Holiday traditions abound in the classical music world, and 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:
Julie Taymor鈥檚 beloved production of The Magic Flute returns to the stage of the Metropolitan Opera December 8. Performed in English and abridged to one act, the Mozart opera is a holiday staple at the Met. Two alternating casts will split the run, featuring sopranos Janai Brugger and Liv Redpath as Pamina, tenors Piotr Buszewski and Joshua Blue as Tamino, tenor Rolando Villaz贸n and baritone Alexander Birch Elliott as Papageno, and basses Brindley Sherratt and James Creswell as Sarastro. Both casts will feature Kathryn Lewek as the Queen of the Night. Lewek has performed the role more times at the Met than any other performer, having surpassed 50 performances during last season鈥檚 run of a new production by Simon McBurney.
Next door, another holiday tradition continues as New York City Ballet presents George Balanchine鈥檚 The Nutcracker through the end of December. The NYCB founding choreographer鈥檚 take on Tchaikovsky鈥檚 ballet is a holiday staple at Lincoln Center鈥檚 David H. Koch Theatre.
The Orchestra of St. Luke鈥檚 will perform J.S. Bach鈥檚 Christmas Oratorio at Carnegie Hall December 7. Bernard Labadie will conduct the performance, which will include soprano Lauren Snouffer, contralto Avery Amereau, tenor Andrew Haji, baritone Joshua Hopkins, and Canadian choir La Chapelle de Qu茅bec.
The English Concert, led by conductor Harry Bicket, will present its annual Handel concert at Carnegie Hall December 10. This year, the program is a concert performance of the opera Rodelinda, starring soprano Lucy Crow as Rodelinda, countertenor Iestyn Davies as Bertarido, countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen as Unulfo, tenor Eric Ferring as Grimoaldo, soprano Christine Rice as Eduige, and bass-baritone Brandon Cedel as Garibaldo.
Cellist Edgar Moreau makes his New York Philharmonic debut this week, performing Haydn鈥檚 Cello Concerto No. 1. The concert, given December 6-9, will also include Tchaikovsky鈥檚 Romeo and Juliet, Bart贸k鈥檚 The Miraculous Mandarin Suite, and Enescu鈥檚 Romanian Rhapsody No. 1. Andr茅s Orozco-Estrada conducts.
Pianist Conrad Tao celebrates Rachmaninoff鈥檚 sesquicentennial with a concert December 6 at the 92nd Street Y, exploring Rachmaninoff鈥檚 influence on songwriters including Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, Billy Strayhor, and Stephen Sondheim. Works by those songwriters will be performed alongside works by Rachmaninoff. Tao will be joined by cellist Oliver Herbert for Rachmaninoff鈥檚 Cello Sonata in G Minor.
The Lim贸n Dance Company will present Women's Stories at New York Live Arts December 7-9. The program will feature the works of Jos茅 Lim贸n performed by an all-female cast, as well as the world premiere of I Must Be Circumstanced, Hilla Ben Ari鈥檚 reimagination of Lim贸n鈥檚 The Moor鈥檚 Pavane, inspired by Shakespeare鈥檚 Othello.
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