Calendar of Events
2009 Smithsonian Institution Calendar of Events
A Celebration of Latino Art and Culture at the Smithsonian
April
Onstage Conversation
“Spanish Vanguard Cuisine and its Influence in the United States and the World—with Chefs José Andrés and Wylie Dufresne”
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
7:00 p.m.—8:00 p.m.
Auditorium doors open at 6:30 p.m.
National Museum of American History - Carmichael Auditorium
14th Street and Constitution Ave, NW
Washington, D.C.
Admission to this program is free, but arrive early to ensure a seat. Please use the Constitution Avenue entrance.
Join acclaimed chefs José Andrés and Wylie Dufresne for an onstage conversation
about the emergence of Spanish Vanguard Cuisine and its influence in the United States and the world. José Andrés, termed the "boy wonder of the culinary Washington" by the New York Times, is internationally recognized for his culinary innovations in bringing both traditional and avant-garde Spanish fare to the United States. He directs the creative teams behind several D.C. restaurants such as: Café Atlántico, Jaleo, Zaytinya, Oyamel, and critically acclaimed MiniBar. He has published several books including "Tapas: A taste of Spain" and, more recently, "Made in Spain" while also being engaged as the host and executive producer of the PBS hit "Made in Spain." Wylie Dufresne is a disciple of Spanish chef Ferran Adrià and a leading American proponent of Vanguard Cuisine (also called Molecular Cuisine)—the movement to introduce new techniques and sciences in the preparation and delivery of food. In 2003, Dufresne opened his restaurant WD-50 in New York—a central point for Vanguard Cuisine in America. Part of the series Preview Spain: Arts & Culture, this program has been organized in partnership between the Embassy of Spain, the National Museum of American History, and the Smithsonian Latino Center. Seats will be available on a first come-first served basis—be sure to arrive early!
Concert
The Danilo Pérez Trio
Sunday, April 26, 2009
3pm – 5pm
Carmichael Auditorium
National Museum of American History
14th St. and Constitution Ave. NW
Washington, DC
Admission is free and open to the public
Celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month with the Danilo Pérez Trio! Join the innovative Panamanian pianist and composer, Danilo Pérez (also founder of the Panama Jazz Festival), for a free afternoon concert that reinterprets jazz with traditional Latin American genres. Danilo will be accompanied by bassist Ben Street and percussionist Adam Cruz. This concert has been organized in partnership with the Smithsonian Latino Center and the National Museum of American History. Admission is free, but please arrive early to ensure a good seat! Auditorium doors will open 30 minutes before the show.
May
Documentary Film Series: II Reel Time Brazil
The Enchanted Word (Palavra (En)cantada)
Friday, May 15, 2009
7pm, (86 minutes)
Ring Auditorium, Hirshhorn Museum
Independence Avenue at Seventh Street SW
Washington, DC
Admission is free and open to the public
Popular music is an unexpected vehicle for poetry and literature in Brazil, a country with a strong oral tradition. Join us for the U.S. premiere of Helena Solberg’s new film, which reflects on the interplay between these art forms. The Enchanted Word is woven from performances and interviews with singers, songwriters and poets. Among the artists who sing, talk, and perform for the camera are Adriana Calcanhotto, Arnaldo Antunes, Chico Buarque, Lirinha, Lenine, Maria Bethânia, Martinho da Vila and Tom Zé. The film also includes rare archival images and a rich sound track. Director Helena Solberg will be in attendance. In Portuguese with English Subtitles. Admission is free, but please arrive early to ensure a good seat! Auditorium doors will open 30 minutes before the show.
Permanent Pan-Cinema (Pan-Cinema Permanente)
Saturday, May 16, 2009
4 p.m., (83 minutes)
Greenberg Theater
4200 Wisconsin Ave.
Washington, DC
Admission is free and open to the public
Join us for the U.S. premiere of Carlos Nader’s film Permanent Pan-Cinema, a documentary about the late Brazilian poet Waly Salomão, a man who believed that life was like fiction. For Waly, poetry was a daily tool to unmask any pretension of naturalism. This strong conviction deeply influenced his friends, the fellow poet Antonio Cícero, musician Caetano Veloso and also the film’s director, Carlos Nader, who has been documenting Waly’s live for nearly 15 years. But how to make a documentary about someone who believes everything is fiction? Winner of the 2008 Documentary Film Festival – It’s All True. Director Carlos Nader will be in attendance. In Portuguese with English Subtitles. Admission is free, but please arrive early to ensure a good seat!
Panair do Brasil (, Panair do Brasil)
Saturday, May 16, 2009
6 p.m., (70 minutes)
Greenberg Theater
4200 Wisconsin Ave.
Washington, DC
Admission is free and open to the public
Marco Altberg’s Panair do Brasil revives the incredible story of the most important Brazilian commercial aviation company between 1930 and 1965. Its history is intimately linked with Brazil’s economic development and progress, with its commercial daring in establishing routes to the four corners of a continent-sized country, taking the adventure of air transport to never-before imagined places, including the country’s first international routes. Five decades after it closed its doors, it still retains an important place in the country’s collective imagination, whether for its pioneering spirit and stories of heroic deeds, or for the bewilderment which was aroused by the facts surrounding its closure during the military regime. Director Marco Altberg will be in attendance. In Portuguese with English Subtitles. Admission is free, but please arrive early to ensure a good seat!
