BENNINGTON — Following a nation-wide search, Martin Mahoney, Director of Operations and Collections at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachussetts, has been appointed Bennington Museum’s next Executive Director. He will assume his leadership position in Bennington on Sept. 8, 2021.

Mahoney begins his tenure with Bennington Museum with an impressive and progressive track record of more than 20 years of Museum leadership experience. At the Norman Rockwell Museum, Mahoney was responsible for managing the Museum’s national and international traveling and onsite exhibitions as well as supervising Registration, Collections, Facility Operations, and Security Departments. As a member of the museum executive team, he was deeply involved in fundraising and budgeting on the institutional level, managing multiple departments, overseeing the preservation and operational management of the Museum’s historical buildings, and participating as a key stakeholder in the institutional strategic planning for the expansion of the Museum. 

Additionally, Mahoney has curated numerous exhibitions including Journey: David Macaulay (2019), Perspective and Place: Thomas W. Barrett’s Hudson River Valley (2016), and Mort Kunstler: The Art of Adventure (2014. He graduated from Castleton State University with a BA in history and holds advanced degrees from both the State University of New York at Albany, where he received an MA in Public History and the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, where he completed his MBA. Mahoney also participated in the prestigious Getty Leadership Institute (now the Museum Leadership Institute) in 2019. 

A member of the Berkshire Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club, Mahoney has served as the chapter vice-chair and chair and has previously sat on the boards of the Williamstown Art Conservation Center as well as the Massachusetts Art Commission at the State House. He is particularly interested in the intersection of history and popular culture, as well as the evolving cross connection of environmental stewardship and community advocacy and how they can be leveraged as economic engines to assist in the revitalization of communities. 

BOLTON LANDING — The Sembrich presents Soprano Alexandra Nowakowski, grand prize winner of the 2018 Marcella Sembrich International Voice Competition, in a rhapsodic lakeside performance at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21.

The performance titled “Songs to the Moon: Mad Scenes, Love Songs, and Other Lunar Events,” includes the “Silver Aria” from Douglas Moore’s Ballad of Baby Doe, Dvorak’s beloved “Song to the Moon” from Rusalka, Nanetta’s enchanting call to the fairies from Verdi’s Falstaff, and the renowned “Mad Scene” from Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. The program also includes the premiere of a new arrangement of “Moonrise,” prepared especially for this performance, based on the heartbreaking final scene from Richard Wargo’s Chekhov-inspired opera, A Visit to the Country.

Tickets are $40 and can be purchased online at TheSembrich.org/tickets or by calling 518-644-2431. This performance will take place on the lakeshore under a performance tent.

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. 

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Last year, Capital District raised, Austin-based artist Matt Smith and 6 String Ranch Records announced the release of 8 new albums, as well as 10 digital re-releases of Smith’s catalog recordings. All the albums are available everywhere music is streamed or bought. 

“Being Human” – the flagship release of the new recordings – was four years in-the-making and features songs that reflect issues of the human condition. The songs address broad themes of love, death and spirituality, along with timely issues such as immigration, narcissism and addiction. Smith is supported on the album by an international cast of all-star musicians. 

Segments of the collection is curated from previous albums and include a volume titled “Upstate NY : 1988-1994.” 

Smith’s upcoming gigs: Sept. 8,9 -Putnam Place in Saratoga Springs; Sept. 10 – The Strand Theater, Hudson Falls, and Sept. 11 – Pauly’s Hotel, Albany. 

GLENS FALLS — After an extensive national search, Adirondack Theatre Festival has named Miriam Weisfeld as its fourth producing artistic director. 

Weisfeld most recently served as Director of Artistic Development for the Tony-winning Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis. She assumes the position on Sept. 1 and has been in Glens Falls Aug. 1-15 observing production of ATF’s final show of the season, “Traffic and Weather.” 

“Miriam emerged from a great field of candidates partially because of her command of the contemporary issues in American theater around inclusion, audience development and innovation,” said Nancy Fuller, ATF board president, in a statement. “And she also presented the board a clear vision for producing work that is a continuation of ATF’s rich history of entertaining audiences with original stories created and performed by superlative talent.” 

Weisfeld was one of 91 candidates who applied and 44 who were interviewed for the position according to Kate Broderick, an ATF emeritus board member who coordinated the search for the organization. 

There have been only three artistic directors in ATF’s history prior to this appointment: Banta (1995-2007, 2021), Mark Fleischer (2007-2014) and Rabinovitz (2014-2020). 

Weisfeld helped to develop Generation Now, a $1.5 million co-commissioning project for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) playwrights funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, at Children’s Theatre Company, and spearheaded the stage adaptation by Cheryl L. West of “Something Happened in Our Town,” a multigenerational story about racial justice which will be produced in partnership with CBS Twin Cities affiliate WCCO in March 2022. 

The Adirondack Theatre Festival was created in 1993 and presented its first 18-day season of new and contemporary theatre at the French Mountain Playhouse within the Lake George RV Park in 1995. Today ATF is the leading professional theatre in New York’s Capital Region dedicated to emerging artists, new plays, and new musicals. Each summer ATF produces a nine-week season at the Wood Theater in Glens Falls. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — It’s called “Art with Heart & Hope” and features a celebration of patients and caregivers who channel complex feelings into expressive creations, using their craft to cope with the many challenges of life with illness or disability.

