Seven days

Sunday

Dance day The Opus 1 Contemporary DanceCompany performs works by Lina McMenamin and Tim Early at 1 and 5 p.m. at the Wayne Center for Dance Arts, 205 W. Lancaster Ave., Wayne. Tickets are $20. Call 610-812-6125.

BalletX performs works by Jodie Gates, Edwaard Liang, and Matthew Neenan at 2 p.m. at the Wilma Theater, 265 S. Broad St. Tickets are $35; $30 for seniors; $22 for students. Call 215-546-7824.

Philadanco performs works by Rennie Harris, Dwight Rhoden, and Ronald K. Brown, and Gene Hill Sagan's "Suite en Bleu" (remounted by Kim Bears-Bailey) at 2:30 p.m. at the Kimmel Center's Perelman Theater, 300 S. Broad St. Tickets are $29 to $46. Call 215-893-1999.

Mad world In Yasmina Reza's darkly comic God of Carnage, two sets of well-to-do parents meet for a discussion after the child of one has knocked out the teeth of the other's child with a stick while playing in a city park. As the quartet of professionals — lawyer, money manager, businessman, and writer — try to talk the situation over, the discourse slowly devolves from civility to animosity to childish chaos. The show goes on at 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday at the Walnut Street Theatre, 825 Walnut St., and continues with shows at 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, and 2 and 7 p.m. next Sunday. Tickets are $10 to $85. Call 215-574-3550.

Material girl Puccini's Manon Lescaut was the great composer's first success, an overheated tale of a beautiful young woman pursued by two men, one offering love and the other riches. It all ends tragically, of course, with exile, death, and the searing aria "Sola, perduta, abbandonata" — which means, of course, it's opera at its finest. The Opera Company of Philadelphia performs the work at the Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Streets, at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, 8 p.m. Friday, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $10-$225. Call 215-893-1018.

Monday

Classic trio Conductor Robert Spano leads the Curtis Symphony Orchestra in Brahms' Double Concerto in A minor with soloists Juliette Kang, violin, and Efe Baltacigil, cello, plus works by Jennifer Higdon and Bartok, at 8 p.m. at the Kimmel Center's Verizon Hall, 300 S. Broad St. Tickets are $5 to $45. Call 215-893-1999.

Tuesday

The scientist From his tiny specialty, myrmecology (the study of ants), biologist E.O. Wilson has spun influential ideas — sociobiology, biodiversity, the "epic of evolution" — to show the ways our physical nature influences our spiritual aspirations. In his new book, The Social Conquest of Earth, Wilson examines the biological origins of morality, religion, and the arts. He discusses his work at 7:30 p.m. at the Free Library, 1901 Vine St. Tickets are $15; $7 students. Call 215-567-4341.

New roots The alt-Americana trio known as the Lumineers brings a rockabilly urgency to its hootenanny sound. The lyrically great tracks "Ho Hey" ("I don't know where I belong / I don't know where I went wrong / but I can write a song") and "Flowers in Your Hair" ("It's a long road to wisdom / but it's a short one to being ignored") off their sensational eponymous CD have jumped right to the top of our playlist. They perform at Johnny Brenda's, 1201 Frankford Ave. Tickets are $10 to $20. Call 215-739-9684.

Wednesday

Pure punks The Texas pop-punk foursome Bowling for Soup plays on a four-band bill at 8 p.m. at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St. Tickets are $17. Call 215-222-1400.

Thursday

Chamber pop The Danish sextet Alcoholic Faith Mission play their quirky symphonic pop on a three-band bill at 8 p.m. at Kung Fu Necktie, 1248 N. Front St. Tickets are $10. Call 215-291-4919.

Friday & Saturday

Local hero Soulful folkie Martin Sexton has a passionate area following and a dynamite new CD, Fall Like Rain. Check them all out at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St., at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $25. Call 215-222-1400.

Cruel to be kind On its surface, Steven Shainberg's 2002 film Secretary may appear to be a kinky satire of romantic comedies, but the story of an insecure clerical worker willingly dominated by her rigid, demanding boss ends up being a strangely affecting portrait of misfits connecting and healing. The film screens at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute, 824 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr, at 11:30 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $7. Call 610-527-9898.

In clubland The Michigan quintet La Dispute distinctively deconstructs blues-rock with singer Jordan Dreyer's strained, desperate vocals and shards of jagged metal. The group headlines a four-band bill at Union Transfer, 1024 Spring Garden St., at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $15. Call 215-232-2100. … Ethereal singer Eliza Rickman performs her music-box songs at the monthly steampunk gathering Dorian's Parlor at the Doubletree Hotel, 237 S. Broad St., at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $25. 215-893-1600.

A complete guide to events in the region over the coming weekend will appear in the Weekend section in Friday's Inquirer. Send notices of events for "7 Days" to Michael Harrington at mharrington@phillynews.com.