The Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga is ready to host its lineup of concerts and events in February after a successful holiday show in December.
General manager Kelly Hudson said Montalvo performed more shows in December 2021 than he did in the same month in 2020 and 2019, and nearly sold out three shows: “Nochebuena: Christmas Eve in Mexico” , David Benoit “Christmas Tribute to Charlie Brown” and “Joy to the World: A Christmas Musical Journey” by Damien Sneed.
“I think these were shows that our audience really wanted, we really knew they liked,” Hudson said.
While jazz pianist Keiko Matsui’s February 18 concert is already sold out, there are several more February performances in the Valley Foundation’s 2021-2022 Carriage House Performing Arts series.
The Queen’s Cartoonist, a jazz ensemble that projects vintage cartoons behind them as they play, will perform on February 1.
“We want our concerts to constantly engage the audience. The music is serious, but the show is fun,” the band said on their website.
On February 6, a Scandinavian trio called Dreamer’s Circus will take the stage. The group plays folk music and performed at Stanford last year.
Judy Collins will headline two concerts on February 11 and 12 at the Carriage House Theatre. The singer-songwriter’s shows are nearly sold out, Hudson said.
The a cappella group Naturally 7: The Human Instruments is scheduled to perform on February 13.
“They’re absolutely fabulous,” Hudson said. “They did three world tours, they opened for Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Michael Bublé.”
Hudson said there was a drop in ticket sales in the first two weeks of January, which she says may be related to the spike in Omicron cases in Santa Clara County earlier in the year.
“People were nervous about, I think, Omicron,” Hudson said. “Nobody was buying tickets for anything when Omicron came along, but now it’s happening again.”
The Montalvo Arts Center has followed strict COVID-19 protocols. Spectators must show their vaccination record and wear a mask for the duration of the show. Food and drink are not permitted in the theater.
“Our audiences have been great at following and enforcing all of these protocols. In fact, they’re happy to have them,” Hudson said. “It makes them more sure to come.”
Center staff are kept in separate “pods” so those working on different projects and gigs are kept separate from each other. Hudson said there have been no COVID cases among staff members since the season began in September.
“We were extremely lucky,” she added. “We were also extremely careful.”
