Countdown

        Copperfield performs: It's magic. David Copperfield appears at the Aronoff Center. This visit he will do more than perform. He will exhibit artifacts from his International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts. See Houdini's first magic wand, hear the only recording of him speaking before a performance. Show times: 6 and 9 p.m. Friday and 1, 4 and 8 p.m. Saturday. $22.50-$49.50 at Ticketmaster locations or call 241-7469.

— Ellen Blevens

        Film festival: Images of women from Afghanistan to Hollywood and Vine are explored in more than 15 films on tap at this year's Cincinnati Women's Film Festival, 1-10 p.m. Saturday, Raymond Walters College Blue Ash campus.

        Highlights: Saira Shah's highly acclaimed documentary about Afghanistan, Beneath the Veil: A Personal Journey; and The Image of Women in Film Noir by RWC professor H. Michael Sanders.

        Keynote speaker is author, activist and visiting University of Cincinnati professor Amber Hollibough, founder of the Lesbian AIDS Project at Gay Men's Health Crisis in New York and maker of the award-winning documentary The Heart of the Matter.

        Admission is free. Find a full schedule online at www.rwc.uc.edu. 745-5645.

— Margaret A. McGurk

FYI

        Title switch: Ensemble Theatre swaps Map of Doubt and Rescue for Syncopation in its next production slot, opening March 26.

        ETC artistic director D. Lynn Meyers describes Syncopation as “a turn of the century romance about two misfits who find each other on the dance floor.” She said the show is “a better fit for our season.” Call the theater at 421-3555.

— Jackie Demaline

        Women on the Podium: WGUC-FM (90.9 illuminates the challenges faced by female conductors in the 21st century, in a two-hour special, Instrumental Women: Conducting Business, 8 p.m.-10 p.m. Tuesday. In honor of Women's History Month, WGUC will continue to profile women in music throughout March, including composers Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, Amy Beach and Hildegard von Bingen, violinist Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg and conductor JoAnn Falletta.

— Janelle Gelfand

        Jazz winners: Singer-pianist Diana Krall and bandleader Rob McConnell were big winners at the inaugural National Jazz Awards. Ms. Krall was named musician of the year and best international musician, and her album, The Look of Love, was named record of the year, Sunday in Toronto. Mr. McConnell received arranger and trombonist of the year honors.

— The Associated Press

Movies opening Friday

        • 40 Days and 40 Nights

        • Iris

        • Storytelling

        • We Were Soldiers

Coming Friday in Weekend

        Time for lunch: Get out of your lunch-time rut. Dining writer Polly Campbell suggests a variety of interesting locations and cuisines to try for a midday meal.

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Get to it