By Tracy Zwick
December 12th through 15th
Free Live Jazz at NY Historical: Friday, December 12th from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; 170 Central Park West at West 77th Street. Free (no tickets required).
In honor of the exhibition The Gay Harlem Renaissance, museum visitors are invited to an evening of classic jazz from the 1920s and ‘30s with the Anthony Hervey Trio, presented in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center. Free with museum admission, which is pay-what-you-wish from 5 to 8 p.m. on Fridays.
The Nutcracker at Wethersfield: Saturday, December 13th at 12:15 p.m. at New Plaza Cinema, 35 West 67th Street between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West; tickets $13.
When, in 2020, COVID restrictions forced New York City Ballet to cancel its annual “Nutcracker” performances for the first time since 1964, a group of newly unemployed NYCB dancers created a live immersive “Nutcracker” experience, which they performed at a Hudson Valley estate. Filmmaker Anne Sundberg captured the magic of that production on film, and she’ll be on hand this Saturday at New Plaza, along with dancers from NYCB, to talk about it.
Christmas Concert at St. John the Divine: Saturday, December 13th from 4 to 5:30 p.m.; 1047 Amsterdam Ave. at West 112th Street; tickets here.
The Cathedral’s annual “Joy of Christmas” concert features Bach’s Magnificat in D Major, and includes the cathedral choirs and orchestra. The church’s acclaimed Great Organ will also be in action. It’ll be used by Daniel Ficarri to play Handel’s Organ Concerto in B Flat. Everyone will be invited to join in Christmas carols.
Menorah Lighting at Hudson Yards: Monday, December 15th at around 4:30 p.m.; Hudson Yards Public Square and Gardens (11th Avenue and Hudson Boulevard. between West 30th and West 33rd streets); free.
Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, starts Sunday evening, and Hudson Yards is working with Chabad of Midtown to host daily menorah lightings at sundown on Hudson Yards’ Public Square & Gardens beginning Monday. There’ll be a special event Monday, with music and other “delights.” There’s also a La Maison du Chocolate pop-up on site, where you can buy hot chocolate; plenty of shopping and dining; The Vessel and pop-up performances on Level 1 inside the shops. Those include a toy soldier troupe, seasonal singalongs, the Youth Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and “Mozart for Munchkins” on December 13th at 10 a.m. Pick up sufganiyot (Hanukkah doughnuts) closer to home at Silver Moon Bakery or Breads on the UWS!
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