Free at Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center is staging free concerts this month for Black History Month. Seating is limited and available on a first come, first served basis at the David Rubenstein Atrium, Broadway between 62nd and 63rd streets. For more information, visit www.lincolncenter.org/Atrium.
Feb. 4 at 11 a.m., the Harlem Gospel Choir will lead a program for families.
Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m., Loren Schoenberg and the National Jazz Museum All Stars will present “Drop Me Off in Harlem: An Evening of Ellingtonia,” highlighting the work of Duke Ellington.

New-York Historical Society
The New-York Historical Society is hosting several events and exhibits in recognition of Black History Month.
Feb. 5 and 19 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., re-enactors will bring the 1st Rhode Island Regiment back to life. The unit was one of the earliest regiments in America to actively enlist African Americans. The 1st Rhode Island Regiment fought in the Battle of Newport in 1778 and spent the infamous winter at Valley Forge without receiving any post-war compensation for their efforts.
Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m., “The Battle for Civil Rights,” a conversation between David Levering Lewis and Khalil Gibran Muhammad, will be held.
The discussion is presented in conjunction with one of the society’s exhibits, Freedom Now: Photographs by Platon. The installation of large-scale images by the celebrated photographer shows the historic struggle of the 1950s and 1960s.
Among the subjects are the Little Rock Nine, whose attempt to enter Little Rock Central High School in 1957 became a national cause célèbre; Joseph A. McNeil and Franklin E. McCain, participants in the 1960 Greensboro lunch-counter sit-in; and Chris and Maxine McNair, the parents of Denise McNair, who was murdered in the bombing of the Birmingham, Ala., 16th Street Baptist Church.
The Historical Society is located at 170 Central Park West and is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays–Thursdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Fridays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. Admission is $5–$15 and children under 7 are free. For more information, call 212-873-3400 or visit www.nyhistory.org.

Films for Youth
The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 515 Malcolm X Blvd., will be screening free films for youth and teens Feb. 14–16.  Online registration is required at www.NYPL.org. For more information, call 212- 491-2200.
Feb. 14, 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., On The Shoulders of Giants: The Story of the Greatest Basketball Team You Never Heard Of will be shown. The 2011 film by basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar explores the Harlem Renaissance through the eyes of Abdul-Jabbar as he presents the life and times of the Harlem Rens basketball team. Recommended for ages 5–18.
Feb. 15, 10 a.m.–noon, Freedom Riders, by Stanley Nelson, will be shown. The true story of an integrated band of young college students who risked everything by boarding a Greyhound Bus headed to the Deep South. Recommended for ages 13–18.
Feb. 16, 10–11 a.m., The Prep School Negro, by André Robert Lee, will be shown. This documentary explores the experiences of Lee and present-day prep school students of color. Recommended for ages 13–18.

CHRISTMAS EVENTS

Arsenal Gallery
The Central Park museum is displaying over 30 wreath interpretations, from classic organic to contemporary styles. More traditional wreaths by various artists are made from birch bark and harvested rice stalks, while others have used more eclectic materials such as paintbrushes, chopsticks, soldered metals, piano keys, a doily measuring 8 inches and even money. The  free exhibit at the Arsenal runs 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Friday through Jan. 12, 2012 (closed Dec. 26).
64th Street and Fifth Avenue inside Central Park, 212-360-8163.

Church of St. Paul the Apostle
The church’s Christmas pageant for children will be Dec. 24 at 5:15 p.m. There will also be a Christmas Eve concert at 11 p.m., followed by midnight Mass.
On Christmas Day, there will be Mass at 8 and 10 a.m., 12:30 (Spanish) and 5:15 p.m.
405 W. 59th St., 212-265-3495.

Goddard Riverside Community Center
The center will be serving Christmas dinner to senior citizens, homeless people and any neighbors in need from noon to 3 p.m. on Dec. 25.
Goddard already has enough volunteers, about 300, signed up to serve the food, but it will be accepting donated desserts and cooked turkeys on Sat., Dec. 24 from 9 a.m.-noon, and on Sun., Dec. 25, 8 a.m.-noon.
593 Columbus Ave., 212-873-6600.

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
The church will hold its Christ Mass Dec. 24 at 5 and 10:30 p.m. and Dec. 25 at 11 a.m.
3 W. 65th St., 212-877-6815.

