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Jonas Kaufman and Helmut Deutsch have long been partners in song.  Kaufman recently withdrew from performances at the Royal Covent Garden opera house due to the impact of Covid 19 on his voice.  His return was welcomed at the National Theater in Munich.

Michael Henderson was just 20 when I heard him with Miles Davis. "Stolen" from Stevie Wonder the young bass player gave Davis the funk he was seeking during the aftermath of his seminal fusion, double album Bitches Brew. For five years and several albums Henderson was the heart and soul of the band. Cut loose in 1976 Henderson recorded seven album for Buddah Records, His last, for EMI was in 1983 although he continued to perform.

Handel’s 1724 opera masterpiece “Julius Caesar,” dealing with Caesar’s victories in Egypt in 48-47 B.C.E. shortly before his return to Rome and death in 44 B.C.E., may be considered a prequel to Shakespeare's theatrical masterpiece. 

The opera tells a true story of tragedy, love, and redemption in wartime Germany and Chicago, where Erich Rosenthal, Ted’s father, survived the war.

Pierre-Laurent Aimard chose as difficult a program as you could imagine. In the Grand Hall of the Mozartareum in Salzburg, the first half of his program focused on Bela Bartok’s small pieces done in grand style: Bagatelles, Etudes, and some Mikrokosmos. Ligeti followed the interval.

Sohn Fine Art presents Wonderland, a small group show featuring ethereal, mystical photography of the natural landscape by five diverse artists. The exhibition is on view July 22 – September 5. The images that make up Wonderland are both based in reality and surrealistic. Focused on experience and presented in an Impressionistic form, these works highlight the wonders of the natural world and the human connection to it.

We Are Continuous by Harrison David Rivers is a "semi-autobiograhical" play having its world premiere at Williamstown Theatre Festival. It conveys the strong relationship between mother and son as he deals with coming out, choosing a life in theatre, marriage, and dealing with HIV. It has been given a stunning production.

The character Rafiki, a mandrill, sings the goosebump-producing “Circle of Life / Nants Ingonyama” that introduces African voice, thought, music, motion, and rhythm.  Meanwhile, the parade of absolutely stunning human-puppets-as-animals walks the aisles and fills the stage, becoming the most remarkable anthropomorphic array imaginable.  At the opening number’s end, the applause at this performance was deafening.

Through September 18 the Clark Art Institute is presenting the blockbuster exhibition Rodin in the United States: Confronting the Modern. More documentary than retrospective it tells the tale of Rodin in America and his great collectors. All but one of the 50 sculptures and 25 drawings are loans from American museums and private collections. This is the must see exhibition of summer in the Berkshires.

For her last production, founding artistic director, Julianne Boyd again directed her favorite musical A Little Night Music by Stephen Sondheim for Barrington Stage Company. Yet again the theatrical magic evoked smiles on a summer's night.

On Sunday, September 4 at 4 pm, the renowned Knights Orchestra returns to the Clark to celebrate the current Rodin in the United States: Confronting the Modern exhibition. This free outdoor concert takes place on the Fernández Terrace near the Clark’s Reflecting Pool.

Mary Ann Unger died at the age of 53 in 1998 after 14 years of battling cancer. As a member of the Guerrilla Girls, formed in 1985, she fought for equity for women in the art world. While she received grants and commissions, the exhibition organized by Horace Ballard for the Williams College Museum of Art, makes a compelling case for reconsideration of her work.

Unionized employees of MASS MoCA voted by a 96% vote to engage in a one-day work stoppage on August 19, 2022. Employees will be picketing the Museum all day and asking visitors to express support for a fair contract for staff.

On opening day, August 12, we went on one of our Berkshire country drives to South County to celebrate Beth Galston and her installation, 'Ice Forest.'

In the whirlwind of announcements about the re-opening of David Geffen Hall, anti stain concert hall, Wu Tsai, we actually heard only one sound from the Hall, a single blast from a trumpeter in a hard hat. The Oklahoma State Univeristy orchestra will take up its residency and open the fall season on September 23rd. This may be the sound check.

Overall, the performances are good. Juliette Redden as Anne has a strong voice and a winning personality. What is best is this Anne is a great role model – she’s creative, strong-minded, determined, optimistic and cheerful. If she has any doubts, they are well hidden. Though we do know she is seeking a family and acceptance.

"M. Butterfly" is composed in the modern operatic style without the lush melodies and memorable arias of old.  Yet, it is fitting.  Western mode dominates Ruo's score, but Asian motifs are also introduced.  Conventional western instruments comprise the orchestra, but when needed, Ruo extracts Asian ornamentation through use of 5-tone scales.

On July 27, 2022, a bill creating a Slavery Remembrance Day, introduceed by Congressman Al Green of Houston, Texas, passed in Congress.  August 20th was the date in 1619 White Lion ship with 20 “and odd” Angolans, kidnapped by the Portuguese, arrived in the British colony Point Comfort in Virginia.

We waited for two and a half hours but Godot never showed up. Barrington Stage has gamely taken on an avant-garde masterpiece with mixed success.

Broadway saw this musical revitalized in an edgy form in 2019.  That production, directed by Daniel Fish, won a Tony for “Best Revival of a Musical” and is currently touring. The production is noted for other departures from the past.  In keeping with the edginess of the new look, Act 2 opens like an acid rock concert.  With a thick manufactured fog covering the stage, an instrumental medley blasts with deafening, dissonant distortion leading into the famous dream sequence dance.

In the historic apple orchard there will be a free artist's talk and reception on Friday, September 2nd from 5:00 to 7:00pm at Chesterwood,  4 Williamsville Road, Stockbridge, MA.

The play by Amy Herzog focuses on the relationship between a nonagenarian grandmother and her adult grandson. Neither fits the stereotypical mold. Then director David Kennedy selected Mia Dillon to play the grandmother and Clay Singer, the grandson. Almost perfect.

What makes “Xanadu” fun is its light-heartedness and tongue-in-cheek humor based on ridiculously unrealistic happenings.  It’s camp.  It’s kitschy.  It’ll make you smile a lot and laugh out loud

 Ed Stitt lives close to Larz Anderson Park, a landscaped and wooded 64-acre parkland in Brookline and it has lately become his personal playground.  Stitt’s new painting exhibition trumpets the exquisite sweeping slopes, expansive lawns, and magnificent trees that comprise the park.  As if this weren’t enough, it also offers expansive views of downtown Boston.

The historical drama, "Bent" has stirred controversy for suggesting that Jewish people received less harsh treatment than homosexuals at the Dachau concentration camp. A solid co-production between Empire Stage and ArtBuzz Theatrics is playing in South Florida.