BOLTON LANDING — The Sembrich has launched “Stravinsky and the Premiere of the Century,” the seventh presentation in its 20/20: Virtual Visionaries summer festival. 

The latest installment of the Alfred Z. Solomon Innovator Series transports The Sembrich audience back to the night of May 29, 1913, the groundbreaking premiere of The Rite of Spring with vintage images, video clips, and an article on the auspicious night by distinguished Stravinsky scholar, Charles Joseph. 

The program features an article adapted from a chapter of Joseph’s 2011 book Stravinsky’s Ballets. Charles M. Joseph is Professor Emeritus of Music and the former Dean and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Skidmore College. He is the author of two other books, Stravinsky and Balanchine, the winner of an ASCAP Award in Biography, and Stravinsky Inside Out. He lives in Saratoga Springs.

The program also includes the eleven-minute opening segment of the 2009 film Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky, which re-creates The Rite of Spring premiere at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris. 

“This re-enactment, with its sweeping camera angles and multiple perspectives from stage, audience and orchestra pit alike, conveys the energy and excitement of that first performance,” says The Sembrich’s Artistic Director Richard Wargo. “And is as close as we can come to imagining ourselves as eyewitness to the momentous event. We’re truly grateful to film producer Claudie Ossard and to author Charles Joseph for sharing this wealth of material with us, allowing for this latest exciting entry in our Alfred Z. Solomon Innovator Series.”

“Stravinsky and the Premiere of the Century” can be found online at TheSembrich.org/online. The Sembrich is located at 4800 Lake Shore Drive, Bolton Landing. For more information, visit www.TheSembrich.org or call 518-644-2431 or email: Office@TheSembrich.org

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Performing Arts Center announces “SPAC @ Home: Concert Series,” featuring performances by violinist Joshua Bell alongside pianist Peter Dugan – on Sept. 12, and genre crossing ensemble Time for Three, Sept. 19. 

Shot on the grounds of SPAC and at Skidmore College’s Arthur Zankel Music Center, each presentation will feature an exclusive program and will include greetings and commentary by the artists as well as interviews about the challenges and creative opportunities in the time of COVID-19. 

 The “SPAC @ Home: Concert Series” is the latest addition to Spac Reimagined, following the recent Beethoven 2020 Festival that featured exclusive concerts, lectures and a new online platform throughout the month of August. 

“When we first began to dream about artists we could bring to our grounds to create a unique concert experience without our amphitheater stage, Joshua Bell and Time For Three immediately came to mind. I have been privileged to work with all of them in my pre-SPAC lives at IMG and Universal.  Both Joshua and Time For Three possess fresh, creative approaches to music-making — and both have close and special connections to SPAC,” says Elizabeth Sobol, President and CEO of Saratoga Performing Arts Center.” 

 On Saturday, Sept. 12, violinist Joshua Bell and pianist Peter Dugan will be featured in a recital filmed at Arthur Zankel Music Center at Skidmore College followed by a Q&A with Sobol, and Dayton Director of The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College Ian Berry. 

Tickets for this premiere event are $10 and can be purchased at spac.org. Ticket buyers will be directed to the exclusive stream, available to view Sept. 12-19. 

On Saturday, Sept. 19, SPAC and Caffè Lena present Time For Three in a concert that was filmed throughout the SPAC grounds in August. This trio of classically trained musicians – Nicolas “Nick” Kendall (violin, vocals); Charles Yang (violin, vocals) and Ranaan Meyer (double bass, vocals) – got together for the first time post-quarantine to create a program that intersects Americana, modern pop and classical music, bringing their uncommon mix of virtuosity and showmanship to performances of their signature arrangements of classical works, originals and covers. This concert is presented in lieu of Time For Three’s scheduled return to SPAC this season, following the trio’s sold-out appearance at SPAC for the inaugural season of “SPAC on Stage” in 2017.   

The concert will be available to stream for free on Sept. 19 – at 8 p.m. on Caffè Lena’s YouTube and accessible through spac.org and SPAC’s Facebook page until Oct. 19.

