Arts - The Boston Globe

Santa arrives by helicopter in 2022 at the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, in Londonderry.

THINGS TO DO in N.H.

Holiday events in N.H. this weekend: Santa via helicopter, Hanukkah ‘Latkepalooza,’ and more

The “Chanukah On Ice” event in Portsmouth will sport a giant menorah, gelt, and a chance to skate along to Jewish music

THE YEAR IN ARTS
Matthew Gilbert’s top 10 TV shows of 2023
"Succession" and "The Bear" lead the way.

THE YEAR IN ARTS
In 2023, a farewell to some of TV’s best shows, and the first glimpse of less glut
Gone are "Succession," "Ted Lasso," "Reservation Dogs," "The Great," and soon, "The Crown." All went out on top. The good news for oversubscribed viewers: The too-much-TV era may be past its peak.

THE YEAR IN ARTS
Don Aucoin’s top 10 theater productions of 2023
The year's best include "The Band's Visit," "How I Learned to Drive," and "K-I-S-S-I-N-G."

Eddie Murphy in Amazon's "Candy Cane Lane."

HOLIDAY ARTS PREVIEW

10 TV specials for some merry holiday viewing

Eddie Murphy, Barry Manilow, Hannah Waddingham, and enough '80s divas to fill a sleigh are channeling the season.

From Mike Birbiglia, a generous helping of ‘Christmas Parmesan’For organists, Boston is a city of (pipe) dreamsTree lightings, holiday markets, and more family-friendly events for 202310 pop concerts that are beginning to look a lot like ChristmasJazz pianist Christian Sands loves a good Christmas story

THE YEAR IN ARTS

Maura Johnston’s top 10 concerts of 2023

SZA, Karol G, and Fall Out Boy were just some of the artists not named Beyoncé or Taylor who played memorable local shows this year.

Fans fill Gillette Stadium for Karol G's September concert.

THE YEAR IN ARTS

For pop music fans in 2023, live shows answered a need to connect

The contrast between the sort of listening encouraged by streaming — alone, often through headphones — and the collective experiences of concertgoers feels stark.

Kayla Shimizu (center left) and Davron S. Monroe (center right), shown in Reagle Music Theatre's "The Little Mermaid," both made big impressions with their versatility on Boston-area stages.

THE YEAR IN ARTS

For these actors, change was a constant in 2023

It was a year rife with reminders that versatility is a key theater skill.

Paul Taylor Dance Company performs 'Somewhere in the Middle'

THE YEAR IN ARTS

Jeffrey Gantz’s 10 best dance performances of 2023

Ranging from the classic to the digitally inspired, this year's dance offerings ranged widely.

Helen Banach (left) and Will Sylvester of the Hank Willis Thomas Studio visited “The Embrace” on Boston Common.

THE YEAR IN ARTS

Five art experiences that resonated in 2023

The Globe’s art critic singles out the experiences that stick with him as the year ends.

“Black Tie” is a painting by Robert T. Freeman.

‘She’s got it right’: Healey hangs two MFA paintings by Black artists in her State House office

The paintings, “Black Tie” by Robert T. Freeman and “At the Tremont Street Car Barns” by Allan Rohan Crite, depict Black Americans in society in earlier decades.

Documentaries

Photographer Evgeniy Maloletka picks his way through the aftermath of a Russian attack in Mariupol, Ukraine, Feb. 24, 2022. Still from "Frontline" PBS and AP’s feature film "20 Days in Mariupol."

‘20 Days in Mariupol’ captures the devastating early days of the war in Ukraine

AP journalist and filmmaker Mstyslav Chernov’s early 2022 footage is the basis of a new documentary on PBS.

Pastor Seungeun Kim, left, and Soyeon Lee are featured in the documentary "Beyond Utopia," which traces the journeys of North Korean defectors.

‘Beyond Utopia’: a documentary that takes viewers on an escape from North Korea

The film, which has collected a variety of festival awards this year, screens Saturday at the Brattle as part of the GlobeDocs Film Festival.

Fifteen documentary features and 13 shorts make up this year’s GlobeDocs Film Festival, now in its ninth year.

‘Journalistic eye’ guides GlobeDocs Film Festival, now in its ninth year

This year’s slate includes true stories of Black space pioneers, victims of deepfake porn, and the first female Episcopal priests. Plus: Errol Morris’s portrait of a certain British spy novelist.

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MORE RECENT ARTS HEADLINES

THE YEAR IN ARTS

Dancers onstage during rehearsal of Nanine Linning's environment-themed "La Mer" for Boston Ballet in April.

Social issues, climate change, and even humor showed up on dance stages this year

Globe dance critic Jeffrey Gantz surveys 2023's dance offerings on Boston stages and at Jacob's Pillow. 9:05 a.m.

Architecture

Proposed design for West End branch of the Boston Public Library from Beacon Communities & Caribbean Integration Community Development with Davis Square Architects & NEI.

