Fun things to do

Planetarium Show: Noble Planetarium Shows
Ongoing, Times Vary — Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, 1501 Montgomery St., Fort Worth
It’s back and more spectacular than ever! The Planetarium’s live, interactive program distinguishes the Noble from all others. Thanks to two new, all-digital star balls within a 40-foot dome cover, you can visit the Milky Way galaxy and travel up to 13.7 billion light years away—and ask questions of Planetarium staff along the way. In addition to viewing the constellations and stars visible in the sky, you’ll also learn about current astronomical events of the day. The Planetarium will screen two shows on an alternating basis: Texas Sky Tonight ... LIVE! and Black Holes: The Other Side of Infinity. Tickets cost $5 (free to FWMSH members) and are available at the Museum or by calling 817-255-9540.

Exhibit: The Lens of Impressionism: Photography and Painting Along the Normandy Coast, 1850–1874
Opens February 21, Museum Hours — Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood, Dallas
The Lens of Impressionism is an exploration of Impressionist painting's response to early photography within the context of a single geographic locale that was intensely explored by painters and photographers in the second half of the 19th century: the coast of Normandy. The convergence of social, artistic, technological, and commercial forces along the Normandy coast dramatically transformed the course of photography and painting, ultimately making a profound impact on the history of early Impressionism. Among the artists represented here are Claude Monet, Edouard Manet, and Gustave Courbet, and the exhibition will also include photographs of Gustav Le Gray, Henri Le Seq, and Louis-Alphonse Davanne. The exhibition will include approximately 90 works, including photographs, paintings, drawings, and prints. Forty photographs, most of them vintage prints, and 38 paintings, pastels, and watercolors will be shown, along with a selection of prints, maps, and ephemera evoking the new touristic culture of the Normandy coast.

Exhibit: From the Private Collections of Texas: European Art, Ancient to Modern
Through March 21, Museum Hours — Kimball Art Museum, 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth
The Kimbell plays host to 100 of the most important European paintings and sculptures ever held in private collections in Texas. Most of them are works normally hidden from public view, ranging from glorious Impressionist paintings that once decorated ranchers' homes in West Texas to gems of Renaissance and Baroque art owned by the great collectors of Dallas and Houston. Since first coming into wealth on a national scale in the 1920s, Texans have continued to assert a record of art collecting of the highest discernment. Over 40 collectors will be represented, and among the artists to be featured are Guercino, Rembrandt, Gainsborough, Monet, Renoir, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, and Mondrian.

Exhibit: Performance/Art
Through March 21, Museum Hours — Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood, Dallas
In celebration of the opening of the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts, the Dallas Museum of Art is organizing an exhibition of the work of five international and American artists who have used the forms and ideas surrounding performance, including opera and theater works, as starting points for paintings, sculpture, films, and photographs. Drawn primarily from the collections of the Dallas Museum of Art and with important loans, this extensive presentation will include British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare's film A Masked Ball (Un ballo in maschera), which is based on Giuseppe Verdi's opera of the same name and contains a brilliant reimagining of dance, costume, and narrative; Finnish artist Eija-Liisa Ahtila's quietly intense and atmospheric evocation of an ill-at-ease mind, the three-screen film work Talo/The House; a new installation work by Dallas-based artists Frances Bagley and Tom Orr based on the spectacular sets and costumes they designed for a recent triumphant Dallas Opera production of Verdi's Nabucco; and a selection of Argentine artist Guillermo Kuitca's colorful and powerful paintings and drawings based on intricate seating charts and grand stages of the major theaters and opera houses around the world. In addition, a selection of works illustrating the fusion of performance and photography in the art of the last thirty years will be on view.

Play: Copenhagen
February 11–March 14, Times Vary — Stage West, 821 W. Vickery, Fort Worth
In 1941 physicist Werner Heisenberg went to Copenhagen to see his counterpart, Niels Bohr. This drama questions how one can stay true to science, family and friends, one's country, and one's God when at the forefront of discovery. See website for performance schedule. For tickets, call 817-784-9378.