LAKE GEORGE — In lieu of the not being able to meet at the lake this year, Lake George Jazz Weekend has been reimagined as an online festival. Every Thursday night in September, organizers will present a Jazz Weekend Virtual Series – curated and hosted by LGAP’s Jazz Curator, Daniel Kelly. These live streamed online events will deliver renowned Jazz musicians through a series of 4 hybrid events that combine live performances, time for discussion and audience questions. They will be available to watch via stream on Stream on Facebook, YouTube Channel, and the Lake George Arts Project “Stream Now” page. 

LINEUP:
7 p.m. • Thursday, Sept. 3 – Nicole Zuraitis & Dan Pugach.
7 p.m. • Thursday, Sept. 10 – Frederick Johnson & Michael Ross.
7 p.m. • Thursday, Sept. 17 – Dan Tepfer.
7 p.m. • Thursday, Sept. 24 – Sarah Elizabeth Charles & Jarrett Cherner. Live from the Soapbox Gallery in Brooklyn. 

For more information, go to: www.lakegeorgearts.org. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — A new audio play providing a portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven at a time of personal crisis will celebrate its world premiere on Aug. 22.

SPAC is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the composer’s birth with Beethoven 2020 and “Testament” – written by Damian Lanigan and co-produced with the Saratoga Performing Arts Center will have its World Premiere streaming on both SSC and SPACBeethoven.org from 8 p.m. Aug. 22 until 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 23.   

“Testament” is a portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven grappling with the loss of his hearing and emerging from his suffering to write one of the greatest symphonies of all time. 

Directed by Marcus Dean Fuller and featuring recordings by The Philadelphia Orchestra, “Testament” had originally been planned as a live performance at SPAC’s Spa Little Theater as part of the SSC’s 2020 summer season, but in response to COVID-19 restrictions on public gatherings, the company pivoted to an audio presentation that Fuller describes as a “musically driven audiobook.” 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Arts offers free informational seminars to assist applicants in understanding the grant process. Seminars focus on specifics of the grant application, including writing the narrative, successfully completing the budget form, how to submit the application and support materials on Submittable, the online grants management system new for this year. The seminars also explore successful project examples, and review panel tips. 

Most informational grant seminars for the 2021 grant cycle will run as webinars through Zoom video conferencing, or choose to schedule a one-on-one grant info session via phone or Zoom call; contact Grants Coordinator Diane Swanson at dswanson@saratoga-arts.org, 518-240-4240 (temporary phone number) to arrange a session.

For all interested applicants, application schedule deadlines are: Letter of Intent Deadline: Sept. 25, 2020. Application Draft Review Deadline: Oct. 16, 2020.  Application Deadline: Nov. 6, 2020. 

Since 1991, Saratoga Arts has awarded just over $1,536,000 for community-enhancing and life-enriching arts programs.

Saratoga Arts’ Decentralization Grants provide funding for arts and cultural programming through three categories: Community Arts Grants, Individual Artist Grants and Arts Education Grants (for short term residencies that take place in the community or in schools). Saratoga Arts’ Decentralization Grants are made possible with funding by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York
State Legislature.

BOLTON LANDING — The Sembrich has launched “In Conversation with Philip Glass.” 

This 20/20: Virtual Visionaries Summer Festival event, the second in the Alfred Z. Solomon Innovator Series, explores the vast universe of Philip Glass’ unique and innovative style. The presentation features a rare, never-before-heard audio interview with Glass conducted by mezzo-soprano Theresa Treadway Lloyd. The interview was held in Germany just shortly after the premiere of Glass’ opera Akhnaten.

“We’re truly privileged to present this never-before-heard conversation between composer Philip Glass and mezzo-soprano Theresa Treadway Lloyd!” states The Sembrich’s Artistic Director Richard Wargo, in a statement. “Terry happened to uncover a cassette of the interview during a recent move and graciously shared the tape with us.”

The dialogue covers a wide array of topics, ranging from the composing process and sources of musical inspiration to spirituality in music and the subjects of dreams and the subconscious. Interview segments are complemented by selected works of Glass, including scenes from the opera Akhnaten.

The presentation, including this rare interview, can be found on The Sembrich’s website at TheSembrich.org/online. 

