Talks & Entertainment

Listen to Pacifica Quartet

Join the acclaimed Pacifica Quartet for a moving evening of music and storytelling that celebrates the enduring spirit of American resilience and transformation.

Described by The Telegraph as “nothing short of phenomenal,” the Pacifica Quartet brings its signature virtuosity and emotional depth to a stirring program that honors trailblazing women who shaped our world. The evening features two commissions for narrator and string quartet: Jennifer Higdon’s tribute to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Gabriela Lena Frank’s portrait of environmental pioneer Rachel Carson—each blending powerful narration with vivid musical storytelling. Both works were co-commissioned by Washington Performing Arts. NPR’s Nina Totenberg, a close friend of Justice Ginsburg, joins the performance as narrator.*

The program opens with a rarely heard gem by Florence Price and culminates in Beethoven’s revolutionary String Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 130, performed with the audacious Grosse Fuge, Op. 133—a masterwork that continues to astonish and inspire. This performance is the fourth-annual Ruth Bader Ginsburg Memorial Recital—a yearly performance honoring a dear friend of Washington Performing Arts and elevating new work of both established and renowned artists.

*Totenberg replaces actress Sigourney Weaver, who withdrew from the production due to scheduling conflicts.

Program:
Florence Price – String Quartet in G major 
Gabriela Lena Frank – new work for narrator and string quartet
Jennifer Higdon – new work for narrator and string quartet 
Beethoven – Quartet in B-flat Major, Op. 130 with Grosse Fuge, Op. 133