10 best new classical music and dance shows to see this fall
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet's production of "Dracula" will be performed at Staller Center at Stony Brook University on Nov. 19, 2016. Credit: Royal Winnipeg Ballet
NEW YORK CITY BALLET WORLD PREMIERES (David Koch Hall, Lincoln Center, Sept. 20, 27 and Oct. 1, 5 and 15) Colombian-Belgian choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa creates her first ballet for NYCB; Lauren Lovette, the troupe’s newest female principal, and audience favorite Justin Peck choreograph their firsts for the company — his, a pas de deux — and Corps de Ballet member Peter Walker brings his choreography from the screen to the stage for the first time. 212-496-0600, nycballet.com
NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC OPENING NIGHT GALA (David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center, Sept. 21) Ring in the Philharmonic’s 175th anniversary as well as music director Alan Gilbert’s farewell season as he conducts a program of Dvořák’s New World Symphony, Gershwin’s Concerto in F and contemporary composer John Corigliano’s “Stomp.” 212-875-5656, nyphil.org
CARNEGIE HALL OPENING NIGHT GALA (Carnegie Hall, 57th Street at Seventh Avenue, Oct. 6-8) The Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, led by charismatic Gustavo Dudamel, also music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, opens Carnegie’s season with music for dance, featuring Ravel’s “La Valse,” a waltz that whirls into a dance of death. It’s followed by concerts featuring pieces by Stravinsky, Villa-Lobos and Messiaen. 212-247-7800, carnegiehall.org
TRAVIS WALL’S SHAPING SOUND: DANCE REIMAGINED (Tilles Center’s Hillwood Recital Hall, LIU Post campus, Brookville, Oct. 20) Led by Emmy-nominated Wall along with fellow choreographers Nick Lazzarini, Teddy Forance and Kyle Robinson of TV’s “So You Think You Can Dance,” “Dancing With the Stars” and “All the Right Moves,” Shaping Sound presents a mash-up of contemporary dance and musical genres. 516-299-3100, tillescenter.org
AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE WORLD PREMIERE (David Koch Hall, Lincoln Center, Oct. 21) Commissioned by the ABT, Jessica Lang (the choreographer, not the Lange-with-an-“e” actress), is a piece inspired by a piano suite by Fanny Mendelssohn, sister of Felix, depicting time she spent with her family in Rome. ABT’s fall season runs Oct. 19-30. 212-496-0600, abt.org
ESCHER STRING QUARTET (Staller Center Recital Hall, Stony Brook University, Oct. 28) The quartet that takes its name from Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher, who created conundrums between individual components and the whole picture, will perform “Ophelia and the Queen,” an original composition by Eugene Drucker of the Stony Brook University-based Emerson String Quartet. Allison Linker will speak and sing the roles of both title characters. 631-632-2787, stallercenter.com
WARSAW PHILHARMONIC (Tilles Center, LIU Post campus, Brookville, Oct. 29) Piano soloist Seong-Jin Cho, first prize-winner in the 2015 Chopin International Competition, is featured in the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 in a program that also includes Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 and Weinberg’s Polish Melodies No. 2. 516-299-3100, tillescenter.org
KATHLEEN BATTLE: UNDERGROUND RAILROAD — A SPIRITUAL JOURNEY (Metropolitan Opera, Lincoln Center, Nov. 13) The legendary soprano makes her historic return to the Met for a recital, accompanied by a choir and to-be-announced special guests. Together they’ll sing spirituals inspired by the dangerous trek from slavery to freedom along the Underground Railroad. 212-362-6000, metopera.org
ROYAL WINNIPEG BALLET’S ‘DRACULA’ (Staller Center, Stony Brook University, Nov. 19) One of the oldest ballet companies in North America makes a return visit to Stony Brook for a full-length contemporary ballet performance of Bram Stoker’s vampire classic. 631-632-2787, stallercenter.com
CHINA PHILHARMONIC (Tilles Center, LIU Post campus, Brookville, Dec. 10) The Beijing orchestra turns its attention to Russian composers in a program highlighted by Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2, featuring violin soloist Julian Rachlin, and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5. 516-299-3100, tillescenter.org
And keep in mind . . .
