always a wonderful experience. this is a world class orchestra with a superb conductor. it is great…read morefun to watch Noseda conduct - he is so animated. the orchestra responds to him beautifully too. we subscribe and come up at least once a month. the Concert Hall is a great venue, especially if you have central seats. most recently, we saw Fabio Biondi conduct Schuman's Overture to Julius Caesar, Mendelssohn's "Italian" symphony, and Mozart's Concerto No. 25 in C major for Piano and Orchestra, with Mao Fujita as the piano soloist. Biondi and the orchestra executed a nice performance, but Fujita was the standout. his touch is so deft and precise, and the sound is simply phenomenal. we're evaluating whether to continue to subscribe with the change in leadership, but the new season schedule looks like it is still good, so we'll likely be back.

I don't mean to be a music snob, but having spent more than half of my life learning, playing,…read moreliking, practicing, criticizing, listening, hating, studying, honing, relearning, loving, and teaching music, both on the side and professionally, the NSO is only "A-OK." I attended an April performance of Brahms' Symphony No. 1 and Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 featuring Sarah Chang at the Kennedy Center. The NSO undoubtedly has extremely talented musicians, and Kurt Masur is a legend, but the performance seemed muted and tired. Masur didn't seem to particularly inspire the NSO musically, and at times, seemed to frustrate the HECK out of Sarah Chang since she obviously wanted to move it along and he was no where to be found. I think it's incredible to have a big name conductor with the NSO, but he's not doing the musicians any justice at this point in his esteemed career.

(This might be closer to 3.5 stars to me, but I'm rounding up because they are thoroughly…read moreenjoyable.) The Alexandria Symphony Orchestra is a very enjoyable group that plays a wide variety of programs throughout the year. Very capable musicians make up the surprisingly good and very versatile orchestra. ("Surprisingly" in that I haven't had much luck previously with finding 'small-city' orchestras that I've enjoyed.) This is a solid, less expensive alternative to the National Symphony Orchestra. During concerts, the conductors do much more talking to the audience than I enjoy, but it's generally informative and always good natured (frequently with groan-inducing jokes). ASO concerts are most often held in the Northern VA Community College's Schlesinger Music Hall, which is intimate but impressive -- very pretty, with wonderful acoustics. On occasion, concerts are also held in an awkwardly small performance hall in the George Washington Masonic Temple -- this is an 'interesting' experience, but I found the acoustics for a full orchestra to be less enjoyable here, and the orchestra itself is crammed onto the floor between the seats and a small stage, literally at the feet of the audience.

I've only been to one performance at the Masonic Memorial, but I was mesmerized. It's a small…read moreorchestra but they're very talented, and play very interesting programs -- not dry and stuffy at all! Something about the accessibility of it all is so charming. (The musicians literally filed out of the hall with the audience afterward, and one of the violinists chatted with me!) It is such a cool performance space -- extremely intimate; you can literally see the sheet music, and I just found the proximity to be visually enthralling. I understand their long-time conductor is leaving at the end of this season, with next year to be anchored by notable guest conductors -- should be interesting. Honestly, one need not be a huge classical music fan to really enjoy this -- I think a performance at the Masonic Memorial would be a really creative date idea or just something different to try. (But please, leave the tiny ones at home. Some selfish parent nearly ruined the April performance because her poor toddler -- shockingly -- couldn't sit quietly still. Poor kid (not his fault for being a kid!), and poor audience.)

I just found out there is a difference between going to the bar to order your drinks yourself and…read moregetting them bought to your table. Service on this particular night was VERY SLOW. . We arrived an hour early before show time and it still took sixty minutes for the server to even come to our table and the show had already started. So we stopped at the bar on our own and was not pleased with our drinks we received. $49 for two Dixie cups drinks and one beer. Definitely not worth the price. The performers was excellent. So four stars for them and two stars for the Service.

