This year, Lowell House Opera presents a pair of French works: Starvinsky’s L’Historie de Soldat and Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortileges. L’Historie is a “musical play” centered around a solider who gives his soul to the devil. L’Enfant is a one-act opera that tells the story of a young boy whose imagination gets the better of him. Directed by Sarah Meyers ‘02 and Sean Ryan ‘03. March 13, 17, 19 and 20. Tickets $16 regular, $8 students and seniors. 8:30 p.m. Lowell House Dining Hall. (LFL)

THEATER | Forced Premise!!

The Adams House Drama Society bill their latest production as a “rockomedy,” a term which they may or may not have made up. In familiar form, the show tells the story of four celebrity-hungry, yet inept, bandmates trying to get it together for the big show. The show promises to culminate in an “all-out, physical, comedic, apocalyptic, non-dangerous rock concert.”  Runs March 18 through March 20. Tickets $4. 8 p.m. Adams House Kronauer Space. (NAS)

MUSIC | Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses Festival

This five concert series is part of the 2004 IMC National Seminar and Festival of Male Choruses. Men’s choruses from across the U.S. and Canada will assemble for the three-day event hosted by the Harvard Glee Club and the Intercollegiate Men’s Choruses; high school, college and adult choruses will all be performing. Special guest appearances by such groups as professional chamber ensemble Cantus will also be on hand. Friday, 5 and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, 2:30 and 8:30 p.m. Tickets $15 regular, $7 students and seniors. Any 3 concerts for $39. Sanders Theatre. (LFL)

THEATER | The Birthday Party

The American Repertory Theatre presents The Birthday Party, one of the great black comedies of the 20th century, returning to the stage under visionary director JoAnne Akalaitis. First premiered in 1958, Harold Pinter’s story is one of peril and intrigue in a rundown English boarding house. Runs through March 27. Tickets $35-$69, $12 student tickets available day of show. 8 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, 7:30 p.m. weekdays. Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St. (LFL)

VISUALS | Life as Art

This ongoing exhibit presents a close look back at the careers of painters Gregory and Frances Cohen Gilespie. The exhibition consists of 25 paintings in all, and is a representative look at the influential styles of both artists. The two artists catch the interest of many because of the way in which they influenced each other through their portrayals of realism in early Italian and Flemish painting. Runs through March 28. Sackler Museum. (GCS)

VISUALS | Design-Recline

Chair enthusiasts won’t want to miss this new exhibit at the Busch-Reisinger, which tracks the development of the chaise lounge from 1928 to 1955. The exhibit promises to examine “in a fresh way the now well-known tenets of modern architecture, from the radical use of new materials and technology to concepts of indoor-outdoor living and issues of sickness and health.” Runs March 20 through July 11 at the Busch-Reisinger Museum. (NAS)

VISUALS | Gauguin Tahiti

This exhibition features the paintings that Paul Gauguin produced between his departure for Tahiti in 1891 and his death in the Marquesa Islands in 1903 are currently on display at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. The canvasses are among Gauguin’s most mysterious, colorful and exotic. The exhibition’s Boston stop will be its only showing in the US, so be sure to see it while you can. “Gauguin Tahiti” runs through June 20 at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. (SLS)

Films

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