It’s the proverbial most wonderful time of the year, which means the classic arts scene in New York must be teeming with holiday spirit. Here is just a sampling of some of the classic arts events happening this week:
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas at Lincoln Center without the holiday traditions of the New York City Ballet production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, and Julie Taymor’s production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute at the Metropolitan Opera, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Both holiday favorites continue to run through the first week in January.
The Oratorio Society of New York performs Messiah at Carnegie December 23, with soprano Nola Richardson, countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, tenor Joshua Blue, and bass-baritone Joseph Parrish. Kent Tritle conducts Handel’s score, full of iconic arias and choruses, including the famous “Hallelujah” chorus.
Jaime Laredo conducts the New York String Orchestra in an all-Mozart program December 24 at Carnegie Hall. Beginning with the overture to the opera The Impresario, the concert will also include Mozart’s clarinet concerto, with soloist Ricardo Morales, and the “Linz” Symphony, so named for the town in Austria in which it was composed. Laredo and the New York String Orchestra will return to Carnegie Hall December 28 for a program including Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s Prologue and Variations, Samuel Barber’s violin concerto with soloist Jennifer Koh, and Brahms’ Symphony No. 1.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre continues its December residency at New York City Center this week, including performances on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The iconic American dance company presents a variety of programs, including new works, new productions, and staples from the company’s repertoire.
Pianist Katya Grineva will give a holiday concert at Carnegie Hall December 27, featuring selections from The Nutcracker, Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata, Debussy’s “Claire de lune,” and many more classical favorites, from composers including Mozart, Chopin, von Bingen, Liszt, and more.
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo continues its three-week residency at the Joyce Theatre this week, celebrating its 50th anniversary with two programs. The first program includes Durante Verzola’s Symphony, set to music by Gounod and inspired by George Balanchine’s Symphony in C; as well as Giselle (Act II), choreographed by Yelena Tchenychova after Perrot and Petipa’s choreography for the Adolphe Adam ballet, a staple of the classical ballet repertoire. The second program will include an excerpt from Swan Lake as choreographed by Ivanov; Yes Virginia, Another Piano Ballet, by Peter Anastos to music by Chopin; and Raymonda’s Wedding: A Traditionally Confusing Divertissement in Two Scenes, based on Marius Petipa and Alexander Glazunov’s Raymonda.
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