EVENT CATEGORIES
Theater |
ART
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
Feb. 6 to May 8
Seeing Nature: Landscape Masterworks from the Paul G. Allen Family Collection
This major exhibition exploring the evolution of American and European landscape painting features 39 masterpieces, spanning five centuries, on loan from the collection of philanthropist and entrepreneur Paul G. Allen. “Seeing Nature” showcases the development of landscape painting from intimate views of the world to artists’ personal experiences with their surroundings.
The Phillips Collection
Feb. 13 to June 12
Konstantin Makovsky: The Tsar’s Painter
With Hillwood’s “A Boyar Wedding Feast” as the centerpiece, this exhibit offers a new perspective on Konstantin Makovsky’s work and its popularity in Gilded Age America, where it satisfied the appetite for dramatic historical stories, exotic settings and costumes, and admiration of European art and culture. In a dramatically lit setting, exquisite objects and details from the painting will be brought to life through groupings of 17th-century objects of boyar life, such as intricately embroidered garments and pearl-studded kokoshniki (women’s headdresses).
Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens
Feb. 13 to July 31
Heart of an Empire: Herzfeld’s Discover of Pasargadae
Located in southwestern Iran, Pasargadae was the first capital of the ancient Achaemenid Persian Empire (circa 540 B.C.) and the last resting place of Cyrus the Great. Impressed with its ruins, German archaeologist Ernst Herzfeld (1879–1948) briefly surveyed the site for the first time in 1905, returning to conduct more extensive excavations. Featuring selections from the Freer|Sackler Archives’ rich holdings of Herzfeld’s drawings, notes and photographs, this exhibition illuminates one of the most important sites of the ancient world.
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Feb. 22 to June 3
In the Library: The Intersection of Commerce and Instruction in Art
The art we experience often depends as much upon the materials available to the artists who make it as it depends on the artists themselves. This exhibition looks at a variety of literature surrounding artists’ materials and instruction, and charts the ways in which the increasing commercialization of their production may have affected the practice of artists, especially following the industrial revolution.
National Gallery of Art
Through Feb. 28
Designing America: Spain’s Imprint in the U.S.
Through a mix of historic documents, text narration, images and audio-visual elements, this exhibit examines the important contributions that Spain made to the construction of U.S. territory, landscape and cities, starting with the first settlements to the present day. This cross-sectional survey enlightens the historical, political and cultural events that have marked the course of 500 years of common history between the United States and Spain.
Former Spanish Residence
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 Feb. 29
Africans of the Diaspora
Artists Kennard Copeland, Carmen Torruella Quander, Cherif Mamadou and Edmond Nassa capture the spirit of the diverse continent, with pieces representing human rights, equality, dignity and respect for all. Proceeds from the art sales will benefit Jhpiego, a global health nonprofit and affiliate of Johns Hopkins University
Embassy of Côte d’Ivoire
Through 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 March 18
The Jewish Museum Vienna on International Court
The Austrian Cultural Forum presents two exhibitions touring from the Jewish Museum Vienna: “Lessing Presents Lessing,” works by noted photographer Erich Lessing, curated by his daughter Hannah Lessing; and “A Good Day,” a multimedia installation by Andrew Mezvinsky based on Primo Levi’s account of survival in Auschwitz. The two shows offer intimate insights into Austrian Jewish life past and present, serving as a platform for discussion, experience and confrontation.
Embassy of Austria
Through March 20
Power and Pathos: Bronze Sculpture of the Hellenistic World
Some 50 bronze sculptures and related works survey the development of Hellenistic art as it spread from Greece throughout the Mediterranean between the fourth and first centuries B.C. Through the medium of bronze, artists were able to capture the dynamic realism, expression, and detail that characterized the new artistic goals of the period.
National Gallery of Art
Through March 27
Shakespeare, Life of an Icon
We will never have a photograph of William Shakespeare or a recording of his voice, but we can catch glimpses of the man in this stunning array of documents from his own lifetime. “Shakespeare, Life of an Icon” brings together some of the most important manuscripts and printed books related to Shakespeare’s life and career, giving us a firsthand look at the most famous author in the world.
