INAUGURAL SEASON OF "BARD SUMMERSCAPE,"
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Featuring the 14th Annual Bard Music Festival, this Year Exploring Highlights include the American stage premiere of Janáček’s opera Osud directed by JoAnne Akalaitis with set design by Frank Gehry; the world premiere of Don Juan in Prague with Czech film star Iva Bittová; a Czech Film Festival; the American debut of Russian director Kama Ginkas; a production of Janáček’s The Diary of One Who Vanished; ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. — The inaugural season of Bard SummerScape, a new performing arts festival, will take place from July 23 to August 17 at the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College and other venues on Bard’s scenic Hudson Valley campus. It will feature the acclaimed Bard Music Festival, this year exploring the musical world of Czech composer Leos Highlights of Bard SummerScape include the first American stage production of the Janáček opera Osud; the world premiere of Don Juan in Prague, based on Mozart’s Don Giovanni, with Czech film star Iva Bittová; a Czech Film Festival; two American premieres by Russian director Kama Ginkas and the Moscow New Generation Theater; performances of Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen by the Drak Theater, one of Europe’s most innovative puppet theaters; and the acclaimed Bard Music Festival, which will explore Janáček’s music through orchestral, choral, and chamber concerts, complemented by discussions, a symposium, and preconcert talks. SummerScape performances will be presented in the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College, the East Coast’s only performing arts center designed by Frank Gehry, and other venues at Bard. The 108,000 square-foot Fisher Center, only 90 miles from New York City, consists of two performance spaces: the Sosnoff Theater, an intimate, 900-seat theater for opera, music, theater, and dance, and the flexible Theater Two, which can accommodate approximately 200 people. The Center’s director, Jonathan Levi, states: "The creation of the Fisher Center gives Bard an opportunity that is virtually unique among summer festivals—to entertain audiences of all ages with the full range of the performing arts, while presenting a theme inspired by a single, remarkable composer. The spirit of innovation and internationalism has guided Bard for many years, and this year SummerScape’s artists will include some of the most imaginative talents from Russia, the Czech Republic and, of course, the United States." AMERICAN STAGE PREMIERE OF JANÁČEK OPERA Bard SummerScape opens on Wednesday, July 23 with the American stage premiere of Janáček’s darkly romantic opera Osud (Fate), in Czech with English supertitles, directed by JoAnne Akalaitis with sets by Frank Gehry. Composed in 1903-04 and inspired by a liaison at a spa, Osud was never performed during Janáček’s lifetime and received its stage premiere in Brno only in 1958. Music director Leon Botstein will lead a cast of 40 and the American Symphony Orchestra in five performances of this rarely heard Czech masterpiece, which tells the story of a tormented composer trying to trick fate by writing an opera about his own life. WORLD PREMIERE OF "DON JUAN IN PRAGUE" On Wednesday, July 30, the world premiere of Don Juan in Prague, based on Mozart’s Don Giovanni and adapted and directed by David Chambers, will feature original computer-driven arrangements of Mozart’s opera score by New Zealand composer Matthew Sutter, sung in Italian by a cast of eight. Czech singer, violinist, and film star Iva Bittová will make her first theatrical appearance in 15 years in the role of the jilted Donna Elvira, attempting to persuade Don Giovanni to choose her over Hell. CZECH FILM FESTIVAL A Czech Film Festival, opening on Thursday, July 24, will feature four evenings of films with English subtitles, celebrating the rich Moravian heritage of Leos TWO AMERICAN PREMIERES BY THE MOSCOW NEW GENERATION THEATER The Moscow New Generation Theater will present two American premieres: K.I. From "Crime" and The Storm, directed by the renowned Russian directors Kama Ginkas and Genrietta Yanovskaya, respectively. The