Best Music 1. National Symphony Orchestra: Hannu Lintu conducts five orchestrations of Debussy’s Preludes by Colin Matthews, Sibelius’ Symphony No. 5. and Steven Mackey’s “Beautiful Passing” performed by violinist Leila Josefowicz.
Where: Kennedy Center Concert Hall
When: 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. AfterWords following Thursday concert: free discussion with Lintu, Josefowicz and NSO Director of Artistic Planning Nigel Boon.
Info: $20 to $85; 202-467-4600, 800-444-1324; kennedy-center.org
2. Christopher Cross: The rock/pop star performs songs from his newest album, “Doctor Faith,” and his favorite standards.
Where: The Barns at Wolf Trap
When: 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday
Info: $45; 877-865-3872; wolftrap.org
3. Eddie From Ohio: The popular local ensemble moves in for three evenings. Special guests: Dan Navarro on Friday, Jake Armerding on Saturday, Native Run on Sunday.
Where: The Birchmere
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday
4. Cheikh Ndoye and Friends: With special guests Frederic Yonnet and Karen Briggs.
Where: Blues Alley
When: 8 and 10 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Info: $35; 202-337-4141; bluesalley.com
5. Paul Cebar & Tomorrow Sound: A dance for the whole audience.
Where: The Barns of Wolf Trap
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Info: $22; 877-865-3872; wolftrap.org
Best Brainfood
1. Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Program: The Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum hosts an event with remarks by Harry E. Johnson Sr., president and CEO of the Washington, D.C., Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation. The evening also includes a step performance.
Where: Baird Auditorium, National Museum of Natural History, 10th Street and Constitution Avenue NW
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Info: Free, but reservations suggested; 202-633-4875; nbh.si.edu
2. Native Storytelling Festival: For many American Indian tribes, winter is regarded as storytelling season. To celebrate this tradition, the National Museum of the American Indian welcomes: Quileute storyteller Chris Morganroth III for the opening of the exhibition; Tsimshian carver David Boxley, the Git-Hoan (“People of the Salmon”) Dancers; and students from the St. Labre Indian School in Montana, who will perform powwow-style dances and drumming.
Where: National Museum of the American Indian, Fourth Street and Independence Avenue SW
When: Friday to Sunday
Info: Free; 202-633-1000; nmai.si.edu
3. Mariinsky Ballet: “Les Saisons Russes”: Boasting an artistic legacy that spans more than 200 years, St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Ballet returns with “Les Saisons Russes” (“The Russian Seasons”), featuring three works by Michel Fokine: “Chopiniana,” “Scheherazade” and “The Firebird.”
Where: Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW
When: Tuesday through Jan. 22
Info: $29 to $150; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
4. Matisse Cutouts: During the last 15 years of his life, Henri Matisse developed his final artistic triumph by “cutting into color.” The drama, scale and innovation of Matisse’s rare and fragile papiers coupes remain without precedent. His technique involved the freehand cutting of colored papers into beautiful shapes. This group of cutouts represents one of the largest concentrations of these important works in the world.
Where: East Building, National Gallery of Art, Fourth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW
When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Saturday, 11 and 3 p.m. Sunday
Info: Free; 202-737-4215; nga.gov
5. Happenings at the Harman: Chelsey Green, the “Green Violinist,” will return to Happenings with her musical mastery.
Where: Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW
When: Noon to 1 p.m. Jan. 18
Info: Free; 202-547-1122; shakespearetheatre.org
Best Family
1. “Peter and the Wolf”: This one-man show, performed by puppet master Christopher Piper, is based on Russia’s popular tale of good versus evil. The performance starts with an introduction to musical instruments used to signify each of the characters, then blends in the story of Peter and his animal friends.
Where: The Puppet Company, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo
When: Friday through Feb. 29
Info: $10; 301-634-5380; thepuppetco.org
2. Notable Nature: Learn abut nature journaling. Begin by constructing your own nature journal, then head out to reconnect and record nature’s wonders. Kids ages 6 and older. Info: 703-228-6535.
Where: Long Branch Nature Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington
When: 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday
Info: Free; registration required; 703-228-4747; program No. 622922-L
3. “Mouse on the Move”: Nellie and Amelia are two adventurous mice ready to explore the universe. They decide to try the moon, since it is cat-free and made of delicious cheese. For children 1 to 5 years old.
