LI and NYC music and dance events this fall

Long Island Fringe Festival (Tilles Center, Sept. 24-26). Dance performances - along with cutting-edge music, theater and poetry - feature some of the Island's leading companies, including Dance Visions, Circle of Dance Repertory, Just Left of Center Collective, plus C.W. Post's dance faculty and alumni. tillescenter .com, 516-299-3100

Metropolitan Opera (Lincoln Center, Manhattan, Sept. 27). The fall opening-night gala celebrates conductor James Levine's 40th anniversary with the Met. Despite recent health problems, he's expected to conduct the Met orchestra in Robert Lepage's new production of Wagner's "Das Rheingold." Bryn Terfel sings the role of Wotan. Free seats for giant screen simulcasts in Times Square and Lincoln Center Plaza will be available, first come, first served. Encore screening at Staller Center, Stony Brook, Oct. 17. metopera.com, 212-362-6000

International Festival of Orchestras (Carnegie Hall, Seventh Avenue at 57th Street, Manhattan, Sept. 30, Oct. 2 and 3). The season-long series that brings together major world orchestras with world-class conductors opens with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, led the first night by Nikolaus Harnoncourt, followed by Gustavo Dudamel, and finally Dudamel with Yo-Yo Ma as cello soloist. carnegiehall.org, 631-247-7800

New York Philharmonic (Tilles Center, Brookville, Oct. 9). Under the baton of music director Alan Gilbert, with guest violin soloist Joshua Bell, the Philharmonic performs the Sibelius Violin Concerto, Debussy's prelude to "Afternoon of a Faun," Richard Strauss' "Don Juan" and Hindemith's Symphonic Metamorphoses on Themes of Carl Maria von Weber. tillescenter.org, 516-299-3100

Emerson String Quartet (Staller Center, Stony Brook, Oct. 21). The resident ensemble of Stony Brook University celebrates its ninth Grammy with a concert featuring the New York premiere of Lawrence Dillon's String Quartet No. 5 "Through the Night," plus a Haydn quartet and a Brahms piano quintet with Gilbert Kalish. stallercenter.com, 631-632-2787

Merchants of Bollywood (Staller Center, Oct. 30). This dance extravaganza from Mumbai showcases the original music and choreography from some of Bollywood's greatest hits. Vaibhavi Bhavi Merchant, the show's choreographer, weaves a tale based on his family's Indian dynasty of filmmakers and choreographers. stallercenter.com, 631-632-2787

Dresden Staatskapelle (Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center, Oct. 31 and Nov. 1). Daniel Harding conducts one of Central Europe's most storied orchestras in Brahms' Requiem with soprano Christiane Karg, baritone Matthias Goerne and the Westminster Choir. The second concert, all-Beethoven, features soprano Deborah Voigt and pianist Rudolf Buchbinder. lincolncenter.org, 631-721-6500

Paul Taylor Dance (Tilles Center, Dec. 3). A contrasting pas de deux of dance pieces, if you will: "Brief Encounters," set to the music of Debussy, and "Changes," a celebration of the '60s and early '70s set to the greatest hits of The Mamas and the Papas. tillescenter.com, 516-299-3100

American Ballet Theatre (Brooklyn Academy of Music's Gilman Opera House, 30 Lafayette Ave., Dec. 22-Jan. 2). ABT artist-in-residence Alexei Ratmansky has choreographed a new version of Tchaikovsky's beloved holiday season staple "The Nutcracker," featuring a live orchestra and costumes by Tony winner Richard Hudson ("The Lion King"). This will be the new ballet's world premiere. abt.org, 212-477-3030

Long Island Philharmonic (Tilles Center, Dec. 31). The annual New Year's Eve spectacle, "Broadway Forever!," will be the first time in the new season that you can catch Long Island's leading symphony orchestra, due to cuts in arts funds by cash-strapped Albany. The subscription season will start in the spring. liphilharmonic.com, 631-293-2222

And keep in mind...

American Chamber Ensemble (Oct. 17). As part of Hofstra's 75th anniversary, the chamber ensemble performs the world premiere of "Woman in Darkness" by Hofstra music professor emeritus Herbert Deutsch, with text by Virginia Terris. The piece features soprano Tammy Hensrud, clarinetist Naomi Drucker and pianist Blanche Abram. Monroe Lecture Center Theater, Hofstra University, Hempstead, jamesarts.com/ace/home.html, 516-463-6644

Starry Nights (Nov. 4). Cellist Colin Carr, a Stony Brook University artist-in-residence, presents an evening of music performed with fellow musicians Carol Wincenc, flute; Alan Kay, clarinet; Kurt Muroki, double bass; Kevin Loucks, piano; and Iryna Krechkovsky, violin. The program ranges from Beethoven to the late Long Island composer Morton Gould. Staller Center, staller center.com, 631-632-2787

Academy of St. Martin in the Fields (Nov. 6). Music director Jonathan Biss doubles as piano soloist in this all-Mozart concert. Tilles Center, Brookville, tillescenter.com, 516-299-3100

Garth Fagan Dance (Nov. 9- 14). Celebrating its 40th anniversary season at the Joyce, the company presents a world premiere and, in case you missed it last year, a chance to catch the acclaimed "Mundane," which critics hailed as perhaps Fagan's greatest hit. Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Ave., Manhattan, joyce.org, 212-248-0800

Shanghai Quartet (Nov. 14). Weaving Eastern delicacy into the Western repertoire, the Chinese quartet has premiered works by artists ranging from composers Chen Yi and Krzysztof Penderecki and jazz pianist Dick Hyman. Hillwood Recital Hall, Tilles Center, tillescenter.org, 516-299-3100

Jaime Laredo (Dec. 12). The superstar classical violinist will perform a program of Brahms' Sonata in A major and Beethoven's Sonata in F major, also known as "Spring," though it will almost be winter by then. Hillwood Recital Hall, Tilles Center, tillescenter.org, 516-299-3100