free things to do in New York City
Free events for Saturday, 12/08/18
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Free Events, Free Things to Do in New York City!  Read More

Are you looking for free things to do in New York City (NYC) on December 8, 2018?

45 free events take place on Saturday, December 8 in New York City. Don't miss the opportunities that only New York provides! Exciting, high quality, unique and off the beaten path free events and free things to do take place in New York today, tonight, tomorrow and each day of the year, any time of the day: whether it's a weekday or a weekend, day or night, morning or evening or afternoon, December or July, April or November! These events will take your breath away!

New York City (NYC) never ceases to amaze you with quantity and quality of its free culture and free entertainment. Check out December 8 and see for yourself. Summer or Winter, Spring or Fall! Just click on any day of the calendar above and you'll find most inspiring and entertaining free events to go to and free things to do on each day of December . Don't miss the opportunities that only New York provides!

Some events take place all year long: same day of the week, same time there are there for you to take advantage of. One of the oldest free weekly events in Manhattan is Dixieland Jazz with the Gotham Jazzmen, which happen at noon every Tuesday. Another example of an event that you can attend all year round on weekdays is Federal Reserve Bank Tour, which takes place every week day at 1 pm (but advanced reservations are required). You can take at least 13 free tours every day of the year, except the New Year Day, July 4th, and the Christmas Day. If you are classical music afficionado, you can spend whole day in New York going from one free classical concert to another. If you love theater, then New York gives you an option to attend plays and musicals free of charge, or at deep discount. You just need to have information about it. And we are here to make that information available to you.
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The quality and quantity of
free events,
free things to do
that happen in New York City
every day of the year
is truly amazing.

So don't miss the opportunities
that only New York provides:
stop wondering what to do;
start taking advantage of
free events to go to,
free things to do in NYC
today!

45 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Saturday, December 8, 2018

All events are free unless otherwise noted.

Editor's Picks

free events nyc 9th Annual Harlem Alter-Knit-Ive Crafts Fair
free events nyc New York Opera Forum performs Mozart's Le Nozze Di Figaro
free events nyc Roosevelt House Public Tour
free events nyc Historic Greenwich Village Tour: Beats, Bohemians, and Icons from the 1950's to Today
free events nyc For Heaven's Sake (1926): Silent Film with Harold Lloyd
free events nyc Roberto Zucco: A Mythical Journey
free events nyc Bruckner's Symphony No. 8
free events nyc Holiday Choral Concert: works by J.S. Bach and Stravinsky
free events nyc One of the best-known and most frequently performed choral works in Western music
More Editor's Picks for 12/08/18
        

Classical Music | Concerto Competitions


   New York City, NY; NYC
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9:00 am
Free

Tour | 13 tours, all City neighborhoods, any time of the day, choose one tour or many


These free tours take place at various times during the day, all day long. You can make reservations for as many tours as your schedule allows. SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Heights + DUMBO 3 Hour Lower Manhattan Harlem Chelsea and the High Line 6 Hour Downtown Combined Greenwich Village Central Park Lower Manhattan Midtown Manhattan Grand Central Terminal Graffiti and Street Art Tours World Trade Center
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Tour | Roosevelt House Public Tour


Roosevelt House - the landmark former double townhouse of Franklin, Eleanor and Sara Delano Roosevelt, and now owned by Hunter College - offers visitors a chance to get closer to a family as unique as the city they inhabited, and to explore the private spaces where some of the most iconic public policy of the 20th century was shaped. Hear about FDR's rise to the presidency after his struggle with polio, Eleanor's activism for civil rights and human rights, and Sara's support for interracial and interfaith initiatives. Hear the voices of the Roosevelts and their visitors, and see Roosevelt memorabilia, photographs, and documents. ·
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Book Club | John Steinbeck's Cannery Row


