Washington is known for its vibrant arts and culture scene, and theater is set to be especially exciting in the 2023–2024 season. Join Amy Austin, president and CEO of Theatre Washington, and a panel of experts as they explore why D.C. is considered one of the best theater towns in the country. This robust conversation offers particular insights on women in DC-area theater, new work, underrepresented communities, and the highlights that are in store on local stages large and small.
Under the artistic direction of maestro Charlie Young, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra has celebrated some of the greatest jazz music throughout its 33-year history as one of the crown jewels of the National Museum of American History. The 2023–2024 SJMO season adds new excitement and luster to that musical tradition with this in-person concert honoring orchestrator Thad Jones.
The 46th season of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society features musical masterpieces from the late 16th century to the cusp of the 21st, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments in a 7-concert series held mostly on Saturdays. This concert features fugues of Bach and Mozart with the Smithsonian Consort of Viols.
The 46th season of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society features musical masterpieces from the late 16th century to the cusp of the 21st, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments in a 7-concert series on Sundays. This concert features fugues of Bach and Mozart with the Smithsonian Consort of Viols.
Frank Sinatra’s 100 musical performances in motion pictures reveal a vocalist who almost from the start recognized how the camera could enhance his artistry as much as the microphone did. Media historian Brian Rose surveys Sinatra’s extraordinary Hollywood musical career, which began with uncredited appearances with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and continued through his celebrated days with the Rat Pack.
Dukas’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Ravel’s Gaspard de la Nuit, Schubert’s Erl-King, and Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique are all deliciously spooky excursions into the musical supernatural, eternally popular with classical audiences eager to experience a good scare within the relative safety of respectable art music. In the perfect run up to Halloween, popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin leads a hair-raising tour of some of the best-loved classical music haunts, showcasing works by Mozart, Mussorgsky, Berlioz, Dukas, Liszt, Britten, Schubert, Ravel, Humperdinck, Offenbach, Saint-Saens, and others.
The Broadway of today has a rich and complex history that reaches back to the 1700s, with roots that encompass minstrelsy, vaudeville, nightclubs, and burlesque. Musical theatre artist and historian Ben West chronicles Broadway’s evolution, highlighting pivotal artists and shows along the way, and examining how its stages have always reflected the social, cultural, and political sensibilities of the country.
A new century literally began as Ludwig van Beethoven completed his first symphony in the year 1800. Within the next quarter century his great cycle of nine symphonies was complete, taking its place as the measure for the entire symphonic repertoire that followed it. In a 5-part series, classical music and opera expert Saul Lilienstein uses audio and video recordings as he discusses each symphony, as well as examines Beethoven’s personal journey of creation against the backdrop of Viennese society.
Join film historian Max Alvarez for a romp through the weird, blood-curdling, and often downright outrageous netherworld of classic movie monsters. In a rich multimedia presentation featuring film selections and behind-the-scenes secrets of legendary and notorious creature features, Alvarez traces the movie monsters (and the studios and directors that gave them birth) from Thomas Edison’s 1910 Frankenstein to the Japanese trio of Gojira, Mothra, and Rodan that set cinema screens ablaze during the 1950s and ’60s to the succession of computer-generated horrors that have flourished during the 21st century.
Giuseppe Verdi’s La traviata, Rigoletto, Aida, and Otello are treasured for their emotional, dramatic, and musical power. Using video recordings of performances staged at the world’s leading opera houses, musicologist Daniel E. Freeman offers a survey of Verdi’s most popular works with an emphasis on the ways in which they reflect the composer’s approach to musical setting and character development.
Though Shakespeare is well-known for such tragedies as Hamlet, King Lear, and Macbeth, he is also one of the greatest playwrights in the history of comedy. Joseph Luzzi, a professor of literature at Bard College, explores how three of Shakespeare’s comedies—A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, and As You Like It—continue to enchant audiences with their brilliant psychological insights, profound meditations on human nature, and spellbinding lyricism.
Stephen Sondheim transformed musical theater into psychodrama, exploring characters and emotions in such a novel and robust way so that no one ever leaves the theater quietly after one of his musicals. American music specialist Robert Wyatt leads a path through Sondheim’s life and creations, from the trailblazing contributions of West Side Story, Follies, and Company to the animated precision of shows like A Little Night Music and Sweeney Todd to the boldness of later works such as Assassins and Passion.
A superb concerto performance is one of the great emotional highs of the concert experience. But how did this singularly theatrical art form evolve, and why does it remain as treasured as ever with audiences? Popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin returns to the fascinating topic of concertos, using her unique live piano demonstrations and both historic and contemporary video clips to explore the birth of the solo concerto, glory in its great masterpieces, and consider its role in more modern times.
