OVERVIEW CALENDAR
Thursday November 21, 2002	OLE BULL - NORWAY'S 19TH CENTURY PAGANINI
Saturday November 23, 2002	MARIA SOLHEIM - BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
Sunday November 24, 2002	HRH CROWN PRINCESS METTE-MARIT INTRODUCES THE NEW WAVE OF NORWEGIAN DESIGN
Monday November 25, 2002	SEMINAR AND RECEPTION
Friday November 29, 2002 onwards	TOYS FOR TOTS
Friday November 29, 2002,12 noon onwards	THE HOLIDAY MODEL TRAIN
Friday November 29, 2002 onwards	NORWAY INFORMATION BOOTH
Thursday December 5, 2002	TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY
Friday December 6, 2002	NORWEGIAN-AMERICAN CHRISTMAS BAZAARS
Saturday December 7, 2002	NORWEGIAN-AMERICAN CHRISTMAS BAZAARS THE NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS ELF NORWEGIAN VISIONS: JULIE AND DAVID COUCHERON IN CONCERT
Sunday December 8, 2002	OUT OF THE NORWEGIAN WOODS: A ROCK CONCERT
Monday, December 9, 2002	WILHELM BJERKNES: THE FATHER OF MODERN METEOROLOGY

OLE BULL - NORWAY'S 19TH CENTURY PAGANINI

When: Thursday November 21, 2002 Where: Baird Auditorium, National Museum of Natural History Tickets: General admission: $22, Smithsonian Associates members: $19, Senior members: $17

Join in the celebration of the life and art of Ole Bull (1810-1880), Norway's first international musical superstar. The famed violin virtuoso, legendary in his time for his good looks and breathtaking performances, will be brought back to life in a special event that includes some of Norway's most prominent contemporary artists. The great actress and director Liv Ullmann, star of several Ingmar Bergman films such as Persona and The Passion of Anna, will take the audience on a literary journey through Ole Bull's life and art, even as the renowned duo of violinist Arve Tellefsen and pianist Håvard Gimse accompanies her with a retrospective excursion through the musical world of the artist known as Norway's Paganini. The event is organized by the Smithsonian Associates and co-sponsored by the Royal Norwegian Embassy.  [Top of page]

MARIA SOLHEIM - BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

When: Saturday November 23, 2002 Where: Andalu, 1214 18th street, 7:00pm Tickets: Free event. Tickets required, please contact Helena Sæle at hesa@mfa.no More information: www.mariasolheim.com or www.sesto.com/andalu/index.html

20-year-old Maria Solheim has come to stay. Her timeless, low-key melodic tunes colored by honest and striking lyrics, is sure to charm any audience. Critics have hailed her second album, Behind Closed Doors, as "beautiful", "exciting", and "magical". One newspaper wrote: "Maria steers away from the standardized singer-songwriter model in order to create her own mystical and remarkable musical atmosphere." Be sure to catch Maria Solheim and her five-piece band on November 23. Each guest will receive two free drinks courtesy of the Royal Norwegian Embassy.  [Top of page]

NORWAY SAYS - HRH CROWN PRINCESS METTE-MARIT INTRODUCES THE NEW WAVE OF NORWEGIAN DESIGN

When: Sunday November 24, 2002 Where: Union Station, Main Hall More information: (202) 944-8930 or www.norwaysays.com

Norway Says is a contemporary design collective consisting of five furniture designers and architects committed to placing Norway's design reputation back on the map. They are out to brake with convention and shake up the system, and describe their own design style as "straight, simple, unpretentious, and honest". Opening November 24, Norway Says will exhibit their most exciting new furniture designs in a decidedly avant-garde display in the Main Hall at Union Station. The exhibition will be formally opened by Norway's young Crown Princess, Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who takes a great deal of personal interest in design. Singer Maria Solheim will entertain.  [Top of page]

NORWAY SAYS - SEMINAR AND RECEPTION

When: Monday November 25, 2002 Where: The Corcoran Gallery of Art, 7:00 pm Tickets: Members $15, Public $20

In their effort to put Norway back on the international map of modern design, Norway Says has been touring the world's hottest design events with shows in Milan, Stockholm, Tokyo and New York. On November 25 you can meet the designers in person and hear more about the uniqueness of Norwegian Design. The Royal Norwegian Embassy, in collaboration with the Corcoran Gallery of Art, invites you to this special presentation by Norway Says and other representatives of the Norwegian modern design world. The presentation will be followed by a reception in the beautiful Atrium at the Corcoran Gallery of Art.  [Top of page]

TOYS FOR TOTS

When: Friday November 29, 2002 onwards Where: Union Station, West Hall More information: www.toysfortots.org

Toys for Tots will be an important part of our program again this year. The information booth will be opened on November 29 and from then to Christmas you will be able to drop off your toys there. Representatives from the US Marine Corps Reserve will collect the toys daily and arrange for them to be distributed to thousands of less fortunate children in the National Capital Area for Christmas. The project once again has received generous cooperation from the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Amtrak, and Virginia Railway Express (VRE). In addition to opening the info booth as a daily drop off site Toys for Tots will also host other events on November 29 as part of the startup of the Model Train exhibit.  [Top of page]

