Culture Fiend

Let the games begin…

In one of the marquee classical performances of the season, world-renowned violinist Joshua Bell joins the Seattle Symphony on January 10 for a program of Weber, Bruch, and Mozart.

Chewelah, Washington native Allen Stone bears more of a resemblance to Napoleon Dynamite than Raphael Saadiq, but you won’t find a finer new soul act in town. He’s backed by the Seattle Rock Orchestra at the Neptune, January 14 & 15.

Spend an evening with chefs Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert on February 11 at the Paramount Theatre. You decide which one’s truly evil.

Pacific Northwest Ballet hosts the U.S. premiere of star Russian choreographer Alexei Ratmansky’s Don Quixote, February 3–12.

Hollywood star Denis Arndt comes home to play abstract expressionist Mark Rothko in Seattle Rep’s production of Red, February 24–March 18.

Gauguin and Polynesia: An Elusive Paradise, on display from February 9 through April 29 at Seattle Art Museum, traces the rich relationship between the 19th-century artist and his adopted country. The exhibit’s a near-even split: 50 pieces by Gauguin, 60 by Polynesians.

Fran Lebowitz. Dan Savage. One stage. But is that stage big enough? Find out March 2 at Benaroya Hall.

Author Sarah Vowell sells out every time she comes to Seattle. Get your tickets early for her March 10 appearance at the Neptune.

After six years of naked dolls and outside-the-box modern art, Western Bridge gallery. hosts its last exhibit this spring. UPDATED 1/9/12. Western Bridge will now stay open through the fall.

Coldplay. KeyArena. April 25. That is all.

Issaquah’s Village Theatre hosted an early version of Broadway musical Million Dollar Quartet —about the 1956 rock supergroup Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins and their legendary recording session at Sun Records—in 2007. Levi Kreis (as Lewis) went on to win the Tony for best featured actor in a musical. The show returns to Seattle May 15–20.

On the Boards hosts a new performance piece by Seattle multi-instrumentalist Trimpin, who’ll play his original kinetic sculptures, including the fire organ, May 17–20.