EVENT CATEGORIES

HIGHLIGHTED EVENT

Latvia Marks EU Presidency

To commemorate its rotating presidency of the European Union, Latvia is hosting a series of public events (also see story in this month’s issue). The program includes the conference “Toward a Transatlantic Strategy for Europe’s East” at the Atlantic Council on Jan. 30; an academic discussion and concert by Peteris Vasks at the George Washington University (Feb. 11) and the Phillips Collection (Feb. 12); a performance by the renowned Latvian National Choir in New York City (April 9 and 11); as well as a contemporary art exhibit in New York through Feb. 28.

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ART 

Through Jan. 1

Celebrating 25 Years on Pennsylvania Avenue

To mark the Canadian Embassy’s 25th anniversary, this exhibit of photos, commentary, historical records and objects traces the evolution of Canada’s diplomatic presence in D.C., the history of the embassy at 501 Pennsylvania Avenue, and the many ways in which the embassy reflects and continues to shape the friendship between Canada and the United States.

Embassy of Canada

Through 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 Jan. 4

En Pie de Foto: Terrorism – A Crime Against Humanity

The Foundation for Victims of Terrorism, in collaboration the Permanent Observer Mission of Spain to the OAS, presents the visual and literally exhibition that denounces terrorism as a mass violation of human rights, while at the same time honoring victims by promoting the global effort toward a more just world of freedom from violence.

Art Museum of the Americas

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. 4

A Tribute to Anita Reiner

The Phillips Collection hosts a tribute exhibition in memory of Anita Reiner — one of D.C.’s most active art collectors and a longtime friend of the Phillips who passed away Aug. 15, 2013 — with 13 works in a variety of media from Reiner’s wide-ranging and highly personal collection of contemporary art.

The Phillips Collection

Through Jan. 9

What We Have Within

Possibilities to externalize and communicate essential aspects of our psyche, beliefs, affiliations or sexual orientations are increasing in modern societies, where freedom of expression is a fundamental right. The artists in this exhibition promote this right, breaking with convention and reinforcing the desire for free and genuine expression.

Art Museum of the Americas

Through Jan. 11

Degas’s Little Dancer

“Little Dancer Aged Fourteen” (1878–81), Edgar Degas’s groundbreaking statuette of a young ballerina that caused a sensation at the 1881 impressionist exhibition, takes center stage in an exploration of Degas’s fascination with ballet and his experimental, modern approach to his work.

National Gallery of Art

Through 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 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

Jan. 14 to Feb. 13

Martin Karplus: Photographs 1953-2009

Martin Karplus is a chemist, professor emeritus at Harvard University and Nobel laureate who has spent the past 50 years consumed by a passion for documenting humanity in thousands of photographs. Taken in Europe, Asia and the Americas, his photographs capture societies at pivotal moments in their cultural and economic development in rich Kodachrome color.

Embassy of Austria

Through Jan. 19

Magna Carta: Muse and Mentor

“Magna Carta: Muse and Mentor,” which features the Lincoln Cathedral Magna Carta, the great charter of rights and liberties, one of only four surviving copies of the original issue in 1215, celebrates the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, telling the story of the charter’s creation in England, reinterpretation through the centuries and emergence as an enduring document of constitutional law in the United States.

Library of Congress

Thomas Jefferson Building

Through 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

Jan. 26 to May 15

Hands-On Urbanism. The Right to Green

The research-based exhibition is dedicated to the history of the idea of appropriating land in urban space. Since the shockwave of modernization that accompanied industrialization, towns and cities worldwide have had to face some very significant challenges. City-dwellers, who have always found a number of solutions in crisis situations, are involved in bottom-up urban development, as fruit and vegetable gardens led to other forms of collective cohesion, neighborliness and fair distribution.

Embassy of Austria

Through Jan. 31

Contemporary Identities/Invisible Gestures

Showcasing the immense cultural diversity of Iberoamerica through the art of photography, this exhibit features work from artists from 18 different countries of Latin America, Portugal and Spain, centering on the relationship between identity and the self in a digital world.

Mexican Cultural Institute

Through 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

Through 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 Feb. 1

Modern and Contemporary Art in the Dominican Republic: Works from the Customs Office Collection

This scenic view and historic sketch of 30 artworks showcases the consistency, quality and diversity of the Collection of the Directorate General of Customs, which stands as one of the more important creative spaces in the region.

Art Museum of the Americas

Through Feb. 6

War from the Victims’ Perspective: Photographs by Jean Mohr

In partnership with the Swiss Embassy, Geneva-born photographer Jean Mohr presents images of war, from young refugees to destroyed buildings, to mark the 150th anniversaries of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the 1864 Geneva Convention.