Unburdened by the material necessities of the more fortunate, the denizens of Cannery Row discover rewards unknown in more traditional society. Henry the painter sorts through junk lots for pieces of wood to incorporate into the boat he is building, while the girls from Dora Flood's bordello venture out now and then to enjoy a bit of sunshine. Lee Chong stocks his grocery with almost anything a man could want, and Doc, a young marine biologist who ministers to sick puppies and unhappy souls, unexpectedly finds true love. Cannery Row is just a few blocks long, but the story it harbors is suffused with warmth, understanding, and a great fund of human values. John Steinbeck Jr. (1902-1968) was an American author. He won the 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his realistic and imaginative writings, combining as they do sympathetic humour and keen social perception." He has been called "a giant of American letters," and many of his works are considered classics of Western literature.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:30 am
Free

City Walk | Historic Brooklyn Bridge Tour


On May 24, 1883, journalist Montgomery Schuyler said "It so happens that the work which is likely to be our most durable monument, and to convey some knowledge of us to the most remote posterity, is a work of bare utility; not a shrine, not a fortress, not a palace, but a bridge." This tour will tell the story of the world-famous Brooklyn Bridge, and examine its ever-present historical, technological, and cultural impact. Note: this tour is held early, as to avoid the massive crowds that the bridge continues to attract, 135 years after its completion.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free

Workshop | Jewelry Making Workshop


A jewelry making workshop, led by award winning local jewelry artist Joan Reinmuth. This class will apply complex ideas by using up cycled elements simple tools and techniques. Bring your own lost broken jewelry pieces or dig through Joan's curious collection.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free

Workshop | Yoga for beginners


In this session you will learn simple but powerful yoga postures to balance and stabilize your system. No prior experience with yoga is necessary. - Can relieve chronic ailments. - Can relieve back pain, stress, anxiety and tension. - Strengthens the spins. - Takes only 5-10 minutes to practice daily.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free

Fair | 9th Annual Harlem Alter-Knit-Ive Crafts Fair


Explore the fair where you will find an artisan market filled with handmade items, vintage goods, and baked treats.With up to thirty vendors, they will have a range of products and price points to appeal to both New Yorkers, commuters, and tourists. Artists offer you a wonderful array of unique items including art, artisan gifts, crafts and souvenirs.They are presented by independent designers, emerging artists, and vintage collectors.
   New York City, NY; NYC
12:00 pm
Free

Lesson | An overview of current markets and portfolio allocation strategies


Whether you are saving and investing for your future, or withdrawing funds to live the life you want to live, your investments are subject to multiple risks, some of which can be managed successfully. Erika Safran CFP® discusses the balance needed between short term goals vs. longer term needs, and allocating for tax efficiency, risk tolerance, and risk capacity. Get an overview of current markets and portfolio allocation strategies for different life phases and income needs. Key topics covered include: The balance needed between short term goals and longer term needs Allocating for tax efficiency, especially if taking required distributions Risk tolerance and risk capacity You may like risk, but your portfolio may not need it Is conservative the new risky? the conservative part of your portfolio may be as risky as your stocks Portfolio changes to make now for different life phases and income needs
   New York City, NY; NYC
12:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Collective Craftivism Workshop


Craftivism is a tool for social change that uses creativity, mindfulness and love to create a more conscious and just world. Join artist and alumnus Ayde Rayas in the power of collective crafting. All are welcome and materials will be provided.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Tour | Roosevelt House Public Tour


Roosevelt House - the landmark former double townhouse of Franklin, Eleanor and Sara Delano Roosevelt, and now owned by Hunter College - offers visitors a chance to get closer to a family as unique as the city they inhabited, and to explore the private spaces where some of the most iconic public policy of the 20th century was shaped. Hear about FDR's rise to the presidency after his struggle with polio, Eleanor's activism for civil rights and human rights, and Sara's support for interracial and interfaith initiatives. Hear the voices of the Roosevelts and their visitors, and see Roosevelt memorabilia, photographs, and documents. ·
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Gallery Talk | 2 Folk Art Shows: Exhibition Walkthroughs


A tour of John Dunkley: Neither Day nor Night and Paa Joe: Gates of No Return, led by museum gallery guides.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Opera | New York Opera Forum performs Mozart's Le Nozze Di Figaro


New York Opera Forum performs the complete opera of Le Nozze Di Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. A live musical recital performed in concert with piano accompaniment.
   New York City, NY; NYC
1:00 pm
Free

