The List: April 23-29

4. Amadeus Concerts presents “From Grand Opera to the Great White Way: Masterpieces of Opera, Operetta and Musical Theatre”: Maestro Peter Mark of the Virginia Opera brings a talented cast of young performers and a program that stretches from treasured opera masterpieces to well-loved Broadway tunes.

Where: Saint Francis Church, 9220 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls

When: 4 p.m. Sunday

Info: 703-759-5334; amadeusconcerts.com

5. “Say Goodnight, Gracie”: Ralph Pape’s bittersweet play about twenty-somethings on the eve of their 10-year high school reunion.

Where: TheaterSpace, George Mason Center for the Arts, Fairfax

When: 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, April 30-May 2; 2 p.m. Saturday and May 2, 3

Info: $8 to $12; 888-945-2468; gmu.edu/cfa

Family

1. “Every Day is Earth Day”: Learn how you can help protect the Earth and take home a native green friend.

Where: Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington

When: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. April 29.

Info: $4; registration required at 703-228-4747; Program #632502U

2. “Strega Nonaa”: When Strega Nona leaves Big Anthony in charge of her house, she warns him not to touch her magic pasta pot. But Anthony can’t resist, and soon the town is swimming in pasta. Can Strega Nona save the day? Perfect for all ages.

Where: Adventure Theatre, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo

When: Beginning Friday, see Web site for performance times

Info: $12 to $15; 301-634-2270; adventuretheatre.org

3. “Heidi”: The beloved book, in which Heidi moves from the Alps to Frankfurt and back to the Alps again, has been turned into a play by Joan Cushing. This version, complete with singing goats, will delight children 5 years old and older.

Where: Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda

When: Through May 17; see Web site for details

Info: $10 to $21; 301-280-1660; imaginationstage.org

4. Baby gorilla: Visit the National Zoo and check up on the baby gorilla, Kabibi. Then stop by to see the baby giant anteater and the baby golden tamarin monkey.

Where: National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW

When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through October.

Info:  Free; 202-633-4800; fonz.org

5. Toad-ally Terrific Campfire: Bring the whole family to enjoy a fire ring and lots of old-fashioned fun: stories, invited animal guests, games, songs and s’mores.

Where: Gulf Branch Nature Center, 3608 Military Road, Arlington

When: 7 to 8:15 Friday and Saturday; programs #632402U and #632402V

Info: $5; registration required at 703-228-4747

Galleries

1. “Reflections/Refractions”: An ideal companion piece to the National Portrait Gallery’s Marcel Duchamp portraiture exhibit, this show features self-portraits on paper by a coterie of influential 20th-century artists, from Childe Hassam to Edward Hopper to Chuck Close to Andy Warhol.

Where: National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F streets NW

When: Through Aug. 16

Info: Free; 202-633-1000, npg.si.edu

2. “Heaven on Earth: Manuscript Illuminations”: On view for the first time since 1975, this collection of more than 50 vibrantly illustrated leaves and four bound volumes dates from the 12th through 16th centuries. Geographically, their origins are spread all across Western Europe. The centuries have robbed these sacred documents of none of their beauty and mystery.

Where: National Gallery of Art, 4th St. and Constitution Ave. NW

When: Through Aug. 2

Info: Free; 202-737-4215, nga.gov

3. “Louise Dahl-Wolfe: Fashion Forward”: Whenever she was praised for the witty and intelligent photos she contributed to Harper’s Baazar between 1936 and 1958, Louise Dahl-Wolfe always protested that she was a frustrated painter. Though she maintained to the end that photography would never be a “fine” art, Dahl-Wolfe certainly elevated the form (not to mention the magazine that employed her), and these 29 photos remind us how.

Where: National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave. NW

When: Through Aug. 30

Info: $10 adults, $8 students and seniors (60+), free for members and visitors age 18 and younger; 202-783-7996, nmwa.org

4. “Selections From the Robert Brown Gallery”: This remarkable exhibition and silent auction doesn’t skimp on the heavyweights: Works by Henri Matisse, Richard Diebenkorn and Ed Ruscha are among the treasures on offer.

