EVENT CATEGORIES

ART

Through July 6
Alberto Schommer: Portraits and Scenarios
Alberto Schommer, one of Spain’s most prominent photographers, has pioneered a path challenging conventional forms, including a series of psychological portraits, always guided under the influence of the oeuvre of Irving Penn and William Klein. Part of the “Spain arts & culture” series (www.spainculture.us).
Embassy of Spain

Through July 8
Masters of Mercy: Buddha’s Amazing Disciples
Kano Kazunobu’s (1816–1863) phantasmagoric paintings reflect a popular theme in Edo art: the lives and deeds of the Buddha’s legendary 500 disciples.
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Through July 16
Rosana Azar: Twenty-Two Years Celebrating the Arts
Buenos Aires-born artist Rosana Azar exhibited widely around Argentina before moving to the Washington area 22 years ago, quickly establishing herself as an artist of global relevance, with shows in the Washington Cathedral, Osaka, Japan, St. Tropez, France, and Bucharest, Romania.
Embassy of Argentina

Through July 27
Winging It
This group exhibition explores the study and depiction of birds, featuring work by Colby Caldwell, Jenny Mullins and others.
Heiner Contemporary

July 28 to Sept. 16
Worlds Within Worlds: Imperial Paintings from India and Iran
India’s Mughal emperors, who reigned over a vast empire that extended from Kabul over most of the South Asian subcontinent between the 16th and the 19th centuries, were passionate about lavish manuscripts and paintings. The exhibit brings together 60 of the finest folios and paintings from the Freer|Sackler collection, one of the world’s most important repositories of Mughal and Persian painting.
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Through July 29
From the Library: The Fleeting Structures of Early Modern Europe
In early modern Europe, state visits, coronations and weddings were among the occasions that gave cities a chance to stage lavish productions in which artists and architects designed elaborate structures and decorations, allowing them to experiment with new ideas or encourage city officials to consider new uses of public space.
National Gallery of Art

Through July 29
Royalists to Romantics: Women Artists from the Louvre,
Versailles, and Other French National Collections
The National Museum of Women in the Arts celebrates its 25th anniversary with the first exhibition to explore the life and work of women artists in the time of the French Revolution with more than 75 rarely seen works by 35 artists.
National Museum of Women in the Arts

Through July 31
Joan Miró from the Collection of the Kreeger Museum
Joan Miró was a perfectionist who insisted he was a “self-taught amateur” to transgress traditional techniques, especially in pursuit of printmaking as a medium for his breathtaking expressions of Catalan culture. This exhibition marks the first time the Kreeger’s complete collection of works by Miró will be on view, including T”he Mallorca Suite,” “Makimono,” and “El Vol de l’Alosa (The Flight of the Lark).”
The Kreeger Museum

Through Aug. 12
Joan Miró: The Ladder of Escape
Through some 120 paintings, drawings, sculptures, and prints from a career spanning almost a century, the exhibition reveals a politically engaged side to Joan Miró’s work, including his passionate response to one of the most turbulent periods in European history as well as his sense of Spanish — specifically Catalonian — identity.
National Gallery of Art

Through Aug. 31
Daniel Libeskind: Architecture for the Angel of History
Photographs depict the striking work of Daniel Libeskind, who designed several museums of national significance as well as living expressions of memory, including the Jewish Museum in Berlin and the Military History Museum in Dresden. On May 18 at 2 p.m., Chase W. Rynd, executive director of the National Building Museum, discusses what role architecture plays in the culture of memory?
Goethe-Institut

Through Sept. 9
Antony Gormley: Drawing Space
The Phillips presents the first major U.S. exhibition of works on paper by British artist Antony Gormley, internationally acclaimed for his sculptures, installations and public projects that investigate the human body’s relationship to space.
The Phillips Collection

Through Sept. 9
Jasper Johns: Variations on a Theme
One of the most celebrated artists of the modern era, Jasper Johns revolutionized the field of printmaking. This exhibition features some 90 iconic examples of targets, flags, numbers and other subjects the artist explored from 1960 to today and celebrates his visionary response to lithography, intaglio, silkscreen and lead relief sculpture.
The Phillips Collection

