Performing Arts

Martha Graham and Erick Hawkins in Appalachian Spring

New York Public Library Acquires Archive of Modern Dance Pioneer Martha Graham

The trove includes photographs, scripts, recordings and correspondence

The first page of The Corner of Heart-to-Hearts, a zine by Chad Shomura and Yumi Sakugawa

New Virtual Exhibition Showcases the Healing Power of Art

“Care Package” showcases Asian American and Pacific Islander artists, writers and scholars as sources of solace during the Covid-19 pandemic

General view of the audience and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

After Closure, the Met Opera Offers Free Streaming of Past Performances

Each night, the institution will post an encore showing of an opera from its "Met Live in HD" series

The Inuit drum-dance group Pamyua will perform in Washington, D.C. and New York City.

New Music and Dance Fusions Kick Off Native American Heritage Month

The National Museum of the American Indian is webcasting many of these public programs live, then archiving them online

The mostly retired singer-Songwriter Paul Simon told financier and philanthropist David M. Rubenstein that a recent dream has prompted him to work on a new extended piece of music.

Paul Simon Has 50 Ways to Charm an Audience

As the 2019 recipient of the Smithsonian’s Great Americans Medal, the musician divulged he still has one more song to write

The exceedingly private and humble Marian Anderson (Above: by Beauford Delaney, 1965, detail) would become a worldwide phenom.

How Marian Anderson Became an Iconic Symbol for Equality

Her beautiful voice famously rang out from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial; a new show takes a look at the highs and lows of her global acclaim

A scene from Verdi's opera Rigoletto during a photo rehearsal on the lake stage as part of the Bregenz Festival. The premiere will take place on July 17.

There's a Massive Jester Floating on Austria's Lake Constance

Each year at the Bregenz Festival, a set designer creates an elaborate opera stage on the water

Every additional $10,000 in total income makes a person two percent more likely to enter a creative field

Wealth Is a Strong Predictor of Whether an Individual Pursues a Creative Profession

Those from households with an annual income of $1 million are 10 times more likely to become artists than those from families with a $100,000 income

Gladys Bentley’s powerful voice, fiery energy on the piano and bold lyrics made her a star of New York City nightclubs.

The Great Blues Singer Gladys Bentley Broke All the Rules

For the Smithsonian’s Sidedoor podcast, host Haleema Shah tells the story of an unapologetically gay African-American performer in 1920s and 30s

Carolee Schneemann, "Eye Body #11," 1963

Carolee Schneemann Pioneered the Way Women's Bodies Were Seen

The multidisciplinary artist, who died this month at 79, used her body as a canvas to produce works that celebrated female sexuality

As visitors mill around the room, Abramović, standing in a roped-off five-meter circle, alternately stands still or makes small movements

New Exhibition Brings Marina Abramović to Life Via ‘Mixed’ Reality

The work places gallery visitors in dialogue with a three-dimensional digital version of the legendary performance artist

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How Drag Helped Sasha Velour Cope With the Loss of Her Mother

The drag queen talks with breast cancer specialist Laura Esserman about gender identity, expression and celebration

“I love all kinds of music and I really just want to continue to stretch my hands wide open, hold hands with other artists, and build these bridges, and just to be able to create new lanes of music,” says Steve Aoki, whose equipment recently went on view at the Smithsonian.

Why This Body-Surfing, Sound-Blasting, Cake-Throwing DJ Belongs in a Museum

Just as his new release tops the charts, Electronic Dance Music DJ Steve Aoki says he is "blown away" to have his turntable technology in the collections

Janelle Monáe at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on her summer Dirty Computer tour

What Makes Janelle Monáe America's Most Revolutionary Artist

The musical virtuoso leaves her old persona behind with her third album, <em>Dirty Computer</em>

A Fond Farewell to the Original Big Bird

For five decades, puppeteer Carroll Spinney pioneered the roles of Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on "Sesame Street." Now, he says, it's time to step down

The Mile-Long Opera will be held at the High Line in New York City from October 3 through 8.

This Weekend, NYC’s High Line Takes Center Stage for a "Mile-Long Opera"

1,000 singers from around the city will descend on the popular park to showcase the stories of New Yorkers

Armenian shadow puppetry is a technique whose origins can be traced to the 1300s. The puppet theater group known as Ayrogi has set out to keep this imaginative art form alive.

Illuminating the Shadowy Art of Armenian Puppet Theater

Tricksters and beasts dance across the imagination in these silhouetted puppet shows

The giants and big heads have been a hit among Folklife Festival-goers, says performer Jesus Bach Marques. "They're amazed by our giants! For most of them, it's something really new."

For Hundreds of Years, Papier-Mâché Has Lent a Surreal Face to Catalan Culture

Street performers disguised as Giants and Big Heads blend reverence with ribaldry at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival

The National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts

Taiwan Is Now Home to the World's Largest Performing Arts Center

The National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts encompasses five performance centers and spans 1.5 million square feet

"We hope to capture the way artists and the arts help us understand other causes, and how they give their time and talent to support them," says Amanda Moniz, the museum's curator of philanthropy.

These Signature Artifacts Embody the Giving Spirt of Artist-Philanthropists

From Misty Copeland to Lin-Manuel Miranda, a new Smithsonian display spotlights creators who have shaped communities

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