Film: Alice in Wonderland
Opens March 5, Times Vary — See local listings for locations
From Walt Disney Pictures and visionary director Tim Burton comes an epic fantasy adventure Alice in Wonderland, a magical and imaginative twist on some of the most beloved stories of all time. Nineteen-year-old Alice returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl, reuniting with her childhood friends: the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and of course, the Mad Hatter. Alice embarks on a fantastical journey to find her true destiny and end the Red Queen's reign of terror. Alice in Wonderland captures the wonder of Lewis Carroll's beloved Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking-Glass (1871) with stunning, avant-garde visuals and the most charismatic characters in literary history. The all-star cast includes Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Crispin Glover, Alan Rickman, and Mia Wasikowska as Alice.

Performance: Fiddler on the Roof
March 9–14, Times Vary — Bass Performance Hall, 330 E. 4th St., Fort Worth
Based on the stories of Sholom Aleichem, Fiddler on the Roof has been lauded by critics again and again and won the hearts of people all around the world. Filled with a rousing, heartwarming score, Fiddler on the Roof is a timeless classic. See website for performance schedule. Tickets cost $30–$75 and may be purchased online or by calling 817-332-2272.

Performance: Romeo and Juliet
March 12–14, Times Vary — Winspear Opera House, 2403 Flora St., Dallas
Ben Stevenson's masterful adaptation brings Shakespeare's classic story to life. Set in 16th-century Verona, Italy, Romeo and Juliet chronicles the tragic romance of two young lovers from families on opposing sides of a bitter feud. After meeting at a masked ball, the couple falls head-over-heels in love during a romantic encounter on Juliet's balcony and are secretly wed. They then find themselves trapped in a vicious web of circumstance as they rush headlong towards their tragic destiny. With striking music by Prokofiev, Romeo and Juliet features impassioned dancing and acting by Texas Ballet Theater's talented company. See website for performance schedule. Tickets cost $24–$114 and are available online or by calling 877-828-9200.

Concert: Mozart & Handel
March 18–21, Times Vary — Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora St., Dallas
You're in for an incredible evening as Nicholas McGegan leads the DSO and eminent flutist Sir James Galway in Mozart's witty and inventive Flute Concerto no. 2 as well as Cimarosa's Concerto for Two Flutes with his wife, Lady Jeanne Galway. This inspired program begins and ends with two baroque masterpieces—Bach's joyous Suite no. 3 and Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks. Performance schedule: 8:00 pm on March 18–20; 2:30 pm on March 21. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling 214-692-0203.

Concert: Garland Symphony Orchestra
March 19, 8:00 pm — Granville Arts Center, 5th St. at Austin St., Garland
The Garland Symphony Orchestra presents Vivaldi's Concerto for Flute, Oboe, Bassoon and Orchestra in F Major and Beethoven's Symphony No. 7. Tickets cost $15–$35 and may be purchased by calling 972-926-0611.

Concert: Sibelius and Liszt
March 19–21, Times Vary — Bass Performance Hall, 330 E. 4th St., Fort Worth
Seventeen-year-old pianist and Juilliard student Sijing Ye makes her FWSO debut in a performance of Liszt's extraordinarily virtuosic First Piano Concerto. Sibelius's Fifth Symphony will bring the concert to a close in a blaze of glory, while two imaginative and richly orchestrated works by FWSO composer-in-residence Jennifer Higdon provide an enjoyable beginning. See website for performance schedule. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling 817-665-6000.

Class: Epic Visions: Reimagining the World
Wednesdays, March 31–April 21, 7:00 pm — Dallas Institute, 2719 Routh St., Dallas
In a world that is struggling to develop a global identity, one of the certainties of our age is change—life-altering, cultural change. Throughout history, the epic vision has provided special insight into these monumental shifts, making it valuable to explore in ages of significant transition, like ours. In four classes, read The Epic of Gilgamesh, Beowulf, the West African Mwindo Epic, and the Biblical book of Exodus to see familiar patterns of human behavior and to explore the possibilities of responses to life's greatest challenges in critical times of change. Tuition costs $85 for non-members, $70 for Institute Members, and $25 for Member teachers. Register online or by calling 214-871-2440.