Where: Gallery Plan B, 1530 14th St. NW

When: Through May 11

Info: Free; galleryplanb.com

5. Berman, Falls and Harp: Complementary displays of mixed-media paintings by Michael Berman, furniture by master craftsman Matthew Falls and photography by David Harp give this F Street gallery an appealing mix of sights, shapes and textures.

Where: Caos on F, 975 F St. NW

When: Through May 25

Info: caosonf.com

Gatherings

1. Edgeworks Dance Theatre: Washington’s acclaimed all-male company uses a broad spectrum of performance and choreographic styles.

Where: Millennium Theatre, Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW

When: 6 p.m. Friday

Info: Free; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org

2. Geringas Baryton Trio: A cellist’s cellist, Lithuanian David Geringas is held in high esteem in Europe as one of the great cellists of his generation. His trio with violist Hartmut Rohde and cellist Jens-Peter Maintz brings to Washington two programs that reflect Haydn’s Italian and German connections.

Where: Library of Congress, Coolidge Auditorium, ground floor, Thomas Jefferson Building

When: 8 p.m. Friday

Info: Tickets required; 202-707-5502; loc.gov

3. Shakespeare’s Birthday Open House: Celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday! Enjoy jugglers, jesters, music and theater performances, birthday cake and a tour of the Folger reading room.Where: Folger Shakespeare Library, 301 E. Capitol St. SE

When: noon to 4 p.m. Sunday

Info: Free; 202-544-4600; folger.edu

4. Tehreema Mitha Dance Theater: Choreographer/dancer Tehreema Mitha, born and brought up in Pakistan, was trained in the classical style by her mother. Her multicultural dance company from Bethesda is known for melding contemporary and classical styles of Indian dance.

Where: Millennium Theatre, Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW

When: 6 p.m. Monday

Info: Free; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org

5. Czech National Theatre Ballet from Prague: Presented by the Embassy of the Czech Republic, the National Theatre Ballet ensemble comprises the best dancers from the Czech Republic.

Where: Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW

When: 7 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday

Info: $20 to $49; 202-547-1122; shakespeare-theatre.org

Movies

“Lymelife”

Stars: Alec Baldwin, Rory Culkin, Emma Roberts, Kieran Culkin, Jill Hennessy, Timothy Hutton, Cynthia Nixon

Director: Derick Martini

Rated R for language, some sexual content, violence and drug use.

Running Time: 94 minutes

It’s 1979 on Long Island. The future is bright, vulnerable only to that which sucks one’s soul, much like the contagious Lyme disease ironically found on the picturesque deer that populate the island. Fifteen-year-old Scott Bartlett is at the precipice as well, but he’s unlikely to notice with his mom duct-taping him up as protection against the dreaded scourge (a disease, she would be quick to note, they don’t have back in Queens) and his dad busy with building the American Dream in the guise of a planned community called “Bartlettown.” Scott does know he is definitely in love with 16-year-old Adrianna next door, but she may or may not have noticed — her father has the disease and can barely face each new day as her mother now has to head out to work to earn their living by selling new homes in Bartlettown. When Scott’s brother, Jimmy, returns home for a brief stay before shipping out to the Falkland Islands, Scott is relieved to have a ready champion who can fight his battles, help diffuse their parents fighting and generally keep an eye out for him. But when even Jimmy has had enough, Scott is forced to look at his world through a different set of lenses.

“The Soloist”

Journalist Steve Lopez (Robert Downey Jr.) discovers Nathaniel Anthony Ayers (Jamie Foxx), a former classical music prodigy, playing his violin on the streets of L.A. As Lopez endeavors to help the homeless man find his way back, a unique friendship is formed, one that transforms both their lives.

“Earth”

Narrated by James Earl Jones, this documentary from Disneynature follows the path of the sun as it explores our world. Incredible photography allows “Earth” to focus on a trio of animal mothers and their children: polar bears, elephants and humpback whales. It was released on Earth Day.

