Maestro Luke Frazier and the American Pops Orchestra are pleased to announce their inaugural holiday concert, a celebration of the season with a Broadway flair, at the George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium on Wednesday, December 16 at 8:00 PM. A Broadway Christmas features the American Pops Orchestra with special guests “The First Lady of Musical Theatre,” Elaine Paige, Broadway’s Matt Doyle (The Book of Mormon, Spring Awakening), Great American Songbook Ambassador Julia Goodwin (America’s Got Talent), and a mass choir comprised of singers from around the Washington DC metropolitan area.
A Broadway Christmas will feature sacred and secular Christmas favorites that will put you in the holiday spirit. Selections include O Holy Night,I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Silent Night, and other musical gifts from the Broadway stage. Some new musical arrangements and orchestrations of timeless classics have been commissioned for this performance that will delight audiences of all ages.
Founded by Luke Frazier and in its inaugural season, The American Pops Orchestra’s mission is to present innovative orchestral programming featuring groundbreaking concepts and artistic partnerships to develop and inspire a new audience for the 21st century. This professional orchestra boasts outstanding musicians from New York and Washington DC. The American Pops will present six original orchestral programs in its opening 2015-2016 season, featuring leading Broadway singers, dancers, and actors. The orchestra’s October performance of “Stairway to Paradise: A Gershwin Spectacular” was reviewed in DC Metro Theater Arts as presenting “inspired arrangements of beloved Gershwin songs that reinvigorate the material and highlight the skill of his musicians.” More information about the orchestra is available at www.theamericanpops.org.
Marvin Hamlisch put it best when referring to Luke Frazier “So talented, and sensitive to every nuance.” Mr. Frazier’s commitment to re-envisioning pops programming has quickly established him as a dynamic force across the music community where has proven himself among musical heavyweights as both an innately musical conductor and a sensitive pianist. He has worked with artists Renée Fleming, Kevin Spacey, Denyce Graves, Darren Criss, Lea Solanga, Laura Osnes, Eric Owens, Liza Minnelli, Chita Rivera, Rita Moreno, Norm Lewis, Christine Ebersole, and Michael Feinstein, among others. As a testament to his mission to reimagine pops programming, Mr. Frazier has founded the American Pops Orchestra and the National Broadway Chorus in Washington, DC. The chorus continues to tour and will appear this season in Washington DC, Indianapolis, and Chicago, and will be featured at the Great American Songbook Foundation Gala, where Mr. Frazier serves on the Board. Mr. Frazier will return for a second full season as the Principal Pops Conductor of the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra, where he has conducted 10 programs of his own creation, held at various venues including George Mason’s Center for the Arts, The Shenandoah Valley Music Festival, and the Angelika Film Center. This season he will also make guest appearances with orchestras in New York City, Miami, Indianapolis, Chicago, and West Virginia. He will also continue to serve as Artist-in-Residence with Washington DC Youth Orchestra. For more information, visit lukefraziermusic.com.
TICKETS:
The George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium
730 21st Street, NW, Washington, DC; 3 blocks from Foggy Bottom/GWU Metro
Price: $35-$65, discount for GW Students
What to expect at Passport to Style:
- 18+ vendors confirmed
- Pet pictures with Santa benefiting the Washington Humane Society
- Social Photo Booth
- Event photographers
- DJ
- Cocktail and brunch available at the Station Kitchen (Restaurant)
- Attendees can donate new and used clothes to the “holiday clothing drive”
EVENT DETAILS
What: 11th Annual Alexandria Warehouse Sale
Presented by: Old Town Boutique District
When: Saturday, February 6, 2016
Where: The Westin Alexandria, 400 Courthouse Square, Alexandria, VA (located in the Carlyle District of Old Town Alexandria)
(Ample Street & Garage Parking. There will also be a free shuttle from the King Street Metro)
Time: 9AM-4PM
Admission: Free
Website: www.oldtownboutiquedistrict.com or www.AlexandriaWarehouseSale.com
Twitter: @OTBoutiques
Why wait for the fall to get Crafty? Washington City Paper is expanding its popular Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair with a second installment this winter. The inaugural Crafty Bastards Cabin Fever will take place on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Hecht Warehouse at Ivy City (1401 New York Ave. NE) in Washington, D.C.
