Grand ole opera

From the Sacramento Ballet to the Sacramento Philharmonic Orchestra, we’ve had more than enough reason to make the brief sojourn to the Community Center Theater. This weekend, rather than taking in a Kings game or heading out to the bars, consider experiencing the Sacramento Opera. Giacomo Puccini’s Turandot will be performed with a live orchestra. Composed in 1924, the opera includes “Nessun Dorma,” the aria Aretha Franklin performed at the 1998 Grammy Awards. Though the production may not be on the scale of the one staged in Paris this summer—with more than 35,000 people in attendance—you’ll be able to witness one of the genre’s finest pieces. So, get a babysitter, enjoy dinner at an Italian restaurant and take in Turandot on a full stomach. It doesn’t get much better than this. Showtimes are 8 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Sunday and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Tickets are $15-$115, and the Community Center is located at 1301 L Street. Visit www.sacopera.org for more info.