♪ >>> COMING UP ON "NYC ARTS," A VISIT TO THE MORGAN LIBRARY AND MUSEUM AND THE EXHIBITION HOLBEIN CAPTURING CHARACTER, IN WHICH THE ARTIST'S PORTRAITS OFFER INSIGHTS INTO THE UNIQUE PERSONALITIES OF HIS SUBJECTS.

>> YOU ENCOUNTER PEOPLE WHO FEEL LIKE LIVING FLESH AND BLOOD.

SO, WE ALSO LEARN A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THE STATUS, THE ASPIRATIONS, THE ACTIVITIES OF THE SITTER.

HOLBEIN IS VERY ATTENTIVE TO RINGS, TO CRESTS, TO SYMBOLS, TO DEVICES.

AND HE INTRODUCES THEM WHEREVER HE CAN.

>>> AND A PROFILE OF THE METROPOLITAN UPRIGHT CHORUS, WHOSE COLLECTIVE VOICE BRINGS CAPTIVATING STAR POWER TO THE STAGE.

>> WE TRY TO PRESENT OURSELVES AS ONE CHARACTER IN ANY GIVEN OPERA, BUT WE ARE COMPOSED OF 80 INDIVIDUALS.

WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO CREATE A CHARACTER AS A CHORUS BY OUR MUSICAL EXPRESSION OF THE SCORE.

>>> FUNDING FOR "NYC ARTS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THEA PETSCHEK IERVOLINO FOUNDATION.

THE LEWIS "SONNY" TURNER FUND FOR DANCE.

THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD.

ELISE JAFFE AND JEFFREY BROWN.

CHARLES AND VALERIE DIKER.

THE NANCY SIDEWATER FOUNDATION.

THE MILTON AND SALLY AVERY ARTS FOUNDATION.

ELROY AND TERRY KRUMHOLZ FOUNDATION.

AND ELLEN AND JAMES S. MARCUS.

THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY PUBLIC FUNDS FROM THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY MEMBERS OF THIRTEEN.

"NYC ARTS" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY -- >>> FIRST REPUBLIC BANK PRESENTS "FIRST THINGS FIRST."

AT FIRST REPUBLIC BANK, FIRST REFERS TO OUR FIRST PRIORITY, THE CLIENTS WHO WALK THROUGH OUR DOORS.

THE FIRST STEP?

RECOGNIZE THAT EVERY CLIENT IS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH UNIQUE NEEDS.

FIRST DECREE, BE A BANK WHOSE CURRENCY IS SERVICE IN THE FORM OF PERSONAL BANKING.

THIS WAS FIRST REPUBLIC'S MISSION FROM OUR VERY FIRST DAY.

IT'S STILL THE FIRST THING ON OUR MINDS.

>>> AND BY -- >> SWANN AUCTION GALLERIES.

WE HAVE A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT AUCTIONS.

OFFERING VINTAGE BOOKS AND FINE ARTS SINCE 1941.

WORKING TO COMBINE KNOWLEDGE WITH ACCESSIBILITY.

WHETHER YOU'RE A LIFELONG COLLECTOR, A FIRST TIME BUYER, OR LOOKING TO SELL.

INFORMATION AT SWANNGALLERIES.COM.

♪ ♪ >>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "NYC ARTS."

I'M MONTEBELLO ON LOCATION AT THE JEWISH LOCATION, LOCATED AT 5th AVENUE AND 92nd STREET ON NEW YORK'S FAMED NEW YORK MILE.

IT IS A DESTINATION FOR ART AND JEWISH CULTURE FOR PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS.

FOUNDED IN 1904, THE MUSEUM WAS THE FIRST INSTITUTION OF ITS KIND IN THE UNITED STATES AND IS ONE OF THE OLDEST JEWISH MUSEUMS IN THE WORLD.

DEVOTED TO EXPLORING ART AND JEWISH CULTURE FROM ANCIENT TO CONTEMPORARY, THE MUSEUM OFFERS EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMS FOR VISITORS OF ALL AGES.

IT ALSO MAINTAINS A UNIQUE COLLECTION OF NEARLY 30,000 WORKS OF ART, CEREMONIAL OBJECTS, AND MEDIA, REFLECTING THE GLOBAL JEWISH EXPERIENCE OF MORE THAN 4,000 YEARS.