The one-day indoor winter fair will feature handmade products and wares by 100+ select artists and crafters from around the country, including several first-time Crafty Bastards like:
– Hell Razor for Men of Washington, DC (www.etsy.com/shop/
– Harper Macaw from Washington, DC (https://harpermacaw.com)
– Raisa Antonia from Hancock, NH (http://www.raisaantonia.com)
– North End Bag Company from Virginia Beach, VA (http://www.northendbagco.com)
– Lewis and Pine from Brooklyn, NY (www.lewisandpine.com)
– West Oak Design from Wyndmoor, PA (www.westoakdesign.com)
In order to make your Cabin Fever shopping experience enjoyable, entry times will be staggered based on ticket type. Tickets can be purchased in advance online via the Washington City Paper website.
VIP Tickets – $25: Gain exclusive access to Crafty Bastards Cabin Fever for an extra hour of shopping and no lines before the Crafty-loving masses arrive. VIP ticket also includes one bagel, a mimosa, and a Crafty Bastards Cabin Fever tote bag. VIP Entry begins at 10 a.m.
Savvy Shopper Tickets – $15: Enjoy shorter lines and a complimentary Crafty Bastards tote bag with entry starting at 11 a.m.
Early General Admission – $10: Gain access to all vendors beginning at 1 p.m.
Late General Admission – $5: Gain access to all vendors starting at 3 p.m.
Last Call General Admission – $5: Gain access to all vendors starting at 5 p.m.
Kids 12 and under are free. Visit www.washingtoncitypaper.
About Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair
Over the past 12 years, hundreds of Crafty Bastards have sold countless pieces of handmade “craftiness” at the Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair. The fair has been selected as one of Washington’s Top 100 Events by BizBash and was voted by Washington City Paper readers as the Best Arts Festival in its annual Best of D.C. poll. For more information about the annual Crafty Bastards Arts and Crafts Fair, please visit www.washingtoncitypaper.
#CraftyBastardsCabinFever
On Feb. 6, the director, local filmmaker Laura Waters Hinson, is inviting Washington to discover the true story of a daring young woman at a free screening hosted by the National Gallery of Art.
WHAT:
Many Beautiful Things Washington premiere
Award-winning local filmmaker Laura Waters Hinson in person
WHEN:
Feb. 6, 2:30 p.m. ET
WHERE:
National Gallery of Art: East Building Auditorium
6th and Constitution Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20565
Featuring the voices of Dockery and Davies, Many Beautiful Things takes viewers on the journey of a prodigious, self-taught young female artist who finds herself torn between two desires—to strengthen her flourishing artistic talents or pursue a higher calling to serve marginalized women and children in North Africa.
Through dazzling animation and cinematography featuring original works by Trotter, the film awakens viewers to question the limits of sacrifice and the true meaning of success. Trotter’s history is shared through the eyes of Miriam Rockness, a self-made scholar in her early 70s who has become the world’s leading expert on the artist-turned-missionary after nearly 30 years of research.
The film premieres on Feb. 6 at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, with theatrical screenings taking place around the country Feb. 7 – 14. Many Beautiful Things will be available to download and on DVD on International Women’s Day: March 8.
To learn more about the film or screenings around the country, visit ManyBeautifulThings.com.
About Many Beautiful Things
Many Beautiful Things: The Life and Vision of Lilias Trotter is directed by award-winning filmmaker Laura Waters Hinson (As We Forgive) and produced by Hisao Kurosawa, the son of legendary Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, with original music by Sleeping at Last.
About the Director
Directing her fourth documentary, Laura Waters Hinson is a filmmaker based in Washington. She is the founder of Image Bearer Pictures and produced As We Forgive, an inspiring film that discovered hope and forgiveness amid the tragic Rwandan Genocide. The film won the 2008 Student Academy Award for best documentary.
About the Score
Sleeping At Last is the moniker of Chicago singer-songwriter, producer and composer Ryan O’Neal. His music is featured in TV and film such as The Twilight Saga, The Fault in Our Stars (trailer), Grey’s Anatomy, Criminal Minds, Bones and more.
