Opera Saratoga has announced a new festival model for large scale summer performances in 2022. The season will include big performances of the Barber of Seville, Petite Messe Solennelle, Sky on Swings, Sweeney Todd, and many more.
The performances will take place across June and July across multiple venues throughout the region. Opera Saratoga summer season plans on embracing partnerships with the Proctors in Schenectady; The Egg in Albany; Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs; The Round Lake Auditorium in Round Lake Village; The Barn at French Mountain in Lake George Village; and The Mansion Inn in Rock City Falls.
Opera Saratoga’s Artistic and General Director Lawrence Edelson spoke on the new season model saying,
We began asking, with so many remarkable theaters in our region, might we be able to better serve our mission by reconceiving our Summer Festival in a way that doesn’t limit us to a single venue? While we remain committed to producing in Saratoga Springs, as the opera company of the Capital Region, our goal is to provide access to our Summer Festival programming in the same way we are able to do with our year-round programs. We are incredibly excited by the opportunities of this expanded Festival model, and grateful for the opportunity to partner with so many like-minded organizations across the region to make it possible.
Lawrence Edelson
The summer season will start with Petite Messe Solennelle on June 2 and June 3 at 7:30PM. The show will be presented by Opera Saratoga in partnership with The Round Lake Auditorium featuring music by Gioachino Rossini. The season will wrap up with The Barber of Seville – IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA on JULY 8 at 7:30PM and JULY 10 at 2PM. The show will be produced by Opera Saratoga in Partnership with Proctors featuring music by Gioachino Rossin.
Tickets for the 2022 Summer Festival will be available through Festival Passes and Single Tickets. Festival Passes, which provide a 20% discount on single ticket prices and priority seating for all productions and events, will be available beginning February 1, 2022. Single Tickets will go on sale March 15, 2022. Audience members will be required to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for all performances, and masks will be required based on prevailing conditions at the time of the Festival. All policies may be adjusted in response to changing conditions, and based on the specific requirements of each venue.
For more information on the Opera Saratoga’s new festival model visit their website.
The full lineup for Opera Saratoga Summer 2022 is listed below:
PETITE MESSE SOLENNELLE
June 2 and June 3 @ 7:30pm
Presented by Opera Saratoga in partnership with The Round Lake Auditorium
Music by Gioachino Rossini
A BROADWAY CABARET
June 12 @ 2pm and 7pm
Presented by Opera Saratoga in partnership with The Mansion Inn
A JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION WITH SIDNEY OUTLAW
JUNE 19 @ 2:30pm
Produced by Opera Saratoga in Partnership with Proctors
SWEENEY TODD – THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET A MUSICAL THRILLER
JUNE 29 and JUNE 30 @ 7:30pm
Produced by Opera Saratoga in Partnership with the Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
SKY ON SWINGS
JULY 7 @ 7:30pm and JULY 9 @ 2pm
Produced by Opera Saratoga in Partnership with The Egg
Music by Lembit Beecher
THE BARBER OF SEVILLE – IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA
JULY 8 @ 7:30pm and JULY 10 @ 2pm
Produced by Opera Saratoga in Partnership with Proctors
Patti Smith was awarded the key to NYC by Mayor Bill de Blasio just weeks before the end of his term on December 27, 2021.
Patti Smith at Central Park Summerstage 10 by S. Malinski
The Key resembles the large skeleton key that opens the back door of City Hall, but is purely symbolic and it does not open any locks or doors in reality. It is a symbol of civic recognition and gratitude reserved for individuals whose service to the public and the common good rises to the highest level of achievement.
Although Patti Smith was actually born in Chicago, Illinois she has considered NYC as her adoptive city having grown up in South Jersey. Her love for the city is known wide and far so her receiving this symbol of civic recognition was obviously a big deal for her. Her reaction to this honor was saying,“I wish I could give New York City the key to me, because that’s how I feel about our city. With all its challenges and difficulties, it remains—and I’m quite a traveler—the most diverse city in the world. To receive this at 75, it makes me look even more forward to the next 25 years.”
