From Messiah to Menotti, the classic arts scene in New York is never quiet. Here is just a sampling of some of the classic arts events happening this week.
Exiled Russian producer Eugene Wintour-Irverstag presents a Christmas Night Opera Gala at Carnegie Hall December 27. The first instance in what hopes to be an annual tradition, the evening will feature sopranos Sondra Radvanovsky, Nadine Sierra, and Asmik Grigorian; mezzo-soprano Anita Monserrat; tenor Brian Jagde; and baritone Thomas Hampson in an performance of operatic excerpts, including selections from Rossini's Guillaume Tell and La Cenerentola, Ambroise Thomas's Mignon, and Leonard Bernstein's Candide. The singers will be backed up by the American Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Francesco Lanzillotta.
The New York String Orchestra will give two concerts at Carnegie Hall this week. Pianist Anna Polonsky will join the orchestra December 24 for an all-Mozart program including the overture to The Marriage of Figaro, the composer's Symphony No. 40, and Piano Concerto No. 27. Violinist Bella Hristova and the Isidore String Quartet will join the orchestra December 28 for a program comprising Elgar's Introduction and Allegro for String Quartet and Orchestra, Dvorak's Violin Concerto, and Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 4. Both concerts will be conducted by Jamie Laredo in his final season as NYSO's music director.
Carnegie Hall will also host two different performances of Handel's Messiah this week. The Oratorio Society of New York will take the stage December 22 for a performance featuring soprano Kathryn Lewek, countertenor Cody Bowers, tenor Aaron Sheehan, and bass Adam Lau. The following day, The Masterwork Chorus will give their rendition of the work, with soprano Christina Nicastro, countertenor Randall Scotting, tenor James Reese, and baritone Joshua Jeremiah.
Performances continue of MOMIX's Alice at the Joyce Theater this week. Inspired by Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the dance work by Moses Pendleton features a blend of dance, music, costumes, and projected imagery to take the audience along on Alice's surreal adventure.
The Metropolitan Opera's holiday production of The Magic Flute continues this week through the end of the year. Julie Taymor's vibrant production has been a mainstay at the Met since its premiere in 2004, and the abridged English holiday production has been a near-annual tradition for nearly as long. Erin Yashima and Steven White share conducting duties, leading two alternating casts of stars including sopranos Ein Morley and Joélle Harvey as Pamina; tenors Joshua Blue and Paul Appleby as Tamino; baritones Joshua Hopkins and Michael Sumuel as Papageno; and sopranos Aigul Khismatullina and Rainelle Krause as the Queen of the Night.
George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, meanwhile, continues performances at Lincoln Center's David H. Koch Theatre through January 4. New York City Ballet's annual tradition features the company's entire roster of more than 150 dancers and musicians, as well as more than 120 children from the School of American Ballet.
Lincoln Center Theater's production of Amahl and the Night Visitors also continues this week, starring mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato. Gian Carlo Menotti's family Christmas opera tells the story of a young boy named Amahl whose house is visited by three kings on their way to Bethlehem. DiDonato plays Amahl's Mother, alongside Albert Rhodes Jr. as Amahl, Phillip Boykin as King Balthazar, Bernard Holcomb as King Kaspar, and Todd Thomas as King Melchior. Kenny Leon directs the production at Lincoln Center Theater's Off-Broadway Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater.
To stay up to date with classic arts news, subscribe to Playbill's Classic Arts newsletter.