THE HOLIDAY MODEL TRAIN

When: Friday November 29, 2002,12 noon onwards Where: Union Station, West Hall

ALL ABOARD...! Union Station's special holiday model train winds its way through the mountains and fjords of Norway. Catch the feeling of a Norwegian winter landscape, with its farms, a fishing village, a stave church, a ski jump, imaginary mountain trolls and much more. The train will run throughout the Christmas season from 10:00am to 7:00pm Monday through Saturday and from 12:00 noon to 6:00pm on Sundays. Join us at the opening ceremony on Friday November 29 at 12:00 noon, and make sure you meet and greet Norway's Ambassador to Washington who will be there to do the honors.  [Top of page]

NORWAY INFORMATION BOOTH

When: Friday November 29, 2002 onwards Where: Union Station, West Hall More information: www.norway.org

This is your opportunity to learn all you want to know about Norway! Travel brochures and other printed information will be available free of charge, and the booth will be staffed by local Norwegian-Americans and Norwegian expatriates who are more than happy to answer all your questions.  [Top of page]

TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY

When: Thursday December 5, 2002 Where: Union Station, Main Hall, 5:30pm

The Ambassador of Norway invites you to a festive tree-lighting ceremony in the beautiful Main Hall of Union Station. The 35-foot tall tree is a gift from Norway's capital city of Oslo to the City of Washington, DC. The famous author and radio celebrity Garrison Keillor will light the 8000-light tree. Other entertainment includes Christmas Carols by the Capitol Hill Corale Group.  [Top of page]

NORWEGIAN-AMERICAN CHRISTMAS BAZAARS

When: Friday December 6, 2002 & Saturday, December 7, 2002 Where: Union Station, Main Hall

Take this opportunity to find some spectacular Norwegian Christmas treats! On sale will be arts and crafts, hand-made items such as jewelry, calendars, trolls, dolls and Christmas decorations; foods such as fish balls, cheeses, chocolates, lefse and other home baked treats; and special items such as waffle irons, CDs and much more. As usual the Sons of Norway, the Norwegian Ladies Club, and the Norwegian Church Committee have organized the Bazaars.  [Top of page]

THE NORWEGIAN CHRISTMAS ELF

When: Saturday December 7, 2002 Where: The Smithsonian Associates, C. Dillon Ripley Center, 1 to 4 pm Tickets: Members $15, Public $20

Adult-child teams will learn to make Norwegian Christmas ornaments and other fun little party favors to take home. Light refreshments of Scandinavian cookies and beverages will be served. A Norwegian julenisse visits at the end of the program, bringing a small bag of treats for each child. The program leader will be Astrid Karlsen Scott, a native of Norway who emigrated to the U.S. in 1952. Considered an expert on Norwegian culture, folklore and culinary customs, Scott has written and produced several books and award-winning videos about Norway.  [Top of page]

NORWEGIAN VISIONS: JULIE AND DAVID COUCHERON IN CONCERT

When: Saturday December 7, 2002 Where: John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Terrace Theater More information: 800-444-1324 or 202-467-4600, www.kennedy-center.org

Among the most promising young musical talents in Norway today, 18 year-old violinist David and 16 year-old pianist Julie Coucheron - brother and sister - have already spread delight among music lovers for years. Their first CD, Debut, was released internationally on the Naxos label this summer. The two have won numerous individual and joint awards, including the 1997 Norwegian Council of Music and Culture's Talent Award and a First Prize from the European Union of Music Competitions for Chamber Music. During the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City they were invited to perform for the Norwegian Crown Prince and Princess. The program for their Washington debut includes works by Edvard Grieg, Johan Svendsen, Felix Mendelsohn and Nathan Milstein.  [Top of page]

OUT OF THE NORWEGIAN WOODS: A ROCK CONCERT

When: Sunday, December 8, 2002, 8:30pm Where: The Black Cat, 1811 14th street NW Tickets: $10 More information: www.blackcatdc.com, www.bjorn-berge.com, www.furia.no

The Royal Norwegian Embassy proudly presents the cream of Norwegian rock music at a one-night only event. Be sure to catch the following bands performing at the Black Cat on December 8: Bjørn "Mr. Stringmachine" Berge - one of Norway's foremost guitarists and blues musicians is a full band all by himself. Armed only with his guitars, a harmonica and a stomping foot, Berge is sure to sweep the audience off its feet. Furia - Depeche mode meets Björk meets A-ha when this five-piece all-girl band from Western Norway strut their industrialized, fuzz-guitar stuff. With their incredible stage presence and their gift for blending loud guitars with beautiful melodies and harmonies, Furia has set sail to becoming Scandinavia's "next big thing". Minor Majority - Fans of Nick Drake and Elliot Smith are sure to find a tune or two to whistle after hearing the acoustic beauty of this melancholic Oslo-based trio.  [Top of page]

WILHELM BJERKNES: THE FATHER OF MODERN METEOROLOGY

When: Monday, December 9, 2002, 6:30pm Where: The Carnegie Foundation, 1530 P street NW Tickets: Free event, no reservations needed More information: Call 202-939-1121

Explore the life story of Norwegian scientist Vilhelm Bjerknes (1862-1951) by attending the premiere of Bjørn Vassnes' film "The weather's face. How meteorology became a science". It was with support from the Carnegie Institution that Bjerknes successfully integrated mathematics and atmospheric dynamics and thus laid the foundations for modern meteorology. Introducing the film will be Dr. Monica Kristensen Solaas, Norwegian polar explorer and glaciologist, now director of research at Kings Bay, Spitsbergen. Dr. Kristensen Solaas became known world wide in 1987 when as the first female polar explorer she followed the same course Roald Amundsen took to the South Pole.  [Top of page]