Weekend Roundup

Robert Devaney • June 7, 2016

Frida Frazer Winslow Burling, one of Georgetown’s oldest and noted citizens, died May 26 at her Washington, D.C., home.

Her daughter Belinda Winslow told The Georgetowner: “Mother passed away peacefully this morning about 10. She was surrounded by family and love. We did a circle of love and recited ‘The Lord’s Prayer.’ ”

Last weekend, Burling began receiving hospice care and died in her own bed in her own house on 29th Street.

That same weekend, she received an award — which her daughter Belinda accepted on her behalf — from the Episcopal Bishop of Washington Mariann Budde at St. John’s Church on O Street in Georgetown.  Burling was also visited at home by Rev. Gini Gerbasi of St. John’s and by Rev. Johnsie Cogman of Mount Zion United Methodist Church across the street from her house.

A memorial service is planned for September at St. John’s in Georgetown.

Yes, Georgetown’s Frida Burling — born in Sept. 16, 1915, in Newport, Rhode Island — led a life that merited many an award and was worth celebrating, especially in her town. 

When people talk about legacies and life stories, usually the tale is about how you lived your life, and what your markers there are along the way that tell your story and note what you bear your participation in your life and in your community.   

Here at The Georgetowner, we’ve always felt, ever since we encountered Frida Burling in her first forays into making something iconic, lasting and permanent out of the annual Georgetown House Tours, that in many ways, she represented an ideal of community and citizen here. Not just because of the tour itself — although she always gave the yearly celebration of Georgetown history and essence her full energy — but because she embraced the idea of community service and identity with place with all the joy she could muster, which was considerable. Ask those involved with the Junior League of Washington, another one of her favorite efforts.

Burling was and has always been, even now — with that beautiful energy now extinguished — a Georgetowner who represented her town and herself more than well. 

She had a deep, abiding love for the place where she lived and was never afraid to show it —and to be persuasive in her efforts to get others to join her in her various efforts that included the Georgetown Ministry Center as well as other programs at St. John’s Episcopal Church.

When she came looking for volunteers and help for the tour, whether to host patron’s parties or have homes on the tour, she was pretty hard to resist, because Frida always had an immense reservoir of charm, humor and knowledge and a sense of life’s duty and rewards.  

When we sat down with her in early September 2015 just before her 100th birthday at her 29th Street home — which is one of those sunny, stylish, book-filled residences that perfectly reflected the life she and her late husband Edward Burling shared there — she still had that empathy in her eyes and certain certitudes also.

She led a life which allowed her to dive into causes with fervor that was fueled by compassion, as well as self-assurance — she was at the 1963 Civil Rights rally and historic Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. In her book, you will find a picture of her gleefully holding up a sign (“Money for Jobs Not War”) at a rally protesting U.S. policy.

Burling’s lifetime spanned 17 presidencies: Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover, FDR, Truman, Ike, Kennedy, LBJ, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush 1, Clinton, Bush 2, and Barack Obama. She remained firm about her loyalties and preference. Asked who her favorite president during the course of her life was, she emphatically said, “Barack Obama.”

Her long life produced a sense of continuity, a feel for its history, detailed and otherwise, and that burgeoning consistent warmth provided by family. In Burling’s case, one that produced a fair-sized clan and tribe from two marriages, both by any measure fruitful and well-shared.

But knowing Frida and knowing about her also gave you a sense of her values and the values and history of the community — she was exercising in the gym in her nineties — which she championed with that sustained energy of hers.

Georgetowner •

The Washington Folk Festival brings traditional music to Glen Echo, the Ireland 100 festival wraps up and the District starts getting its jazz groove on.

Gary Tischler •

At the Phillips Collection, a family-friendly early start to the DC Jazz Festival.

Gary Tischler • May 26, 2016

It’s fair to say that we live in uncivil, intemperate times — in terms of our political discourse, in terms of the comments sections on our little screens, in terms of the way we conduct ourselves in public, on our highways and in the halls of government.

Being polite, having good manners (or just manners) doesn’t soothe the savage beast.

But music still can. There are still places and times — in a concert hall, in the drawing rooms of embassies — where people gather together and listen to the music and converse, before, in between and after, often without devices lighting up the night.

Music can be a balm and a joy, depending on the occasion. At the embassy of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, it was a joy when the Embassy Series and its founder Jerome Barry helped orchestrate a fond farewell May 20 for Ambassador Jean-Louis Wolzfeld, who will be leaving as well as retiring later this summer, after a successful four-year tenure here.

Wolzfeld represented his tiny country in a big way, with curiosity, open arms, a warmth that was never pushy and an intelligence that was never showy. At special events, be they an evening of cabaret music or a yuletide celebration, he was the genial host.

Naturally, they feted the ambassador of a duchy where Belgians, Germans, the French and the Flemings gather convivially with an evening of Irish music and musicians — principally the pianist Barry Douglas, founder of the chamber orchestra Camerata Ireland, noted for its membership of musicians from the north and south of Ireland, and conductor Dónal Doherty and his chamber choir Codetta, young singers based in Derry.

A song by Schubert led things off, but the offerings were notably Irish, including music by James MacMillan, as well as the infectious “Little Man in a Hurry” and renderings of traditional works like “The Coolin,” “Carrickfergas” and, of course, always, “Danny Boy.”

The singers — later joined by the school-aged group Harmony North — filled the available room in the embassy to the hilt, so that soloists could probably be heard on Massachusetts Avenue, but the teeming, high-energy, impeccably meshed young voices were all of a piece to be savored.

The final salute came as both guests and artists gathered together in one room. It was decided that perhaps an American spiritual might punctuate the evening in high style, and it did indeed, with impeccable singing from the voices scattered throughout the room.

Codetta, Harmony North and Douglas all appeared at the Kennedy Center the following day as part of the “Ireland 100” festival.

Schubert, who led off the evening at Luxembourg, provided the same service May 21 at the Kalorama residence of the Ambassador of Iceland Geir H. Haarde and his wife, Inga Jona Thordardottir. It was another Embassy Series concert of far different kind, tempo and feeling. Violinist Laufey Sigurdardottir, who was born and raised on Reykjavik, and pianist Beth Levin deftly and with a balanced fierceness played Schubert’s “Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor.” Their intense performance called for equally intense listening. One needed to catch one’s breath and pay close attention to grasp phrases and ideas. In the stylish, brightly lit residence, surrounded by expressionist art, one felt a few steps removed from the oft-noted alarums of the world.

A violin sonata by Grieg preceded the fireworks of Beethoven’s “Violin Sonata No. 7 in C Minor,” a work considered by many to be one of grandest in the violin repertory. It was certainly grand and tempestuous, solemn in parts, gorgeous in others and always emotional.

On a weekend of intermittent but constant rain, this was a Saturday night that seemed both civil and civilized.

The Sunday concert at the Music Center at Strathmore provided a different sort of quality, not the least of which was the star power of Simone Dinnerstein. As far as the program and its structure went, it was audacious — offering two composers separated by time, maybe space and certainly style, strung together like jewels from different shops, but jewels nevertheless, smoothly evolving from and toward each other.

The composers were Philip Glass and (hello again) Schubert. There were some raised eyebrows at this negotiation.

Dinnerstein by now carries two things with her: gravitas, which most concert pianists have, and something else — persona, charisma, charm — which not all do, at least not to the degree that she does. You can hear those qualities in her playing, but also see them, if you’re close enough, in the ease of he playing, her physical relationship with the piano.

None of this recapitulation is meant as critique; it is more about the meditative, healing power of musical moments. At Strathmore, this occurred with the added appeal of the hall itself, which (as I remember from when I heard Itzhak Perlman here at the hall’s opening) still feels like an acoustical church or cathedral. It is a hall where the acoustics illuminate the music. Folk singer Kris Kristofferson once said after a rehearsal here: “I love this place. I can hear every single mistake I made.”

You could, on another rainy Sunday, also hear the glory of Glass and Schubert, and Dinnerstein.

Georgetowner • May 23, 2016

Tot Rock with the Pop Ups
MAY 20TH, 2016 AT 10:15 AM | $6 ($3 FOR CHILDREN UNDER 2, $8 FOR ADULTS) | TEL: 202-633-8700 | EVENT WEBSITE

The Smithsonian Associates present this California musical duo who mix puppets, flashy dances, huge collages, a talking banana, drawing, surprise costume changes and giant beach balls into their act. Suggested for children ages 2 to 6. Shows at 10:15 and 11:30.

Smithsonian Discovery Theater, 1100 Jefferson Dr. SW

Padua Finishing School: Weaving for Beginners
MAY 20TH, 2016 AT 05:30 PM | $45 | TEL: 202-547-1122 | EVENT WEBSITE

Participants will learn the ins-and-outs of weaving from Linny Giffin of the Lemon Bowl, including the basics of setting up the loom, beginner stitches and how to finish a weaving so that it’s ready for display.