Got to see the playing of Brown Sugar Valentine's Day weekend. With a DJ playing Dangelo and slow…read morejams. Was a really nice event overall. Seating- no bad seats in the house. I personally like the ones near the center booth, looking straight ahead. No sharing with strangers and table in front. Viewing-stage is large and screen as well. Easy viewing. Food- the food was just all right. You can tell it was warmed up and fresh-ish. We had wings, fries, and ceased salad. Long wait times for other guests throughout the night. Catfish looked good. Drinks- we got a bottle of wine reasonably priced. Long wait times. Timing- getting food and drinks took waaay too long. It took over 30 mins to get a bottle of wine. We got our food bf that. Folks around us were frustrated too. Service-everyone we interacted with was friendly and professional. Staff was running around helping patrons and other staff. Price- the ticket price was fine. Tax and fees seemed high. And the %20 added gratuity was standard but then our server got awkward asking for an additional tip(several times). The host put on a really lovely event! Thanks for having us!

It takes a special set of individuals and a good reason to get me out on a rainy 34 degree day. My…read moresweet goddaughter's performance satisfied those requirements. So glad because RISE delivered story-telling flair. It was a provocative and simply an outstanding production! We enjoyed classical and contemporary ballet sets that were perfectly executed by powerful dancers. The Collage Dance Collective showcased Company dancers, the Jones Haywood dance school, and the prestigious Duke Ellington School of the Arts. This was my first time visiting the Shakespeare/Lansburgh Theatre and I found it charming. The theater is 2 short blocks from the Gallery place metro and looks to accommodate less than 500 people. The seats are moderately sized and center orchestra ticket prices were extremely reasonable, which are 2 things that separate it from larger venues like the National Theatre. There were not a lot of restrooms so the ladies room line was long during intermission, but what's new. They sold snacks, adult beverages, etc. that could be taken inside the theater. Great experience. I'm looking forward to the next event.

This has to be my favorite theatre spaces in DC. it's a smaller, more intimate space having just 19…read morerows and a small ring of balcony seats, so even if you're seated at the back of the hall, you're not too far away from the action on-stage. The theatre is laid out much better than any Broadway theatre I've been to, with pretty much everything on one floor - you enter, pass the ticket booths, and make your way to a huge lobby (which has both a bar and a seating area) and restrooms right off the lobby. From there, you just go through the doors and the theatre is right there. Can't make it much easier than that! The theatre's got an old-school charm to it, with both traditional and modern accents making for a smart looking hall. Also unlike Broadway, there's actually legroom here, so you don't have to fold yourself into your seat if you're tall. At 6'1", I appreciate that! This particular night, we saw one of my favorite entertainers, Sandra Bernhard, and she put on one heck of a one-woman show - definitely 'next level', being part cabaret, part stand-up comedy, and part raconteur, with that New York sensibility and brash humor that had us in stitches all night. I've seen her perform before, but this was by far the best show I've ever seen her give, and I think it was due in large part to being in a venue where she could really shine. I've seen several shows here over the years, and it's always a great night when you're in a really nice venue like the Lansburgh. If you have the opportunity to go see a performance here, definitely do it!

Don't be misled by the humble surroundings of this theater. Inside this small space something…read morewonderful invariably happens. I have seen numerous performances here, and they are all consistently at a high level. I have been to NYC. You don't need to spend $250 to be up close to great theater. The talent that comes to Metro Stage have Broadway in their resumes. The current performance of Black Pearl Sings set in the post depression 1930's, takes 2 women from different worlds and shows how they can bond through music. Their story stands on its own, and is not just a backdrop to launch into song. The show takes the viewer through a full range of emotions. The outcome is bittersweet. If you live in the DC. metro area, don't overlook what is in your own backyard. After all, it is a "Metro Stage."

I saw The Letters here this weekend. It was $50/ticket for 2 people to sit on (padded) folding…read morechairs and see a short, 2-person play. We did enjoy ourselves, and the quality of the acting was quite good, but as an actress myself, I thought it was sort of pricey. As a patron, I thought it was pretty uncomfortable. In good news, the view seemed quite good from all angles which is good, considering that seating is unassigned. I'd go again, but I'd go more frequently if it were either a little less, or if there were a discount offered for more than one ticket or more than one play.