De Blasio spoke of his decision to bestow the key to Patti Smith,”To me, Patti Smith has an authenticity that you just didn’t find… in that many places,” noting that she’s been called the “godmother of punk.”
De Blasio has been bestowing keys to a number of public figures apart from the legendary Patti Smith. Some of the public figures include legendary music producer Clive Davis (who helped stage the ultimately Mother Nature-interrupted “Homecoming” concert in Central Park), and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for his indefatigable support for the city.
Watch the full video of Patti Smith receiving this key bellow:
For more information on this Patti Smith being awarded a Key to NYC by Mayor Bill de Blasio read Pitchfork’s article on it here.
With the adage “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade” in mind, Phish will perform three full sets this New Year’s Eve, live from the Ninth Cube. Phish will take the stage promptly at 8:30PM ET on December 31st for a show that will be performed without an audience and webcast for free on Phish’s YouTube channel and LivePhish.com, with a simulcast on Phish Radio on SiriusXM.
For the dinner part of this Dinner And A Movie, four recipes are included, all with lemon as a key ingredient. Instead of sucking on a lemon, dive into the recipes below, which include Trey Anastasio’s own recipe for Lemonade, a Whole Roasted Chicken with Lemon, a Lemon Pasta vegetarian entrée, and for dessert, Lemon Bars.
Always a charitable affair, the Dinner and a Movie series has distributed nearly $900,000 in donations via the WaterWheel Foundation since the start of the pandemic to help non-profits around the country (and beyond). SiriusXM has generously underwritten production costs to make this webcast free, and donations will be raised during the evening to support those in need. The WaterWheel Foundation will be raising money for a handful of non-profits close to the Phish community. Donate at anytime at phish.com/waterwheel.
There will also be three limited edition posters available from the originally slated shows for the Madison Square Garden run for sale beginning Thursday, December 30 via Phish Dry Goods, along with additional event merch. Proceeds from these poster sales will be donated to The WaterWheel Foundation and more details will be shared soon via Dry Goods.
Shortly after New Year’s Eve, video of this performance will be available on the SXM app.
Giant Bowl of Lemonade
1. Get handed lemons 2. Make lemonade 2b. For “electric lemonade”, add desired ingredients 3. Enjoy!
Whole Roasted Lemon and Herb Chicken – Serves 4
Ingredients: 2 lemons 1 bulb of garlic 2 yellow onions ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 whole chicken (3.5-4 lbs) ½ tsp minced fresh rosemary (plus an extra sprig or two)* ½ tsp minced fresh thyme (plus an extra sprig or two)* ⅓ cup chicken stock 2-3 whole carrots 2-3 potatoes (preferably Yukon Gold) Kosher salt Fresh ground black pepper *You can use dry herbs in replace of fresh, or omit if you prefer things simple.
Instructions: Take chicken out of the refrigerator. Remove giblets if there are any in the cavity (we won’t be using them, but you can cook for your dog!). Rinse the chicken in water, and pat thoroughly dry. Leave out while you prepare the lemon-herby goodness to bring the chicken close to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with the rack in the lower third of the oven. Set out a roasting pan or large cast iron skillet that can hold your whole chicken.
Mince 3 garlic cloves, and mix with the herbs and 3 TBSP of olive oil and 2 hearty pinches of salt. Make sure the chicken skin is well dried. Push one finger under the skin on the breast of the chicken to separate, and spoon half of the herb mixture in between the meat and the skin. Rub the remainder on the outside of the chicken. Season the outside generously with additional salt and pepper. (Using chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken? Do the same thing, but they will take less time to cook).
