The Philharmonic’s New Yorky Fourth

The New York Philharmonic gives an annual Fourth of July concert, and this year the orchestra gave it three times. I attended on July 3. As usual, the concert was conducted by a Brit, Bramwell Tovey. He is one suave and talented Brit, too. I have always called him “your genial host,” for he talks charmingly to the audience: twitting latecomers, riffing on Kim Kardashian, etc. He has the verbal facility you expect from our cousins. I was shocked to hear him say “For you and I . . .”

The concert began with Three Dance Episodes from Bernstein’s On the Town. I have often wondered why someone who could write so brilliantly in this idiom would ever have bothered with classical music. Tovey and the Philharmonic were really good in the dance episodes, really swingin’. They were not merely fun, they were excellent. I had the feeling they had actually rehearsed.

Now, the Philharmonic is supposed to be good in New Yorky music. But I have to ask: Why should Chinese-born young people who join the Philharmonic be better in this music than Chinese-born young people who join other orchestras? Traditions linger, somehow.

Tracy Dahl, a coloratura soprano from Canada, took the stage to sing “Glitter and Be Gay,” the glittery and gay aria from Bernstein’s Candide. She gave it the old college try. Her heart was in the right place, and so were the notes, mainly. Her E flat had no vibrato, but it was bang on pitch.

Even suaver than Tovey is Gershwin’s Promenade, or “Walking the Dog,” the next piece on the program. The orchestra played it nicely, and this was especially true of Pascual Martínez Forteza, the principal clarinet. “Walking the Dog” gives the clarinet a delicious part.

Tracy Dahl returned for four songs by Gershwin, in which she was superb—both tasteful and heartfelt, both formal and informal, if you know what I mean. Every inflection was right. The arrangements were done by Tovey himself, who also played the piano. In “They Can’t Take That Away from Me,” the singer sings, “The way you sip your tea . . .” Here, Tovey tinkled a bit of “Tea for Two.” As he did so, he gave the audience sort of a proud look. His arrangement for the verse of “Fascinating Rhythm” sounded like Carmina Burana, so help me. Weird but effective.

As a pianist, Tovey may not threaten André Previn’s reputation; he was sometimes stiff and jabbing. But he was creditable. Besides, Previn doesn’t always play like Previn either.

The second half of the program featured ensembles from West Point, as well as the Philharmonic. We heard big-band music and marches. We also heard some patriotic and pro-military statements spoken by the West Pointers. I wasn’t sure this would fly in Manhattan, but it seemed to. The evening ended with John Philip Sousa’s masterpiece, The Stars and Stripes Forever. Let me quote Bernstein, in a humble and discerning mode: “I would give five years of my life to have written that piece.”

It was a long night, but a wonderful one, and this was thanks largely to the manifold talents of Tovey—and also to those of Sousa, Gershwin, Bernstein, et al.

I once heard Emanuel Ax, the pianist, give a great performance. Google has recalled the specifics: It was in August 2005 at the Mostly Mozart Festival. Ax played Mozart’s Concerto No. 22 in E flat, K. 482. I have now heard Ax give another great performance. It was of the same concerto.

This second performance was on a Wednesday night in the same hall: Avery Fisher. The conductor and orchestra were different, however. They were Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic. Ax’s phrasing was exemplary. He breathed along with the composer. He was both smooth and articulate. He was sensitive without being mousy. What rubato he used was intelligent. He fudged a trill or two, particularly at their resolution, but this was of little importance.

Crucially, he was not afraid to play simply. “‘Tis the gift to be simple.” And you may remember a Rubinstein quip: “Mozart is too easy for children and too hard for adults.”

For the second movement, Andante, Ax chose a perfect tempo. Tempos in these “slow” movements of Mozart’s are hard to get right. He sang this movement with an inevitable and natural feeling. The Rondo was jaunty and stylish. It was humorous in spots without being hammy. The cadenza that Ax has composed for this movement is fitting and clever; I thought I heard horn calls.

Above all, Ax played the Rondo, and all of the concerto, with pleasure. It is a privilege to play Mozart. I believe Ax knows this. As the audience applauded, the man behind me said to his wife—loudly and twice—“Good ol’ Manny Ax.” He was more than “good ol’ Manny Ax” on this occasion: He was a great Mozartean.

