New York City
| Mariinsky Theatre's Kirov Opera presents Mussorgsky's "Khovanshchina," July 10-21. Photo: Valentin Baranovsky |
Lincoln Center Festival
July 8-27
The Lincoln Center Festival's blockbuster mixture of cutting-edge and international
work looks particularly auspicious for its eighth season. A particular highlight
is an extended visit by the Kirov Opera of the Mariinsky Theater, led by Valery
Gergiev, presenting five productions including the North American premiere of
Prokofiev's "Semyon Kotko." Other attractions include Deborah Warner's theater
performance installation "The Angel Project," first presented in London in 1999;
Salvatore Sciarrino's opera "Macbeth;" "The Orphan of Zhao," an opera directed
by festival mainstay Chen Shi-Zheng; and Dance Theater of Harlem's premiere
of "St. Louis Woman," choreographed by Michael Smuin to a score by Harold Arlen
and Johnny Mercer.
Lincoln
Center Web site
| Louis Langrée, music director of the Mostly Mozart Festival. |
Mostly Mozart Festival
July 25-August 23
In recent years Mostly Mozart's seemingly winning artistic formula has shown
signs of wear with overused repertory and a general lack of daring. But beginning
this season, the programming department at Lincoln Center is giving the 35-year-old
festival a much-needed makeover. This means fewer routine concerts and more
unusual productions, like this year's repeat of Tricia Brown's choreographic
realization of "Winterreise" with Simon Keenlyside (presented last fall as part
of the New Visions series). Other highlights include the festival's first fully
staged opera, Mozart's Il re pastore ("The Shepherd King"), performed by the
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra under Nicholas McGegan; performances by pianist
Leif Ove Andsnes, mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, and countertenor David Daniels;
and nine orchestral concerts led by the new music director, Louis Langrée.
Mostly Mozart Web site
New York Grand Opera
July 2-August 13
After several years at the Central Park Summerstage, the New York Grand Opera
is moving its al fresco operas to the East Meadow (Fifth Ave. & 97th St.) for
its 30th-anniversary season. Whether that will improve the perennially trouble-plagued
sound system remains to be seen. What audiences can count on is a solid cast
of up-and-coming singers and first-class conducting from Vincent La Selva, the
company's founder. Programming this year includes both versions of "La Bohème"--Puccini's
and Leoncavallo's--as well as "Madama Butterfly."
New
York Grand Opera Web site
| The New York Philharmonic plays in 2002 before a crowd of 80,000. Photo: Chris Lee |
New York Philharmonic Concerts in the Park
July 6-13
Bug spray, blanket, and a well-stocked picnic are among the requisite accessories
for any visit to the New York Philharmonic's parks concerts across the five
boroughs. New York Philharmonic associate conductor Roberto Minczuk leads orchestral
showpieces by Mozart, Falla, Fauré, Tchaikovsky, Musorgsky, Ginastera, and Bernstein,
on Central Park's Great Lawn, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, and other locations.
Guest artists include Brazilian mezzo-soprano Luciana Souza, violinist James
Ehnes, and two 18-year-old musicians: clarinetist Won-Jin Jo, and violinist
Yura Lee. The price is right and performance end with the obligatory fireworks
display.
New York Philharmonic
Web site
Metropolitan Opera Concerts in the Park
June 10-21
The 37th season of free Metropolitan Opera performances in New York, New Jersey,
and Connecticut will open with Puccini's "Turandot" on June 10 on the Great
Lawn of Central Park. The three-week season also includes Donizetti's "Lucia
di Lammermoor." For "Turandot," Andrea Gruber will sing the title role, with
Hei-Kyung Hong as Liù, Franco Farina as Calàf, Oren Gradus as Timur, and Joseph
Colaneri conducting. In "Lucia di Lammermoor" Elizabeth Futral stars as Lucia,
Frank Lopardo as Edgardo, Bruno Caproni as Enrico, Dimitri Kavrakos as Raimondo,
and Edoardo Müller conducting.
Met
Opera Parks Web site
New York State
Bard
Summerscape
Annandale-on-Hudson, July 23-August 17
After the auspicious opening of the Richard B. Fisher Center in April, Bard will
inaugurate SummerScape, a month-long event that incorporates the 14-year-old
Bard summer music festival, as well as theater and opera performances. Frank
Gehry, who designed the spectacular new facility
will also design opera sets for the American stage premiere of Leo Janacek's
"Osud." The opera forms part of a larger focus on the Czech composer which takes
place over two weekends in August (Aug. 8-10 and 15-17), led by Leon Botstein,
Bard's president and musical architect.
