With a change of the guard imminent at the New York Philharmonic, Santtu-Matias Rouvali is the only guest conductor leading two programs this season.

Worries about the company’s future were momentarily stilled at a festive gala premiere on New Year’s Eve.

But opening night of the huge production’s final run, shakily cast, presented a show that seemed to be begging to retire.

The composer’s 12th, from 1961, is being played by the orchestra for the first time under the conductor Rafael Payare, also making his debut.

Carlo Rizzi, a Met Opera regular sometimes taken for granted, opened the company’s season this fall and has juggled “Medea,” “Tosca” and “Don Carlo.”

Stéphane Denève leads a program of extravagantly colorful French works, with the pianist Víkingur Ólafsson as the soloist in a Ravel concerto.

Kevin Puts and Greg Pierce’s new opera, conceived as a vehicle for the star soprano Renée Fleming, has its staged premiere at the Metropolitan Opera.

The Sphinx Organization, led by Afa Dworkin, is celebrating 25 years of pressing the field for more diversity in repertory and rosters.

Playing on a level rare even at the top of the field, the group came to New York for the first time under its chief...

David Geffen Hall reopened with a month of concerts that sketched a possible future for the New York Philharmonic. Now it’s back to business.