Gilbert and the orchestra did their roles ably. There was a botched entrance in the horns near the opening, which was unfortunate. Some of the exposition had a clock-punching feeling. But, on the whole, the orchestra was alert, correct and compact. The beginning of the Andante was positively beautiful.

The main work on this program was one of the main works of Mozart’s life, and of music at large: the “Great” Mass in C minor. The orchestra was again alert, correct and compact (and so were the New York Choral Artists). Gilbert was never less than competent. He was completely assured and thoroughly prepared. In my judgment, however, this performance was barren of spirituality. It was also, I’m afraid, a bore.

But I must say it was nice to hear the Mass performed with some richness, beauty and blood. In recent years, I have heard nothing but “period” performances, particularly at the Salzburg Festival. They are thin gruel, with some straw sticking out. They also feature mindlessly fast tempos. At the Philharmonic, it was a relief to hear “Laudamus te” at a sane, musical pace.

The evening’s soprano was Jennifer Zetlan, who was starry when she was a student at Juilliard. In the Mass, she began a little uncertainly and had no low notes. But she soon gained her stride and was wonderful. The other singers were adequate, with the tenor, Paul Appleby, sounding like a Polenzani in the making. The bass in Mozart’s Mass has even less work to do than the mezzo-soprano in Beethoven’s Ninth.

A famous mezzo once told me she had a piece of advice for other mezzos engaged for the Ninth: “Wear a pretty dress.”

Governors Ball

This year’s version of the now-regular outdoor festival moves from its previous home on Governors Island to Randall’s Island but retains a strong lineup. Saturday has a dancey, up-tempo set of acts, including Passion Pit, Chromeo, James Murphy and indie rap stalwarts Atmosphere. Sunday slows things down with guitar soundtrack maestros Explosions in the Sky, as well as Beck and Modest Mouse, plus a plethora of other melodic, granola-pop bands. While the performers are about as middle-of-the-road as it gets in modern Indieland (look for experimentalism and risk-taking elsewhere), all of them are established acts. This one might be worth the money.

June 23-24; $180 for the weekend. Randall’s Island Park, governorsballmusicfestival.com. 

Catalpa Festival

Kicking off its first year, the Catalpa Festival offers yet another chance to see top-tier musical acts playing outdoors within city limits. The fest will feature more than 40 performers, including blues rock superstars The Black Keys and Snoop Dogg rocking his seminal album Doggystyle in its entirety. Other highlights include NYC faves TV on the Radio, Girl Talk and hip-hop instrumental wizard AraabMUZIK. There will also be a reggae stage sponsored by High Times magazine, a “sculpture” that belches fireballs in the air and various other novelties (inflatable “sham marriage” church?) included to distract from the fact that music lineup is mostly weak, aside from the headliners.

July 28-29; $140–$180 for the weekend. Randall’s Island Park, www.catalpanyc.com.

Electric Zoo

This is for those who dance. A lot. It’s three days; an all-night(s) blitz of modern dance music from the likes of David Guetta, A-Trak and more. If you appreciate the contemporary offshoots of what we used to call techno, this fest will be something of great joy. A zoo—of dancing people. 

Aug. 31-Sept. 2; $299 for all three days. Randall’s Island Park, electriczoofestival.com.

CITYWIDE

Make Music New York

Started in 2008, Make Music New York is a festival that has been offering an annual feast of soundbites across the city on the first day of summer. From 10 in the morning to 10 at night in hundreds of spots throughout the city, normal sidewalk sounds will be replaced by thousands of free concerts. Some of last year’s highlights were a rendition of Xenakis’ Persephassa on Central Park Lake, in which audience and musicians alike enjoyed seating on boats. Also in Central Park were middle school jazz groups from the Bronx, and Bryant Park was the site of a rock ‘n’ roll showdown between musically inclined corporate execs.

June 21; free. makemusic.org. 

DOWNTOWN

4Knots Music Festival

This annual music fest at the South Street Seaport is an indie rocker’s dream come true, with buzz bands like Bleached, Hospitality, The Drums, Crocodiles and more playing on Piers 16 and 17 along the East River. The fest benefits from the Seaport’s concentration of restaurants and bars, not to mention the food trucks that will inevitably pull up for the event—as long as you pack sunscreen and enough water to keep from daydreaming about jumping into the river, it sounds like a pretty much perfect day.

July 14, 1 p.m.; free. South Street Seaport, Fulton St. at Front St., facebook.com/4knots.

