Connected to the Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History, the Carnegie Music Hall is an…read moreabsolutely gorgeous venue. They do lots of events and weddings, and honestly I can see why it's such a popular space. I attended a lecture by author and Harvard professor Jill Lepore as a part of the Ten Evenings series by Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures, and it was wonderful. GA tickets for the 2nd tier balcony were $15, which is a steal. The view from up there is great-- I truly don't think there's a bad seat in the house. Jill Lepore is an amazing speaker, and she delivered a thoughtful and timely reflection on depictions of America in art throughout history (and somehow managed to squeeze an overview of American history into just 45 minutes). Before the show, snacks, drinks, books, and other goodies were available for purchase in the lobby. After the show Jill Lepore stayed to autograph copies of her book, programs, etc. It was such a great event-- I'll definitely be returning to see Ottessa Moshfegh's lecture in February.

The renovated Hall is wonderful! Seats are comfortable and spaced appropriately for present-day…read morehumans. The Hall still retains all of the elegance of the original. Well done!!!

Okay, so I realize I can't keep calling things best kept secrets because it implies I'm some kind…read moreof secret-holder and I'm totally not. But you guys, Pittsburgh Festival Opera? It's opera overload for a few weeks a year with amazing performers from all over the country. If you have never been to an opera, seriously go. At least once. Tickets are super affordable, the theater is small, and they do stuff in English, so it's not throwing you into an $80 a ticket, Italian epic that's 3.5 hours long. Which, don't get me wrong, I love all of that (except the expense!) But PFO is really non threatening and accessible. I had the pleasure of seeing La Boheme Warhola last night. All I kind of knew was it was an adaptation of la boheme with a 60s Warhol ish feel and that it was in English. They still did supertitles over the stage even though it was in English, which was great. And the actors were amazing. So talented and engaging and irreverent and just excellent. I absolutely loved it. Icing on the cake? Free street parking! Their 2018 season is almost over so seriously get on their mailing list so you'll get the announcements for the 2019 season.

From the owner: Pittsburgh Festival Opera (PFO) presents innovative opera, producing American works,…read morereinterpretations of older works, and new works, for the widest possible audience. Opera Theater focuses on diversity in programming and casting, on crossing boundaries and bringing together talents from all the arts, on encouraging new talent, and on broadening audiences through outreach and education, to create a body of work that is original, entertaining, contemporary and relevant. Summer season now at Winchester Thurston School, 555 Morewood Ave., Pittsburgh 15213. Touring and special events take place at varied venues around the region. See web site for details.

Years later and I still give the Benedum 5 stars! I come here frequently and everything about my…read moreexperience is 5 stars. I park at smithfield & liberty garage. I found this to be the closest and least expensive for the Benedum. Ticket office - the staff are very friendly. I have done everything from having my tickets mailed home, to purchasing and picking up in person at the box office. They are always great. Security is so smooth and fast now! You only get searched if the detector goes off. Just don't bring in anything you shouldn't and you will be good to go. There is typically a gift shop right at the entrance. For The Nutcracker, they have it very organized. I have been in and out of the line very quickly. There are so many restrooms throughout the Benedum. I found the largest ones to be on the basement level and the 2nd floor where the large bar is. Bar- drink prices are really not outrageous. I typically get prosecco. They pour it in a plastic cup with a lid so you can take it to your seat with you. Lastly- all the seats Ive sat in are amazing. The Benedum is such a great venue to see a show. I highly recommend it. I will be back for sure!

Always a joy to visit. Beautiful architecture, entertaining shows, and kind staff. We're already…read moreplanning to return for the next Broadway season! One note for tall guests--seating is on the smaller side and legroom can be tight. My husband is 6'5" and struggles to sit comfortably when there's a row ahead of him.

I have seen the PBT presentation of The Nutcracker several times, but this may have been the last…read morefor me. I enjoy the Pittsburgh references to the story and in the scenery but, really, the hockey-stick-carrying penguin, the rats waving "terrible towels" were a bit strange. As were the "local celebrities" who were given non-speaking, non-dancing (thankfully!) roles as party guests-- why?? What could be next? Pittsburgh Dance Moms in minor roles? Apparently I prefer a more traditional version of The Nutcracker. I missed some of the costumes and dances from the original Balanchine production. I know that some will say that it's predictable and static to do this the same way every year, but when I think of this ballet, it is what I want to see. That being said, the dancers were wonderfully talented and executed their movements perfectly. We are fortunate to have their talent in Pittsburgh!

I know enough about ballet to know that it is significantly more difficult than it looks. These…read moredancers have full body control and it is impressive to watch. I will say it is a nice outing and it feels fancy and it pulls you in. They also send a lot of flyers in the mail and you can find reasonably priced shows. I've seen the Nutcracker a couple of times and even a couple of years ago I saw a street named desire the ballet, which was so unique and a cool experience.