Staged Reading | Shakespeare for Everyone: The Winter's Tale


The Winter's Tale is a play by Shakespeare originally published in the First Folio of 1623. The Instant Shakespeare Company is dedicated to the proposition that Shakespeare is for everyone! The company organizes annual readings of ALL of Shakespeare's plays using original Folio & Quarto texts.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Workshop | The Writer's Room


Would you like feedback on your writing? Do you have an idea, but don't know how to get started? Sign up for a 20-minute session with an experienced writer and editor.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Tour | Walking Tour: Gay and Lesbian writers and artists in the East Village


Walking Tour of the homes and venues of Gay and Lesbian writers and artists in the East Village. Led by library manager Corinne Neary and local street photographer Michael Paul.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Writers Circle


A gathering for individuals with an interest in writing who are willing to share ideas and techniques. All genres and styles encouraged. Everyone is welcome in this friendly and supportive atmosphere.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Film | Attack the Block (2011): Sci-Fic Comedy


A teen gang in South London defend their block from an alien invasion. Director: Joe Cornish. Starring John Boyega, Jodie Whittaker, Alex Esmail. 88 min.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Film | Fences (2016): Oscar winning drama by Denzel Washington


A working-class African-American father tries to raise his family in the 1950s, while coming to terms with the events of his life. Starring Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen McKinley Henderson. 139 min.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Play | Roberto Zucco: A Mythical Journey


Roberto Zucco was the last play by legendary French writer Bernard-Marie Koltès, "a pioneer of a wholly new style of dramatic writing" (The Times). In a series of poetic, fast-moving scenes, Koltès takes his titular hero on a mythical journey through a landscape of strange and violent beauty. Presented by the College of Performing Arts at The New School.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Film | Saturday Night Fever (1977) with John Travolta: Disco Blockbuster


A Brooklyn teenager feels his only chance to succeed is as the king of the disco floor. His carefree youth and weekend dancing help him to forget the reality of his bleak life. Director: John Badham. 118 min.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Film | Tim (1979): Australian drama with Mel Gibson


A somewhat mentally handicapped 20-year-old man works as a laborer, but everyone abuse his naiveté. A nice 40-year-old American woman hires him one day and they become close. However, the town and his family see her as predatory. Director: Michael Pate. Starring Piper Laurie, Alwyn Kurts. 109 min.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

City Walk | Historic Greenwich Village Tour: Beats, Bohemians, and Icons from the 1950's to Today


Bob Dylan, Richard Pryor, Edgar Allen Poe, Jane Jacobs, James Baldwin, Jack Kerouac, Dave Attell, Patti Smith, Joan Baez, and Truman Capote are just a few of the thousands of accomplished artists, writers, radicals, and performers who made their way through Greenwich Village. This tour, primarily focusing on the 1950s onward, visits the hangouts that have defined legendary people and the spirit of this iconic neighborhood.
   New York City, NY; NYC
2:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Key Elements of Job Searching


Speaker, trainer, and certified professional coach, Barbara Phillips, will help you get greater clarity on key elements of the job search process and explain key tools for finding a “best fit” job. You will learn: • Key elements of an effective job search strategy • The importance of “knowing yourself”: strengths, passions and values • Tips for defining and communicating "your brand" • Research and networking strategies • Tips on designing a high-impact resume The workshop will be highly interactive and there will be time for Q’s and A’s to address participants’ specific needs.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Tour | Roosevelt House Public Tour


Roosevelt House - the landmark former double townhouse of Franklin, Eleanor and Sara Delano Roosevelt, and now owned by Hunter College - offers visitors a chance to get closer to a family as unique as the city they inhabited, and to explore the private spaces where some of the most iconic public policy of the 20th century was shaped. Hear about FDR's rise to the presidency after his struggle with polio, Eleanor's activism for civil rights and human rights, and Sara's support for interracial and interfaith initiatives. Hear the voices of the Roosevelts and their visitors, and see Roosevelt memorabilia, photographs, and documents. ·
   New York City, NY; NYC
2:00 pm
Free