Explore more wonderful songs from the golden age of the Great American Songbook, and the stories behind their long and unexpected lives. This fall season, filmmaker and cultural historian Sara Lukinson takes up the work of George and Ira Gershwin, and some of their forever-familiar songs.
Ever wondered who’s behind the productions you’ve enjoyed in Washington-area theaters? Join local guide Lynn O’Connell for a unique exploration of the vibrant local theater scene as you spend a day with leaders at five notable companies. Along the way, learn about the companies’ creative profiles and upcoming seasons, step onto a set, sit in on a rehearsal, and discover how directors shape the productions mounted on local stages.
The 46th season of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society features musical masterpieces from the late 16th century to the cusp of the 21st, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments in a 7-concert series held mostly on Saturdays. This concert features sonatas and trios of Bach and Rameau.
The 46th season of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society features musical masterpieces from the late 16th century to the cusp of the 21st, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments in a 7-concert series on Sundays. This concert features sonatas and trios of Bach and Rameau.
Shakespeare and Tudor scholar Carol Ann Lloyd-Stanger explores the lasting lessons in leadership that can be found in Shakespeare’s plays and links his characters and stories to the 21st century through his timeless understanding of human behavior and interaction.
Explore more wonderful songs from the golden age of the Great American Songbook, and the stories behind their long and unexpected lives. This fall season, filmmaker and cultural historian Sara Lukinson takes up the work of Rodgers and Hart, and some of their forever-familiar songs, where daydreams and romance, razzle-dazzle, and all our “where or whens” still live.
Media historian Brian Rose examines the ups and downs of Elvis Presley’s Hollywood career, which started off with such promise in films such as King Creole and Jailhouse Rock but concluded with dozens of cheap, mediocre movies like Harum Scarum and Paradise, Hawaiian Style that dimmed his creativity and his reputation.
The 46th season of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society features musical masterpieces from the late 16th century to the cusp of the 21st, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments in a 7-concert series held mostly on Saturdays. This concert features piano trios of Beethoven with the Smithsonian Chamber Players.
The 46th season of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society features musical masterpieces from the late 16th century to the cusp of the 21st, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments in a 7-concert series on Sundays. This concert features piano trios of Beethoven with the Smithsonian Chamber Players.
Ella Fitzgerald possessed one of the 20th century’s most astonishing voices. Music historian Judith Tick examines how Fitzgerald fused a Black vocal aesthetic with mainstream popular repertoire to revolutionize American music, portraying her as an ambitious risk-taker with a stunningly diverse repertoire whose exceptional musical spontaneity made her a transformational artist.
Chinese culture has a long, rich history. In this series, historian Justin M. Jacobs examines how it has been represented in Chinese silent films of the early 20th century.
Explore more wonderful songs from the golden age of the Great American Songbook, and the stories behind their long and unexpected lives. This fall season, filmmaker and cultural historian Sara Lukinson takes up the work of Kander and Ebb, and some of their forever-familiar songs, where daydreams and romance, razzle-dazzle, and all our “where or whens” still live.
Hallmark Channel holiday movies garner an estimated $350 million in ad revenue annually, but they’ve been criticized for predictable content and a lack of racial, religious, and LGBTQ representation. Educator and lecturer Stef Woods explores why these movies have been hugely successful.
Under the artistic direction of maestro Charlie Young, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra has celebrated some of the greatest jazz music throughout its 33-year history as one of the crown jewels of the National Museum of American History. The 2023–2024 SJMO season adds new excitement and luster to that musical tradition with this in-person concert saluting America’s military jazz bands.
Smithsonian Chamber Music Society audiences are privy to the unparalleled experience of being able to hear two magnificent quartets of instruments—one made by Antonio Stradivari, the other by his teacher Nicoló Amati—in this popular three-concert series on Saturdays. The concert features music composed by Florence Price, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Franz Schubert.
Smithsonian Chamber Music Society audiences are privy to the unparalleled experience of being able to hear two magnificent quartets of instruments—one made by Antonio Stradivari, the other by his teacher Nicoló Amati—in this popular three-concert series on Sundays. The concert features music composed by Florence Price, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Franz Schubert.
Media historian Brian Rose surveys the landscape of American TV comedy, examining how comedy evolved from the vaudeville shtick of Milton Berle and the slapstick artistry of Lucille Ball to relevant sitcoms like “M*A*S*H,” the social satire of “Saturday Night Live,” a twist on the sitcom with “The Jeffersons,” and the self-reflexive absurdities of “The Simpsons.”
From sleigh bells and sugarplums to the mystical beauties of the Nativity, every December our senses are filled with the music of Christmas. In a 2-session celebration of the festive season, popular speaker and concert pianist Rachel Franklin explores how classical Western composers created a canon of both secular and sacred experiences that are now deeply rooted in our collective seasonal expectations.
