EVENT CATEGORIES
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Festivals |
ART
Through Oct. 4
Gustave Caillebotte: The Painter’s Eye
Gustave Caillebotte (1848-94) was among the most critically noted impressionist artists during the height of their activity in the late 1870s and early 1880s. Some 45 paintings from the period when Caillebotte was fully engaged with the impressionist movement will provide a focused understanding of the provocative character and complexity of his artistic contributions.
National Gallery of Art
Through Oct. 4
Pleasure and Piety: The Art of Joachim Wtewael
The first monographic exhibition on Dutch painter Wtewael will showcase his international mannerist style and remarkable technical ability through some 45 complex biblical and mythological narratives, as well as portraits and genre scenes.
National Gallery of Art
Through Oct. 4
Recent Acquisitions of Italian Renaissance Prints: Ideas Made Flesh
Prints played a pivotal role in the development and transmission of Italian Renaissance style. But because many of these 16th-century prints reproduce the designs of other artists, they have often been undervalued. This exhibition presents some two dozen, reflecting the principal styles and numerous major masters of the period.
National Gallery of Art
Oct. 7 to Nov. 6
OJJDP’s Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) hosts this exhibition of winning entries from the National Missing Children’s Day Art Contest. With an annual theme of “Bring Our Missing Children Home,” the missing children’s day poster contest provides teachers with tools to educate children and parents about safety and initiate conversations regarding prevention.
OAS Art Museum of the Americas
Oct. 10 to Jan. 10
Gauguin to Picasso: Masterworks from Switzerland, The Staechelin and Im Obersteg Collections
This exhibition pays tribute to two pioneering supporters of the arts, Rudolf Staechelin (1881-1946) and Karl Im Obersteg (1883-1969), both from Basel, who championed the work of impressionist, post-impressionist and School of Paris artists, providing a platform to distinguish collecting philosophies and situate them within the history and reception of modern art. The exhibition features more than 60 celebrated paintings — masterpieces created during the mid-19th and 20th centuries by 22 world-famous artists.
The Phillips Collection
Oct. 14 to 30
Traditional Costumes Through the Ages
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic film “The Sound of Music,” the Austrian Cultural Forum explores the colorful, rich masterpieces of Austrian Drindl and Tracht. This exhibit features the handcrafted costumes of the famous Austrian manufacturer Tostmann and the newest creations of Lena Hoschek, a world-famous Austrian designer who is one more reason why Tracht, which was sometimes viewed as old-fashioned, is celebrating a huge comeback, especially among young people and fashionistas.
Embassy of Austria
Through Oct. 18
Jordan Eagles: Blood Mirror
The central artwork in this exhibition is a seven-foot-tall, interactive, monolithic sculpture, made with blood donated from nine gay, bisexual and trans men in protest of the FDA’s ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men.
American University Museum Katzen Arts Center
Through Oct. 18
Pulse of the Future
Contemporary Chinese art captured the world’s attention in the 1980s. Now the next generation is coming of age and staking a claim for artistic precedence, as seen in this display of painting, photography and prints by six emerging Chinese artists.
American University Museum Katzen Arts Center
Through Oct. 18
Reflections and Contradictions: Five Decades
Mixed-media sculptor Mary Shaffer utilizes glass to explore her fascination with discarded tools “to preserve and pay tribute to activities and methods of working that have disappeared from our modern lives.”
American University Museum Katzen Arts Center
Through Oct. 21
Dervishes and Their Belongings
The New East Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting Turkish arts and culture abroad, showcases a vast collection of antique objects used by dervish convents. Among the 300 rare historical artifacts are elaborate calligraphic works, talismans, wands, convent genealogies, beggar’s bowls and traditional musical instruments.
Turkish American Cultural Center
Oct. 22 to Feb. 3
Hidden Identities: Paintings and Drawings by Jorge Tacla
With the earliest works in the series dating to 2005, “Hidden Identities” by Chilean artist Jorge Tacla is composed of a rich series of paintings and drawings that explore central themes of mutability of identity, collective memory, the physical and psychological fallout of trauma, and the omnipresent yet latent potential for change. The inspiration for this body of work comes from the social, political and historical events of the artist’s life during the chaos of the Chilean coup d’état.