Bard
Summerscape Web site
Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival
Bridgehampton, July 30-August 23
The pilgrimage eastward to the Hamptons during the summer months doesn't have
to be an experience devoid of culture. The Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival,
under the direction of its founder and flutist Marya Martin, has been doggedly
presenting some of the finest names in chamber music along with premieres and
rare works every summer for 20 years. Along with Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms,
this year will feature works written especially for the festival by Ned Rorem,
Mark O'Connor, and Paul Moravec.
Bridgehampton
Chamber Music Festival Web site
Caramoor
International Music Festival
Katonah, June 21-August 9
Situated on the manicured Westchester estate, the Caramoor Festival is a perfect
day trip for any New York music lover, with an international assortment of top-caliber
soloists. Its vast Italian-style gardens and Spanish Courtyard at the villa
offer some of the most beautiful al fresco performances across the New York
area. A centerpiece this year is the premiere of the French version of Donizetti's
opera "Elisabetta," discovered and reconstructed by Caramoor's opera director,
Will Crutchfield. If opera isn't your thing, six concerts by the Orchestra of
St. Luke's feature soloists like Gil Shaham, Garrick Ohlsson, and Leon Fleisher.
Caramoor Festival Web site
Glimmerglass Opera
Cooperstown, July 3-August 26
While the major opera houses take their summer vacations, the Glimmerglass Opera
Festival kicks off its 28th season of ambitious, international-caliber events.
These include Offenbach's lighthearted "Bluebeard" (sung in English), Mozart's
"Don Giovanni" (with Amy Burton as Donna Elvira) and Handel's "Orlando," with
the exceptional countertenor Bejun Mehta. Also not to miss is Robert Kurka's
"The Good Soldier Schweik," an opera based on Jaroslav Hasek's satirical novel.
The pastoral, summer resort setting near Lake Otsego is complemented by the
lovely 900-seat Alice Busch Theater.
Glimmerglass Opera Web site
Saratoga
Performing Arts Center
Saratoga Springs, June 27-September 4
This idyllic upstate New York cultural hub is actually six festivals in one:
the summer home of the New York City Ballet and The Philadelphia Orchestra;
the Saratoga Chamber Music Festival, Freihofer's Jazz Festival, the Saratoga
Wine & Food Festival, and Lake George Opera. Charles Dutoit, Philly's Saratoga
summer artistic director, will conduct a complete cycle of Brahms concertos
and lead a salute to St. Petersburg, Russia, for its 300th anniversary. Prominent
pianists featured include Martha Argerich (Prokofiev's Third Concerto); Boris
Berezofsky (Rachmaninoff's Third); and Lang Lang (Tchaikovsky's First).
Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Web site
Connecticut
Norfolk
Chamber Music Festival
Norfolk, June 28-August 23
A festival with a rich, 62-year history, Norfolk's musical lineage includes
such luminaries as Sergei Rachmaninoff, Enrico Caruso and Fritz Kreisler. Today,
the school and festival regularly attract promising young ensembles from around
the world that audition for the opportunity to study with Yale School of Music
resident faculty. Many of these groups go on to win major awards, recording
contracts, and management offers. Concerts are given in the acoustically superb
Music Shed, situated on the 70 acres of rolling lawns, gardens and historic
buildings. New music is a particular focus this year, with works by Bright Sheng,
Steven Mackey, Joan Tower and David Del Tredici featured this summer. Artists
include the Tokyo String Quartet, the Miró Quartet and Eighth Blackbird (pictured).
Norfolk Chamber Music Festival
Web site
Music Mountain
Falls Village, June 8-August 31
Situated in Connecticut's Berkshire foothills, Music Mountain is the oldest
continuing summer chamber music festival in the United States. Founded in 1930
as the permanent home of the Gordon String Quartet, Music Mountain's bucolic,
132-acre campus is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This
year, the 335-seat Gordon Hall will play host to a fine roster of chamber ensembles
and soloists like Shanghai String Quartet, Ruth Laredo, Avalon String Quartet,
St. Petersburg String Quartet; a four-part, Friday evening choral series; and
an eight-part Saturday night jazz series.
Music Mountain Web site
Other Selected Summer Festivals Around The U.S.
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