Hot Club of Saratoga, one of several bands performing atop a number of flatbed trucks on May 21, 2020, celebrating Caffe Lena’s 60th anniversary. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — From black-and-white images from the depths of Congress Park to pastel sketches of placid lakes, SPAC as created a social media page created for, and featuring images by members of the community.“Saratoga Performing Arts Center is deeply committed to the transformative power of art and beauty to restore and enrich the human spirit,” the organization says. “In these challenging times, we hope that this online forum inspires and creates a sense of community and hope.  We invite you to join us in a sharing of poetry, art, music, dance – things of beauty that bring you joy and light under the dark clouds of uncertainty.”  The page may be viewed at Facebook, by visiting “Sparked By Beauty.” 

WILTON — The History Channel has announced that its three-part mini-series on U.S. Grant will air on successive nights beginning May 25.   

The Grant Cottage, located near Saratoga Springs, will be featured in the docudrama, produced by Leonardo DiCaprio’s company.  Grant spent the last six weeks of his life at this Cottage in Saratoga County completing his Civil War memoirs. DiCaprio’s production company filmed at the cottage last October.

Grant Cottage President Tim Welch said the cottage received a $10,000 donation from DiCaprio, and that the History Channel s also donated two 30-second commercials in the national broadcast which will promote Grant Cottage as a national historic landmark. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — For the first time in its 53-year history, Saratoga Performing Arts Center has cancelled its classical season.

The cancellations include: SPAC’s summer resident companies New York City Ballet, The Philadelphia Orchestra and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, as well as “Not Our First Goat Rodeo” featuring Yo-Yo Ma, and “SPAC on Stage.”

SPAC along with its board of directors made the decision to suspend its programming this summer in recognition of the continued threat to health and safety caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

“So much thought, care, heart and soul go into crafting and preparing for our summer season that we truly think of it as a love letter to our community. To find it necessary to cancel what would have been one of the most ambitious and artistically inspiring seasons to date is just gut-wrenching and inconceivable,” said Elizabeth Sobol, SPAC’s President and CEO, in a statement. “But the indisputable truth is that even with our park setting and our 5,200 seats, it would be simply impossible to find a way to keep the artists and the community safe.”

“SPAC has been New York City Ballet’s summer home since 1966 and this will be the first time in more than 50 years that the Company will not be performing in the capital region, which is devastating for all of us,” said NYCB Executive Director Katherine Brown. “However, the health and safety of our artists, staff, and audiences is our number one priority at this time, and we support SPAC’s decision to cancel this summer’s performances.  All of us at New York City Ballet look forward to returning to SPAC next summer to perform for the wonderful and loyal fans who come to see us each summer in one of the country’s most beautiful performing arts venues.”

Due to the impact of the coronavirus crisis, SPAC faces the loss of millions of dollars in ticket, rental and sponsorship income. As a 501(c)3 charitable organization, SPAC depends on ticket sales and the generosity of individuals and corporate underwriters for 80% of its annual budget, which includes an education program that reaches 50,000 students throughout the Capital Region every year.

“For the past 53 years, SPAC has been a beacon of hope, light and refuge for the community — and the support of the community has been critical to its life and longevity. The loss of ticket income, event sponsorships and key sources of revenue is going to hit SPAC incredibly hard.  Continued community support through membership, ticket donations and philanthropic contributions will be critical to how SPAC emerges from the crisis,” added Sobol. 

“That said, while our traditional season is unable to continue for 2020, SPAC leadership is committed to continuing to provide the kind of inspiring and transformative experiences for which SPAC is known and loved. Our dedication to art, artists and community is undimmed.  If anything, we feel more galvanized than ever to serve as a sanctuary and cultural convener for our community during this time of uncertainty and darkness,” said Sobol.

SPAC is holding dates for the return of New York City Ballet on July 13-17, 2021; The Philadelphia Orchestra on August 4-21, 2021; and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in August 2021, exact dates TBA.

For every ticketholder of the 2020 classical season who chooses to convert all or a minimum of $25 of their ticket purchase into a tax-deductible donation, SPAC will donate two 2021 tickets to first responders and local health care workers.

Visit SPAC.org for options to donate, receive a credit, or to request a refund for SPAC performances. Ticketholders will also be contacted directly via email with their ticketing options. 

Any changes to the rock, pop and country concert schedule will be made directly by Live Nation and Ticketmaster, which programs and manages those shows in addition to their related ticketing policies. Visit https://www.livenationentertainment.com/ticketrefund/.

At the moment, the first two pop concerts of the season –June 24: KIDZ BOP Live 2020 Tour, and June 30: Steely Dan with Special Guest Steve Winwood, are still on. The cancellation of annual two-day Saratoga Jazz Festival was previously announced. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — At precisely noon on a May day in 1975, the Rolling Stones emerged atop a flatbed truck instruments in hand and performed live for a group of pedestrians lining Fifth Avenue in Greenwich Village. 

Fast-forward to 2020: precisely at noon on Thursday, May 21, Caffe Lena will kick-off a celebration of the café’s 60th anniversary. 

Billed as “Thursday, May 21: Caffe Lena Celebrates 60 Years of Song,” flatbed trucks will roll around town starting at noon with live bands playing music on the back. The café will announce the route in advance and say: we’d love to see you parked on the shoulder, waving and bopping in your decorated car.

At 7 p.m., a two-hour online program of stories, songs and photos will be livestreamed to celebrate each of the café’s six decades. The Tip Jar will be open for business and voluntary support for the event is welcome. The anniversary concert had originally been planned as Lena’s major fundraiser for 2020. 