DOWNTOWN

Washington Square Music Festival

Consisting of four Friday night concerts in July, the Washington Square Music Festival is now in its 54th year of entertaining New Yorkers in one of our most beautiful parks. This year, the festival will include a night of music and poetry, a night of Viennese chamber music, a night of music for strings and wings and one of the West African sounds of the Deep Sahara Band. Seating is first-come, first-served, so get there early to enjoy a night of music beneath the stars—and the park’s famous arch—or at St. Joseph’s Church, where the first two concerts will take place.

July 10, 17, 24 & 31, 8 p.m.; free. St. Joseph’s Church, 371 6th Ave. at Waverly Place and Washington Square Park, 5th Ave at Waverly Place, washingtonsquaremusicfestival.org.

MIDTOWN

Madison Square Park’s Oval Lawn Series

Beneath the canopy of Madison Square Park’s trees—and just a dash away from Shake Shack—is one of New York’s best  summer-long music series, featuring performances from Grammy-nominated jazzman Gregory Porter, singer and actress Nellie McKay and a night of family music with Suzzy and Maggie Roche, Sloan Wainwright and Lucy Wainwright Roche. Chairs aren’t welcome here, but bring a blanket and some snacks (or buy them from the Fatty Crab kiosk nearby) and set up camp for an unforgettable night.

 June 20-Aug. 8; free. Madison Square Park, enter park at E. 23rd St. and 5th Ave.,
madisonsquarepark.org.

UPPER WEST SIDE

RCTA Sunset Concert Series

Nine concerts over the course of the summer, from evenings of jazz to nights of Middle Eastern sounds, will grace the tennis lawn overlooking the Hudson River at West 97th Street. Kicking off with a concert from jazz bassist Ron McClure, the series will include sets from Gotham Winds, Dave Glasser, Musica Bella Orchestra, The Atwaters, Efendi, Dartmouth Boys, Los Hermanos Cintron and Steve Tarshis and his Instrumental Trio. You won’t need to bring a racquet or even be any good at sport in order to make a night at these tennis courts a win.

June 10-Aug. 19, 7 p.m.; free. Riverside Clay Tennis Courts, enter Riverside Park at W. 96th St. and Riverside Dr., rcta.info.

CITYWIDE

New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Park 

The New York Philharmonic will play a series of six concerts around the five boroughs. Performing classical favorites—and in two cases conducted by superstar baton-wielder Alan Gilbert—the group will provide listeners with those only-in-New-York evenings of music and entertainment, which we’ve found goes quite well with a picnic meal and a discreetly dispensed bottle of wine.

July 11-17; free. nyphil.org.

CITYWIDESummerStage 

Founded in 1986 at the Rumsey Playfield in Central Park, SummerStage expanded to venues in all five boroughs two years ago. The program—featuring everything from screenings, dance performances and concerts—has now become synonymous with summer in the city; the best part is that the programming is largely free. This season kicks off with the SummerStage Gala June 5 honoring the music of Jimi Hendrix and featuring performances by G. Love & Special Sauce, Bebel Gilberto and The Roots.

June 5-Aug. 30. summerstage.org. 

The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series 

If ticket prices for the Met Opera are a bit too steep for your wallet, check out the Opera’s annual Summer Recital Series. The tenors and sopranos get to practice their vocal dexterity while you take in genius performances at no cost at all. You also don’t have to travel too far, as the series travels to all five boroughs throughout the summer—even Staten Island! This year will feature soprano Danielle de Niese, bass-baritone John Del Carlo and tenor Dimitri Pittas.

July 25-Aug. 9; free. metoperafamily.org. 

CITYWIDE

Blue Note Jazz Festival 

While the Blue Note Jazz Festival is a relative newcomer on the summer concert scene—it only started last year—the Blue Note jazz club was started in Greenwich Village in 1986, and the record imprint of the same name has brought listeners the likes of Norah Jonest debut. This year, Blue Note is once again offering an eclectic mix of sounds and artists ranging from Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def), Béla Fleck and Kathleen Battle.

June 4-30; prices vary. bluenotejazzfestival.com. 

CENTRAL PARK

Naumburg Orchestral Concert Series 

While classical music isn’t the usual top pick for summer concerts, who can pass up the opportunity to listen to classic orchestral arrangements from the likes of Wagner and Schumann outdoors in Central Park—did we mention that it’s free? Celebrating its 107th year of providing gratis concerts, the Naumburg series is sure to please in its 700-seat uptown venue.