Storm, written in 1860 by Aleksandr Ostrovsky and used by Janáček as the basis for his opera Katya Kabanova, has won numerous awards in its native Moscow and throughout Europe and Asia. The Storm, in Russian with English supertitles, premieres on Thursday, August 7. K.I. From "Crime," in Russian with synopsis in English, was adapted by Daniil Gink from Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment. The acclaimed Russian film actor Oksana Mysina stars as the widow of Raskolnikov’s drinking companion, Marmeladov. K.I. From "Crime" opens on Wednesday, August 6. DRAK PUPPET THEATER PRESENTS THE CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN Drak Theater, the innovative Czech puppet theater, will present a one-hour performance of Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen in the Fisher Center’s Dance Studio. There will be special lunchtime performances for family audiences, as well as a late-evening performance at NightScape, SummerScape’s late-night cabaret. THE BARD MUSIC FESTIVAL The 12 programs of the Bard Music Festival (August 8 - 10 and August 15 - 17), under artistic directors Leon Botstein, Christopher H. Gibbs, and Robert Martin, will explore Janáček’s music from early choral works to the instrumental masterpieces of the 1920’s, bringing together a broad range of genres, including opera, orchestral and chamber music, song repertoire, and folk music. Programs will be organized around such topics as "The Symphonic Imagination," "The Music of Language and Fantasy," "International Modernism," and "Folklore from the Field to the Parlor." Featured alongside Janáček’s music will be works by such contemporaries as Smetana, Fibich, Suk, and Dvořák. Works by Tchaikovsky, Szymanowski, and Bartók will be placed in the context of Janáček’s career, and audiences will also have an opportunity to hear works by Josef Bohuslav Foerster, Pavel Haas, and Otakar Ostrčil. Festival highlights include a production of The Diary of One Who Vanished, directed by Robin Guarino; and a performance of Janáček’s rarely heard Glagolitic Mass, performed by the American Symphony Orchestra, and the New York Virtuoso Singers under the direction of Leon Botstein. Leos On Friday, August 15, the Festival will present a symposium entitled “Janáček’s World: Modernism and Nationalism.” As with past festivals, Princeton University Press will release a collection of essays and articles by noted scholars at the start of the festival. This season’s volume, Janáček and His World, is edited by Michael B. Beckerman. DIRECTIONS Bard College is situated 90 miles north of New York City in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, and is easily accessible by public transportation, via MetroNorth or Amtrak trains. Directions to Bard College are available on the Web at www.bard.edu/fishercenter. TICKETS Tickets and information are available by calling the box office at the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College, 845-758-7900 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or online at www.bard.edu/fishercenter (tickets for Bard SummerScape and Bard Music Festival events go on sale April 21). Tickets range in price from $10 - $65. Discounts are available for senior citizens over age 62, students, and children 18 and under. Groups of 15 or more are entitled to a $5 discount per ticket. # # # [Note to editors: Photographs are available by request. Call (845)-758-7412 or e-mail primoff@bard.edu for information.] Contact: Mark Primoff BARD SUMMERSCAPE AMERICAN STAGE PREMIERE OF LEOS Sosnoff Theater Wednesday, July 23 at 8:00 p.m. (preview) Friday, July 25 at 8:00 p.m. (premiere) Sunday, July 27 at 4:00 p.m. Friday, August 1 at 8:00 p.m. Saturday, August 2 at 8:00 p.m. The American Symphony Orchestra Leon Botstein, conductor JoAnne Akalaitis, director Frank Gehry, scenic designer John Conklin, associate scenic designer Kaye Voyce, costume designer Jennifer Tipton, lighting designer CZECH FILM FESTIVAL Sosnoff Theater Thursday, July 24 at 7:00 p.m. The Joke (1968) Based on the novel by Milan Kundera Written by Zdeněk Bláha and Jaromil Jires Directed by Jaromil Jires Starring Josef Sommer, Jana Dítĕtová, Jaromír Hanzlik, Vĕra K Saturday, July 26 at 7:00 