OAS Art Museum of the Americas
Through Oct. 24
…De Peregrina a Peregrina…
This photography exhibit created by Mónica Guerrero Mouret highlights the annual pilgrimage taken by thousands to the Basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico City. The images tell the story of motivation beyond religious belief; they show a pilgrimage born from tradition that has evolved over hundreds of years and is now an identifying aspect of Mexican culture.
Mexican Cultural Institute
Oct. 24 to Jan. 31
Sōtatsu: Making Waves
Tawaraya Sōtatsu (act. ca. 1600–40), a fountainhead of Japanese painting and design, is one of the most influential yet elusive figures in Japanese culture. Sōtatsu’s work is instantly recognized by its bold, abstracted style, lavish swaths of gold and silver and rich jewel tones. Much of the artist’s life, however, remains a mystery. How a working-class owner of a Kyoto fan shop transformed into a sophisticated designer with a network of aristocratic collaborators is still an enigma — and the focus of this in-depth examination of masterpieces.
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Through Oct. 30
Arkadia, the Untold Tale
Images of the Arkadia region of Greece are seen through the eyes of photographer Nikos Mourkogiannis, who was born in Athens and has been living in Italy since 1997 where he graduated from the prestigious European Institute of Design in Visual Communication. He focuses on the authentic scenery of his homeland, especially the Peloponnese, where his roots belong.
Embassy of Greece
Through Oct. 31
Celebrating 25 Years of the MCI Silver on Silver: William Spratling, An American in Taxco
Adventurer, writer, collector, illustrator, architect, designer, entrepreneur and businessman are just a few words that have been used to describe William Spratling, a person who undoubtedly had much to do with Taxco’s transformation from Mexican small town to center of design. Granted to the Museo Franz Mayer for a 10-year loan in 2012, this exhibition shows the trajectory of Spratling’s vision for design as tool of not only aesthetics, but also one of social transformation. In four parts covering different themes, silver pieces, including jewelry and documents, seek to show Spratling as a designer committed to his context and his community.
Mexican Cultural Institute
Through Nov. 1
The Divine Comedy: Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell Revisited by Contemporary African Artists
This dramatic multimedia exhibition reveals the ongoing global relevance of Dante Alighieri’s 14th-century epic as part of a shared intellectual heritage and includes original commissions and renowned works of art by approximately 40 of the most dynamic contemporary artists from 19 African nations and the diaspora.
National Museum of African Art
Through Dec. 31
Ingénue to Icon: 70 Years of Fashion
The first exhibition at Hillwood to present Marjorie Post’s full range of style, “Ingénue to Icon” will examine how Post’s lifelong passion for objects that were exceptionally beautiful and impeccably constructed extended to her taste for clothing.
Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens
Through Jan. 2
Peacock Room Remix: Darren Waterston’s Filthy Lucre
“Peacock Room REMIX” centers on “Filthy Lucre,” an immersive interior by painter Darren Waterston who reinterprets James McNeill Whistler’s famed Peacock Room as a resplendent ruin, an aesthetic space that is literally overburdened by its own excesses — of materials, history, and creativity. Like “Filthy Lucre” and the original Peacock Room, this exhibition invites viewers to consider the complex relationships among art, money and the passage of time.
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Through Jan. 3
Age of Lawyers: The Roots of American Law in Shakespeare’s Britain
In the 800th anniversary year of the Magna Carta, “Age of Lawyers” offers a close-up look at the rapid increase of lawyers and legal actions in Shakespeare’s Britain, from the law’s impact on daily life to major political and legal disputes — some invoking the Magna Carta — that still influence American politics and government.
Folger Shakespeare Library
Through Jan. 3
Bold and Beautiful: Rinpa in Japanese Art
The modern term Rinpa (Rimpa) describes a remarkable group of Japanese artists who created striking images for paintings, ceramics, textiles and lacquerware.
