The Agenda News April, 2021

A Guide to Places to Go & Things to Do in
Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Northwest DC & Northern Virginia
©® 2021 Bob Joiner PO Box 71024 Chevy Chase, MD 20813-1024 The Agenda News is updated via Twitter @ twitter.com/BobsAgendaNews For more information, seE About US following the Television column

contents

Regional Highlights Local News: Chevy Chase/Bethesda Arts & Crafts Galleries National Smithsonian Independent Books Dance Family Film Gardens & Homes Museums Music Washington Virginia Maryland Opera Theatre Washington Virginia Maryland Television About Us
WETA TV will feature climate activist Greta Thunburg in a program titled "A Year to Change the World" on April 28 - Photo: Banfa Jawla and BBC/ BBC STUDIOS See the TELEVISION COLUMN

regional highlights

The Smithsonian National Zoo & all Smithsonian galleries and museums are closed temporarily. However, the Zoo Panda Cam, where viewers may see live videos of the new baby panda Xiao Qi Jin - "Little Miracle" and Mom is usually available. Many admirers have spent hours following the activities of the playful pandas. Visit https://nationalzoo.si.edu/webcams/panda-cam
"Little Miracle" & Mom share a delicious stick of bamboo - it's soooooo good!
The Smithsonian Women's Committee will present Craft Optimism 2021 - a curated, climate-conscious makers' market in collaboration with Honoring the Future® ONLINE April 24-May 1. Experts in the craft community have nominated artists and makers for their high quality of their crafts in a wide variety of media and for their commitment to combat climate change. Honoring the Future® is an initiative that aims to harness the power of art to educate, empower and engage the public on climate change. Proceeds from Craft Optimism 2021 will support grants to the Smithsonian. To learn more about Honoring the Future, visit www.honoringthefuture.orgVisit https://smithsoniancraftshow.org/craft-optimism-2021/ The Kennedy Center has canceled all live performances through April 25. The Kennedy Center Honors, recognizing the accomplishments of Debbie Allen, Joan Baez, Garth Brooks, Midori and Dick Van Dyke, will be filmed May 17-22 and broadcast on June 6 by CBS. The Kennedy Center will celebrate its 50 birthday in its 2021-22 season, starting with free activities on September 11-12 and 18-19. The celebration will officially start on September 14 as conductor Michael Tilson Thomas hosts a multidisciplinary performance. Washington National Opera productions planned for May and June at the Kennedy Center have been canceled, as have Broadway touring shows scheduled for next summer. Visit https://www.kennedy-center.org/ The Smithsonian Folklife Festival will take place virtually - again - in June.
 The annual DC Jazz Fest will take place live - hopefully - in September.
 Historic Garden Week in Virginia, presented by the Garden Club of Virginia, will take place April 17-24 – beginning in Alexandria. Visitors can tour private landscapes, public gardens and historic sites across Virginia and enjoy the Commonwealth at the peak of springtime blossoms. An estimated 2,200 floral arrangements created by GCV members will enhance tour properties. Historic Garden Week 2021 will include 30 unique tours organized and hosted by 48 member clubs located from the foothills of the Shenandoah Valley all the way to the beaches of Tidewater. Throughout Central Virginia and almost to North Carolina, the full range of Virginia’s landscape is showcased through the tours hosted by member clubs. For information about the tours, beginning with Alexandria, visit https://www.vagardenweek.org/main/tour-details/472/old-town-alexandria RETURN TO HOME PAGE

LOCAL NEWS: CHEVY CHASE/ BETHESDA

GARDENS: The Garden Club of Chevy Chase will host a Garden Tour on Sunday, May 2 from Noon to 4 p.m. The tour will feature six charming private gardens in historic Chevy Chase Village. Tickets are $35 until April 27 and $40 thereafter. The proceeds will benefit the preservation, restoration and beautification of community gardens and projects which promote the love of gardening, knowledge of horticulture, environmental protection and civic beautification. Visit GARDENCLUBOFCHEVYCHASE.ORG SHOPPING: Construction of the new grocery store that will replace the former Giant in The Collection at Chevy Chase is in its final stage. There is considerable activity inside as well as outside of the building, but the windows have been smudged so that details cannot be seen by passersby. Mature trees have been planted in front of the building, and the driveway has been cleared of debris. Charles Schwartz & Son has not yet made their planned move from Mazza Gallerie to the Barlow Building on Wisconsin Ave. in Chevy Chase. Their future space is being completely remodeled. Room & Board plans to open a branch of their artisan-crafted furniture and home décor chain on Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda Row this coming Fall. The Minneapolis-based company offers design services as well as furniture. They have a branch at 14th and T Street, NW in D.C. Full-service delivery will be available. Visit https://www.roomandboard.com/ DINING: Rodman's Discount Gourmet on Wisconsin Avenue plans to enlarge their Café by adding an outdoor dining area with tables and chairs. The café offers a selection of coffees, teas and pastries and can be entered through the store or via an entrance just off the Avenue.
 Little Beet Table plans to reopen in The Collection this Spring. The opening will add to the growing list of restaurants in The Collection: Clyde’s, Potomac Pizza, Sushiko, and the future Hunter’s Hound and Junction Bistro, Bar & Bakery. The new grocery store which will replace Giant, will also have a café. Chef Jose Andres plans to open a branch of his Spanish Diner in space formerly occupied by a branch of his Jaleo chain at 7271 Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda Row. Spanish Diner is a casual Spanish restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurants are known for offering large portions of Spanish dishes.
 Levain Bakery plans to open a branch at 4844 Elm Street in Bethesda Row. The bakery - founded in New York City in 1995 – is known for delicious cookies. Visit https://levainbakery.com/
 Anthropologie in Bethesda Row plans to reopen Terrain Café, this Spring. The café has been closed during the pandemic. Their recipes feature “hand-selected local produce, meats, seafood, and dairy products in their seasonal menus." Rōti Modern Mediterranean, a fast-casual chain offering traditional Mediterranean flavors and ingredients, reopened on Willard Avenue in March. The restaurant had closed temporarily at the start of the pandemic. Potbelly, the adjacent restaurant, reopened earlier. HEALTH: Kaiser Permanente is preparing to open a Micro Clinic on the street level of Wisconsin Place at 5402 Wisconsin Avenue - Suite B. A Fall opening in projected. A branch of BCBGMaxaztia – a deluxe shop offering apparel for women – formerly occupied the space. MOVIES: The AMC Georgetown 14 Theatres, located at 3111 K Street, Northwest in D.C., are open with limitations.Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema has not reopened. Avalon Theatre - DC's only nonprofit film center - closed in March, 2020 due to the ongoing pandemic. The managers foresee reopening in the near future, hopefully by this summer. The Avalon will not reopen, however, "until sufficient members of the staff have had the chance to be fully vaccinated. Plus, the theatre is undergoing a number of upgrades that must be completed before the theare can be reopened. Meanwhile, Virtual Avalon continues to bring a great selection of curated independent films right to your home. For information about Virtual Avalon, visit https://virtualavalon.org/main/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE
METRO’s Western Division Garage as seen from 44th Street

