The Aga Khan, his wife, the Begum Aga Khan,
center, and Rep. Connie Morella (R-Md.) at the
"Hamza" exhibition at the Freer Gallery. (Rebecca
D'Angelo - For The Washington Post)
The Aga Khan, his wife, the Begum Aga Khan,
center, and Rep. Connie Morella (R-Md.) at the
"Hamza" exhibition at the Freer Gallery. (Rebecca
D'Angelo - For The Washington Post)
We live in a great city: In a matter of minutes you can trek from Egypt to India without crossing the Beltway. Both the National Gallery of Art and the Freer and Sackler galleries celebrated their newest arrivals last week with lavish preview parties.
The National Gallery's much-anticipated "Quest for Immortality: Treasures of Ancient Egypt" opened Thursday night with a sneak peek forpharaohs, friends and patrons. More than 500 guests, including Egyptian Ambassador M. Nabil Fahmy, oohed and aahed at the appropriate places and then munched on dolmas and baklava in the East Building.
"This is an astonishing exhibition," said Museum Director Rusty Powell. The antiquities may have hit the tarmac at Dulles two weeks ago, but the exhibit -- which centers on the ancient Egyptians' fascination with the afterlife -- was in planning for two years. And Powell, who coordinated the famous King Tut exhibit in 1976, said Washingtonians have been longing for another Egyptian show. "This is one of the very great ones for the National Gallery," he said.
They were equally proud over at the Freer and Sackler gala Wednesday night, where 260 guests were transported by "The Adventures of Hamza" -- the heroic narrative paintings commissioned by Mogul emperor Akbar in the 16th century. The exhibition is the first for new Director Julian Raby, who was joined by guests of honor the Aga Khan and cellist Yo-Yo Ma, as well as Queen Noor, Indian Ambassador Lalit Mansingh, Smithsonian Secretary Larry Small, World Bank President Jim Wolfensohn, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and former senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan.
The Aga Khan has all his legendary father's charm but none of his flamboyance. "I never talk about family matters," he purred. Ma was even more charming despite putting in grueling 19-hour days to launch the Silk Road festival on the Mall. "All we're trying to do is connect people emotionally," he said.
Like an international vacation, without the jet lag.
© 2002 The Washington Post Company