Redeemer Presbyterian Church
The church will have Christmas day services at 10:30 a.m. at Hunter College, East 69th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues and at 5 p.m. at First Baptist Church, West 79th Street and Broadway.
212-808-4460.

Rutgers Presbyterian Church
Lessons and carol services, Dec. 24 at 7 p.m.
The church will hold Christmas services Dec. 25 at 11 a.m.
236 W. 73rd St., 212-877-8227.

St. Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church
Christmas Eve choral prelude, Dec. 24 at 10:30 p.m., followed by a Procession and Mass at 11 p.m.
On Christmas, the church choir will be singing again during the Solemn Mass at 11 p.m.
552 West End Ave. (at 87th St.), 212-580-3326.

St. Michael’s Church
Prelude and services Dec. 24 at 4:45 and 10 p.m.
Holy Eucharist, Dec. 25 at 10 p.m.
225 W. 99th St., 212-222-2700.

West End Collegiate Church
The church will hold a pageant of lessons and carols Dec. 24 at 6:30 p.m., followed by a candlelight service at 9 p.m.
On Christmas there will be a celebration of the Nativity at 11 a.m.
77th Street and West End Avenue, 212-787-1566.

 
HANUKKAH EVENTS

Jewish Community Center
The JCC has free Hanukkah events for seniors, children with special needs and people of all ages who are looking to celebrate the holiday. The center will have public menorah lightings in its lobby Dec. 21–22 at 4:30 p.m., Dec. 23 at 4 p.m., Dec. 24 at 5:15 p.m. and 25-27 at 4 p.m. The seniors’ Hanukkah party will be Dec. 22 at 3 p.m.
334 Amsterdam Ave., 646-505-4444.

Temple Emanu-El
Friday night services will feature the choir singing from the bimah. Candles will be lit for the fourth night of Hanukkah. Children in attendance will be invited up to sing the Chanukah blessings and “Rock of Ages.” A festive Oneg Shabbat with traditional Chanukah treats will follow. Dec. 23, 6 p.m.
1 E. 65th St., 212-744-1400.

CHRISTMAS EVENTS

Church of St. Paul the Apostle
Help decorate the church Dec. 18 after the 5:15 p.m. Mass. The church will hold a children’s Christmas pageant Dec. 24 at 5:15 p.m, followed by a Christmas Eve concert at 11 p.m. and Midnight Mass.
On Christmas, Dec. 25, there will be Mass at 8 and 10 a.m., 12:30 (in Spanish) and 5:15 p.m.
405 W. 59th St., 212-265-3495.

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
Candlelight lessons and carols, including Benjamin Britten’s “Ceremony of Carols, Op. 28,” with the Bach and Parish choirs, harp, percussion and organ, Dec. 18 at 5 p.m.
The church will hold its Christ Mass Dec. 24 at 5 and 10:30 p.m., and Dec. 25 at 11 a.m.
3 W. 65th St., 212-877-6815.

St. Ignatius of Antioch Episcopal Church
The church will hold its annual family Christmas party and greening of the church Dec. 18 from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Activities include children decorating cookies for soup kitchen guests. Volunteers will also help put out the Christmas greens and construct the crèche.
Choral prelude Dec. 24 at 10:30 p.m. followed by a procession and Mass at 11 p.m.
The church choir will sing again during the solemn Mass Dec. 25 at 11 p.m.
552 West End Ave., 212-580-3326.

St. Michael’s Church
The church will be holding a series of concerts leading up to Christmas: the youth choir will perform “A French Christmas,” Dec. 18 at 4 p.m; “A Festive Celebration of Christmas in Early America,” with Linda Russell & Companie, Dec. 19 at 7 :30 p.m.; and a candlelight Christmas concert with the St. Michael’s Choir Dec. 21 at 7:30 p.m.
There will be prelude and services Dec. 24 at 4:45 and 10 p.m. The Holy Eucharist will be Dec. 25 at 10 p.m.
225 W. 99th St., 212-222-2700.

HANUKKAH EVENTS

Hanukkah on Ice
Chabad Upper East Side celebrates the first night of Hanukkah with a menorah lighting, ice skating, children’s activities and music starring the MACCABEATS. Children under 3 free, $18-22 for children and adults. Dec. 20, 6–9 p.m.
Trump Wollman Rink in Central Park, 212-717-4613.