The Sembrich is located at 4800 Lake Shore Drive, Bolton Landing. For more information, visit www.TheSembrich.org or call 518-644-2431 or email: Office@TheSembrich.org

NEW YORK — The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced it will reopen to visitors on August 29. The announcement came after state and city officials approved the reopening of museums and cultural institutions beginning Aug. 24. The Met will offer preview days for Members on Aug. 27 and 28. The Met Cloisters is scheduled to reopen on Saturday, Sept. 12.

 “After nearly six months, The Met’s reopening will be a historic moment for the Museum and the City,” said Daniel H. Weiss, President and CEO of The Met, in a statement. “Throughout the recent months of uncertainty, isolation and grief, we have longed for the day when we can safely welcome everyone back to The Met, where all can find comfort, inspiration, and a sense of community. To see visitors walk through the doors of the Museum once again will be a very powerful experience.” 

The Met’s Fifth Avenue building will be open five days a week, Thursday through Monday. On Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays, it will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Museum will offer later hours on Thursdays and Fridays and be open from noon to 7 p.m. 

The Met has developed comprehensive safety procedures for its staff and visitors, following guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New York State, and New York City. Measures include limiting the number of visitors to 25 percent of the Museum’s maximum capacity and requiring timed entrance registration. 

For more information, go to: metmuseum.org.

After 30 years in the music business — writing, recording, touring, and performing as a collaborator, bandmate, and sometimes sideman — Christopher Peifer has released his first full-length solo record. 

Peifer spent his formative years in the Capital Region in the 1990s playing with local artists like Sandy McKnight, Stephen Clair, John Powhida, the Staziaks, and Nick Bisanz. “One of my favorite bands, The Figgs, from Saratoga, have kept it going for 30 years, whereas in 30 years I’ve played in 30 bands,” he says.

Recorded over the past year and musically inspired by everyone from Elvis Costello to The Replacements, The Figgs to Roy Orbison and Hüsker Dü, the album “Suicide Mission” is “art and love in the time of coronavirus,” Peifer says. 

The title symbolizes the pursuit of a life in rock n roll, especially at a certain age, and likens it to a kind of suicide mission, or a kamikaze flight.  For more information about the album and downloads, go to: chrispei.bandcamp.com.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Jewish Community Arts, with Temple Sinai and the Jewish Federation of Northeastern NY, presents an online panel discussion on American Son, an adaptation of a Broadway play of the same name, 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16. Participants should view the film ahead of time before logging in to the discussion.

Written by Christopher Demos-Brown and directed by Kenny Leon, while not based on one specific real-life story, American Son explores the truth of the real issues that exist among law enforcement. Kendra Ellis-Connor and her husband, Scott Connor, learn that their biracial 18-year-old son, Jamal, a student about to enter West Point, was not actually arrested, but was shot by a police officer who had pulled over the teen and his friends after the officer had witnessed the driver – not Jamal – buying drugs. The boys exited the car without the officer’s instructions to do so, and he fired.

“This film forces us to ask questions, examine societal norms, and dig deeper into stereotypes,” says SJCA Coordinator Phyllis Wang. “During the course of this film, there are times viewers are able to see themselves and their perspective, and have a moment when they say, ‘Wow, I didn’t know that I was doing that.’”

You must register in advance at:  Zoom Meeting:  us02web.zoom.us/j/85060070196?pwd=NlEvcEpxaHhyUnRZdlNzbnA4dGNiZz09. Meeting ID: 850 6007 0196. Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York). 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Nacre Dance Group is seeking choreographers for the 6th annual “So, You Think You Can Choreograph?” performance on Nov. 7 at the Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs. 

This program of Nacre Dance Group is designed to highlight emerging choreographers in modern and contemporary choreography from both local and surrounding areas. Unlike “So, You Think You Can Choreograph” performances of the past, choreographers will be tasked with creating choreography “in the round” to accentuate the unique performance space of UPH. 

Through an initial application process, selected choreographers present their work before a live studio audience.  The audience will vote on their favorite piece of choreography and provide written feedback to the choreographers. The winning contestant will be commissioned to set a piece of original choreography on dancers and have it performed in the Capital Region in the spring of 2021. All choreographers will receive an honorarium to present their work.

On-line applications are available on the website at www.nacredance.org/sytycc Deadline for submissions is Sept. 1. For additional information, please contact Artistic Director, Beth Fecteau at Beth@nacredance.com or by calling 518-817-3833.