Through Sept. 15
Hina/Jaina: On the Threshold of the Mayan Underworld (600-900 AD)
More than 50 “Jaina style” figurines discovered on the man-made island of Jaina off the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula — an extremely important Mayan ritual and religious site in the classic period — depict various aspects of Mayan cosmology, religious beliefs and society, providing fascinating insight into one of Mexico’s most intriguing ancient civilizations.
Mexican Cultural Institute

Through Sept. 23
Constellations: Constructivism, Internationalism and the Inter-American Avant-Garde
Drawn from the permanent collection and rich archival holdings of the Art Museum of the Americas, “Constellations” surveys the dynamic, inter-American history of geometric abstraction across the 20th century — a tribute to the curatorial vision of José Gómez Sicre, the founder and first director of the AMA.
Art Museum of the Americas

Through Sept. 26
To Know Wisdom and Instruction: The Armenian Literary Tradition at the Library of Congress
The era of Armenian printing began in 1512, when Hakob Meghapart (Jacob the Sinner) opened an Armenian press in Venice. To mark the quincentenary of that event and UNESCO’s designation of the Armenian capital of Yerevan as its Book Capital of the World 2012, the Library of Congress highlights the Armenian literary tradition from the era of manuscripts to contemporary publishing.
Library of Congress
Thomas Jefferson Building

Through Sept. 30
Open City: London 1500-1700
Over the course of two centuries, London changed from the capital of England, secure within its medieval walls, to a metropolitan seat of empire. “Open City” explores activities and pressures that altered Londoners’ sense of community, focusing especially on three types of institutions: church, theater and market.
Folger Shakespeare Library

Through Oct. 8
George Bellows
This comprehensive exhibition, the first in more than three decades, looks back at the career of George Bellows, arguably the most important figure in the generation of artists who negotiated the transition from the Victorian to the modern era in American culture.
National Gallery of Art

Through Oct. 14
The Deep Element: Photography at the Beach
This exhibition brings together photographs of the beach from the late 19th century through the present day, revealing the many ways that artists have explored and been inspired by this rich subject.
Corcoran Gallery of Art

Through Oct. 31
The Big Picture: A Photography Exhibition in Celebration
of the 20th Anniversary of the IDB Cultural Center
Comprising 44 striking images from the Inter-American Development Bank’s permanent collection, as well as pieces previously shown at other art events held by the D.C.-based international finance institution, “The Big Picture” highlights the cultural wealth and diversity of the Latin America and the Caribbean, as seen through the lens of 22 leading contemporary photographers from 13 countries.
Dulles International Airport Gateway Gallery

Through Dec. 9
African Cosmos: Stellar Arts
In the first major exhibition to explore the historical legacy of African cultural astronomy and its intersection with traditional and contemporary African arts, some 100 objects consider how the sun, moon and stars and celestial phenomena such as lightning and rainbows serve as sources of inspiration in the creation of African art from ancient times to the present.
National Museum of African Art

Through Dec. 30
Growing up AFRO: Snapshots of Black Childhood from the Afro-American Newspapers
In honor of the 120th anniversary of the Afro-American Newspapers, this pictorial exhibition features 120 images from the AFRO’s archive collections that demonstrate the vital role young people played in African American history.
Reginald F. Lewis Museum in Baltimore, Md.

Through Dec. 30
Prêt-à-Papier: The Exquisite Art of Isabelle de Borchgrave
A selection of iconic costumes and haute couture dresses — reflecting the rich history of fashion in European paintings and designs of the grand couturiers — are reinterpreted in trompe l’oeil paper masterpieces by Belgian artist Isabelle de Borchgrave.
Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens

Through Jan. 6
Dragons, Nagas, and Creatures of the Deep
In the Spirit of the East Asian calendar’s Year of the Dragon, this exhibition highlights objects drawn from cultures as diverse as the ancient Mediterranean world, imperial China and contemporary South America, portraying dragons as everything from fire-breathing beasts to beneficent water gods.
The Textile Museum

Through Feb. 24
Lalla Essaydi: Revisions
Lalla Essaydi, a Moroccan-born, New York-based artist, pushes the boundaries of Arab, Muslim and African perceptions of women’s identities with her art, which includes themes of feminism, gender, identity and the private inner lives of women while drawing on Arabic calligraphy for its decorative and communicative potential.
National Museum of African Art

DANCE

July 5 to 8
Paris Opera Ballet: Giselle
Making a rare international appearance, Paris Opera Ballet brings their beautiful production of the classic evening-length ballet “Giselle,” choreographed by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot. Tickets are $29 to $150.
Kennedy Center Opera House