p.m. The Lion With a White Mane (1986) A fictional treatment of the life of Leos Written by Jiří Blažek and Jaromil Jires Directed by Jaromil Jires On the Winding Path (1987) Documentary on Ja Directed by Jaromil Jires Starring Ludĕk Munzar Thursday, July 31 at 7:00 p.m. A Ballad for a Bandit (1978) Directed by Vladimír Sís Starring violinist/singer Iva Bittová Diary of One Who Vanished Directed by Jaromil Jires Starring Iva Bittová Sunday, August 3 at 4:00 p.m. Year of the Devil (2002) Winner, Gran Prix Crystal Globe, the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, 2002 Written and directed by Petr Zelenka Starring Jaromír Nohavica, Karel Plíhal, Jan Prent, Jaz Coleman, and Čechomor WORLD PREMIERE OF "DON JUAN IN PRAGUE" (in Italian and English) Theater Two Wednesday, July 30 at 8:00 p.m. (premiere) Thursday, July 31 at 8:00 p.m. Saturday, August 2 at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, August 3 at 2:00 p.m. Based on Mozart’s Don Giovanni Featuring Iva Bittová Adapted and directed by David Chambers Music adaptations by Matthew Suttor David Levi, music director Darcy Scanlin, scenic designer Chris Parry, lighting designer Paul LaBarbera, sound designer MOSCOW NEW GENERATION THEATRE K.I. From "Crime" (American Premiere) (in Russian, with synopsis in English) Resnick Theater Studio Wednesday, August 6 at 8:00 p.m. (premiere) Friday, August 8 at 4:00 p.m. Saturday, August 9 at 10:30 p.m. Sunday, August 10 at 7:00 p.m. Adapted by Daniil Gink from Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment Directed and designed by Kama Ginkas The Storm, (American Premiere) (in Russian, with English surtitles) Theater Two Thursday, August 7 at 8:00 p.m. (premiere) Friday, August 8 at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, August 9 at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, August 10 at 2:00 p.m. Written by Alexander Ostrovsky Directed by Henrietta Yanovskaya Sergei Barkhin, set and costume designer Tatiana Bronnikova, lighting designer DRAK THEATER The Cunning Little Vixen by Leos (puppet theater; performance synopsis in English) Dance Studio Wednesday, August 13 at 12:00 noon Thursday, August 14 at 12:00 noon Friday, August 15 at 12:00 noon Saturday, August 16 at 12:00 noon and 10:30 p.m. Sunday, August 17 at 12:00 noon NIGHTSCAPE Dance Studio Saturday, July 26 at 10:30 p.m. Singer Iva Bittová performs selections of classical, jazz, and Moravian folk music. Saturday, August 2 at 10:30 p.m. Ethel, the hip NYC string quartet Saturday, August 9 at 10:30 p.m. The Moscow New Generation Theater production of K.I. from "Crime" Directed by Kama Ginkas Saturday, August 16 at 10:30 p.m. The Cunning Little Vixen by Leos A one-hour performance by the DRAK theater. BARD MUSIC FESTIVAL Janáček and His World Friday, August 8 Concert: Leos Sosnoff Theater 8:00 p.m. Preconcert Talk: Leon Botstein 8:30 p.m. Performance Leos In the Mists Two Moravian Dances Kantor Halfar Maryčka Magdónova The 70,000, Concertino String Quartet No. 2, "Intimate Letters" Performers: Casal String Quartet; Anton Nel, piano; Bard Festival Chorale, James Bagwell, music director; Bard Festival Chamber Players Saturday, August 9 Panel: Janáček: Biographical Issues Olin Hall 10:00 a.m. Concert: Coming of Age as a Composer Olin Hall 1:00 p.m. Preconcert Talk: Robert Martin 1:30 p.m. Performance Pavel Křížkovsky´ Sv. Cyrill a Methoděj Anton Rubinstein Three Pieces, for violin and piano, Op. 11, No. 1 Bedrich Smetana Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 15 Leos Elegy on the Death of My Daughter Olga The Wild Duck Orání [Ploughing] Nas Dumka, for violin and piano Antonín Dvorák String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat Major, Op. 51 Performers: Casal String Quartet; Claremont Trio; Melvin Chen, piano; Karen Gomyo, violin; William Wolfram, piano; Bard Festival Chorale, James Bagwell, music director Concert: Music and Storytelling Sosnoff Theater 7:30 p.m. Preconcert Talk: 8:00 p.m. Performance Saturday, August 9, con’t. Leos Ballada blanická [The Ballad of Blaník], symphonic poem after J. Vrchlický Excerpts from The Excursions of Mr. Brouček and The Cunning Little Vixen Žárlivost [Jealousy] Taras Bulba, rhapsody after N.V. Gogol