MOVIES
Standing with her sisters of a certain age – 5,000 years give or take – Lamia, the deliciously wicked witch of “Stardust” ingests the remnants of a delicacy needed to become young: the heart of a fallen star. Claire Danes plays Yvain, the Earthbound star sought by a parade of characters including Charlie Cox’s appealing hero, Tristan, Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Septimus, a lethal heir to the crown of Stormhold. From its bombastically apt score to crazily funny turns by Robert De Niro and Ricky Gervais, “Stardust” is a fleet pleasure. It’s not for us to report whether the beloveds escape the clutches of Septimus and Lamia. But we can tell you this: Your own pure escapism is assured. | Lisa Kennedy
CLASSICAL MUSIC
This is the final week of the Aspen Music Festival, the state’s oldest and largest summer classical-music series. Highlights include the North American premiere of Francesco Cavalli’s 1667 opera, “Eliogabalo,” with performances at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Noted conductor Leonard Slatkin, left, leads the Aspen Concert Orchestra at 6 p.m. Wednesday and Tafelmusik offers a program of baroque gems at 8:30 p.m. Thursday. The festival concludes at 4 p.m. Aug. 19 with the Aspen Festival Orchestra performing Stravinsky’s “Symphony of Psalms” and Orff’s “Carmina Burana.” 970-925-9042 or | Kyle MacMillan
NIGHTLIFE
Cabaret is alive and well in Denver, at least for a night: On Saturday a quintet of renowned singers will descend upon Lannie’s Clocktower Cabaret for a night of Big Apple-style tunes. Five top cabaret singers from prestigious environs like the Oak Room at the Algonquin, the Cafe Carlyle and Feinstein’s at the Regency will ply their trade, including Christopher Denny, Barry Kleinbort, Andrea Marcovicci, Karen Mason and Shelly Markham. 1600 Arapahoe St. 8 p.m. Sold out. | John Wenzel
VISUAL ARTS
Colorado has a rich history of clay art. The Sandra Phillips Gallery, 744 Santa Fe Drive, has embraced this tradition, making ceramics a key focus of its offerings. In that vein, it is presenting an ambitious show titled, “Masters in Clay,” featuring some top names inside and outside the state, including Bebe Alexander, Katie Caron, Martha Daniels, Carroll Hansen and Maynard Tischler. The show begins with a public reception from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Friday and runs through Oct. 6. 303-573-5969 or | Kyle MacMillan
STAGE
It’s already closing week for a compelling, confounding, hit-and-miss 50th Colorado Shakespeare Festival season. The hits: The two non-Shakespeare titles, “The Servant of Two Masters” and “Around the World in Eighty Days,” above. The two major outdoor Bard works, “Julius Caesar” and A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” weren’t so much misses as ideas that over-reached, with staging concepts that swallowed up their stories. The fifth offering is an indoor “All’s Well That Ends Well.” All close by Saturday night. Times vary at the Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre or mainstage indoor theater at the University of Colorado- Boulder. $5-$54 (303-492-0554, ) | John Moore
POPULAR MUSIC
An open letter to all who will be at Red Rocks on Thursday to see the Beastie Boys: If Ad-Rock, Mike D, left, and MCA aren’t as sprightly as they used to be, understand these “boys” are now graying gentleman. Their classics are still great, even if they lack the energy and immediacy they once had. Don’t mourn the group’s performance prime. We all had some great times together – and Thursday’s hip-hop show will be a blast. Now the boys are hyping their instrumental work, with a new record sans vocals and certain gala performances, one of which will hit the Fillmore on Friday night. It’s a different world and a different show for these Beastie Boys, and that’s OK. Thursday’s hip-hop show at Red Rocks is sold out, as is Friday’s instrumental gig at the Fillmore. | Ricardo Baca