Must admit that I was on the fence about attending this event, hosted/sponsored by the…read moreInternational Wine and Food Festival, but was swayed by the Groupon offered that lowered the price almost by half. I'm glad I attended....it was delicious and I was stuffed by the time it was over from sampling all the finalist's recipes inspired by the tomato... ..ranging from main dishes to desserts to beverages/sauces...that were then prepared by various local chefs. And there was wine to compliment the dishes. It was a bit confusing though, as when you walked in, you were just turned loose with no info or guidance...how voting would go, as there was a people' choice award, , in addition to the regular judging, where the different types of foods were located, etc...so they could improve in communication. The judges overall winner turned out to be the bloody mary with cucumber ice...I'm not a bloody mary fan and liked this one. One of the dessert awards went to my favorite, the tomato/goat cheesecake. Good amount of tables available, both sit-down ones and just to stand around..which was a plus. The location at the Ronald Reagan Int'l Trade Center was a convenient choice. From their announcement at the end, it sounds like the "watermelon" will be the themed fruit for next' year's festival and contest.

Fabulous musical . Phenomenal cast. The Kennedy Center never disappoints. Our front row box seats…read morehad a great views. In a crazy world to enjoy the Arts and Sing out loud made my heart smile. Thank you to my husband for the BEAUTIFUL surprise

A great evening out at the Kennedy Center, enjoying the music of the fabulous Carole King. The…read moreplay tells the story of Carole's life, with the first half devoted to her marriage, her entering the music business as a composer, and the string of amazing hits that you had absolutely no idea Carole had written but that will bring back great memories for any of you who grew up in the 60s and 70s, including, in no particular order: Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (The Shirelles), One Fine Day (The Chiffons), You've Got a Friend (James Taylor), Up On the Roof (The Drifters), You Make Me Feel (Aretha!), Another Pleasant Valley Sunday (The Monkees), and The Loco-Motion (Little Eva) ... all of that (and more) before she started her own vocal career in earnest, culminating in the Tapestry album we all know and love. The play reminded me of Jersey Boys in how it told the story of Carole's life and the forces that shaped her music, but the story line is definitely secondary to the music, and it's worth going for the music alone. Abby Mueller knocks it out as Carole, and Liam Tobin (who plays her husband, Gerry) has a great voice as well, complementing Abby perfectly. The actors playing the musical team of Weil and Mann added a great extra dimension to the story, featuring some more classic period music, including On Broadway by the Drifters. Even though the Kennedy Center's a bit tough to get to (especially mid-week), make the effort to check out some great singing that will bring back some great memories - and you'll even get some dancing-at-your seat in during the encore number, with the entire audience on its feet! (No, I'm not telling which song - go find out for yourselves!)

Our wedding was this weekend and the performers from St. Charles String Quartet should be applauded…read morefor an ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS day of music. There were some delays and hiccups in regards to the time of our ceremony, and the musicians not only took it in stride, but performed above our expectations during both the expected ceremony time and overtime that we eventually needed. Bravo to the musicians. I would have given this posting a 5 star rating had it not been for the actual point of contact Neil Puzon. Despite others on Yelp praising his service, we have been overwhelmingly disappointed in his lack of respect and lack of response to our questions and requests. He relentlessly hounded us for payment, even after arrangements had been made, and had little to no compassion for the extenuating circumstances surrounding our wedding. Neil is a detriment to the otherwise wonderful experience we had with SCSQ, and I unfortunately cannot recommend the group as long as he is the "handler."

Our guests loved the St. Charles String Quartet and so did we! They did a great job of mixing…read moreclassical and jazz pieces with contemporary pop and rock favorities to everyone's delight. Neil was a pleasure to coordinate with and our big day went just as we dreamed it would!