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Rockettes' Holiday Gala Less Than Spectacular

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 22, 2007

NEW YORK - In its 75th year, the "Christmas Spectacular" at Radio City Music Hall is a relatively mellow affair.

The annual holiday blast marks its diamond anniversary with a lighthearted program, sparkling in appearance but a little soft in the center, especially compared with director-choreographer Linda Haberman's truly energized show last year. Once you experience a virtual snowball in the face during Santa's 3-D ride through New York City, nothing hits you so directly again, not even the very real streamers shot out from the stage.

Missing, and missed, is Mrs. Santa's smashing "Man With a Bag." Back are the 3-D glasses, starry ceiling, Mighty Wurlitzer organ and, feeling a little pokey, "The Nutcracker" medley.

Much of the first half is a showcase for the Rockettes' jackhammer taps. They also execute a stage-long collapse.

The second half picks up once Santa (Charles Edward Hall) takes over, joined by two brothers who dare raise the question: Does Mr. Kringle exist? (At $100 for orchestra seats, he had better.)

"The Christmas Spectacular" runs through Dec. 30.

Hear Met Operas

The Metropolitan Opera and Rhapsody launched an on-demand digital music service Tuesday in which 100 operas from 1937 to 2006 are available for purchase.

The operas include performances by sopranos Maria Callas, Beverly Sills and Birgit Nilsson and tenors Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo and Franco Corelli. They can be accessed from TiVo set-top boxes, in-home digital audio players, personal computers and portable media players.

A Rhapsody Unlimited subscription is $12.99 per month, and prices for individual tracks vary, the Met said.

The Associated Press

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