Three Kings and a Lord Protector: What’s Happening in Classic Arts This Week
Find out what’s happening in the opera, concert, and dance scene this week.
Lisette Oropesa in I Puritani at the Metropolitan Opera
Ken Howard / Met Opera
Some businesses may be closed for the holidays, but 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.
The Metropolitan Opera will ring in the new year with a new production of Bellini’s I Puritani, the Met’s first new production of the English Civil War-set opera since 1976. Charles Edwards makes his house directorial debut leading the production, after previously having designed sets for the Met’s most recent productions of Il Trovatore, Adriana Lecouvreur, Don Carlos, and Fedora. Soprano Lisette Oropesa stars as Elvira, with tenor Lawrence Brownlee and baritone Artur Ruciński as her rival Royalist and Roundhead suitors, who fight for her hand, and for the future of England. Brownlee returns to his signature role of Arturo, which famously calls for a high F above C, the highest written tenor note in the standard operatic repertoire.
Violinist Gil Shaham joins the New York Philharmonic January 2 and 3, leading the orchestra in an all-Mozart program, including the composer’s second and fifth violin concertos, as well as two other single-movement pieces for violin and orchestra. Louis Langrée will conduct two concerts at alternate times on the same two days, consisting of Mozart’s Serenade No. 10, and Richard Strauss‘ Serenade in E-flat Major. Both sets of concerts will be performed at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall. Musicians from the New York Philharmonic will also play a chamber concert at the Kaufman Music Center’s Merkin Hall January 4, comprising works by Bridge, Shostakovich, Ades, and Dvorak.
New York City Ballet’s annual holiday production of George Balanchine‘s The Nutcracker will have this season’s final performances this week, including a sensory-friendly performance January 4. Balanchine’s interpretation of the classic Tchaikovsky ballet 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 has its final performances 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.
The Parthenia Viol Consort rings in the new year with a concert of carols, motets, dances, and fantasias from Elizabethan England. Composers represented on the program will include Byrd, Holborne, Ravenscroft, and Morley. Soprano Sherezade Panthaki will join the string ensemble for this concert January 2 at the Church of Saint Luke in the Fields.
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