Eight high-profile teams compete to design West End library, complete with affordable housing

A design competition for a new building for the BPL’s West End branch is a reminder of how much libraries have changed and how important they remain. 7:27 a.m.

RI ARTS

Choreographer yaTande Whitney V. Hunter, left, director Stephen Thorne, center, and assistant director Gia Yarn, right, at work on Trinity Rep's 47th annual "A Christmas Carol" in Providence.

Trinity Rep reimagines Charles Dickens’ holiday classic ‘A Christmas Carol’

With a middle-aged Scrooge and several neurodivergent actors, director Stephen Thorne says this year's show “opens up opportunities for people to see themselves and their direct experience." 6:00 a.m.

NEW ENGLAND LITERARY NEWS

Left: An new oral history tells the life and times of the Andover Shop's iconic Charlie Davidson. Right: Local Black Ocean press recently published a new collection from Korean poet Ha Jaeyoun.

New book offers glimpse of history behind Cambridge’s Andover Shop; launch celebration for poet David Ferry’s posthumous collection on Dec. 13; local press publishes contemporary Korean poetry series

A weekly roundup of literary news from around the region. 5:30 a.m.

BOOKINGS

A posthumous book launch for David Ferry (pictured) with readings by Dan Chiasson, George Kalogeris, and Alan Shapiro will be held Wednesday.

Author readings around Boston through Dec. 16

Patricia Cornwell, Tatiana Johnson-Boria, Rachel DeWoskin, Robert Pinsky, and Kirun Kapur are among those appearing at local bookstores this week. All author appearances are in person and free unless otherwise noted. 5:15 a.m.

BOOKS

Local bestsellers for the week ended Dec. 3

Based on reporting from the independent booksellers of the New England Independent Booksellers Association and IndieBound. 5:00 a.m.

Coral Reefer Band members Peter and Jim Mayer will reunite onstage for the first time since the death of Jimmy Buffett (above) for a benefit concert in Cambridge Saturday.

Coral Reefer Band members honor Jimmy Buffett ahead of Christmas benefit concert in Cambridge

Peter and Jim Mayer will perform on stage together for the first time since Buffett’s death at the upcoming show. 5:45 p.m.

Satya Chávez (left) and Lucy Gondínez rehearse a scene from "Real Women Have Curves: The Musical." Gondínez plays Ana, the strong-willed teen at the center of the story.

Latina women command center stage in ART’s ‘Real Women Have Curves’

The new musical, adapted from the play and film of the same name, is receiving its world premiere in Cambridge. 5:24 p.m.

‘She’s got it right’: Healey hangs two MFA paintings by Black artists in her State House office

Brian Cox as Logan Roy in "Succession." After four seasons, the HBO series went out on top in 2023.

In 2023, a farewell to some of TV’s best shows, and the first glimpse of less glut

Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri in "The Bear."

Matthew Gilbert’s top 10 TV shows of 2023

Simona Di Nepi, Curator of Judaica at the Museum of Fine Arts, in the museum's newly opened Judaica gallery. "Intentional Beauty: Jewish Ritual Art from the Collection," its inaugural display, opens Thursday, Dec. 7.

MFA opens its new Judaica gallery as Hanukkah begins

Kodak Black arrives at the MTV Video Music Awards at The Forum, Aug. 27, 2017, in Inglewood, Calif. The rapper was arrested again in South Florida on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, this time on a cocaine possession and other charges, according to jail records.

Rapper Kodak Black is arrested on cocaine charges in South Florida

Rapper Kodak Black has been arrested again in South Florida, this time on charges of possessing cocaine, jail records show. 2:34 p.m.

Odie Henderson | ★★★

Thomasin McKenzie and Anne Hathaway in "Eileen."

‘Eileen’: Fear and loathing in Massachusetts

Thomasin McKenzie and a blond Anne Hathaway star in this icy adaptation of Ottessa Moshfegh’s debut novel. 2:21 p.m.

Andrea Bocelli, the 65-year-old Italian tenor, rescheduled his TD Garden show scheduled for Wednesday night.

Andrea Bocelli postpones TD Garden performance just before show, citing ‘health challenges’

TD Garden said in a social media post on Wednesday evening that the 65-year-old Italian tenor's performance “has been rescheduled due to health challenges.” 1:52 p.m.

BOOK REVIEW

For the pilgrims of Gabriel Bump’s ‘The New Naturals,’ change is the only constant

Refugees from tragedy, seeking to mend their grief, flock to a Western Mass.-based utopian community, and find themselves in neither heaven nor hell 1:34 p.m.

Mikaela Bartels, board president of Longwood Chorus and a certified child life specialist at Boston Children’s Hospital, sings at choir practice Nov. 7 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brookline.