Meanwhile, Caffe Lena’s “Stay Home Sessions” broadcast at 8 p.m. and upcoming performances feature: Dan Berggren Friday, May 15; Chuck Lamb & Jorge Gomes Saturday, May 16; Peter Mulvey Monday, May 18, and Deena Chappell on Tuesday, May 19. For more information, go to caffelena.org. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Performing Arts Center last week unveiled its new Learning Library, created to bring free original arts educational content to students, families and educators at a time when previously scheduled in-school presentations and classes are not feasible due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The videos and exercises feature more than 25 professional musicians and dancers affected by the pandemic such as Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company, professional stepping company Soul Steps and Caroga Arts Collective, as well as former Broadway performers, composers and local storytellers. 

“We have completely re-imagined how our educational programming can reach students, families and educators during these difficult times when in-person demonstrations and classes aren’t possible. Last year our programs served more than 49,000 students; however, with this new virtual platform, we have the opportunity to bring enriching, unique arts education content to even more students in the region and beyond,” said Elizabeth Sobol, SPAC’s President and CEO in a statement. 

Curated by SPAC with dedicated lessons for students of all ages, the video sessions include: “SPAC Breaks,” a variety of introductory lessons to exercise the creative mind; “Stories that Move,” featuring short stories with dance instruction by Ellen Sinopoli Dance Company;  “Kitchen Floor Dance Class,” led by former Broadway performer and SPAC’s Senior Director of Education, Dennis Moench, and the “Virtual Dance Lab,” advanced choreography-teaching sessions in a variety of genres. In addition to the video lessons, SPAC has created “Printable SPAC-tivities,” featuring exercises and coloring pages that teach fundamental music and dance concepts. 

The SPAC Learning Library can be accessed at spaclearninglibrary.org and is part of the Center’s new “Creative Connection” online campaign.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — As events continue to evolve regarding the COVID-19 virus, the city of Saratoga Springs has decided to cancel the Recreation Department current schedule of summer camps and other summer programs. 

Any participant who is registered for camp and/or a program will receive a full refund. 

The Recreation Center and ice rinks will remain closed until further notice. 

The Recreation parks will remain OPEN to the public, but no organized activities will be scheduled, and fields will not be scheduled until further notice. Playground equipment, basketball courts, and all other recreation equipment will remain closed. 

If you plan to use a park, please follow all NYS and CDC recommendations regarding COVID-19. All programming and facility rental questions shall be directed to the Recreation Department at recreservations@saratoga-springs.org.

NEW YORK – Earlier this month, Naxos released “This Land Sings: Inspired by the Life and Times of Woody Guthrie,” the world-premiere recording of composer Michael Daugherty’s musical tribute to the singer-songwriter and political activist Woody Guthrie.

Maestro David Alan Miller will host an online celebration to honor the release 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 21, at: Facebook.com/albanysym/live. Daugherty will also be at the event to answer questions about this album.

The album features performances by the Albany Symphony’s new music ensemble Dogs of Desire led by Miller, with vocal soloists, soprano Annika Socolofsky and baritone John Daugherty. For this release, Daugherty collaborated with producer Silas Brown, to create a recording which re-creates a vintage Capital Records 1950s soundscape. 

 “Traveling America from coast to coast with his acoustic guitar and harmonica, Woody Guthrie performed folk songs of love, wandering and social justice, including his famous anthem “This Land Is Your Land,” at Workers Union gatherings, on radio stations and street corners, and in farm fields and concert halls during the Great Depression and the Second World War,” writes Daugherty in his introduction to the album. 

To prepare for his musical tribute to this Dust Bowl troubadour, the composer drove for several weeks along the dusty backroads of Oklahoma and Texas where Guthrie once roamed, while listening to just about everything the singer-songwriter recorded during his brief lifetime (1912–1967). The composer also spent time at the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, researching his fascinating life and wide-ranging artistic output. “The music I composed gives haunting expression, ironic wit and contemporary relevance to the political, social and environmental themes from Woody Guthrie’s era.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Although the July residency of New York City Ballet at SPAC is uncertain and area Broadway shows are cancelled, Total Body Trifecta’s new TBT87 virtual studio will offer three online ballet barre classes taught by a trio of talent from New York City Ballet and Broadway to fill the void.

Originally, three DWTD classes were already scheduled by owner Mary Anne Fantauzzi for the week of July 13-18, but rather than cancel the annual tradition since 1998, she reached out to three favorite teachers with the prospect of offering Spring Zoom classes instead. 

Rising NYCB star Gilbert Bolden III will teach a classical ballet barre with a mini-variation from 2-3 p.m. on Monday, May 25. Broadway pro (Carousel, An American in Paris) and former NYCB dancer David Prottas will teach “Breakin’ It Down at the Barre” from 11 a.m. – noon Thursday, May 28, and NYCB dancer and School of American Ballet master teacher Andrew Scordato will teach Core de Ballet from 11 a.m. – noon on Thursday, June 4. 

The cost is $10 per class.  Registration and full payment are required in order to receive a Zoom invitation. For more information check the Dance with the Dancers page totalbodytrifecta.com.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Arts is currently seeking regional artists to apply for its 2021 Call for Artists. 

Application Deadline: May 29 at 11:59 p.m. Artists who reside in Saratoga County and the eight surrounding counties Hamilton, Warren, Washington, Rensselaer, Albany, Schenectady, Montgomery and Fulton are eligible to apply.

This is an opportunity to submit artwork for consideration to be included in solo or small group shows in the center’s exhibition space on Broadway. For more information, go to: www.saratoga-arts.org.