Hanukkah Movie Making
Jewish Center, an Orthodox synagogue and community center, is offering a three-hour movie making workshop for 2nd through 7th graders. Kids will make a storyboard, sculpt characters, shoot their movie, record voiceovers and learn audio and video editing using iMovie. Cost of $30-35 includes workshop and a pizza dinner. Dec. 18, 3 p.m.
131 W. 86 St.,  212-724-2700.

Jewish Community Center
The JCC has free Hanukkah events for seniors, children with special needs and people of all ages who are looking to celebrate the holiday.
There will be public menorah lightings in its lobby Dec. 20–22 and 25–27 at 4: 30 p.m.; Fri., Dec. 23 at 4 p.m.; and Dec. 24 at 5:15 p.m.
The senior Hanukkah party will be Dec. 22 at 3 p.m.
There will be arts and crafts and music designed for families with special needs children Dec. 18, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
334 Amsterdam Ave., 646-505-4444.

Head to The Met for the opening weekend of the poignant and timely 9/11 Peace Story Quilt exhibit, designed by Faith Ringgold and created in collaboration with young New Yorkers aged 8-19. Comprised of three panels with 12 squares each, this work of art conveys the importance of peace across cultures and religions. For more information, visit metmuseum.org and for even more family events, visit newyorkfamily.com.

By John William Narins

Boris Mikhailov is among the more celebrated artists to emerge from the former Soviet Union since the fall of communism. This is all the more remarkable given that his medium is photography. One of his signature projects, Case History (the original title might be more accurately, if less fluently, rendered as “The History of a Disease”), is a series of 400 pictures of the homeless in Mikhailov’s native city of Kharkov, Ukraine. The Soviet state had ensured that homelessness was virtually nonexistent, but upon his return to Kharkov from a stay in Germany in 1996, Mikhailov was suddenly struck by the extent of societal transformation. The glitzy, all-too-conspicuous hyperconsumption that had become the international image of the post-Soviet world came at a cost: the creation of a parallel underclass whose poverty and misery were at least the equal of the prosperity of the so-called “New Russians” (and “New Ukrainians”).

The first show in an American museum dedicated to Case History, MoMA’s exhibit (through Sept. 5) includes 19 of the 400 shots, billed as deeply disturbing—signs are even posted at the entrances, warning more squeamish visitors to think twice before entering. The photographs themselves are not as shocking as all that, but they do grab your attention. Their very scale is arresting; each photograph measures 93 by 50 inches. The scale varies, so that the figures may be a bit smaller or larger than life-sized, but the images always seem too close for comfort. Mikhailov’s subjects are thrust forward into our personal space and demonstratively uncover for us their breasts or genitals.

“Untitled” from the series Case History 1997-98. Courtesy the artist, Pace-MacGill Gallery, New York, and Galerie Barbara Weiss, Berlin

Nudity itself, however, can hardly provoke a modern audience. The choice of subject matter, too, is entirely traditional; from its early years, photography’s function as recorder of “objective truth” has associated it with journalism and social commentary. More interesting and provocative is the artist’s tightrope walk between differing approaches to photography. Much in this show underscores the documentary mode for which Mikhailov is known: the “human,” tilted and apparently unplanned camera angles; uncorrected red eye (unavoidably obtrusive in this large-scale format); night shots crudely forelit, as if taken with an amateur’s flash; and the uniform, “standard” sizing of the photographs. This is reinforced even by how the works have been hung: unframed and unmounted, pinned to the wall with a pair of thumbtacks (the bottom of each photograph curving away from the wall), like casual snapshots on a bulletin board. Such treatment is geared toward defusing the exaltation of art suggested by the museum context. It would seem to urge us to view them as unplanned, spontaneously captured truth.

But in the work of a professional photographer, and even more so in a museum setting, all these are conspicuously considered devices. They manifest not objective documentation but the artistically contrived simulation of documentation. Aggressively choreographed compositions further undermine the photographs’ apparent claim to objective chronicling (especially the series in the “winter” section of the show, grouped on the back wall and given the separate title of Requiem, although this is nowhere indicated).

Of course, there are always authorial choices, even in photography, but image selection, cropping and the like do not strike at the heart of photography’s putative truth-recording abilities. Contrived composition goes beyond unavoidable choices of presentation, making it obvious that the photographer is consciously influencing the source material.

