COMMUNITY EVENTS
NEW IN MANHATTAN
Falun Dafa (Falun Gong) Exercises
Tuesdays, 4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m., through Sept. 27 (skipping Sept. 13)
Muhlenberg Library, 209 W. 23 St.
A class of five exercises including meditation. Come relieve your stress and anxieties, increase your energy and vitality, and enjoy peace of mind. Free. en.FalunDafa.org
Summer Sings
Aug. 24, 7 p.m.
316 E. 88th St.
The public is invited to sing and socialize with members and the artistic staff of NYChoral including Music Director David Hayes and Associate Conductor Michael Ciavaglia. The participants will be able to step into the shoes of a NYChoral member and sing along with the conductor, pianists, and soloists to a different piece each week. After the sing along, the audience, chorus members, and staff will continue the festivities with an after party around snacks, drinks, and a raffle. Free.
Metropolitan Opera Summer HD Festival
Aug. 26–Sept. 5
Lincoln Center Plaza
The series will present 10 past performances from the company’s acclaimed Live in HD series of movie theater transmissions, featuring leading Met stars in a varied selection of operas by Bizet, Donizetti, Lehár, Leoncavallo, Mascagni, Mozart, Puccini, Rossini, and Verdi. There will be 3,100 seats for each screening. Free. MetOpera.org
ONGOING IN MANHATTAN
Magical Designs for Mozart’s Magic Flute
Through August 27
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, 40 Lincoln Center Plaza
An exhibition that compares scenic and costume designs from a select group of 20th and 21st century productions extolled for their remarkable visual achievement. Since its premiere in 1791, this opera has inspired countless teams of directors and designers to create a cornucopia of imaginative productions that have beguiled audiences of all ages. Free. LincolnCenter.org
Meditation at the Highline
Tuesdays, 8 a.m.–9 a.m., through September
22nd Street Seating Steps
Rise above the city streets and begin your day focused, centered, and connected with nature. Join the Integral Yoga Institute, Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, and other guests for guided meditations. Open to people of all ages and experience levels. Free. TheHighLine.org
Stargazing at the Highline
Tuesdays, through Oct. 25
The Diller–von Furstenberg Sundeck (at West 14th Street)
Head to the High Line each Tuesday night for a romantic walk along the park and a chance to take a closer look at the stars. Peer through high-powered telescopes provided by the knowledgeable members of the Amateur Astronomers Association of New York to see rare celestial sights. Free. TheHighLine.org
Art Tour: Wanderlust
The Highline Park
Mondays, 6:15 p.m.–7 p.m., through October
From sculptures and murals to performances and videos, the High Line is filled with public art. Join High Line Art Assistant Curator, Melanie Kress for an insider’s view on High Line Art’s current Wanderlust exhibition. Tour location provided via email following RSVP at TheHighLine.org
New York & The Nation
Ongoing
The Robert H. and Clarice Smith New York Gallery of American History, 170 Central Park West
Explore the story of New York and America in the Robert H. and Clarice Smith New York Gallery of American History. $20 adults, $12 students, $15 seniors. NYHistory.org
Family Sundays at Rubin Museum
Ongoing
150 W. 17th St.
Bring your family to the Museum for a Sunday afternoon full of family-friendly activities. Drop into the Education Center for some art-making, enjoy our 2 p.m. family exhibition tour, or go on your own thematic gallery search. Free. RubinMuseum.org
Film Society of Lincoln Center
Ongoing
Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, 144 W. 65th St.; Walter Reade Theater, 165 W. 65th St.
Year-round programming that includes premieres of new films from an international roster of established and emerging directors. $14. FilmLinc.com
ONGOING ELSEWHERE
Movies With a View
Aug. 25, 6 p.m.
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Since its launch in 2000, we’ve wowed, entertained, thrilled, and pulled at the heartstrings of over 340,000 moviegoers, making our program one of New York City’s favorite summer film series. Free. BrooklynBridgePark.org
SummerStage
Through Sept. 23
NYC Parks
New York City’s largest free performing arts festival, bringing more than 100 free performances to Central Park and 15 neighborhood parks throughout the five boroughs. Free. SummerStage.org
Friday Night Fireworks
Fridays, 9:30 p.m.
