EVENT CATEGORIES

ART 

Sept. 1 to Feb. 1

From Neoclassicism to Futurism: Italian Prints and Drawings, 1800–1925

The visual arts in Italy between the first stirrings of nationalistic sentiment and its corruption into Fascism — the long development of the modern Italian state — remained extraordinarily diverse and vital. The National Gallery of Art has in recent years begun to develop a collection of Italian prints and drawings of this period that is surpassed only by the holdings of Italy’s principal museums.

National Gallery of Art

Sept. 1 to Feb. 1

Modern American Prints and Drawings from the Kainen Collection

The final in a series of three exhibitions celebrating the generous bequest of Ruth Cole Kainen, this show explores the first seven decades of 20th-century American art.

National Gallery of Art

Through Sept. 2

Peruvian Gold: Ancient Treasures Unearthed

This exhibition journeys through civilizations from 1250 B.C. to 1450, learning through the ceremonial gold, silver, ceramics and textiles created by the complex Andean civilizations in ancient Peru that rival anything made by the ancient Egyptians.

National Geographic Museum

Sept. 3 to Oct. 31

The Embassy of the Czech Republic will launch the Mutual Inspirations Festival 2014 – Franz Kafka with a special exhibition by Czech cartoonist Jiří Slíva featuring humorous drawing, lithographs and etchings inspired by Kafka and others. Slíva, who has been featured in over 150 publications including the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, believes that “Kafka had fun for us,” exemplified through the Czech writer’s realism, humor and irony.

Embassy of the Czech Republic

Through Sept. 5

Marks and Traces: Helga Thomson Retrospective

The work of Buenos Aires-born artist Helga Thomson, who studied in Argentina, Europe and the United States, encompasses etchings, collagraphs, monoprints, digital prints, mixed media and installations that are rich in color and content, reflecting a life story with deep symbolic references.

Embassy of Argentina

Through Sept. 7

Small Guide to Homeownership: Photography by Alejandro Cartagena of Mexico

This selection from Alejandro Cartagena’s “Mexicana Suburbia” series considers the interdependence of humans and landscape in the face of urban expansion.

Art Museum of the Americas

Sept. 9 to Nov. 3

Gabriel Figueroa: Cinematographer – Great Moments in Mexico’s Golden Era of Cinema

From the early 1930s through the early 1980s, the Mexican cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa (1907-97) helped forge an evocative and enduring image of Mexico. This exhibition features film clips, photographs, posters and documents, as well as works by contemporary artists and filmmakers that draw from the vast inventory of distinctly Mexican imagery associated with Figueroa’s cinematography.

Mexican Cultural Institute

Sept. 13 to Jan. 25

From the Library: The Book Illustrations by Romeyn de Hooghe

Artistically gifted and socially well connected, Romeyn de Hooghe (1645–1708) can help us to unravel the complexities of the late Dutch Golden Age, particularly through his vast and varied oeuvre of book illustrations.

National Gallery of Art

Sept. 13 to March 22

Nasta’liq: The Genius of Persian Calligraphy

More than 20 works ranging in date from 1400 to 1600 form the first exhibition of its kind to focus on nasta‛liq, a calligraphic script that developed in the 14th century in Iran and remains one of the most expressive forms of aesthetic refinement in Persian culture to this day.

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Through Sept. 14

Bountiful Waters: Aquatic Life in Japanese Art

This exhibition features a selection of prints, paintings, illustrated books and ceramics that depict the Japanese appreciation for the beauty and variety of fish and other species.

Freer Gallery of Art

Through Sept. 14

The Color of Nature: Recent Acquisitions of Landscape Watercolors

Thanks to a number of generous donors, more than 200 nineteenth-century European and American watercolors and gouaches have been added to the National Gallery of Art collection in just the past ten years. This exhibition features 15 of them—stunning and sun-filled landscapes by European masters that express some of the rich possibilities of this endlessly fascinating medium.

National Gallery of Art

Through Sept. 14

Meret Oppenheim: Tender Friendships

More than 20 artworks and archival papers by Swiss surrealist Meret Oppenheim (1913-85) explore friendship as a source of support and inspiration, as seen through two 18th-century poets, Bettina von Brentano and Karoline von Günderode.

National Museum of Women in the Arts

Sept. 17 to Sept. 13, 2015

Chief S.O. Alonge: Photographer to the Royal Court of Benin, Nigeria

This retrospective showcases the work of noted Nigerian photographer Chief S.O. Alonge, the first indigenous photographer of the Royal Court of Benin, in conjunction with royal arts from the Benin kingdom. The collection of historic photographs was captured on Kodak glass-plate negatives and documents more than 50 years of the ritual, pageantry and regalia of the obas (kings), their wives and retainers.

