ART
IN SEARCH OF PARADISE: CENTURIES OF GREAT GARDEN DESIGN
Photographs and indoor garden vignettes showcasing designs from the Middle East to the United States; opens Saturday, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 Washington St.; free; 312-744-6630.
THE MYTHICAL BEING OF DESIRE
A group exhibition of Asian women artists with works by Shirin Neshat, Shahzia Sikander and Chiho Aoshima; through July 26; Columbia College Glass Curtain Gallery, 1104 S. Wabash Ave.; free; 312-344-6650.
UNKNOWN MAKER: THE ART OF THE AMERICAN DAGUERREOTYPE
More than 160 examples of the mid-19th Century photographic process, from the Hallmark Photographic Collection; through Sept. 28, Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave.; $10 suggested admission; 312-443-3600.
— Alan G. Artner
CLASSICAL
EMERSON QUARTET
One of America’s finest string ensembles returns to Ravinia for a concert in the Martin Theatre. Two works on the program will enlist the esteemed pianist Menahem Pressler: Mozart’s Piano Quartet in E-flat (K.493); and the Dvorak Piano Quintet, Op. 81. Janacek’s Quartet No. 1 (“Kreutzer Sonata”) rounds out the program; 8 p.m. Thursday; Ravinia Festival, Lake-Cook and Green Bay Roads, Highland Park; $30-$45, $10 lawn; 847-266-5100.
A RAVINIA FOURTH
Ravinia will celebrate Independence Day with an all-Gershwin pops concert. Soprano Sylvia McNair and pianist Kevin Cole join conductor David Alan Miller and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for such classics as “Rhapsody in Blue,” “An American in Paris,” Variations on “I Got Rhythm” and songs; 7 p.m. Friday; Ravinia Festival, Lake-Cook and Green Bay Roads, Highland Park; $30-$50; $10 lawn; 847-266-5100.
LEONARD SLATKIN
The music director of the National Symphony Orchestra takes charge of the weekend Chicago Symphony Orchestra concerts at Ravinia. His soloist will be pianist Emanuel Ax, performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2 at 8 p.m. Saturday, Falla’s “Nights in the Gardens of Spain” and Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 (K.466) at 7 p.m. July 6. Mahler’s First Symphony and Cindy McTee’s “Circuits” round out the Friday program, while the July 6 agenda will include the Chicago premiere of John Corigliano’s “Mannheim Rocket”; Ravinia Festival, Lake-Cook and Green Bay Roads, Highland Park; $20-$40; $10 lawn; 847-266-5100.
— John von Rhein
JAZZ
JEFF PARKER
The exceptional Chicago guitarist plays a solo set from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave., as part of the Tuesdays on the Terrace series; admission is free; phone 312-427-1676.
ABDULLAH IBRAHIM
The revered South African pianist-composer will lead a trio; 8 p.m. Saturday at HotHouse, 31 E. Balbo Drive; $35; 312-362-9707.
— Howard Reich
MOVIES
THE MAN WITHOUT A PAST
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This is the latest deadpan gem from Finland’s Aki Kaurismaki: an unsentimental, cruelly funny tale of life in lower depths Helsinki, focusing on a homeless amnesiac. At the 2002 Cannes Film Festival, it took the Grand Jury prize and the best-actress prize for co-star Kati Outinen (as the amnesiac’s Salvation Army girlfriend.); Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport. Ave.; $8.50; 773-871-6604.
BONHOEFFER
Catch this one-week reprise of this excellent documentary about German theologian and unsuccessful Hitler assassin Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The film is fascinating history and profound moral examination. Its director, Martin Doblmeier, will be present for the screening at 7:45 p.m. Monday; Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St.; $8; 312-846-2600.
STRANGERS ON A TRAIN
Alfred Hitchcock’s 1951 suspense thriller, screening at two locations this week, is one of the director’s best. Based on Patricia Highsmith’s classic “murder swap” novel, co-scripted by Raymond Chandler, it’s an icy, witty suspense drama about a guilt-ridden tennis star (Farley Granger) who becomes entangled with a murderous psychopath (played by peerless movie villain Robert Walker); 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport. Ave.; and at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Max Palevsky Cinema, 1212 E. 59th St.; 773-702-8575.
— Michael Wilmington
ROCK
WHITE STRIPES
The duo tries to take their Zeppelin-ized brand of garage blues and country out of the clubs; Tuesday and Wednesday at the Aragon, 1106 W. Lawrence Ave.; $29.50; 312-559-1212.
AMERICAN MUSIC FESTIVAL
The Marcia Ball Band, Brave Combo and Sonny Landreth headline Bill FitzGerald’s 22nd annual festival of roots, Cajun, blues and soul music; Wednesday-July 5 at FitzGeralds, 6615 Roosevelt Rd., Berwyn; $20; 708-788-6670.
INDIA.ARIE
Strumming an acoustic guitar and whirling barefoot in exotic finery, Arie is a vision of elegance who updates the folk-soul sound of Terry Callier and Tracy Chapman; Wednesday at Petrillo Music Shell, Grant Park; free.
GOSSIP
Ferocious garage rock with a bawdy, blues-mama edge, thanks to singer Beth Ditto; Thursday at Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave.; $8; 773-276-3600.
THE SEA AND CAKE
Rare opportunity to see one of Chicago’s finest quartets in a relatively small club; Friday at Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave., $12; 773-276-3600.
— Greg Kot
THEATER
HAPPY DAYS
This 1961 Samuel Beckett masterwork imagines one “heavenly day” after another, as lived by Winnie and Willie — a typical middle-class couple whose lives are filled with the typical quotidian nonsense and small talk — typical, that is, except that Winnie spends Act 1 up to her waist in a mound of dirt, and up to her neck in Act 2. The Hypocrites production directed by Sean Graney is very smart, adding just enough “theater” — a subtle but active lighting design, clever variations in mood and intimations of mortality — to enliven a marvelously exact but tricky text. Donna McGough and the near-wordless Will Schutz work together valiantly and well; through July 6 at Stage Left Theatre, 3408 N. Sheffield Ave.; $12-$15; 312-409-5578.
JOURNEY’S END
Stiff upper lips, 50 yards from the front lines. R.C. Sherriff’s World War I trench drama, set in a British officers’ dugout about to be battered by the Germans, remains a hardy and satisfying ode to grace under pressure. The David Cromer-directed Senachai Theatre Company staging is modest but deft and atmospheric, especially well-acted in the smaller roles; through July 5 at Breadline Theatre, 1802 W. Berenice Ave.; $22; 773-878-3727.
— Michael Phillips
THE SIGN OF THE FOUR
Penned by the pseudonymous Shanghai Low (whom director Steve Pickering says he meets on dark street corners), this is an especially interesting and entertaining Sherlock Holmes thriller featuring Joe Forbrich’s lovelorn Watson and Michael Grant’s clipped Holmes. The crime du jour is an exotic affair, involving a large pearl and a heroine (superbly played by Kate Martin) with enough protofeminist spunk that she goes well beyond the usual client waiting to be enlightened; through July 20 at Apple Tree Theatre, 595 Elm Pl., Highland Park; $27-38; 847-432-4335.
THINGS BEING WHAT THEY ARE
Despite (or maybe it’s because of) its origin in a female mind, this funny, charming and rather moving little sleeper of a play from Wendy MacLeod probes the vulnerabilities of heterosexual, middle-class, decaying maleness with such good humor, affection and incisive accuracy you’d swear it was penned by a moonlighting sportscaster from Cleveland; through July 6 at Steppenwolf Garage, 1626 N. Halsted St.; $12; 312-335-1650.
— Chris Jones