Mikhailov’s subject matter participates in the same inner conflict—in pointedly grubby surroundings, unappealing subjects pull aside clothing to show us scabs, rashes and tattoos. Mikhailov sees himself as representative of the late Soviet intelligentsia, characteristically opposed to the Establishment, and his depiction of the social underclass manifests a traditional opposition stance (the almost stereotypical stance of the documentary photographer). But these works seem more aimed at the aestheticization of the grotesque. Making art from ugliness is an equally defiant rejection of the salon aesthetics that Mikhailov’s generation automatically associates with official Soviet art.

The photographs included in this show were taken over a single year (from spring 1996 to spring 1997) and, as you circle the room, you pass through privation in four seasons. Along with constants of subject matter and the standardized format and presentation of the photographs, this tends toward a harmonious presentation of intentionally discordant material. The approaches taken in the separate works, however, are so various as to undermine that sense of unity. It is as if each shot is influenced by a different aesthetic from the photographer’s inherited inventory of photographic genres. Shots of a scruffy old man in a uniform and undershirt, raising an ax like a flag (a potential Raskolnikov?), or the contrived compositions of the Requiem group, derived from Russian orthodox iconography, clash with pictures designed to look like uncomposed candids. In one of the shots here (although there are others like it in the original series), the photographer includes himself in the frame, looking on intently as his subject bares his rash-covered buttocks. The move introduces the issue of voyeurism, of the potentially disquieting relationship between the photographer and his obviously vulnerable subjects. Elsewhere, the voyeur is only implied by the “exhibitionist” posing for the camera.

Mikhailov’s Case History amounts to an attempt to fuse seemingly incompatible visions of contemporary photography. This is the chief underlying tension of the exhibition and, even if the extent of his success in resolving those tensions remains an open question, it is a fascinating quest.

Museum shows

(re)collection at Parsons The New School for Design
Newly acquired work and works rarely seen from The New School’s collection are showcased in this exhibition, which traces the history of the institution’s commitment to social change and artistic innovation. Through Sept. 17, The Sheila C. Johnson Design Center, 66 5th Ave., newsschool.edu.

The Frick
In a New Light: Bellini’s St. Francis in the Desert presents findings from an unprecedented 2010 technical examination by a team of specialists, led by Paintings Conservator Charlotte Hale at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which are presented as an in-depth dossier exhibition, providing insight into Bellini’s methods and motivations. Ends Aug. 28. Turkish Taste at the Court of Marie-Antoinette explores the French court’s fascination with all things Turkish and Turk-inspired toward the end of the 18th century. Ends Sept. 11, 1 E. 70th St., frick.org.

International Center of Photography
Elliott Erwitt: Personal Best traces the career of the artist, known for his iconic photographs of famous faces like Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy and Che Guevara. Ends Aug. 28. In Hiroshima: Ground Zero 1945, formerly classified images commissioned by President Truman to survey the damage caused by the atomic bomb paint haunting images of the devastation. Ends Aug. 28. The photographs and prints in Ruth Gruber, Photojournalist include some of the earliest color images of the Alaskan frontier, and document her work with Jewish refugees in the 1940s. Ends Aug. 28, 1133 6th Ave., icp.org.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Celebrating the life and work of the late designer, the slightly eerie Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty is sure to be mobbed pretty much all summer. The Met advises going in the morning or on a weekday, if you’re lucky enough to have the luxury. Ends Aug. 7. If you need another reason not to touch the artwork, the modernist steel sculptures in Anthony Caro on the Roof will probably burn your skin. Look, but don’t touch, and enjoy a gorgeous summer day atop the Met. Ends Oct. 30, 1000 5th Ave., metmuseum.org.

El Museo del Barrio
The museum’s sixth biennial exhibit, The (S) Files 2011, showcases the work of 75 emerging Latino, Caribbean and Latin-American artists in different spaces throughout the city. Examining the interplay between street and mainstream culture, and the boundaries of public and private in urban space, artists address daily life and social and economic issues. Ends Jan. 8, 2012, elmuseo.org.

Museum of Arts and Design
Otherworldy: Optical Delusions & Small Realities presents small-scale, hand-made renderings—dioramas, snow globes, installations and more—of artificial environments and “alternative realities,” crafted with extreme attention to detail in this exhibition centered on the artists’ engagement with the physical process of art-making. Ends Sept. 18, 2 Columbus Cir., madmuseum.org.