Cut the rest of the bulb of garlic in half horizontally (so each clove is cut in half), and rub with olive oil. Slice the whole lemons in half. Peel the onions and cut into quarters. Put half a lemon inside the chicken, then put the other lemon halves, onion, garlic and remaining herb sprigs in the bottom of the roasting pan, and put the whole chicken on top (either on a rack, or sitting on top of the lemon, onion and garlic). Cut carrots and potatoes into large bite sized chunks. Toss with a little olive oil and scatter around the chicken. Pour chicken stock into the bottom of the pan.
Roast for approximately 45 minutes. The skin should be golden brown and the juices should run clear when you poke a knife into the leg joint. If the juices are rosy pink, roast for another 5-10 minutes and check again. Or, if you have a meat thermometer, when the inner thigh registered 175 degrees.
Remove from the oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Tip the chicken to drain any juices from the cavity into the pan. Carve chicken on a cutting board and transfer to a platter. Then pour all the juices, roasted vegetables and tasty bits over the chicken or serve the jus alongside for those who want it. Squeeze the roasted garlic from the bulbs over the vegetables, or just serve the halved bulbs on the side of the platter.
Lemon Pasta Serves 6
Ingredients: 12 ounces wide egg noodles Juice and zest of 2 small/medium lemons (wash lemons before squeezing) 1 cup heavy cream Kosher salt, to taste Lots of freshly ground black pepper.
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add noodles, and stir to separate. Cook according to package or until tender. Drain, then return to the cooking pot.
2. Just before noodles are done, in a small saucepan combine the lemon zest, cream, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes, or until cream comes to a boil.
3. Pour cream mixture over drained noodles, and add the lemon juice. Stir to coat. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until all the liquid is absorbed, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with additional pepper, if desired.
Note: the pasta is delicious on its own, but feel free to add green vegetables to the pasta at the end if you like: a handful of baby arugula, broccoli or broccolini – chopped and doused with olive oil and roasted at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, steamed or sautéed asparagus, chopped parsley, chives, etc.
Optional variation: if you’d like, add freshly grated parmesan.
Lemon Bars
Makes 16-20 squares in an 8×8 or 9×13 baking dish for squares, rectangles or triangles (or 9” pie pan or tart pan for wedges).
Ingredients: Crust: 1 cup cold unsalted butter 2 cups all purpose flour ¼ cup powdered sugar (plus more for sprinkling on top at the end) ½ cup sweetened, shredded coconut (or unsweetened coconut, plus add ¼ cup more sugar) 1 tsp vanilla Pinch of salt
Filling: 5 eggs 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 2-3 washed lemons) ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (hint: zest lemons first, then squeeze them) 1 ½ cups granulated sugar ⅓ cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder Pinch of salt
Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8×8 (for thicker squares) or 9×13 (for thinner squares) baking pan. To make them easier to remove, lay a piece of parchment paper inside the pan, and then butter the parchment paper too.
In a food processor (or stand mixer) combine all of the crust ingredients. Pulse and mix until well combined and the mixture begins to clump together. Put the dough into the buttered pan and gently press it to cover the bottom. (If using a tart or pie pan, push dough to cover the sides too.)
Bake the crust until just golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven but leave it on.
While the crust is baking, prepare the lemon filling. Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and beat on low or whisk until smooth. Pour the filling into the hot crust and bake again until the filling is just set, about 20-35 minutes. Check them at 15 minutes.
When you shake the pan slightly, the filling should be mostly set, but still quiver in the center a bit. If not set, bake a few minutes more. (If using a 8×8 pan with a thicker layer of filling it may take longer). Do not over bake.
Let cool completely in the pan. You may refrigerate to help them set and cook quicker. Sprinkle the top with powdered sugar, then cut into squares or triangles. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. If powdered sugar has been absorbed into the lemon filling, dust again with more powdered sugar just before serving.
Doc’s Restaurant has announced a New Year’s Eve dinner & comedy show in partnership with The Park Theater in Glens Falls on December 31, 2021. The event will include a 3-course prix fixe menu and performance by comedian Sean Donnelly.
