In a nod to the New Orleans Opera's production this season of the classic musical Porgy and Bess, The Women's Guild of the New Orleans Opera Association presents another edition of their annual Opera Ball with the theme of "Rhapsody in Blue" Saturday at the Hilton Riverside Hotel (Poydras Street at Mississippi River, 561-0500). The evening begins with a patron party at 7 p.m. in the Hilton's Horizon Room with guest pianist Dr. E. Quinn Peeper. Having recently earned honors for his performance of "Rhapsody in Blue" at New York's Carnegie Hall, Peeper has arranged a selection of works honoring George Gershwin. At 8 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom, the Opera Ball kicks into full swing. A silent auction will be held throughout the evening on numerous works of art, with the featured item being Garland Robinette's oil painting Three Muses (pictured). A south Louisiana native, Robinette is a Vietnam veteran and two-time Purple Heart recipient who has worked for decades in his home state as an environmental reporter. He was awarded an Emmy for his documentary on the Amazon rainforest, which prominently featured his paintings and drawings of the forest and its people. Also a portrait artist, Robinette was chosen to paint the official papal portrait during the Pope's visit to New Orleans, and his commissioned work for the Krewe of Rex hangs in the New Orleans Museum of Art. Also the 2002 Opera Ball's invitation artist, Robinette was honored by the Women's Guild at its Unveiling party in February. The ball will feature a formal dinner served on table settings designed by Liza Schwartz of Table Art, followed by dancing led by the sounds of the Jimmy Maxwell Band. Tickets for the patron party and ball are $350 per couple, $175 individual; for the ball only, $250 per couple and $125 individual. For tickets or more information, call 866-0684. -- Frank Etheridge

John Scofield 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 2 Howlin' Wolf, 828 S. Peters St., 522-WOLF Jazz guitar legend John Scofield cats around Tuesday at the Howlin' Wolf. Master jazz guitarist John Scofield is one cool cat, and that's reflected in the feline qualities in his playing. From his associations with giants like Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock to more than two decades of solo albums, Sco's turned out mewing bluesy bends, lengthy pastoral passages as graceful as a tiger stretching in the sun, and squalling jabs approximating a heated catfight. On his new album &220;berjam (Verve Records), Sco mines the groove-funk jazz direction of his recent CDs even deeper, strutting like an alley cat with some slinky wah-wah on "Tomorrow Land," and coughing up some tangled sonic hairballs on "Animal Farm." Rhythm guitarist/keyboard programmer Avi Bortnick deftly alternates between supporting and challenging Scofield, while the rhythm section keeps pace with some lightning-quick chops. There's some thrilling left turns, like the Eastern mysticism of "Acidhead," and the soaring major-key lead of "Jungle Fiction" -- typically brilliant stuff from a king of the six-string jungle. Colonel Sanchez opens. Tickets $15. -- Scott Jordan

Piano Perfection 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 4; 8 p.m. Saturday, April 6 Orpheum Theatre, 129 University Place, 523-6530 For these two performances of some of the most remarkable piano pieces ever composed in classical music, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) recruited the ivory-tickling genius of Lilya Zilberstein. A native of Moscow and current resident of Hamburg, Germany, Zilberstein established herself as an internationally acclaimed pianist in 1987 by earning first prize in the Busoni International Piano Competition. She has since collected numerous other accolades in contests and done stints with famed groups such as the Berlin Philharmonic, the London Symphony and the Vienna Symphony. Also a constantly touring recitalist, Zilberstein has made numerous recordings for Deutsche Grammophon, including a recent release of solo works by Chopin. Under the direction of LPO Conductor Klauspeter Seibel, these two performances include Mendelssohn's Ruy Blas Overture, Rachmaninoff's "Piano Concerto No. 3" and Dvorak's "Symphony No. 7." Tickets range from $11 to $52 and can be purchased through the LPO box office at 523-6530 or www.lpomusic.com. -- Etheridge

Astral Project CD-release party 10 p.m. Thursday, April 4; through April 25 Maple Leaf Bar, 8316 Oak St., 866-5320 The year 2001 was one of reflection and change for the members of Astral Project, as they said goodbye to keyboardist David Torkanowsky. The band is now a quartet for the first time in almost 25 years, and what remains is a refreshingly stripped-down sound that visits new territory without giving up its signature laid-back New Orleans qualities. Its new, self-produced CD, Big Shot, draws heavily on hometown rhythm. The band invokes the spirit of Professor Longhair on tracks like "X-Ray Vision" (a variation on the rhythm from "Big Chief"), "Spherical" (heavy on the clave), and the title track, which displays clever fusion trickery with its classical form and funky street-beat feel. Sept. 11 inspired guitarist Steve Masakowski to write "Vigil" and "Vengeance," tunes that evoke sorrow and anger, respectively. And bassist James Singleton's "Pandemonium" is a delightful, rhapsodic free-for-all. The band will work out these themes live on stage at the Maple Leaf every Thursday night this month. Admission $10. -- Cristina Diettinger

