Spring Culture Previews-What to Do, See, and Hear This Season

"Snow be gone! It's time for the spring air to give us energy and hope as we head out to a new slate of shows around town. As might be expected, the culture is steeped with foreboding, offering a reflection of the national mood: a second installment of the TV series "Beef," which takes personal grievance to new heights; Kaija Saariaho's opera "Innocence," at the Met, about the lingering trauma of a school shooting; the Whitney Biennial, a survey of artists responding to the American experiment."

"But there is also much beauty and joy to behold: Dance Theatre of Harlem's "Firebird," set in a Caribbean rain forest; the return of Miranda Priestly, Andy Sachs, and Emily, in "The Devil Wears Prada 2"; "Cats: the Jellicle Ball" and "Schmigadoon!" strutting their jubilance on Broadway; Waxahatchee, Dry Cleaning, Bruce Springsteen, all rolling through the city. Let the renewal begin."

"The much anticipated second season of Netflix's "Beef" (April 16), an anthology series about interpersonal feuds that spin out of control, takes place at a country club, where the general manager (Oscar Isaac) and his wife (Carey Mulligan) get caught up in a conflict with his employees (Charles Melton and Cailee Spaeny)."

Spring cultural programming balances foreboding themes with celebratory entertainment. Television offerings include the second season of Netflix's "Beef," an anthology about escalating interpersonal conflicts set at a country club, alongside other dramas exploring tension and ambition. Simultaneously, Broadway welcomes jubilant productions including "Cats: the Jellicle Ball" and "Schmigadoon!" Dance Theatre of Harlem presents "Firebird" in a Caribbean setting, while "The Devil Wears Prada 2" returns beloved characters. The Whitney Biennial surveys contemporary artists responding to American themes. Musical performances feature artists like Waxahatchee, Dry Cleaning, and Bruce Springsteen. This programming reflects the national mood while offering renewal and hope through artistic expression across multiple disciplines.

Read at The New Yorker