Pacifica Quartet with narrator Sigourney Weaver

Recitalist Series
Annual Ruth Bader Ginsburg Memorial Recital
Pacifica Quartet with narrator Sigourney Weaver
Revolutionary Portraits: Our Better Angels
Sunday, April 12, 2026, 7:30 p.m.
Sixth & I

Join the acclaimed Pacifica Quartet and legendary film actor Sigourney Weaver 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.

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.