Bardavon Presents

The Ulster Dance Company’s annual performance of “A Christmas Carol” is an interpretation in ballet of the well-known Charles Dickens novel. It has been performed at UPAC for the past 26 years and continues to entertain and inspire audiences during the holiday season. It’s a must see ballet at UPAC.

For four decades, Catskill Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker has been a cherished part of the Hudson Valley’s holiday season, enchanting audiences of all ages with its timeless story, magical sets, and stunning choreography. This anniversary year promises to be a milestone celebration of artistry, tradition, and community. “We are thrilled to mark our 40th anniversary of The Nutcracker with such extraordinary talent gracing our stage,” said Melissa Bierstock, Artistic Director of the Catskill Ballet Theatre. “This production is not only a holiday tradition, but a reflection of the generations of dancers and families who have grown with us over the years.” Join us as we follow the enchanted adventures of young Clara from a lavish Christmas party, to a battle with an evil Queen Mouse, through a winter wonderland of snow and ice, and then to the magnificent Land of Sweets where she meets the Sugar Plum Fairy and Cavalier with entertainment from delightful dances from around the world!

The New Paltz Ballet Theatre returns for its 29th season to present this classic holiday event featuring dancers from the New York City Ballet. Peter and Lisa Naumann, co-directors of the NPBT, have brought many fine regional artists together to create this beautiful production. Dancers, designers, and technicians have all contributed to make this Nutcracker a visual delight. Come along with Marie as she dreams of a fierce battle between giant mice and toy soldiers followed by a magical journey through the Land of Snow to the Kingdom of Sweets.

After captivating audiences across the globe, A Celtic Christmas by A Taste of Ireland returns to the USA this festive season following a highly successful 2024 touring season. Experience the magic as world-class performers blend melodic folk mash-ups, acapella tap battles, and heartwarming storytelling in one truly unforgettable performance. Featuring former World Irish dance champions and stars from Lord of the Dance and Riverdance, A Celtic Christmas delivers a holiday spectacular packed with Irish wit, traditional tunes and heartfelt ballads, alongside all your favorite carols. The show’s exciting mix of electrifying rhythms and extraordinary talent promises an evening brimming with Irish charm and enthralling entertainment, all in one powerhouse event. Immerse yourself in a traditional Celtic landscape and let the magic of an Irish Christmas transport you to a world filled with excitement and wonder, where vibrant music and dance embody the heartbeat of the festive season.

The Muppets’ version of the Dickens holiday classic about a miser who’s visited by three ghosts features Kermit the Frog as the penny-pincher’s hardworking and loyal employee. Doors open 30 min prior; Free tickets available at the door! Curated by Kingston Film Foundation, and made possible with support from Marshall+Sterling, Radio Kingston, Herzog’s, Woodstock Film Festival, New York Theatre Organ Society, and Poughkeepsie Public Library District.

WWII vets-turned-entertainers scheme to help a retired general with his strapped New England inn by putting on a big musical show with the help of their army buddies and a singing sister act. Doors open 30 min prior; Free tickets available at the door! Curated by Kingston Film Foundation, and made possible with support from Marshall+Sterling, Radio Kingston, Herzog’s, Woodstock Film Festival, New York Theatre Organ Society, and Poughkeepsie Public Library District.

Cat Power is celebrating the 20th anniversary of her milestone 2006 album, The Greatest, with Redux, a three-song EP arriving digitally and on 10” vinyl via Domino Recording Company on Friday, January 23, 2026.   Recorded by GRAMMY® Award-winning engineer and longtime collaborator Stuart Sikes (Loretta Lynn, The White Stripes) at Austin, TX’s Church House Studios with backing by  Dirty Delta Blues – the all-star supergroup assembled for the world tour that followed The Greatest comprising guitarist Judah Bauer (The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion), keyboardist Gregg Foreman (The Delta 72, Jesse Malin), bassist Erik Paparozzi (Lizard Music), and drummer Jim White (Dirty Three, Hard Quartet) – Redux includes a brand new re-recording of James Brown’s chart-topping classic, “Try Me,” premiering everywhere today. The track was among those first recorded by the singer-songwriter otherwise known as Chan Marshall during the original sessions that produced The Greatest but never completed.   Redux also includes a stunning rendition of Prince’s iconic “Nothing Compares 2 U,” recorded in tribute to the late, great guitarist Teenie Hodges, a legendary member of The Memphis Rhythm Band that backed Cat Power on The Greatest and with whom she formed a close bond before his passing in 2014. The EP also includes a re-imagined version of one of the many standout tracks on The Greatest, Marshall’s own “Could We,” newly recorded in the arrangement that was performed live on The Greatest Tour with Dirty Delta Blues.   Next year will see Cat Power perform The Greatest in its entirety with a very special series of 20th anniversary live shows beginning February 12, 2026, at Houston, TX’s White Oak Music Hall and then traveling North America, Europe, and the United Kingdom through early November.

To celebrate 20 years since their inception, the ground-breaking, Grammy Award-winning ensemble The Infamous Stringdusters—whose tone and swagger meld acoustic majesty with the energy of a full-blown rock show—mark this milestone with the release of 20/20. Twenty brand new songs, born from endless miles in pursuit of a dream. Formed in Nashville in the early 2000s while performing as side-men with stalwarts of the bluegrass community, the band members soaked up every influence like musical sponges. Their friendships, paired with a shared drive to create their own music and master their own destiny, inevitably led to the birth of The Infamous Stringdusters. Alongside Chris Pandolfi (banjo), Travis Book (double bass), Jeremy Garrett (fiddle), Andy Hall (dobro), and Andy Falco (guitar), the group continues to fearlessly blur the boundaries between bluegrass, Americana, country, and indie-folk. At its core, 20/20 represents a defining chapter for the Stringdusters, who embody sonic exploration and boundless curiosity while holding fast to musical tradition—whether under the bright stage lights or deep within the studio.

