. Tue-Sun, 11am-5pm, Fri, 11am-10pm, closed Mon. 110 S. Market St, San Jose, 408.271.6840 or www.sjmusart.org.

Stanford's Cantor Arts Center "Hudson River School Masterworks," an exhibition of 55 paintings that include works by Thomas Cole, Frederic Church and others. "Print Matters: Explorations With Paper in Contemporary Prints." Ongoing thru Oct. ""Portraits by a Victorian Photographer," photos by Julia Margaret Cameron, which include portraits of Tennyson and Darwin. Thru Feb. The center also features free docent-led tours of the Stanford campus' outdoor art collection. Two different tours are offered, one on the first Sun of the month, the other on the third Sun of the month. Both tours begin at 2pm. Tours are held rain or shine on an ongoing basis. Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm, Thu, 11am-8pm. Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University, Museum Way (off Palm Dr), Stanford, 650.723.4177 or www.stanford.edu/dept/ccva.

Triton Museum of Art An exhibit of abstract works by Mike Henderson. Thru Nov 2. "New Works by California Artists: Ron Guzman." Thru Nov 9. Works by Theodore Wores. Thru Feb 2004. "The Poetry of Watercolor," the 36th annual member show by the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society. Exhibit runs thru Nov 7. Rose Shenson Community Gallery, Triton Museum, 1505 Warburton Ave, Santa Clara, 408.247.3754 or www.scvws.org.

You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown Theatre on San Pedro Square presents a musical based on Charles Schulz's "Peanuts" comic strip. Thu, Nov 6-Sat, Nov 8, 8pm, Sun, Nov 9, 3pm. Dinner or brunch available 2 1/2 hours before show starts. Extended thru Jan. $15-$30. Theatre on San Pedro Square, 29 N. San Pedro St, San Jose, 408.283.0200 or www.tosps.com.