W. 10th St., Coney Island
Every Friday is a reason to celebrate! Join Coney Island for Friday Night Fireworks. The show starts at 9:30 p.m. every Friday night during the season. Friday Night Fireworks start the last weekend in June and conclude the Friday before Labor Day. Free. LunaParkNYC.com
Paint It Up: Still-Life Watercolor
Through Sept. 27
Poe Park Visitor Center, the Bronx
Experience the thrill of bringing a blank piece of paper to life, by creating a still life with a brush, paint, and water. Free. NYCGovParks.org
VISUAL ARTS
NEW IN MANHATTAN
Collector’s Choice, New York Historical Society
Aug. 19–ongoing
170 Central Park West
A selection of paintings that characterize the highly individual tastes and historic contributions of several New York City collectors who shaped the New-York Historical Society’s holdings. NYHistory.org
Campaigning for the Presidency, 1960-1972: Selections from the Museum of Democracy
Aug. 26–Nov. 27
New York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West
Coinciding with the 2016 presidential election, the New-York Historical Society will showcase more than 120 objects from The Museum of Democracy/Wright Family Collection, considered one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive collections of historical and political campaign memorabilia. NYHistory.org
The Secret Life of Textiles: Animal Fibers
Aug. 15–Feb. 20
The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 599
The second in the Secret Life of Textiles exhibition series, this installation will feature works of art made from the most important animal fibers—wool, hair, silk, and feathers—by numerous cultures throughout history and in different regions of the world. The objects on view will include fibers from sheep, camelids, goats, yaks, horses, cows, and other small animals; silk filament from cultivated or wild silk worms; and feathers. $12–$25 suggested. METMuseum.org
Kogei: Contemporary Japanese Art
Sept. 8–Oct. 8
Onishi Gallerym, 521 W. 26th St.
Even more than a display of the exquisite artistry of over 30 Japanese contemporary artists, this exhibition introduces into the international art market “Kogei”—a category of art object translated from Japanese as “Art Crafts.” This category of “Art Crafts” has specific qualifications, and refers to a class of artistic creations produced with advanced technical skill and refined design aesthetics. OnishiGallery.com
ONGOING IN MANHATTAN
Lost in Old New York
Through Oct. 1
Museum of the City of New York
The Museum of the City of New York is offering museumgoers a chance to travel back to the 19th and 20th centuries with Lost In Old New York , an interactive installation of eight classic images of to the city’s most iconic locations. From the beaches of Staten and Coney Islands and the old Penn Station to the 1939 World’s Fair, Lost In Old New York celebrates the places that, for well over a century, helped New York become a world-class city. MCny.org
Watteau’s Soldiers: Scenes of Military Life in 18th Century France
Through Oct. 2
The Frick Collection, 1 E. 70th St.
Most know Jean-Antoine Watteau as a painter of amorous aristocrats and melancholy actors, a dreamer of exquisite parklands and impossibly refined fêtes. Few artists would seem further removed from the misery of war. And yet, early in his short career, Watteau created a number of military scenes—about a dozen paintings and some thirty drawings. Frick.org
Citizen Soldier: Ebenezer Stevens and the American Revolution
Through Oct. 2
New York Historical Society 170 Central Park West
Ebenezer Stevens, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Continental Army, rose through the officer ranks during the Revolutionary War and participated in pivotal events like the Boston Tea Party and the battles of Saratoga and Yorktown. His life and military career are explored through objects from New-York Historical’s collection, including Stevens’ Society of Cincinnati badge and officer’s tailcoat, in addition to selections from New-York Historical’s manuscripts and prints collection. NYHistory.org
Ceramics by Francis Delille Editions Paris
Through Sept. 30
Vallois America, 27 E. 67th St.
Ceramics will showcase a selection of rare pieces of the most prominent contemporary ceramics artists, all produced in La Tuilerie Manufacture in France, a workshop dedicated to preserving the traditions and pushing the limits of ceramic work. Vallois.com
Drawings and Prints: Selections From The Met Collection
Through Oct. 24
The Met Fifth Avenue
The Robert Wood Johnson Jr. Gallery displays highlights of European and American prints, drawings, and illustrated books from the Museum’s vast holdings of works on paper. Because of their sensitivity to light, these works cannot be on permanent exhibition; each installation remains on view for approximately 13 weeks. $12–$25 suggested. METMuseum.org
Photographs by Larry Silver
Through Dec. 4
New York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West
A showcase of 45 photographs of everyday New Yorkers and major New York City sites taken during a transformative period in history. This new exhibition highlighting the early works of the Bronx-born photographer captures the day-to-day life in the city’s post-World War II urban environment that has since largely disappeared. NYHistory.org
ENDING IN MANHATTAN
New York City Invitational Exhibit
Through Aug. 20
George Billis Gallery, 525 W. 26th St.