Zdenĕk Fibich S Bedrich Smetana S Antonín Dvorák The Noon Witch, symphonic poem, Op. 108 Performers: Bard Festival Choral, James Bagwell, music director; American Symphony Orchestra; Leon Botstein, conductor; others TBA Sunday, August 10 Olin Hall 10:00 a.m. Concert: The Music of Language and Fantasy Olin Hall 1:30 p.m. Performance with commentary by Michael Beckerman Leos Po zarostlém chodníčku [On the overgrown path], Set 1 Pohádka [Fairy tale], for cello and piano Presto, for cello and piano Folksong arrangements Řikadla [Nursery rhymes] Performers: Melvin Chen, piano; Jeremy Denk, piano; Sophie Shao, cello; Bard Festival Chamber Players; Bard Festival Chorale, James Bagwell, music director; others TBA Concert: Contemporary Insiders Sosnoff Theater 4:30 p.m. Preconcert Talk: Brian Locke 5:00 p.m. Performance Leos Piano Sonata 1.X.1905 (From the Street 1 October 1905) Sonata for violin and piano Josef Suk String Quartet No. 2, Op. 31 Songs by Josef Bohuslav Foerster and Jaroslav Křička Vítĕzslav Novák Piano Trio in D Minor, Op. 27, "Quasi una ballata" Performers: Casal String Quartet; Claremont Trio; Jeremy Denk, piano; Karen Gomyo, violin; Susan Platts, mezzo-soprano; William Wolfram, piano Friday, August 15 Symposium: Janáček’s World: Between Modernism and Nationalism Olin Hall 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Concert: Folklore from the Field to the Parlor Sosnoff Theater 8:00 p.m. Performance with commentary by Michael Beckerman Janáček was one of the first real composer ethnographers (Bartók, the most famous one, came almost two decades later). He collected folksongs, analyzed and discussed them, and arranged them for piano. This concert will present a cross-section of that activity featuring Czech performers who will try to recreate the sounds Janáček heard in the field. This will be juxtaposed with Janáček’s "parlor" arrangements of several of these songs. Saturday, August 16 Panel: Janáček and the Mainstream Olin Hall 10:00 a.m. Concert: Czech Modernism Olin Hall 1:00 p.m. Preconcert Talk: Derek Katz 1:30 p.m. Performance Leos Mládí, suite for wind sextet March of the Bluebirds String Quartet No. 1 after Tolstoy’s "Kreutzer Sonata" Otakar Ostrčil From Symfonietta, Op. 20 Songs by Max Brod and Ladislav Vycpálek Bohuslav Martinů String Quartet No. 2, H150 Pavel Haas Wind Quintet, Op. 10 Performers: Avalon Quartet; Bard Festival Chamber Players; Curiously Strong Winds; others TBA Concert: The Diary of One Who Vanished by Leos 4:30 p.m. Preconcert Talk: Derek Katz 5:00 p.m. Performance: Ken Noda, piano; Robin Guarino, director; Aaron Black, lighting design Others TBA; Text: O. Kalda Concert: The Symphonic Imagination Sosnoff Theater 7:30 p.m. Preconcert Talk: Christopher H. Gibbs 8:00 p.m. Performance Joseph Suk Fantastické scherzo, Op. 25 Vitĕzslav Novák O vĕčné touze [Eternal longing], op. 33 Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky Voyevoda, Op. 78, symphonic ballad Leos S Sinfonietta Performers: American Symphony Orchestra; Leon Botstein, conductor Concert: The Diary of One Who Vanished by Leos Theater Two 10:00 a.m. Preconcert Panel 11:30 a.m. Performance Sunday, August 17 Concert: International Modernism Olin Hall 1:00 p.m. Preconcert Talk 1:30 p.m. Performance Igor Stravinsky Octet for Wind Instruments Paul Hindemith String Quartet No. 3, Op. 16 Béla Bartók String Quartet No. 3, Sz 85 Karol Szymanowski Mity [Myths], for violin and piano Leos Capriccio (‘Vzdor’ [Defiance]) Performers: Timothy Fain, violin; Anton Nel, piano; Anna Polansky, piano; Bard Festival Chamber Players, Eckart Preu, conductor; Bard Festival String Quartet Concert: Speech and Music: The Pan-slavonic Context Sosnoff Theater 4:30 p.m. Preconcert Talk 5:00 p.m. Performance Modest Musorgsky Porazheniye Sennakheriba [The Destruction of Sennacherib] "Galitzen's Journey," from Kovanshchina Karol Szymanowski Stabat mater, Op. 53 Leos Na Soláni čartak [The Čartak Inn on Solán Mountain] Hospodine [Lord, have mercy] Glagolitic Mass [Ms Performance: Turid Karlsen, soprano; Michael Hendrick, tenor; Susan Platts, mezzo-soprano; American Symphony Orchestra; Leon Botstein, conductor; New York Virtuoso Singers, Harold Rosenbaum, music director; others TBA | ||