arts & crafts national galleries

The National Gallery of Art (NGA) is closed temporarily due to the pandemic. The Sculpture Garden is open, with limitations, but the Skating Rink remains closed. Visithttps://www.nga.gov/
 NGA Online Editions (œ) presents the most current, in-depth information on the Gallery’s collections by the world’s leading art historians along with rich capabilities for exploring that information. Visit https://www.nga.gov/research/online-editions.html/
The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) is now open and is exhibiting Mary Ellen Mark: Girlhood thru July 11. Mark (1940–2015) “documented people around the world who would otherwise be unknown or forgotten. The exhibition can be seen online at https://nmwa.org/whats-on/exhibitions/ Visit https://nmwa.org/exhibitions/mary-ellen-mark-girlhood/
 Sonya Clark: Tatter, Bristle, and Mend at NMWA thru July 11 is the first survey of textile artist Sonya Clark’s 25-year career. The exhibition includes the artist’s well-known mixed-media sculptures that address race and visibility, explore Blackness, and redress history. The exhibition can be seen online at https://nmwa.org/whats-on/exhibitions/ Visithttps://nmwa.org/exhibitions/sonya-clark-tatter-bristle-and-mend/ Reclamation: Recipes, Remedies, and Rituals, an innovative online exhibition, is being displayed by the NMWA through December 31, 2021. The exhibition “examines food as a creative medium for visual art and a connective tool for exploring intergenerational and intercultural experiences." The participatory exhibition features nine interdisciplinary artists. RECLAMATION also features content submitted by the public, interwoven with the artists’ work. Visit https://nmwa.org/exhibitions/reclamation-recipes-remedies-rituals/
 NMWA will continue to offer virtual programming and exhibitions via https://nmwa.org/nmwa-at-home RETURN TO HOME PAGE
National Museum of Women in the Arts

smithsonian Galleries

The Smithsonian American Art Museum & Renwick Gallery have moved their public programming online, All programs are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. The programs are offered exclusively online with no in-person option. Registration is required via Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/o/smithsonian-american-art-museum-and-renwick-gallery-29134541119
The Renwick Gallery
The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery remains temporarily closed due to COVID-19. All events and programs are presented virtually. For more information about the gallery's remote programs, explore the “Visit at Home” page of the museum’s website at https://npg.si.edu/ The Portrait Gallery premiered the third season of its PORTRAITS podcasts in March. The podcasts, hosted by Gallery Director Kim Sajet, explore the real stories of extraordinary people and portraiture as they take listeners beneath the surface of artworks in the museum. All-new episodes for season three will premiere biweekly, on Tuesdays, and will continue into June. Listeners can download the first two seasons of PORTRAITS and all new episodes, as season three unfolds, at npg.si.edu/podcasts The Portrait Gallery has appointed Rhea L. Combs as its new director of curatorial affairs, effective May 10. Combs comes to the gallery from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, where she has served as curator of film and photography and head of the museum’s Earl W. and Amanda Stafford Center for African American Media Arts. At the Portrait Gallery, she will work with the museum’s Curatorial, History, Conservation and Audience Engagement departments to draw connections between portraiture, biography and identity.
The Smithsonian Women's Committee will present Craft Optimism 2021 - a curated, climate-conscious makers' market in collaboration with Honoring the Future® April 24-May 1. Experts in the craft community have nominated artists and makers for the high quality of their crafts in a wide variety of media and for their commitment to combat climate change. Honoring the Future® is an initiative that aims to harness the power of art to educate, empower and engage the public on climate change. Proceeds from Craft Optimism 2021 will support grants to the Smithsonian. To learn more about Honoring the Future, visit www.honoringthefuture.orgVisit https://smithsoniancraftshow.org/craft-optimism-2021/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE
Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet

independent galleries

Artechouse DC is displaying Renewal 2121 thru September 6. It's the 4th Annual Cherry Blossom Inspired Installation and seeks to inspire hope amid the global pandemic and concerns of climate change. The installation features visual design by Yuya Takeda, music by Mario Hammer and the Lonely Robot, and scenery by Design Foundry. Artechouse is at 1238 Maryland Ave., SW in D.C. It's a 5-10 minute walk from the Smithsonian and L’Enfant Plaza Metro stops. Visit https://www.artechouse.com/location/dc/
The Phillips Collection reopened in March with a celebration of the Collection's centennial year. The celebration featured an exhibition titled Seeing Differently: The Phillips Collects for a New Century, which is on display thru September 12. The exhibition offers “many fresh perspectives on over 200 major works by artists from the 19th century to the present, including paintings, works on paper, photographs, quilts, sculptures, and film." The exhibition can be seen online via YouTube @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1pipM03Zb0&t=42s Meanwhile, The Collection continues to present digital offerings; all public programs are virtual. Visit https://www.phillipscollection.org/ Arlington Arts Center in Virginia reopened their galleries to the public in March. Two new exhibitions are on display: Stretched and Ryan McCoy: From an Abyss. They will both run through June 5. Stretched features works by Amna Asghar, Rushern Baker IV, Erick Antonio Benitez, Mark Joshua Epstein, Saskia Fleishman, Jen Noone, Katherine Tzu-Lan Mann, Madeline A. Stratton, and Rives Wiley. Both exhibitions are complemented by online programs, including artist talks hosted on Zoom throughout April and May. Visit www.arlingtonartscenter.org The Kreeger Museum in Northwest D.C. reopened on April 1. The museum has extended the display of TRACES through May 29. TRACES features regional artists Billy Friebele, Roxana Alger Geffen, Rania Hassan, Sebastian Martorana, Katherine Tzu-Lan Mann, Antonio McAfee, Brandon Morse, and Johab Silva. The show “explores how the past evokes shifting memories while suggesting new and present narratives.” The exhibition is guest curated by Sarah Tanguy. Visit www.kreegermuseum.org/ The American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center is now displaying Spring exhibitions virtually. The exhibits are Peace Corps at 60; “The Long Sixties and the Need for Politically Engaged Art; and Raya Bodnarchuk’s Advice to “Do something you love every day."
Visit https://www.american.edu/cas/museum/ Target Gallery, the contemporary exhibition space of Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, VA, is exhibiting Those Spaces Between Us through May 22. The exhibition features works by 23 artists, including 11 from the greater D.C. metropolitan region. The show “takes an introspective view of how space is occupied or left alone. It’s a hybrid digital and in-person exhibition that explores transition, ambiguity, and being on the threshold of change." Visit http://torpedofactory.org/partners/target-gallery/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE
The Kreeger Museum

BOOKS

The National Archives will stream a discussion with author Karen Tulmulty about her book titled The Triumph of Nancy Reagan on YouTube on April 29, at 7 p.m. In her book, she discusses how the “made-in-Hollywood marriage of Ronald and Nancy Reagan is more than a love story—it’s the partnership that made him President.” Visit: https://youtu.be/9SaLPIHDjMw The National Archives will stream a discussion with Daniel Carpenter about his book titled Democracy by Petition: Popular Politics in Transformation, 1790–1870 via YouTube on May 19, at noon. In his book Carpenter shows that democracy in America emerged "through the transformation of an ancient political tool: the petition, which afforded women and men, excluded from formal politics, the chance to make their voices heard. ” Visit: https://youtu.be/cNs0UtDD0hU RETURN TO HOME PAGE

DANCE

Dana Tai Soon Burgess Photo Credit: Tom Wolff
Bowen McCauley Dance Company will have their Spring Virtual Performance Opener on May 26. The company will return for a FREE "live from the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater” performance simulcast via web streaming. The show will open with a reprise of “Dances of the Yogurt Maker” - Lucy Bowen McCauley and Turkish Composer Erberk Eryilmaz’s first collaboration. The company will honor two longtime principal dancers, Alicia Curtis and Dustin Kimball. The second half of the performance will feature a world premiere by Lucy set to the music of composer Maurice Ravel, with a live piano solo by Nikola Paskalov. Visit http://www.bmdc.org/
 RETURN TO HOME PAGE
Bowen McCauley Dance Company Photo by Tom Mallet

family

The 7th edition of Georgetown GLOW has shifted from Winter to Spring and Summer 2021 – an extended, two-part series featuring a total of eight art works by local DC artists, to ensure a safer and more comfortable visitor experience. The Spring Edition is in progress in the Georgetown Commercial District, thru June 27. Set against the historic backdrop of DC’s oldest neighborhood, it’s the region’s only free curated outdoor public light art experience. Established in 2014, the innovative exhibition is one of DC’s annual traditions. Five artworks will be on display both day and night. Each artwork location allows for social distancing. Visit http://www.georgetownglowdc.com/
Imagination Stage in Bethesda, MD, is presenting Spy Academy & The Lost Treasure of Atlantis, virtually, thru May 23. Participants – called spy cadets – help a “madcap team of expert spies” find the lost treasure of Atlantis. It’s “a creative and immersive theatrical experience” and “a live virtual event perfect for ages 5 – 10.” Visit https://imaginationstage.org/

film

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company and American Conservatory Theater announced the filming in March of an original film of The Bushwick Starr’s critically-acclaimed production of Animal Wisdom, created by and starring Heather Christian. The Bushwick Starr is an award-winning neighborhood playhouse serving the Bushwick, Brooklyn community. Animal Wisdom will be released on May 15 on Broadway on Demand and will be available for streaming through June 13. Tickets are on sale now at www.animalwisdomfilm.com Arena Stage is screening online memorable films and stories that reveal "the fears, anxieties and hopes for the future and the work that is still to be done."Visit https://www.arenastage.org/tickets/arena-stage-films/ The AMC Georgetown 14 Theatres have reopened - with limitations. Landmark Bethesda Row Theatre has not reopened.
Avalon Theatre - DC's only nonprofit film center - closed in March, 2020 due to the ongoing pandemic. The managers foresee reopening in the near future, hopefully by this summer. Meanwhile, Virtual Avalon continues to bring a great selection of curated independent films right to your home. For information about Virtual Avalon, visit https://virtualavalon.org/main/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE

GARDENS & HOMES

The City of Alexandria's newest public art installation, Groundswell by Mark Reigelman in Alexandria’s Waterfront Park, focuses on the gradual expansion of the city's waterfront. Starting in the 18th century, thousands of wood pilings were driven deeper and deeper into the Potomac River. This allowed the dock to grow and Alexandria to become a major commercial port. The installation features a ground mural depicting the floor of the Potomac River and more than 100 wood pilings throughout the site. The artwork will remain on view until November 2021. Visit alexandriava.gov/PublicArt
Tudor Place has reopened its Historic House & Garden in Georgetown, D.C. on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. Multiple generations of Martha Washington’s descendants and enslaved workers and servants lived and worked there. Tudor Place has the largest Washington Collection outside of Mount Vernon. Visit www.tudorplace.org
Tudor Place Garden view in April 2021 Photo Courtesy of Tudor Place Historic House & Garden.
The Garden Club of Chevy Chase will host a Garden Tour on Sunday, May 2 from Noon to 4 p.m. The tour will feature six charming private gardens in historic Chevy Chase Village. Tickets are $35 until April 27 and $40 thereafter. The proceeds will benefit the preservation, restoration and beautification of community gardens and projects which promote the love of gardening, knowledge of horticulture, environmental protection and civic beautification. Visit GARDENCLUBOFCHEVYCHASE.ORG The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden is open, with limitations, but The Skating Rink remains closed. Visit https://www.nga.gov/collection/sculpture-garden.html Historic Garden Week in Virginia, presented by the Garden Club of Virginia (GCV), will take place April 17-24 – beginning in Alexandria. Visitors can tour private landscapes, public gardens and historic sites across Virginia and enjoy the Commonwealth at the peak of Spring. An estimated 2,200 floral arrangements created by GCV members will enhance tour properties. The week will include 30 unique tours organized and hosted by 48 member clubs located from the foothills of the Shenandoah Valley all the way to the beaches of Tidewater. The full range of Virginia’s landscape is showcased through the tours. For information about the tours, beginning with Alexandria, visit https://www.vagardenweek.org/main/tour-details/472/old-town-alexandria The U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory (USBG) on Capitol Hill remains closed due to the pandemic, as are the gated outdoor gardens. Virtual tours of the Conservatory and Park can be seen at https://www.usbg.gov/take-virtual-tour The USBG will offer spring programs online in April and May, including the celebration of the Garden’s 200th anniversary through a two-part series. Most of the programs are FREE. For program information and registration, visit www.USBG.gov/OnlinePrograms
 The traditional Washington National Cathedral Flower Mart, which is normally All Hallows Guild's largest fundraiser, will not take place in May this year due to COVID-19 precautions. The Mart had been held since 1939. On a happier note, the Gardens and Grounds remain open - or may be visited online – and are among the very few public gardens that have remained open throughout the pandemic. Visit https://allhallowsguild.org/ In addition, the Cathedral has launched an online Garden Tour. It’s now possible to enjoy the beautiful spaces with a musical background and helpful narration. See the online Garden Tour at https://allhallowsguild.org/visit-us/cathedral-gardens-virtual-tour/ Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens has reopened and is exhibiting The Porcelain Flowers of Vladimir Kanevsky throughout the mansion to September 5. Born in Ukraine and now based in Fort Lee, New Jersey, Kanevsky sculpts each flower by hand. Pieces are shaped, painted, fired, and assembled, petal by petal. His flower sculptures “spring to life throughout Hillwood." Featuring nearly 35 works, the exhibition is next in a series of collaborations with contemporary artists. Visit https://www.hillwoodmuseum.org/exhibitions/porcelain-flowers-vladimir-kanevsky
George Washington's Mount Vernon now offers tours of the first floor of the mansion. A timed ticket is required. In addition, guests can visit museum exhibits, the gardens and grounds of the estate. Visit https://www.mountvernon.org/the-estate-gardens/the-mansion/
Dumbarton House in Georgetown, DC offers self-guided tours Friday through Sunday. Tours must be booked online or by phone. Reservations are required. Dumbarton House is owned by The Colonial Dames and is not to be confused with Dumbarton Oaks. For information about Dumbarton House, visithttp://dumbartonhouse.org/
A view of the Garden at Washington National Cathedral
Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, MD has reopened the Visitor Center and Gift Shop. The Conservatory remains closed. As always, the outdoor gardens are open from sunrise to sunset. Visit www.montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/brookside-gardens/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE
A view of Brookside Garden in the Spring

