DANCE

SOMETHING FROM NOTHING Choreographer Tere O’Connor asked eight dance artists to create a new work from nothing — no story, no music, no outside source — in order to separate dance from its business aspects, including marketing, fund raising, and production. The result became the Nothing Festival, which intends to create a dialogue on the conflict of making a dance and marketing the work. The festival begins with premieres by Douglas Dunn, Sam Kim, and Dean Moss. Wednesday–Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Dance Theater Workshop, 219 W. 19th St., between Seventh and Eighth avenues, 212-924-0077, $20 general, $12 members.

WHERE DO I START? The Aynsley Vandenbroucke Movement Group presents the premiere of “And How Should I Begin?” a dance inspired by the T.S. Eliot poem “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.” Ms. Vandenbroucke co-choreographed the work with dancers Djamila Moore, Dawn Springer, and Kristen Warnick. The program includes a dance with tea cups while discussing salad dressing. Wednesday–Saturday, 8 p.m., Baryshnikov Arts Center, 450 W. 37th St., between Ninth and Tenth avenues, 212-868-4444, $15.

FAMILY

FOR ALL YOUNG EARS The Dicapo Opera Theatre performs a reduced version of one of its most famous operas, Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut,” for children. The opera features Kristin Sampson as Manon, Hector Palacio as Des Grieux, Chad Armstrong as Lescaut, and Bryce Smith as Geronte. Thursday, 11 a.m., Dicapo Opera Theatre, lower level of the St. Jean Baptiste Church, 184 E. 76th St., between Lexington and Third avenues, 212-288-9438 ext. 10, $10 for children through age 12, free for accompanying adults.

MUSIC

EAST AND WEST JAZZ The Romanian Cultural Institute in New York and Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus Music Department present “The Romanian/American Jazz Suite,” a multi-movement work by American saxophonist Sam Newsome and Romanian pianist Lucian Ban. The suite combines Romanian folk music with American jazz, representing two points of view: Romanian culture through the eyes of an American jazz musician, and American culture through the eyes of a Romanian jazz musician having grown up under a communist regime. Performers include Mr. Newsome, Mr. Ban, and saxophonist Alex Harding. The work is performed across the city this week. Today, 11 a.m., LIU, Humanities Building, Barbara Elliot Studio, 1 University Place at DeKalb Avenue, 212-687-0180, free; tomorrow, 7:15 p.m., New York University, Pless Building, Black Box Theater, 82 Washington Square East at Washington Place, 212-687-0180, free; Wednesday, 9 p.m., Jazz Gallery, 290 Hudson St. at Spring Street, 212-242-1063, $12; Thursday, 6 p.m., Harlem School of Arts, 645 St. Nicholas Ave., between 141st and 145th streets, 212-687-0180, free.

MISSING ON NORFOLK The Vision Festival and Arts for Art present a seven-day showcase during April and May featuring artists whose shows were cancelled after the announcement that the venue Tonic, on 107 Norfolk St., would be closing this month. The showcase, called Vision Tonic, features performances by the Thing, Mats Gustafsson, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, and Paal Nilssen-Love. During a later set, the Desiring-Machines perform. Tomorrow, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Clemente Soto Velez LES Gallery, 107 Suffolk St., between Rivington and Delancey streets, 212-696-6681, $10 per set.

BAROQUE AND MORE The New York Philomusica Chamber Ensemble performs a program that explores the evolution in chamber music to contemporary styles from Baroque. Featured performers include bassoonist Katrina Russell, French horn player Andrew Clark, and oboist Gerard Reuter. Pieces include the premiere of a 230-year-old Haydn Sextet in E-flat, Couperin’s “Selections From Pièces de Clavecin” for keyboards, and Michael Berkeley’s “Fierce Tears I and II.” An opportunity to meet the musicians is offered at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m., Broadway Presbyterian Church, 601 W. 114th St. at Broadway, 212-580-9933, $35 general, $30 seniors, $10 students.

CARNEGIE RECITAL English violinist Lawrence Power performs with violinist Maxim Vengerov and the UBS Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra in performances of Mozart’s “Sinfonia Concertante” in E-flat Major. Mr. Vengerov conducts the orchestra. Thursday and Friday, 8 p.m., Carnegie Hall, 881 Seventh Ave. at 56th Street, 212-247-7800, $28–$98.

