EVENT CATEGORIES

ART 

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

Nov. 1 to March 13

Celebrating Photography at the National Gallery of Art: Recent Gifts

Marking the culmination of a year-long celebration of photography at the museum, this installation brings together an exquisite group of gifts, ranging from innovative photographs made in the earliest years of the medium’s history to key works by important 20th-century artists and contemporary pieces that examine the ways in which photography continues to shape our experience of the modern world.

National Gallery of Art

Through 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

Through Nov. 15

9 SEASONS

Finland is extremely dark, extremely bright and everything in between. Polar nights and the midnight sun add a unique touch to everything Finns do. Light, and the lack of it, colors their lives. “9 SEASONS” showcases work by nine artists from the Arabia Art Department Society in Finland that reflects the diversity of Finnish nature and seasons. The Sami people of Lapland are said to have divided the year into eight different seasons: fall-winter, winter, spring-winter, spring, spring-summer, summer, fall-summer, and the fall. The Arabia Art Department Society discovers one more season to add to the list: art. This exhibit transforms the embassy’s Finlandia Hall to a dreamlike world where different horizons become visible (open Saturdays and Sundays).

Embassy of Finland

Nov. 15 to May 15

Louise Bourgeois: No Exit

Louise Bourgeois’s ties to surrealism and existentialism will be explored through 17 works on paper and four sculptures.

National Gallery of Art

Through Nov. 28

Under ART

In Latvian Artist Edīte Gornova-Rasmusena’s “Four Seasons,” each of the 12 months is represented in paintings that reflect the various seasons and the dramatic changes as experienced by the artist in the northern European country of Latvia (open Fridays and Saturdays).

Embassy of Latvia

Through Dec. 6

Rymd – A Swedish Space Odyssey

Sweden has been a member of the world space elite ever since the first space rocket left Earth. For more than half a century Swedish space research, technology and innovations have been at the cutting edge of space exploration and discovery. See the smallest space rocket engine in the world, find out about a unique and sustainable propulsion system and learn how Sweden awakened comet chaser Rosetta from her solar slumber. You can even help plan a mission to search for alien life on the icy moons of Jupiter. The digital stations in this exhibit offer videos, interviews and in-depth facts. And don’t miss out on the chance to win a space adventure in Abisko, Sweden, north of the Arctic Circle. For information, visit www.swedenabroad.com/en-GB/Embassies/Washington/Current-affairs/Events/EXHIBIT-Rymd—A-Swedish-Space-Odyssey-sys/.

House of Sweden

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 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

Through Jan. 17

Esther Bubley Up Front

Esther Bubley (1921-98) was a photojournalist renowned for her revealing profiles of the United States and its people in the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s. Bubley’s talent for creating probing and gently humorous images of Americans contributed to her success in photojournalism.

National Museum of Women in the Arts

Through 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 Jan. 31

Streams of Being

Drawn from the permanent collection of the Art Museum of the Americas, “Streams of Beings” brings to light a multiplicity of ideas and identities emerging within contemporary Latin American art. Featuring 22 artists from 12 countries across the Americas, this exhibition explores the permeable boundaries and dimensions of life through interrelated themes of scale and place, human and animal bodies. Throughout four intersecting “streams” — Bestiary, Cosmos, Topologies and Bodies in Exile — the display stages movement and displacement, dwelling on crossings both serendipitous and transgressive.

OAS Art Museum of the Americas

Through 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 Feb. 28

Pathmakers: Women in Art, Craft, and Design, Midcentury and Today

This exhibition presents dynamic women designers and artists from the mid-20th century and today making groundbreaking commercial and industrial designs, maintaining craft traditions and incorporating new aesthetics into fine art.

National Museum of Women in the Arts

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

Fri., Nov. 6, 8 p.m.

Compañia Flamenca José Porcel: Flamenco Fire

Celebrate the art of flamenco with this explosion of vibrant color, passionate rhythm, and enchanting movement by José Porcel, along with his troupe and orchestra. This breathtaking extravaganza represents the golden age of flamenco and showcases the purity and authenticity of this traditional art form. Tickets are $29 to $48.

George Mason University Center for the Arts

Sat., Nov. 21, 8 p.m.