- About the Gilt City Warehouse Sale:
Dates: Friday, February 19, Saturday, February 20th
Location: Dock5 at Union Market; 1309 5th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
Tickets on sale now at: https://www.giltcity.com/dc/gcwarehousefeb16
- The most indulgent party of the season returns, complete with cocktails and hundreds of the hottest brands for women, men, kids and the home—all at up to 80% off retail.
- Women can look forward to on-trend must-haves from ISSA, Temperley London, Maje, Sandro, Derek Lam, Helmut Lang, Lanvin, Prada and Valentino.
- For men, think Tom Ford, Paul Smith, John Varvatos and GANT.
- This sale will spotlight spring dresses for every occasion. Check out racks of little back dresses and Oscar-worthy gowns. You can also score dresses under $100 from your favorite designers.
- As you explore the racks, sip on cocktails and prosecco. You can also enjoy several flavor combinations of popchips and Luna Bars.
- Leave your bag and jacket at home, skip the coat-check line and head straight through the FastPass entrance to navigate the constantly replenished racks.
- Guests can purchase tickets to shop at https://www.giltcity.com/dc/gcwarehousefeb1
- About the Gilt City Warehouse Sale:
Dates: Friday, February 19, Saturday, February 20th
Location: Dock5 at Union Market; 1309 5th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
Tickets on sale now at: https://www.giltcity.com/dc/gcwarehousefeb16
- The most indulgent party of the season returns, complete with cocktails and hundreds of the hottest brands for women, men, kids and the home—all at up to 80% off retail.
- Women can look forward to on-trend must-haves from ISSA, Temperley London, Maje, Sandro, Derek Lam, Helmut Lang, Lanvin, Prada and Valentino.
- For men, think Tom Ford, Paul Smith, John Varvatos and GANT.
- This sale will spotlight spring dresses for every occasion. Check out racks of little back dresses and Oscar-worthy gowns. You can also score dresses under $100 from your favorite designers.
- As you explore the racks, sip on cocktails and prosecco. You can also enjoy several flavor combinations of popchips and Luna Bars.
- Leave your bag and jacket at home, skip the coat-check line and head straight through the FastPass entrance to navigate the constantly replenished racks.
- Guests can purchase tickets to shop at https://www.giltcity.com/dc/gcwarehousefeb1
Washington National Opera (WNO) continues its 60th anniversary season with Leah Crocetto in Recital, featuring the celebrated star of last season’s Dialogues of the Carmelites, on Friday, February 26, 2016 at 7 p.m. in the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. Accompanied by acclaimed pianist Mark Markham, Ms. Crocetto will perform art songs by Strauss, Duparc, and Barber, as well as popular opera arias and a few of her favorite jazz standards.
Recognized as a rising star in the next generation of singers, American soprano Leah Crocetto made her WNO last season as Madame Lidoine in Poulenc’s powerful Dialogues of the Carmelites. She represented the United States at the 2011 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, where she was a finalist in the Song Competition. She is a 2010 Grand Finals winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and was the First Place Winner, People’s Choice, and the Spanish Prize Winner of the 2009 Jose Iturbi International Music Competition, and winner of the Bel Canto Foundation competition. A former Adler Fellow at San Francisco Opera, Ms. Crocetto has appeared frequently with the company, most recently in the title role of Verdi’s Luisa Miller in Francesca Zambello’s celebrated production.
In her stellar 2015-2016 season, Leah Crocetto makes two major debuts: her long-awaited Metropolitan Opera debut as Liù in Turandot, and her role debut as Semiramide in Rossini’s seldom-heard opera of the same name, with Opéra National de Bordeaux. Additional highlights of the season include Anna in Maometto II with the Canadian Opera Company and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni with Santa Fe Opera.
Last season, in addition to her debut at WNO, Ms. Crocetto performed Desdemona in Otello with English National Opera, Mimì in La bohème with San Francisco Opera, and Elisabetta di Valois in a new production of Don Carlo (a co-production with WNO) at Opera Philadelphia.