LANG LANG PLAYS BEETHOVEN (David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center, Oct. 6-8) Hailed as the hottest classical music pianist on the planet (he’s also performing solo at Tilles Center in March), Lang Lang performs Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto with the New York Philharmonic as Alan Gilbert also conducts Bartók’s Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta. 212-875-5656, nyphil.org
AMERICAN BRASS QUINTET (Adelphi University Performing Arts Center, Garden City, Oct. 8) The quintet performs new or newly discovered works from the brass chamber repertoire, commissioned pieces or obscure compositions unearthed and arranged by American Brass members. 516-877-4000, aupac.adelphi.edu
MUSIC AT HILLWOOD JUILLIARD STRING QUARTET (Tilles Center’s Hillwood Recital Hall, LIU Post campus, Brookville, Oct. 16 and Dec. 4) The chamber series curated and hosted by Caroline Stoessinger opens its season with the Juilliard String Quartet playing Beethoven and Bartók, followed by the McGill/McHale Trio performing Dvořák’s Slavonic Dances. The series continues in the spring with the Eroica Trio and the Verona Quartet. 516-299-3100, tillescenter.org
STEVE REICH 80TH BIRTHDAY (Carnegie Hall, 57th Street at Seventh Avenue, Nov. 1) This all-Reich program celebrates one of the 20th century’s most groundbreaking composers with a program featuring the world premiere of “Pulse,” a work co-commissioned by Carnegie Hall, with David Robertson conducting ICE. 212-247-7800, carnegiehall.org
AMERICAN CLASSICS (Madison Theater, Molloy College, Rockville Centre, Nov. 12) Celebrate the end of the presidential marathon with an all-American concert featuring Aaron Copland’s “Lincoln Portrait” and “Billy the Kid,” plus Samuel Barber’s Concerto for Violin and Essay No. 1 for Orchestra performed by the South Shore Symphony with violin soloist Wen Qian. 516-323-4444, madisontheatreny.org
ANDRÉ WATTS (Tilles Center, LIU Post campus, Brookville, Nov. 19) The world-renowned pianist brings his national tour to Long Island. Although the Tilles program is not yet announced, Watts performed pieces by Mozart, Schubert, Chopin and Liszt in previous tour recitals. 516-299-3100, tillescenter.org
LUCINDA CHILDS DANCE COMPANY (Joyce Theater, Nov. 29-Dec. 11) Her company first performs “Lucinda Childs: A Portrait (1963-2016),” a retrospective of Childs’ career, culminating in the New York premiere of a piece commissioned by the Joyce. Week 2 is devoted to Childs’ evening-length “Dance” from 1979, with music by Philip Glass. joyce.org, 212-242-0800
ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER PREMIERE (New York City Center, 131 W. 55th St., Manhattan, Dec. 4) The company premiere of Johan Inger’s “Walking Mad” is performed along with Christopher Wheeldon’s “After the Rain Pas de Deux,” along with two pieces by the troupe’s late founder, “Night Creature” and his signature “Revelations.” The Ailey fall season, opening Nov. 30, runs through Dec. 31. 212-581-1212, alvinailey.org
EMERSON STRING QUARTET (Staller Center Recital Hall, Stony Brook University, Dec. 6) Stony Brook’s multi-Grammy-winning quartet-in-residence, observing its 40th anniversary overall, presents the first of three concerts at its academic home base — the final two in January and April. 631-632-2787, stallercenter.com
WYNTON MARSALIS WORLD PREMIERE (David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center, Dec. 28-30 and Jan. 3) The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis joins the New York Philharmonic in the debut of the jazz legend’s latest, commissioned for the orchestra’s 175th anniversary, plus a co-commission with the Shanghai Symphony of William Bolcomb’s Trombone Concerto. 212-875-5656, nyphil.org
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