A pop-up exhibition and fundraiser will take place 5:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 28 at Universal Preservation Hall on Washington St. 

Works are displayed alongside written statements from the artists, who share the ways art helps them move beyond their personal battles with illness or disability. 

Tickets can be purchased online at BeyondMyBattle.org/tickets for $48, or at the door for $50. All proceeds benefit Beyond My Battle, a Saratoga-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit helping people reduce the stress of serious illness, rare disease, and disability. To learn more about BMB, visit www.BeyondMyBattle.org.

Saratoga Springs — Saratoga Voices, formerly known as the Burnt Hills Oratorio Society, invites all singers to join them for their first performance of the 2021-22 season. 

The opening concert is Handel’s Judas Maccabeus, to be performed on Nov. 19 at the Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga Springs. To take advantage of the hall’s unique theater in the round, the performance will have an interesting twist – a semi-staged concert version of this well-known choral masterpiece. 

Rehearsals are held Tuesday nights, 7 p.m., at the O’Rourke Middle School in Burnt Hills and start Sept. 7. Singers are asked to complete a vocal placement interview beforehand and must be vaccinated. 

Go to the saratogavoices.org website and click on the “Participate” menu for more details and to sign up for a vocal placement interview. Further questions email info@saratogavoices.org or call 518-416-4060.

BALLSTON SPA — Back after a one-year hiatus, the popular Saratoga Balloon and BBQ Festival will occupy the Saratoga County Fairgrounds Aug.  27- 29 for three days of family fun.  Due to COVID-19 concerns, the Festival organizers moved from the traditional Father’s Day weekend to the new dates in late August, when the event was more likely to happen without restrictions. 

Friday’s events include the DareDevil Trained Dog Show, balloon launches, the Brent McCoy  Comedy Juggling Act, and the Balloon Glow at dusk. Saturday is the longest day with more dog shows, another day with Brent McCoy, tethered balloon rides, helicopter rides, and the evening balloon launch. On Sunday, there will be a car show with 100 cars, and the New York Steak Cook-Off with dozens of teams competing for the prizes and fame and bragging rights. 

The Festival includes the Kids Zone – with bounce houses, pony rides, a petting farm, face painting,  a designated magician, Shawn,  a balloon twister, and games – live music daily and a wide choice of food.

The Saratoga County Fairgrounds are located at 162 Prospect St. in Ballston Spa. Festival hours are Friday 3 p.m. to dusk after the Balloon Glow; Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.. It is a rain or shine event. Adult admission is $12; children under 16 $5 at the gate. There is a special price on Sunday: adults are $8 and children $5.  For the adventurous, you can book a balloon ride on the Festival website www.balloonandbbq.com. For balloon launch updates check the website and Facebook: www.facebook.com/saratogaballoonandbbq.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Performing Arts Center announces that its WAMC@SPAC series will continue with “Horse Crazy with Sarah Maslin Nir” at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. in the Nancy DiCresce Room at The Pines@SPAC facility. WAMC Northeast Public Radio’s Joe Donahue will lead the conversation with heralded New York Times reporter, Pulitzer Prize finalist and avid equestrian Sarah Maslin Nir, exploring Nir’s new book Horse Crazy. 

Sarah Maslin Nir is a staff reporter for The New York Times, and was a finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for “Unvarnished,” her more than yearlong investigation into New York City’s nail salon industry that documented the exploitative labor practices and health issues manicurists face. 

All attendees are required to show proof of having completed their COVID-19 vaccination no sooner than 14 days prior to the event. Verification will be required upon entry at the Charlie Gate adjacent to the Hall of Springs entrance. WAMC@SPAC: “Horse Crazy with Sarah Maslin Nir” is free to attend, however seating is limited. Visit www.spac.org to register. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Canadian road poet Scott Cook will perform at Caffe Lena on Wednesday, Sept. 29 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The concert will benefit Youth² – Youth Helping Youth. There will also be a live interview with Scott Cook during intermission. Youth² will host a bake sale to bring refreshments to the show. Ticket sales are on the Caffe Lena website www.caffelena.org. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The final Temple Sinai program for the Saratoga Jewish Cultural Festival presents a Zoom discussion and celebration of Black culture with Homecoming: A Film by Beyonce at 7 p.m. on Aug. 15.

The documentary film, a highly celebrated Netflix documentary and 2019 Emmy Award nominee, is presented with a grant from the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York.

The documentary is an in-depth look at Beyonce’s 2018 Coachella show, where she was the first African American woman to headline the festival since its founding in 1999. 

Beyonce chronicles her experiences, from breastfeeding newborn twins, dance rehearsals, her radical diet regimen and grueling training schedule after topping the scales at 218 pounds following the birth of her twins.

Registration is required at sjcf.sjca@gmail.com;  for other information: www.saratogajewishculturalfestival.org and www.saratogasinai.org