Performance: Balinese Wayang Kulit Shadow Play
Performed by I Gusti Putu Sudarta, accompanied by live gamelan and kroncong music performed by members of Gamelan Raga Kusuma.
This is your once-in-a-lifetime chance to see a master of the Wayang Kulit shadow puppet genre perform live! Wayang (“shadow”) Kulit (“skin”) are flat leather puppets made from carved and painted rawhide. The Javanese and Balinese shadow play tradition is at least 1000 years old. It is both a sacred genre and a mass entertainment for local communities. Besides philosophical and religious instruction, performances include a healthy dose of bawdy humor and manic fight scenes.
Sudarta will perform Sutasoma. In this shadow play, the only child of a royal family rejects the throne and escapes to the forest for a life of Buddhist contemplation. But first he must conquer various ogres in the forest, including an elephant-headed beast and a giant snake.
The performance lasts approximately 75 minutes. Afterwards, you can meet Sudarta and learn about his puppets.
I Gusti Putu Sudarta is…
Venue: Freer Gallery of Art. Building: West Building. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/performance-balinese-wayang-kulit-shadow-play-tickets-1567769533879?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Performances. Accessibility: ASL-interpreted program. Wheelchair accessible.
Sunday, September 28, 2025, 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM.
Chuseok Family Festival
Celebrate Chuseok, Korea’s beloved harvest festival, with the museum! Learn about both past and current traditions of one of the biggest holidays in South Korea. Enjoy delicious food, crafts, family activities, and dynamic performances (including K-pop dance and traditional arts). Plus, this year’s event features 씨름 (Ssireum), Korea’s traditional wrestling, with live demonstrations and interactive workshops.
Register in advance to make sure you get the best experience. Some activities have a limited capacity, with entry on a first-come, first-served basis.
Detailed schedule to come.
About Ssireum (Korean Traditional Wrestling), Ssireum is an age-old sport celebrated during holidays like Chuseok and is on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Throughout the day, we’ll have live demonstration matches and interactive workshops that invite visitors to step into the ring and try the techniques themselves.
Following the matches, explore historical photos, video clips, and authentic wrestling props such…
Venue: Freer Gallery of Art. Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. Building: East Building. Event Location: National Museum of Asian Art. Cost: Free. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1583066999009?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: Celebrations. Kids & Families. Performances. Accessibility: ASL-interpreted program. Wheelchair accessible.
Saturday, October 4, 2025, 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM.
Yumi Kurosawa Trio
Enjoy the unique combination of koto, violin, and percussion with the Yumi Kurosawa Trio as we we kick off the 2025–2026 Bill and Mary Meyer Concert Series!
Seating is limited. Reserve your seat in advance to pick where you sit ($6 fee per order). Join the standby line for remaining seats on the day of the concert, free of charge.
Japanese musician and composer Yumi Kurosawa performs on a modern twenty-string koto, joined by violinist Naho Parrini and percussionist Yousif Sheronick. Their program features exhilarating new compositions from Kurosawa alongside striking reinterpretations of favorites from her oeuvre, including pieces from the trio’s album Metamorphosis, highlighting the shared affinity between these seemingly disparate instruments.
About the Performers
Since winning the National Japanese Koto Competition and moving to the United States, Yumi Kurosawa has performed at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, the Apollo Theater, Blue Note (New York), Suntory Hall (Tokyo), and venues across Europe.…
Venue: Freer Gallery of Art. Event Location: Meyer Auditorium. Cost: $6 per order. Register in advance (recommended). Get Tickets/Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/yumi-kurosawa-trio-tickets-1611689118539?aff=oddtdtcreator. Categories: After Five. Performances. Accessibility: Assisted listening devices. Wheelchair accessible.
Thursday, October 16, 2025, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM.