Events | Culture | WD
Nov. 20 to Dec. 24
The Nutcracker The Washington Ballet’s critically acclaimed production of “The Nutcracker” transports audiences to a historic D.C. era and stars George Washington as the heroic Nutcracker, along with waltzing cherry blossoms, dancing sugar plums and other enchanting adaptations by Septime Webre. Tickets start at $33. Warner Theatre
Nov. 22 to 26
Kansas City Ballet: The Nutcracker From the moment we meet toymaker Drosselmeier in his workshop, elaborate sets, sparkling costumes and impressive choreography grab the audience’s attention. Plenty of inventive twists also abound, from a toy bear that comes to life and a grandfather with hip hop moves to a line of giant Russian nesting dolls. Tickets are $59 to $175. Kennedy Center Opera House
DISCUSSIONS Fri., Nov. 3, 7 p.m.
Scott Kelly: A Year in Space The veteran of four space flights, astronaut Scott Kelly discusses the dangers, achievements and physical and emotional challenges he encountered during his record-breaking year aboard the International Space Station. Tickets are $35; for information visit www. smithsonianassociates.org. GW Lisner Auditorium
Sat., Nov. 4, 2 to 5 p.m.
International Forum in Washington Academic and artist partners the Phillips Collection and University of Maryland present the International Forum in Washington, which includes this year’s Duncan Phillips Lecture featuring artist Sanford Biggers, recipient of a 2017 Rome Prize. Following his lecture, Biggers will participate in a conversation with artist-scholar Curlee Holton focusing on the rise, role and impact of “artists of conscience” in society. Tickets are $12. The Phillips Collection
Sat., Nov. 4, 9:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Traditional Roots of Modern China: How an Ancient World View Drives Contemporary Policies In a timely daylong program, China scholar Robert Daly traces China’s 21stcentury drive for wealth, power and status to the beliefs, geographic influences and social and cultural practices rooted in the earliest dynasties. Tickets are $140; for information visit www. smithsonianassociates.org. S. Dillon Ripley Center
Tue., Nov. 7, 3:30 p.m.
The Czech Republic in the World Economy The 18th annual Czech and Slovak Freedom Lecture is presented this year by Columbia University professor Jan Svejnar, who researches the effects of government policies on firms, labor and capital markets; corporate,
national and global governance; and entrepreneurship. To RSVP, email wwics@ wilsoncenter.org. Wilson Center
Wed., Nov. 8, 6:45 p.m.
The Fate of Rome: Nature’s Triumph Over Human Ambition The centuries-long dissolution of the Roman Empire was shaped not just by emperors, soldiers and barbarians, but also by volcanic eruptions, solar cycles, climate instability and devastating viruses and bacteria. Classicist Kyle Harper traces how a seemingly invincible empire fell victim to forces far stronger than its armies: the environment. Tickets are $30; for information visit www.smithsonianassociates.org. S. Dillon Ripley Center
Mon., Nov. 13, 6:45 p.m.
The Norman Invasion: William’s Unlikely Conquest The 1066 invasion and occupation of England led by Duke William II of Normandy changed the course of history. But the Norman Conquest never should have succeeded. Historian Jennifer Paxton sets the scene for this unlikely triumph for France, and how its after-effects echo through the centuries. Tickets are $45; for information visit www.smithsonianassociates.org. S. Dillon Ripley Center
Tue., Nov. 14, 6:45 p.m.
The Lafayette Escadrille: Legends with a Cause The brash young Americans who volunteered to fly with French fighter pilots during the early days of World War I became the nucleus of the legendary Lafayette Escadrille. Paul Glenshaw, an aviation expert and filmmaker, tells the story of the “founding fathers of American combat aviation.”Tickets are $45; for information visit www.smithsonianassociates.org. S. Dillon Ripley Center
Wed., Nov. 15, 6 p.m.
Cajal’s Neuronal Forest: Science and Art Professor Javier DeFelipe presents his book “Cajal’s Neuronal Forest,” an homage to father-of-modern-neuroscience Santiago Ramón y Cajal that shows the beauty of science as seen through the artist’s eye. Admission is free; to register, visit www.spainculture.us/city/ washington-dc/cajals-neuronal-forestscience-and-art/. Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain
Wed., Nov. 15, 6:45 p.m.
Code Girls: The Women Who Decrypted World War II In 1942, more than 10,000 young women were recruited for a top-secret project in which they served as codebreakers for the U.S. Army and Navy. Their wartime achievements saved countless lives and aided the Allied victory — but were nearly erased from history. Tickets are $30; for information visit www.smithsonianassociates.org. Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Wed., Nov. 15, 6:45 p.m.