IN ADDITION TO SELECTIONS FROM ITS PERMANENT COLLECTION, SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS ARE FREQUENTLY ON VIEW.

THE HAIR WITH AMBER EYES.

HERE IN THE SECOND FLOOR GALLERIES TELLS THE STORY OF THE FAMILY, ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT JEWISH FAMILIES IN EUROPE IN THE 19th AND EARLY 20th CENTURIES.

THE EXHIBITION FOLLOWS THEM OVER GENERATIONS FROM PARIS TO VIENNA AND ACROSS CONTINENTS.

AS THE FAMILY'S WEALTH GREW, ALONG WITH THEIR SOCIAL STATUS, THEY BUILT A DISTINGUISHED COLLECTION OF PAINTINGS AND DECORATIVE ARTS.

INCLUDED WERE PAINTINGS BY SUCH ARTISTS AS CLAUDE MONET AND OTHERS.

THE FAMILY ALSO BECAME A TARGET OF ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE PERIOD LEADING UP TO WORLD WAR II.

THEY WENT INTO EXILE, LOSING BOTH THEIR FORTUNE AND COLLECTIONS TO NAZI LOOTING.

AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO RECOVER MUCH OF THEIR PROPERTY AFTER THE WAR.

FORTUNATELY, PART OF THEIR DECORATIVE ARTS COLLECTION IS NOW IN THE HANDS OF EDMUND VAN, AUTHOR OF THE MEMOIR "THE HAIR WITH AMBER EYES."

HE IS THE MOST RECENT MEMBER OF THE FAMILY TO INHERIT THE COLLECTION, AND A LENDER TO THIS EXHIBITION.

"THE HAIR WITH AMBER EYES," IS ALSO THE NAME GIVEN TO ONE OF THE OBJECTS IN THE COLLECTION OF JAPANESE NESKE, ONE OF 168 MINIATURE CARVED SCULPTURES FROM THE EDO PERIOD THAT ARE ON VIEW HERE.

HANDED DOWN THROUGH GENERATIONS, IT SERVES AS POIGNANT CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE PAST AND PRESENT.

ON OUR PROGRAM TONIGHT, WE VISIT THE MORGAN LIBRARY AND MUSEUM FOR A LOOK AT THE EXHIBITION, "HOLBEIN: CAPTURING CHARACTER."

HANS HOLBEIN THE YOUNGER WAS AMONG THE MOST SKILLED, VERSATILE, AND INVENTIVE ARTISTS OF THE EARLY 1500s.

HE COMPLETED CAPTIVATING PORTRAITS OF SCHOLARS IN SWITZERLAND AND LATER ENGLAND.

HOLBEIN'S PORTRAITS OFFER INSIGHTS INTO HIS SUBJECTS' UNIQUE PERSONALITIES WITH PROPS SUCH AS ANIMALS, LETTERS, AND BOOKS.

THE EXHIBITION ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE ARTIST'S WORK AS A DESIGNER OF PRINTS AND EVEN JEWELS.

>> I'M DIRECTOR OF THE MORGAN LIBRARY AND MUSEUM IN NEW YORK.

AND WELCOME TO HANS HOLBEIN, CAPTURED CHARACTER, HOLBEIN'S CAREER IN EVERY AREA OF PRODUCTION.

HOLBEIN IS BELOVED AND IN A WAY WELL KNOWN IN PART BECAUSE OF A GENERAL INTEREST IN HIM, THOMAS CROMWELL, THOMAS MOORE.

BUT HIS ART IS HARD TO SEE ON THE WALLS.

THERE'S ONE DRAWING BY HOLBEIN IN AMERICAN COLLECTION.

IT'S HERE IN THIS EXHIBITION.

FOUR YEARS AGO, THE GETTY AND THE MORGAN WANTED TO ORGANIZE A SHOW AROUND HOLBEIN TO GIVE AN IDEA OF HIS MARVELOUS PORTRAITS IN OIL AND ON PAPER BUT ALSO A SENSE OF HIS ENGAGEMENT IN THE REFORMATION, HIS RELATIONSHIPS WITH ERASMUS, WITH THOMAS MOORE, AND ALSO HIS WORK AS A MAKER OF IMAGES FOR THE PRINT TRADE AND FOR THE BOOK TRADE.