MUSEUMS

The National Building Museum reopened on April 9 with new exhibitions including: A showcase of MASS Design Group, an industry-leading nonprofit architectural firm focused on public health, personal well-being, and social justice; The D.C. debut of the Gun Violence Memorial Project, an architectural space of remembrance and healing; The work of master architectural photographer Alan Karchmer; and A new Visitor Center that will help visitors understand the Museum’s mission and scope. Visit https://www.nbm.org/
The National Building Museum
Planet Word, which is an immersive language museum located at the historic Franklin School on 13st Street N.W. in downtown D.C., reopened on April 1. The a voice-activated museum (the world’s first!), and interactive galleries and exhibits bring words and language to life in all sorts of entertaining ways for visitors of all ages. Visit https://planetwordmuseum.org/
Planet Word
The International Spy Museum is open with new safety measures in place including capacity limitations, social distancing guidelines, mask requirements, and enhanced cleaning protocols. Advance ticket purchase is recommended. Visit https://www.spymuseum.org/
 The Smithsonian Institution has closed the National Zoo, and all galleries and museums temporarily. However, the Smithsonian Gardens, including the Enid A. Haupt Garden near the Castle, are open. The Museum of the Bible in Southwest D.C. is exhibiting, with limitations, Stations of the Cross, thru May 2, 2021. The exhibition is displayed on fourteen stages and is said to "offer a profound platform for meditation, education, and prayer.” Visit www.museumofthebible.org/ The National Geographic Museum, Museum Store, and campus are temporarily closed, but you can visit the highly-regarded exhibition titled “WOMEN: A Century of Change” virtually. The exhibition celebrates the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage by exploring images from National Geographic's historic archives that depict women from around the world. You can also read more about the historic efforts to pass the 19th amendment in the August issue of National Geographic magazine, which is online athttps://www.nationalgeographic.org/events/visit/women-vr/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE

MUSIC IN WASHINGTON

Washington Bach Consort, led by Dr. Dana T. Marsh, Artistic Director, will broadcast live performances directly to listeners in the Spring. The concerts will be performed via YouTube in iconic Washington churches. Upcoming concerts will be on: April 22: Polyphonic Splendors of the Iberian Renaissance - a journey to sixteenth-century Portugal and Spain featuring music of Vicente Lusitano, Cristóbal de Morales, Francisco Guerrero, and Tomás Luis de Victoria. The performance will be recorded at Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral.May 20: Devotion & Contemplation - Dieterich Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu nostri. Recorded at The Franciscan Monastery. Visit https://bachconsort.org/
Dr. Dana T. Marsh, Artistic Director
The Kennedy Center has canceled all scheduled live performances through April 25, but is now presenting Digital Stage +. For information about Digital Stage +, visit https://www.kennedy-center.org/digitalstage/plus/ Washington National Opera productions planned for May and June have been canceled, as have Broadway touring shows scheduled for next summer. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performances which were planned for February 2-7 have been moved to June 22 -27. The Kennedy Center Honors, recognizing the accomplishments of Debbie Allen, Joan Baez, Garth Brooks, Midori and Dick Van Dyke, will be filmed May 17-22 and broadcast on June 6 by CBS. The Kennedy Center will celebrate its 50 birthday in its 2021-22 season, starting with free activities on September 11-12 and 18-19. The celebration will officially start on September 14 as conductor Michael Tilson Thomas hosts a multidisciplinary performance. Visit https://www.kennedy-center.org/
 Washington Performing Arts (WPA) has expanded its online subscription series titled Home Delivery Plus. The series features paid-admission performances and companion experiences. Visit www.washingtonperformingarts.org/seasontickets/home-delivery/
 Dumbarton Concerts will stream a performance by the Catalyst Quartet on May 1. Founded in 2010, it is praised for its “rhythmic energy, polyphonic clarity and tight ensemble-playing.” Visit https://www.dumbartonconcerts.org/concerts-and-tickets Washington National Cathedral will present a Music Staff Recital on May 30. The talented performers of the Cathedral Music Staff have created a varied program of music in which serious and more light-hearted selections are combined to create a special end-of-the-year event.Visit https://cathedral.org/event/washington-national-cathedral-music-staff-recital/ The Phillips Collection is marking the 80th anniversary year of the Collection’s acclaimed concert series by presenting 20+ live-streamed performances through May, The series introduces new artists, return performances, and a series of commissions from some of the brightest voices in new music. Visit https://www.phillipscollection.org/music?utm_source=iContact&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=publicity&utm_content=Music+2021+Announcement+press+release The Russian Chamber Art Society will present Russian Tea Time with Vera - A Celebration of Jewish Music - on April 25. RCAS Artistic Director Vera Danchenko-Stern and guests will pay homage to the stunning musical legacy of pre-revolutionary Russian Jewish composers. The soloists participating will be Irena Altshul, mezzo-soprano; Victor Danchenko, violin: Vera Danchenko-Stern, piano; Mikhail Manevich, tenor; and Julian Milkis, clarinet. Visit https://gumroad.com/l/qOLKg
Catalyst Quartet Dumbarton Concerts
The Thirteen, led by Matthew Robertson, Artistic Director, will livestream The Lost Mass of 1641 by Monteverdi on May 2. The music offers Monteverdi’s “end-of-life magnum opus, Selva morale e spirituale – the moral and spiritual wood. Unlike Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610, which sees performances yearly in nearly every major metropolitan area, the gems in Selva morale e spirituale are virtually unknown; and yet, they rival his earlier compositions in virtuosity, invention, and beauty.” For ticket information, visit https://www.thethirteenchoir.org/monteverdi-thelostmassof1641 RETURN TO HOME PAGE