Folger Shakespeare Library
Through April 24
Postwar Germanic Expressions: Gifts from Michael Werner
The Phillips presents recently acquired gifts of German and Danish art to the museum’s permanent collection, generously given by art collector Michael Werner. A selection from the 46 works are on view, painting, sculpture and works on paper by Georg Baselitz, Jörg Immendorff, Per Kirkeby, Markus Lüpertz and A.R. Penck.
The Phillips Collection
Through 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 May 22
Salon Style: French Portraits from the Collection
Presenting works at the salon — an exhibition sponsored by the Royal Academy of Art in Paris — marked success for artists in 18th-century France. The famed artist Élisabeth Louise Vigée-LeBrun was among the first women to exhibit at the event, yet she was by no means the only one. Drawn from the museum’s rich collection, this focus exhibition visualizes the world of the art salon and reveals how French women artists inspired each other as well as male artists who noted their great success.
National Museum of Women in the Arts
Through May 30
The Lost Symphony: Whistler and the Perfection of Art
As part of “Peacock Room REMIX,” this exhibition reconstructs how Whistler’s unrealized quest for “the perfection of art” intersected with less-rarified concerns about patronage, payment, and professional reputation.
Freer Gallery of Art
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
Feb. 12 and 13
Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan
Artistic director Lin Hwai-min brings his acclaimed contemporary dance troupe back to the Kennedy Center for the first time since 2010 with a multimedia work that depicts the life cycle of rice. Tickets are $19 to $75.
Kennedy Center Opera House
Feb. 23 to 28
Mariinsky Ballet: Petipa’s ‘Raymonda’
Russia’s legendary company returns with the last “grand ballet” of the 19th century. Set in medieval Hungary, the story follows a beautiful countess torn between her betrothed, a crusading knight and the arrival of a handsome warrior. Tickets are $49 to $225.
Kennedy Center Opera House
Feb. 24 to 28
The Washington Ballet Presents ‘Director’s Cut’
Daring works by William Forsythe, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Septime Webre that redefine the boundaries of classical ballet come together in “Director’s Cut.” Tickets are $30.50 to $100.
Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater
MUSIC
Fri., Feb. 5, 8 p.m.,
Sat., Feb. 6, 8 p.m.
Solas
Hailed by the Washington Post as “one of the world’s finest Celtic-folk ensembles,” this quintet’s diverse repertoire includes innovative original songs as well as Irish classics. Tickets are $25 to $28.
Wolf Trap
Sat., Feb. 6, 2 p.m.
Pedja Muzijevic
In his Washington Performing Arts debut, Bosnian-born pianist Pedja Muzijevic, who is known for artfully mixing the new with the old, performs a novel alternation of Haydn’s sonatas with contemplative works by 20th-century luminaries John Cage, Morton Feldman and a world premiere by Jonathan Berger. Tickets start at $55.
Kennedy Center Terrace Theater
Mon., Feb. 8, 8 p.m.
Chinese New Year: Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra
The culmination of a weekend of events celebrating Chinese New Year, the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, featuring pianist Haochen Zhang and violinist Dan Zhu, makes its Kennedy Center debut under the baton of Muhai Tang. Tickets are $15 to $89.
Kennedy Center Concert Hall
Thu., Feb. 11, 7 p.m.
Washington Performing Arts Presents Marina Piccinini with Andreas Haefliger
Hailed by Gramophone as “the Heifetz of the flute,” Marina Piccinini is in demand as a soloist with orchestras and chamber ensembles around the world. With her husband, renowned Swiss pianist Andreas Haefliger, Piccinini offers an uninterrupted, dramatic program, alternating between solo and duo masterworks and contemporary compositions. Tickets are $50.
Kennedy Center Terrace Theater
Fri., Feb. 12, 7:30 p.m.