National Museum of African Art

Sept. 18 to Oct. 10

Innovation @ Upper Austria

Innovation is the successful implementation and application of an idea that combines the traditional with the new. This exhibition sheds light on the creative talents of Upper Austria, home to talented innovators and visionaries who have propelled Austria’s economy, technology, art and culture.

Embassy of Austria

Through Sept. 21

Vibration of Amber Threads (Latvia) and Sami Crafts of Soul, Hand and Mind (Sweden)

Textile artist Iveta Vecenāne of Latvia has transformed threads of amber into works of art by weaving them into fabric to create remarkable tapestries that explore the ancient traditions and folkways of the ancient Baltic peoples. Meanwhile, through a display of uniquely hand-sewn garments and short films, Swedish artist Maria Axelsson and filmmaker Oskar Östergren showcase the textile culture and the eight seasons of Sápmi, the land of the indigenous Sámi peoples. This exhibit is a collaboration between the embassies of Latvia and Sweden.

House of Sweden

Through Sept. 21

Ubuhle Women: Beadwork and the Art of Independence

A community of women living and working together in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, has developed a new form of bead art — using black fabric as a canvas and different colored Czech glass beads as the medium of expression — to empower local women.

The Anacostia Community Museum

Sept. 21 to Jan. 4

Captain Linnaeus Tripe: Photographer of India and Burma, 1852-1860

In the first major traveling exhibition of photographs by Captain Linnaeus Tripe (1822–1902), some 60 works will include early pictures he took in England as well as the outstanding body of work he produced in India and Burma (now Myanmar) in the 1850s.

National Gallery of Art

Through Sept. 26

In the Library: Preservation and Loss during World War II

The loss of cultural patrimony in times of war is often a sad byproduct of military action, and until the modern era was rarely documented. But the National Gallery of Art Library contains thousands of photographic images that do just that: chronicle the loss and preservation of countless works of art and architecture that were in peril during armed conflict.

National Gallery of Art

Through Sept. 27

Postcards from the Trenches: Germans and Americans Visualize the Great War

This exhibition seeks to highlight one aspect of the World War I experience: the imagery produced by ordinary soldiers who were drafted or commissioned into the conflict, including Otto Schubert, a rising star in Dresden’s pre-war modernist movement.

Pepco Edison Place Gallery

Sept. 27 to Jan. 11

Neo-Impressionism and the Dream of Realities: Painting, Poetry, Music

With more than 70 paintings and works on paper, this exhibition demonstrates how the neo-impressionists employed stylization and a deliberate orchestration of color to create landscapes and figures that went far beyond observed nature to accentuate subjectivity and an inner world of experience.

The Phillips Collection

Through Sept. 28

American Metal: The Art of Albert Paley

Spanning a remarkable 50-year career, this first-ever retrospective surveys the art of Albert Paley, one of the world’s most distinguished metalsmiths.

Corcoran Gallery of Art

Through Sept. 28

Mark Tribe: Plein Air

Nine large-scale images explore the aesthetics and representation of aerial views in landscape photography through the virtual lens of computer simulation.

Corcoran Gallery of Art

Through Sept. 30

Marco Paoli Photography

Marco Paoli presents large black-and-white photographs from his collection “Silenzio (Silence)” and from his forthcoming monograph on Ethiopia, using his travels as metaphors for an artistic exploration around the concepts of silence, memory, emotion and inner journey (viewing appointments must be made by emailing iicwashington@esteri.it).

Embassy of Italy

Through Oct. 5

Degas/Cassatt

Although Edgar Degas’s influence upon Mary Cassatt has long been acknowledged, the extent to which Cassatt shaped Degas’s artistic production and prepared the way for his warm reception by American audiences is fully examined in this exhibition for the first time.

National Gallery of Art

Through Oct. 5

Femininity Beyond Archetypes: Photography by Natalia Arias of Colombia

This exhibit showcases Natalia Arias’ series “Venus,” which initiates a conversation on her vision of Venus and references the idea of the goddess throughout history, and the series “Taboo,” which demonstrates that female bodies are charged with concepts prohibited by society, denying the inherent beauty in biological functions.

Art Museum of the Americas

Through Oct. 10

ApocalyptiCAT: Woodcuts and Papercuts by Franca Bartholomäi

Franca Bartholomäi’s woodcuts and papercuts are unique within German contemporary art. No other artist combines the tradition and iconography of woodcut with romantic and psychedelic motifs from the 19th and 20th centuries to form images with such expressive power.