Nov. 7 to 9
La Cucina vs. La Cuisine: A Gastronomic Faceoff
Second Annual Korean Culture Week
Italian and French food fans seem destined to be at perpetual odds in the “which-is-the best?” argument. Fred Plotkin, author of six books on Italian culinary traditions, examines how la cucina and la cuisine are not so much rivals as great influences and inspirations on one another — followed by a buffet of both cuisines. Tickets are $85; for information visit www.smithsonianassociates.org. S. Dillon Ripley Center
The Korean Cultural Center in D.C. presents this three-day event that takes audiences on a journey across the cutting edge of Korean performance art, where ancient folk culture roots intersect with the dynamic energy of modern Korea and infuse Western classics with innovative twists. The week opens on Nov. 7 with the acclaimed Bereishit Dance Company performing “Balance and Imbalance,” which pairs vigorous contemporary dance with drummers and singers of the traditional Korean vocal storytelling genre pansori. An encore performance will be held at the Gordon Center for Performing Arts in Owings Mills, Md., on Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m. Sound and harmony dominate Nov. 8 as the World Music Ensemble E-do blends the traditional with the modern, including Korean and Western instruments and rhythms. Finally, the Kim Yong-geol Dance Theater graces the Terrace Theater for a closing performance of their modern reimagining of classical ballet. For information, visit www.KoreaCultureDC.org. Kennedy Center
Tue., Nov. 28, 6:45 p.m.
Secret Selves: Charlotte and Emily Brontë Charlotte and Emily Brontë lived a small, isolated family home in an English village, far from literary circles. Author John Pfordresher examines the forces of creative imagination and personality that nonetheless allowed them to cast a critical eye on the issues of their time through passionate female characters. Tickets are $45; for information visit www.smithsonianassociates.org. S. Dillon Ripley Center
FESTIVALS Sat., Nov. 4, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Czech Christmas Market The Embassy of the Czech Republic presents a traditional Czech Christmas Market featuring stands filled with handcrafted ornaments; Czech crystal and glass products, jewelry and toys; mulled wine eggnog, an assortment of Christmas cookies, baked goods and savory cuisine. Children will adore the array of live animals from the Nativity scene, handled by shepherds. The children’s choir of Sokol Washington will perform Czech Christmas carols at 11:30 am. Admission is free; no RSVP required; for information, visit www.mzv.cz/ washington/en/culture_events/culture/ czech_christmas_market.html. Embassy of the Czech Republic
Sat., Nov. 4, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Slovak Christmas Market The Embassy of Slovakia presents its annual Christmas Market featuring handmade glass ornaments; jewelry with Swarovski crystals; Slovak mulled wine and mead; traditional Christmas cookies and soup; and carols by the children’s choir Sokolik. Free admission; no RSVP required. Embassy of Slovakia
Through Nov. 5
Kids Euro Festival Now in its 10th year, Kids Euro Festival is one of the largest performing arts festivals for children in America, bringing Europe’s most talented children’s entertainers to the DC metro area each fall for two weeks of free performances, concerts, workshops, movies, storytelling, puppetry, dance, magic and cinema. With programs both for the general public and for school groups, more than 10,000 DC-area children and their families enjoy Kids Euro Festival programs each year. For more information, visit http://events.euintheus.org/ landing_page/kids-euro-fest/. Various locations
Nov. 11 to 19
FotoWeekDC 2017 The Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain and the Mexican Cultural Institute are the central venues for this year’s FotoWeekDC, the largest visual arts festival in Washington. The tenth edition of the FotoWeekDC, presented in partnership with SPAIN arts & culture, hosts two different photo exhibits at the Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain: “Magnum: 70 at 70,” an exhibition of 70 photographic icons celebrating the 70 years of Magnum Photos, and “CISLANDERUS,” a project by Thenesoya Martín de la Nuez and Aníbal Martel. Other festival highlights include “The White House News Photographers 2017 ‘Eyes of History’Travel Exhibition”; “Finding Home,” which documents three families in the heart of Europe’s refugee crisis; Susan Meiselas’s exhibition on human rights in Latin America; and Michael Nichols’s images of wildlife around the globe at the National Geographic. For information, visit www.fotodc.org/ events-fotoweekdc-2017. Various locations
MUSIC Nov. 4 to 19
Jacques Brel: Songs From His World Known for his devastatingly personal lyrics as well as scathing depiction of society, Jacques Brel and his songs swept the pop music world of the ’50s and ’60s. The In Series offers a unique opportunity for audiences to journey through the Belgian master’s inner world with interpretations of his favorite works in their original French (with English supertitles). Tickets are $20 to $43. Source Theatre
album “Sikame,” produced by acclaimed composer Gil Goldstein. Bello was born in Granada, Spain, and through her work as a songwriter and singer, she investigates the cultural roots of her homeland and its connections with other musical cultures. Tickets are $15; for information, visit https://urevento.com/event/lara-belloen-washington-dc/. Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain
Tue., Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m.