Freer Gallery of Art
Through Jan. 3
Enigmas: The Art of Bada Shanren (1626-1705)
Born a prince of the Ming imperial house, Bada Shanren (1626–1705) lived a storied life, remaking himself as a secluded Buddhist monk and, later, as a professional painter and calligrapher. Featured in this exhibition are examples of his most daring and idiosyncratic works, demonstrating his unique visual vocabulary.
Freer Gallery of Art
Through Jan. 3
Le Onde: Waves of Italian Influence (1914-1971)
This exhibition of nearly 20 works from the museum’s collection follows Italian contributions to the transnational evolution of abstraction, through movements and tendencies such as futurism, spatialism, op art and kinetic art.
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Through June 5
Perspectives: Lara Baladi
Egyptian-Lebanese artist Lara Baladi experiments with the photographic medium, investigating its history and its role in shaping perceptions of the Middle East, particularly Egypt, where she is based.
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
DANCE
Oct. 2 to 11
Mariko’s Magical Mix: A Dance Adventure
A restless girl finds inspiration from her mom’s old records to move to her own beat in this new dance work from Chicago’s acclaimed Hubbard Street 2 in collaboration with the shadow puppeteers of Manual Cinema. Tickets are $20.
Kennedy Center Family Theater
Tue., Oct. 6, 8 p.m.
Sukhishvili Georgian National Ballet Company 70th Anniversary Jubilee Performance Celebration
International Concerts presents Sukhishvili Georgian National Dance on the 70th anniversary of its global success performing for 50 million viewers in 100 countries. The company — which astounds audiences with its daring athleticism, unique choreography, elegant grace and superb authority of movement — features 50 beautifully costumed dancers and musicians performing a thrilling program of dance and music that represents the heart, emotion and tradition of Georgian culture. Please call for ticket information.
GW Lisner Auditorium
Oct. 16 to 17
The National Circus and Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China: Peking Dreams
Experience a jaw-dropping spectacle of Chinese circus, acrobatics and Peking Opera performed by China’s most revered circus artists. The whole family will marvel at the unparalleled grace, agility, flexibility, and athleticism displayed by these highly trained artists in their various acts of juggling, contortion and balance — enhanced with traditional Chinese music, brightly colored costumes and elaborate props. Tickets are $30 to $50.
George Mason University
Center for the Arts
Sat., Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m.
Folk Dances of India
The Indian Dance Educators Association, a nonprofit organization uniting teachers and performers of classical and traditional dances of India, presents this a multi-hued pageant of folk dances of rural India, from north to south and east to west. Tickets are $25 to $27.
Wolf Trap
Fri., Oct. 23, 8 p.m.
Compañia Flamenca José Porcel: Flamenco Fire
This internationally acclaimed company of dancers and live orchestra ignites the stage, performing with pride and passion “classic flamenco as it was danced and performed by the great masters” (Las Vegas Review-Journal). Tickets are $28 to $68.
Music Center at Strathmore
Sun., Oct. 25, 4 p.m.
Krasnoyarsk National Dance Company of Siberia
This astonishing dance company whirls, twirls, leaps, bounds, claps, taps and storms across the stage in a brilliantly colored, joyful display of the many cultures that make up Siberia. From fierce Cossack bravado to charming peasant traditional dances, this troupe of performers — 50 dancers strong — has thrilled audiences around the world. Tickets are $32 to $72.
Music Center at Strathmore
Oct. 30 to Nov. 1
The Suzanne Farrell Ballet: Balanchine, Béjart, and the Bard
The company adds Balanchine’s “Walpurgisnacht Ballet” and “Emeralds” to its pantheon of classics — plus brings back favorite pas de deux by Balanchine and Béjart marking the 400th anniversary season of Shakespeare’s death. Tickets are $20 to $119.
Kennedy Center Opera House
DISCUSSIONS
Tue., Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m.
Lecture: Dirndl and Tracht
Austrian writer and expert on Austrian traditional costumes, Elsbeth Wallnöfer talks about the evolution of Austrian Dirndl and Tracht over the last several decades. Admission is free; register at acfdc.org.
