So it’s 2012 already – and maybe you’ve seen all the big fall shows, and all the movies that are supposed to be award contenders. With the new year underway, it’s time to banish the post-holiday doldrums and start looking ahead – to the best cultural offerings of the current and upcoming season. As many New Yorkers (and more than a few out-of-towners) know, there’s no better place for that than the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), the revered performing arts institution that’s currently celebrating its 150th anniversary.
For decades, BAM has been famous for its unusually strong spring lineup. So if you’re planning to visit New York in the weeks ahead, these are some of the shows you’ll want to know about. (And it doesn’t matter where you’re staying in the city, because BAM has shuttle buses to ferry audience members back to Manhattan immediately after most performances.)
Undoubtedly the centerpiece of BAM’s upcoming season is actor Kevin Spacey’s starring role as Shakespeare’s Richard III, running from January 10 through March 4. Spacey is of course best known for the gallery of compelling creeps he’s put on screen, from The Usual Suspects and Seven way back in 1995 to 2011’s Margin Call, so the scheming hunchbacked king ought to be a choice part for him.
The bountiful theater offerings continue with a production of ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore (March 20-31), the John Ford play from 1633 that should be mandatory for anyone who thinks TV’s Game of Thrones invented hot sibling passion. The production, by renowned London theater company Cheek by Jowl, is likely to be the best case anyone can make for Ford’s controversial chiller.
The newly “libera” New York City Opera takes up residency at BAM for two weeks in February, first with Verdi’s beloved La Traviata (February 12-18) in a production created by Jonathan Miller and featuring Brooklyn’s own Laquita Mitchell as the doomed temptress Violetta. And just days later, BAM hosts the American premiere of singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright’s first-ever opera, Prima Donna, on February 19, 21, 23, and 25.
Finally, for more of a genre-bending evening in the theater, BAM mainstay Mark Morris returns for three nights (March 1-3) with a tantalizing double-header production consisting of Virgil Thomson’s opera Four Saints in Three Acts along with a new dance set to music by Beethoven and with costumes by Isaac Mizrahi.
Planning to visit New York City in winter or spring 2012? New York Habitat has a wide variety of furnished rental apartments to suit every need. Following are a few sample listings to give you a sense of what’s available:
– A three-bedroom duplex vacation rental (NY-14987) in Boerum Hill (just minutes away from BAM) boasts a private terrace/deck and backyard area complete with patio furniture and a barbecue grill. The entire apartment is lined with wood floors, with each room painted in a different accent color complemented by simple contemporary décor. For added convenience, a washer/dryer unit sits right in the hallway.
-In nearby Brooklyn Heights, a furnished one-bedroom apartment (NY-12921) is located on the top floor of a four-story walk-up townhouse built in 1846. A brick working fireplace graces the living room, and each room of the apartment benefits from natural light from at least one window. Outside you’ll find one of the most picturesque neighborhoods in all of New York City, many of whose buildings date from the 19th century (and whose character has been carefully protected).
– Across the East River, meanwhile, a fully furnished one-bedroom apartment (NY-12154) in Manhattan’s East Village, on the second floor of four-story walk-up, features hardwood floors, built-in shelving and track lighting. Original artwork adds one-of-a-kind charm to the space’s contemporary furnishings. The apartment’s location on East 2nd Street puts you at the center of the East Village’s vibrant nightlife and restaurant scene.
Are you a longtime BAM lover, or have you just recently discovered Brooklyn’s cultural jewel? Don’t hesitate to share your reminiscences and/or recommendations in the space below.
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