Film | For Heaven's Sake (1926): Silent Film with Harold Lloyd


An irresponsible young millionaire changes his tune when he falls for the daughter of a downtown minister. Director: Sam Taylor 58 min.
   New York City, NY; NYC
2:30 pm
Free

Jazz | Jazz Explorations and Improvisations


As part of our second annual East Village Arts Festival, the Beyond Group will perform Jazz Explorations and Improvisations. Cheryl Pyle - C flute / Alto flute Michael Eaton - Soprano sax Claire de Brunner - Bassoon Jamie Baum - Alto flute Gene Coleman - Bass flute
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Staged Reading | A new play adapted from Willa Cather’s short stories


A reading of a new play with music by Navida Stein. Adapted from Willa Cather’s first short stories. In this reading of The Willa Cather Salon the stories are told by a cast of actor/singer/storytellers and woven together with vocal and instrumental music from the turn of last century. These stories explore the need to belong and create, the transformative power of music and the desire for beauty in a brutal world; all themes Willa Cather continually explored throughout her life’s work. As an adult, Willa Cather made New York City her home and lived for many years at 5 Bank Street in Greenwich Village, right around the corner from Jefferson Market Library. Miss Cather would hold very popular salons on Friday afternoons; writers, musicians, actors and opera singers would come for tea, conversation and share their art. Willa Cather (1873-1947) is an American writer best known for her novels O Pioneers!, The Song of the Lark, and My Ántonia. She won the Pulitzer Prize in 1923 for her World War I novel One of Ours.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:15 pm
Free

Staged Reading | Cardamom: Two Sisters and a Funeral


A couple with twins, two sisters, a dinner party, and a funeral. Written by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Denmark) and Joe Derrick (UK). Followed by a talk-back with the playwrights. Presented by Nordic Stage 2. Hosting 8 staged readings over three days from contemporary Scandinavian playwrights, Nordic Stage 2’s goal is to highlight the diversity and relevance of contemporary plays being produced in the Nordic countries today and showcases a variety of genres, styles and themes.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:00 pm
Free

Classical Music | Concert at the coolest classical music concerts location in NYC


Classical music on a boat with an intimate and romantic setting and beautiful view of New York City. Followed by a Q & A session with the musicians. Program and musicians TBA. Doors open at 3:45 pm.
   New York City, NY; NYC
4:00 pm
Free

Other | Ice Theatre of New York's Winter Holiday Skating Celebration


A holiday ice show featuring the Ice Theatre of New York, ITNY Junior Ensemble, The Skyliners, Sky Rink All-Stars, Figure Skating in Harlem, the Riverbank Figure Skating Club, and the Every Voice Choirs. There will also be a Christmas tree lighting.
   New York City, NY; NYC
4:00 pm
Free

Discussion | Past the Mic: Time Travelers and MCs


The Legendary Cyphers, a group of talented MCs who have lead a weekly freestyle rap circle in Union Square, will discuss how time functions in hip-hop lyrics, and then drop some bars. Moderated by exhibition curator, S.I. Rosenbaum. As a genre, rap is built on allusion. In order to parse hip-hop lyrics, the listener has to be master of a huge corpus of historical, personal and cultural narratives that are often combined and juxtaposed within a single bar. The effect is to collapse time: the song exists in a space that has access to all points of the speaker’s personal and generational history. With exhibition curator, S.I. Rosenbaum, The Legendary Cyphers will discuss how time functions in hip hop lyrics and then drop some bars.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:00 pm
Free

Film | The Motive (2017): Comedy-Drama from Spain


A man obsessed with the idea of writing "high literature" starts to cause conflicts around him in order to write about it. Director: Manuel Martín Cuenca Stars: Javier Gutiérrez, María León, Adelfa Calvo. 112 min. In Spanish with English subtitles.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Classical Music | Chamber music


   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Staged Reading | Goliath: A Myth Continued


The myth of David and Goliath continues in this poetic and brutal drama by Maria Tryti Vennerød (Norway). Presented by Nordic Stage 2. Hosting 8 staged readings over three days from contemporary Scandinavian playwrights, Nordic Stage 2’s goal is to highlight the diversity and relevance of contemporary plays being produced in the Nordic countries today and showcases a variety of genres, styles and themes.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:45 pm
Free

