Holly Jolly: Holiday Concert Roundup
Our annual round-up of adventurous, inspiring holiday concerts in the D.C. area
Handel’s Messiah, sing-alongs of “Sleigh Bells” and “Silent Night,” The Nutcracker — whether the Tchaikovsky classic or the Duke Ellington-inspired modern variations — are never too much of a good thing. So here’s a look at some of the more unusual, adventurous, potentially inspiring, concert offerings this year.
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington is a prime offering for any alt-entertainment list, with its annual holiday grab-bag show, “Naughty and Nice.” (12/10, 12/17-18, Lincoln Theatre). This year’s Holiday Pops concert of carols and classics by the BSO features Storm Large, the Pink Martini vocalist (12/17-18, Meyerhoff). And for its Holiday Pops concert, the NSO presents Laura Osnes and Santino Fontana (12/9-10, Kennedy Center). A more intimate, insightful cabaret is on tap at McLean’s Alden Theatre, with noted jazz pianist and musicologist John Eaton‘s Holiday Songbook (12/17).
Year in, year out, D.C.’s leading jazz venue Blues Alley serves as a hotspot for getting into the holiday spirit. Our pick this year is “Christmas with Jane Monheit” (12/22-23). The jazz highlight of the season, however, is a concert by the Sherrie Maricle & the Diva Orchestra, who will sing from Ella Fitzgerald’s classic Christmas songbook (12/16-17, Kennedy Center). The Howard Theatre is home base for holiday soul/R&B music, kicked off by D.C. native Raheem DeVaughn and his Annual Holiday Charity Concert with friends including Chrisette Michele, Kelly Price and V Bozeman, the female voice of Empire (12/20). The most diverse slate this year can be found at The Hamilton, veering from jazz to roots/bluegrass to rock, plus a Chicano rock/Tex-Mex blended holiday-themed show performed by the “La Bamba” Latino legends Los Lobos (12/20).
Country star Kacey Musgraves, best known for her pro-LGBT hit “Follow Your Arrow,” points hers to the North Pole this year with “A Very Kacey Christmas” (12/10, National Theatre). For modern American folk, the 9:30 Club presents the Oh Hellos, the silly, sweet-singing siblings Tyler and Maggie Heath who will crack jokes and perform songs from their Family Christmas Album (12/13). The Andrews Sisters-inspired doo-wop/pop trio Bandana Splits with original holiday tunes and original spins on Christmas classics (12/11, Strathmore).
Meanwhile, the Washington National Opera presents two opera-focused productions, including a night of arias and holiday classics from Bizet, Puccini, Britten and Tchaikovsky performed by singers from its Domingo-Cafritz Young Artists program (12/7, Strathmore). Trio Sefardi offers a rare Hanukkah treat this year, performing the Sephardic music of Jews from Spain and other parts of the Ottoman Empire (12/6, Kennedy Center).
Nordic winter traditions are the focus of this year’s run of Christmas concerts at the GW Lisner by the 75-member Washington Revels (12/10-18). Wolf Trap ends the year with a holiday bang, including a performance in the Barns of “Yule Songs” by eclectic seven-piece a cappella group The Swingles (12/2). Finally, one free highlight every year is the holiday concert featuring the Capitol Pride Symphonic Band and other small ensembles of the DC Different Drummers, a benefit for Food for Friends (12/11, Lutheran Church of the Reformation).
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