THE MORGAN, OF COURSE, IS THE MORGAN LIBRARY AND MUSEUM, IN A WAY WAS THE IDEAL PLACE FOR THE CONJUNCTION TO TAKE PLACE.

HOLBEIN HAD A TRUE GIFT FOR DESIGN OF ORNAMENTAL DECORATIVE OBJECTS.

THIS IS A PART OF HIS WORK THAT IS OTHERWISE REALLY NOT VERY WELL KNOWN.

ONE OF THE GREAT PLEASURES OF THIS EXHIBITION IS BEING ABLE TO, IN A WAY, GO SMALL SCALE BECAUSE SO MANY OF HOLBEINS EARLY ENGRAVINGS, DESIGNS FOR BOOKPLATES, JEWELRY, HAT BADGES, WERE TINY IN SIZE.

HA HANS HOLBEIN WAS BORN IN GERMANY, MOVES TO BASEL AS A 20-YEAR-OLD.

THERE HE WILL MEET ERASMUS, WHO IS THE CELEBRITY, INTELLECTUAL, HUMANIST PHILOSOPHER.

AND THROUGH ERASMUS' PATRONAGE, HE WILL BE INTRODUCED TO CLIENTS IN LONDON.

THE EARLY REFORMATION, BEGINNINGS OF PROTESTANTISM.

IN GERMANY IT WAS CALLED A STORM AGAINST PAINTING AND ART.

MAYBE HOLBEIN SEES THE WRITING ON THE WALLS, BECAUSE HE GOES BACK TO ENGLAND IN 1532 AND WILL REMAIN THERE THE REST OF HIS LIFE.

IN THAT DECADE, HE BECOMES THE GREATEST ARTIST IN HENRY VIII'S COURT.

HIS REPUTATION IS ENORMOUS, AND BASICALLY HE ELEVATES THE ART IN ENGLAND IN EVERY AREA.

THE MOST CURSORY VISIT TO THE EXHIBITION, YOU ENCOUNTER PEOPLE WHO FEEL LIKE LIVING FLESH AND BLOOD.

YOU HAVE THEIR CHARACTER.

YOU FEEL THAT THEY ARE LIVING.

THIS IS EXTRAORDINARY NATURALISM, VERY SIMILAR TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF CREATIVITY.

BUT IT'S BASED ON THE RENAISSANCE IDEAS OF A RETURN TO THE CLASSICAL WORLD, AN ENGAGEMENT WITH HUMANISM, AND UNDERSTANDING OF WORKS OF ART, PORTRAYING, IN A WAY, MESSAGES ON MANY LEVELS.

SO, WE ALSO LEARN A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THE STATUS, THE ASPIRATIONS, THE ACTIVITIES OF THE SITTER.

WHEN WE LOOK AT SIMON GEORGE, WHICH HAS BEEN CLEANED FOR THIS EXHIBITION.

NO ONE HAS SEEN IT BEFORE LOOKING SO BEAUTIFUL.

HE'S GIVEN SOME CLUES.

HE'S HOLDING A CARNATION, A FLOWER.

IS THAT A FLOWER OF LOVE?

WE LOOK AT HIS HAT BADGE.

LOOK HARD.

IT'S NOT EASY TO SEE, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY THE MYTHOLOGICAL STORY OF LEDA BEING RAVISHED BY JUPITER IN THE FORM OF A SWAN.

WHAT IS THAT TELLING US?

IS THIS A LOVE IMAGE?

SOME HISTORIANS HAVE THOUGHT THE CARNATION REPRESENTS THINKING ABOUT THE CRUCIFIXION AND THE BLOOD OF CHRIST.

IS THAT POSSIBLE?

WE DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW.

BUT THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS WE CAN ASK.

SO, THIS IS HOW HOLBEIN CAN TEASE OUT A STORY TO US AND MAKES THESE PICTURES REALLY INTERESTING AND REALLY PROFOUND.

ONE OF THE GREAT LOANS IN THE EXHIBITION FROM THE NATIONAL GALLERY IN LONDON WAS FOR A LONG TIME KNOWN AS "WOMAN WITH A SQUIRREL."