DISCUSSIONS

Wed., July 11, 6:45 p.m.
What Makes a Leader? Listening to Alexander the Great, Hannibal, and Caesar
As America gears up to select a new leader, historian Barry Strauss looks back at a trio of great rulers and generals to consider the qualities that made them effective leaders. Tickets are $25; for information, visit www.smithsonianassociates.org.
Hirshhorn Museum Ring Auditorium

Thu., July 12, 6:45 p.m.
Pearl Harbor: Bold Stroke or Senseless Strategy?
United States Naval Academy military historian Robert Love discusses the concurrent struggles under way prior to Dec. 7 — in Europe between the Axis powers and Anglo- Soviet alliance and in Asia between Japan and China — and the outcome of the attack. Tickets are $40; for information, visit www.smithsonianassociates.org.
S. Dillon Ripley Center

Wed., July 18, 6:45 p.m.
Ancient Roman Gardens as Urban Pharmacopeia
In the time of Augustus, the population of Rome experienced unprecedented growth that created a shortage of many medicinal plants, traditionally grown until then in countryside orchards. Scholar Alain Touwaide makes a case that the Roman conquest of the Mediterranean area was actually an attempt to take control of the production of medicinal plants. Tickets are $40; for information, visit www.smithsonianassociates.org.
S. Dillon Ripley Center

Thu., July 19, 7 p.m.
Le Studio: Defining the French Savoir-Faire
The monthly “Wine Tasting 101” soirées — with veteran wine journalist Claire Morin-Gibourg — explores the regions and vineyards in France, as well as tasting techniques, with July’s tasting featuring Languedoc-Roussillon and Cotes de Provence wines. Tickets are $70.
La Maison Française

Tue., July 24, 7 p.m.
Nature’s Compass: The Secret Guide to Incredible Animal Journeys
Whether it’s the monarch butterfly’s annual winter trek to Mexico or a homing pigeon’s journey back to the flock, animals demonstrate navigation strategies that range from the simple to the astonishing, but it’s only in recent years that scientists have learned how these feats are actually accomplished. Tickets are $20; for information, visit www.smithsonianassociates.org.
S. Dillon Ripley Center

Wed., July 25, 6:45 p.m.
Understanding Climate Change
Doug Herman, senior geographer at the American Indian Museum, provides an overview of the often-complex, and often-misunderstood, subject of climate. Tickets are $35; for information, visit www.smithsonianassociates.org.
S. Dillon Ripley Center

FESTIVALS

July 1, July 4 to 8
Smithsonian Folklife Festival
This international exposition of living cultural heritage is organized annually outdoors on the National Mall. This year’s festival highlights three themes: “Campus and Community,” commemorating the year 1862, when the founding of public universities and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would touch the lives of people across the United States and the world every single day; “Citified,” a look at the arts and creativity east of the Anacostia River; and “Creativity and Crisis,” marking the 25th anniversary of the AIDS Memorial Quilt and 30 years of life with AIDS.
National Mall

Through July 2
Serenade! Washington DC Choral Festival
Classical Movements, a leading concert touring company based in Washington, presents “Serenade!” — a festival featuring nine visiting choirs from seven countries, including Young Adelaide Voices from Australia, Countermeasure from Canada and Imilonji KaNtu Choral Society from South Africa, in 18 concerts and festival events around the area, as well as workshops and outreach exchanges with local organizations. For information, visit http://classicalmovements.org.
Various locations

July 12 to 29
Capital Fringe Festival
The Capital Fringe Festival is the only major unjuried, self-producing, open-access festival in the Washington area providing hundreds of artists, whether new or established, a venue to express and develop their talents and visions, with a mission to nurture creative, cutting-edge, and contemporary performance in the District. For information, visit www.capfringe.org.
Various locations

Fri., July 13, 7 p.m.
Bastille Day at the Embassy of France
The French Embassy welcomes Washingtonians to Comité Tricolore’s spectacular annual Bastille Day celebration, featuring a delectable buffet of both classic French dishes and modern twists, with some of Washington’s most renowned chefs, as well as authentic French pastries and an open bar of French wine, spirits and bubbly. Tickets are $90.
La Maison Française