Where: Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Ave., Bethesda
When: Through Feb. 5
Info: $10; 301-280-1660; imaginationstage.org
4. Raptors of Virginia: Learn to identify local hawks and falcons and get a close look a live birds. Join members of the Raptor Conservancy of Virginia as they share their insights into these fascinating predators. Adults and children ages 10 and older. Info: 703-228-6535.
Where: Meet at Long Branch Recreation Center, 625 S. Carlin Springs Road
When: 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday
Info: Free, but donation to RCV appreciated; registration required, 703-228-4747; program No. 622952-P
5. Precious Metals: Gold: Gold has captured the imagination of people and cultures around the world. Find out about the element gold, learn how it is used in coins and jewelry, and hear some fabulous stories about this mystical metal.
Where: Meet at Gulf Branch Nature Center, 3608 Military Road, Arlington
When: 4 to 5 p.m. Saturday
Info: $5; registration required, 703-228-4747; program No. 622822-G
Best Outdoors
1. Ice Skating and Pizza Party with expert lessons: You don’t have to be a hockey star or an Olympic skater to have fun on the ice. Come join others for a private skating lesson with pizza party to follow. Price includes: lesson, skate rental, pizza, fabulous setting.
Where: National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice Rink, Ninth Street and Constitution Avenue NW
When: 7:15 to 9:45 p.m. Thursday
Info: $35; thingstododc.com
2. Schaeffer Farm White Trail: Moderate to challenging bike/walking trail good for scenic hikes and mountain biking. Very well-marked and easy-to-follow trail. Most of the white Trail is single-track, hard-packed dirt that winds its way through the woods and open fields. Great scenery and wildlife.
Where: Germantown (see website for directions)
When: Any day
Info: Free; 301-924-1998; localhikes.com
3. East of the Anacostia River: In D.C.’s last area to urbanize, there are acres of open riverfront, plus notable Civil War history and magnificent views. Bring your binoculars and take in the abundant wildlife — you may even see bald eagles.
Where: African American Heritage Trail (see website)
When: Any day
Info: Free; culturaltourismdc.org
4. Birding Black Hills Regional Park: Adults, join other bird enthusiasts to travel to Black Hill’s Little Seneca Lake, which draws a diversity of waterfowl. This is a one-mile walk on rough trails.
Where: Meet at Lubber Run Recreation Center, 300 N. Park Drive, Arlington
When: 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday
Info: $25; registration required, 703-228-4747; program No. 622942-E
5. Visit Riverbend Park: Once a property belonging to George Washington, the stately manor house and gardens, home of the American Horticultural Society, have tremendous history associated with Washington and Jefferson.
Where: 7931 E. Boulevard Drive, Alexandria
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday
Info: 703-768-5700; ahs.org
Best Theater
1. “Romeo and Juliet”: The classic story of two young lovers divided by a family feud borrows heavily from the tradition of the Italian commedia dell’arte. This high-octane version, featuring five actors in a one-hour cutting, brings physical spectacle to Shakespeare’s poetry and highlights tragedy by juxtaposing it with humor.
Where: Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint, 916 G St. NW
When: 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, through Feb. 4
Info: $15 to $20; 800-838-3006; factionoffools.org
2. “Little Murders”: Jules Feiffer’s hilarious, biting satire focuses on the anarchy engulfing one New York City family in the 1960s.
Where: American Century Theatre
When: Through Feb. 11
Info: $27 to $35; 703-998-4555; americancentury.org
3. “Ann”: Gov. Ann Richards was living proof that everything was bigger in Texas, including her heart and wit. Holland Taylor offers a hilarious look at this beloved Texas daughter.
Where: Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW
When: Through Sunday
Info: $54 to $95; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
4. “Time Stands Still”: Holly Twyford stars in this drama by Donald Margulies about a globe-trotting photojournalist who returns home injured from the battlefield in Iraq and must choose between her dangerous profession and a safer, quieter domestic life.