RESEARCH INTO THIS FAMILY INDICATED THAT THE COAT OF ARMS FOR THIS FAMILY WAS A SQUIRREL.

AND THE ESTATE WAS IN A PLACE CALLED EAST HARLING AND THE BIRD, AS A STARLING.

THESE ARE TWO CLUES.

AND THOSE SORT OF DISCOVERIES, THEY DON'T -- THEY DON'T ADD, IN A WAY, TO THE BEAUTY AND THE GORGEOUSNESS OF THE PAINTING, BUT THEY SUDDENLY BRING AN IDENTITY AND A WORLD INTO THE PICTURE.

HOLBEIN IS VERY ATTENTIVE TO RINGS, TO CRESTS, TO SYMBOLS, TO DEVICES, AND HE INTRODUCES THEM WHEREVER HE CAN.

IDENTITY IS THEREFORE CREATED AT DIFFERENT LEVELS IN SOCIETY.

SOME OF HIS MOST BEAUTIFUL PORTRAITS ARE OF PEOPLE WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT.

HIS EXPERTISE IS SUCH THAT HE CAN WEAVE IDEAS AND MOTIFS, CLASSICAL MOTIFS, AROUND ANY SUBJECT THAT IS ON OFFER TO HIM WITH THE SAME SKILL.

EVERY GENERATION DESERVES ITS OPPORTUNITY TO SEE GREAT ARTISTS ANEW.

THIS IS THE FIRST HOLBEIN SHOWN IN ABOUT 40 YEARS.

THIS, IN A WAY, IF I MAY SAY, MORE AMBITIOUS BECAUSE WE SEE HOLBEIN IN MORE ASPECTS AND ALSO JUST TO BE ABLE TO BE SO CLOSE TO SOME OF THESE EXTRAORDINARY MASTER WORKS FROM MUSEUMS IN EUROPE AND AMERICA.

IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY THAT I THINK EVERYONE WILL ENJOY AND WILL COME AWAY EXCITED ABOUT.

♪ >>> NOW A VISIT BEHIND THE SCENES AT NEW YORK CITY'S WORLD RENOWNED METROPOLITAN OPERA.

HERE, DOZENS OF OPERA'S MOST TALENTED SINGERS HAVE GRACED THE STAGE, DAZZLING US WITH UNPARALLELED ARTISTRY.

THE MET IS NOW WINDING DOWN ITS '21-'22 SEASON, BUT STILL HAS PLENTY TO OFFER, INCLUDING TWO NEW PRODUCTIONS.

-- IN A NEW PRODUCTION BY SIMON STONE.

AND THE MET PREMIERE IN MAY OF COMPOSER BRETT DEAN'S CONTEMPORARY OPERA.

THE SEASON, WHICH ENDS ON JUNE 11th, ALSO HAS SOME AUDIENCES' FAVORITES IN ITS LINEUP.

THEY INCLUDE "MADAM BUTTERFLY," -- THE MET'S 2019 SOLD OUT PRODUCTION ALSO RETURNS FOR A FEW PERFORMANCES AS WELL AS STRA VIN SKI'S RARELY PERFORMED "THE RAKES PROGRESS."

EACH MET OPERA PRODUCTION HAS A UNIQUE AND CAPTIVATING POWER.

HOWEVER, ONE VOICE LESS HERALDED IS HEARD IN EVERY PRODUCTION.

IT IS THE COLLECTIVE VOICE OF THE METROPOLITAN OPERA CHORUS.

♪ THEIR LEADER IS CELEBRATED CHORUS MASTER DONALD PALUMBO.

HE SPENDS TIME WITH HIS CHORUS PERFECTING THE MUSICAL EXPRESSION OF THE SCORES.

HERE'S A LOOK BACK AT THEIR RIGOROUS PREPARATIONS TO PERFORM ON THE MAIN STAGE.

♪ ♪ >> THE CHORUS AT THE MET IS AN INTERESTING COMPONENT IN EVERY OPERA BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BE SO FLEXIBLE.

WE TRY TO PRESENT OURSELVES AS ONE CHARACTER IN ANY GIVEN OPERA, BUT WE ARE -- WE'RE COMPOSED OF 80 INDIVIDUALS.

AND SO, MY JOB IS TO CONTROL THE MUSICAL ASPECT OF THE CHORUS' PRESENTATION.

