We knew the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts was going to open with a week’s worth of events and hooplah, Oct. 12-18. But 100 days out, things have gotten just a little more specific.

Like, long lists of things and Fun with Very Long Strings, not to sound Seuss-like. A civic dedication that Monday morning, Oct. 12, in Sammons Park, the 10-acre park between the Wyly Theatre and the Winspear Opera House.  A series of outdoor performances in the Arts District with the Earth Harp (see the video above, billed as the “world’s largest harp”). The harp strings (more like anchor ropes) will be stretched from the ground to the roof of Booker T. Washington Arts Magnet High School. The Earth Harp is played by the group MASS Ensemble (Music Architecture Sonic Sculpture), a frequent, space-agey, New-Agey outfit at outdoor festivals — but the public will also be permitted to twang them things.

Wind it up, baby: There’ll be light shows by Luma and acrobatic performances by Anti-Gravity, an awards-show eyecatcher, all about hip-hopping up in your face and not coming back down. So hit the jump to see the highlight promo reel, already.

Jazz saxophonist David Sanborn will play in the Sammons on Oct. 16. The Dallas Symphony, led by Jaap van Zweden, will present a free afternoon concert Oct. 18, featuring Beethoven’s Ninth, natch. And there’ll be open tours of the buildings, plus a Grand Finale on Oct. 18 with Other Stuff To Be Announced.

On the brainier side of things, there will be two, free,  architectural forums, featuring Wyly whiz Rem Koolhaas on Oct. 15 and Winspear designer Sir Norman Foster on Oct. 16 — presented in association with the Dallas Architectural Forum and the Nasher Sculpture Center.

And just so’s you can keep track, here’s what’s planned — so far — for the rest of the DCPA’s first season:

2009-2010 Season at Dallas Center for the Performing Arts

Lexus Broadway Series

700 Sundays (with Billy Crystal)……………………….Nov. 17 – 22

South Pacific……………………………………………….Dec. 15 – Jan. 3

August: Osage County…………………………………..Jan. 12 – 24

Spring Awakening ……………………………………….Mar. 23 – April 4

Avenue Q.…………………………………………………..May 25 – June 6

Brinker International Forum

Condoleezza Rice………………………………………….Oct. 22

Hilary Swank……………………………………………….Nov. 9

Paul Nicklen………………………………………………..Dec.  7 (a National Geographic Live! program)

Lisa Ling……………………………………………………..Jan. 6 (a National Geographic Live! program

The Creative Process: ……………………………………Feb. 26

Bob Balaban, Peter Guber and Brett Ratner

moderated by Campbell Brown

Frank Langella and David Frost: ……………………….Mar. 17

A Conversation

TITAS

Parsons Dance Company/………………………………Oct. 9 – 10

East Village Opera Company Collaboration

Philip Glass’ Dracula Live!……………………………..Oct. 24 (at SMU’s McFarlin Theater)

Complexions Contemporary Ballet…………………..Oct. 29 – 30

Oscar Castro-Neves……………………………………..Nov. 10

Mariza………………………………………………………Nov. 15

Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company…………..Jan. 8 – 9

Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR)………………………..Feb. 25

Dominic Walsh Dance Theater……………………….Mar. 17 – 18

Soweto Gospel Choir……………………………………Mar. 21

Mark Morris Dance Group…………………………….June 18 – 19

José Carreras in Concert………………………………June 23

Command Performance……………………………….TBA

Dallas Theater Center

A Midsummer Night’s Dream………………………..Oct. 24 – Nov. 22

A Christmas Carol………………………………………Dec. 1 – 27 (at the Kalita Humphreys Theater)

Give It Up!…………………………………………………Jan. 15 – Feb. 14

The Beauty Plays………………………………………..Feb. 23 – May 23

Death of a Salesman……………………………………April 16 – May 16

It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Superman!………….June 18 – July 25

Texas Ballet Theater

The Nutcracker…………………………………………..Dec. 11 – 24

Romeo and Juliet………………………………………..Mar. 12 – 14

Sleeping Beauty………………………………………….June 11 – 13

The Dallas Opera

Otello………………………………………………………..Oct. 23, 25, 28, 31 and Nov. 8

Così fan tutte………………………………………………Feb. 12, 14, 18, 20, 28

Don Pasquale……………………………………………..Feb. 19, 21, 24, 27 Mar. 7

Moby-Dick…………………………………………………Apr. 20, May 2, 5, 8, 16

Madame Butterfly…………………………………………May 7, 9, 12, 15, 23

Turtle Creek Chorale

A Very Special Holiday Special………………………..Dec. 11 – 13

On Off Broadway!………………………………………….May 26 – 29

Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Presents:

Radio City Christmas Spectacular……………………..Dec. 10 – 30 (at Nokia Theatre)