Whitney Museum of American Art
In Xavier Cha’s Body Drama, an actor moves about while suited up with a body-mounted camera. In between live performances, footage from the camera is projected on the wall, so you can experience the disorienting piece in two ways. Not for seasick types. Opens June 30, 945 Madison Ave., whitney.org.

Jewish Museum
In Israeli artist Maya Zack’s large-scale installation Living Room—a re-creation of a 1930s Jewish family’s apartment in Berlin—visitors wear 3D glasses to explore the environment, as they hear the voice of Manfred Nomberg—a German Jew who fled Berlin in 1938—share stories and memories of the lives lived in these rooms. July 31–Oct. 23, 1109 5th Ave., thejewishmuseum.org.

Theater & Dance

River to River Festival’s ‘Henry V’
This epic, unconventional production of Henry V takes the audience from Battery Park, across the New York Harbor to Governors Island. The various locations on this “semi-maritime” journey stand in for England, the English Channel and France, in this Panoramic Theatre production that literally transports viewers. Select dates July 6–24, rivertorivernyc.com.

Axis Theater Company’s Hospital
Each year, this episodic documentation of the inner thoughts and experiences of a coma patient focuses on a different individual who falls into a coma in a different way. This installment traces the imagination, memories and dreams of an epileptic grade-school teacher who falls from a rooftop. The four performances can be viewed individually, or as a series. Select dates July 8–Aug. 20. Visit axiscompany.org for more information. Tickets are $12, or $6 for student and seniors.

Ice Factory Festival
Soho Think Tank’s 18th annual festival features six New York premieres over six weeks, with aesthetically and culturally diverse theater works from established and emerging companies. Protagonists range from an aging Nixon secretary, to a nomadic syphilis-spreader, to a vampire undergoing a live theramin-accompanied midlife crisis. Through July 30, 3LD Art & Technology Center, 80 Greenwich St., sohothinktank.org.

Shakespeare in the Park
The Public Theater returns with two of the Bard’s works, Measure for Measure and All’s Well That Ends Well. Where the former is one of Shakespeare’s darkest works, exploring the consequences of unchecked power, the latter is a sophisticated fairytale. And don’t forget: It’s maybe the best of the summer impress-a-date ideas when you can score tickets. Through July 30, The Delacorte Theater, Central Park, enter park at W. 81st St. & Central Park West, publictheater.org; 8, Free.

Shakespeare in the Park(ing) Lot
The Drilling Company steals some thunder from Shakespeare in the Park with its annual series, performing The Comedy of Errors for its 20th anniversary. The whole thing takes place in a municipal parking lot at Ludlow and Broome streets. July 7–23, shakespeareintheparkinglot.com; Thurs.–Sat. 8 p.m., Free.

THE FringeBENEFITS SERIES
The end of summer is when we decide to torture ourselves with the New York International Fringe Festival. But since it’s celebrating 15 years, we’ve decided to treat ourselves to the best of the Fringe early. The series started May 5 and continues through Aug. 11. We can’t wait for the next go-round of The Complete Lost Works Of Samuel Beckett As Found In An Envelope (partially burned) In A Dustbin In Paris Labeled “Never to be performed. Never. Ever. EVER! Or I’ll Sue! I’LL SUE FROM THE GRAVE!,”), which we originally saw and loved in 2006. The comedy, from members of The Neo-Futurists and Theater Oobleck, is set for July 21. The Laurie Beechman Theater, 407 W. 42nd St., fringenyc.org; $20–$30 plus $15 food/drink min.

Showboat
Goodspeed Musicals presents an updated version of the timeless yet controversial American musical, with David Aron Damane starring as Joe. Following the boat’s occupants along the Mississippi, the heart-wrenching story spans three generations and four decades in two acts. July 1–Sept. 11, Goodspeed Opera House, 6 Main Street, East Haddam, Conn., goodspeed.org; $28+.

Theater & Spoken Word at SummerStage 2011
Look out for Sangre, an adaptation by Mando Alvardo of Lorca’s Blood Wedding, which travels from parks in the Bronx and Queens to end up at Central Park Aug. 17. The Faux Real Theatre presents classics—Oedipus Rex and Seven Against Thebes—in East River Park at the end of August. And the reliable Classical Theatre of Harlem presents a version of Henry V. June 7–Sept. 2, summerstage.org; Free.