Sidney Harman Hall, 610 F St. NW

New Ambassador Reception: Bosnia and Herzegovina
MAY 20TH, 2016 AT 07:00 PM | $50 | TEL: 301-510-8939 | EVENT WEBSITE

A country whose history was war torn throughout the late 20th century is now a symbol of peace, progress and beauty and a close friend of the United States. The embassy invites young professionals to step onto foreign soil to sample a country rich in culture and history. The event includes native food, open bar, music, film, a unique rare art display and a meet and greet with the ambassador.

Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2109 E St. NW

DC Dragon Boat Festival
MAY 21ST, 2016 AT 08:30 AM | FREE | THALIALIN1129@GMAIL.COM | TEL: 2028951852 | EVENT WEBSITE

The 2016 Dragon Boat Festival is celebrating its 15th anniversary on May 21 and 22. This two-day annual festival is open to the public and features cultural exhibitions, craft demonstrations and live performances as well as breathtaking dragon boat racing on the Potomac River. Fifty teams comprising more than 1,500 paddlers from up and down the east coast will be fiercely competing for trophies. Renowned local dance troupes and artists will perform lion-dancing, martial arts, etc.

Thompson Boat Center, 2900 Virginia Ave. NW

Strut Your Mutt Dog Parade and Festival
MAY 21ST, 2016 AT 10:00 AM | $30.00 PER DOG | TEL: 240-447-4068 | EVENT WEBSITE

The Bethesda Chevy Chase Rotary Club in partnership with DC Actors for Animals presents the 11th annual Strut Your Mutt Dog Parade and Festival, a fundraiser for its charity foundation. The event begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 3 p.m. The dog parade will start at 10:45 a.m., followed by owner/dog contests and live music, as well as over 30 dog-related exhibitors, animal rescue groups and a kiddie area with moonbounces and games.

Downtown Bethesda at Woodmont Ave. and Bethesda Ave.

Ladies First
MAY 21ST, 2016 AT 05:00 PM | Free | GALLERIESNEPTUNEBROWN@GMAIL.COM | TEL: 2029861200 | EVENT WEBSITE

Gallery Neptune & Brown is pleased to host an opening reception for “Ladies First,” a group exhibition of outstanding professional women working today in various media. The exhibition will include works by Carol Barsha, Raya Bodnarchuk, Cianne Fragione, Emily Francisco, Janis Goodman, Tazuko Ichikawa, Linn Meyers and Beverly Ress. Each artist works steadily and consistently in the studio producing deeply personal, innovative and meticulous work.

1530 14th Street NW

Children’s Book Reading and Signing
MAY 22ND, 2016 AT 01:00 PM | FREE | INFO@UPSHURSTREETBOOKS.COM | TEL: 202-726-0380 | EVENT WEBSITE

Sara Pascoe reads from “Oswald, the Almost Famous Opossum,” set in D.C. and Maryland. The titular character, Oswald, is a fame-seeking opossum who must decide whether the promise of fame is more important to him than sticking by his friends. It’s a fantasy chapter book for 7-9 year olds with great educational details sprinkled in about language (Oswald is a poet) and fun facts about the different animal characters (did you know opossums have opposable thumbs on their back legs?)

Upshur Street Books, 827 Upshur St. NW

Poetry and Prose Open Mic
MAY 22ND, 2016 AT 02:00 PM | FREE | TEL: 301-654-8664 | EVENT WEBSITE

Sign-up for readers at this open mic event begins at 1:30 p.m. The reading starts at 2 and will be followed by a reception.

The Writer’s Center, 4508 Walsh Street, Bethesda, Maryland

Around the World in 20 Years
MAY 22ND, 2016 AT 04:00 PM | $25 TO $50 | TEL: 202-994-6800 | EVENT WEBSITE

At this grand finale for Children’s Chorus of Washington founder Joan Gregoryk, music from around the world, including a premiere by composer Andrea Ramsey, will be performed by the chorus’s ensembles, its alumni chorus and special guests.

Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st St. NW

Simone Dinnerstein, Piano
MAY 22ND, 2016 AT 04:00 PM | $35 TO $90 | TEL: 202-785-9727 | EVENT WEBSITE

Washington Performing Arts present the highly regarded American pianist performing Philip Glass’s “Selected Metamorphoses” and Franz Schubert’s “Selected Impromptus,” Op. 90, and “Sonata in B-flat Major,” D. 960.

Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, Maryland

Georgetowner • May 16, 2016

DC Goes Green: All-Day Tour
MAY 13TH, 2016 AT 09:15 AM | $180 | TEL: 202-633-3030 | EVENT WEBSITE

Bill Keene, a lecturer in history, urban studies and architecture, will lead this Smithsonian Associates tour, focusing on how Washington is becoming a greener city and spotlighting innovative approaches to the environment. Lunch is in the private dining room of Oyamel, a Jose Andres restaurant, where participants will view a rooftop gardening program.

