Contributor

Marcia Luttrell

Marcia Luttrell is an award-winning arts and features writer who has been published in numerous newspapers and magazines, including The San Diego Union-Tribune, New York Daily News, Chicago Tribune, Smooth Jazz News Magazine, USA Today, Alaska Airlines Magazine and Triathlete Magazine.

"Charcoal Burning with Giraffe and Worker" by Nick Brandt (2019, archival pigment print)

In ‘This Empty World,’ Nick Brandt’s lens focus on planet’s creatures, big and small

May 11, 2022 at 3:18 p.m.

Just outside of Amboseli National Park, where the disappearing snows of Mount Kilimanjaro can be seen in the distance, photographer Nick Brandt waits to capture the of Kenya’s animal...

Ariana Gonzalez (foreground) and Adam Bloodgood, Kimberly Green, Ryosuke Ogura and Karissa Myers in City Ballet's "Don Quixote."

‘Don Quixote’ is a dreamer in lavish City Ballet production

May 1, 2022 at 1:01 p.m.

There’s a lot of stolen kisses, fan fluttering, cape twirling and skirt swirling in City Ballet's opulent production of “Don Quixote.” And unlike the poignant drama of many classical dance...

The La Jolla Music Society presents Ukrainian folk “ethno-chaos” group DakhaBrakha at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 22. Attendees will have the opportunity to donate to relief efforts in Ukraine or to directly the band, whose left families in Ukraine.

Folk group Dakhabrakha, from war-torn nation, plays Friday in La Jolla

April 21, 2022 at 12:46 p.m.

In late February, when Russia attacked Ukraine, the of the Ukrainian-based folk quartet DakhaBrakha posted the following on Facebook before leaving the country:”Our fellow Ukrainians and friends all over...

Choreographer and dancer Bobbi Jene Smith and her husband, dancer Or Schraiber perform in "With Care."

Art of Elan’s ‘With Care’ a touching musical and dance homage to caregiving

April 15, 2022 at 9:21 p.m.

Art of Elan, known for its chamber music collaborations and inventive programming, presented “With Care” this week at San Diego Repertory’s Lyceum Stage Theater, causing a buzz in the dance...

San Diego, CA - March 29:

Father Cávana Wallace of St. Therese Parish sat inside St. Therese Parish on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 in San Diego, CA. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

What does it take to write the perfect sermon?

April 9, 2022 at 1:00 p.m.

Marriages. Funerals. Counseling. The annual budget.Faith leaders undertake many responsibilities, but nothing compares to writing and presenting a sermon. It’s a task that demands more than the ability to interpret...

The ballet comapany RBT brings its "Swan Lake" to San Diego this spring.

War in Ukraine rocks L.A.-based Russian Ballet Theatre’s tour of ‘Swan Lake’

March 28, 2022 at 1:52 p.m.

“Swan Lake” tells a magical tale that includes romance, a sorcerer’s curse, the transformation of a princess into a swan and the power of good over evil.It’s a popular ballet...

San Diego, CA - February 09: Terry Wilson poses for a portrait at San Diego Dance Theater in Liberty Station on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022 in San Diego, CA. (Devin Blaskovich / For The San Diego Union-Tribune)

San Diego Dance Theater’s new leader Terry Wilson loves a challenge

March 21, 2022 at 5:04 p.m.

Ever optimistic, Terry Wilson’s positive playlist track is “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”And those who tell her what she can’t overcome are confronted with her can-do attitude.“I like a challenge,” says...

Lucas Ataide, Brian Heil, Megan Jacobs and Jaroslav Richters in City Ballet of San Diego’s presentation of “Rhapsody in Blue.”

Our top dance picks this season

March 20, 2022 at 12:01 p.m.

San Diego’s movement artists are more than ready to celebrate spring with new performances that express the stirrings of the soul through dance. Classics such as “Swan Lake,” “Giselle” and...

City Ballet returns to live performances with Balanchine and ‘Rhapsody in Blue’

March 18, 2022 at 1:01 p.m.

In bustling downtown Pacific Beach, a long, narrow flight of stairs in an alley leads up to City Ballet’s sunny, top-floor rehearsal room. It’s an expansive, industrial space, and on...

