13 top entertainment picks for July 22-28, 2012

Movies

'The Dark Knight Rises'

The conclusion of Christopher Nolan's "Batman" trilogy is a breathtaking film that immerses its audience in a world both real and heightened. Nolan's action sequences are again spectacular but what elevates this trilogy is the quiet storytelling, with the actors' words and emotions given time to register. Starring Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman. For showtimes, see Page H5. For Seattle Times movie critic Moira Macdonald's 3-½-star review, go to www.seattletimes.com/movies.

'Jimmy Fallon's Primetime Music Special'

A collection of music sketches from "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon." 10 p.m. Wednesday on NBC.

Opening Ceremony of the Summer Olympics

The opening ceremonies for the Summer Olympics in London. Let the games begin. 7:30 p.m. Friday on NBC.

Food/Drink

Sparkman Cellars

Free live music and wine tasting. Check out the soulful sounds of Joel Lewis while you sip some chardonnay from Sparkman Cellars at the Hollywood Hills Wine District Tasting Room from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday. 14473 Woodinville Redmond Road, Woodinville (425-398-1045 or woodinvillewinecountry.com).

Summer parties made easy

Learn how to throw together an easy summer party. Flying Fish Chef Christine Keff shows you how to make quick and easy dishes. The session includes a buffet lunch featuring dishes demonstrated in class. $55. Session starts at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at 300 Westlake Ave. N., Seattle (206-728-8595 for reservations).

Festivals/Seafair

Seattle Torchlight Parade

Seattle rocker Duff McKagan (Guns N' Roses, Loaded) is the grand marshal of this year's lineup of giant helium balloons, drill teams, equestrian units, clowns, pirates, bands, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, along Fourth Avenue in downtown Seattle; reserved bleacher seating available, $20-$50 (206-728-0123 or www.seafair.com).

Pacific Northwest

Scottish Highland Games

& Clan Gathering

Don a kilt (or not) and check out the Scottish pipe bands, Highland dancers, Celtic Kennels dog show, caber tossing and other traditional athletic events, food and craft vendors, 5:30-11 p.m. Friday (free), 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. July 29, Enumclaw Expo Center, 45224 284th Ave. S.E., Enumclaw; $11-$22 (206-522-2541 or sshga.org).

Theater

'Suddenly Last Summer'

Tennessee Williams' intense — and frankly, creepy — tale of family secrets gets an airing from local troupe Theatre 9/12. Charles Waxberg directs. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. today and July 29, Trinity Parish Church, 609 Eighth Ave., Seattle; pay-what-you-can admission (206-332-7908 or www.theatre912.com).

Shakespeare in the parks

The free outdoor-theater season is in full swing. The Greenstage troupe is putting on a double feature of "The Taming of the Shrew" (3 p.m.) and "Henry VIII" (7 p.m.) on Sunday at Seattle's Woodland Park and will take those shows to other area parks through Aug. 18. You can also catch Wooden O's performances of "Twelfth Night" and "A Winter's Tale" at area parks through Aug. 12. Schedules: www.greenstage.org and www.seattleshakespeare.org.

Jazz music

Jazz Port Townsend

Big news this year is guest conductor, songwriter and arranger Johnny Mandel, who wrote "The Shadow of Your Smile" and "Suicide Is Painless" (the theme from "M*A*S*H") and who has arranged for everyone from Sinatra to Diana Krall. Also on the festival's schedule: Mary Stallings, Dena DeRose, Eric Reed and others. The action runs from 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday in the Port Townsend clubs, with mainstage concerts at Fort Worden at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; mainstage concerts $19-$47; nightly club pass, $24; package of all concerts and Friday and Saturday night clubs, $39-$90 (360-385-3102 or www.centrum.org).

Classical music

Seattle Chamber Music Society Summer Festival

The annual fest puts on a free, hourlong concert in Volunteer Park this week, with a program of Dvorák's Sextet for Strings in A Major and Tchaikovsky's Souvenir de Florence for String Sextet, Op. 70 (festival artistic director James Ehnes performs in both). A musical "petting zoo" will be offered at 5:30 p.m, concert at 7 p.m. Wednesday, 1247 15th Ave. E., Seattle (206-283-8808 or seattlechambermusic.org).

Literary events

Kay Larson

The author discusses her new book about composer John Cage, "Where the Heart Beats: John Cage, Zen Buddhism, and the Inner Life of Artists." 7 p.m. Tuesday, Elliott Bay Book Co., 1521 10th Ave., Seattle; free (206-624-6600 or www.elliottbaybook.com).

Visual arts

Prographica

"Commentaries: Artists Respond to the Land" is a group show by artists chosen "because their work so clearly demonstrates how each artist enters into the landscape from a different and unique place." The show includes Portland artist Michael Brophy's gouache-on-paper landscapes; works by Seattle artists Kimberly Clark, Steve Davis and Eirik Johnson; and graphite drawings by Paul Havas. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays through Sept. 1, 3419 E. Denny Way, Seattle; (206-322-3851 or ww.prographicadrawings.com).