Where: The Studio Theatre, 1501 14th St. NW
When: Through Feb. 12
Info: $35 to $60; 202-332-3300; studiotheatre.org
5. “The Religion Thing”: Mo and Brian are a picture-perfect D.C. couple: They’re smart, they’re witty, and they have a beautifully remodeled kitchen. But when Mo’s best friend Patti announces she’s found Jesus and is putting her own career on hold, Mo must take a closer look at the harder truths surrounding her own marriage.
Where: Theater J, 1529 16th St. NW
When: Through Jan. 29
Info: $15 to $60; 202-518-9400; dcjcc.org
Best Gatherings
1. “Saudi Arabia On the Edge”: In his sixth book on the Middle East, Thomas Lippman, a veteran journalist and former adjunct senior fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations, draws on extensive interviews and firsthand observations of Saudi Arabia to outline the challenges this country presents to itself and to U.S. interests in the region.
Where: Politics and Prose Bookstore, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Info: Free; 202-364-1919; politics-prose.com
2. Basic Gardening: Gardening on a Shoestring”: Master gardeners share ways to get the best value for your gardening budget.
Where: Green Spring Gardens Park, 4603 Green Spring Road, Alexandria
When: 1:30 p.m. Friday
Info: $10; 703-642-5173
3. Boombox Orchestra Conservatory Walk: Bring a cassette boombox if you have one and be part of a roving audio experience led by experimental music duo, Bluebrain. Participants will be given a cassette tape containing a different individual track of a larger piece composed by Bluebrain. The duo will lead a walk through various galleries, temporarily transforming the sonic landscape of the U.S. Botanic Garden.
Where: Meet in Garden Court, United States Botanic Garden, 100 Maryland Ave. SW
When: 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday
Info: Free; 202-225-8333; preregistration necessary; usbg.gov; [email protected]
4. Let Freedom Ring! Featuring Bobby McFerrin and the Let Freedom Ring Choir: A Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration hosted by the Kennedy Center and Georgetown University. Free tickets will be given away — two per person in line — in the Hall of Nations at 5 p.m. Monday on a first-come, first-served basis.
Where: Concert Hall, Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW
When: 6 p.m. Monday
Info: Free, but tickets required; 202-467-4600; kennedy-center.org
5. “Broke-ology”: Join Theater Alliance for a reading of this play about a loving black family facing its troubles with humor, resilience and grace. Set in a beleaguered Kansas City neighborhood, two grown brothers try to balance the challenges of their lives with their desire to care for their father.
Where: Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, 545 Seventh St. NE
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Info: chaw.org
Best Galleries
1. The Death of Ellsworth: A personal friend of President Lincoln, Col. Elmer E. Ellsworth was the first Union officer killed in the Civil War. The is the first in a series of yearlong exhibitions commemorating the 150th anniversary of the conflict.
Where: National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F streets NW
When: Through March 18
Info: Free; 202-633-1000; npg.si.edu
2. New York Society of Etchers Invitational: Ten artists from the New York Society of Etchers address a panoply of subjects in a show unified by its mastery of varied techniques: lift ground, soft ground, spit bite, aquatint, straw hat and white ground etching. See the show and learn the lingo.
Where: Washington Printmakers Gallery at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, 2nd floor, 3230 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring
When: Through Jan. 28
Info: Free; 301-273-3660; washingtonprintmakers.com
3. Willem de Looper: Paintings 1968-72: Abstract artist de Looper might be the only Phillips Collection employee ever to rise from the post of museum guard to curator of the museum. This collection from his most fertile period dates to 1972, the year he became assistant curator at the Phillips, before assuming the top job a decade later.
Where: Hemphill, 1515 14th St. NW
When: Through March 10
Info: Free; 202-234-5601; hemphillfinearts.com
4. Art @ Work: Visitors can observe the work of Albus Cavus, an organization dedicated to strengthening communities through public art, as it proceeds on three on-site mural constructions culminating in their official unveilings in a party on Feb. 17.
Where: The Joan Hisaoka Healing Arts Gallery at Smith Farm Center, 1632 U St. NW
When: Through Feb. 18
Info: Free; 202-483-8600; smithfarm.com/gallery
5. Reverb + Echo: A Haitian Landscape: Keith Lane and Jenna Crowder explore post-earthquake Haiti in these photographs of simple life scenes.
Where: Gallery 555, 555 12th St. NW
When: Through Jan. 28
Info: Free; gallery555dc.com