MUSIC IN vIRGINIA

The Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic Association, led by Ulysses S. James, broadcasts concerts virtually from The Lyseum in Old Town Alexandria at 3 pm on select Sundays on the WMPA YouTube Channel. The final concert will be on April 25, featuring the Mellifera String Quartet.Visit https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUZ54WGpwIbtg2upE82FNVw
Ulysses S. James
National Chamber Ensemble, led by Leonid Sushansky (violin) will perform a concert titled The Remarkable Four Seasons of Vivaldi on May 22. The performance will tell the story of the most popular composition of Vivaldi through words, images and music simultaneously. The performance will be at Gunston Arts Center - Theatre 1 (if a live event is possible).Visit https://www.nationalchamberensemble.org/index.htm
Leonid Sushansky
Alexandria Symphony Orchestra (ASO), led by James Ross, Music Director, presents live music in outdoor venues around Alexandria with small ensembles and limited, socially-distanced audiences. If conditions permit, indoor venues may be opened in Spring 2021. Visit: https://alexsym.org/ New Dominion Chorale (NDC), led by Thomas Beveridge, Artistic Director, has rescheduled concerts that were planned for October & December. The concerts will now become the first two concerts of NDC’s 2021/22 season. NDC’s performance of Mendelssohn’s powerful oratorio Elijah is planned for April 25. Visit www.newdominion.org/ Wolf Trap’s full list of upcoming offerings that will be streamed are listed at https://www.wolftrap.org/calendar.aspx The Center for the Arts at George Mason University has announced Spring Outdoor Performances on Mason Pond Lawn. The performances will be on:
April 25: Collision of Rhythm – A duo made up of a tap-dancing percussion virtuoso and a beatboxing, juggling multi-instrumentalist. May 2: A Tribute to Sonny Rollins featuring Mason Jazz Faculty - Tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins has long been heralded as “the greatest living jazz improviser,” and has inspired generations of musicians.Visit https://cfa.gmu.edu/ Fairfax Symphony Orchestra offers recordings from their archives @ https://www.fairfaxsymphony.org/fso-brings-the-music-to-you
PostClassical Ensemble, led by Angel Gil-Ordóñez, will be joined by world-renowned trombonist David Taylor, with award-winning actor Edward Gero, in a striking new imagining of the Stravinsky classic Histoire du Soldat (A Soldier’s Tale) - adapted for PCE by Joseph Horowitz (premiere) - and PERFORMED LIVE! on May 8 & 9. The program will also feature Daniel Schnyder's Two Duos for Saxophone and Bass Trombone and Schnyder's Berlin Suite 1920. The concert will be performed LIVE at Stone Hill Theatrical foundation in Flink Hill, VA. Attendees are welcome to bring blankets and picnics. Visit https://www.postclassical.com/
Angel Gil-Ordóñez Photo by Andrew Chung

music in maryland

The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) has announced plans for A Season of Discovery, with performances for live audiences at the The Music Center at Strathmore. The season will include eight commissions and three world premieres, with notable soloists and 14 local partners. There will be several guest conductors as the BSO begins an international, multi-year search for a Music Director. Artistic Advisor, James Conlon will bring his Recovered Voices mission to the BSO, featuring music by composers suppressed by the Nazi regime and works by American composers neglected for their race. Music Director Laureate and OrchKids Founder Marin Alsop will return with three commissions and a reimagining of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. The season will feature violinist and conductor Itzhak Perlman, Renée Fleming, Rod Gilfry, Christine Goerke, Nicola Benedetti, Ray Chen, Benjamin Grosvenor, and Anne-Sophie Mutter in performance with Sir Andrew Davis. Sixteen soloists will make their BSO debuts. Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly will return with a tributes, and Byron Stripling will showcase ragtime masters Scott Joplin and Jelly Roll Morton. The BSO will also expand its digital platform with new accessibility through live-streamed performances and the docuseries BSO Sessions. The company will implement a number of COVID-related measures. Subscriptions for the new season of the BSO at Strathmore are on sale now. Visit https://www.bsomusic.org/Subscribe Single tickets for the general public will go on sale in August 2021.
The National Philharmonic’s 2020-2021 concert season, conducted by Maestro Piotr Gajewski, is streamed from the stage of The Music Center at Strathmore. Programs feature a mix of classical masters including Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Chopin, and contemporary composers. "Principal players perform along with the region’s best, including violinists Nurit Bar-Josef and Jonathan Carney, pianist and Brian Ganz, and singers Danielle Talamantes, Rehanna Thelwell, Norman Shankle, and Kevin Short. National Philharmonic’s cover conductor and lecturer Rebecca Smithorn hosts pre- and post-concert events." Upcoming concerts will be on April 25: Music That Connects Us AllMay 9: In Memoriam - Hailstork, Hamer & StraussMay 23: Amore & MozartJune 6: Portrait of a QueenVisit https://nationalphilharmonic.org/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE
Maestro Piotr Gajewski

opera

Bel Cantanti Opera, led by Dr. Katerina Souvorova, is streaming E. Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel via VIMEO. Filled with magic, it’s a delightful way to introduce kids to opera. The production can be seen in High def 1080 video @https://player.vimeo.com/external/511998355.hd.mp4?s=bdba2e72cec840c711e8c6d274caff5736eae3bd&profile_id=175
UrbanArias, the opera company, will premiere the film version of Susan Kander & Roberta Gumbel’s opera titled “Driving While Black” on April 23. The production, directed and choreographed by Du’Bois A’Keen, will star soprano Karen Slack, with Creative Director Camry A’Keen and Conductor Robert Wood, who founded UrbanArias. The solo chamber opera is about the tales, traumas, and triumphs of Black motherhood. The film "will incorporate elements of modern dance, music video production, and intimate storytelling to bring the audience into the mind of the Mother." Premiering online, the film will be available to stream at UrbanArias.org for $15 allowing viewers unlimited access through Fall 2021. Visit http://www.urbanarias.org/performances/driving-while-black/ Washington National Opera (WNO) productions planned for the Kennedy Center in May and June have been canceled, as have Broadway touring shows scheduled for next summer. WNO is streaming a video titled Come Hope, which is the first installment in a series titled Monuments of Hope. The initiative takes its title from an aria in Fidelio, an opera that celebrates the triumph of the human spirit. Mezzo J’Nai Bridges and bass-baritone Ryan McKinny perform in front of D.C.’s most iconic monuments—representing our collective memories and shared hope for a more perfect future. Visit https://www.kennedy-center.org/wno/home/
 Virginia Opera has introduced their Spring Season. Among the initiatives, an eight-week-long digital Masterclass Series premiered in March featuring mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves. The series is an exclusive benefit to Virginia Opera subscribers and donors and offers an-insider view of the art of opera from Ms. Graves’s perspective. Visit vaopera.org Classical WETA 90.9 FM Radio broadcasts Metropolitan Opera concerts on Saturdays at 1 p.m. A broadcasts is scheduled on:April 24: Richard Strauss's Die Frau ohne Schatten (The Woman Without a Shadow)
Visit https://weta.org/fm
Soprano Karen Slack
Washington Concert Opera (WCO), led by Artistic Director and Conductor Antony Walker, is introducing three new digital programs with the intent of breaking down common barriers to opera including cost, travel and contextual understanding. The programs are: Performance Rewind, which will grant unlimited access to free monthly audio streams of past performances.Opera Gems Online, which will run in tandem with Performance Rewind’s streamed operas. WCO co-founder, Peter Russell, will offer an informative discussion on Zoom about the respective streamed opera. Opera Explained, which will be a series of short, animated videos explaining different aspects of the art form.
WCO's has had to cancel the planned live performance - at Lisner Auditorium - of Vincenzo Bellini’s I Puritani on May 23, 2021. Visit www.concertopera.org/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE
Maestro Antony Walker