Bollywood Masala Orchestra and Dancers of India: The Spirit of India

Experience a veritable feast for the eyes, ears and soul when these dynamic artists present a captivating evening of Indian music and dance. The legendary Indian musician Rahis Bharti brings his spectacular vision of authentic Indian music to the George Mason stage accompanied by his talented ensemble of musicians and dancers. Tickets are $29 to $48.

George Mason University Center for the Arts

Nov. 25 to 29

The Joffrey Ballet: The Nutcracker

Robert Joffrey’s awe-inspiring staging of the perennial classic boasts larger-than-life Victorian America scenery and costumes, entrancing storytelling, Tchaikovsky’s beloved score, and invigorating dancing that could only be found in a dream. Tickets are $55 to $195.

Kennedy Center Opera House

DISCUSSIONS

Tue., Nov. 3, 4:30 p.m.

Global Challenges for a Sustainable Economic Development

The Georgetown University Italian Research Institute, in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy and the Italian Cultural Institute, invites you to a symposium and discussion on the challenges facing a sustainable global economic development that will require a data revolution, global environmental protection, policy issues as well as ethical and technical concerns — featuring professor Enrico Giovannini of the University of Rome and Ruth Greenspan Bell of the Wilson Center. For information, visit http://italianinstitute.college.georgetown.edu/events or call (202) 733-3826.

Georgetown University Intercultural Center Auditorium

FESTIVALS

Through Nov. 8

Kids Euro Festival 2015

The eighth edition of the Kids Euro Festival offers children a trip to Europe — without the passport. This two-week long festival of European arts and culture presents more than 125 free activities to D.C. metro area children and their families, including performances, concerts, workshops, movies, storytelling and more — all brought to you by the 28 European Union member states. Among the November highlights: “Animals” puppet theater from Spain (Nov. 7-10), which explores some of the 8.74 million species of animals that live on Earth; traditional Irish dance and music with the Shannon Dunne Dance Company (Nov. 7); “KeeKee’s Big Adventures in Athens, Greece” storytelling and book signing at the Greek Embassy (Nov. 7); “Baba Marta’s Yarn,” traditional Bulgarian folktales told with puppets and props made of yarn (Nov. 4-6); and “White Lullaby,” which uses dance and a little bunny who travels to a dream world to explore Lithuanian fairytales, some of the oldest in Europe (Nov. 1). For information and reservations, visit http://kidseurofestival.org.

Various locations

MUSIC

Tue., Nov. 3, 7:30 p.m.

Tehorah: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of German-Israeli Diplomatic Relations

Fresh from a performance at Carnegie, singer Adrienne Haan, along with the Israeli String Quartet and pianist Heinz-Walter Florin, present a program of meaningful and deeply felt music. “Tehorah,” which means “pure” in Hebrew, features music of 1920s Weimar, Berlin, klezmer and contemporary Hebrew songs sung in German, Yiddish and Hebrew. A collaboration of German and Israeli artists, this concert carries a message of hope and forgiveness with music as an ambassador of peace. Tickets are $60, including reception; for information, visit www.embassyseries.org.

Embassy of Austria

Fri., Nov. 6, 7 p.m.

Yoruba Andabo

The Adinkra Group and Asase Yaa Cultural Arts Foundation in partnership with the Yoruba Cuba Association present Afro Cuban legendary band and Rumba masters Yoruba Andabo — live and direct from Cuba for the first time in D.C. Tickets are $35 to $55.

GW Lisner Auditorium

Sat., Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m.

Central American Marimbas

Mesoamerica vibrates with the sounds of marimbas. These traditional instruments — patriotic symbols of Costa Rica, Guatemala and Nicaragua — are the pride of peoples and eras in Central America. A variety of performers from El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras take the stage to celebrate this musical tradition as part of Teatro de la Luna’s 25th anniversary season. Tickets are $35; for information, visit www.teatrodelaluna.org.

Rosslyn Spectrum Theater

Sun., Nov. 8, 2 p.m.

Washington Performing Arts: Amit Peled and Noreen Polera – Homage to Pablo Casals

Celebrating the centenary of Pablo Casals’s 1915 U.S. tour and performing on Casals’s own cello, renowned performer and pedagogue Amit Peled affectionately recreates the legend’s program of cello favorites. Tickets are $50.

Kennedy Center Terrace Theater

Mon., Nov. 9, 6:30 p.m.