I TRY TO GET THE SOUND TO BE UNIFIED AND TO COME ACROSS AS A CERTAIN CHARACTER.

HERE IN LIST HALL, WE WORK ON OUR SOUND.

WE WORK ON OUR DICTION.

WE WORK ON PHRASING.

WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO CREATE A CHARACTER AS A CHORUS BY OUR MUSICAL EXPRESSION OF THE SCORE.

AND ONCE EVERYONE IN THE CHORUS KNOWS THIS, IT SORT OF FREES US.

A NEW CHORUS AT THE MET IS USUALLY FACED WITH A CHALLENGE OF DECIDING, WOAH, I CAN'T MEMORIZE 24 OPERAS IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS OR THREE WEEKS.

>> IN MY FIRST YEAR, I WAS QUITE SURPRISED TO SEE MY 23 OPERAS I WAS IN FOR THE SEASON BEING ROLLED IN ON A DOLLY TO MY DESK AND EVERYONE WISHING ME LUCK.

AND IT WAS -- IT WAS QUITE -- IT GETS EASIER AS THE YEARS GO ON OBVIOUSLY.

YOU DEVELOP A REPERTOIRE.

BUT, YEAH, IT TAKES THREE TO FOUR TO FIVE YEARS TO REALLY SETTLE IN.

>> WE NEED TO REHEARSE IT IN LONG GESTURES, THE ENTIRE PHRASE, EVEN THE ENTIRE PIECE TO GET A REAL SENSE OF THE STRUCTURE AND THE MUSICAL VALUE OF THE PARTICULAR SEGMENT.

>> NOW, IT'S THE COLOR OF THIS CHORD.

♪ >> AT THE END OF THE SCENE, IT'S ALL ABOUT SINGING SOFTLY BUT SINGING WITH TELLING TAKE HEART, TAKE HEART, WE'RE HERE FOR YOU.

AND YOU CAN'T DO THAT IN THAT ENSEMBLE BY SINGING LOUDLY.

YOU HAVE TO DO IT BY SINGING INTENTLY, WITH PURPOSE AND DIRECTION TO THE TONE.

♪ >> REMEMBER WITH THIS, YOU'RE INTRODUCING TRAF YOTA TO PEOPLE.

>> WE DON'T HAVE INDIVIDUAL LINES.

WE HAVE ONE COMMUNAL EXPRESSION.

♪ ♪ >> YOU REALLY HAVE TO GO BAR BY BAR, ALMOST NOTE BY NOTE TO MAKE SURE THE ACCURACY IS THERE BEFORE YOU CAN EVEN BEGIN TO RUN THE SECTION.

THERE'S ONE SECTION THAT WE WERE REHEARSING, AND IT BASICALLY LASTS ABOUT 30 SECONDS.

IT TAKES, I WOULD SAY, AT LEAST AN HOUR ON SINGING THAT LITTLE SEGMENT TO GET COMFORTABLE AND SECURE.

>> WE'RE GOING TO PUT THE LAST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE TOGETHER.

THIS IS THE LAST LITTLE SEGMENT.

ONE, TWO, OFF.

♪ >> WOAH, WOAH, WOAH.

ALTOS, ALTOS, ALTOS, ALTOS, ALTOS.

ALTOS.

BASSES, CAN YOU PLEASE COME IN STRONGER ON YOUR D NATURAL?

THAT SHOULD BE SECOND.

ONCE MORE, PLEASE.

>> IT'S GOING TO BE A BIT OF A CHALLENGE.

IT'S REALLY ANGULAR MUSIC.

IT'S NOT ALWAYS PRETTY.

A LOT OF GERMAN TEXT.

IT'S HARD TO CHEW ON SOMETIMES.

BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A NEAT PRODUCTION I KNOW ALREADY.

>> IT'S BEEN AN INTERESTING JOURNEY COMING FROM THE BACKGROUND AS A SOLOIST AND LEARNING TO INCORPORATE MY VOICE MORE AND BLEND MORE AND JUST FIND MY WAY AS A CHORUSER.

>> YOU'RE PUTTING IN THE EXTRA.

MENTION -- THERE IT IS.

>> OKAY.

I FEEL -- >> NO, NO, NO.

>> IT'S DRIVING ME CRAZY.

