Thu., March 10 -- Art
For three weeks starting tonight, three young Icelandic ladies will live in the Carnegie Museum of Natural History's Hall of Sculpture, singing over and over a brief song whose central phrase is "The weight of the world is love." Do not be alarmed: It's all part of Ragnar Kjartansson: Song, the latest long-duration, site-specific performance work by the eponymous Icelandic rock performer and international art star. The girls are his nieces, and Kjartansson has done similar work himself, once singing for days on end in an abandoned theater, audience or no, while dressed as a viking. This new show also includes a selection of his videos. Tonight, it kicks off with curator Dan Byers' salon-style talk with Kjartansson himself ... and the first few notes his nieces will sing to the Carnegie's classical marble sculptures. Bill O'Driscoll 5:30 p.m. 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland. $10. 412-622-3131 or www.cmoa.org
Thu., March 10 -- Words
Crossing Limits began as a poetry anthology meant to promote understanding between the Jewish and African-American communities. Recently, the Pittsburgh-based project released a new book about building bridges and tearing down mistrust and stereotypes between the Muslim and Jewish communities. To coincide with its exhibit The Word of God: Sandow Birk's American Qur'an, The Andy Warhol Museum hosts a night of poetry and spoken-word performances by Crossing Limits poets, including local multi-disciplinary artist Luqmon Abdus-Salaam. Lucy Steigerwald 7 p.m. 117 Sandusky St., North Side. Free. 412-237-8300 or www.warhol.org
Thu., March 10 -- Outdoors
Now that spring is nearly here, it's the perfect time to cram in winter activities you were too busy complaining about the snow to enjoy. Schenley Park Skating Rink has one last week of ice, weather permitting, scheduled this week. Call first, especially if it's 55 and sunny, but chilly nights mean the after-dark skates will continue until the not-so-bitter end. You'll wish you skated one last time once you start whining about the summer heat. LS 7-9 p.m. Continues through Sun. March 13. 1 Overlook Drive, Schenley Park. $3-4 (skate rental: $2.50). 412-422-6523 or www.SchenleyRink.com
Sat., March 12 -- Circus
46 Circus Acts in 45 Minutes involves four traveling agile Aussies known as CiRCA in a speedy mix of daredevilry. There will be trapeze and acrobatics, along with dance and theatrical bits. Pittsburgh International Children's Theater presents these three performances at the Byham Theater. Suggested ages are 3 and up, so circus fans of all ages who want to skip to the good parts could find a worse way to spend an afternoon. LS 2 p.m. Also 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sun., March 13. $9.50 ($11 at the door). 101 Sixth St., Downtown. 412-456-6666 or www.pgharts.org
Sat., March 12 -- Stage
City Theatre says that its next show features a talking gorilla, but don't take that too literally. Madeleine George's new play Precious Little concerns a linguist who's gotten disturbing news about her unborn child, and her relationship with her girlfriend; a woman who speaks a dying language; and a talking gorilla. The gorilla is played by Laurie Klatscher, but it's a theatrical species of ape. "She's wearing something like Chanel, she's not in a gorilla suit," notes director Tracy Brigden, whose 10th season as City's artistic director the show celebrates. Precious Little also stars Kelly McAndrew and Theo Allyn; tonight is the first performance. BO 5:30 p.m. Show continues through April 3. 1300 Bingham St., South Side. $22-60. 412-431-4400 or www.citytheatrecompany.org
Sat., March 12 -- Astronomy
It's called Wagman Winterfest, but it's a harbinger of spring: The annual star party held by the Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh marks the year's first formal gathering 'round the telescope. The AAAP is all set to help new star-watchers (since maybe your New Year's resolution was to straighten out Perseus and Cassiopeia once and for all). Tonight's event, in Deer Lakes Park, is weather-permitting, so call ahead if you're in doubt. It starts with a solar viewing (but don't look straight at it!) and continues into the evening. Andy Mulkerin 4 p.m. Nicholas E. Wagman Observatory, Deer Lakes Regional Park, Frazer. Free. All ages. 724-224-2510 or www.3ap.org
Sun., March 13 -- Art
Known for his early landscapes of the Hill District and his late-career abstracts, painter Samuel Rosenberg also taught for 40 years at Carnegie Mellon University. That means he also influenced a lot of folks. Notable students contribute to the Jewish Community Center's new exhibit, A Painter's Legacy: The Students of Samuel Rosenberg. The dozens of participating artists include Phillip Pearlstein and Aaronel deRoy Gruber, working in a wide range of mediums including painting, prints, drawing, watercolor, collage and sculpture. The opening reception is this afternoon. LS 1 p.m. 5738 Forbes Ave., Squirrel Hill. Free. 412-521-8011 or www.jccpgh.org
Wed., March 16 -- Benefit
For its 25th anniversary, Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force does it up big: This year's fundraiser features a performance by Alan Cumming. Tonight, the Tony-winning actor, filmmaker and movie star showcases his cabaret talents with a one-man show spotlighting Broadway song, at Pittsburgh Public Theater. (It surely helps that PATF is honoring Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, on whose board Cumming serves.) Unless you can afford the early-evening VIP meet-and-greet, the festivities include a cocktail reception, Cumming's show and a desert reception. BO 5:30-10 p.m. 621 Penn Ave., Downtown. $100-250. 412-345-0593 or www.patf.org
Wed., March 16 -- Opera
Pittsburgh's Undercroft Opera presents two of the more underappreciated one-act operas by Giacomo Puccini from his three-part Il Trittico. The first is Il Tabarro, a bloody tale of a barge owner and his unfaithful wife. The other is the mournful but redemptive Suor Anglica, about a woman cast into a convent as punishment for an out-of-wedlock pregnancy. Local artists in the casts include Rob Frankenberry, Daphne Alderson and Demareus Cooper. Both shows are presented with chamber orchestras, in the original Italian, with surtitles, at Brookline's Seton Center Auditorium. LS 8 p.m. Continues through March 20. 1900 Pioneer Ave., Brookline. $15-30. 412-422-7919 or www.undercroftopera.org