Mayflower Hotel, 1127 Connecticut Ave. NW

After Hours at the Kreeger
MAY 13TH, 2016 AT 07:30 PM | $50 | TEL: 202-337-3050 | EVENT WEBSITE

The International Club of DC and the Kreeger Museum present an evening of art and jazz, featuring live jazz, appetizers and an open bar.

Kreeger Museum, 2401 Foxhall Road NW

Big Pants & Hot Flashes: Julia Scotti and Kevin Meaney
MAY 13TH, 2016 AT 08:00 PM | $20 | TEL: 301-581-5100 | EVENT WEBSITE

Comedians Kevin Meaney and Julia Scotti will give a hilarious once-in-a-nighttime experience, way over the rainbow, skipping back and forth across sexual and gender lines.

AMP, 11810 Grand Park Ave., N. Bethesda, Maryland

Spring Fest at Cathedral Commons
MAY 14TH, 2016 AT 12:00 PM | FREE | NEWS@ARTSOIREE.COM | TEL: 2024702642 | EVENT WEBSITE

Cathedral Commons celebrates spring with a street festival of art, music and food: 30+ vendors, five hours of live entertainment, outdoor workout class and flower-art installations.

3401 Idaho Ave. NW

Carousel Memories Gala in the Park
MAY 14TH, 2016 AT 06:00 PM | $200 PER PERSON | DMUELLER@GLENECHOPARK.ORG | TEL: (301) 634-2230 | EVENT WEBSITE

Glen Echo Park hosts its 2016 Gala in the Park from 6pm to midnight. The theme is inspired by the iconic Dentzel Carousel. The Gala will honor Carol Trawick, president of the Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation, with the Visionary Award for her outstanding leadership and support of Glen Echo Park and the arts in Montgomery County.

7300 MacArthur Boulevard, Glen Echo, Maryland

DC Preservation League’s 45th Anniversary Celebration and Awards Gala
MAY 14TH, 2016 AT 07:00 PM | $125 – $500 | MM@THESTYLELOBBYIST.COM | TEL: 210-273-3231 | EVENT WEBSITE

45 years ago, the DC Preservation League marched on the Old Post Office to prevent its demolition. Since then, DCPL has served as the only non-profit solely dedicated to preservation in our nation’s capital.

Pennsylvania Avenue between 11th and 12th Streets NW

Romantic Reflections: Songs and Serenades
MAY 14TH, 2016 AT 08:00 PM | $20 IN ADVANCE; $25 AT THE DOOR; $15 SENIORS, STUDENTS, GROUPS. | TALUKACH@GMAIL.COM | TEL: 703-731-4957 | EVENT WEBSITE

Peter Trofimenko and the award-wining American Balalaika Symphony present Romantic Reflections, an evocative collection of songs and serenades that echo the passionate intimacy, aspiration and optimism of the Romantic Age, with special guest performance by guitar virtuoso Serge Khrichenko.

Schlesinger Concert Hall, NVCC, 3001 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria, Virginia

Ariel Quartet with Pianist Alon Goldstein
MAY 15TH, 2016 AT 03:30 PM | FREE | TEL: 202-737-4215 | EVENT WEBSITE

Formed in Israel when its members were young students, the Ariel Quartet was recently awarded the prestigious Cleveland Quartet Award. The program will include works by Mozart and Brahms.

National Gallery of Art, 401 Constitution Ave. NW

Cathedral Choral Society: Fantastic Beethoven
MAY 15TH, 2016 AT 04:00 PM | $25-77 | LSHERIDAN@CATHEDRAL.ORG | TEL: 202-537-2228 | EVENT WEBSITE

Energetic and fiery, the “Leonore” Overture is heroic Beethoven at his best. Lyrically grand, the virtuosic “Choral Fantasy,” with piano soloist Brian Ganz, foreshadows Beethoven’s famous Ninth Symphony “Ode to Joy” theme. Surprisingly gentle and humble, the Mass in C Major approaches its subject with deep sincerity and power.

Washington National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Ave. NW

Comedy at the Kennedy Center: Brooks Wheelan
MAY 15TH, 2016 AT 06:00 PM | 18:00 | TEL: 800-444-1234 | EVENT WEBSITE

On the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage: Brooks Wheelan, a self-proclaimed “chill dude from Iowa” who got a biomedical engineering degree from the University of Iowa before pursuing comedy.