I'M NOT GOING TO DO THIS.

Y'ALL DOING THAT.

IT'S NOT WHAT I SEE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> NO PROBLEM.

♪ >> IT MAY SEEM LIKE WE'RE GATHERED TOGETHER IN A GROUP HUDDLE HERE IN LIST HALL, BUT THEN WE GO OUT AND WE PLAY THE GAME.

IF THE HUDDLE IS INTENSE, USUALLY THE RESULTS IN THE GAME ARE POWERFUL.

♪ >> I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER SCENE TO START THE OPERA SEASON WITH THAN DOING "THE WITCHES OF MACBETH" WITH YOU.

>> SOMETIMES DIRECTORS COME IN AND THEY THINK, OH, I'VE GOT 80 PEOPLE.

I NEED TO MOVE THEM AS A BLOCK.

WE NEED TO KEEP THE SOPRANOS TOGETHER.

WE NEED TO KEEP THE TENORS TOGETHER.

AND IT'S NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL.

THIS GROUP CAN FUNCTION AS INDIVIDUALS.

AND IT'S SO GREAT TO WORK WITH PEOPLE LIKE GINA WHO KNOW US AS INDIVIDUALS AND IMMEDIATELY SHE CAN FIND WAYS TO MAKE EVERYBODY BRING THEIR BEST.

>> GOOD.

WHAT WE HAVE TO SEE IS THREE WITCHES IN MACBETH.

SO, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP YOUR GROUP SEPARATE HERE.

WE WANT TO KEEP A DEFINED GROUP.

AND YOUR GROUP WILL BE ABLE TO COME MORE FROM AN ANGLE.

AND YOUR GROUP WILL BE ABLE TO COME MORE FROM AN ANGLE.

>> OF COURSE MACBETH THE PLAY, WE HAVE THREE INDIVIDUALS BUT EACH INDIVIDUAL IS MADE UP OF ABOUT 14 OR 15 WOMEN.

AND TO GET 15 WOMEN TO ARTICULATE A VERY EARTH SHATTERING PROPHECY TO MACBETH IN A VERY CONFIDENT, UNIFIED FASHION TAKES A LOT OF WORK.

AND IT'S THE FIRST SCENE OF THE OPERA.

YOU'RE SORT OF GETTING GOING VOCALLY FOR THE EVENING.

AND IT'S A QUESTION OF THE WITCHES AT THE BEGINNING OF MACBETH HAVE TO BE TURNED ON IMMEDIATELY WHEN THEY MAKE THAT FIRST DESCENT FROM THE TOP OF THE FOREST AND COME RUNNING DOWN THE STAGE.

♪ >> WE'RE IN ENSEMBLE AND IT'S ABOUT GETTING OUR SOUND REFINED.

AND SO SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO STEP BACK FROM TRYING TO BE A SOLOIST KIND OF THING.

YOU NEED TO BE WITH THE GROUP.

>> THE MET CHORUS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST CHORUSES IN THE WORLD.

AND THEY'RE THE CHORUS THAT I KIND OF GREW UP WITH.

THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ROLES I'VE EVER SUNG.

NOT ONLY ARE THEY SUPPORTIVE EMOTIONALLY.

THEY LITERALLY SUPPORT ME.

THEY HELP ME GET UP ON TABLES, HOLD MY HAND, HELP ME GET DOWN.

SO, I FEEL REALLY COMFORTABLE WITH THEM AND GRATEFUL THAT THEY'RE HERE WITH ME.

♪ >> WE WILL PROBABLY RUN THE ENTIRE SCENE ONCE JUST SO EVERYBODY GETS A SENSE OF THE FLOW OF THE SCENE.

AND THEN PROBABLY STOP, GO BACK, AND DO AS MUCH NITPICKING AS WE HAVE TIME FOR.

>> LET'S GO.

JUST RELEASE LONG NOTES.

>> I LOVE THE NITPICKING PART.

IT SHOULD BE A LOT OF FUN.

IT SHOULD BE NOISY.

IT SHOULD BE CHAOTIC.

AND YET STILL STRUCTURED MUSICALLY.

THAT'S ALWAYS THE DIFFICULTY WITH THESE PARTY SCENES.