Equally at home as a soloist, a collaborator with some of the finest singers in the world, a jazz pianist, or a vocal coach, pianist Mark Markham and his interpretations have been praised by the public and press alike. Since 1995, Mr. Markham has been the recital partner of Jessye Norman, giving nearly 300 performances in over 25 countries, including recitals in Carnegie Hall, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, London’s Royal Festival Hall, the Musikverein in Vienna, the Salzburg Festival, Bunka Kaikan in Tokyo, Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv, the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus in Greece, and at the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize presentation to President Jimmy Carter in Oslo. In 1990, Mr. Markham was invited to join the faculty of the Peabody Conservatory, where he served for ten years as vocal coach and professor of vocal repertoire and accompanying. He relocated to Europe for a decade, living in the South of France while maintaining a busy international schedule as a solo artist and collaborative partner with Ms. Norman, before returning to the United States in 2011. In addition to performances around the world, he maintains a vocal coaching studio in New York City and Baltimore.
Washington National Opera’s 2015-2016 season continues with the company premiere of Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson’s Lost in the Stars, February 12-20 in the Eisenhower Theater, and concludes with its first complete presentation of Wagner’s extraordinary four-part Ring Cycle, with a world-class cast under the direction of Francesca Zambello and featuring the WNO Orchestra conducted by WNO Music Director Philippe Auguin, April 30 to May 22, 2016. WNO’s 2016-2017 season will be announced in the coming weeks.
TICKET INFORMATION:
All tickets to Leah Crocetto in Recital are $45 and are available online, in person at the Kennedy Center Box Office, and by calling (202) 467-4600 or (800) 444-1324.
Commissary will host the fifth annual Oscar’s viewing party on Sunday, February 28, 2016 from 4:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. The viewing party will kick-off with the Red Carpet viewing from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., featuring passed hors d’oeuvres while the red carpet arrivals show on a full wall projector before the 8:00 p.m. awards. The entire evening features a limited open bar and endless flowing champagne, as well as a dinner buffet with more than a dozen Oscar-themed savory and sweet offerings.
An Oscar ticket will include event entry with viewing from all three bar TVs and two full wall projectors, and unlimited food offerings throughout the evening inspired by each nominated movie.
There are only 80 tickets available for this event. Tickets will not be sold at the door and can be purchased only by going to Commissarydc.com at the online ticket site (full ticket options & details below).
Full ticket details are included below, and the full press release is attached.
| Ticket Type
Red Carpet (4:00 – 8:00 p.m.) – $35 (including tax & gratuity) or $25 (without alcohol) Oscar Inspired Open Bar Offerings Passed Oscar Themed Hors d’oeuvres Popcorn Bar Endless champagne
Main Event (8:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.) – $65 (including tax & gratuity) or $55 (without alcohol) Oscar Inspired Open Bar Offerings Passed Oscar Themed Hors d’oeuvres Popcorn Bar Endless champagne Various Food Stations featuring Oscar Inspired Dinner & Dessert Items
All Access VIP (4:00 p.m. – Close) Red Carpet & Main Event Ticket – $90 (including tax & gratuity) Includes Reserved Premium Seating |
The Diplomats of Dance Society is excited to announce a post-performance champagne reception in celebration of the newest dance work by the Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company (DTSBDC). On February 28, 2016 at 2:00pm and 6:00pm the public is invited to a free dance performance at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. Following the 6:00pm performance, the Diplomats of Dance Society will host a reception at NoPa in celebration of the dance company, tickets can be purchased at http://diplomatsatnopa.
Time after time, the DTSBDC provides global audiences with cross-cultural perspectives while utilizing visual, musical, and spoken arts as well. Choreographer Dana Tai Soon Burgess’s latest creation is no different. Inspired by Alexander Gardner’s famous Civil War-era images, Burgess promises a powerful and moving performance in, “The Foster Suite: The Remains of Loss and Longing”.
The Diplomats of Dance Society is an organization dedicated to highlighting and supporting the DTSBDC’s unique artistic and cultural work both in the United States and abroad. Young professionals and art-interested Washingtonians alike come together at events throughout the year to applaud Burgess and his dance company. Members and donations for the Diplomats of Dance Society directly support ‘dance diplomacy’ as DC’s foremost modern dance group prepares to embark on two international tours as a U.S. State Department cultural envoy in 2016.