Showcasing the work of over 35 artists, with noted work by Cape Cod artist Robert Cardinal. GeorgeBillis.com
The Folk Art Collection of Elie and Viola Nadelman
Through Aug. 21
170 Central Park West
The avant-garde sculptor Elie Nadelman (1882–1946) is widely recognized for his elegant, modernist works. Less familiar is the pioneering folk art collection he established with his wife, an impressive trove of some 15,000 objects that was purchased by the New-York Historical Society in 1937. NYHistory.org
ONGOING ELSEWHERE
American Gardens on Canvas
Through Sept. 11
New York Botanical Garden
American Impressionism, a prominent artistic style that flourished at the turn of the 20th century, comes to life in a captivating Garden-wide exhibition. In the Conservatory, stroll through an American Impressionist garden, a stunning interpretation by Francisca Coelho, NYBG’s renowned curator and designer, of the alluring gardens that influenced iconic artists such as Childe Hassam and John Singer Sargent. NYBG.org
The Art of Discovery
Through Sept. 4
Steinhardt Conservatory, Brooklyn Botanic Garden
This colorful exhibit features artwork from the Garden’s book for young naturalists, “The Kid’s Guide to Exploring Nature.'' The environmental scenes created by children’s book illustrator Laszlo Veres in partnership with members of Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Education staff show dozens of the plants and animals found in the forests, ponds, and meadows in the northeastern United States, including in New York City and other cities nearby. BBG.org
PERFORMING ARTS
NEW IN MANHATTAN
Battery Dance Festival
Aug. 19–20, 6:30 p.m.
Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park, Battery Park City
BDF revels in the panoply of dance that our city offers, with strong emphasis on the inclusion of diverse dance styles and an international roster of performers. American choreographers such as Paul Taylor, Robert Battle, Andrea Miller, Michelle Dorrance, and Darrell Moultrie have all presented their works alongside pre-eminent companies from Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America. Free. BatteryDance.org/battery-dance-festival
Violetta & Her Sisters
Through Aug. 28
Cornelia Street Cafe, 29 Cornelia St.
Featuring Giuseppe Verdi’s “La Traviata,” Jules Massenet’s “Manon,” a semi-staged “Scenes From the Demi-Monde,” with excerpts from Puccini’s “La Rondine” and Leoncavallo’s “La Bohème,” and a recital featuring the poetry of Charles Baudelaire, with settings by Debussy, Fauré, Duparc, Vierne, d'Indy, Loeffler, and others. Preview: $10. Tickets: $25–$54. DellArteOpera.org
NEW ELSEWHERE
Shakespeare on Screen
Through Nov. 5
BAM, Peter Jay Sharp Building, 30 Lafayette Ave.
Filmed live performances of the Bard’s most beloved plays, screened in glistening HD at BAM Rose Cinemas. This season’s lineup features critically acclaimed productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company, Julie Taymor, and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. $25. BAM.org
MUSIC
NEW IN MANHATTAN
Mostly Mozart Festival
Through Aug. 27
Various Locations
Lincoln Center launched America’s first indoor summer music festival as Midsummer Serenades: A Mozart Festival in August 1966. The idea was a success from the start, and by 1970 the festival had transformed into Mostly Mozart. MostlyMozart.org
Piano in Bryant Park
Upper Terrace
Mon.–Fri., 12:30 p.m.–2:30 p.m., through Sept. 30
Summertime, and the livin‘ is easy... so swing on by for toe-tappin’ performances by New York’s finest, playing ragtime, stride, and jazz to your and My Heart’s Delight. Free. BryantPark.org
ONGOING IN MANHATTAN
Spiral Music
Wednesdays
Rubin Museum, 150 W. 17th St.
Spiral Music presents acoustic music every Wednesday evening at the base of the museum’s spiral staircase. Artists who specialize in music from the Himalayas and South Asia are invited to forge a connection between their music and the art in the galleries. Free. RubinMuseum.org
NEW ELSEWHERE
Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks
Aug. 25
New York Botanical Garden
Listen to some of the best tunes from the Jazz Age, performed by one of New York’s renowned jazz bands, Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks. The Nighthawks, a big band right out of the 1920s, and its charismatic leader Vince Giordano hold a special place in the jazz world. Giordano’s unique expertise and extensive personal collection of original scores and jazz memorabilia guarantee an authenticity to his music, which all can enjoy on a summer evening under the stars. $25–35. NYBG.org
Complete Bartok String Quartet Cycles
Aug. 30 at 7 p.m.
National Sawdust at 80 N. 6th St., Brooklyn
The Chiara Quartet has been playing string quartets and asking probing questions since 2000. Always interested in engaging with the music at its core as well as reaching audiences, the quartet has dedicated itself to finding ways to make the musical experience meaningful for all involved. ChiaraQuartet.net
Afropunk Festival
Aug. 27–28
Commodore Barry Park, Brooklyn
Afropunk is defining culture by the collective creative actions of the individual and the group. We are the largest integrated media platform giving voice to the unwritten, unwelcome, and unseen, we are redefining the modern multicultural experience globally. $45–$250. AfroPunkFest.com/brooklyn
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