Only Ten Percent is a Lie (Só Dez Por Cento é Mentira)
Sunday, May 17, 2009
4 p.m., (76 minutes)
Greenberg Theater
4200 Wisconsin Ave.
Washington, DC
Admission is free and open to the public
Join us for the U.S. premiere of Pedro Cezar’s documentary about the life and work of poet Manoel de Barros, from Mato Grosso do Sul. Alternating between interviews with the poet, readings of his poetry, and statements from connoisseurs of his work, the documentary paints a revealing portrait of the author who is considered to be one of the most original poets in the Portuguese language. Manoel de Barros is 91 years old and currently lives in Campo Grande. He has received several literary awards and is Brazil’s best-selling poet. Director Pedro Cezar will be in attendance. In Portuguese with English Subtitles. Admission is free, but please arrive early to ensure a good seat!
Simonal – No One Knows How Tough It Was (Simonal – Ninguém Sabe O Duro que Dei)
Sunday, May 17, 2009
6 p.m., (86 minutes)
Greenberg Theater
4200 Wisconsin Ave.
Washington, DC
Admission is free and open to the public
In an age when talents were both revolutionary and eternal, innovative Wilson Simonal shined like none other. With his charisma, sympathy, swing, charm, sex appeal and a lot of talent, he was the most successful star in Brazil, even making fans abroad. All of a sudden it was all over. Gossip, accusations, mysteries, patrols and chases, whatever happened to Wilson Simonal? Simonal – No One Knows How Tough It Was, portrays the impressive rise to fame of a former army private that reigned supreme in pop culture but ended up being ostracized for a crime which he swears he did not commit. With interviews from friends, enemies and, mainly, through the images of the exuberant performances of this great artist, this film provides answers to long-standing questions. Was Simonal an informant during the Brazilian dictatorship? Was he friendly with the military? Or was his greatest crime being a black millionaire and a sex symbol in a country and time where racism was latent in the society? Directed by Claudio Manoel, Micael Langer, and Calvito Leal Pedro Cezar. Wilson Simoninha, Simonal’s son, will be in attendance. In Portuguese with English Subtitles. Admission is free, but please arrive early to ensure a good seat!
The film series II Reel Time Brazil is being presented by the Embassy of Brazil in collaboration with the Smithsonian Latino Center and with the support of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.
Exhibition
“Jamestown, Québec, Santa Fe: Three North American Beginnings”
May 18, 2009 – November 1, 2009
10am – 5:30pm, open daily
The International Gallery, S. Dillon Ripley Center
1100 Jefferson Drive, SW
Washington, DC
Admission is free and open to the public
This exhibition explores the international origins of the societies of Canada and the United States and commemorates the 400th anniversary of three lasting settlements in Jamestown (1607), Québec (1608), and Santa Fe (1609). It takes a multicultural approach to the virtually simultaneous introduction of English, French, and Spanish culture to this vast area and tells the stories of Native and European societies through 1700. The exhibition was developed through a partnership between the Virginia Historical Society and the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History with collaboration and assistance from the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the Palace of the Governors in New Mexico, and a number of other cultural institutions. http://americanhistory.si.edu/exhibitions/small_exhibition.cfm?key=1267&exkey=244
June
Concert Series
The Ibero-American Guitar Festival
Friday, June 19, 2009, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Saturday, June 20, 2009, 12 pm – 9 p.m.
Sunday, June 21, 2009, 12 pm – 9 p.m.
National Museum of the American Indian
Fourth Street & Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC
The Ibero-American Guitar Festival of Washington, D.C., brings together the best performers on guitar and guitar-related instruments from the Americas, Spain, and Portugal. This third edition of the festival honors Brazilian composer Heitor Villa- Lobos on the 50th anniversary of his death, with three days of concerts, lectures, a display, and master classes featuring more than a dozen musicians and several experts from the US, Spain, Portugal, the Dominican Republic, and 11 Latin American countries. Such outstanding performers as Eduardo Fernández, Hamilton de Holanda, Fabio Zanon, Federico Tarazona, and Victor Villadangos will perform in a wide range of musical styles and genres, including compositions by Villa-Lobos and many others.
Presented by the Association of Ibero-American Cultural Attaches in Washington, D.C., with support from the Smithsonian Latino Center and the National Museum of the American Indian.
Locations: Concerts will take place in the Rasmuson Theater. Discussions and master classes will take place in Rooms 4018-4019.
Daytime events are free and open to the public, though seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-seated basis. Evening concerts require tickets. For complete schedule and information on purchasing tickets, visit www.dciberoamericanguitarfestival.org
Community Festival
Caribbean Heritage Day Celebration
Wednesday, June 24, 2009 (Pending confirmation!)
