September marks the start of the fall performing arts season, with exciting new music directors helming both the Metropolitan Opera and New York Philharmonic. To celebrate, here are some musts—from don’t-miss performances to a playlist that will get you hooked on the classics all over again.
Someone Who Inspired Us
Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin will take the helm at the Met this season, which will include performances of Saint-Saëns’s Samson et Dalila, Debussy’s Pelléas et and Nico Muhly’s adaptation of Marnie. “If you were to ask me, ‘What does Yannick like about productions? Am I a traditionalist, or am I modern?’” Nézet-Séguin said in a New York Times interview. “I am both. I just want beauty.”
Add It To Your Wishlist
Thanks to New York City’s classical musical station, WQXR-FM, you can listen to live concerts from Carnegie Hall or the New York Philharmonic in the comfort of your own home. Tune in online or via an app on your phone. Or for a richer experience, try one of Bluesound’s award-winning speakers, which are made “for audiophiles, by audiophiles.”
Check It Out
The New York Philharmonic’s Opening Gala Concert will take place on Sept. 20, at David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center. Conducted by Jaap van Zweden, the Philharmonic’s new music director, the program will include Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G, Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, and the world premiere of a new work commissioned by the Philharmonic by composer Ashley Fure.
Know Your Stuff
New York Times classical music editor Zachary Woolfe posed this question to writers, editors and artists: “What are the five minutes or so that you’d play for a friend to convince them to fall in love with classical music?” Their answers, which range from Ravel’s The Fairy Garden to Jessie Montgomery’s Smoke, are not just educational, but enchanting.
Home Goals
What could be better than listening to your favorite classical music than in this stunning Classic 6 on the Upper West Side. 115 Central Park West, Apartment 18H offers the expected finished of Classic 6 including original hardwood floors, spacious rooms, and a decorative fireplace. Two terraces overlook Central Park Lake and the gorgeous architecture and turrets of the Dakota. If you decide to spring for a live show, it’s just a quick walk to Lincoln Center.
115 Central Park West is represented by Tami Shaoul and Danielle Pessis.