It's In Queens! (May 7-May 13)

Carol Burnett comes to Queens this weekend. Lucky her! She’ll find great opera, Cameroonian music, Brazilian film, Indian modernist art, Mexican dance, Canadian puppetry, a brand new musical, and even kite-flying. Here’s the rundown.

May 7, Operatic Classics, 7 pm. The Queens Symphony Orchestra presents classic selections with Metropolitan Opera tenor Chad Shelton and baritone David Adam Moore. Free. Electrical Industry Center Auditorium, 158-11 Harry Van Arsdale Jr. Avenue, Fresh Meadows.

May 8, Laughter and Reflection with Carol Burnett, 8 pm. This 90-minute interactive experience’s format harkens back to the openings of The Carol Burnett Show, when her studio audience had an unfiltered opportunity to engage the comedian with questions and receive spontaneous answers. $39-$85. Colden Auditorium, Queens College, 65-23 Kissena Boulevard, Flushing.

May 8, The Queens Bees, May 17. The world premiere of a new musical about three high school girls from a tough neighborhood in Queens in the 1960s. With a little grit and a lot of talent, the teens become overnight sensations and discover that they want very different things from life. The score includes hits from the era, such as “Leader of the Pack” and “Twist and Shout.” Performances are Fridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 2 pm and 8 pm, Sundays at 3 pm, and an additional matinee on Friday, May 15, at 2 pm. $25-$42. Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Avenue South, Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

May 8, Global Mashup #3: Panama Meets Cameroon, 8 pm. Julian presents Panamanian music that made significant contributions to genres such as cumbia. Cameroonian songstress Kaïssa does a blend of African, reggae, jazz and R&B. Each artist performs a set, and then both play an impromptu jam together for the final act. Dance lessons at 7 pm. $15/$10 for students. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Boulevard, Flushing.

May 8, O Brazil: After the Rain, 7 pm. This is the second installment of a series on contemporary Brazilian movies. The film takes place in 1984 as the city of Salvador de Bahia prepares for the country’s first presidential elections after 20 years of dictatorship. As his school prepares for its own first council elections, 16-year-old Caio’s political awakening begins, as he shifts from a critical outsider to a vocal participant. $12/$9 for seniors and students/$6 for children (ages 3-12). Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Avenue, Kaufman Arts District.

May 8, Ostraka with special guest Molly Quinn, 6 pm. Presented in partnership with the Five Boroughs Music Festival, the San Francisco-based trio Ostraka presents Le Parnasse Francais: Virtuosic Music for Voice, Viola, and Lutes with works by Rameau, Guedron, Lully, Marais and Boismortier. Free. King Manor Museum, 150-3 Jamaica Avenue, Jamaica.

May 8, After Midnight: Indian Modernism To Contemporary India 1947-1997, June 28. First-ever exhibit on two historic periods in Indian art. $8. Queens Museum, NYC Building, Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

May 9, LIC Springs, noon to 5 pm. LIC Partnership hosts this second annual community block festival. Local organizations and businesses host activities and entertainment along Vernon Boulevard in Long Island City.

May 9, Ondin Puppetry, 2:15 pm. This show takes toddlers from wide-open shores down to the very deepest part of the sea, where Ondin, a young fisherman, turns into a strange marine creature and discovers a fascinating world. This aquatic tale moves between ancient myths. Just prior to the performance, L’Illusion Théâtre de Marionnettes from Quebec gives an interactive puppetry workshop at 1 pm. Workshop: $7/$4 for children; Performance: $13/$10 for members/$8 for children. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Boulevard, Flushing.

May 9, Calvary Tour, 10 am to 1 pm. Walk through First Calvary Cemetery with historian and blogger Mitch Waxman and then eat lunch at Bantry Bay Publick House. $20. Meet at Northeast corner of Greenpoint and Review Avenues, Long Island City.

May 9, Jennifer’s Annual Flushing Bay Shoreline Cleanup, 11 am to 3 pm. Join the Empire Dragon Boat Team in partnership with Riverkeeper and the NYC Parks Department to clean up the Flushing Bay shoreline. Meet at Pier One at the World’s Fair Marina.

May 9, Kite Flight, 11 am to 3 pm. Using recycled materials, children and families build kites, exploring themes of flight, freedom, and community. Then they fly them in the park. Free. The Noguchi Museum, 9-01 33rd Road, Long Island City.

May 9, Cillian Vallely in Concert, 7:30 pm. This renown uilleann pipes and low whistle player performs with guitarist and singer Ryan McGiver. New York Irish Center, 10-40 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City.

May 9, Backyard Nature Photography Part One, 9:30 am. Professional photographer Wayne Summerlin offers a two-day workshop on camera use, composition, and lighting. (Second class on May 16). $66. Alley Pond Environmental Center, 228-06 Northern Boulevard, Douglaston.

May 10, New Ways of Seeing: Beyond Culture, through July 12. This exhibition presents works by a diverse group of artists that move beyond their individual arrays of cultures and countries of origin, often challenging existing associations and subverting expectations. They utilize materials and imagery in innovative ways that address themes including race, gender, ritual, craft, and language. Gallery hours are Thursday through Monday, 11 am to 6 pm. Dorsky Gallery, 11-03 45th Avenue, Long Island City.

May 10, Sew Fun, 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. Explore real tools and materials while sewing, weaving, and playing with textiles. Learn the science behind hypercolor fabrics and make cool wearable art. $8 per family. New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th Street, Corona.

May 11, A Talk by a Bible Translator, 1:30 pm. Translator and author Joel Hoffman discusses his new book, The Bible’s Cutting Floor Room. He explains that some original passages were left out of the Bible for political or theological reasons, while others were eliminated due to the physical restrictions of ancient book-making technology. Suggested donation. Central Queens Y, 67-09 108th Street, Forest Hills.

May 13, Face the Music with Kronos Quartet: Road Trip, 7:30 pm. This concert features pieces from the Kronos repertoire performed with chamber ensembles from Face the Music as well as solos. These contemporary classical and world-music superstars perform as part of the fourth annual Queens New Music Festival. $25/$15 for students, advance only, no door sales. The Church-in-the-Gardens, 50 Ascan Avenue, Forest Hills Gardens.

May 13, A Southern Queens Salon Series Concert, 7 pm. Queens Symphony Orchestra presents Vivaldi. Free. The Scholars’ Academy, 320 Beach 104th Street, Rockaway Park.

May 13, Son Huasteco Dance Workshop, 6:30 pm. The Mazarte Dance Company offers a performance/class for all ages. Merging dance, research, and indigenous art with Mexican cultural heritage, the company educates communities and preserves artistic techniques in danger of being lost. Free. Long Island City School of Ballet, 44-02 23rd Street, Apartment 211.

Photo: Rob MacKay