The whole nine yards

Add parades, a cappella, and fan dancing to the seven livelies and you’ve got some small notion of the astonishing array of arts and entertainment that will be offered up to the Harvard Community and friends over the upcoming week known as Arts First. This 10th anniversary of the annual event features concerts, poetry readings, dance recitals, children’s Shakespeare, Christian a cappella, and a musical about a homicidal barber whose victims end up in pies.

The festivities start on Thursday (May 2) with open studios, “Macbeth,” and the tango, among many other offerings. May 4 will feature an Arts First parade culminating in a welcoming ceremony in Harvard Yard with President Lawrence H. Summers.

On Sunday (May 5), internationally acclaimed conductor William Christie ’66, this year’s recipient of the Harvard Arts Medal, will conduct an open rehearsal and a performance at the Memorial Church. Later, Christie will talk about his career with actor John Lithgow ’67.

To find the complete schedule of Arts First events, visit http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~arts, or call (617) 495-8676 for event information.