There’s no more iconic holiday performance in New York than Radio City Music Hall’s famed Christmas Spectacular. And there’s no better way to see the precision dancing of the Rockettes than from prime orchestra seats in the fabulous Art Deco theater where the show has been a tradition since 1933. Before the theatrical magic begins at a matinee performance, get a special behind-the-scenes VIP tour of the Music Hall, covering the stunning 1930s interiors and art, the Great Stage, and Mighty Wurlitzer Organ—with an opportunity to meet a Rockette along the way.
Was ever a movie so loved? Rick and Ilsa. Sam at the piano. The Nazis, the nightclub, the goodbye at the airport. Casablanca is about life at its most fragile and meaningful, movie stars at their most beautiful and moving, and a supporting cast of real-life escapees from Nazi-held Europe. Documentary filmmaker and writer Sara Lukinson explores the making of the film, backstage dramas, and the times that turned what was just another film on the lot into an immortal love story of intrigue and transit papers.
Malcolm Evans, the Beatles’ long-time roadie, personal assistant, and devoted friend, was an invaluable member of the band’s inner circle during the group’s remarkable years of success and continued in their employ as each later embarked on solo careers. Evans’s memoirs of his life with the Beatles never saw print, and his diaries, manuscripts, and memorabilia were thought missing for decades after his tragic death. Beatles’ scholar and author Kenneth Womack reveals Mal’s unknown story at the heart of the Beatles’ legend and unseen photos and ephemera that supply the missing puzzle piece in the Fab Four’s incredible story.
The 46th season of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society features musical masterpieces from the late 16th century to the cusp of the 21st, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments in a 7-concert series held mostly on Saturdays and on Sundays. This concert features music composed by Bartók, Florence Price, Beethoven, and Schönberg performed by the Smithsonian Chamber Orchestra.
Under the artistic direction of maestro Charlie Young, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra has celebrated some of the greatest jazz music throughout its 33-year history as one of the crown jewels of the National Museum of American History. The 2023–2024 SJMO season adds new excitement and luster to that musical tradition with this in-person concert honoring drummer Max Roach.
The 46th season of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society features musical masterpieces from the late 16th century to the cusp of the 21st, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments in a 7-concert series held mostly on Saturdays. This concert features suites and sonatas of J.S. Bach with the Smithsonian Chamber Players.
The 46th season of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society features musical masterpieces from the late 16th century to the cusp of the 21st, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments in a 7-concert series on Sundays. This concert features suites and sonatas of J.S. Bach with the Smithsonian Chamber Players.
The 46th season of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society features musical masterpieces from the late 16th century to the cusp of the 21st, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments in a 7-concert series held mostly on Saturdays. This concert features English consort music with the Smithsonian Consort of Viols.
The 46th season of the Smithsonian Chamber Music Society features musical masterpieces from the late 16th century to the cusp of the 21st, played on some of the world’s most highly prized musical instruments in a 7-concert series on Sundays. This concert features English consort music with the Smithsonian Consort of Viols.
Under the artistic direction of maestro Charlie Young, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra has celebrated some of the greatest jazz music throughout its 33-year history as one of the crown jewels of the National Museum of American History. The 2023–2024 SJMO season adds new excitement and luster to that musical tradition with this in-person concert honoring Duke Ellington.
Smithsonian Chamber Music Society audiences are privy to the unparalleled experience of being able to hear two magnificent quartets of instruments—one made by Antonio Stradivari, the other by his teacher Nicoló Amati—in this popular three-concert series on Saturdays. The concert features music composed by Joseph Haydn, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, and Franz Schubert.
Smithsonian Chamber Music Society audiences are privy to the unparalleled experience of being able to hear two magnificent quartets of instruments—one made by Antonio Stradivari, the other by his teacher Nicoló Amati—in this popular three-concert series on Sundays. The concert features music composed by Joseph Haydn, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, and Franz Schubert.
Smithsonian Chamber Music Society audiences are privy to the unparalleled experience of being able to hear two magnificent quartets of instruments—one made by Antonio Stradivari, the other by his teacher Nicoló Amati—in this popular three-concert series on Saturdays. The concert features music composed by Osvoldo Golijov, Dmitri Shostakovich, and Franz Schubert.
Smithsonian Chamber Music Society audiences are privy to the unparalleled experience of being able to hear two magnificent quartets of instruments—one made by Antonio Stradivari, the other by his teacher Nicoló Amati—in this popular three-concert series on Sundays. The concert features music composed by Osvoldo Golijov, Dmitri Shostakovich, and Franz Schubert.
Under the artistic direction of maestro Charlie Young, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra has celebrated some of the greatest jazz music throughout its 33-year history as one of the crown jewels of the National Museum of American History. The 2023–2024 SJMO season adds new excitement and luster to that musical tradition with this in-person concert honoring Sarah Vaughan.
