The Pearl Fishers

Thru Feb. 8 | Houston Grand Opera

The little-performed Bizet opera arrives in Houston, this time zhuzhed up with plenty of color from iconic British designer Zandra Rhodes. Musical moments including "Au fond de temple saint" might be the main draw, but Rhodes' fanciful vision of Sri Lanka is probably a close second. "Why can’t the palm trees be shocking pink and turquoise?” Rhodes asks us rhetorically. “I think that colors make people happy, and this isn’t a tragedy, so the sky is the limit.”

Tickets from $25. Wortham Center, 510 Texas Ave. 713-228-6737. More info and tickets at houstongrandopera.org.

Monster Jam

Jan. 26 | NRG Stadium

You might look at a monster truck rally and think Meh, not my thing. And you might be right! But you don't know for sure until you let the ear-shattering rumble of Grave Digger's engine wash over your being. So go ahead, let your hair down, and head out to NRG. We're willing to bet you won't regret it.

Tickets from $15. NRG Stadium, NRG Pkwy. More info and tickets at monsterjam.com.

Neon Garden

Jan. 26 | Axelrad Beer Garden

This edition of the monthly music series features, among others, Fanclub and John Allen Stephens. There will be plenty of retro gaming consoles on offer courtesy of Lazybit Collective, as well as free Topo Chico.

Free. Axelrad Beer Garden, 1517 Alabama St. 713-597-8800. More info via Facebook.

Peter and the Bear

Jan. 27 | Houston Zoo

As of November 2018, the Houston Zoo has an expanded black bear habitat. And since 1936, Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf has served as a mammalian-themed symphonic fairy tale. Consider it the Most Ambitious Crossover Event in History, then, as the zoo partners with the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra to revamp the composition as Peter and the Bear. You can read more about the effort here, but the gist is that it'll be a family-friendly music event with plenty of opportunity to hang out with the zoo’s two 5-year-old bears, Belle and Willow.

Free with zoo admission. Houston Zoo, 6200 Hermann Park Dr. 713-665-2700. More info and tickets at roco.org.

Houston Auto Show

Thru Jan. 27 | NRG Center

The Houston Auto Show, otherwise known as the city's greatest window shopping experience, is back for its 36th edition. More than 800 cars will be onsite for your perusal, and you'll be able to ride (or drive) certain whips from manufacturers including BMW, Jaguar, Honda, and more. 

Tickets $12. NRG Center, 1 NRG Park. More info and tickets at houstonautoshow.com.