THEY HAVE TO SOUND LIKE EVERYBODY'S HAVING A GRAND OLD TIME AND EVERYTHING'S VERY SPONTANEOUS.

BUT IT REALLY ISN'T.

IT'S ALL VERY CONTROLLED AND VERY, VERY STRUCTURED MUSICALLY.

I THINK IF YOU WERE COMING TO THE MET AND WANTED TO SEE WHAT THE CHORUS IS ABOUT, YOU SHOULD COME TO BUTTERFLY, "MADAM BUTTERFLY," AND WATCH THE ENTRANCE OF BUTTERFLY IN THIS PRODUCTION WHERE THE ENTIRE GROUP OF GEISHAS APPEAR MAGICALLY COMING UP FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE STAGE.

AND ALL THE SUDDEN, ALL APPEAR AT THE TOP OF THE HILL AS BUTTERFLY IS MAKING HER ENTRANCE.

THIS SIMPLE MOMENT WHERE EVERYTHING JUST SEEMS TO BE IN PLACE AND JUST HAPPENS AND YOU SEE -- YOU SEE SIMPLICITY.

AND IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL HERE AT THE MET.

♪ ♪ >>> I HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED OUR PROGRAM THIS EVENING.

I'M PETER MOTT BELLOW ON LOCATION AT THE JEWISH MUSEUM.

GOOD NIGHT AND SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

>>> NEXT WEEK ON "NYC ARTS," A VISIT TO THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM FOR A LOOK AT THE EXHIBITION MONET TO WARSAW, THE REAL AND IMAGINED IN EUROPEAN ART.

>> THIS EXHIBITION BRINGS TOGETHER A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF BROOKLYN'S EUROPEAN COLLECTION.

IT'S 19th AND EARLY 20th CENTURY EUROPEAN ART.

WE HAVE ORGANIZED IT UNDER THE BROAD THEME OF THE REAL AND THE IMAGINED, WHICH WAS REALLY EVOCATIVE AND FLEXIBLE IN TERMS OF THE DISPARATE WORK.

>>> A PROFILE OF IRE DELI COSELL, ONE OF TODAY'S MOST DYNAMIC TAP DANCERS AND EDUCATORS.

>> TAP DANCING, FOR ME, IS MAGIC.

IT'S MUSIC IN MOTION.

>> AND A RIDE ON THE TUG BOAT, THE PRIDE OF THE SOUTH STREET SEA PORT MUSEUM.

>> SHE IS THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE A TUG BOAT RIDE IN NEW YORK CITY.

IT IS PROFOUNDLY AUTHENTIC AND IT IS JUST ABOUT AS MUCH FUN AS UK HAVE ON NEW YORK HARBOR.

♪ ♪ ♪ >>> FUNDING FOR "NYC ARTS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- THEA PETSCHEK IERVOLINO FOUNDATION.

THE LEWIS "SONNY" TURNER FUND FOR DANCE.

THE AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION.

JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD.

ELISE JAFFE AND JEFFREY BROWN.

CHARLES AND VALERIE DIKER.

THE NANCY SIDEWATER FOUNDATION.

THE MILTON AND SALLY AVERY ARTS FOUNDATION.

ELROY AND TERRY KRUMHOLZ FOUNDATION.

AND ELLEN AND JAMES S. MARCUS.

THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY PUBLIC FUNDS FROM THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY MEMBERS OF THIRTEEN.

"NYC ARTS" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY -- >>> FIRST REPUBLIC BANK PRESENTS "FIRST THINGS FIRST."

AT FIRST REPUBLIC BANK, FIRST REFERS TO OUR FIRST PRIORITY, THE CLIENTS WHO WALK THROUGH OUR DOORS.

THE FIRST STEP?

RECOGNIZE THAT EVERY CLIENT IS AN INDIVIDUAL WITH UNIQUE NEEDS.

FIRST DECREE, BE A BANK WHOSE CURRENCY IS SERVICE IN THE FORM OF PERSONAL BANKING.

THIS WAS FIRST REPUBLIC'S MISSION FROM OUR VERY FIRST DAY.

IT'S STILL THE FIRST THING ON OUR MINDS.

>> AND BY -- >> SWANN AUCTION GALLERIES.

WE HAVE A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING AT AUCTIONS.

OFFERING VINTAGE BOOKS AND FINE