Embassy of Austria
Mon., Oct. 26, 7 p.m.
The Holocaust as History and Warning
Today, fears that were familiar in Hitler’s time are being revived, asserts Yale professor Timothy Snyder, who discusses his new book, “Black Earth,” which offers a provocative new perspective on the origins of the Holocaust. Snyder’s analysis urges us to learn the lessons of the past — and better understand our own nature — before it’s too late.
Holocaust Memorial Museum
Wed., Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m.
Meteorites: Cosmic Messengers at the Natural History Museum in Vienna
Their composition is crucial for unraveling the physical and chemical processes of the early solar nebula, and to deduce the origin of the chemical elements. Meteorites also impact the geological and biological evolution of our own planet. Learn more about this cosmic phenomenon through Christian Koeberl, director general of the Natural History Museum in Vienna, home to the oldest meteorite collection in the world, as well as the largest meteorite display.
Embassy of Austria
FESTIVALS
Through Oct. 29
Mutual Inspirations Festival: Karel Čapek
The Mutual Inspirations Festival (MIF) is an annual initiative spearheaded by the Czech Embassy to highlight the mutual inspirations between Czech and American cultures. This year’s festival focuses on Karel Čapek, a playwright, novelist, short story writer, journalist, children’s author and essayist who wrote on such topics as nationalism, totalitarianism and consumerism. For full festival information, visit www.mutualinspirations.org/.
Various locations
GALAS
Thu., Oct. 8, 6 p.m.
Norwegian Gala Performance
Norwegian artists, composers and dancers will take audiences on a musical journey that explores the voyage Norwegians have taken to the United States through different times in history. Tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Kennedy Center Terrace Theater
Fri., Oct. 20, 8 p.m.
Vampire’s Ball
This year’s Vampire’s Ball by Synetic Theater will follow its gothic take on Lewis Carroll’s classic “Alice in Wonderland.” After being treated to a performance, guests will dance the night away on stage courtesy of resident composer and Halloween DJ Konstantine Lortkipanidze. The event will also include an open bar, light appetizers and a costume contest with fabulous Synetic prizes. Tickets are $60 to $75.
Synetic Theater
Wed., Oct. 28, 6 p.m.
Power of Film Awards Dinner
America Abroad Media (AAM) hosts its third annual Power of Film Awards Dinner to honor four outstanding leaders whose work exemplifies the power of media to inform, educate and empower citizens about the critical social and public policy issues of our time. This year’s honorees include two highly-praised films: “Argo,” the American drama, directed by Ben Affleck, based on the U.S. hostage crisis in Tehran in 1980, and “Difret,” Ethiopian docu-drama and winner of the 2014 World Cinema Dramatic Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Honored “Argo” guests will include several real-life houseguests depicted in the film, as well as Canadian Ambassador Ken Taylor and former CIA officer Tony Mendez, both key figures of the rescue mission. General admission tickets are $350; for information, visit http://americaabroadmedia.org/awardsdinner.
Andrew Mellon Auditorium
MUSIC
Fri., Oct. 2, 7:30 p.m.
Stars of the Russian Chamber Art Society
Washington’s Russian Chamber Art Society celebrates the start of its 10th season with a gala concert at which five outstanding young vocalists will sing Russian art songs accompanied by RCAS founder and artistic director Vera Danchenko-Stern. Tickets are $150, including buffet and wine; for information, visit thercas.com.
Embassy of Austria
Oct. 2 to 4
Utsav: Celebrating India’s Maestros of Music and Dance
Over three days and five uniquely different performances, India’s top classical artists in music and dance will bring the beauty, depth, and diversity of traditional Indian music and dance to the Terrace Theater stage. Tickets are $40 to $50.
Kennedy Center Terrace Theater
Tue., Oct. 6, 7:30 p.m.,
Wed., Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m.