Play: Mrs. Warren's Profession
April 7–11, Times Vary — Greer Garson Theatre, Owen Arts Center, Meadows School of the Arts, Dallas
Mrs. Warren has made a fortune in the oldest profession but kept the secret from her daughter, Vivie, an independent, well-educated young woman who is horrified to learn the truth. Written in 1893 but not freely performed until 1925, the play stirred controversy not only for its allusion to prostitution, but for its attack on the domestic imprisonment of women by the male-dominated culture of the period. Shaw himself wrote, "Mrs. Warren's defense of herself and indictment of society is the thing that most needs saying." Presented by Meadows School of the Arts. Performance times: 8:00 pm on April 7–10; 2:00 pm on April 10 and 11. Tickets cost $13 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $7 for students, faculty, and staff. For tickets, call 214-768-2787.

Play: The Seagull
April 9–May 8, Times Vary — Kitchen Dog Theater, 3120 McKinney Ave., Dallas
Written in 1896, Chekhov's tragi-comedy of life and art astonished the old century as it heralded the birth of modern drama. Dreams born and shattered, loves won and lost—The Seagull paints a rich and tumultuous portrait of the human heart. Presented by Kitchen Dog Theater. See website for performance dates and times. Tickets cost $15—$30 and may be purchased online or by calling 214-953-1055.

Concert: Brahms's Symphony no. 2
April 8–11, Times Vary — Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora St., Dallas
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Jaap van Zweden, presents Brahms's Symphony no. 2 and Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht. See website for performance schedule. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling 214-692-0203.

Concert: Mozart, Schumann, and Strauss
April 15–18, Times Vary — Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora St., Dallas
The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Hans Graf and featuring Louis Lortie, piano, presents Mozart's Symphony no. 29, Schumann's Piano Concerto, and Strauss's Death and Transfiguration. See website for performance schedule. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling 214-692-0203.

Concert: Beethoven no. 9
April 16–18, Times Vary — Bass Performance Hall, 330 E. 4th St., Fort Worth
Beethoven's celebrated Ninth Symphony is one the greatest and most influential symphonies ever written. Inspired by Friedrich Schiller's "Ode to Joy" poem—and incorporating part of the text—the Symphony's universal message of love touches all who hear it. Grand in scale and demanding for every performer on the stage, the Ninth is an experience like no other. See website for performance schedule. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling 817-665-6000.

Play: Death of a Salesman
April 16–May 16, Times Vary — Wyly Theatre, Dallas Center for the Performing Arts, Flora Ave. and Leonard St., Dallas
Dallas Theatre Center will present Arthus Miller's Death of a Salesman. See website for performance schedule. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling 214-522-8499.

Concert: Escher String Quartet
April 19, 8:00 pm — Caruth Auditorium, Southern Methodist University, 6101 Bishop Blvd., Dallas
The Escher String Quartet has received acclaim for its individual sound, inspired artistic decisions, and unique cohesiveness. The Quartet has performed at prestigious venues and festivals across the United States including Lincoln Center, the 92nd Street Y and Symphony Space in New York, Boston's Gardner Museum, the Ravinia and Caramoor Festivals, Music@Menlo and La Jolla SummerFest; and has collaborated with eminent artists such as Lawrence Dutton, Leon Fleisher, Lynn Harrell, Jeffrey Kahane, Joseph Kalichstein, David Shifrin, and Pinchas Zukerman. Within months of its inception in 2005, the Escher was invited by both Pinchas Zukerman and Itzhak Perlman to be the quartet-in-residence at each artist's summer festival: The Young Artists Programme at Canada's National Arts Centre and The Perlman Chamber Music Program on Shelter Island, NY. Program: Brahms no. 1 in C Minor; Pierre Jalbert's Quartet no. 4; and Beethoven op. 59, no. 2. Presented by Dallas Chamber Music. Tickets cost $35 for the general public; $15 for students with ID. Purchase tickets online or by calling 972-392-3267.

Concert: Verdi's Messa da Requiem
April 19, 8:00 pm — Bass Performance Hall, 330 E. 4th St., Fort Worth
The U.N.T. Symphony Orchestra and Grand Chorus, led by David Itkin, conductor and Jerry McCoy, director, will be performing Giuseppe Verdi's Messa da Requiem. Tickets cost $20 for the general public; $10 for seniors and students. Purchase tickets online or by calling 817-212-4280.