June 19-Aug. 7; free. Concert Ground at Central Park, south of Bethesda Terrace betw. 66th & 72nd Sts.,  naumburgconcerts.org.

UPPER EAST SIDE

Harlem Meer Performance Festival 

Summer is the optimal season to enjoy the sights and sounds that New York City has to offer, and there is perhaps no better program or venue for this than the Harlem Meer Performance Festival. Entering its 19th year, the festival is situated lakeside in Central Park at 110th Street. The program features a mix of sounds, from emerging jazz musicians to Latin and gospel music. Attendees are encouraged to pack a picnic, bring a chair and relax for this free outdoor concert series.

June 17-Sept. 2; free. Plaza of the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, 110th St. betw. 5th & Lenox Aves., centralparknyc.org. 

MIDTOWN

Scandinavian Summer Sessions 

Scandinavia,—especially Sweden,—is known for its smart furniture, eclectic cuisine and unbelievable catchy pop music. While this summer series held at the Scandinavia House leans more to the acoustic and jazz side, the range of artists, from a Danish songstress to an Icelandic guitarist, combined with the locale, Smörgås Chef’s terrace cocktail bar, is sure to please. Dubbed an alternative to happy hour, the series runs through August and will only set you back $12.

Jun. 14-Aug. 2, doors at 6 p.m., concerts start at 7; $12. 58 Park Ave., betw. 32nd & 33rd Sts., scandinaviahouse.org.

MIDTOWN

Summergarden: New Music for New York 

As is its tradition, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) presents its annual summertime concert series in the sculpture garden, tapping the talent of performers from The Juilliard School and Jazz at Lincoln Center. Spanning four evenings, the series offers the best in “adventurous contemporary music” with premieres each night. While the event is always free, seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

July 10-31; free. The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden at MoMA, enter through the Sculpture Garden gate on W. 54th St. betw. 5th & 6th Aves., moma.org. 

Neikrug’s New Concerto at the Philharmonic

By JAY NORDLINGER

On a Friday afternoon, the New York Philharmonic began a concert with the Corsair overture of Berlioz. Then it was time for a new work, a concerto for orchestra by Marc Neikrug. The conductor, Alan Gilbert, did not stride to the podium to conduct. He and the composer ambled out holding microphones. Uh-oh.

At the Philharmonic, it seems, there cannot be a new piece without talk from the stage. Without special pleading and hand-holding. Gilbert made a crack. He said the premiere of the piece had taken place the night before, so “don’t worry about the new-music thing, guys.” The piece was no longer new, see?

This was kind of witty, but also incredibly condescending. If audiences are skeptical of new music, maybe it’s because they have been fed so much bad new music over the years. And whose fault is that, “guy”?

Neikrug made some rambling remarks about physiological reactions to musical notes, I think—I found it hard to understand him. If you’re going to impose talk on the audience, at least do it well. Some people are cut out for it, some are not.

Before he left the stage, Neikrug declared that the New York Philharmonic was “the best-sounding orchestra on the planet.” Turning to Gilbert, he added, “And this is no small thanks to you.” These words did not, as they say in Washington, “pass the laugh test.” Even the Philharmonic’s biggest fans don’t say that the orchestra has a distinguished sound. Virtuosity and brashness, maybe. Sound?

Listening to the Philadelphia Orchestra that night, I thought of Neikrug’s declaration—and was again amazed. True, the Philadelphians’ concert was in Carnegie Hall, whose acoustics are much better than those of the Philharmonic’s home, Avery Fisher. But still.

The talking between Gilbert and Neikrug went on for maybe 10 minutes, but it felt to me like 45. And it killed the concert dead. The Corsair overture had been fairly exciting, but then the concert hit this brick wall. Not only was the talking completely unnecessary, and unhelpful, it was also insulting—insulting to the audience and, I believe, to the composer. Music speaks for itself.

Neikrug’s Concerto for Orchestra is in four movements. The first includes a lot of percussion, as so many of today’s orchestral pieces do. It is jazzily atonal, or atonally jazzy. Through a din, melodies struggle to be heard. This piece was brand-new, but I felt I had sat through it many times before. The second movement, a scherzo, is hazy, fluttery, meditative. There is a Debussyan flute. Also some Mendelssohnian lightness.

