• Ballet West premieres its annual production of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker" tonight at The Capitol Theatre, 50 W. 200 South, Salt Lake City. Tonight's show starts at 7. (The show runs through Dec. 29 click here for the complete schedule.) Tickets available at ArtTix.
• Pioneer Theatre Company begins its holiday production of "A Christmas Carol: The Musical" tonight at the Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, 300 S. 1400 East, Salt Lake City. Show starts at 8 p.m. (It runs through Dec. 15, Mondays through Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., and Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m.) Tickets, from $38 to $59, available at the PTC website.
• Aerial Arts of Utah, a dance group that makes many of its moves well above the stage floor, performs tonight at the Leona Wagner Black Box Theatre (in the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center), 138 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City. Show starts at 7:30. Tickets, at $15 and $20, available at ArtTix.
• Rock superstars The Killers performs tonight at the UCCU Center, 800 W. University Parkway, Orem. Opening act: Tegan and Sara. Show starts at 8. Tickets, from $28 to $53, available at Smith's Tix.
• The Utah Symphony performs with violinist Fumiaki Miura, tonight and Saturday at Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City. The program includes Scottish-themed works by Mendelssohn, Bruch and Debussy, as well as a Haydn work. Show starts at 8 p.m. both nights. Tickets, from $18 to $33, avaiable at ArtTix.
• Saturday is World AIDS Day, and observances can be found around Utah. For example, the Utah Museum of Fine Arts (410 Campus Center Drive, Salt Lake City) will cover one artwork from its permanent collection for the day.
• Veteran metal band Megadeth performs Saturday at Saltair, 12408 W. Saltair Drive, Magna. Opening acts: Kyng. Show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 on the day of the show, at Smith's Tix.
• Blues-rock band Tommy Castro & The Painkillers performs two sets Sunday at The State Room, 638 S. State St., Salt Lake City. Show starts at 8. Tickets are $20, at the venue's website.