A&E Picks and Highlights

Role: Daland in Wagner’s “The Flying Dutchman” at Sarasota Opera through March 23.

Hometown: Mount Holly, N.J.

If you could be anything other than a musician: I would be a professional golfer.

What’s your least favorite sound: The sound my golf ball makes when hitting the water hazard.

What song always gets stuck in your head: Usually a German Coloratura aria by Mozart like one of the Queen of the Night arias from “The Magic Flute” or one of Constanze’s arias from “The Abduction from the Seraglio.” Of course, I’m married to a soprano who sings both of these.

If you could sing any role what would it be? Mephistopheles in Gounod’s “Faust” or Mefistofele in Boito’s “Mefistofele” — two devilishly difficult roles.

Where: The Table Creekside Restaurant and Lounge, 5365 S. Tamiami Trail

What: American red snapper, short rib cannelloni, rock shrimp with a cherry tomato sofrito served with an organic asparagus reduction for $36.95.

What else: The products that create this dish are indigenous to the area. There’s both flavor and creativity behind this spin on the surf and turf. As general manager Ila Edwards says, “We are all about the wow factor in everything we do.”

Wine pairing: You could pair either white or red: Shafer (Chardonnay) will pair the rich, buttery taste of the snapper. The Ramey (Claret) gives a nice silky finish to the robust short rib cannelloni.

Medium and size: Digital. 14 inches by 14 inches.

On display: From March 7 through March 19 at Madeby Gallery, 734 Central Ave.

Inspiration: “Having grown up in Florida, I’ve always been attracted to our wonderful bird life as inspiration for my paintings. I especially like to paint shore birds, with various species of gulls dominating my work. Up until about 10 years ago I did all of my work traditionally (watercolor, oil, drawing). In the past 10 years, though, I discovered the digital medium. It’s basically painting with light. I have a computer screen that is touch sensitive and I can draw and paint with a stylus as if I’m working on a canvas or paper. It has provided me a lot of opportunities to be more spontaneous and experimental in my work. As a result, my traditional work has grown as well.”

A&E EDITOR'S PICKS: 

Thursday, March 6
Concert preview with Jonathan Spivey and Guest Conductor Mei-Ann Chen
Sarasota Orchestra Association
10 a.m. at Holley Hall
Tickets $10. Visit SOAssociation.org.

New Stages 2014 — The Foundry, ‘No Hero’
The Ringling
7:30 p.m. at Historic Asolo Theater
Runs through Saturday.
Tickets $30, $25 members, $10 students. Call 360-7399.

‘The Flying Dutchman’ by Richard Wagner
Sarasota Opera. 8 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House
Runs through Sunday.
Tickets $19 to $120. Call 328-1300.

Friday, March 7
‘The Barber of Seville’ by Gioachino Rossini
Sarasota Opera
1:30 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House
Tickets $19 to $120. Call 328-1300.

‘Jazz at Two’ John DePaola, trumpet
The Jazz Club of Sarasota
2 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church
Tickets $7 to $12. Call 366-1552.

First Friday Art Walk
6 p.m. at Palm Avenue
Free. Visit palmavenue.org.

Jerry Seinfeld
7 and 9:30 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall
Call 953-3368.

‘Text M … for Murder’
Florida Studio Theatre Improv. 7:30 p.m. at Bowne’s Lab Theatre.
Runs through April 24.
Tickets $12 to $15. Call 366-9000.

‘Il trovatore’ by Giuseppe Verdi
Sarasota Opera
8 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House
Tickets $19 to $120. Call 328-1300.

Masterworks Series: ‘Exotic Stories.’ Sarasota Orchestra.
8 p.m. at Neel Performing Arts Center
8 p.m. Saturday at Van Wezel Performing Arts Center
2:30 p.m. Sunday at Van Wezel Performing Arts Center
Tickets $30 to $84. Call 953-3434.

Ring Sarasota in concert
8 p.m. at Glenridge Performing Arts Center
Tickets $15. Call 552-5298.

Saturday, March 8
ArtSlam 2014
Noon at Old Main Street, Bradenton. Free. Call 840-0013.

‘Darling Divas.’ Manatee Players
2 p.m. at Manatee Performing Arts Center
Runs through March 16. Tickets $26. Call 748-5875.

T.D. Allman. 6 p.m. at Bookstore1Sarasota
Call 365-7900.

‘Colors of My Life’
Sarasota Silver Stars
7:30 p.m. at The Players Theatre
Runs through Sunday.
Tickets $18. Call 365-2494.

‘Jérusalem’ by Giuseppe Verdi
Sarasota Opera
8 p.m. at Sarasota Opera House
Tickets $19 to $120. Call 328-1300.

Sunday, March 9
Poetry LocalMic
PoetryLife. 2 p.m. at Bookstore1Sarasota. Call 365-7900.

‘Mardi Gras’
Suncoast Concert Band. 3 p.m. at Northminster Presbyterian Church
Tickets $5. Call 907-4123.

‘Singspiration III: And Then There Was Music.’ Gwyneth Walker, Sarasota Young Voices, Chroma Quartet
7 p.m. at First United Methodist Church
Donation $10. Call 955-0935.