THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE
A PLACE CALLED HOME

A late-season course correction that feels like a homecoming

Christmastime is filled with traditions. And one of the best ones in New York City is the New York Pops Christmas Concert, when the stage is bathed in rosy light, a wreath hangs from overhead, and the hall is filled with holiday music.

Megan Hilty

For this year’s show, A Place Called Home, Steven Reineke (cheerful despite a recent knee injury) and his orchestra were joined by Essential Voices USA and two-time Tony winner Megan Hilty. The last time Hilty was in Carnegie Hall with the NY Pops was eight years ago, and it was obvious she was happy to be back.

Judith Clurman and Essential Voices USA

Hilty walked onto the stage in a glittery red sheath with trains flowing from the sleeves. She sang traditional Christmas carols and modern pop songs. She sang sexy songs like “Santa Baby,” cozy numbers like “The Christmas Song” and Joni Mitchell’s “River,” “because not all Christmases are merry and bright.” Her rendition of “O Holy Night” brought down the house.

NY Pops with Megan Hilty and Essential Voices USA

In fact, the evening was punctuated by serious moments. For the fourth year, the Pops played “Carol of the Bells” by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych to show solidarity with Ukraine’s heroic fight. And Reineke introduced Essential Voices Director Judith Clurman — who conducted the orchestra and choir for “Chanukah Joy and Peace,” her own composition — by telling the brave and resilient members of the Jewish community, “There is no place in the world for antisemitism.”

As always, the evening ended with Santa Claus parading down the aisle accompanied by one of his favorite elves and a rousing singalong that could make even the grinch sing “ho, ho, ho.”

photos by Richard Termine

A Place Called Home
The New York Pops, conducted by Steven Reineke
featuring Megan Hilty
Carnegie Hall, 881 7th Ave, between 56th and 57th
reviewed December 20, 2025

Megan Hilty