Aleksey Semenenko, Violin
Inna Firsova, Piano
Aleksey Semenenko returns to the Embassy Series — triumphant off his second-prize win at the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels — with a program of Beethoven, Tartini, Ysaÿe, Tchaikovsky and Bizet. The New York Times has praised the violinist’s “powerful technique, rich tone and passionate approach,” as well as the “fluidity and warmth to his playing. Tickets are $95, including buffet and wine; for information, visit www.embassyseries.org.
Embassy of Ukraine
Wed., Oct. 14, 8 p.m.
Benjamin Clementine
One of Rolling Stone’s new artists you need to know, this poetic singer/songwriter went from busking on the streets of Paris to becoming the most shared artist on Spotify. Tickets are $22 to $25.
Wolf Trap
Thu., Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m.
Béatrice Berrut, Piano
Described by the international press as “a revelation, an exceptional pianist,” whose “transcendent playing revels in multiple layers of genius and beauty,” Béatrice Berrut is considered one of the most talented artists of her generation. Her Embassy Series performance commemorates the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. Tickets are $100, including buffet and wine; for information, visit www.embassyseries.org.
Swiss Residence
Sat., Oct. 17, 8 p.m.
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra: Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
Prokofiev’s sumptuous ballet music underscores the struggles of young love amidst violent tragedy like no other representation of Shakespeare’s classic play. Please call for ticket information.
Music Center at Strathmore
Mon., Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m.
Concert: Raskin and Fleishmann
Johannes Fleischmann and Philippe Raskin met in 2009 during the Pablo Casals Festival in Prades. A year later, they gave their first performance together, collaborating as a duo in Vienna, and since then have performed numerous concerts in Europe, Africa and South America. Admission is free; register at acfdc.org.
Embassy of Austria
Fri., Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m.
Raphaël Sévère, Clarinet
Paul Montag, Piano
“Destined for the most brilliant future, gifted with astonishing technical mastery and astounding musicality” (ResMusica), French clarinetist Raphaël Sévère saw his budding career take off when he won five international competitions at age 12. Tickets are $ 135, including buffet and wine; for information, visit www.embassyseries.org.
Embassy of Luxembourg
Sat., Oct. 24, 8 p.m.
Mariza
Mariza is part of a new generation reinvigorating fado, a style of singing that blends the timeless Portuguese folk melodies and poetry with Arabic cadences and African and Brazilian rhythms. Her passionate, charismatic performances have won her legions of fans worldwide. Please call for ticket information.
GW Lisner Auditorium
Mon., Oct. 26, 8 p.m.
WPA: András Schiff, Piano
Like Alfred Brendel and Richard Goode before him, Sir András Schiff has become a master of the Austro-German musical canon. In the 2015-16 season, Schiff continues his latest project, “The Last Sonatas,” comprising three recitals over two years, including this performance of the penultimate sonatas of Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, and Beethoven. Please call for ticket information.
Music Center at Strathmore
Wed., Oct. 28, 8 p.m.
WPA: Evgeny Kissin, Piano
Best known for his interpretations of Romantic Era repertoire and his “full-throttled virtuosity,” (The Guardian) the Grammy-winning virtuoso Evgeny Kissin pairs classic favorites with the gorgeous sensuous music of Albeniz and Larregla. Tickets are $45 to $135.
Kennedy Center Concert Hall
Thu., Oct. 29, 6:45 p.m.
Eduardo Rojas, Piano
Colombia native Eduardo Rojas, considered by the Dallas Morning News to be a pianist “with considerable skill and force of personality,” has appeared with orchestras of Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Panama, Puerto Rico, Canada and United States. Tickets are $150, including buffet and wine; for information, visit www.embassyseries.org.
Colombian Residence
THEATER
Through Oct. 3
Washington National Opera: Carmen
Smoldering with sensuality and danger, this production of Bizet’s most famous opera pulses with erotic power — from Carmen’s rousing “Habanera” aria to the famous “Toreador Song” — all culminating in a spectacular finale at a bullfight. Tickets are $25 to $315.
