Continuing The Metropolitan Opera’s annual tradition, the Family Holiday Festival will be available as a digital experience. While in previous years, this annual favorite event was at the historic opera at Lincoln Center. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Met is bringing everything online for a free, all-virtual experience across five days.
The Family Holiday Festival will run Dec. 17 through Dec. 21, 2020. Among the highlights for the whole family is a free stream of the holiday favorite Hansel and Gretel, a wickedly entertaining adaptation of the classic fairy tale. Complementing this is a lineup of online events to celebrate the season, including arts and crafts, composing carols, a dance party, and a special Hansel and Gretel-inspired baking class (Deep Dark Fudgy Brownies) featuring NY Times writer Melissa Clark and opera star Anthony Roth Costanzo.
The family-friendly opera has inspired a lineup of online events to celebrate the season, including arts and crafts, baking, and composing carols. The opera stream and event information can be found at metopera.org/family.
Below is the schedule for the Met’s virtual Family Holiday Festival.
Thurs., Dec. 17 at 5:00pm ET through Mon., Dec. 21 at 5 p.m. ET – Free Stream of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel
Thurs., Dec. 17 at 1 p.m. ET – Getting to Know Hansel and Gretel
Learn about Humperdinck’s operatic interpretation of this classic story with music educator Timothy Brendler.
Fri., Dec. 18 at 1 p.m. ET – Feeling Crafty
Professional clown Stephanie Sine will lead families in a special craft inspired by Hansel and Gretel’s adventure into the woods.
Sat., Dec.19 at 11 a.m. ET – Kid in the Holiday Kitchen
New York Times food writer Melissa Clark and countertenor (and avid baker) Anthony Roth Costanzo will guide families in baking Deep Dark Fudgy Brownies, a recipe from Clark’s new cookbook, Kid in the Kitchen.
Sun., Dec. 20 at 1 p.m. ET – Creative Carols Actor and songwriter Joel Waggoner will lead a session on how to compose music and write lyrics for carols that are inspired by our own holiday traditions.
Mon., Dec. 21 at 1 p.m. ET – Solstice Songs
To celebrate the Winter Solstice, musician and educator Goussy Célestin will share how music and stories have helped us understand the passage of time.
Mon., Dec. 21 at 2 p.m. ET – Solstice Dance Party
The festival concludes with a dance party and holiday celebration for the entire family via Zoom.
For more information about the Met’s virtual Family Holiday Festival, visit metopera.org/family.
—Jennifer Swartvagher
Featured photo: Alev Takil on Unsplash
RELATED STORIES
Target’s Hottest Holiday Toy List Is Here & Cue the Shopping
Sam’s Club Invites You to the “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” Shopping Experience