Summer in New York just got a little brighter with Little Island's announcement of its fifth consecutive season of eclectic and accessible cultural programming. From May through September, a wide array of music, theater, dance, and opera performances will grace stages at this 2.4-acre public park along the Hudson River.
Hailed as a mix of both ''very high and very low,'' the season curated by Producing Artistic Director Zack Winokur promises a summer lineup that's designed to entertain and provoke. According to Gothamist, Winokur said the upcoming season "wants to be fun, it wants to be provocative and it wants to be ambitious and it wants to be high quality." With tickets affordable at $25 and several free shows on the Glade stage, Little Island remains committed to inclusivity in the arts.
Among the headline acts, "The Counterfeit Opera" reimagines "The Beggar’s Opera" as a political satire set in 1850s Manhattan. The summer will also see a live version of WNYC's RadioLab and a tribute to cellist Arthur Russell, featuring names like Laurie Anderson and Martha Wainwright. Hopping over from the world of recordings to live performance, Meshell Ndegeocello will interpret her Grammy-winning "No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin" in June, as reported by Gothamist.
The lineup doesn't stop there; "The Gospel at Colonus," a new production of Lee Breuer and Bob Telson's work, brings a fresh twist to the story of Oedipus. Time Out New York revealed the cast includes gospel sensation Kim Burrell and operatic bass-baritone Davóne Tines. While the Glade will serve up performances seamlessly blending Tchaikovsky's opera with bluegrass and evenings of jazz under the curation of Cecile Mclorin Salvant, available at no cost.
Winokur emphasized the park's role in making the arts available to all, telling Gothamist, "I think it’s the responsibility of a public park. And that's what I love about Little Island. It’s a neighborhood park and a huge iconic destination in New York City.” To grab tickets or learn more, visitors can head to the official Little Island ticketing page or hit up the TodayTix website for convenience.