Digital Louisiana, opening reception 6 p.m. Friday, April 5; exhibit runs through June 9 Contemporary Arts Center, 900 Camp St., 528-3805 Ever since the graphic design world went digital, traditional fine artists have been skeptically but surely following suit in putting the power of the mighty Mac to work. The CAC's Digital Louisiana exhibit documents nearly 30 local and Louisiana-born artists' recent foray into technological territory. Many creators from all genres herald the digital revolution as a time-saver that offers far more unlimited realization of ideas. Others, however, ironically employ digital techniques to explore their ambivalence toward technological advancement. Duane Dugas, for example, uses PhotoShop to over-process photographs taken of film footage played on TV screens, garishly emphasizing his disdain for the effect of technology on the contemporary mind. Whether vibrant or volatile, the show raises an unusual debate about the intermingling of art and technology, while producing startlingly interesting results. -- Jennifer Curren

Tenacious D 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 5 State Palace Theater, 1108 Canal St., 522-4435 Nothing is sacred in Jack Black's world of slapstick stage comedy. The portly actor/comedian/singer-songwriter showed a soft spot for the embittered, record-grubbing, music-dork stereotype in the movie version of High Fidelity, and his musical comedy side project, Tenacious D, packs plenty of grotesque, Spinal Tap-style mockery. The self-proclaimed "Greatest Band on Earth" features Black (AKA J.B.) and his sidekick Kyle Gass (AKA K. G.) spouting irreverent lyrics on life's taboos and rocking out like metal stars on acoustic guitars. Anyone with a slightly twisted sense of humor will appreciate their surface quirks, but it takes real stamina to roll with their whirlwind pace and momentary perversion to stomach their most crass content. Yet, while onlookers can't help gasping with outrage, they'll leave the show in fits of laughter, singing the praises of the almighty D. Tickets $25. -- Diettinger

Hell's Belles 8 p.m. Friday-Sunday, April 5-7; through April 28 Cowpokes Theatre Space, 2240 St. Claude Ave., 606-9903 Running With Scissors returns with a whacked-out send-up of The Beguiled (and more) with Hell's Belles this weekend at Cowpokes Theatre Space. Despite the breakthrough success of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and the familiar camp of Grenadine McGunkle's Double Wide Christmas, the true genius of the Running With Scissors (RWS) theater troupe hasn't been on full display in over a year. The brainchild of Flynn De Marco and Richard Read, RWS is at its whacked-out best when it coalesces myriad pop-culture references into a freakier whole. Hell's Belles -- thankfully, finally -- is just that, laying its foundation in the 1971 Faulknerian Civil War flick The Beguiled (an early signal that Clint Eastwood could act) and then stirring in dashes of Misery, Imitation of Life, The Bad Seed, Reform School Girls and, ahem, Mildred Pierce. Equally beguiling is the cast, with De Marco taking on Eastwood's role as a deserting Union soldier seeking refuge in a sexually charged Southern girls' school run by Grenadine's Brian Peterson (ain't life a drag?). The inclusion of Roy Haylock, Veronica Oliver, Elizabeth Pearce, Dorian Rush and Jason Toups makes this production a must-see. Read and De Marco collaborated with John d'Addario on the script. Tickets range from $12 to $15. -- David Lee Simmons

Sketches for the Witching Hour 11 p.m. Friday, April 5; through April 26 Le Chat Noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., 581-5812 Half the fun of watching the work of playwright R.J. Tsarov (Blood Sauce, Hellhounds) is trying to figure out just what the hell he's saying with his spitfire bursts of absurdity. His goofy ambiguity makes him one of the more intriguing local writers, and also makes this trilogy of new works something to consider. A firm believer of "less is more," Tsarov offers Wood Paneling (middle-age man can't stand the touch of human hands), Counterfeiting (existentialism hangs over two roommates working with a counterfeiting gang) and Off Camera (a male model gets more than he bargained for when he finds a half-used Polaroid camera). Cast members include Steve Zissis, Dawn Faberge, Greg Di Leo, Chris Lee, Veronica Russell, Chris Cummings and Sandy Moorman. Notes: Special early show at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 25, and the April 19 show starts at midnight. Tickets $10. -- Simmons

