In all the traditional arts, there may be no greater a misnomer today than the accepted designation that classical music is tranquil — that it is suitable stuff for relaxation and the background. Anyone who has listened to a Beethoven symphony, Verdi opera or Stravinsky ballet on earphones certainly knows that isn’t the case. Classical music is the realm of drama, of tremendous contrast, of tension and release.
Unions, fair trade, corporate charities and the welfare state might not sound like typical biblical parable fare. But Amy-Jill Levine insisted in her lecture at 2 p.m. Friday in the Hall of Philosophy that the afternoon’s parable examined these relevant modern economic aspects.
In “Management and Non-Union Workers,” Levine’s last lecture of Week Eight, she examined the parable of the laborers in the vineyard, found in Matthew 20:1-16. Levine is a professor of New Testament and Jewish studies at Vanderbilt University’s Divinity School.
When he’s not at Chautauqua serving as artistic director of Chautauqua Theater Company, Ethan McSweeny puts his directing skills to good use. He already has plans to direct three productions following the season. Prior to the start of this summer, he worked with the Shakespeare Theatre Company directing William Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice.”
The show ran June 21 through July 24 at Sidney Harman Hall in Washington, D.C., and McSweeny said what made this production special was the number of CTC alumni in the cast. This list includes former conservatory members Liz Wisan (Nerissa), Amelia Pedlow (Jessica) and Matthew Carlson (Lorenzo).
Civil War buffs will relish Pat Carr’s workshop this week on writing a Civil War novel, and poets looking for new work will find it with Nancy Krygowski’s fresh prompts.
It is the first visit for both writers-in-residence, and they will read selections from their work at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at the Literary Arts Center at Alumni Hall.
Every morning, 11-year old Mendel Vilenkin wakes up with a kippah on his head. He climbs down from his top bunk, sits next to his bed and pours water over his hands, alternating three times in a ritual washing — known as negel vasser or “nail water” — to begin the day of service to God. Eight-year-old Shmuel also knows the morning rhythm.
Week Nine at Chautauqua Institution typically is when things start winding down, with campers at Boys’ and Girls’ Club trading in their boondoggle for books, college kids spending their hard-earned summer money on textbooks, and the like.
This year, Chautauqua is bringing out the robots to entice people to stay.
Ross Warhol, executive chef of the President’s Cottage, and sous chef Alex Gray led guests through a six-course sampling of dishes that explored how a dash of science can flavor, texture and otherwise manipulate food.
About 30 people attended “Molecular Gastronomy: A Demonstration of Molecular Cooking” Tuesday in the ballroom of the Athenaeum Hotel. Molecular gastronomy studies the chemistry behind cooking and is an exciting development for haute cuisine, Warhol said.
They may be scooping ice cream, making your change or serving up coffee at the Refectory. Perhaps they take your bag with a smile as you arrive at the hotel. They may take a note for the newspaper, prepare part of your Athenaeum meal or sit astride one of the Institution’s big mowing machines.
The Chautauqua Boys’ and Girls’ Club is on sale for $180. But if you want it, you’ll have to try to buy it before the person who rolls the dice before you do snatches it up.
Bookstore employees Donna Dominick and Carolyn Snider teamed up to create Chautauqua-Opoly, a Chautauqua-themed board game for which the bookstore will begin taking orders this week. The game challenges players to buy more property and collect more paper money than their opponents — all in the setting of the Institution.
It’s Thursday night in the Amphitheater, the evening wearing on now, another popular Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra concert in the books. The audience files out, satisfied, anticipating a good rest in the cooling night air. A nearly full moon illuminates the scene. Quiet replaces hubbub in Chautauqua’s concert center.
Out of sight on the Amp’s busy back porch, Keith Schmitt is thinking about Clint Black, the country superstar who will perform on his stage the following evening. Schmitt, the Amp manager, knows several critical hours lie ahead for him and his stage crew. Final preparations now are in full swing.
