Tonight. The dancing, prancing Lipizzaner Stallions begin their dance through Colorado with a performance in Vail tonight. Originally bred to carry soldiers into battle, the majestic white horses now use their strength for amazing leaps and coordinated dances. A longtime staple for horse lovers, the Lipizzaners promise to bring a smile after last weekend’s tragic Kentucky Derby. 7:30 tonight. John A. Dobson Arena, 321 E. Lionshead Circle, Vail; 970-479-2271. Adult tickets are $20.50, with discounts available for children under 12 and seniors 60 and older. Gold Circle tickets are $24.50 each. Purchase online at or by phone at 800-882-8258. The tour schedule includes Colorado Springs on Saturday, Pueblo on Sunday, Loveland on Thursday-May 16 and Broomfield on May 17-18. Visit for full schedule.
Sunday. On a bad day, lots of moms feel like Cinderella before her fairy godmother arrived. Cleaning, cooking, taking care of everyone else — it’s exhausting. This Mother’s Day, treat a hardworking mama in your life to the happily-ever-after of Boulder Ballet’s “Cinderella.” Everyone knows the story, but this time around Sergei Prokofiev’s classic score is set to all-new choreography by Boulder Ballet artistic directors Ana Claire and Peter Davison. 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday. Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St.; 303-786-7030. Tickets are $22 general admission, $30 for reserved seats. Student tickets $15. .
Saturday. Summer is coming, and so are the birds that call Colorado their summer home. Wing your way to the Denver Zoo for “Flying Wild,” a celebration of all creatures feathered and airborne. Learn about the birds that live at the zoo, go birding and get a close-up view of some new bird buddies. There are plenty of activities at the zoo’s Bird Propagation Center, too: Learn how birds fly, what their beaks can tell us and the similarities all bird species share. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Denver Zoo, 2300 Steele St. 303-376-4800. Free with zoo admission: $12 for adults, $9 for seniors age 65 and older, $7 for ages 3 to 11. Under 3 free.
Sunday. Opera can seem inaccessible and elitist, but Opera Colorado frequently reaches out to the community with free — yes, free! — recitals. This week, two members from the ensemble perform at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church as part of a spring series on art songs. Kristin Behrmann, mezzo-soprano, and Hak Soo Kim, tenor, join pianist Steven Aguilo-Arbues in a program of contemporary and classic art songs and lieder. Art songs, by the way, are poetic pieces, often arranged for piano and voice. Lieder, simply, are German art songs. 3 p.m. Sunday. St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 1600 Grant St.; 303-839-1432. .
Saturday. Kids love getting their hands dirty, and that’s just what they’re supposed to do at the Other Side Arts’ weekly children’s workshops. The classes are geared toward little ones ages 4 to 8, teaching them to use their own voices in support of the week’s theme.
The whole family is welcome to join in. This Saturday ends a chapter on storybook art; the next series, fabric art, begins May 24. 1:30-2:30 p.m. Saturday. The Other Side Arts, 1644 Platte St.; 303-561-3000. The workshop is free, but a $3-$5 donation is suggested.