Doc’s Restaurant is located in downtown Glens Falls and will be offering two fixed seatings in it’s dining room featuring a holiday à la carte menu at 5pm and 8pm only. For more information and to reserve your table, visit here or call 518-792-1150.
The New Year’s Eve Comedy Show will be featuring a ‘Comedy After Dark’ performance starring acclaimed comedian, Sean Donnelly. This event includes a champagne and cocktail hour, along with a 3-course prix fixe menu curated by executive chef, Matthew J. Delos. Tickets: $99.00 (includes tax, gratuity and complimentary champagne). Champagne & Cocktail Hour: 6pm. Dinner & Dessert: 7pm. Showtime: 8:15pm. For more information and to purchase tickets to New Year’s Eve Dinner & Comedy Show, visit here or call 518-792-1150.
Sean Donnelly
Doc’s Restaurant new COVID-19 Protocol went into effect 12/13/21, all Doc’s Restaurant patrons must wear a mask at all times regardless of vaccination status unless eating or drinking.
The Park Theater COVID-19 Protocol is dedicated to ensuring a safe and welcoming entertainment venue for all attendees and employees. The Park Theater is requiring proof of full vaccination upon arrival, and encouraging wearing masks indoors when not eating or drinking. Acceptable proof of vaccination include Excelsior Pass, Excelsior Pass Plus, SMART Health Cards issued outside of NYS, full-course vaccination through NYC COVID Safe app, a CDC Vaccination Card, or other Official immunization record.
For more information on Doc’s Restaurant’s New Year’s Eve Dinner & Comedy Show visit their website.
Grateful Retreats has announced a get away event featuring The Dire Wolves, set to take place from January 11 – 16, 2022 in Tulum, Mexico.
The event will celebrate the Grateful Dead community in the jungle paradise of Tulum. It will feature music with intimate live jam sessions by well known artists. People attending can explore wellness practices like meditation and yoga in the company of like-minded people. Learn from renowned healers, groove with talented musicians and hang at the beach at sunset with new friends. The retreat will supply catered gourmet meals and beautiful scenery while participants celebrate the “Ripple” of wellness, music and kindness in our lives over a peaceful week in a joyful community!
The retreat will be taking place at the Paledora Eco-resort which is located 15 minutes outside of Tulum, just minutes from the last protected beach of the Riviera. It has a private cenote on site and a hidden cave at the nearby sister campus, this magical jungle paradise creates the perfect place to disconnect and reconnect through music and wellness practices. It will feature 10 bedrooms, spread across 3 unique jungle homes, delicious local cuisine prepared by in-house chefs, a large yoga studio and event palapa on site, and a beautiful natural pool to soak in or lounge by during the heat of the day.
View this and more Grateful Dead shows from across the years in New York State with our interactive map below!
The amenities include a five night stay at beautiful Paledora Eco-Resort in Chemuyil, Tulum, Mexico. An all-inclusive catered gourmet meals with vegan options available. Workshops and lectures by renowned wellness experts and intimate jam sessions with The Dire Wolves. Private concert at the retreat venue and daily yoga and meditation classes.
The retreat will feature performances from The Dire Wolves Play DEAD: Al Schnier and Vinnie Amico of moe,, Jason Hann of String Cheese Incident, and Mark Joseph of The Big Wu.
For tickets and more information visit Grateful Retreats website.
Make Music Winter is back this holiday season, showcasing free music parades across NYC. The celebration will take place on December 21, 2021 starting at 9AM and running through 8PM.
This free, annual, outdoor music-making celebration Make Music Winter features participatory parades representing a variety of cultures and genres. These mobile outdoor events are both joyous and safe, a testament to the vitality and resolve of NYC’s music makers.
