From Bach to Berlin, 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 Oratorio Society of New York will open their 150th anniversary season at Carnegie Hall November 6 with a performance of J.S. Bach’s Magnificat and Mozart’s Requiem. The chorus will be joined by soprano Susanna Phillips, mezzo-soprano Lucia Bradford, tenor Eric Carey, and bass-baritone Joseph Beutel. Kent Tritle conducts the two staples of the choral repertoire.
Historian John Monsky joins the Orchestra of St. Luke’s November 8 at Carnegie Hall for November 1918: The Great War and The Great Gatsby, a concert exploring the music of World War I by composers including James Reese Europe and Irving Berlin, combined with archival film and photography. Ian Weinberger conducts the performers, which will feature soloists Kristolyn Lloyd, Stephanie Jae Park, Kate Rockwell, Nicholas Rodriguez, and Daniel Yearwood.
Carnegie Hall will also host performances this week from The Orchestra Now (November 7); cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason (November 8); The Met Orchestra Chamber Ensemble (November 9); and the American Composers Orchestra (November 9).
Acclaimed mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter joins the string quartet Brooklyn Rider at the 92nd Street Y November 10 for a program of Songs of Love and Death. The program includes Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden” quartet, and selections from Winterreise arranged for string quartet by Osvaldo Golijov. The program will also feature works by Rufus Wainwright. This week, the 92nd Street Y will also host an all-Chopin recital by pianist Garrick Ohlsson November 12.
Violinist Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider joins the New York Philharmonic November 9-12 for a concert including Beethoven’s violin concerto. The program will also include Carlos Simon’s Fate Now Conquers, and Saint-Saëns’ third symphony, featuring Kent Tritle on the organ. Stéphane Denève conducts.
Performances continue at the Metropolitan Opera of X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, which opened November 3. Kazem Abdullah conducts, and Will Liverman stars as the famed civil rights leader in the Met premiere of Anthony Davis’ 1986 opera, directed by Robert O’Hara in his Met debut.
A new cast joins La Bohème at the Metropolitan Opera this week. Soprano Anita Hartig and tenor Stephen Costello join the acclaimed Zeffirelli production, alongside soprano Heidi Stober, baritones Alexey Markov and Rodion Pogossov, and bass Krzysztof Bączyk. Baritone Donald Maxwell continues in the roles of Benoit and Alcindoro, and conductor Carlo Rizzi continues on the podium. Performances also continue at the Met of Un Ballo in Maschera, also conducted by Rizzi.
Kyle Marshall Choreography makes its Joyce Theater debut this week, presenting three New York premieres November 8-11. Ruin, an exploration of “humans’ physical relationship to sound” makes use of dynamic listening devices created by sound designer Cal Fish to create a soundscape in real time. Alice is a solo dance set to the music of Alice Coltrane. Onyx pays tribute to the genre of Rock and Roll and the Black and Brown artists who created it. The sound design by Kwami Winfield makes use of samples from artists including Little Richard,James Brown, and Tina Turner. All three pieces feature costume design by Edo Tastic and lighting design by Itohan Edoloyi.
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