Home to Lincoln Center and a number of other great venues, the Upper West Side is alive with the sound of music year-round, but the holidays are an especially great time to take in a show with family and friends. Here are a few great performances to catch this winter.
Lincoln Center Theater, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza
This critically-acclaimed musical that the New York Times called “perfect” focuses on the life of Marvin — a charming, smart and neurotic gay man. He has a wife, a son, a lover, a psychiatrist and lesbian neighbors. Penned in the 1990s, it’s a humorous look at the modern family, and the extraordinary cast features Tony award winners and nominees galore, including Stephanie J. Block, Christian Borle, Andrew Rannells and Brandon Uranowitz. At the Lincoln Center Theater through January 8.
Metropolitan Opera House, 30 Lincoln Center Plaza
The Metropolitan Opera House and David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center (Image: Pixabay)
In L’Amour de Loin (Love from Afar), a heroic knight is on a quest to find his love across the sea accompanied by a magical score. First performed in 2000, this highly regarded opera by Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho is about to enjoy its Metropolitan Opera premiere this holiday season. Produced by Robert Lepage and sung in French, theatergoers can look forward to ribbons of 28,000 shimmering LED lights extending the length of the stage, meant to evoke the undulating sea while embracing the modernity of the music. L’Amour de Loin runs through December 29.
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker
David H. Koch Theater, 20 Lincoln Center Plaza
David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center (Image: D Ramey Logan/Wikimedia)
A holiday tradition like no other, you’ll bask in the full splendor of the New York City Ballet with their performance of the renowned holiday classic, The Nutcracker. Tchaikovsky’s rich score comes to life as imagined by choreographer George Balanchine and performed by “90 dancers, 62 musicians, 32 stagehands and two casts of 50 young students each from the School of American Ballet.” The delightful production includes a Christmas tree that grows from 12 to 40 feet right before your eyes, an 85-pound Mother Ginger costume and a mass of crystal-shaped snowflakes. Through December 31.
David Geffen Hall, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza
A fun-filled holiday tradition featuring the talented New York Philharmonic Brass and Percussion squad, this year Holiday Brass features one of the all-time trumpet greats, Philip Smith, who hosts, conducts and performs in this afternoon of joyful music. The program is set to include works by G. Gabrieli, Mozart, Warlock and Anthony DiLorenzo, plus traditional Christmas and Hannukah favorites. Holiday Brass is a single-performance event taking place on Sunday, December 18 at 3 p.m.
Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway at West 75th Streets
The Beacon Theatre (Image: Andreas Praefcke/Wikimedia)
Mariah Carey’s fourth studio album, consisting completely of Christmas tunes, has become a holiday season staple. After a successful run of shows in 2015, the sultry songstress is back again this year, singing selections from her hit album and other standards, including the wildly popular “All I Want for Christmas is You.” Carey performs on the Beacon Theatre stage select evenings between December 5 and 17.