MUSIC

Fri., July 6, 7:30 p.m.
From Mozart to Michael Jackson
Violinist Barbara Helfgott and pianist Michael Kahr present a versatile program ranging from famous classical pieces and traditional Viennese music to pop and melodies from popular musicals. Admission is free but RSVP is required and can be made at www.acfdc.org/events-registration or (202) 895-6776.
Embassy of Austria

Sat., July 14, 3 to 6 p.m.
Musikkapelle Prutz
The Olney Big Band will be hosting the Austrian concert band Musikkapelle Prutz from western Austria near Innsbruck — whose 52 members will present a concert of Austrian classics and popular concert band favorites. Tickets are $15.
Olney Theatre Center

THEATER

Through July 1
The Animals and Children Took to the Streets
This genre-smashing piece from British company 1927 is a mix of performance, live music, animation and silent film that the Guardian describes as “Alexander Rodchenko meets Tim Burton, Charles Dickens meets Fritz Lang, and the early 20th-century silent movie meets the 21st-century graphic novel.”
The Studio Theatre

Through July 1
Home of the Soldier
Filled with physical staging, projections and multimedia, this world premiere commemorates the heroism of the armed forces with a dynamic story that follows the sudden evolution of one man from a videogame-playing youth to a real-life soldier, and the physical and psychological struggles he faces along the way. Tickets are $45 to $55.
Synetic Theater at Crystal City

Through July 1
Puerto Rico…¡fuá!
GALA concludes its 36th season with the D.C. premiere of Puerto Rica’s most popular musical, a hilarious satire that spins tales from the Taíno natives, to invasions by the conquistadores and Americans, to the ups and downs of contemporary life on the Enchanted Island. Tickets are $38 or $40.
GALA Hispanic Theatre

Through July 7
Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You
The American Century Theater presents Christopher Durang’s acerbic comedy about the Catholic Church and issues such as gay and women’s rights and domestic violence. Please visit americancentury.org for ticket information.
Gunston Theatre II

Through July 8
Sleuth
When an older, wealthy mystery writer invites his wife’s lover to his elegant and isolated estate, a complex game of wits and gamesmanship begins, which could potentially end with deadly results, in this thriller by Anthony Shaffer that has inspired two film versions. Tickets start at $26.
Olney Theatre Center

Through July 8
Spring Awakening
In this Keegan Theatre production, a group of students in late 19th-century Germany move from adolescence into adulthood, navigating the devastation and wonder of sexuality and self-discovery — despite parents and authority figures who are intent on suppressing thought and expression. Tickets are $40.
Church Street Theater

July 10 to 29
The Addams Family
“The Addams Family” brings the darkly delirious world of Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Grandma, Wednesday, Pugsley and, of course, Lurch to life. Tickets are $39 to $115.
Kennedy Center Opera House

July 11 to 28
Sizzlin’ Summer Cabaret
This showcase of red-hot acts from D.C. and Broadway performers includes singer-songwriter and internet sensation Carrie Manolakos (Broadway’s “Mamma Mia!”), Broadway husband-and-wife team Matthew Scott Kirsten Scott (“Follies” on Broadway), and Helen Hayes Award winner Natascia Diaz (“Brother Russia” and “Kiss of the Spider Woman” at Signature). Tickets are $25.
Signature Theatre

July 11 to Aug. 5
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson
This rowdy and irreverent musical imagines President Andrew “Old Hickory” Jackson as a rock star, following young Jackson from his boyhood home to the spotlight of the White House and beyond. Tickets are $38 to $43.
The Studio Theatre

Through July 15
The Merry Wives of Windsor
In Shakespeare’s riotous romp, “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” directed by celebrated British director Stephen Rayne, the conniving, impoverished knight Falstaff plots to woo two wealthy wives at the same time, but his plan backfires and the cunning wives seek revenge. Tickets are $20 to $100.
Shakespeare Theatre Harman Hall

July 17 to Aug. 5
The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs
By examining the human price we pay for our high-tech toys, Mike Daisey influenced drastic change in the corporate practices of Apple and its supplier in China. But he came under fire for fabricating parts of the story. So Woolly is restaging an all-new version of Daisey’s play that addresses the controversy head on, using the struggle over fact and fiction to tell an even better story that pierces the heart of our human relationship with our labor. Tickets start at $40.
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Through July 29
The Normal Heart
Fueled by love, anger, hope and pride, a circle of friends struggle to contain the mysterious disease ravaging New York’s gay community. Please call for ticket information.
Arena Stage