Opening Reception | Czech Jewelry Designers Meet NYC: 3 Artisans


The exhibition will present the work of three selected Czech jewelers: Kristýna Malovaná, Eva Růžičková and Klára Šípková.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Play | Roberto Zucco: A Mythical Journey


Roberto Zucco was the last play by legendary French writer Bernard-Marie Koltès, "a pioneer of a wholly new style of dramatic writing" (The Times). In a series of poetic, fast-moving scenes, Koltès takes his titular hero on a mythical journey through a landscape of strange and violent beauty. Presented by the College of Performing Arts at The New School.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:00 pm
Free
7:30 pm
Free

Performance | Writers in Performance Showcase: Longing


Writers in Performance is a 12-week writing and performance workshop culminating in two public presentations. Throughout the course of the workshop, talented actors, playwrights, poets and storytellers have explored writing exercises, theater games, improvisation, movement techniques, and ensemble work in a safe, creative environment. This season, the theme and title of the Writers in Performance show is “Longing.” Writers in Performance participants are diverse by design; not only in ethnicity, but by age, and experience as well, mixing professionals with students. The troupe will showcase the monologues and short scenes they have been crafting. Experience this dynamic exchange between the written word and the art of performance.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
Free

Film | Lots of Kids, a Monkey and a Castle (2017): One Woman, Three Dreams


This documentary captures the winsome eccentricities of the director's extraordinary mother Julita, who had three dreams: having lots of kids, owning a monkey, and living in a castle. Director: Gustavo Salmerón 90 min. In Spanish with English subtitles.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free

Classical Music | Bruckner's Symphony No. 8


Bruckner's (1824 - 1896) Symphony No. 8 in C minor is the last symphony the composer completed. It was premiered under conductor Hans Richter in 1892 in Vienna. It is dedicated to the Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria.
   New York City, NY; NYC
8:00 pm
$15 donation suggested

Classical Music | Holiday Choral Concert: works by J.S. Bach and Stravinsky


The concert features the transcendent Symphony of Psalms by Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) and J. S. Bach's (1685-1750) Magnificat. The Barnard-Columbia Chorus and student soloists perform these two joyful masterworks to lift hearts and minds this holiday season.
   New York City, NY; NYC
8:00 pm
$5/$3

Classical Music | One of the best-known and most frequently performed choral works in Western music


MSM Chamber Sinfonia with the New York City Master Chorale: Messiah Reimagined. About the Piece Handel's (1685-1759) Messiah is an English-language oratorio composed in 1741, with a scriptural text compiled by Charles Jennens from the King James Bible, and from the Psalms included with the Book of Common Prayer. After an initially modest public reception of its premiere in 1742, the oratorio gained in popularity, eventually becoming one of the best-known and most frequently performed choral works in Western music. Handel wrote the piece for modest vocal and instrumental forces, with optional settings for many of the individual numbers. In the years after his death, the work was adapted for performance on a much larger scale, with giant orchestras and choirs. In other efforts to update it, its orchestration was revised and amplified by (among others) Mozart.
   New York City, NY; NYC
8:00 pm
Free

Staged Reading | Manning Is Free: Many-Sided Truths


A monologue about many sides of the truth coming out by Anders Budde Christensen (Denmark). Followed by a talk-back with the playwright. Presented by Nordic Stage 2. Hosting 8 staged readings over three days from contemporary Scandinavian playwrights, Nordic Stage 2’s goal is to highlight the diversity and relevance of contemporary plays being produced in the Nordic countries today and showcases a variety of genres, styles and themes.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:30 pm
Free

Classical Music | Works by J.S. Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Chopin and Brahms


Christopher Staknys, Piano Program J. S. Bach (1685-1750) Prelude and Fugue in F-sharp Major from the Well-Tempered Clavier Book II, BWV 882 Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) 2 Rhapsodies, Op. 79 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Sonata No. 8 in A Minor, K. 310 Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Impromptus, Op. 90 Frederic Chopin (1810-1849) Barcarolle, Op. 60
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:30 pm
Free
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Theater | Family Theater Showcase

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Classical Music | Ensemble Works by Vivaldi and More

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