SAM's big Picasso show comes with a busy schedule of accompanying events

A steady stream of Picasso-related events will accompany "Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris," including public tours of Seattle Art Museum and visits from eminent Picasso experts. Unless otherwise indicated, tickets for all events are available at all three SAM locations or by phoning 206-654-3121. For the full lineup, go to www.picassoinseattle.org/events.asp.

Here's a small selection of what's coming:

Oct. 8: Anne Baldassari, curator of "Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris" and chief curator of heritage at the Musée Picasso, joins Chiyo Ishikawa, local curator of the SAM show, in a talk about "the life, work and legacy of Pablo Picasso." 7 p.m., Plestcheeff Auditorium, $5-$10.

Oct. 16: "Picasso Family Festival": The first of three child-oriented events. Free to children 12 and under when accompanied by paying adult. The other dates are Nov. 20 ("Kids and Cubism") and Dec. 16 ("Picasso Portraits" workshop).

Oct. 16: "Art and Defiance: Sparks of Glory Concert": A concert of classical music by Erwin Schulhoff and Ernest Bloch, written contemporaneously with the creation of Picasso's "Guernica," with commentary by Music of Remembrance Artistic Director Mina Miller, addressing "the power of art and music to speak against oppression." Music by Paul Schoenfield is also on the program. 2 p.m., Plestcheeff Auditorium, free with museum admission. Three other performance events — readings, music — are planned Oct. 21, Nov. 18 and Dec. 16.

Oct. 20: "Picasso and ... Lecture Series": First of five lectures examining "the impact that art and culture had on Pablo Picasso as well as his impact on art during the 20th and 21st centuries." Ishikawa leads off with a talk on "Picasso and European Art." 7 p.m., Plestcheeff Auditorium, $20-$45 for series. Other lecture dates are Nov. 3, 10 and 17, and Dec. 1.

Oct. 22: "Picasso and Film": The first of three Picasso-related film programs, co-sponsored by Northwest Film Forum, is a screening of the documentary "Picasso and Braque Go to the Movies," on how cinema influenced the two artists of the title. Martin Scorsese, Chuck Close and Picasso biographer John Richardson appear in it, along with archival footage. Nov. 19: "The Mystery of Picasso," a documentary interviewing the then-75-year-old Picasso. Jan. 7: "Surviving Picasso," Merchant Ivory feature film starring Anthony Hopkins and Julianne Moore. All at 7:30 p.m., Plestcheeff Auditorium. $18-$21 for series; $8 single tickets (cash only, day of show).

Nov. 13: SAM Remix: Drinks and dancing in the SAM forum until the early hours, and other activities throughout the museum. 7 p.m. — 1 a.m. $12-$25.

Dec. 8: "John Richardson: An Interview with Picasso's Biographer": The eminent biographer of the artist, now working on the last volume of his massive four-volume life of the artist, talks about his life's work, including his years in southern France (1949-1962), where he helped collector Douglas Cooper create a private museum of cubist art that Picasso often visited. 7:30 p.m., Seattle Arts and Lectures, Benaroya Hall. $15-$70, free for students with ID. (206-621-2230 or www.lectures.org).

Dec. 10: Picasso Teen Night Out: Museum tours, live music and more, happening throughout the building. 7 p.m.-10 p.m., free with student ID.

Jan. 14: "Mary Ann Caws on Dora Maar and Pablo Picasso": A professor of comparative literature, English and French from the City University of New York discusses Maar, subject of Picasso's famous "Portrait of Dora Maar" and numerous other works, during and after her relationship with the artist. 7 p.m., Plestcheeff Auditorium. $5-$10.

Michael Upchurch: mupchurch@seattletimes.com