Vignettes For The Apocalypse V
EndTimes Productions presents New York’s oldest and largest sci-fi/horror-themed theater festival, which offers 34 plays, a concert and a movie presented in nine evening-length programs, curated by Russell Dobular. If it all seems too terrifying to decide between the options, we recommend you at least check out the horror anthology series The Blood Brothers Present…Freaks From the Morgue. June 9–July 3. The Kraine Theater, 85 E. 4th St., endtimesproductions.org; $20.

Outdoor Music & Art

Midsummer Night Swing
Think of it as Swing thing if you must, but don’t forget that this Lincoln Center tradition comes with some of the best tango, cumbia, salsa, samba and um… keyboard renditions of ’80s music out there. Enter by lottery at midsummernightswing.org for free admission to the opening night, or check out the Soul Train tribute June 28. Throughout the festival, food and cocktail offerings (under $10) will match the regions of the music. June 27–July 16, midsummernightswing.org; $90 six-night pass, $160 full season, individual tickets $17.

Summer on the Hudson
Riverside Park and West Harlem Piers Park are home to the 11th year of New York’s largest free festival, this year offering over 75 blocks of free summer events, including films, live performances, an open-air dance party & more. Ends Nov. 11. Visit nycgovparks.org for schedule & information.

Mark di Suvero at Governors Island
Storm King Art Center presents about a dozen of the artist’s works, all around the island, in the largest outdoor display of di Suvero’s work since the ’70s. The massive, industrial-inspired sculptures are supplemented by an evolving indoor installation with photographs and videos of di Suvero’s work and his artistic process, and visitors can download a special tour app or take a Guide by Cell tour of the exhibition. Ends Sept. 25, Governors Island, stormking.org/exhibitions/governors-island.

Madison Square Music: Oval Lawn Series
Once a week, skip happy hour and head over to the park to hear a variety of nationally-touring bluegrass, folk, jazz and soul acts—perhaps while you wait for your turn in line at Shake Shack. Lionel Loueke Trio, Edmar Castenada Trio and special guest Andrea Tierra perform July 6. Wednesdays through the summer. Check out madisonsquarepark.org/music for more details.

Washington Square Music Festival
Tuesdays in July and August, visit New York’s second longest-running free outdoor classical music series, founded in 1953. This year’s program includes music by Mozart, Schubert, Astor Piazzolla and more, with performances from The Charles Mingus Orchestra, Stanley Drucker, Anton Arensky String Quartet and others. Tuesdays, July 12–Aug. 2, washingtonsquaremusicfestival.org.

Target Free Thursdays
Lincoln Center presents free music and comedy performances on Thursday evenings all summer. On June 23, catch Mighty Third Rail as they fuse hip-hop, poetry, beatboxing and classical instruments. On June 30, singer/songwriter Julie Gold performs old favorites and music from her new CD. Thursdays, David Rubinstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, Broadway betw. W. 62nd & W. 63rd Sts., lincolncenter.org/atrium; 8:30, free.

Summer Soirée
The Staten Island Museum honors Staten Island’s African American Social Entrepreneurs and celebrates its new Portraits of Leadership exhibition with a musical reception to benefit the It’s Your Museum initiative. Musical offerings include live jazz with Jeannine Otis and a special guest performance by Broadway’s Vinie Burrows. June 26, Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Gardens, statenislandmuseum.org; 4-7, $75.

Pop-Up Pianos
As part of Make Music New York, Sing For Hope places 88 pianos—60 uprights and 28 grands, decorated by artists and designers like Isaac Mizrahi and Diane von Furstenberg—at random indoor and outdoor locations throughout the five boroughs, so passers-by can torture tourists with awkward renditions of “Heart and Soul” or delight listeners with Debussy. Through July 2, www.pianos.singforhope.org.

Elastic City
Artists and designers lead more than 20 conceptual walks around the city, giving participants a new perspective on these urban environments. Examine shadows in Coney Island, form a new relationship with the sun in Downtown Manhattan, time-travel through Tin Pan Alley or make small talk with strangers in Brooklyn. Select dates all summer, elastic-city.com/walks; $20.