Longwood Chorus, made up of health care professionals, bridges music and medicine

The chorus will bring Benjamin Britten’s "A Ceremony of Carols," Anna Lapwood’s "O Nata Lux," and more to Brookline on Dec. 9. 1:23 p.m.

TV CRITIC'S CORNER

From left: Jean Stapleton, Carroll O'Connor, Sally Struthers, and Rob Reiner in "All in the Family."

Norman Lear’s ‘All in the Family’ remains watchable — and topical

Lear's death this week brought to mind the ultimate winner in last year's Globe bracket competition for the best TV series of the past 50 years. 1:03 p.m.

Glenn Jordan (left) and Dan Marfisi posed together after discovering their country song was the subject of a search on social media by "X-Files" fans.

The truth was out there: Internet sleuths identify lost ‘X-Files’ song, solving a 25-year mystery

Lauren Ancona's idle curiosity led the Internet to solve a decades-old mystery and recognize the forgotten work of a pair of veteran composers who were shocked and delighted to see they'd earned a bit of online fame. 11:02 a.m.

Author Barbara Kingsolver at the 2023 Women's Prize For Fiction Winner's ceremony in London.

When your favorite writers can’t sustain your fickle heart

As a child, I was a completist. Now even Barbara Kingsolver can’t keep me. 10:37 a.m.

Holiday events in N.H. this weekend: Santa via helicopter, Hanukkah ‘Latkepalooza,’ and more

THE YEAR IN ARTSMatthew Gilbert’s top 10 TV shows of 2023"Succession" and "The Bear" lead the way.

THE YEAR IN ARTSIn 2023, a farewell to some of TV’s best shows, and the first glimpse of less glutGone are "Succession," "Ted Lasso," "Reservation Dogs," "The Great," and soon, "The Crown." All went out on top. The good news for oversubscribed viewers: The too-much-TV era may be past its peak.

THE YEAR IN ARTSDon Aucoin’s top 10 theater productions of 2023The year's best include "The Band's Visit," "How I Learned to Drive," and "K-I-S-S-I-N-G."

10 TV specials for some merry holiday viewing

Maura Johnston’s top 10 concerts of 2023

For pop music fans in 2023, live shows answered a need to connect

For these actors, change was a constant in 2023

Jeffrey Gantz’s 10 best dance performances of 2023

Five art experiences that resonated in 2023

‘She’s got it right’: Healey hangs two MFA paintings by Black artists in her State House office

‘20 Days in Mariupol’ captures the devastating early days of the war in Ukraine

‘Beyond Utopia’: a documentary that takes viewers on an escape from North Korea

‘Journalistic eye’ guides GlobeDocs Film Festival, now in its ninth year

FROM OUR PARTNERS

MORE RECENT ARTS HEADLINES

Social issues, climate change, and even humor showed up on dance stages this year

Eight high-profile teams compete to design West End library, complete with affordable housing

Trinity Rep reimagines Charles Dickens’ holiday classic ‘A Christmas Carol’

New book offers glimpse of history behind Cambridge’s Andover Shop; launch celebration for poet David Ferry’s posthumous collection on Dec. 13; local press publishes contemporary Korean poetry series

Author readings around Boston through Dec. 16

Local bestsellers for the week ended Dec. 3

Coral Reefer Band members honor Jimmy Buffett ahead of Christmas benefit concert in Cambridge

Latina women command center stage in ART’s ‘Real Women Have Curves’

most read

‘She’s got it right’: Healey hangs two MFA paintings by Black artists in her State House office

In 2023, a farewell to some of TV’s best shows, and the first glimpse of less glut

Matthew Gilbert’s top 10 TV shows of 2023

MFA opens its new Judaica gallery as Hanukkah begins

Rapper Kodak Black is arrested on cocaine charges in South Florida

‘Eileen’: Fear and loathing in Massachusetts

Andrea Bocelli postpones TD Garden performance just before show, citing ‘health challenges’

For the pilgrims of Gabriel Bump’s ‘The New Naturals,’ change is the only constant

Longwood Chorus, made up of health care professionals, bridges music and medicine

Norman Lear’s ‘All in the Family’ remains watchable — and topical

The truth was out there: Internet sleuths identify lost ‘X-Files’ song, solving a 25-year mystery

When your favorite writers can’t sustain your fickle heart

THE YEAR IN ARTS
Matthew Gilbert’s top 10 TV shows of 2023
"Succession" and "The Bear" lead the way.

THE YEAR IN ARTS
In 2023, a farewell to some of TV’s best shows, and the first glimpse of less glut
Gone are "Succession," "Ted Lasso," "Reservation Dogs," "The Great," and soon, "The Crown." All went out on top. The good news for oversubscribed viewers: The too-much-TV era may be past its peak.

THE YEAR IN ARTS
Don Aucoin’s top 10 theater productions of 2023
The year's best include "The Band's Visit," "How I Learned to Drive," and "K-I-S-S-I-N-G."