Beautifully shot and directed, Kenneth Lonergan's film has a wonderful cast who make the characters feel remarkably real. Its restful pacing makes its human drama all the more powerful.

Hitting home with twisted humor and the eerie heat of childhood, this snappy adaptation of some of the great British satirist's stories alights in NYC after winning last year's Best of Edinburgh Award.

The soloists shone both separately and in concert, as if distilling the work of the huge chorus behind them. I didn't want the penultimate piece, "O Sleep," sung by the chorus and then the soloists in counterpoint, to end.

Who would have thought Kander and Ebb's classic musical of 1930s Berlin would take on political relevance in the United States in the 21st century? An intimate new production makes the point with snazzy staging and a fine cast.

The Hungarian pianist's clean-cut appearance and sober air contrasted with the full-tilt Romantic force he brought to these difficult works.

The Flux Theatre Ensemble's crisp new show careens from laugh to laugh. But the final action of its heroine/hero reminds us what really makes a legend, and how Robin Hood, who may never have really existed, is always with us.

While Ian Anderson has put out several albums of new material in recent years, he seems happy to rework old successes too. Reviving classic Jethro Tull material for string quartet is a striking new twist. The result is a serious lark: lighthearted but with plenty of creative depth.

The memories of his forced service at Auschwitz haunt a Sephardic Jew for the rest of his life in this searing, frighteningly timely one-man play.

A new jazz palette for the nylon-string guitar is due, and on the strength of this album it's clear Nate Najar is an avatar for just that.

Two new releases show the continuing vitality of music of centuries past.