Goethe-Institut

Through Oct. 12

Total Art: Contemporary Video

The first museum exhibition to focus on women’s impact on the field of video art highlights the inventive processes and compelling subjects that sustain women artists’ position at the forefront of video.

National Museum of Women in the Arts

Through Oct. 26

Symbols of Honor: Heraldry and Family History in Shakespeare’s England

This show — the largest and most comprehensive of its kind ever mounted — explores the birth of genealogy in its modern form by examining the colorful world of heralds and their rivals, which competed to profit from the craze for coats of arms that seized England during the reign of Elizabeth I.

Folger Shakespeare Library

Through Nov. 14

The First Woman Graphic Novelist: Helena Bochořáková-Dittrichová

Helena Bochořáková-Dittrichová (1894–1980) was a Czech graphic artist whose 1929 novel “Zmého dětství (From My Childhood)” is widely acknowledged to be the first wordless novel created by a woman.

National Museum of Women in the Arts

Through Dec. 31

Cartier: Marjorie Merriweather Post’s Dazzling Gems

One of Cartier’s most important and enduring clients, Marjorie Merriweather Post commissioned some of the most exquisite jewelry sets, fashionable accessories and finely crafted jeweled frames of any American collector.

Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens

Through Dec. 31

Titian’s Danaë from the Capodimonte Museum, Naples

One of the most sensual paintings of the Italian Renaissance, Titian’s “Danaë” from the Capodimonte Museum in Naples will be on view to celebrate the commencement of Italy’s presidency of the Council of the European Union.

National Gallery of Art

Through Jan. 4

One Nation With News for All

Ethnic newspapers, radio, television and online publications have helped millions of immigrants to America become part of their new country while preserving their ties to their native lands. This exhibit tells the dramatic story of how immigrants and minorities used the power of the press to fight for their rights and shape the American experience.

Newseum

Through Jan. 11

Salvatore Scarpitta: Traveler

A fascinating and singular figure in postwar art, Salvatore Scarpitta (1919-2007) created a powerful body of work that ranges from nonobjective abstraction to radical realism.

Hirshhorn Museum

Through June 7, 2015

Perspectives: Chiharu Shiota

Performance and installation artist Chiharu Shiota, Japan’s representative at the 56th Venice Biennale in 2015, will recreate a monumental yet intimate work in the Sackler pavilion that amasses personal memories through an accumulation of nearly 400 individual shoes, each with a note from the donor describing lost individuals and past moments.

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

DISCUSSIONS

Wed., Sept. 3, 6:30 p.m.

Alberto Ruy Sánchez Honoring Octavio Paz

Alberto Ruy-Sánchez, a writer and essayist from Mexico City and editor-in-chief of Artes de México, shares his personal insights about Nobel laureate Octavio Paz gained from their long friendship and the years they worked together at Vuelta.

IDB Enrique V. Iglesias Auditorium

Sept. 11 to 13

The Second Conference on Latvian Diaspora Archives, Libraries and Material Culture

The three-day conference looks at the Latvian diaspora collections and the preservation, cataloging and housing of the historical and cultural materials.

Library of Congress (Sept. 11)

Embassy of Latvia (Sept. 12)

American Latvian Association Center and Museum (Sept. 13)

MUSIC

Tue., Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m.

Lana Trotovsek, Violin

The winner of international competitions and prizes, Slovenian violinist Lana Trotovšek made her debut in 2012 with the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra under the baton of Valery Gergiev. Tickets are by invitation only; for information, call the Embassy Series at (202) 625-2361.

Embassy of Slovenia

Thu., Sept. 11, 7:30 p.m.

Bratislava Boys’ Choir

The Bratislava Boys’ Choir, which has been part of the Slovak artistic scene since 1982, is part of a private music school and boasts a concert ensemble of 45 members. Years of collaboration with symphonic orchestras such as the Vienna Symphony Orchestra have enriched the choir’s repertoire of dozens of oratorios, cantatas and symphonies. Admission is free; register at http://acfdc.org.

Embassy of Austria

Thu., Sept. 11, 7 p.m.

Cuarteto Latinoamericano

The Latin Grammy Award-winning Cuarteto Latinoamericano is famed for its extensive repertoire of Latin American works and brings an elegant, refined touch to string quartet compositions. Admission is free; reservations can be made at www.instituteofmexicodc.org.

Mexican Cultural Institute

Thu., Sept. 18, 7:30 p.m.

Martin Babjak, Baritone

Baritone Martin Babjak is widely known as one of Slovakia’s finest singers and has performing in Verdi’s “Aida,” Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” and other productions; he’s joined by acclaimed pianist Daniel Buranovsky. Tickets are $75, including buffet; for information, visit www.embassyseries.org.