All the parades celebrating throughout the day will be also celebrating the winter solstice and longest night of the year, December 21st. The parades will showcase professionals, amateurs, and the curious and all are welcomed and encouraged to share their love of music and transform the cityscape by joining one or more of the programs listed below. The parades will feature an array of folk, world music, and pop gatherings, classical/new music events.The performances will include Bach to Beatles: Winter Solstice Waltz, Standing Still/Tilted Axes, Mutant Toy Parade, Bell by Bell, Pilgrimage, and The Mobile Hallelujah.
Here for your reference are some of this season’s highlights in chronological order bellow:
9 – 11 am – “Bach to Beatles: Winter Solstice Waltz” at The Oculus in the Financial District.
10:45 am – 11:15 am – “Standing Still” presented by Tilted Axes: Music for Mobile Electric Guitars at Herald Square and the surrounding neighborhood. As the sun “stands still” above at precisely 10:59am EST, the music parade will mark the occasion by the ringing of a bell and a special performative minute to the surprise of all onlookers. Interested participants are requested to send an email to tiltedaxes@peppergreenmedia.com by December 15th to receive further information on how to register; you must register ahead of time to perform with this program.
4 – 7:30 pm – “Flatfoot Flatbush” along North Flatbush Avenue between Park Place and Dean Street in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.
5 – 6 pm – “Bronx Samba” at Bronx Stadium Gardens, E 161 St. between Gerard & Walton in Concourse, Bronx. Presented with the 161st Street Business Improvement District.
5:15 – 5:45 pm – “Mutant Toy Parade” at Uptown Grand Central in East Harlem.
5:30 – 7:30 pm – “Harlem Solstice Jam” at Uptown Grand Central and all along E 125 Street shopfronts in East Harlem.
5:30 – 7:30 pm – HONK NYC’s fourth annual Winter Solstice procession is a collective release through music and dance after two years of COVID-19.
6 – 7 pm – “Bell by Bell” at Elizabeth Street Garden at Elizabeth St. between Prince St. & Spring St. in Soho.
6 – 7 pm – “Melrose Parranda” starting at the Bronx Music Hall, 428 E 163rd Street at the corner of Washington Avenue in Melrose, the Bronx.
6 – 8 pm – “The Mobile Hallelujah” at seven outdoor midtown Manhattan locations including the main branch of the New York Public Library, One Vanderbilt, Rockefeller Plaza, Times Square, Carnegie Hall, Columbus Circle and Lincoln Center.
6:30 – 8 pm – “Queens Solstice Soiree” at Travers Park in Jackson Heights, Queens. Presented in partnership with Queensboro Dance Festival.
6:30 – 7:30 pm – “Tambor Tuesday Street Jam” from Astor Place Plaza to club Drom in the East Village. Presented in partnership with the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance.
For more information on Make Music Winter 2021 visit their website.
The Rockettes have cancelled the rest of their 2021 performances due to COVID-19 outbreaks across NYC and within the Rockettes team themselves. The announcement was made on December 17, 2021 with COVID cases stemming from the omicron variant reaching daily highs continuing on didn’t seem like the most responsible decision to the Rockettes team.
The “Christmas Spectacular” stars the well known Radio City Rockettes who are an American precision dance company. The show takes place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City which is owned by MSG Entertainment. Last year the show was cancelled in its entirety due to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic raging throughout the world and the United States. Unfortunately it seems that COVID-19 is raising it’s head again and forcing the “Christmas Spectacular” show to shut down early. The Radio City staple says they just can’t continue their Christmas Spectacular due to “increasing challenges from the pandemic.” Those challenges include a COVID outbreak among the production team, plus musicians in the orchestra. Breakthrough cases are piling up in the Rockettes team.
With the omicron variant, which is more contagious and spreads faster than previous variants, becomes more widespread it seems the entertainment industry could start shutting down again. Things were seeming to be getting back to normal in the entertainment industry with events, games, and tours coming back across the globe but now events are getting scrapped left and right.
The Rockettes say refunds will be issued to anyone who bought tickets to their canceled 2021 shows. They are looking forward to hopefully hosting performances again in 2022. For more information visit their website.