Tomer Gewirtzman, Piano: Daniel Pearl Memorial Concert

Presented in cooperation with the Embassy of Israel, this Embassy Series concert features pianist Tomer Gewirtzman, who has won first prizes in the Chopin competition for young pianists in Tel-Aviv, the Rig’ey See piano competition in Ashdod, the Pnina Zaltzman Piano Competition for Young Pianists in Kfar-Sava, and the Tel-Hai International Piano Masterclasses concerto competition. Tickets are $70, including reception; for information, visit www.embassyseries.org.

Venue TBA

Fri., Nov. 13, 9 p.m.

A Family Affair: Dorado Schmitt and the Django Festival All-Stars

Showcasing the rhythmic, virtuosic intricacies of the Django Reinhardt guitar style of “hot jazz,” the Django Festival All-Stars return to the Kennedy Center by popular demand, featuring superstar Dorado Schmitt on lead guitar and violin. Tickets are $30.

Kennedy Center Terrace Theater

Sat., Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m.

Mariachis

The mariachi is a serenade, a message of love with the sounds of the heart and the soul, as well as an international symbol of Mexico. This event by Teatro de la Luna spotlights the mariachi group Son de America, with a special appearance by the Maru Montero Dance Company. Tickets are $35; for information, visit www.teatrodelaluna.org.

Rosslyn Spectrum Theater

Sun., Nov. 15, 7 p.m.

Chucho Valdés: Irakere 40

Two landmarks in Latin jazz, the band Irakere and its iconic bandleader, Cuban-born Chucho Valdés, take the stage in this performance that celebrates Irakere’s indelible legacy, a bold fusion of Afro-Cuban ritual music, popular Afro-Cuban styles, jazz and rock that marked a turning point in Latin jazz. Leading a 10-piece ensemble, Latin Grammy-winning composer and bandleader Valdés offers a vivid retrospective of his work the past four decades. Tickets are $28 to $58.

Music Center at Strathmore

Sun., Nov. 15, 4 p.m.

Johannes Brahms’s Ein Deutsches Requiem

The Choral Arts Society of Washington opens its 2015-16 season with Johannes Brahms’s “Ein deutsches Requiem,” constructed to move from words of comfort to those who remain behind, to comfort for those who have passed on. Inspired by Brahms’s own loves and losses, and his longest choral work, “A German Requiem” was written to appeal to the masses — the religious and secular, the young and old. Tickets are $15 to $69.

Kennedy Center Concert Hall

Sun., Nov. 15, 6 p.m.

10th Annual Korea Art & Soul: An Evening of Opera and Choral Music

Presented by the Korean American Cultural Arts Foundation, this special concert of master artists from South Korea along with Korean American performance artists will include a fashion show of traditional and modern dress, Korean and American opera vocalists, and two choirs. Tickets are $45 to $75.

GW Lisner Auditorium

Tue., Nov. 17, 8 p.m.

Madeleine Peyroux

“A masterful interpreter of classic songs” and modern tunes alike, this jazzy singer/songwriter infuses her compositions with “rich tone, emotional depth and expressive storytelling” (The Associated Press). Don’t miss the Wolf Trap debut of this critically acclaimed artist. Tickets are $42 to $45.

The Barns at Wolf Trap

Tue., Nov. 17, 8 p.m.

Youssou N’Dour

The high-energy concerts by Youssou N’Dour, Senegal’s most beloved musician, showcase the mbalax, reggae and internationally influenced music that he developed over his 40-year career. Tickets are $35 to $75.

GW Lisner Auditorium

Wed., Nov. 18, 8 p.m.

Paco Pena

Paco Pena embodies both authenticity and innovation in flamenco. As guitarist, composer, dramatist, producer and artistic mentor, he has transformed perceptions of this archetypal Spanish art form. Tickets are $30 to $50.

GW Lisner Auditorium

Fri., Nov. 20, 6:30 p.m.

Mariko Furukawa, Pianist

Japanese pianist Mariko Furukawa is an active chamber musician and won the Mannes Chamber Music Competition in 2004, resulting in a performance with the Orion String Quartet. She has also performed at numerous major halls throughout New York and Japan, including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the United Nations, Steinway Salon, Yamaha Salon, Union Club, Goethe Institute and the German and French consulates. Tickets are $150, including cocktails and buffet dinner; for information, visit www.embassyseries.org.

Japanese Ambassador’s Residence

Sun., Nov. 22, 6 p.m.