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Through Feb. 16

El Greco in the National Gallery of Art and Washington-Area Collections: A 400th Anniversary Celebration

On the 400th anniversary of El Greco’s death, the National Gallery of Art — with one of the largest number of the artist’s works in the United States — presents a commemorative exhibition of El Greco’s paintings.

National Gallery of Art

Through Feb. 26

Decoding the Renaissance

During the Renaissance, the art and science of cryptography came into its own. The advent of printing, development of diplomacy and creation of postal systems created an obsession with encryption that produced some of the period’s most brilliant inventions, most beautiful books and most enduring legacies. This exhibition features the best collection ever assembled of early works on codes and ciphers.

Folger Shakespeare Library

Through 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 April 12

Days of Endless Time

This exhibit presents 14 installations that offer prismatic vantage points into the suspension and attenuation of time or that create a sense of timelessness, with themes such as escape, solitude, enchantment and the thrall of nature.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

Through April 12

Picturing Mary: Woman, Mother, Idea

For millennia, Mary has been one of the most popular subjects in the history of Western art. This landmark exhibition of more than 60 beautiful depictions of the Virgin Mary explores the concept of womanhood represented by Mary and the power her image has exerted through time.

National Museum of Women in the Arts

Through May 31

Style in Chinese Landscape Painting: The Yuan Legacy

Landscape painting is one of the most outstanding achievements of Chinese culture. Key styles in this genre emerged during the Yuan dynasty (1279–1368) and are still followed today.

Freer Gallery of Art

Through May 31

The Traveler’s Eye: Scenes of Asia

Featuring more than 100 works created over the past five centuries, “The Traveler’s Eye: Scenes of Asia” provides glimpses of travels across the Asian continent, from pilgrimages and research trips to expeditions for trade and tourism.

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Through June 7

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

Through June 7

Unearthing Arabia: The Archaeological Adventures of Wendell Phillips

Wendell Phillips, a young paleontologist and geologist, headed one of the largest archaeological expeditions to remote South Arabia (present-day Yemen) from 1949 to 1951. Through a selection of unearthed objects as well as film and photography shot by the expedition team, the exhibition highlights Phillips’s key finds, recreates his adventures (and misadventures), and conveys the thrill of discovery on this important great archaeological frontier.

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery

Through June 14

Zen, Tea, and Chinese Art in Medieval Japan

Zen Buddhism, tea and ink painting — well-known expressions of Japanese culture — have their roots in Chinese arts and ideas brought to medieval Japan from the late 12th to the 16th century. Chinese and Japanese paintings, lacquer ware and ceramics illuminate this remarkable period of cultural contact and synthesis.

Freer Gallery of Art

Through Sept. 13

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

DANCE

Jan. 27 to Feb. 1

Mariinsky Ballet

Russia’s Mariinsky Ballet brings a program featuring Hodson’s “Le sacre du printemps” inspired by Nijinsky, Fokine’s “Le Spectre de la Rose” and “The Swan,” as well as Petipa’s Paquita “Grand Pas.”

Kennedy Center Opera House

FESTIVALS

Sat., Jan. 24, 10 a.m.

Hylton in the Highlands Festival

Spend the day celebrating the rich culture and history of Scotland with performances, exhibits and interactive experiences for all ages. From fiddles and dancing to bagpipes, tea and whisky tastings, there’s something for everyone at the Hylton in the Highlands Festival.

George Mason University Hylton Performing Arts Center

MUSIC

Thu., Jan. 8, 8 p.m.

Dobet Gnahoré

Discover delicate ballads and sensuous African grooves from Dobet Gnahoré, a Grammy-winning vocalist born in Côte d’Ivoire who sings in seven languages and has been praised as one of contemporary African music’s most charismatic talents. Tickets are $25 to $30.

The Barns at Wolf Trap

Mon., Jan. 19, 7:30 p.m.

Ramsch & Rosen

Amongst old paintings, manuscripts, and between the lines, Julia Lacherstorfer and Simon Zöchbauer rummage for old tunes. A layer of dust carefully wiped away, what they discover usually turns out to be a treasure chest of music that bridges past and present. Tickets are free but registration can be made at acfdc.org.

Embassy of Austria

Fri., Jan. 23, 8 p.m.

Budapest Festival Orchestra

In the pantheon of great international orchestras, the Budapest Festival Orchestra (founded in 1983 by Iván Fischer and Zoltán Kocsis) is a relatively young one. Yet the rich musical tradition of Eastern Europe is evident in every note played by the BFO, which has established itself as one of the world’s leading ensembles. Please call for ticket information.

Music Center at Strathmore

Thu., Jan. 29, 7:30 p.m.