The outbreak comes as a string of Broadway shows, among them Company, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Hamilton, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Ain’t Too Proud, Mrs. Doubtfire, Tina – The Tina Turner Musical and Freestyle Love Supreme, each of which have temporarily shut down this past week due to COVID concerns.
The electronic rock band LCD Soundsystem, on the tail end of a 20-gig residency at Brooklyn Steel, have now also cancelled the remaining three shows due to the recent omicron outbreak. This decision came after the band initially left it up to potential attendees as to whether they wanted to attend or request refunds, even going so far as to advise, “Us playing the shows is in no way an indicator that it’s safe to attend.” But due to the fan response and the aforementioned circumstances, the remainder of the residency is now cancelled.
The band released an official announcement on their Instagram page earlier today:
You all have spoken. The last three shows are cancelled.You good people who want to return your tickets and try again another time have spoken, but so has the new info, the hospital capacity, and those of us in the band, crew, and venue...We tried. We really did. We were heartened to see so many more masks at the last show. We were incredibly thankful for everyone who wanted to make it work. But it will have to wait, again, until we find out what this new wave means to us all. Thank you for again listening, trying, etc. Please be safe.
LCD Soundsytem
The shows were scheduled to take place on December 19, 20 and 21. All tickets purchased via AXS will be automatically refunded – there is no action required if tickets were purchased via AXS online or by phone. The band also recently announced an upcoming holiday special which will air on December 22 at 9 PM Eastern via Amazon Music, Prime Video and Amazon’s Twitch Channel.
Updated on December 21, 2021: “Jagged Little Pill’ joins the many performances closing down on Broadway due to the omicron variant. The rock musical announced this on December 21, 2021. The musical was fueled by Alanis Morissette and focused a with a variety of topics including contemporary social issues. It has become the first big Broadway show to fall by the resurgent coronavirus pandemic.
City Winery also announced on December 19, 2021 that people attending shows at the venue will be required to have both proof of full vaccination as well as a negative Covid-19 test due to the surge of Covid-19 due to the omicron variant. They are one of the first venues to require both measures, due to fast transmission of the Omicron variant which has made it so that full vaccination isn’t enough of a defense against the highly contagious strain.
Flushing Town Fall jumped on the bandwagon for it’s Mini-Global Mashups announcing postponing them until a later date due to a recent surge in COVID-19 cases in New York City. It made this announcement on December 21, 2021 and will offer anyone who purchased tickets to these event a full refund or exchange. The first Mini-Global Mashups was suppose to take place on January 9, 2022.
Updated on December 23, 2021: More bands jump ship on live shows due to the omicron variant. On December 23, 2021 Phish announced postponing their MSG shows until April due to COVID-19 sweeping through NYC. Phish will honor all tickets for the December 29-January 1 shows at MSG on the rescheduled dates of April 20-23, marking the first time Phish has played New York City in April since 1994 at the Beacon Theatre.
On December 23, 2021 Pink Talking Phish announced postponing their New Years Eve show at Gramercy show to an undetermined date via their facebook page due to COVID-19 sweeping through NYC putting the health of their fans, friends, and family first.
Updated on December 26, 2021: Warren Haynes announced on December 24 that due to the omicron variant he will be postponing his new years run. For the health and safety of their fans, crew and all involved in making these shows happen is always their top priority. The following dates have been rescheduled: April 8 Beacon Theatre New York, NY (12/30/2021 Tickets Honored), April 9 Beacon Theatre New York, NY (12/31/2021 Tickets Honored), April 14 The Met Philadelphia, PA(12/29/2021 Tickets Honored).
Updated on December 28, 2021: On December 27, 2021 SoulShine: An Allman Brothers Experience announced that it will perform at Garcia’s at The Capitol Theatre on Dec. 31 in celebration of New Year’s Eve but only a with 50 percent capacity due to the COVID-19 cases soaring.