“The Informers”

In such works as “Less Than Zero” and “American Psycho,” Brett Easton Ellis brilliantly dissects contemporary American society, a culture in which too much is never enough. Now, adapting his own acclaimed novel for the screen, he returns to the Los Angeles of the early 1980s with a multistrand narrative that deftly balances a vast array of characters who represent both the top of the heap (a Hollywood dream merchant, a dissolute rock star, an aging newscaster) and the bottom (a voyeuristic doorman, an amoral ex-con).

“Fighting”

Small-town boy Shawn MacArthur (Channing Tatum) has come to New York City with nothing. Barely earning a living selling counterfeit goods on the streets, his luck changes when scam artist Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard) sees that he has a natural talent for streetfighting. When Harvey offers Shawn help at making the real cash, the two form an uneasy partnership. Almost overnight, he becomes a star brawler, taking down professional boxers, mixed martial arts champs and ultimate fighters in a series of staggeringly intense bouts. But if Shawn ever hopes to escape the dark world in which he’s found himself, he must now face the toughest fight of his life.

“Obsessed”

Idris Elba stars in this thriller as a man who seems to have a perfect life. He is married to Sharon (Beyoncé Knowles), and he has just earned a promotion at work. But destruction looms when a pretty temp (Ali Larter) grows a little too fond of him.

“Paris 36”

In this blue-collar neighborhood, the triumphant election of the Popular Front government is greeted with enthusiasm and hopes for a brighter tomorrow, yet stirs up all kinds of extremism. Among the new government’s promises is the famous law on paid holidays that will allow numerous workers to see the sea for the first time. In early May, three inhabitants of the Faubourg, show-business workers and close friends, do not share other people’s wild hopes; the Chansonia, the music hall that employed them, closed down four months earlier, leaving them all unemployed.

“Jazz in the Diamond District”

After the death of her mother, Jasmine “Jazz” Morgan (Monique Cameron) decides to pursue her dream of becoming a singer — against the wishes of her conservative father. With her young sister (Erica Chamblee) tagging along, Jazz enters Washington, D.C.’s vibrant and sometimes unsavory music scene. But when she gains a following as a singer with a local go-go band, will fame be all she hoped for?

Music

1. Ravi Shankar and Anoushka Shankar: WPAS presents the “godfather of world music” and his daughter in a program of India’s classical sitar music.

Where: Kennedy Center Concert Hall

When: 4 p.m. Saturday

Info: $47 to $77; 202-467-4600, 800-444-1324, kennedy-center.org

2. Guarneri String Quartet: After 45 years, the honored quartet gives its final D.C.-area concert during a yearlong farewell tour performing works by Beethoven, Kodaly and Mendelssohn.

Where: Dekelboum Concert Hall, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, University of Maryland

When: 8 p.m. Friday

Info: $30 ($7 full-time students); 301-405-2787, claricesmithcenter.umd.edu

3. National Symphony Orchestra: David Zinman conducts works by Webern, Schoenberg and Brahms.

Where: Kennedy Center Concert Hall

When: 7 tonight, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Info: $20 to $80; 202-467-4600, 800-444-1324, kennedy-center.org

4. Taste of Russia: Vladimir Spivakov conducts the National Philharmonic of Russia in works by Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff and Liadov.

Where: George Mason University Center for the Arts

When: 8 p.m. Friday

Info: $30 to $60; 888-945-2468, tickets.com

5. Chicago Chamber Musicians: The Discovery Series presents Chicago’s leading chamber institution performing the Schubert Octet and other works.

Where: The Barns at Wolf Trap

When: 8 p.m. Friday

Info: $35; 877-965-3872, wolftrap.org

Outdoors

1.  Adkins Arboretum: Enjoy the beauty of the forest in early spring by searching for ephemeral wildflowers. Join a guided walk led by an arboretum docent naturalist.Guided walks are free for members and are included with admission for the general public. All tours last approximately one hour.

Where: Adkins Arboretum, 12610 Eveland Road, Ridgely, Md. (Tours start at Visitors Center)

When: 11 a.m. Saturdays through November

Info: Free with admission; 410-634-2847; adkinsarboretum.org

2. Local farm foray: What better way to spend the Saturday after Earth Day than in the country visiting two local farms that grow our food in an eco-friendly way? You’ll stop at a local restaurant for lunch (cost not included). Dress for walking in a farmyard.