Music Events

Mostly Mozart
Mozart takes the spotlight as always, but Stravinsky, Beethoven, Handel, Hadyn and Schubert get some time to shine as well. This year’s festival features performances from Joshua Bell, Takács Quartet, Emerson String Quartet, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Mark Morris Dance Group and others. Aug. 2-27, Lincoln Center, mostlymozart.org.

Salon Series
Joe’s Pub and The Annie O. Music Series co-host this varied music and cabaret series, featuring performances from Weimar New York (July 13), Sxip Shirey and Raya Brass Band (Aug. 3), Martha Wainwright (Aug. 22) and Francisca Valenzuela (Sept. 20), as Joe’s Pub undergoes renovations throughout the summer. The Cooper Square Hotel, 25 Cooper Sq., 21st Fl., joespub.com; $15+.

Film

Film Society at Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center houses the most lauded film series in the city—and will soon have a whole new cinema—and this summer’s selections are especially enticing. June opens with an homage to Italian film, as it’s the 150th anniversary celebration of the movement responsible for Italy’s modern configuration the Risorgimento. Open Roads: New Italian Cinema explores films such as Mario Martone’s We Believed, inspired by the elements that led to Italian independence. Open Roads also marks the American premiere of Giulio Manfredonia’s political satire Whatsoeverly, and director Dianni Di Gregorio’s new film The Salt of Life. 70 Lincoln Center Plaza, filmlinc.com.

Museum of Modern Art
MoMA kickstarts its summer film series with an exhibition of Academy Award-winning director Kathryn Bigelow’s works. Crafting Genre: Kathryn Bigelow includes films written, directed and produced by Bigelow, from early films like Near Dark, thrillers like Point Break and films covering contemporary issues like The Hurt Locker, for which she won an Oscar. And stick around the museum this summer to enjoy a vicarious vacation to Ireland with Revisiting The Quiet Man: Ireland on Film (through June 3) or some fun for the whole family with Pixar Revisted, a film series and exhibition celebrating 20 years of Pixar’s animated works (June 25–July 9). 11 W. 53rd St., moma.org.

MUSIC
Sea Goddess Song—Southern Italian folk music, dance and theater company I Giullari di Piazza and Brazilian guest percussionist Dende perform in “Honoring the Sea Goddess,” with Neapolitan, Sicilian, Afro-Brazilian, Afro-Cuban and Dominican music. Cathedral of St. John the Divine/St. James Chapel, 1047 Amsterdam Ave., stjohndivine.org/seagoddess; 8 p.m., $25.

THEATER
Witchita Love—Repertorio Español presents the world premiere of the off-beat romantic comedy Locuras en Wichita, a play in which a Puerto Rican woman and Mexican man fall in love when they meet at an assisted-living home in Kansas. 138 E. 27th St., repertorio.org/wichita; $25.

SUNDAY, JUNE 19

THEATER
Angelina on Stage—The Vital Theatre Company resumes performances of Angelina Ballerina: The Musical, a family-friendly show based on the well-known children’s book about a dancing mouse. Dicapo Opera Theatre, 184 E. 76th St., angelinathemusical.com; 1 p.m., $29–$49.

MUSEUM
Green Photography—The Museum of the City of New York presents Moveable Feast: Fresh Produce & the NYC Green Cart Program, an exhibition that documents the NYC program that provides communities with access to fresh fruits and vegetables via hundreds of independently owned, mobile produce stands known as Green Carts. Featuring new photography by LaToya Ruby Frazier, Thomas Holton, Gabriele Stabile, Will Steacy and Shen Wei, the exhibit chronicles the initiative over the course of a year. The photographs capture not only the Green Carts, but also the stories of the vendors, customers and the communities in which they are located. 1220 5th Ave., mcny.org.

TUESDAY, JUNE 21

MUSIC
Mountain of Music—Miller Theatre at Columbia University School of the Arts presents the open-air premiere of John Luther Adam’s Inuksuit, a large-scale piece for 99 percussionists, as part of Make Music New York. Morningside Drive at 110th Street, millertheatre.com; 5 p.m., free.

THURSDAY, JUNE 22

JAZZ
Jazz Serenade—Eliane Amherd performs music from her new CD Now & From Now On. Cover includes free edamame, popcorn and beverages. Miles Cafe, 212 E. 52nd St., 3rd Fl., milescafe.com/ny; 8:30 p.m., $19.99.