Kennedy Center Opera House
Through Oct. 4
texts&beheadings/ElizabethR
This world premiere play about England’s Queen Elizabeth I examines the life and language of Shakespeare’s queen, drawing in part from the Folger collection to create a devised theater piece that uses Elizabeth’s own words to reveal her wit, courage and extraordinary love of her people (part of the Women’s Voices Theater Festival). Tickets are $35.
Folger Theatre
Through Oct. 4
Yerma
GALA kicks off its 40th anniversary with a new adaptation of “Yerma,” the dramatic tragic poem written in 1934 by renowned Spanish poet Federico García Lorca. In this world premiere by the Spanish playwright Fernando J. López, the cast has been reduced to five characters, a concentration that heightens the oppression of a loveless marriage, forbidden desires and repressive society faced by Yerma in her rural environment and underscores how even today women face the tension between motherhood and their role in society. Tickets are $38 to $42.
GALA Hispanic Theatre
Oct. 6 to Nov. 8
Salomé
In this new work, internationally acclaimed adaptor-director Yaël Farber reworks Oscar Wilde’s play with ancient Arabic and Hebraic texts. The result is an urgently relevant exploration of the woman’s voice in history, oppressed people’s power over their own bodies and the explosive connections between religious and political uprising.
Shakespeare Theatre Company
Through Oct. 18
Chimerica
In 1989, Joe, a young American journalist, photographs a protester facing down four tanks in Tiananmen Square. In 2012, with election season bringing U.S.-China relations into the spotlight, Joe decides to seek out the subject of his most famous image — just as an old friend from China reaches out with an agenda of his own. Tickets are $44 to $88.
The Studio Theatre
Through Oct. 18
Destiny of Desire
On a stormy night in Bellarica, Mexico, two baby girls are born — one into a life of privilege and one into a life of poverty. When the newborns are swapped by a former beauty queen with an insatiable lust for power, the stage is set for two outrageous misfortunes to grow into one remarkable destiny (part of the Women’s Voices Theater Festival). Tickets are $40 to $90.
Arena Stage
Through Oct. 18
The Guard
This world-premiere comedic drama, part of the Women’s Voices Theater Festival, opens in a modern-day art museum where three individuals yearn to experience first-hand the wonder and glory of Rembrandt’s work. When a museum guard decides to touch a famous painting, a remarkable journey across the ages ensues. Please call for ticket information.
Ford’s Theatre
Oct. 13 to Nov. 15
girlstar
Legendary record producer Daniella Espere is searching for her next international sensation. She discovers it in her long-lost niece, Tina, who dreams of being a world-famous pop star. Despite warning signs that all may not be as it seems, the two eagerly forge a mother/daughter bond and Daniella transforms Tina’s image, voice and talent into star quality — but not by the usual means. Please call for ticket information.
Signature Theatre
Oct. 22 to 25
Antigone
Academy Award–winning stage-and-screen actress Juliette Binoche portrays Antigone in a contemporary version of Sophokles’s riveting tragedy, translated anew by T.S. Eliot Prize–winning poet Anne Carson. Tickets are $79 to $175.
Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater
Through Oct. 25
Animal
Rachel has it all: marriage, house, career. So why does she suddenly have this creeping feeling? She begins to have apparitions of doubts, past decisions, future mistakes. Her husband thinks she needs time; her psychiatrist suggests positive thinking. Or perhaps she just needs to forget it all follow her instinct and kiss a stranger. Tickets are $45 to $65.
Studio Theatre
Oct. 30 to Jan. 3
Oliver!
Charles Dickens’s unforgettable characters burst to life in the Tony Award-winning musical that blends the chaotic worlds of Victorian London with 2015 London to infuse a modern edge to the classic story about an innocent orphan living amongst double-dealing thieves and conmen. Please call for ticket information.
Arena Stage
Through Nov. 8
Alice in Wonderland
Alice’s story takes a sharp turn as she falls down the rabbit hole into the dark and mysterious Wonderland. The Tsikurishvilis combine their signature cinematic style with a script by recent Helen Hayes Award nominee Lloyd Rose that promises to be a fresh take on Lewis Carroll’s fairy tale of the absurd. Tickets are $35 to $65.
Synetic Theater