Kennedy Center Terrace Theater, 2700 F St. NW

Georgetowner • May 9, 2016

Reception for ‘Coded Marks in the Geographic Landscape
MAY 6TH, 2016 AT 06:00 PM | FREE | TEL: 202-331-7282 | EVENT WEBSITE

An opening reception for an exhibition, on view through May 28, of works by Sandra Gobar, in which she uses fragments of topographic vintage maps and texts to draw connections between natural and constructed systems.

Arts Club of Washington, 2017 I St. NW

Asheru
MAY 6TH, 2016 AT 06:00 PM | FREE | TEL: 202-444-1234 | EVENT WEBSITE

Asheru is a hip hop artist, educator and youth activist. He has won a Peabody Award, released several singles and collaborations with international producers, and is famously known for writing the opening theme song of the popular TV series, “The Boondocks.”

Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW

Embassy Series
MAY 6TH, 2016 AT 07:30 PM | $150 | TEL: 202-625-2361 | EVENT WEBSITE

Young French cellist Edgar Moreau and pianist Jessica Osborne perform works by Bach, Chopin, Franck and Schnittke.

Belmont Mansion, 1618 New Hampshire Ave. NW

‘I Love You Mom’ Art Book Workshop
MAY 7TH, 2016 AT 10:00 AM | $40 | TEL: 301-634-2226 | EVENT WEBSITE

In this workshop, children ages 6-10 can express their feelings through writing, drawings and imagination. Supplies are included.

Glen Echo Park, 7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo, Maryland

Pianists Yuri Shadrin and Tian Lu
MAY 7TH, 2016 AT 02:00 PM | $48 | TEL: 202-785-9727 | EVENT WEBSITE

Identified by pianist Leon Fleisher as two rising stars, husband-and-wife duo Yury Shadrin and Tian Lu will present a program conceived as a journey, progressing from solo piano to four-hand piano to two pianos.

Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW

Second Annual Kentucky Derby Party
MAY 7TH, 2016 AT 03:00 PM | TEL: (202) 955-6400

The art deco-inspired Melrose Georgetown Hotel invites guests to attend its second annual Derby Day viewing party. The event will offer party-goers and racing enthusiasts the live screening of the Kentucky Derby races, classic derby cocktails and a chance to place their bets on this year’s top thoroughbreds at no cover charge.

Melrose Georgetown Hotel, 2430 Pennsylvania Ave. NW

29th Annual Evening of Comedy
MAY 7TH, 2016 AT 09:30 PM | $25-$28 | WOLFTRAP@WOLFTRAP.ORG | TEL: 703-255-1900 | EVENT WEBSITE

The nation’s funniest performers keep audiences in stitches with this hugely popular evening of raucous stand-up comedy.

The Barns at Wolf Trap, 1635 Trap Road, Vienna, Virginia

Festa della Mamma
MAY 8TH, 2016 AT 12:00 PM | 59 | IRICCHIEVENTS@GMAIL.COM | TEL: 202-835-0459 | EVENT WEBSITE

We are opening for the first time to celebrate mothers at our Mother’s Day Sparkling Celebration – Festa della Mamma! Enjoy our 3-course menu for $59 (exclusive tax and gratuity) or order a la carte. Children’s menu also available. Piazza dining, free valet parking.

Ristorante i Ricchi, 1220 19th Street NW

Rocket Ahead Wooden Kaleidoscope Class
MAY 8TH, 2016 AT 01:00 PM | $155 | TEL: 301-581-5100 | EVENT WEBSITE

Jim and Rita Duxbury launch participants on a mission into the next 200 years with the construction of a turned wooden rocket ship kaleidoscope with a two-mirror, five-point image, a dry cell, a 225-millimeter glass eyepiece and a clear polished turned acrylic nose cone.

The Mansion at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda, Maryland

‘Capital C Is for Color’: The Washington Color School
MAY 8TH, 2016 AT 02:00 PM | FREE | TEL: 202-633-4844 | EVENT WEBSITE

Art historian Lisa Lipinski talks about the artists involved in this Washington-centered art movement of the 1970s, including Gene Davis, Morris Louis, Kenneth Noland, Sam Gilliam, Thomas “Tom” Downing, Paul Reed and Howard Mehring.

Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Place SE

Portrait Story Days: Isamu Noguchi
MAY 8TH, 2016 AT 02:00 PM | FREE | TEL: 202-633-8300 | EVENT WEBSITE

Young visitors and their families are invited to drop by to listen to a story about sculptor Isamu Noguchi and complete an art project.

Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Eighth and F Streets NW