Where: Meet at Lubber Run Recreation Center, 300 N. Park Drive, Arlington

When: 8:45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday

Info: $30 fee due upon registration; 703-228-3403; registration at 703-228-4747; Program #632404A.

  

3. Spring plant sale: Adults will enjoy this highly anticipated native plant sale. There will be a variety of spring and summer bloomers along with ferns, vines and shrubs. Cardboard boxes provided for transport. Sorry, no credit cards.

Where: Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington

When: 3 p.m. Saturday (rain date: 1to 3 p.m. Sunday)

Info: 703-228-6535

4. Birding trip, Virginia’s Northern Neck: Travel to Westmoreland State Park and George Washington’s birthplace to hear early songbirds and warblers. Dress for the weather and bring binoculars, bag lunch and drinks. Trips include some walking over uneven terrain.

Where: Meet at Lubber Run Center parking lot, 300 N. Park Drive, Arlington

When: 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 28

Info: $25; registration at 703-228-4747

5.  18th Annual Friends of the National Arboretum Garden Fair and Plant Sale: All types of garden supplies for all types of gardeners are on hand at the annual Garden Fair. You’ll find unusual plants, tents full of garden supplies, live family entertainment and food vendors. National Arboretum staff and volunteers will be on hand to answer all of your garden questions. While you’re there, take advantage of thousands of azaleas in peak bloom. 

Where: National Arboretum, 3501 New York Ave. NW

When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday

Info: Free; 202-245-2726; usna.usda.gov

Theater

1. “Rock and Roll”: Tom Stoppard’s sophisticated and humorous exploration of a British academic and a Czech dissident across 20 years of politics and rock ’n’ roll. Using his own personal background — his own family fled Czechoslovakia in the wake of World War II — Stoppard takes an imaginary journey through the life he might have led if he had returned to his native land.

Where: The Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW

When: 8 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 7 p.m. Sunday; through May 31; see Web site for details

Info: $45 to $61; 202-332-3300, studiotheatre.org

2. “The Rise and Fall of Annie Hall”: Henry is a librettist, determined to secure the rights to Woody Allen’s famous film. But the closer he gets to his dreams, the more he betrays his loved ones.

Where: Theatre J, Washington D.C. Jewish Community Center

When: Through May 24; see Web site for details

Info: $21 to $42; 202-518-9400, washingtondcjcc.org

3. “Heroes”: Set in 1959, three World War I soldiers in a Parisian veterans home pass the time with tales that are at once funny and sad. Gerald Sibleyras’ play is translated by Tom Stoppard, with his recognizable wit and brilliant language.

Where: MetroStage, 1201 N. Royal St., Alexandria

When: 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 5 and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, 3 and 7 p.m. Sunday; through May 24

Info: $40 to $45; 703-548-9044, metrostage.org

4. The Acting Company: “Henry V” and “The Spy”: The Acting Company returns to George Mason University to perform Shakespeare’s famous history play and the premiere of an adaptation of James Fenimore Cooper’s Revolutionary-era novel.

Where: George Mason University Center for the Arts, 4400 University Drive, FairfaxWhen: “Henry V”: 8 p.m. Saturday; “The Spy”: 4 p.m. Sunday

Info: $18 to $36; 888-945-2468, gmu.edu/cfa

5. “The Georgetown Boys: A Tribute to Genocide Survival”: The Youth Theater Group of the New Jersey Chapter of the Hamazkayin American Educational and Cultural Society presents “The Georgetown Boys.” After the Armenian Genocide of 1915, thousands of children were orphaned. From among these, 109 children were brought to Georgetown, Canada, a farming town near Toronto, where they were educated and trained in farming. The play centers on one of the boys who returns to visit Georgetown.

Where: The Family Theatre, The Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday

Info: 703-836-0827, 301-740-2751, kennedy-center.org

— Compiled by Emily Cary, Chris Klimek and Barbara Mackay