Vadim Neselovskyi, Jazz Piano

Ukrainian-born pianist Vadim Neselovskyi was classically trained at conservatories in his native Odessa and in Germany; honed his jazz chops on German jazz stages and at Berklee College of Music; and undertook his apprenticeship around the world as a member of master vibraphonist Gary Burton’s Next Generation Quintet. Please call for ticket information.

Music Center at Strathmore

Jan. 29 to 31

National Symphony Orchestra: Fantasy & Fate: Tchaikovsky Masterworks

Praised for her “balanced lyricism and fire” (New York Times), Arabella Steinbacher plays Tchaikovsky’s “Violin Concerto” on a program that also includes the Russian master’s “Symphony No. 4” and tone poem “Fate.” Tickets are $10 to $85.

Kennedy Center Concert Hall

Fri., Jan. 30, 8 p.m.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Since their groundbreaking 1986 performances on Paul Simon’s “Graceland” album, each year has brought new fame for this vibrant ensemble, whose 2014 album “Live: Singing for Peace Around the World won a Grammy Award” — the group’s fourth. Please call for ticket information.

Music Center at Strathmore

Sat., Jan. 31, 8 p.m.

State Symphony Orchestra of México

This esteemed State Symphony Orchestra of México, which has interpreted the classics with great reverence for over 40 years, pays tribute to its Spanish roots with an exquisite performance featuring the works of Enrique Granados, Isaac Albéniz, Manuel de Falla and other great Spanish composers. Tickets are $30 to $50.

George Mason University Center for the Arts

THEATER

Through Jan. 1

A Christmas Carol

Acclaimed Washington stage actor Edward Gero returns for the sixth year to play Ebenezer Scrooge in the production the Washington Post hailed as “musically high-spirited” and “infectiously jolly.” Tickets are $22 to $95.

Ford’s Theatre

Through Jan. 4

Famous Puppet Death Scenes

Canada’s Old Trout Puppet Workshop’s “Famous Puppet Death Scenes” is a darkly comedic alternative to more typical seasonal theater fare, featuring a collection of 22 grisly snippets from puppet dramas including “The Ballad of Edward Grue” by Samuel Groanswallow and “The Feverish Heart” by Nordo Frot. Tickets start at $35.

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Through Jan. 4

Fiddler on the Roof

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of an American musical classic with this new, in-the-round production of the joyful tale of family, community and life’s unexpected miracles. Tickets are $50 to $99.

Arena Stage

Through Jan. 4

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Democrat

Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical about the trials and triumphs of Israel’s favorite son features Broadway stars and “American Idol” sensations, husband-and-wife duo Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young. Tickets are $25 to $155.

Kennedy Center Opera House

Jan. 6 to 11

The Illusionists

The world’s best-selling magic show comes direct from Broadway. This mind-blowing spectacular showcases the talents of seven incredible Illusionists with thrilling and sophisticated magic of unprecedented proportions. Tickets are $39 to $125.

Kennedy Center Opera House

Jan. 7 to Feb. 22

Choir Boy

For 50 years, the elite boarding school Charles R. Drew Prep has stood by its traditions and prepared young black men to lead. But times and finances have changed, and the pressure on Drew’s legendary gospel choir is high. So when an ambitious and talented student is told to ignore a gay slur to take his place as the choir’s leader, he has to decide who he is and what he’s willing to fight for. Tickets are $44 to $88.

Studio Theatre

Through Jan. 11

Beauty and the Beast

In this gothic romance based on the original French tale, a young girl befriends the terrifying beast that holds her captive. This darkly fantastical production illuminates the Beauty’s own secrets and her Beast’s true nature, bringing wonder, magic and seduction to a classic story. Tickets start at $35.

Synetic Theater

Through Jan. 11

The Tempest

Trickery and magic, romance and revenge set the stage for one of Shakespeare’s late masterpieces, in which sprites, goddesses and fools hold court. Please call for ticket prices.

The Shakespeare Theatre

Jan. 16 to Feb. 12

Gigi

Starring Vanessa Hudgens, Eric Schaeffer directs a world premiere production of Lerner and Loewe’s musical comedy, where true love between a free-spirited young woman and a wealthy young playboy must overcome the conventions of turn-of-the-century Paris. Tickets are $45 to $145.

Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater

Jan. 16 to Feb. 22

Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery

Five actors deftly portray more than 40 characters in this fast-paced, comedic retelling of Sherlock Holmes’s most notorious case, “The Hound of the Baskervilles,” by the award-winning mastermind of mayhem, Ken Ludwig. Tickets are $45 to $90.

Arena Stage

Through Jan. 25

Diner

Christmas, Baltimore, 1959: A circle of childhood friends reunites for the upcoming wedding of one of them. From the comfort of their all-night diner, the men, now in their early-twenties, confront the realities of adulthood: marriage, careers, money and the ever-mysterious opposite sex. Please call for ticket prices.

Signature Theatre