All upcoming Music & Theater programs

“Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900–1939” at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery illuminates the accomplishments of 60 women who crossed the Atlantic to pursue personal and professional aspirations in the vibrant cultural milieu of Paris. Robyn Asleson, the gallery’s curator of prints and drawings, provides an overview of the first exhibition to focus on the impact of American women on Paris—and of Paris on American women­—as she discusses portraits of Josephine Baker, Isadora Duncan, Zelda Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, and Anna May Wong, among others. (World Art History Certificate elective, 1/2 credit)

A groundbreaking fusion of classical music and jazz, Rhapsody in Blue is one of America's most beloved cultural icons. Pianist and speaker Rachel Franklin celebrates its very big birthday by diving into how George Gershwin conceived the work; the roles of arranger Ferde Grofé and bandleader Paul Whiteman; and the composition's myriad reincarnations since its exuberant February 1924 premiere with its composer at the piano.

Join fellow Broadway lovers in a choral program celebrating some of the great songs from the Great White Way. Drawing from shows such as West Side Story, Hair, and Wicked, choral conductor and music educator Ernest Johnson leads the ensemble in arrangements of the tunes you know and love. No audition is required. Rehearsals culminate in a free performance on June 6.

Stravinsky’s spectacular early ballet scores such as Le Sacre du Printemps can distract us from where this prolific artist went next. Classical music and opera expert Saul Lilienstein examines a selection of classically inspired masterworks spanning 1918 through 1951—from L’Histoire du Soldat to The Rake’s Progress. Film excerpts of Stravinsky in conversation with other artists enhance the portrait of the man and the conductor.

Filmmaker and cultural historian Sara Lukinson explores more glorious songs from the Great American Songbook with stories about their long, often-unexpected lives. The spring lineup covers songs that are considered “simply the best”—ageless and favorite beauties by Lerner and Loewe.

Join fellow Broadway lovers in a choral program celebrating some of the great songs from the Great White Way. Drawing from shows such as West Side Story, Hair, and Wicked, choral conductor and music educator Ernest Johnson leads the ensemble in arrangements of the tunes you know and love. No audition is required. Rehearsals culminate in a free performance on June 6.

The taboo-smashing star Anna May Wong challenged Hollywood at its own game by speaking out about the industry’s blatant racism. Unhappy with being typecast as a China doll or dragon lady, she used her international fame to reshape Asian American representation in film. Biographer Katie Gee Salisbury discusses Wong’s career as a groundbreaking artist, bringing an unsung heroine to light and reclaiming her place in cinema history.

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.

Stravinsky’s spectacular early ballet scores such as Le Sacre du Printemps can distract us from where this prolific artist went next. Classical music and opera expert Saul Lilienstein examines a selection of classically inspired masterworks spanning 1918 through 1951—from L’Histoire du Soldat to The Rake’s Progress. Film excerpts of Stravinsky in conversation with other artists enhance the portrait of the man and the conductor.

From the late 1920s through the end of World War II, Hollywood studios dominated film production throughout the world. Despite the economic problems posed by the Depression, several studios produced more than 50 movies a year, including some of the best-loved and most significant films ever made. Media historian Brian Rose examines the forces that made Hollywood the giant of global filmmaking and the special nature of its achievements during its Golden Age.