Gioachino Rossini’s ‘Semiramide’

The Washington Concert Opera debut of “Semiramide” features dazzling virtuostic arias, spectacular chorus and orchestral writing, and is Rossini’s most monumental work. This lush tale of murder, power and revenge brings ancient Babylon to life as Queen Semiramide pays the price of her deceitful crimes with the heartbreak from an impossible love. Tickets are $40 to $110.

GW Lisner Auditorium

Sat., Nov. 28, 8 p.m.

Chanticleer: A Chanticleer Christmas

This Grammy Award-winning ensemble presents a glorious performance of ancient hymns, venerated sacred songs, contemporary classics, gospel spirituals, and treasured American and European carols all performed with its well-known lush harmonies and impeccable technique. Tickets are $32 to $54.

George Mason University Center for the Arts

THEATER

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

Through 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

Nov. 13 to Dec. 20

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival Production of Pericles

Pericles, Prince of Tyre, sets sail on an extraordinary journey through the decades and is blown from the coasts of Phoenicia to Greece and to Turkey. Chased by the wicked King of Antioch, Pericles finds his true love in Thaisa and loses her and their daughter Marina on the rough seas. Tickets are $35 to $75.

Folger Shakespeare Library

Nov. 14 to 22

Appomattox

The Washington National Opera continues its 60th anniversary season with the world premiere of a newly revised version of “Appomattox,” which marks 50 years since the Voting Rights Act and 150 years since the end of the Civil War. As the brutal American Civil War is drawing to a close, a determined Ulysses S. Grant has just ordered the final assault on Richmond and issued President Abraham Lincoln’s terms of surrender to Robert E. Lee. The two generals meet in a small Virginia courthouse and change the course of a nation forever. Flash forward a century later — an emboldened Martin Luther King, Jr. struggles to negotiate voting rights with President Lyndon B. Johnson. As these legendary leaders battle to end racial inequality and bloodshed, their stoic fronts belie profound humanity, from their own personal regrets to discussions with their deeply concerned wives. Tickets start at $25.

Kennedy Center Opera House

Through 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

Through Nov. 15

Smartphones: A Pocket-Size Farce

This modern surreal play by Spanish playwright and director Emilio Williams, presented by Ambassador Theater, deconstructs relations between four egocentric individuals addicted to social media and self-gratification. Two couples and their precarious worlds get too close for comfort stuck in the house of their elusive friend, who may never arrive. While waiting for him and pestering their smartphones to “death,” the group begins to lose their cool. Lies are exposed, masks dropped and secret desires revealed in this fast-paced comedy too ridiculous to be true, or is it? Tickets are $20 to $35.

Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint

Nov. 17 to Jan. 3

Kiss Me, Kate

As they try to stage a musical version of Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” sparks fly on and off stage between the show’s director and his leading lady — and ex-wife. Add to the mix passionate young lovers, plus a few musically inclined gangsters’ heavies, and the result is a sharp and witty night with some of Cole Porter’s most immortal songs. Tickets are $20 to $118.

Shakespeare Theatre Company

Sidney Harman Hall

Through Nov. 22

Cake Off

It’s the 50th annual Millberry Cake Off. After a chilly pre-heating, hardy contestants Paul and Rita don their aprons, strap on their oven mitts and square off. Armed with whisks, bowls, knives and eggs, the two engage in an increasingly ludicrous all-out brawl — and only one can remain standing when the timer dings. Visit www.sigtheatre.org for ticket information.

Signature Theatre

Through Nov. 29

The Cripple of Inishmaan

Scena Theatre presents Irish playwright Martin McDonagh’s dark comedy set in 1934 on the island of Inishmaan, where residents are excited to learn that a Hollywood film crew has arrived in nearby Inishmore to make a documentary on island life. Many of the locals clamor for their once-in-a-lifetime shot at stardom in desperate efforts to escape poverty, boredom and gossip. A young outcast vies for a role against all odds — and to everyone’s surprise the outcast gets his shot, or so some think. Tickets are $25 to $45.

Atlas Performing Arts Center

Through Dec. 13

Sorry and Regular Singing

The final plays in Richard Nelson’s “The Apple Family Cycle” quartet explore the immediate present and evolving future of the United States. Over meals at the family homestead, the tensions and compromises, affections and resentments of the Apple family’s lives play out against a rapidly changing America. Tickets are $49 to $96.

The Studio Theatre

Through 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