The third movement, Adagio, pays homage to Mahler, I believe. Was that The Song of the Earth I heard? The final movement, Allegro, lets the clarinetist and some others get in some good licks.

I found this piece inferior to a Neikrug piece programmed by the Chamber Music Society not long ago: a clarinet quintet. Nothing in the concerto arrested or moved me the way parts of the quintet did. But I would like to hear it again. Neikrug is a very capable man. And next time, please: Less talk, more rock.

By Jay Nordlinger

For several years, we have called Yuja Wang a wunderkind, a phenom, a sensation. For how long can we keep talking that way? She’s 25 now. I figure we can continue for a couple more years.

Most recently in New York, she played Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 with the New York Philharmonic. She does well by Prokofiev. Two seasons ago, she played the Concerto No. 2 with the Philadelphia Orchestra in Carnegie Hall. She played it to within an inch of its life. Earlier this season, she played the Sonata No. 6, also in Carnegie Hall. Her grasp on the work was sure.

And the Concerto No. 3? First, let me say what was wrong with her performance, on the night I heard her. (She played the concerto on four separate nights.) She entered a hair late. She immediately changed the tempo, making it faster. She changed it further, making it faster yet. She left the poor New York Philharmonic in the dust. The conductor, Jaap van Zweden, looked at her as if to say, “What the . . .?” She was careless and sloppy. She slapped and banged. Prokofiev can be percussive, but it need not be ugly. Where she should have been elegant, she was inelegant. Her sound was not grand enough. Her passagework was bony. Some of her accents were absurd. Etc.

But: I thought to myself, “Never let me become an old fart who doesn’t appreciate youthful fire and abandon.” Wang was electric. She was a girl on a mission. There was actually a little anger in her playing. She was over the top, but she was exciting as hell, and I think Prokofiev himself would have gotten a kick out of it.

She won’t play like this always—but I’m glad she does for now. She will undoubtedly mellow and mature. But fire and abandon are fine musical qualities, especially in the Prokofiev Third.

I often say, “Not every performance has to be a desert-island disc”—a definitive performance, an exemplary performance, for all time. The Prokofiev Third I heard should not be on a recording. But a live concert is a different cat (thank heaven). And Wang was alive, no question.

A week later, the Takács Quartet arrived in Zankel Hall, for two concerts. Formed in Budapest in 1975, the quartet now resides in Boulder. Two of the original members are still with the group. They are Hungarian, whereas the newer members are from different climes.

They started their New York concerts with Janácek’s String Quartet No. 1, nicknamed “the Kreutzer Sonata.” It is a talky, anxious work, a minor masterpiece. The Takács played it knowledgeably and intelligently. They make a better overall sound than they do individually. Nevertheless, the overall sound was at times too fuzzy. And fingers at times were unresponsive. Also, where beauty was called for, the group could not quite summon it.

Next on the program was another String Quartet No. 1, this one by Britten (and without a nickname). It is written in that special Britten tongue that is half modern and half not. Do you know the expression “Second verse, same as the first?” Again the Takács sound was a bit fuzzy, out of focus. Again fingers were somewhat wanting (particularly in the last movement, molto vivace). And again the group played with a general and welcome intelligence.

You can think well without playing well. Usually, it’s better to think well than to play well. And when you can do both—why, then, of course, the world is your oyster.

Lincoln Center announced highlights from its study on the economic impact the performing arts complex has on New York City.

Lincoln Center estimates that $3.4 billion of economic activity is generated from its 12 resident organizations, which includes the Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic and the New York City Ballet.

For the surrounding Upper West Side neighborhood, Lincoln Center boasts of its “significant role” in the increased property values, which went up eight percent a year between 1962 and 2009. The study says that the bump in property values outperformed Manhattan as a whole, which increased on an average of five percent.

Lincoln Center’s resident organizations, which include the Juilliard School and School of American Ballet, employ 9,000 people and have more than 2,000 students.

The study estimates the five million visitors a year spend $220 million on local restaurants, hotels, transportation and shopping.

Compiled by Alice Robb

Friday, July 9

Magic Musical—TADA! Youth Theater presents The Magic Pot: Three Tales from China, an original musical for kids, performed by kids, about a young girl who finds herself in the middle of ancient tales. TADA! Theater, 15 W. 28th St., 2nd floor, 212-252-1619 x5; 7 p.m., $6-$25.