theatre in dc

Constellation Theatre, which in normal times performs at Source in the U Street Corridor, live streamed the opening of Children of Medea, written and performed by Sue Jin Song and directed by Allison Arkell Stockman, on April 17. Video on Demand will be available April 27-May 16. The production is a one-woman show of adolescence, fantasy and transformation. “After Cynthia’s mother disappears without a trace, the seventeen-year-old Korean-American struggles to excel in school, raise her younger sister Julianne, and meet the expectations of her emotionally absent, immigrant father." For ticket information, visit https://www.constellationtheatre.org/childrenofmedea
Studio Theatre will present their 2020-2021 season - titled Studio in the Moment - entirely digitally. The productions will be:Ongoing-April 25: Cock by Mike Bartlett - directed by David Muse. It's "A sexy, conflicted look at attraction, ambivalence, and commitment."April 16-May 9, 2021: Until the Flood by Dael Orlandersmith - directed by Reginald L. Douglas. It's "a look at the ongoing  pain of a litany of Black deaths at the hands of police."April 23-May 16: 2.5 Minute Ride by Lisa Kron - directed by Joanie Schultz. It "follows two very different father-daughter trips."May 21-June 13: Flow by Will Power - directed by Psalmayene 24. It's "a percussive look at one urban community and its seven storytellers, who gossip and riff, declare and reveal, showing off their neighborhood through its stories, from trivial to tragic."July 2-25: Tender Age by George Brant - directed by Henry Godinez. It's "a play about living at the edge of your ethics."
Visit https://www.studiotheatre.org/plays/play-detail/2020-2021 Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company and American Conservatory Theater announced the filming in March of The Bushwick Starr’s critically-acclaimed production of Animal Wisdom, created by and starring Heather Christian. The Bushwick Starr is an award-winning neighborhood playhouse serving the Bushwick, Brooklyn community. Heather Christian “invites you to raise a glass to the unseen forces that shape our lives.” Animal Wisdom features “raucous, ferocious music that fuses blues, gospel and folk.” The film is directed by Amber McGinnis. Visit www.animalwisdomfilm.com
 Rorschach Theatre is presenting "a visceral piece of immersive storytelling" titled "Distance Frequencies" through Summer 2021. Each month participants receive a map, a box of artifacts, and instructions to travel to a new curated location in the DC area. The ongoing story will culminate in a full production of a site-specific show in the summer of 2021. “Chapters” were sent to audiences beginning in October, 2020. However, additional participants can join at any time and will be sent any missed chapters. The final piece – a full site-specific production – will run for 4 weeks in the summer of 2021. Visit https://rorschachtheatre.thundertix.com/events/176287
Folger Theatre has announced their 2020/21 Season, which will begin with William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Robert Richmond, and will be performed at the National Building Museum, July 13-August 29, 2021. Visit https://www.folger.edu/folger-theatre
 Arena Stage is screening online memorable films and stories that reveal "the fears, anxieties and hopes for the future and the work that is still to be done."Visit https://www.arenastage.org/tickets/arena-stage-films/
Theater Alliance, which is the resident theater company of the Anacostia Playhouse in Southeast D.C., will present the world premiere of City in Transition: The Quadrant Series, directed by Raymond O. Caldwell, on April 24 with a special 8 pm screening. For the following month, the production will be available for on-demand viewing. The full-length evening of digital theater “braids hip-hop culture, the nonprofit industrial complex, gentrification, and changing demographics together in a narrative of our vibrant city.” The four plays that comprise the narratives are inspired by the four distinct-yet-neighboring communities in D.C. The production has been pre-recorded, under stringent safety precautions, and will include weekly community conversations, mirroring Theater Alliance’s regular post-show dialogue. Visit https://theateralliance.com/portfolio/quadrant_series/
 The Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C. will stream GenOUT Youth Chorus's Youth Invasion, with Nashville Major Minors and New York City’s Youth Pride Chorus, April 24-May 9. The theme will be "finding your voice to bring about positive change." Visit https://www.gmcw.org/youth-invasion The Chorus continues its 40th anniversary celebrations with a virtual concert hosted by Tony Award-winner Alan Cumming. The event includes song, dance, comedy and celebrity appearances. Visit https://www.gmcw.org/gmcw-turns-40/
Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site is closed to the public but virtual programming continues. Ford’s Theatre Society released its free, on-demand video version of the popular stage play One Destiny by Richard Hellesen, directed by Mark Ramont in February. The play is available for streaming through June 13, 2021 with event registration on the Ford’s Theatre website. The 40-minute video production revisits the events of April 14, 1865, with a cast of historical characters who were present, including Ford’s Theatre co-owner Harry Ford and stage actor Harry Hawk, who are portrayed by actors Michael Bunce and Stephen F. Schmidt. Visit https://www.fords.org/visit/one-destiny To read more about the theatre itself, Visit https://www.fords.org/
The Shakespeare Theatre Company will present Donmar Warehouse’s sound and light installation titled Blindness, May 1- 23. "In a unique experience where the audience is onstage, but actors are not; socially distanced patrons wear binaural headphones plunging them into the dystopic world of Blindness.” The installation is based on Nobel Prize writer José Saramago’s novel, and “unearths how a pandemic of blindness causes chaos, fear, and social unrest.” The tale was adapted by Simon Stephens and is directed by Walter Meierjohann, starring Olivier Award nominee Juliet Stevenson. The U.S. Government’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency agreed to allow Blindness to open with certain safety precautions in place. Visit https://www.shakespearetheatre.org/events/blindness-20-21/# The Shakespeare Theatre Company is now streaming All the Devils Are Here - How Shakespeare Invented the Villain, written and performed by Patrick Page. The one-man show explores how William Shakespeare created the treacherous characters we all love to hate, including Macbeth, Iago and Claudius. The production runs approximately 80 minutes. The streaming link is available for 72 hours after purchase. Visit https://www.shakespearetheatre.org/events/all-the-devils-are-here-how-shakespeare-invented-the-villain/ RETURN TO HOME PAGE