Best ballet school in Pittsburgh. Wonderful teachers and fantastic place. My daughter is…read morereceiving top notch ballet training!

From the owner: Ballet, Dance, Pointe, Modern, Contemporary, Jazz, Pre-Professional Ballet, Beginner Ballet, Mommy…read more& Me, The Nutcracker

I haven't taken a dance class here yet, but I've been to a couple events and they were great! I've…read morealso spoken to a bunch of people that have taken classes here and they love them. The first event I came to was the New Years party. The first couple of hours was partner dancing. You didn't need to bring a partner with you because everyone was really friendly, switching up partners throughout the night. People were willing to help you learn new moves if you don't know how to dance, too. The rest of the night was a free for all and had a fun variety of music to dance to. There were snacks, party favors and a live band. It was a great time! The second event I went to was just this past weekend. It was a 90's trivia night with a cash prize for 1st place and a 6 pack of zima for 2nd place, which fit perfectly into the theme. Everyone was encouraged to dress in their best 90's gear and the space had 90's themed snacks and music. Our team definitely lost, but we still had a good time! After the trivia, it was dance party time! There was a good mix of people of all ages. I would definitely recommend checking out the next event they have. You can tell the owner puts a lot of thought and care into her events.

A really nice place to take dance lessons, I don't think they are as hard-sell as most of the other…read morecommercial dance studios. Their open dances are excellent. The main dance floor is somewhat narrow but has a really nice surface for dancing. The studio offers a wide variety of classes, including West Coast Swing, Argentine Tango, Ballroom, and Swing. Reasonable prices.

Cool concept but the food leaves a lot to desire. My hamburger was served on a hotdog bun and the…read moreice cream was freezer burnt. I don't like paying before I eat because I base my tips on the food.

Just a great bowl of homemade Chili! A real lifesaver on a frosty cold day of bike riding. The…read morebuilding's great, it looks like they have a track for running a model train around, but it wasn't working when I was there.

Garden Tour: Fox Chapel…read more First, getting tickets for the shuttle made the entire experience more enjoyable. A larger bus could have handled bathroom needs but probably couldn't maneuver the roads. Hot humid day. The shuttle's air conditioning was inconsistent but a lot cooler than outside. Perhaps a test run would have made the driver more comfortable on the windy narrow roads. Homeowners took great pride in their gardens. Each of the eight gardens had their own personality. If the homeowners were onsite, they kindly spoke to the Tour members. Eash stop had symphony members performing. We didn't expect how long the tour would be and didn't bring snacks. We were prepared with cold water. Thank you to all the volunteers who welcomed and educated us on the sites. Heard mention of possibly a Christmas tour. Will be looking forward to it.

Pittsburgh has always had a brilliant symphony. I am very proud of this. My love for classical…read moremusic began when our music teacher Miss Radke took a bus load of us to see the symphony when I was very young, probably in the third or fourth grade. I have been a classical music fan ever since! The Pittsburgh Symphony not only has astounding musicians in the Orchestra, but they always have great directors. I don't drive anymore, otherwise I would go much more often. I am as proud of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, as I am of the Steelers or the Pirates.

My twins dance here and have had amazing experiences. My son first participated in their ballet…read moreproduction of Peter Pan. He was not a student of the studio at the time but was warmly welcomed by everyone involved. One of the things we love is that in addition to the annual recital, they stage two full production ballets and a play. Kids of all abilities, sizes and talent levels are involved which isn't always the case in dance. In addition to the productions, classes are great. They are affordable and class sizes tend to be on the smaller side. We actually come from Monroeville to dance here (and many others come from a variety of towns too). If you are looking for a friendly, inclusive dance environment that also has great performance opportunities this is definitely the place.

From the owner: The Carnegie Performing Arts Center is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing quality…read moreperformance opportunity and dance education. For more then 30 years CPAC has been committed to bringing quality affordable performing arts education and experience to students of all ages. By providing a caring and nurturing environment CPAC belives that active participation in all aspects of performing will make available the most well-rounded arts education and result in the best prepared performer.

Saw a performance at PPG Arena. The instructor was so unprofessional... being a Diva, drinking in…read morefront of the kids, vaping, then hanging over a garbage can like she was going to throw up and laying on the floor. Later she was talking with a parent and sweating loudly. Hope all those kids don't turn out like her

From the owner: Dance classes for kids and adults from beginner level to professional! We offer all styles of dance…read moreincluding Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Acro, Gymnastics, Pointe, Contortion, Contemporary, Modern, Lyrical, Musical Theatre, Ballroom, Improv, Mommy & Me and more! Our instructors have over 50+ years of experience combined, and are well rounded in all styles. We focus on bringing fun and technical excellence together to create an awesome atmosphere for our students. We have won many regional and national awards, as well as several choreography awards and overall high scores. Join our team today!