Brooklyn Borough Hall
209 Joralemon Street
Brooklyn, New York
Admission is free and open to the public
Bring your family and friends to enjoy craft demonstrations, musical performances, and lectures about Panamanian history and culture at Brooklyn’s annual Caribbean Heritage Day Celebration. This program is being organized by the Smithsonian Latino Center (SLC) and the Panamanian Council of New York. For an updated program description and schedule of events, please check the SLC event calendar, http://latino.si.edu/newsevents/.
July
Concert: Bannabá Project
Thursday, July 23, 2009
5:30pm – 6:30pm
The National Museum of the American Indian
The George Gustav Heye Center
Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, 1 Bowling Green
New York, NY
Admission is free and open to the public
The National Museum of the American Indian’s Native Sounds Downtown concert series features the Bannabá Project, hailing directly from Panama. Directed by Ricardo Vizuete, the Bannabá Project reinterprets the indigenous music of Panama (Kuna, Emberá, Ngöbe-Buglé, and others) and combines it with genres like jazz, pop, calypso, and other Caribbean rhythms. This free concert will take place on the Cobblestone, or in Diker Pavilion, if case of rain.
Concert
Bannabá Project
Saturday, July 25, 2009
12pm – 1pm, Family Program, Potomac Atrium
5pm – 6:30pm, Concert, Welcome Plaza
National Museum of the American Indian
Fourth Street & Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC
Admission is free and open to the public
The National Museum of the American Indian’s summer concert series features the Bannabá Project, hailing directly from Panama. Directed by Ricardo Vizuete, the Bannabá Project reinterprets the indigenous music of Panama (Kuna, Emberá, Ngöbe-Buglé, and others) and combines it with genres like jazz, pop, calypso, and other Caribbean rhythms.
August
Onstage Conversation
A Commemoration and Discussion of the 1989 U.S. Invasion of Panama
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
6pm – 7:15pm
Rasmuson Theater
National Museum of the American Indian
Fourth Street & Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC
Admission is free and open to the public
In December of 1989, the United States Military launched Operation Just Cause, the invasion of the Republic of Panama that succeeded in its goal of toppling the government of Manuel Noriega. Twenty years later, journalists Juan Williams (National Public Radio) and Betty Brannan Jaén (La Prensa de Panamá), and journalism professor John Dinges (Columbia University; former National Public Radio Foreign Editor) will gather at the Smithsonian to remember the invasion and to discuss its consequences. Admission is free, but please arrive early to ensure a good seat! Auditorium doors will open 30 minutes before the show.
September
Family Day
Hispanic Heritage Month Kick-Off Family Day
Saturday, September 12, 2009
1pm – 5pm
Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard
Smithsonian American Art Museum
National Portrait Gallery
8th St. and G St. NW
Washington, D.C.
Admission is free and open to the public
The whole family is invited to this kick-off of the Smithsonian’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. The day includes craft-making and art activities, music and dance performances, storytelling, and bilingual tours. This is the fourth feature event in the Smithsonian Heritage Month 2009 family-day series, sponsored by Target. The theme is “Living in Many Worlds,” which explores the dynamic intersection of family, history, and cultural identity. This event is also part of the Panama at the Smithsonian program series and has been organized by the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies, Smithsonian Heritage Months Steering Committee, Smithsonian Latino Center, and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
Onstage Conversation
Rubén Blades—In His Own Words
Thursday, September 24, 2009
6:30 pm – 7: 30pm
Carmichael Auditorium
National Museum of American History
14th St. and Constitution Ave. NW
Washington, DC
Admission is free and open to the public
Join the Smithsonian Latino Center and the National Museum of American History (NMAH) for an onstage conversation between the legendary Panamanian musician, composer, and actor, Rubén Blades, and NMAH Curator Marvette Pérez about his viewpoints, memories, and experiences related to the history of Latin music in the United States. Admission is free, but please arrive early to ensure a good seat! Auditorium doors will open 30 minutes before the show.
Lecture
Production and Propaganda—Colonial Art from the Spanish Caribbean, Panama, and Peru
September 26, 2009
3pm – 4pm
Nan Tucker McEvoy Auditorium
Donald W. Reynold’s Center for American Art and Portraiture
Washington, DC
Admission is free and open to the public
During the 16th, 17th, and 18th Centuries, the art that was circulated, as well as produced locally, throughout the Spanish Caribbean, Panama, and Peru was overwhelmingly religious in content. Religious imagery in the form of paintings or sculpted figures, in addition to other sacred objects, were highly in demand as objects of personal devotion, as well as tools for the conversion of indigenous peoples and the assertion of colonial identities. Join the Smithsonian Latino Center and Smithsonian American Art Museum for a talk with Panamanian art historian Orlando Hernández Ying to explore the meaning and context of colonial art from the Spanish Caribbean, Panama, and Peru. Admission is free, but please arrive early to ensure a good seat! Auditorium doors will open 30 minutes before the show.