Soulive announced on December 27, 2021 they have rescheduled their run of shows set for New Year’s at the Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn to July 7, 8 and 9 of 2022 and will celebrate Brooklyn Bowl’s thirteenth anniversary. All tickets for the New Year’s shows will be honored at the July dates.
Dark Star Orchestra announced on December 27, 2021 the postponement of their upcoming New Year’s Eve run of concerts in New York scheduled for The Paramount in Huntington on December 29 and 30 and the Palace Theatre in Albany on December 31 (New Year’s Eve) and January 1 (New Year’s Day). The decision comes after members of DSO’s touring party tested positive for COVID-19 and in the wake of rising COVID cases due to the omicron variant.
Transmission New Year’s Eve Dance Party also announced on December 27, 2021 they were cancelling due to the current surge in COVID-19 cases.
Saturday Night Live was back this week with host Paul Rudd for the NBC staple’s Christmas episode, but with a scaled back cast and crew, no musical guest and no studio audience, due to concerns over the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
Recorded earlier in the evening, a departure from the typical live taping, SNL adjusted and made the most of the situation, with a blend of fresh and classic holiday sketches. The cast was limited to Kenan Thompson and Michael Che, and only two members of the Saturday Night Live Band on hand – Lenny Pickett (sax) and Tuffus Zimbabwe (piano).
The show began with an atypical intro, Tom Hanks walking out to introduce host Paul Rudd, and no cast montage to begin the episode. Rudd kept things light and soldiered on in his fifth appearance as a host, joining the Five Timers Club in the process, thanks to special guests and fellow club members Hanks and Fey.
Earlier Saturday afternoon, Saturday Night Live announced the changes for this week’s episode, which included Fey filling in for Colin Jost on Weekend Update. This brought Fey back to the Update desk, despite there being no actual desk due to a limited crew for this episode’s taping. Jost, along with Aristotle Athari, and Sarah Sherman had reportedly tested positive for COVID-19.
The musical guest for the evening was slated to be Charli XCX, but shortly after the official word from SNL, Charli tweeted “Due to the limited crew at tonight’s taping of SNL my musical performance will no longer be able to go ahead. I am devastated and heartbroken. I am currently safe and healthy but of course very sad. Please look after yourselves out there,” along with a follow up clearing any confusion that she did not cancel or pull out of the show. Although Charli did not perform, she did take part in the digital short “Christmas Socks,” a take on “The Christmas Shoes,” as a bird named TJ Rocks.
Classic holiday sketches like “Dick in a Box” and “Christmastime for the Jews” (sung by the great Darlene Love) filled in where new material would normally be found. The brilliant “An Evening with Pete” looked at the career of Pete Davidson in the year 2054, a take on Raging Bull and Christmas movies of the past.
The fully decorated set found the five actors – Che, Fey, Hanks, Rudd and Thompson – on stage at the end of the episode for goodbyes, as well as socially distant hugging. Only Pickett and Zimbabwe stood on the stage playing the outro music as the credits rolled.
Tonight’s show marked the first time since October 11, 1986, when Sigourney Weaver hosted, without a musical guest in the show’s history. Madonna did appear that night to read a statement apologizing for the previous season, noting it was only a dream, ala Season 9 of Dallas. While not the musical guest, Buster Poindexter performed “Oh Me, Oh My,” “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” (a duet with Weaver), and “Smack Dab in the Middle.”
A New Year’s Eve celebration has been announced at Universal Preservation Hall and will be featuring Zachary James and Laurie Rogers. The festive concert will take place at 7PM on December 31, 2021 and is presented by Opera Saratoga and Proctors Collaborative. The concert will feature a variety of popular, Broadway, and classical favorites. It will also culminate in Opera Saratoga’s much anticipated announcement of its 2022 Summer Festival Programming.
