Dance: 'A Winter Fairy Tale'
As an alternative to that little nutcracker tale, Mountain View's Bayer Ballet Academy presents "A Winter Fairy Tale," a holiday ballet based on a Russian forest fairytale, at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts at 500 Castro St. Performances are at 7 p.m. tonight, Dec. 14; at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 15; and at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 16. Tickets are $28 general and $23 for seniors and students. Go to bayerballetacademy.com.

Music: Sing-Along and Play-Along 'Messiah'
Stanford's Memorial Church hosts its annual presentation of Handel's "Messiah," sung and played by the audience under the baton of Stephen M. Sano, with the help of Stanford choirs on stage. The event is at 8 p.m. tonight, Dec. 14. Tickets are $10 general, $9 for seniors, $5 for non-Stanford students, and free for Stanford students. Orchestral parts will be provided, with vocal scores for sale at the door. Go to music.stanford.edu.

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