At this year’s Blackboard Awards, an event honoring 18 educators from around the city for their outstanding work, a new tradition was created in the form of dozens of small feet clambering onto the stage to say thanks to their teachers. Excited students cheered on the award recipients and accompanied them onstage, giving the audience a window into how these teachers interact with the students who so clearly adore them.

Monday night’s event at Fordham Law School, hosted by NBC correspondent and mother of two young children Kate Snow, highlighted the tireless efforts of the group of winners selected from over 1,200 applications. It was the first time that students and parents were called to present some of the awards, and the students were thrilled to be honoring their favorite teachers. The teachers were equally happy to be recognized by their charges.

“I’m very lucky,” said Rodrigo Alonzo, teacher at the Speyer Legacy School, surrounded by his giggling 1st graders. “I get to come to work every morning and ask questions and be greeted by questions. Like, how did the Atlantic Ocean get its name? What’s the difference between a square and a rhombus? When are we going to have snacks?”

A few speakers pointed out how tenuous the positions of many great teachers are amid the fear of layoffs and budget cuts. Vice President of the United Teachers Federation Karen Alford presented an award, and said, “With teachers being vilified across the country, it’s so nice to have an event celebrating teachers and all they do.”

City Council Member Gale Brewer noted that she had spent the day in budget hearings and was working to preserve teaching positions and resources for the city.

One teacher took the opportunity to emphasize a focus on individual learning over test results. Theresa Furman, who teaches 2nd grade at the Upper West Side’s P.S. 87, spoke of an email she received from a parent, thanking her for encouraging her students to view school as a place to be happy, to think and create.

“Maybe the people who are emphasizing standardized testing so much would think about that,” Furman said, to much applause.

A constant theme was the importance of parent and administrative support to each of the winning teachers. Many thanked their communities for helping them create a positive environment for their students.

“There’s this magic, this undeniable charisma created in a classroom when kids start learning,” said winner Anne Looser, special education teacher at Lehman High School. “I first wanted to teach kids about history, because I wanted to teach students about the Revolution. Then I started teaching special ed, and I realized, this is the revolution.”

John DeMatteo was recognized for his work as the physical education teacher who brought sports to the Manhattan Academy of Technology, even starting a surfing team at the Chinatown middle school. DeMatteo thanked his parents, both New York City schoolteachers, and acknowledged his unusual path to teaching. After 9/11, he quit a lucrative Wall Street job to go into teaching.

“I know now that success is not written in a pay stub,” DeMatteo said. “It’s in the hearts and minds of students who can say those four words: ‘I can,’ and ‘I will.’ Hearing those words from my students makes me the richest man in the world.”

FILM
Ziggy Played Guitar—The Museum of Art and Design will screen D.A. Pennebaker’s Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, capturing the band on the night of July 3, 1973, on what was purported to be the final appearance of Bowie’s legendary glam-rock alter ego. 2 Columbus Circle, 212-299-7777; $10.

SATURDAY, JUNE 4

DANCE
City of Dance—10 choreographers present six programs, performed by four companies at the Gotham Dance Festival, plus matinee performances from six emerging dancers and choreographers. The Joyce Theater, 175 8th Ave., 212-242-0800; $10+.

SUNDAY, JUNE 5

EVENT
Experimental Tribute—The 16th annual Vision Festival honors the achievements of 70-year-old free-jazz artist Peter Brötzmann, with seven days of innovative experimental music, dance, poetry and art. Abrons Arts Center, 466 Grand St., visionfestival.org; $30+.

MUSIC
New York Premieres—Harpsichordist Elaine Comparone and The Queen’s Chamber Band end their season at St. Mark’s Church In-the-Bowery with an annual program of world and New York premieres. 131 E. 10th St., 212-280-1086; 2:30 p.m., $25.

MONDAY, JUNE 6

ART
Nine Decades of Art—The Grace Institute is celebrating the work of Marge Chapman and June Felter, two artists in their nineties, with the new exhibit Two California Artists: Celebrating their 90’s in NYC. 1233 2nd Ave., 212-832-1389; 9 a.m.–9:30 p.m., Free.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8

THEATER
As It Is In Heaven—3Graces Theater Company presents As It Is In Heaven, a 10th anniversary revival of Arlene Hutton’s play, which portrays an 1830s Shaker community shaken by the arrival of a newcomer. Cherry Lane Studio, 38 Commerce St., 212-239-6200; 7 p.m., $18.