Known as the Tijuana Tenor, Marco Antonio Labastida will perform a holiday show at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido on Sun., Dec. 8. The concert will be followed by a wine-pairing dinner, which is also available as a pre-show dinner for KPRi Holiday Soiree attendees.

Wine, food, music— is there anything better? The California Center for the Arts, Escondido (the Center) doesn’t think so, which is why it is bringing that harmonious trio together on Sun., Dec. 8, creating the perfect way to kick off the holiday season, or simply a great night out on the town.

The second installment in the Center’s 2013-14 Intimate Classics series, Marco Antonio Labastida will take the Center Theater stage at 3 p.m. on Dec. 8, offering a holiday-themed show. Hailed as “the pride of Baja California,” the acclaimed singer has a career spanning more than three decades across Mexico and the United States. Labastida is the recipient of numerous awards and is affectionately known as the Tijuana Tenor.

Labastida has performed at the Escondido campus before, singing holiday classics in both English and Spanish during the Center’s past two Holiday Tree Lighting festivals. The Dec. 8 show will likewise ignite the joyful spirit of the season within listeners.

By purchasing the dinner-and-a-show option, guests are treated to a gourmet meal prepared by the Center’s award-winning Executive Chef, Karla Castaneda, and thoughtfully paired with the juice of a California winery. The featured vino for the December dinner comes from Murphy Goode Winery, based out of Healdsburg, in Northern California.

KPRi’s Holiday Soiree 2013— with performances by The Head & The Heart, Matt Nathanson and Dawes— is also happening Dec. 8 (doors open at 6 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m.). Those music lovers can also take part in the wine-pairing dinner, fueling up to rock the night away.

Tickets for Marco Antonio Labastida cost $30-34 for Center members, $35-40 for non-members, $20 for students and military, and free for children 12 and under.

Tickets for the KPRi Holiday Soiree cost $40. Mezzanine and balcony seats remain.

The dinner (pre-show for Holiday Soiree and post-show for Marco Antonio Labastida) is just $50 for Center members and $60 for non-members, inclusive of tax and service.

Tickets to either concert and the dinner can be purchased online at www.artcenter.org/performances or by calling the Ticket Office at (800) 988-4253.

Special note: KPRi Holiday Soiree attendees are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to support Toys for Tots. Handsome Marines will be in the Concert Hall lobby to accept donations.