theatre in virginia

NextStop Theatre Company will stream First Date, a filmed musical directed by Evan Hoffmann, April 30-May 16. It's about "two young singles set up on a blind date by friends and family, even though they seemingly have absolutely nothing in common." NextStop Theatre Company is based in Herndon, Virginia. Visit https://www.nextstoptheatre.org/shows/first-date Synetic Theatre offers SYNETIC STREAMING - a new on-demand digital web and app suite which lets viewers stream singular Synetic-curated content right to TVs or Laptop Sites. Visit https://synetictheater.org/streaming/
Little Theatre of Alexandria will present The Belle of Amherst, written by William Luce & directed by Frank D. Shutts II April 24-May 15. The play is set in 1883 in Amherst, Massachusetts, where poet Emily Dickinson tells her life story through anecdotes based on biographical information, her letters, and her poems. The one-woman bio-drama “reveals both the joyous and heart-breaking events in her life that shaped her enigmatic existence and engaging poetry.” Visit http://thelittletheatre.com/performances/#season
Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia is presenting SigWorks: A Monday Night New Play Reading Series completely online. The series provides an opportunity for local playwrights, actors, directors, and patrons to explore new plays. Each reading includes a post-show Q&A with the playwright and Associate Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner. The readings are free and are made available on Signature Theatre’s YouTube Channel. Visit https://www.youtube.com/user/sigtheatre
 Signature Theatre’s 2021 Signature Features season will include five fully-staged plays and musicals, made exclusively for the screen and professionally filmed on set in HD - following multiple safety protocols. Subscriptions for all five shows are on sale now for $200. The shows will be available to stream on demand in HD on Marquee TV, an on-demand streaming platform dedicated to global arts and culture. The announced shows, under the leadership of Managing Director Maggie Boland and Associate Artistic Director Matthew Gardiner, include:
The Jam: Only Child by Daniel J. Watts - thru May 7Midnight at The Never Get by Mark Sonnenblick - April 30-June 21After Midnight: The Duke Ellington Years - Mid June Detroit ’67 by Dominique Morisseau - Early August
Visit https://www.sigtheatre.org/Subscribe RETURN TO HOME PAGE

theatre in maryland

Signature Theatre

public television channel 26

Visit www.weta.org Each month, The Agenda News suggests Public Television Programs that will be broadcast - mostly in the evening - on WETA, WETA UK & WETA WORLD Channel 26. The programs suggested for April are: April 23 @ 9:00 - GREAT PERFORMANCES: NATIONAL THEATRE IN LONDON: ROMEO AND JULIET - A contemporary rendering starring Jessie Buckley & Josh O'Connor. April 25 @ 2 PM: NATIONAL PHILHARMONIC: MUSIC THAT CONNECTS US ALL - Pianist Brian Ganz plays compositions by Chopin at AMP by StrathmoreApril 28 @ 8:00 - GRETA THUNBERG: A YEAR TO CHANGE THE WORLD - The world's best-known climate activist takes her fight to a global stage. Part 1 of 3.April 28 @ 10:00 HUMAN: THE WORLD WITHIN - How our lives, passions and goals are powered by our biology. Part 1 of 6.April 30 @ 9:00 - INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY 10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION - A look back at ten years of historic International Jazz Day concerts. RETURN TO HOME PAGE
Greta Thunburg inA YEAR TO CHANGE THE WORLD on April 28
This publication disclaims all legal responsibility for errors, omissions, and/or typos. Contents of the publication, including text, artwork, format and design, may not be reproduced in whole or in part. Info. published here and/or at websites listed here or provided by telephone contacts provided here is not endorsed or guaranteed. Ads are not accepted. The publication is unrelated to or supported by any government entity or private business. Subscribers are notified of monthly updates. The Agenda News is updated via Twitter @ twitter.com/BobsAgendaNews The Agenda News suggests videos listed HERE Subscriptions can be canceled by writing to: PO Box 71024 Chevy Chase, MD 20813-1024 RETURN TO HOME PAGE