Composer-pianist Conrad Tao and dancer-choreographer Caleb Teicher pair up for "Counterpoint," presented by La Jolla Music Society.

One’s a tap prodigy. The other’s a piano virtuoso. Together, they create magic onstage

February 2, 2022 at 1:47 a.m.

When Caleb Teicher tap dances to pianist Conrad Tao’s rendition of “Rhapsody in Blue,” it looks spontaneous, as if they are magically linked by the same innovative mindset.The virtual performance,...

Kyle Abraham and A.I.M. bring "An Untitled Love" to San Diego.

In ‘An Untitled Love,’ Kyle Abraham and A.I.M create a dance show around the music of D’Angelo

January 31, 2022 at 6:50 p.m.

Choreographer Kyle Abraham has described his dance-making as a “kitchen sink” of influences: a potent mix of classical ballet’s grace and precision, the swagger and syncopation seen in jazz and...

Dancer Ashley Mayeux of Alonzo King LINES Ballet

Back in San Diego, Alonzo King LINES Ballet showcases 40 years of dance

January 16, 2022 at 1:31 p.m.

A performance by Alonzo King LINES Ballet creates the sense that we are witnessing something spontaneous, rather than rehearsed steps.In an excerpt from “Rasa,” for instance, one of the program’s...

World-renowned pianist Emanuel Ax returns to San Diego

January 1, 2022 at 1:01 p.m.

If world-renowned pianist Emanuel Ax could ask Frederic Chopin one question about one of the compositions he’ll perform at Friday’s sold-out concert in La Jolla, he would pick the Barcarolle...

Jessica Conniff in San Diego Ballet's "Giselle."

Dance: 2 things I’m looking forward to in 2022

December 31, 2021 at 1:00 p.m.

This year, productions by City Ballet of San Diego and San Diego Ballet are primed to deliver excellence.Like many local dance companies, they were forced to cancel live performances and...

Dancers from San Diego Ballet rehearsing for "Ritmos Latinos."

Dance: My 5 favorite things from 2021

December 26, 2021 at 8:09 p.m.

A dance career depends on physical , so when pandemic restrictions were lifted this year, those who live to dance and dance to live were primed to move like racers...

San Diego, CA - October 26: Golden State Ballet's (right to left) Sophia Dimmick, Amara Duke, Amandine Isidro, Raul Salamanca, Elijah Geolina, Evan Arrendondo, Jaxon Smith pose for portraits during rehearsal for the "Nutcracker" on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021 in San Diego, CA. (Jarrod Valliere / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

On stage, the return of ‘The Nutcracker’ and the birth of a ballet company

December 13, 2021 at 5:18 p.m.

“The Nutcracker” ballet has a storied history, one that begins with disappointment and ends with surprising success. Critics reviled the 1892 Russian premiere, declaring the Sugar Plum Fairy too fat,...

On stage, the return of ‘The Nutcracker’ and the birth of a ballet company

December 12, 2021 at 1:31 p.m.

People maneuver an octopus balloon out of a staging area before the start of the Port of San Diego Holiday Bowl Parade on Thursday, December 26, 2019 in San Diego, California.

Holiday parades, concerts and festivities are back in person across San Diego County

December 8, 2021 at 10:34 p.m.

Holiday celebrations are back in person in many communities throughout San Diego County. Here's a guide to parades, light shows, Christmas tree lighting ceremonies, community holiday shows and festivals to...

Crystal Pier in San Diego has it's annual Christmas light display with lights along the pier and a tree at the end.

Light up your holidays with these festive celebrations in San Diego County

November 21, 2021 at 1:01 p.m.

Whether it’s an illuminated Christmas tree, a Hanukkah menorah lighting or a decorated drive-thru, twinkling lights are a sign that the holidays are here. It’s a vision meant to be...

SAN DIEGO, CA - OCTOBER 28: Conductor James Beauton poses for photos at Villa Musica on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021 in San Diego, CA. (Eduardo Contreras / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Percussionist James Beauton finds new career as conductor

November 7, 2021 at 1:01 p.m.

James Beauton went from performing as a percussionist to conducting on the podium, wielding a baton for the Villa Musica Chamber Players.In 2012, Beauton won the grand prize in the...

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