Pictures from the Past—The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts presents Lincoln Center Festival in Pictures, a retrospective photography exhibition highlighting the Festival’s artists and productions over the past 14 years. The gallery portrays some of the great artists who have participated in the Festival over the years, including Liam Neeson, Harold Pinter, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Ornette Coleman and Merce Cunningham. Plaza corridor gallery of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, 40 Lincoln Plaza, 212-870-1630; 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Free.

Zombies—The Museum of Arts and Design continues its Italian zombie film series with a screening of Zombie 2 (1979), directed by Lucio Fulci. While investigating an unmanned yacht drifting into the New York City harbor, two patrolmen are attacked by a member of the living dead. The film series is presented in conjunction with special exhibition Dead or Alive, which explores how contemporary artists incorporate once-living materials in their work. Wear zombie makeup for a discounted ticket. MAD Theater, 2 Columbus Circle, 212-299-7740; 7 p.m., $7-$10.

Saturday, July 10

Operatic—The emerging artists of the Martina Arroyo Foundation’s Prelude to Performance program present a fully staged and costumed production of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute). The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, 695 Park Ave., 212-772-4448; 7:30 p.m., $20-$90.

Civil War History—A walking tour marks the 147th anniversary of the infamous New York Draft Riots. Learn through first-person accounts about the flourishing of Gramercy Park and personalities such as George Templeton Strong and Edwin Booth. The tour is led by New York City expert Maria Dering. Meet outside Church of the Transfiguration, 1 E. 29th St., 646-573-9509; 11 a.m., $15-$20.

Meet a Penguin—Interact with a live black-footed penguin at the Museum of Natural History’s Wild, Wild World Program. Jarod Miller, host of the television series Animal Exploration with Jarod Miller, discusses the habitats and surprising behaviors of these “extreme climate” animals. Linder Theater, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at West 79th Street, 212-769-5100; 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., $10-$12.

Sunday, July 11

International Festival—Tens of thousands flock each year to the NYC Celebration of Nations Festival, which features international food, art and merchandise, as well as entertainment. Madison Avenue from East 47th to East 57th Street, 212-809-4900; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Free.

Summergarden—The Museum of Modern Art’s Summergarden concert series returns to The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Sculpture Garden, with a performance of chamber music including the world premiere of Laurie Altman’s Ways of Looking: At Zurich (2008) and New York premieres of works by Reynold Tharp and Paul Desenne. MoMA, 11 W. 53rd St., 212-708-9400; 8 p.m., Free.

Groovy Tunes—Families can hear the energetic pop-rock sound of Milkshake along with Curious George inspired tunes, in conjunction with The Jewish Museum’s exhibition Curious George Saves the Day: The Art of Margret and H. A. Rey. The Jewish Museum, 1109 5th Ave., 212-423-3337; 2 p.m., $11-$16.

Monday, July 12

Broadway from the Inside—The Town Hall continues its fourth annual Summer Broadway Festival with Broadway Winners: The Award-Winning Music of Broadway. The evening features music and dance coupled with witty insider tidbits, all performed by Broadway’s finest. The Town Hall, 143 W. 43rd St., 212-840-2824; 8 p.m., $40-$50.

Tuesday, July 13

East Meets West—The 2010 New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Parks series opens with a performance by musicians from New York and Shanghai. The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Long Yu, and international star pianist Lang Lang share the stage with the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Andrey Boreyko. The Great Lawn, 79th to 85th Streets in Central Park, 8 p.m., Free.

Czech Film—The Czech Center New York continues its free screenings of Czech films (with English subtitles) with a showing of the ironic comedy Ecce Homo Homolka (1969), directed by Jaroslav Papousek. Rooftop of the Czech Center, 321 E. 73rd St., 646-422-3399; dusk (around 8:30 p.m.), Free.

Wednesday, July 14

Picnic with a Soundtrack—The MTA Arts for Transit’s Music Under New York program continues its summer concert series, which brings members of New York’s diverse underground music scene to the lively oasis of Broadway and 66th Street. Music lovers are invited to bring lunch, join friends and relax at a performance featuring Tunisian percussionist Najib Bahri, one man band Peter Joseph Paul and gypsy funk group SisterMonk. Richard Tucker Park, Broadway and 66th Street, 212-878-7250; 12 p.m., Free.