An evening of Craic (fun) Ceol (music) and Traidisiún (tradition) Get swept away in the enchanting harmonies of the Celtic Angels as they present an impassioned homage to their beloved Emerald Isle. This gloriously evocative journey will captivate audiences and have them clapping their hands, wiping their tears and stamping their feet. Escape to Verdant Valleys and Heathery Highlands. Step back in time to the Land of Saints and Scholars. Lose yourself in the alluring Angels’ magical melodies Feel your heart pound to raucous rhythms of the champion Celtic Knights Dancers. Immerse yourself in Ireland’s infectious influences across the Wild Blue Ocean to the Amber Waves of Grain and Beyond. Headed by the powerhouse creative team direct from Ireland and featuring award winning Irish and World Champion Singers, Dancers and Musicians. Celtic Angels Ireland is a theatrical feast for all ages. With over 30 Irish traditional and contemporary tunes masterfully intertwined and performed fully live by the Trinity Ensemble, the Heavenly Celtic Angels and the Dynamic Celtic Knights Dancers, the spectacular Celtic Angels Ireland is guaranteed to entertain and delight. Written, Directed and Choreographed by Louise Barry (Dublin, Ireland. Celtic Angels Christmas / National Theatre / The Diddley Idols) Musical Direction by Daniel Thompson (The Glenn Miller Orchestra) Additional Musical Arrangements by Peter Sheridan (Co.Cavan, Ireland. Celtic Thunder) Irish Step Choreography by Dan Drew and Sarah Costello (Belfast, Ireland. Rhythm of the Dance/ ADCRG).

Melissa Etheridge stormed onto the American rock scene in 1988 with the release of her critically acclaimed self-titled debut album, which led to an appearance on the 1989 Grammy Awards show. For several years, her popularity grew around such memorable originals as “Bring Me Some Water,” “No Souvenirs” and “Ain’t It Heavy,” for which she won a Grammy in 1992. Etheridge hit her commercial and artistic stride with her fourth album, Yes I Am (1993). The collection featured the massive hits, “I’m the Only One” and “Come to My Window,” a searing song of longing that brought Etheridge her second Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Performance. In 1995, Etheridge issued her highest charting album, Your Little Secret, which was distinguished by the hit single, “I Want to Come Over.” Her astounding success that year led to Etheridge receiving the Songwriter of the Year honor at the ASCAP Pop Awards in 1996. Known for her confessional lyrics and raspy, smoky vocals, Etheridge has remained one of America’s favorite female singers for more than two decades. In February 2007, Melissa Etheridge celebrated a career milestone with a victory in the “Best Song” category at the Academy Awards for “I Need to Wake Up,” written for the Al Gore documentary on global warming, An Inconvenient Truth. As a performer and songwriter, Etheridge has shown herself to be an artist who has never allowed “inconvenient truths” to keep her down. Earlier in her recording career, Etheridge acknowledged her sexual orientation when it was considered less than prudent to do so. In October 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer, a health battle that, with her typical tenacity, she won. Despite losing her hair from chemotherapy, Etheridge appeared on the 2005 Grammy telecast to sing “Piece of My Heart” in tribute to Janis Joplin. By doing so she gave hope to many women afflicted with the disease. On October 7, 2016 Melissa Etheridge released Memphis Rock & Soul, her first album since 2014’s critically lauded This Is M.E. Recorded at Royal Studios in Memphis, the album received stellar reviews from the likes of Entertainment Weekly, Parade, Rolling Stone, American Songwriter and more. She followed that up with the release of The Medicine Show in April, 2019. For The Medicine Show, Melissa reunited with celebrated producer John Shanks and sounds as rousing as ever, bringing a new level of artistry to her 15th studio recording. In June of 2020, Etheridge launched The Etheridge Foundation to support groundbreaking scientific research into effective new treatments for opioid use disorder. The Foundation works towards advancing treatment approaches that address the root causes of opioid abuse and make available better, more effective solutions for people to truly heal their opioid use disorder. In 2021, Melissa returned with then album One Way Out. The 9-track album is a collection of songs Etheridge wrote in the late ’80s and early ’90s that never made the cut… .until now! The time was finally right, and fans finally got a deeper glimpse to who Melissa was then. October 2022 saw Melissa’s return to the theatre with her one woman show, My Window — A Journey Through Life. The critically acclaimed, sold-out run premiered at New World Stages on October 13 and opened at Circle In the Square Theatre on Broadway in September 2023. 2024 saw Melissa release Melissa Etheridge: I’m Not Broken, a two-part docuseries (Paramount+) and accompanying live album. Recorded live within the grounds of the Topeka Correctional facility the album and two-part docuseries follows her journey both penning and performing an original song inspired by her correspondence with residents of the TCF and features raw and rousing versions of specially curated fan favorites and original songs. Funds raised by the Bardavon Gala always help underwrite programs that cannot support themselves—especially all of our education programs and school residencies that bring artists and musicians to local schools and more. Gala guests will enjoy a PRE-SHOW cocktail party—Details to be announced soon! Sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting Bryan Zellmer at bzellmer@bardavon.org.