Zachary James is well known to local audiences for his remarkable portrayal of the title role in Opera Saratoga’s production of Man of La Mancha this past summer on the SPAC Amphitheater Stage. He also starred on Broadway as Lurch in The Addams Family and has also appeared in South Pacific and Coram Boy. His Off-Broadway credits include The Most Happy Fella, Irma La Douce, Sweeney Todd, and The Pirates of Penzance. His work on the opera stage includes the Metropolitan Opera, English National Opera, Teatro Real, Opera Philadelphia, LA Opera, Opera Queensland, Arizona Opera, Virginia Opera, Nashville Opera, Anchorage Opera, Central City Opera, and more. Zachary has recorded multiple solo albums including his most recent Christmas release, Wonder and Joy.
Laurie Rogers who has been the Opera Saratoga’s Head of Music Staff and Director of the company’s Young Artist Program for the past ten years will be performing alongside Zachary James on piano. Laurie has served as Associate Conductor with LA Opera and has prepared productions for San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, the Canadian Opera Company, Minnesota Opera, American Lyric Theater, Wolf Trap Opera, Utah Opera, Arizona Opera, and Washington National Opera, among many others. In addition to her role at Opera Saratoga, she currently serves as the Music Director for Opera at The Peabody Institute, and conducts and concertizes nationally.
Philip Morris who is the CEO of Proctors Collaborative spoke on the upcoming event saying, “We are the Proctors Collaborative because we love to partner with our neighbor cultural organizations. This is a great way to open the New Year and restart what we hope will be an ever-expanding relationship with Opera Saratoga,”
Tickets are available online at www.operasaratoga.org or www.universalpreservationhall.org. Tickets are free, but seating is limited, and advance reservations are highly recommended. All attendees will be required to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 to enter UPH and must remain masked at all times in the venue.
For more information on the New Year’s Eve celebration featuring Zachary James and Laurie Rogers visit Opera Saratoga’s websiteor Universal Preservation Hall’s website.
A Bowie celebration is coming back for its second year to Rolling Live Studios steaming virtually on January 8, 2022 which would have been Bowie’s 75th birthday if the legend was still with us.
This will be the second renditionA Bowie Celebration will also celebrate the 35th anniversary of Labyrinth, the classic fantasy film and Jim Henson/David Bowie collaboration, with a special performance from actress Evan Rachel Wood, and an appearance by Brian Henson. The show will be dedicated to frequent Bowie photographer Mick Rock, and will include never-before-seen interview footage.
The celebration will feature big names like Def Leppard and lead singer Joe Elliott, Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon and John Taylor, Living Colour, Rob Thomas, Gary Oldman, Walk the Moon, Jake Wesley Rogers along with a special appearance by Ricky Gervais. The band performing will be composed of former Bowie alumni band members from throughout his legendary career, led by Mike Garson, who was the rock icon’s longest running and most frequently used band member. Other band members will include Earl Slick, Charlie Sexton, Alan Childs, Steve Elson, Mark Guiliana, Omar Hakim, Stan Harrison, Tim Lefebvre, Gerry Leonard and Carmine Rojas.
Additional guest vocalists set to perform Bowie favorites include Gail Ann Dorsey, Bernard Fowler, Judith Hill, Gaby Moreno, Gretchen Parlato ,and Joe Sumner. More special guests are yet to be announced as well as the line-up being subject to change.
A portion of the ticket sales are going to be donated to the Save the Children organization which is a charity that was important to Bowie. Save the Children was the beneficiary of money raised during Bowie’s 50th Birthday Concert which was held back in 1997 at Madison Square Garden. The event, like last year’s inaugural live stream, will be available on RollingLiveStudios.com to enjoy worldwide for 24 hours.
For more information on the upcoming second rendition of A Bowie Celebration visit Rolling Live Studios Website.
Updated on December 17, 2021: Noel Gallagher has been added to the A Bowie Celebration line-up and $2 per ticket purchase will be donated to the Save the Children organization according to the newest press release.