Paisajes Sonoros: Paulina Derbez, Violin; Araceli Salazar, Piano This dynamic Mexican duo performs a wide-ranging program of Mexican and European composers from the 20th and 21st centuries, featuring composers such as Revueltas, Cesar Franck, Manuel Ponce and others. Tickets are $90, including Mexican delicacies, wine and beer; for information, visit www.embassyseries. org. Mexican Cultural Institute
Fri., Nov. 10, 7:30 p.m.
Washington Performing Arts: Verona Quartet Winners of the 2015 Concert Artist Guild Competition and fresh off a two-year stint as the Graduate Resident String Quartet at the Juilliard School, these musicians may be young, but they play with a clarity and conviction well beyond their years. Tickets are $40. Kennedy Center Terrace Theater
Sun., Nov. 12, 7 p.m.
Washington Performing Arts: The Mariinsky Orchestra Washington Performing Arts opens its Concert Hall season with the renowned Mariinsky Orchestra under the baton of music director Valery Gergiev. Tickets are $45 to $115. Kennedy Center Concert Hall
Sat., Nov. 18, 3 p.m.
The Choral Arts Society of Washington: Monteverdi’s ‘Vespers of 1610’ Choral Arts opens its 2017-18 Kennedy Center concert season with a performance of Claudio Monteverdi’s choral masterpiece “Vespers of 1610.”Tickets are $15 to $69. Kennedy Center Concert Hall
Thu., Nov. 30, 7:30 p.m.
Farah Siraj Renowned Jordanian virtuoso Farah Siraj balances a career that spans the United States, Europe and the Middle East. In 2014, Farah released her latest album, “Dunya,” meaning “world” in Arabic and Hindi, and she currently leads an ethnically diverse quintet of Arabian Flamenco Jazz. Tickets are $90, including Middle Eastern buffet and drinks; for information, visit www.embassyseries.org. Embassy of Jordan
THEATER
Tue., Nov. 7, 7 p.m.
Nov. 4 to Dec. 2
Lara Bello: Sikame
Top Girls
New York-based singer and composer Lara Bello presents her new
The Keegan Theatre presents Caryl Churchill’s Obie Award-winning play “Top
Girls,” which reveals a world of women’s experience at a pivotal moment in British history: the beginning of the Thatcher years. Tickets are $45. Andrew Keegan Theatre
Nov. 4 to 19
Washington National Opera: Alcina Welcome to the island of illusions, where a sorceress skilled in the art of seduction is about to fall prey to the enchantment of love. This new production is WNO’s first-ever staging of Handel’s masterful baroque opera, with world-class vocal talents impeccably suited to every role. Tickets are $69 to $195. Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater
Nov. 14 to Dec. 20
Twelfth Night Stranded on the coast of Illyria, the quick-witted Viola assumes the disguise of a page boy for Duke Orsino and finds herself at the center of an explosive love triangle in which identity, passion and gender all threaten to come undone. Please call for ticket information. Shakespeare Theatre Harman Hall
Nov. 16 to Dec. 31
A Christmas Carol Acclaimed actor Craig Wallace returns to Ford’s Theatre to play Ebenezer Scrooge in “A Christmas Carol”—a production heralded as a “rich visual and vocal treat” (TheaterMania) and “infectiously jolly” (The Washington Post). Please call for ticket information. Ford’s Theatre
Through Nov. 19
Antony and Cleopatra Julius Caesar is no more, and Mark Antony, at the peak of his political power, is ensconced in Egypt at the side of the irresistible Cleopatra. Torn between his military duty toward Rome and his passionate love affair with Cleopatra, Antony finds himself engaged in both war and romance. Shakespeare’s classic encompasses politics and power, love and jealousy, alliance and misalliance. Tickets are $35 to $79. Folger Shakespeare Theatre
Through Nov. 19
The Book of Mormon The nine-time Tony-winning musical follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the Good Word. Now with standing-roomonly productions in London, on Broadway and across North America, “The Book of Mormon” has become an international sensation. Tickets are $59 to $229. Kennedy Center Opera House
Through Dec. 24
The Pajama Game Winner of the 1955 Tony Award for Best Musical, “The Pajama Game” follows Sid Sorokin and Babe Williams in a battle of the sexes romance that soars with seductive dance numbers like “Steam Heat” and “Hernando’s Hideaway.” Tickets are $50 to $99. Arena Swtage
THE WASHINGTON DIPLOMAT | NOVember 2017 | 41