‘The Passion of Joan of Arc’ to be screened with live chorus, orchestra
Lenox — The Cantilena Chamber Choir will present the 1928 French silent film “The Passion of Joan of Arc” Saturday, May 12, at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Epsicopal Church. A live film score will be provided by organist Peter Krasinki with a chorus and orchestra performing the original music by Victor Alix and Leo Pouget. A pre-concert lecture at 6:45 p.m. will explore the history of the film and the score.
Directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer and starring Renee Jeanne Falconetti as Joan, “The Passion of Joan of Arc” is based on the actual record of the trial of Joan of Arc and is widely regarded as a landmark of cinema. The film summarizes the time that Joan of Arc was a captive of England, and depicts her trial and execution. Only the reduced full score, string and vocal parts of “The Passion of Joan of Arc” have survived, found in the U.S. Library of Congress. For this performance, the wind parts have been recreated and added.
Along with regular concert appearances, Krasinksi specializes in the art of silent film accompaniment worldwide. He currently serves as organist at First Church of Christ, Scientist in Providence, Rhode Island, and is a faculty member at St. Paul’s Choir School in Cambridge.
Tickets are $30 for adults, $20 for seniors, and free for children ages 12 and under. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact Cantilena Chamber Choir at (518) 791-0185 or satbchoir@yahoo.com.
–E.E.
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Stockbridge Library to host talk on the music of Bob Dylan
Stockbridge — As part of its Speaker Series, the Stockbridge Library, Museum & Archives will host Boston University professor Jeremy Yudkin Saturday, May 12, at 4 p.m. for the talk “Bob Dylan: ‘Highway 61’ to ‘Blonde on Blonde.’”
The talk will discuss the poetry and music that made the songs on the Bob Dylan albums “Highway 61 Revisited” and “Blonde on Blonde” so unique, lying the groundwork for Dylan’s 2016 Nobel Prize.
Yudkin is professor of music and director of the Boston University Center for Beethoven Research and also serves as associated faculty of the Center for Judaic Studies and the department of African-American studies. He served for many years as a visiting professor of music at Oxford University. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in classics and modern languages from Cambridge University and his Ph.D. in historical musicology from Stanford University. He is the recipient of fellowships from the Marion and Jasper Whiting Foundation, the Boston University Center for the Humanities, the Camargo Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Yudkin is a contributor to the Harvard Dictionary of Music, has served as an advisor to the Smithsonian Institution for the “Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz,” and is a consultant on jazz to the Oxford English Dictionary. He is also the author of nine books.
The talk is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Stockbridge Library at (413) 298-5501 or info@stockbridgelibrary.org.
–E.E.
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Women’s Running Race to benefit Elizabeth Freeman Center
Pittsfield — The 41st annual Women’s Running Race will be held Sunday, May 13, at Berkshire Community College. The event will include an all-women’s 5K at 8:30 a.m., a community 5K at 9:30 a.m. and a kids’ fun run at 10:30 a.m.
Each year, the proceeds from race registrations have gone directly to agencies that provide services for women. In an effort to make participation financially feasible for those who cannot afford a race registration fee, that fee has been eliminated. Organizers will raise funds from participants with the sale of race t-shirts. Instead of giving t-shirts to all paid registrants, t-shirts will be available for sale to those who choose to buy one. The Elizabeth Freeman Center is now the primary beneficiary of the race and will receive 100 percent of the proceeds.
“We are looking to take this historic race to the next level by making it an all-inclusive morning where everyone can run and help celebrate all women, our mothers, and make a difference in our community by supporting EFC in all their efforts in providing women, men and children with support, safety and security when they need it the most,” said race director Shiobbean Lemme.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information or to register, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact Berkshire Running Center at (413) 344-4472 or info@berkshirerunningcenter.org.
–E.E.
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National Association of Letter Carriers to hold ‘Stamp Out Hunger’ food drive
Pittsfield — In conjunction with Berkshire United Way, Berkshire Youth United and Berkshire Community Action Council, local branch #286 of the National Association of Letter Carriers will participate in the annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive Saturday, May 12, during which letter carriers will collect nonperishable food items for distribution to local food pantries and meal programs.
Participants should place their food donations in bags or boxes by their mailboxes Saturday, May 12, for letter carriers in Adams, Becket, Dalton, Great Barrington, Hinsdale, Housatonic, Lanesboro, Lee, Lenox, North Adams, Pittsfield, parts of Richmond, Sheffield and Williamstown to collect and bring to their respective loading docks for sorting and packing.
For more information, contact Amy Breault at the Pittsfield Post Office at (413) 442-6961.
–E.E.
