Four local concerts (without carols)
Michael Amate, "America's Tenor," sings Neapolitan classics, beloved arias, Broadway hits and pop standards in his first concert special for public television. He'll perform Sunday, Dec. 12 at the NYCB Theatre at Westbury. Credit: Handout
It's that fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la time of year when every song, it seems, is a Christmas carol. You don't have to be a musical Scrooge to grow weary of hearing "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" in the weeks leading up to Dec. 25.While we can't pledge that nary a note of holiday cheer will be sounded, here are a handful of concerts around the Island this weekend that are not all ho-ho-ho.
Chris Smither
WHEN | WHERE: 8 p.m. Saturday at the YMCA Boulton Center for the Performing Arts, 37 W. Main St., Bay Shore
INFO: boultoncenter.org, 631-969-1101
ADMISSION: $30
Touring behind his new CD, "Time Stands Still" (Signature Sounds/Mighty Albert) - just his 11th in a four-decade career - Smither follows up his Folk Alliance Award for song of the year, "Seems So Real." We expect he'll sing it.
David Francey
WHEN | WHERE: 2 p.m. Sunday at University Cafe, Student Union Building, Stony Brook University
INFO: shopsbu.com, 631-632-6027
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In intimate coffeehouse style, University Cafe's Sunday Street Acoustic Series brews up some of Long Island's top folk concerts. This time, it's the Scottish-born Canadian doing selections from his eight albums. The most recent, "Right of Passage," earned Francey his third JUNO (Canada's Grammy). Joining him is American balladeer and multi-instrumentalist Craig Werth.
Michael Amante
WHEN | WHERE: 3 p.m. Sunday, NYCB Theatre at Westbury, 960 Brush Hollow Rd.
INFO: 877-686-5366, livenation.com
ADMISSION: $45.20-$79.75
He's acclaimed by Luciano Pavarotti, the late "King of the High C's," and by Tony Bennett, who "guarantees that Michael is the next Mario Lanza." Amante applies his Bel-Canto training to assorted rock and gospel arrangements that have earned him the "People's Tenor" sobriquet.
Jamie Laredo
WHEN | WHERE: 3 p.m. Sunday at the Hillwood Recital Hall at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts, C.W. Post campus of Long Island University, Brookville
INFO: 516-299-3100, tillescenter.org
ADMISSION: $42
The globe-trotting, world-class violinist who doubles as a conductor and doubles again as a recitalist and chamber musician, plays a program of Schubert (Sonatina in G Minor), Brahms (Sonata in A major, Opus 100) and Beethoven (Sonata in F Major "Spring," Opus 24). Not a carol among them.
A 5-hour 'Don Carlo' at the movies
A new Metropolitan Opera production of Verdi's "Don Carlo" by Nicholas Hytner makes its HD Live broadcast premiere Saturday at six Long Island theaters. There's not a hint of merry merry in the entire five hours. (Yes, that's five hours with two intermissions.) Don Carlo, Infante of Spain, is betrothed to Elisabetta, but they've never met. By chance, they bump into each other in a forest and, boom, fall in love. But when the ambassador arrives, he informs them that as a condition of Spain's peace treaty with France, Elisabetta has been given not to Carlo but to his father. Bummer. Crying and kissing ensue but no mistletoe.
All at 12:30 p.m. Saturday:
ISLAND 16 CINEMA DE LUX: 185 Morris Ave., Holtsville, 631-758-5253
FARMINGDALE MULTIPLEX CINEMAS: 1001 Broadhollow Rd.,, Farmingdale, 800-315-4000
WESTBURY STADIUM 12: 7000 Brush Hollow Rd., Westbury, 516-333-0055
PORT WASHINGTON CINEMAS: 116 Main St., Port Washington, 516-944-6200
EAST HAMPTON CINEMAS 6: 30 Main St., East Hampton, 516-324-0598
STALLER CENTER: Stony Brook University, michae631-632-2787, stallercenter.com