Embassy of Slovakia

Sept. 19 to 21

Sivam, Inc. presents: Utsav: Celebrating India’s Maestros of Music and Dance

Sivam, Inc was established with the mission of promoting opportunities for education and the advancement of Indian classical dance as a traditional art form. Utsav is a three-day celebration featuring performances of traditional Indian music and dance by renowned Indian artists. Tickets are $35.

Kennedy Center Terrace Theater

Wed., Sept. 24, 6:45 p.m.

Mexico City Woodwind Quintet

México Mágico, the Mexico City Woodwind Quintet, is regarded as one of the foremost chamber music groups in Mexico today — formed with members of the National Symphony Orchestra, the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra and the Mexico State Symphony Orchestra. Admission is free; reservations can be made at www.instituteofmexicodc.org.

Mexican Cultural Institute

THEATER

Sept. 3 to Oct. 12

Belleville

Abby and Zack traded the comforts of America for noble adventure abroad, moving to the trendy Parisian enclave Belleville for his prestigious post with Doctors Without Borders. Their lives seem perfect, but when Abby returns home early one afternoon, she uncovers a few seemingly inconsequential surprises. Tickets are $44 to $88.

The Studio Theatre

Sept. 5 to 21

Shakespeare’s Globe: King Lear

Weary of his royal duties, King Lear proposes to break up his kingdom and divide it among his three daughters in Shakespeare’s Globe’s “King Lear,” which stars Joseph Marcell, well known as the English butler on the hit TV show “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Tickets are $50 to $85.

Folger Shakespeare Library

Sept. 5 to Oct. 19

The Shoplifters

When Alma, a career shoplifter, is caught by an overzealous rookie security guard and his ambivalent mentor, she risks losing her freedom, her resolve and maybe even the steak she has stuffed in her pants. Tickets are $45 to $90.

Arena Stage

Tue., Sept. 9, 6:30 p.m.

A Report to an Academy

Red Peter details his transformation from ape to human and the horrors of being snatched into captivity and held within a confining cage in Franz Kafka’s riveting short story, brought to life in a stunning adaptation by Drew Valins as part of the Czech Embassy’s Mutual Inspirations Festival 2014 – Franz Kafka. Admission is free.

Embassy of the Czech Republic

Sep. 10 to 21

Metamorphosis

Fresh from its critically acclaimed presentation of “The Václav Havel Project” in D.C., Alliance for New Music-Theatre presents a dark and comical interpretation of Franz Kafka’s iconic work that imaginatively creates an alter-ego figure, Gregor, also the son of a dogmatic father and otherwise claustrophobic family, who inexplicably wakes up to find himself transformed into a giant insect. Tickets are $30 (part of the Czech Embassy’s Mutual Inspirations Festival 2014 – Franz Kafka).

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Sept. 12 to 21

The Magic Flute – Impempe Yomlingo

Venus and Adonis

The Shakespeare Theatre Company brings two productions by the Isango Ensemble to D.C. The Isango Ensemble — whose unique performances reset Western theater classics within a South African township, utilizing music, dance and elements of South African heritage — will perform an adaption of Mozart’s opera “The Magic Flute– Impempe Yomlingo” and Shakespeare’s epic love poem “Venus and Adonis” in repertory at the Lansburgh Theatre. Please call for ticket information.

Shakespeare Theatre Company

Sept. 15 to Oct. 12

Marie Antoinette

David Adjmi’s “Marie Antoinette” takes a highly contemporary look at the famously iconic and controversial queen of France, from her growing celebrity to her ultimate demise at the hands of those who had once extolled her. Tickets start at $35.

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Sept. 20 to 28

Washington National Opera: Florencia in the Amazon

Two-time Grammy Award–winning American soprano Christine Goerke stars as a famous opera singer who embarks upon an enchanted riverboat journey to her South American homeland of Brazil in late Mexican American composer Daniel Catán’s mesmerizing opera. Tickets are $25 to $300.

Kennedy Center Opera House

Through Sept. 21

Shining City / Molly

Scena Theater presents two overlapping Irish productions: “Shining City,” by modern master Conor McPherson, and the world premiere of “Molly,” a play about the mistress of Irish playwright J.M Synge by George O’Brien. Tickets are $20 to $40.

Atlas Performing Arts Center

Through Sept. 21

Sunday in the Park with George

Signature launches its 25th anniversary season with Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Pulitzer Prize- winning play inspired by the painting “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte” by Georges Seurat that merges past and present into beautiful, poignant truths about life, love and the creation of art. Please call for ticket information.

Signature Theatre