FRIDAY:
The Mozart Year is almost halfway over — the man’s birthday was January 27 — but classical concert programming continues to celebrate it. Opera Lafayette gets in the game tonight and tomorrow (June 2 and 3, 7:30 p.m.) with a concert performance of Mozart’s first important opera, Idomeneo, at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in College Park. The vocal cast promises to be excellent, including an up-and-coming young singer named Millicent Scarlett, who will lend her powerful voice to the crazed role of jealous Elettra. The musicians will be joined by members of the New York Baroque Dance Company, who provide a semi-staged sequence of dances at many of Opera Lafayette’s performances. Tickets are priced at $45, $35, and $25, with a great price reduction for students at just $7. If you want to learn something about Mozart and this opera, attend the free pre-concert lecture, at 6:30 p.m. on both days. Child sacrifice, divine curses, sea monsters roaming the island of Crete: how can you not love opera? (Charles Downey)
Those of you looking for a bit more rock to your Friday night would do well to head over to IOTA for Cedars (who keep getting better every time we see them), Soft Complex (who will make your booty shake) and Telograph (who have a really brilliant violin player). 9:30 p.m., $10.
We knew this was coming, but we still kinda can’t believe it’s true: If you love the Bonapartes, bring some Kleenex and say goodbye to them at the Black Cat. $10, 9:30 p.m., with Two if By Sea and Unbuckled alumni The Hard Tomorrows.
SATURDAY:
There are plenty of reasons to love Sean Connery. His status as the only true James Bond. His endearing turn as Indiana Jones’ father in The Last Crusade. Images of Darrell Hammond’s “I’ll play your game, you rogue!” impersonation on Celebrity Jeopardy. The American Film Institute is apparently a fan as well, honoring him with a lifetime achievement award, and AFI Silver’s marking the occasion with a retrospective of his work. Catch The Molly Maguires on Saturday at 1:45 p.m. and The Man Who Would be King at 6:45 p.m., with more films to follow through July. Check the site for
more showtimes. (Missy Frederick)
SUNDAY:
Insist on your indie rock being Canadian? Then you’ll love Pink Mountaintops, Vancouver’s best alt-rock recyclers who like to [fuck] mountains. At Warehouse Nextdoor, 8:30 p.m., with Catfish Haven, Benjy Ferree, and The Sound Of Urchin.
Get some exercise and some culture this weekend at the 23rd Annual Dupont-Kalorama Art Walk. Eight “off-the-Mall” museums will be open free of charge with exhibits and activities for all ages. Check out the jazz garden reception at the Mary McLeod Bethume Council House, performances by D.C. Public School students at The Phillips Collection, and hands-on fiber art activities — including sheep sheering — at The Textile Museum. On Saturday you can stop by the information tent on the North side of Dupont for maps. June 3, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. June 4, 1 – 5 p.m. (Heather Goss)
