The Week of May 18

Friday, May 11, 2007

The Week of May 18

Taste wines from Virginia vineyards and enjoy live jazz at the Mount Vernon Spring Wine Festival and Sunset Tour May 18-20 at the first president's last home. Tickets cost $30, and advance purchase is recommended. Call 703-780-2000. . . . The National Symphony Orchestra is hosting a free concert to honor the late longtime

conductor and famed cellist Mstislav Rostropovich May 19 in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. No tickets needed. Call 202-467-4600. . . . Watch an all-day air show and see ground displays of military aircraft and other hardware at the Joint Services Open House May 19-20 at Andrews Air Force Base in Camp Springs. Call 301-981-4424. . . . Nearly 200 artists and artisans display their paintings, sculpture and crafts at the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival, with entertainment, food vendors and children's activities, May 19-20 at Reston Town Center. Call

703-471-9242. . . . Sample Maryland's finest wines at the 15th annual Wine in the Woods festival May 19-20 at Symphony Woods in Columbia. Call 410-313-4700 . . . The Music Center at Strathmore hosts the 17th annual Feria de Seville, a traditional outdoor festival as held in Seville, Spain, May 20 with music, flamenco dancers,

exhibits, crafts and foods. Admission is free. Call 301-581-5100. . . . As part of the continuing Shakespeare in Washington festival, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra presents "Such Sweet Thunder," an evening of music by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn

inspired by Shakespeare, with readings from his works, May 20 at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Tickets cost $20 to $45. Call 202-467-4600. . . . Sample specialties from more than 40 restaurants at the 20th annual Taste of Arlington May 20 outdoors near Ballston Common Mall. A book of six taste tickets costs $20 in advance, $25 at the gate. Proceeds benefit Community Residences Inc. Call 703-842-2319 or visit http://www.tasteofarlington.com.

The Week of May 25

Tour a dozen equine facilities in Middleburg and Upperville May 26-27 in the annual Hunt Country Stable Tour to benefit local charities. Call 540-592-3711. . . .

Entertainment, food tastings and children's activities are part of Rockville Hometown Holidays May 26-28

outdoors at Rockville Town Center. Call 240-314-5022. . . . The National Symphony Orchestra kicks off summer with a free outdoor concert May 27 on the U.S. Capitol grounds featuring Natalie Cole, Josh Turner, CeCe

Winans and other stars. Call 202-619-7222. . . . The Capital Jazz Fest, expanded to five days this year, presents shows by George Benson, Al Jarreau, Anita

Baker, Isaac Hayes, David Sanborn, Herbie Hancock, Ramsey Lewis and dozens of other stars May 30 through June 3 at Merriweather Post Pavilion. Tickets start at $30 per day. Call 202-397-7328 or visit http://www.capitaljazz.com.

The Week of June 1

Watch world-class professional cyclists speed through

Arlington's Clarendon neighborhood in the 10th annual CSC Invitational June 2. Proceeds benefit Paralyzed Veterans of America. Viewing is free. Registration is still open for

racers in two amateur events. Call 703-351-7200 or visit http://www.cscinvitational.com. . . . The Suzanne Farrell Ballet, founded by George Balanchine's star ballerina, performs two mixed repertory programs June 6-10 at the Kennedy Center. Tickets cost $29 to $84. Call 202-467-4600.

On Exhibit

The following exhibitions open next week: "The Prints of Sean Scully," opening May 18 at the Smithsonian

American Art Museum, explores recurring themes in the abstract artist's print work. Call 202-633-1000 (TDD: 202-633-5285). . . . "Paul Mellon and the National Gallery of Art," opening May 18 at the National Gallery of Art, West Building, features documents, photographs, memorabilia and publications that shed light on the life and collecting of the museum's founding benefactor and trustee. Call 202-737-4215 (TDD: 202-842-6176).

On Stage

On stage soon, on sale now: "Ennio," a comic one-man romp through American pop culture in which Ennio

Marchetto parodies Celine Dion, Dolly Parton, Stevie

Wonder and many more entertainers and wears unique quick-change paper cutout costumes, opening May 22 at Arena Stage. Tickets cost $38. Call 202-488-3300. http://. . . The Shakespeare Theatre reprises its 2006 production of "Love's Labor's Lost," transported to 1960s India, at the annual Shakespeare Free for All May 24 through June 3 at Carter Barron Amphitheatre in Rock Creek Park. Free tickets are released each day for that evening's show (no performance May 28). Call 202-547-1122 or visit http://www.shakespearetheatre.org.

Hot Tickets

Tickets are on sale now from Ticketmaster for the Old Time Banjo Festival, with Mike Seeger, Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer, David Holt and more, July 8 at the Birchmere ($22.50). . . . Tickets go on sale Friday at noon from Ticketmaster for a show by Kelly Willis July 26 at the Birchmere ($25). . . . Tickets go on sale Saturday at 10 for shows by Kelly Clarkson Aug. 19 at Verizon Center ($49.50 to $69.50); Def Leppard, Foreigner and Styx Aug. 17 at Nissan Pavilion ($29.50 to $99.50 in-house, $25 on the lawn); O.A.R. and Augustana Aug. 17 at

Merriweather Post Pavilion ($38 in-house, $30 on the lawn); and the White Stripes July 28 at the Patriot

Center ($40). Call 202-397-7328. . . . Tickets are on sale now for a show by Paul Van Dyk and Will Delphi June 14 at the 9:30 club ($35). Call 800-955-5566.

On Screen

Opening May 18: When Princess Fiona's father dies

suddenly, she and her husband must assume the throne in "Shrek the Third.". . . In "Fay Grim," Parker Posey plays a single mom who lands in the middle of international espionage thanks to her brother and ex-husband. . . . Laura Linney and Gabriel Byrne play a couple at odds over a corpse in "Jindabyne.". . . Based on a true story, Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai plays a woman whose revenge on her abusive husband goes horribly awry in "Provoked." Opening dates may change.

Last Chance

Closing on stage this weekend: "The Heidi Chronicles," at Arena Stage (202-488-3300); "Saving Aimee," at Signature Theatre (800-955-5566); "Mill Town Girls," by Quotidian Theatre at the Writer's Center (301-816-1023); "References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot," by Rorschach Theatre at Casa del Pueblo Methodist Church (800-494-8497 or 202-452-5538); "The Director: The Third Act of Elia Kazan," at the Round House Theatre's black box stage Silver Spring (240-644-1100); and "Doubt," at Baltimore's Hippodrome (410-547-7328 or 410-752-7444). . . . This weekend is your last chance to visit "Pissarro: Creating the Impressionist Landscape," at the Baltimore Museum of Art (443-573-1700);

"Banding Together: School Bands as Instruments of Opportunity," at the Anacostia Community Museum (202-633-1000); "East of Eden: Gardens in Asian Art," at the Smithsonian's Arthur M. Sackler Gallery (202-633-1000); and "Vanishing Wetlands: Two Views," at the U.S. Botanic Garden (202-225-8333).

Next Friday in Weekend

We hit the beach, looking for small-town getaways at three locations just a little west of the shore. Plus: what's new at the Delmarva beaches, ideas for entertaining the kids, the hottest nightspots and an adventure sport that calls Dewey Beach, Del., home.