From Paris to Catfish Row, 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.

Porgy and Bess returns to the Metropolitan Opera beginning December 2. George Gershwin's iconic American opera stars bass-baritone Alfred Walker and soprano Brittany Renee as the titular Porgy and Bess, alongside soprano Vuvu Mpofu making her Met debut as Clara, who sings the opera's most enduring classic tune "Summertime." The cast also features soprano Latonia Moore as Serena, tenor Frederick Ballentine as Sportin' Life, baritone Benjamin Taylor as Jake, and bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green as Crown. Mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves will mark her retirement from the stage with a final set of performances in the role of Maria.

Two verismo classics also continue performances at the Met this week. Puccini's La Bohéme, an annual tradition at the Met, stars soprano Juliana Grigorian as Mimi, and Stephen Costello as Rodolfo in Franco Zeffirelli's lavish production. Meanwhile, Umberto Giordo's Andrea Chénier returns to the Met for the first time since 2014. The French Revolution-set opera stars tenor Piotr Beczala as the titular poet Andrea Chénier, who manages to become an enemy of both the pre-revolution aristocracy and the post-revolution Reign of Terror. Soprano Sonya Yoncheva plays the noblewoman Maddalena di Coigny, with baritone Igor Golovatenko as the servant-turned revolutionary Carlo Gérard.

George Gershwin will also be performed by the New York Philharmonic this week, as pianist Hélène Grimaud joins the orchestra at David Geffen Hall for Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F. The program, presented December 4-6, also includes Leonard Bernstein's Three Dance Episodes from On the Town, and Dvořák's Symphony No. 9, From the New World. Gustavo Gimeno will conduct.

Brooklyn Ballet brings back The Brooklyn Nutcracker December 6-14 for five performances at The Theater at City Tech. Conceived and choreographed by Lynn Parkerson, The Brooklyn Nutcracker reimagines the classic Tchaikovsky ballet as a journey from Victorian Flatbush to modern-day Brooklyn, stopping at numerous Brooklyn landmarks along the way. Ballet meets modern dance and a variety of folk dance traditions, including classical Chinese dance, Ukrainian hopak, Native American hoop dance, African dance, flamenco, and belly dance, featuring dancers from around the world.

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.

Mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey will give a recital at Carnegie Hall December 2 with pianist Baptiste Trotignon. The program will primarily feature songs by Jewish German and Austrian composers who became émigrés in response to the rise of the Nazi party. The program will include several songs by Kurt Weill, from both the German and American portions of his career, alongside songs by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Alexander von Zemlinsky, and Alma Mahler.

Baritone Konstantin Krimmel will perform three song cycles by Schubert at the 92nd Street Y this week with pianist Ammiel Bushakevitz. The pair will perform Die schöne Müllerin December 3, Winterreise December 5, and Schwanengesang December 7.

The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center's fall Baroque festival kicks off December 6 at Alice Tully Hall with a performance of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, performed alongside violin concertos, sonatas, and fantasias by Telemann, Handel, Corelli, and Bach. Soloists for the various works include Chad Hoopes, Kristin Lee, Richard Lin, Julian Rhee, and Arnaud Sussmann.

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