From Shakespeare to Shostakovich, 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.
New York City Ballet concludes its 2024-2025 season with a week of performances of George Balanchine鈥檚 A Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream, running May 27鈥揓une 1. The full-length ballet adaptation of Shakespeare鈥檚 play is set to music by Felix Mendelssohn, including his overture and incidental music to the play, supplemented with additional symphonic works by the composer. The first act of the ballet tells most of the story of Shakespeare鈥檚 comedy, with the second act taking the form of a divertissement serving the role of the Pyramus and Thisbe scene in the play.
The New York Philharmonic also concludes its regular season this week with performances of Mahler鈥檚 seventh symphony May 29鈥揓une 1, led by the orchestra鈥檚 incoming music director, Gustavo Dudamel. The five-movement symphony is one of the longest in the standard repertoire, and calls for a number of instruments not commonly heard in a symphony orchestra, including a tenor horn, as well as a guitar and mandolin.
Performances of John Adams鈥� Antony and Cleopatra continue at the Metropolitan Opera this week as the company enters the final weeks of its 2024-2025 season. Soprano Julia Bullock and baritone Gerald Finley star in the adaptation of Shakespeare鈥檚 play. The season鈥檚 final weeks also include revivals of Puccini鈥檚 La Boheme, Rossini鈥檚 Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and Tchaikovsky鈥檚 The Queen of Spades.
Ballet Hisp谩nico presents CARMEN.maquia at New York City Center May 29鈥揓une 1, during the company鈥檚 55th Emerald Anniversary, celebrating the 150th anniversary of Bizet鈥檚 opera Carmen. The work by Gustavo Ramirez Sansano reimagines the story of Carmen using music from various works by Bizet.
Pianist Evgeny Kissin will perform two concerts of Shostakovich at Carnegie Hall this week, joined by an all-star roster of musicians. On May 28, Kissin will be joined by violinist Gidon Kremer, violist Maxim Rysanov, and cellist Gautier Capu莽on, to perform Shostakovich鈥檚 Violin, Viola, and Cello sonatas, respectively. May 31 will see Kissin joined by soprano Susanna Phillips, mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, tenor John Matthew Myers, bass Alexander Roslavets, cellist Giedr臈 Dirvanauskait臈, and the Kopelman Quartet with Kremer returning on violin, for a program which includes Shostakovich鈥檚 Piano Quintet, Piano Trio No. 2, and the song cycle Four Verses of Captain Lebyadkin and From Jewish Folk Poetry.
To stay up to date with classic arts news, subscribe to 半岛体育's classic arts newsletter.