PHOTOGRAPHY

HOMELAND VIEWS Andrea Meislin Gallery celebrates its third anniversary with “Current Visions: Inside Israel (Part 2),” the second part of an exhibit that revisits the gallery’s inaugural exhibit from 2004. “Current Visions” explores Isreal’s various land uses. Selections include Yuval Yairi’s “Memory Suitcase #7” (2006), above. Through Saturday, April 28, Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Andrea Meislin Gallery, 526 W. 26th St., between Tenth and Eleventh avenues, 212-627-2552, free.

POETRY

RUSSIAN VERSE Poets House celebrates National Poetry Month with “Branching Out NYC,” a discussion about the Russian poet Anna Akhmatova. Poet and literary critic Susan Stewart explores Akhmatova’s life and work, including her progression from pre-Revolutionary love lyrics to her late political sequences. A multimedia display of archival images and the chance to hear a recording of Akhmatova are also offered. Tomorrow, 7 p.m., Borough of Manhattan Community College, Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 199 Chambers St., between Greenwich Street and the West Side Highway, 212-431-7920, $10 general, $5 for residents of Lower Manhattan, free for students and members of Poets House and the Poetry Society of America.

AWARDING THE SCRIBES Poet and literary critic John Hollander is honored during the Poetry Society of America’s 97th annual awards ceremony. Mr. Hollander receives the Frost Medal and delivers the Frost Lecture. Other award winners and readers include Kate Colby, Kimiko Hahn, and Matthew Zapruder. Thursday, 7 p.m., the New School, Tishman Auditorium, 66 W. 12th St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues, 212-254-9628, $10 general, $7 students and members.

READINGS

SUICIDE BLONDE Novelist Darcey Steinke reads from her memoir, “Easter Everywhere” (Bloomsbury). In it, she tells her story of growing up as the child of a Lutheran minister, being a depressive former pageant queen (she was Miss Albany), and her journey to find a meaningful spiritual life as an adult. Ms. Steinke’s writing is always blunt and powerful, whether speaking of religious transcendence or a sexually obsessive relationship. Tonight, 7 p.m., McNally Robinson, 52 Prince St., between Mulberry and Lafayette streets, 212-274-1160, free.

STAY YOUNG, STAY THIN The James Beard Foundation’s “Beard on Books” series features Mireille Guiliano, the author of “French Women for All Seasons: A Year of Secrets Recipes and Pleasure” (Knopf). Ms Guiliano won both fame and in famy for her first book, “French Women Don’t Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure,” in which she insisted on an eating lifestyle of moderation. Tomorrow, noon James Beard House, 167 W. 12th St. between Sixth and Seventh avenues 212-627-2308, $20 general, free for students.

BURNING UNDERGROUND “The Day the Earth Caved in: An American Mining Tragedy” (Random House by Joan Quigley tells the story of the Centralia Colliery mine in Pennsyl vania. In 1962, a small brush fire made its way toward an exposed coal vein and began an underground fire that burned unnoticed for 20 years. Ms. Quigley is the grand daughter of Centralia miners, and discusses her book from both jour nalistic and personal viewpoints. Thursday, 6 p.m., Corner Bookstore 1313 Madison Ave. at 93rd Street 212-831-3554, free.

NORTHERN MYSTERIES Four of Sweden’s most famous mystery writers — Kjell Eriksson, Inger Frimansson, Håkan Nesser, and He lene Tursten — come together for an evening of readings, discussion and book signings. All four authors are releasing books in America this year. A co-founder of the West Vil lage mystery bookstore Partners & Crime, Maggie Topkis, moderates the discussion. Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Scandinavia House, 58 Park Ave. at 38th Street, 212-847-9740 $10 general, $8 students and mem bers.

BOARDING THE 7 “Crossing the Blvd: Strangers, Neighbors, Aliens in a New America” (Norton) by Warren Lehrer and Judith Sloan documents the stories of new im migrants and refugees who have migrated to Queens. The authors both actors, perform the stories as part of a meeting for the New York Book Club. A post-performance discussion features the city’s deputy commissioner of immi grant affairs, Azadeh Khalili, and Queens International High School student Lin Kai Jaing. The event is featured as part of Immigrant His tory Week. Thursday, 6:30 p.m. Lower East Side Tenement Muse um, Visitors Center and Museum Shop, 108 Orchard St. at Delancey 212-431-0233, free.

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