Looking for things to do in New York City? We’ve rounded up five events, each with an art-and-culture spin. Read on to find an Edith Piaff Sunday Brunch, pop-up Byzantine music concerts amid Medieval sculptures, an artists’ conversation and more.
1. A Celebration of The Chrysler Building's 85th Birthday
The Art Deco Society of New York commemorates the 85th anniversary of the Chrysler Building with a talk by author and designer David Stravitz and a following holiday party on Thursday, December 17 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Cooper Union. Expect Stravitz to include several rare and detailed photos of the art deco-style building and focus on how the Chrysler Building rapidly became a symbol of big-city glamour.
Tickets are $35 for Art Deco members, $50 for general admission. Advanced registration required. The celebration takes place in Cooper Union's The Frederick P. Rose Auditorium, at 41 Cooper Square, New York NY 10003. www.cooper.edu.
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By Paulpangaro (Own work). CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
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2. Byzantine Holiday Pop-Up Concerts at The Met
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's MetLiveArts live performance series presents an evening of pop-up concerts of hymns and carols from the Byzantine Empire on Friday, December 18 at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the museum's Medieval Sculpture Hall. Attendees can view The Met's collection of medieval sculpture while listening to performances by master cantors of the Eastern Orthodox community. Expect a program of works in several languages, including Russian, Armenian, Greek, and Arabic.
The event is also part of the museum's “Met Fridays—Revel in the Season” lineup of special programs related to the holiday season and continuing through December. Free with museum admission. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is located at 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10028. www.metmuseum.org.
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3. "Gifts New York Gave Me": An Artist Dialogue with Allen Coulter and Amelia Coulter
The New York Public Library presents a conversation between uncle and niece Allen Coulter, producer and director of feature films and television episodes, and Amelia Coulter, an artist, chef and entrepreneur, on Saturday, December 19 from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Mid-Manhattan Library.
The relatives will explore how their multidisciplinary approaches to storytelling overlap, as well as how New York City has affected their work. There will be a special focus on the art of Amelia Coulter, as the event is related to the exhibition of Coulter's sugar cookie art titled “Gifts New York Gave Me,” currently on view and part of the library's curated Art in the Windows Exhibition Series. The cookie-art installation is designed to present different iconic images exploring Coulter's decade-long New York City experience.
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"Gifts New York Gave Me" cookies by Amelia Coulter. Photo Courtesy NYPL.
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Free admission. Seats are first-come, first-served. The Mid-Manhattan Library is located at 455 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10016. www.nypl.org.
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"Gifts New York Gave Me" cookies by Amelia Coulter. Photo Courtesy NYPL.
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4. Sunday Brunch and a Concert of Edith Piaff’s Repertoire
The Highline Ballroom presents a Sunday Brunch featuring an onstage live program of French icon Edith Piaff's repertoire by duo Yael & Gabriel on Sunday, December 20 at 12:30 p.m. Yael & Gabriel, composed of French-Israeli singer songwriter Yael Dray-Barel and Argentinian guitar player and composer Gabriel Hermida, will perform a program including “La Vie En Rose” and “Non, Je Ne Regrette.” Expect blended influences of rock, gypsy jazz, classical tango, flamenco and contemporary jazz.
Tickets are $22 to $30. $10 per-person minimum for table service. Doors open at 11 a.m. The Highline Ballroom is located at 431 West 16 Street, New York NY 10011. www.highlineballroom.com.
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Gabriel Hermida, left, and Yael Dray-Barel of Yael & Gabriel.
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5. Annual Holiday Concert at the Guggenheim
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum offers its annual concert of holiday music by the Vox Vocal Ensemble, conducted by George Steel, in the museum's Frank Lloyd Wright-designed rotunda on Sunday, December 20 at 7 p.m. Expect traditional favorites and contemporary works. Attendees can either purchase tickets for floor seating or ramp standing along the spiral rotunda, where they can view the concert from above.
The concert is part of the museum's Works & Process series, usually held in the museum's Peter B. Lewis Theater, which presents new works by the world's leading creators and performers. In conjunction with the concert, The Wright, the Guggenheim Museum’s restaurant, serves a special bar menu and a prix fixe dinner.
Tickets for ramp standing are $8-$10 and floor seating is $35-$40. For those who can’t make the Sunday evening concert, there's another one on Monday, December 21 at the same time. The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is located at 1071 Fifth Avenue, New York NY 10128. www.guggenheim.org.
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5 Things To Do event columns for New York City and The Hamptons / East End of Long Island are published weekly by Hamptons Art Hub.
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