Giselle 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 6; 2 p.m. Sunday, April 7 Jefferson Performing Arts Center, 400 Phlox St., Metairie, 885-2000 By affixing the subtitle "the essential romantic ballet" to its two performances of Giselle, the Jefferson Performing Arts Society encapsulates what the classic work has meant to artists and audiences since its Paris debut in 1841. Dubbed by some "the Hamlet of ballet" in reference to a sustained popularity and poignancy, Giselle marked a dramatic turning point in ballet from relatively smaller-scale works to those with plots involving complex fantasy and grandiose choreography and music as accompaniments. The movements help spin the tale of Giselle and Prince Albrecht, two young lovers living in the Rhine Valley whose relationship is tested by class conflict, deceit, madness and death. Eleanor Bernard appears as Giselle, Ian Carney as Albrecht. Harvey Hysell re-creates the original choreography of Jules Perrot and Jean Coralli. Tickets range from $12 to $25. For more information or tickets call 885-2000 or visit www.jpas.org. -- Etheridge

Eddie Bo, Henry Butler, Snooks Eaglin and Kermit Ruffins 8:30 p.m. Saturday, April 6 Mid City Lanes, 4133 S. Carrollton Ave., 482-3133 In their respective careers, guitarist Snooks Eaglin, trumpeter Kermit Ruffins, and pianists Eddie Bo and Henry Butler have become local music icons, symbolizing all that is funky and authentic about New Orleans -- just imagine what they can do together. Various configurations of this lineup have made waves before; Eaglin and Bo have jammed together at Mid City Lanes (including a memorable show with the late great vocalist Tommy Ridgley), while Butler and Ruffins lead an R&B show band that primarily works the private function circuit. To that end, Ruffins will start the night off with his band, and will then be joined by Butler. Eaglin will take the next set, and Bo will sit in with him. What happens after that is anybody's guess, but it should be a spectacular meeting of local luminaries. Cover $10. -- Jordan

Kenny Chesney, Sara Evans, Carolyn Dawn Johnson, Phil Vassar 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 6 New Orleans Arena, 1660 Girod St., 522-5555 Throughout the late 1990s, Kenny Chesney's climb on country radio was marked by polished and youthful, hook-laden songs -- the 17 selections on his 2000 Greatest Hits CD combine all of his No. 1 and Top 5 hits to date -- and his latest single, "Young," is evidence that he's not giving up on the formula. Joining the Luttrell, Tenn., native on the No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem tour are three other artists with fast-rising careers. Sara Evans, discovered by the late legendary songwriter Harlan Howard, has always chosen great songs to sing. Carolyn Dawn Johnson recently garnered an Academy of Country Music Award nomination for Top New Female Vocalist. And Phil Vassar is best known as the writer of hits like "For a Little While" and "My Next Thirty Years" (Tim McGraw) and "Bye Bye" (Jo Dee Messina). Vassar has long been a sought-after hit writer for other artists, and like Johnson, he hopes to translate that success into a career as a performing artist. Tickets range from $26.50 to $34, and are available through Ticketmaster at 522-5555. -- Jim McCormick

Cowboy Mouth video shoot 7 p.m. Monday, April 8 Tipitina's, 501 Napoleon Ave., 895-8477 Given its sizable national fanbase and mid-90s major-label deal with MCA Records, it's hard to believe that New Orleans rockers Cowboy Mouth have never made a music video. That's about to change courtesy of a Southern Comfort-sponsored contest reminiscent of HBO's Project Greenlight, which is giving 28-year-old Chicago native first-time director Michael Kwielford the opportunity to film the Mouth's debut video. He'll be shooting the Mouth doing its concert staple "Jenny Says," in front of a hometown audience at Tipitina's. The filming starts a 7 p.m., and the first 300 fans (who must be 21 or older) are guaranteed admission to be a part of the shoot. Overflow will be accommodated as space allows, so be prompt if you want to help Fred LeBlanc and company be immortalized on film. No cover. -- Jordan

Art.Rage.Us: Exhibit of Art and Writing By Women With Breast Cancer April 4 through June 16 Newcomb Art Gallery, Tulane University Campus, 865-5328 It has become a truism to say we all have friends or relatives who have battled breast cancer, an illness that has increased so greatly over the last half century that it is now the leading cause of death for women between the ages of 25 and 54. It is, simply put, a sign of our times. As part of its ongoing effort to raise awareness and educate the public about the disease, the Breast Cancer Fund has organized Art.Rage.Us, an exhibition of art and writing by more than 75 women who have experienced breast cancer and who have been moved to tell their stories in words and images. It's all about healing and how creativity can change, and even save, lives. Their efforts have been described as "a powerful collection of paintings, drawings, sculpture, poetry and essays that makes a compelling statement about the healing power of art." -- D. Eric Bookhardt