Voces8
Join the British vocal octet, hailed as “impeccable in its quality of tone and balance” (Gramophone) as they present “Light Devine,” a performance exploring the desire for comfort and light throughout the ages. Tickets are $35.
Wolf Trap
Mon., Feb. 15, 8 p.m.
Budapest Festival Orchestra
The Budapest Festival Orchestra, though still relatively young at 32, has quickly established itself as one of today’s most “in demand” orchestras. Under the baton of maestro Iván Fischer (former music director of the National Symphony Orchestra), the Budapest Festival Orchestra marks its return to D.C., where acclaimed pianist Marc-André Hamelin will join the orchestra for an evening of works by Weber, Liszt and Prokofiev. Tickets start at $55.
Kennedy Center Concert Hall
Fri., Feb. 19, 8 p.m.
globalFEST: Creole Carnival
“globalFEST: Creole Carnival” features the reigning queen of Haitian songs, Emeline Michel, Rio’s innovative samba masters, Casuarina, and Jamaica’s one-stringed guitar virtuoso, Brushy One String, in a world premiere collaboration. Tickets are $35.
GW Lisner Auditorium
Wed., Feb. 24, 8 p.m.
Sir András Schiff: ‘The Last Sonatas’
Pianist Sir András Schiff concludes his ambitious project, “The Last Sonatas,” with a recital presented by Washington Performing Arts that features the final sonatas of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert. Tickets start at $40.
Music Center at Strathmore
THEATER
Feb. 1 to 28
Guards at the Taj
India, 1648: Two imperial guards watch as the sun rises over the newly-completed Taj Mahal, an awe-inspiring monument to the emperor’s dead queen. But awe gives way to terror when the guards are given a new assignment: to perform a bloody task whose grisly aftermath will force them to question the very ideas of beauty, responsibility and friendship. Tickets start at $35.
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Fri., Feb. 5, 8 p.m.
Mummenschanz
Let your imagination run wild with a witty and whimsical performance for all ages featuring this celebrated troupe of Swiss entertainers. These unique artists perform in complete silence on a blackened stage with common household objects and simple forms to create ingenious illusions and amusing narratives that provide light-hearted insights on life. Tickets are $29 to $48.
George Mason University Center for the Arts
Through Feb. 7
Georgie: The Life and Death of George Rose
Written and performed by Broadway veteran Ed Dixon, this one-man play chronicles Dixon’s relationship with his friend and mentor, the Tony-award winning character actor George Rose. Tickets are $45.
Signature Theatre
Mon., Feb. 8, 6 p.m.
Chinese New Year: Beijing Opera, Acrobats and Chinese Traditional Music by Henan Arts Troupe
Performers from Henan Province showcase Beijing Opera–combining singing, speaking, acting, and martial arts — with stunning acrobatics and music on pipa, erhu and bamboo flute.
Kennedy Center Millennium Stage
Feb. 10 to March 6
Carmen: An Afro-Cuban Jazz Musical
Directed and co-written by Tony nominee Moisés Kaufman, with heralded Cuban-American playwright Eduardo Machado, and music adapted from Bizet’s opera by two-time Grammy Award-winner Arturo O’Farrill, this “Carmen” brings the action of one of the most sensual stories of all time to Cuba on the verge of revolution in 1958. Tickets are $38 to $75.
Olney Theatre Center
Feb. 12 to 20
Washington National Opera: Lost in the Stars
Following his turn in “The Flying Dutchman,” renowned bass-baritone Eric Owens stars in Kurt Weill’s final work for the stage, a gripping musical tragedy based on Alan Paton’s classic 1948 novel “Cry, the Beloved Country.” Tickets are $69 to $255.
Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater
Through Feb. 14
The Critic & The Real Inspector Hound
Experience a madcap night of life in the theater with two classic behind-the-scenes comedies, “The Critic” and “The Real Inspector Hound.” First, playwright and adaptor Jeffrey Hatcher returns with a fresh take on Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s 18th-century romp “The Critic,” a whirlwind comedy about bad theater, worse playwrights and, worst of all, the critics. The laughs continue with Tom Stoppard’s absurdist tour-de-farce “The Real Inspector Hound,” an ingenious play-within-a-play in which two critics find themselves caught up as unsuspecting suspects while they watch a classic 1950s-style whodunit in the style of Agatha Christie. Please call for ticket information.
The Shakespeare Theatre
Feb. 14 to 28
Señorita y Madame: The Secret War of Elizabeth Arden & Helena Rubinstein
With biting humor, Gustavo Ott explores hatred and admiration through the rivalry between the two giants of beauty and business: Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. Against the vibrant historical backdrop of the zenith of industrialization, the rise of Fascism, The Great Depression, two World Wars and the invention of advertising, both became pioneers in marketing and influenced how women saw and presented themselves. Tickets are $38 to $42.
GALA Hispanic Theatre
Feb. 16 to 21
Shen Yun Performing Arts 2016: Experience a Divine Culture
Shen Yun Performing Arts, the world’s premier classical Chinese dance and music company originating from America, invites you to experience this divine culture of the Middle Kingdom, as it brings the profound spirit of this lost civilization to life on stage with unrivaled artistic mastery. Tickets are $60 to $250.
Kennedy Center Opera House
Feb. 17 to March 27
Romeo and Juliet
In this passionate and lyrical piece, set among the gears of a giant clock, the greatest of Shakespearean lovers race against time itself to outrun their fate. One of the original “Wordless Shakespeare” productions, Synetic’s “Romeo and Juliet” received six Helen Hayes Award nominations and two wins. Tickets start at $35.
Synetic Theater
Feb. 20 to March 6
Kabarett & Cabaret
Featuring iconic songs and forgotten Berliner and Viennese cabaret gems, The In Series production of “Kabarett & Cabaret” pays tribute to the art form of cabaret and its ties to the Jewish émigrés who fled Nazi persecution and brought the dark, raunchy world of cabaret to 1940s Hollywood. Tickets are $42.
Source
Through Feb. 21
The Glass Menagerie
One of the greatest American plays of the 20th century, “The Glass Menagerie” explores the visceral bonds of family as Southern matriarch Amanda frets constantly over her two live-in adult children — the painfully shy Laura and Laura’s restless poet brother Tom. Tickets are $17 to $64.
Ford’s Theatre
Through Feb. 21
OLIVERio: A Brazilian Twist
A spunky girl on the streets of Rio masquerades as a boy to look for her mother, only to discover a new kind of family, in this world premiere musical inspired by Charles Dickens’s classic novel and featuring original songs and music. Tickets are $20.
Kennedy Center Family Theater
Through Feb. 21
Sweat
A group of close friends shares everything: drinks, secrets and laughs. But when rumors of layoffs shake up the local steel mill, the fragile bonds of their community begin to fray and a horrific crime sends shock waves across two generations in this play based on America’s industrial decline at the turn of the millennium. Tickets are $40 to $90.
Arena Stage
Feb. 23 to March 27
Othello
Among the exotic airs and mysterious shadows of Cyprus, newly married and promoted Moorish general Othello finds himself the pawn in the manipulative games of his right-hand man, Iago. Please call for ticket information.
Shakespeare Theatre Company
Sidney Harman Hall
Through March 6
The City of Conversation
Georgetown hostess Hester Ferris runs in an elite circle, opening her home for political foes to lay down arms and raise a glass. When her son’s formidable, conservative wife comes on the scene, the parlor pleasantries of D.C.’s past descend into entrenched posturing and an ultimatum that could implode the family. Please call for ticket information.
Arena Stage
Through March 6
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
It is easy to lose yourself in the enchanted woods of Shakespeare’s timeless romantic tale. This magical comedy of tangled lovers, mischievous fairies — and a band of players to boot — is given a fresh, new staging by Aaron Posner, with D.C. favorites Holly Twyford as Bottom and Erin Weaver as Puck. Tickets are $35 to $75.
Folger Theatre