Close Encounters With Music presents the Avalon String Quartet
Great Barrington— On Sunday, February 11th at 4 p.m., Close Encounters With Music (CEWM) presents the Avalon String Quartet at Saint James Place.
The program, ”The Art of the String Quartet” includes the Berkshire premiere of “For Such a Time as This.” The work is a retelling of the biblical Book of Esther for string quartet and vocalist from a feminist perspective, narrated by mezzo-soprano Julia Bentley.
In choosing the biblical tale, Composer Stacy Garrop said, “I find several striking points. First, women had little or no agency over their lives. Biblical times were a man’s world. Vashti’s banishment at the beginning of the Book sets the tone immediately. The question whether Esther possesses the agency to act is addressed head on.” Court intrigue, a beauty pageant, and an averted genocide are elements of the gripping story set to dramatic music. Garrop’s intent is to remind us “we each possess agency to make changes happen in our lives, to act upon injustices, and leave the world a better place.”
Also on the program is Mendelssohn’s “Quartet No. 2” which pulsates with young love before landing in fairyland with a shimmering scherzo right out of “Midsummer Night’s Dream”; and Puccini’s verismo-style “Chrysanthemums,” a seldom performed gem. The Avalon String Quartet is Blaise Magniere, violin; Marie Wang, violin; Anthony Devroye, viola; and Cheng-Hou Lee, cello.
CEWM has resumed its hors d’oeuvres and wine receptions. There is an afterglow reception following the concert in the sanctuary space. Audience members are invited to meet the artists and enjoy beverages and bites by Authentic Eats by Oleg.
The concert is on Sunday, February 11th at 4 p.m. at Saint James Place on Main Street in Great Barrington. Tickets are $52. There is also a virtual ticket option. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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The Clark Art Institute presents pianist Umi Garrett in concert
Williamstown— On Saturday, February 3rd at 2 p.m., The Clark Art Institute presents pianist Umi Garrett in concert.
New York-based pianist Umi Garrett performs works by J. S. Bach, Franz Schubert, Clara Schumann, and works composed by Williamstown resident and established classical composer, Stephen Dankner. Garrett has recorded three solo albums and an upcoming debut chamber album of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Five Sonatas for Piano and Cello with Emily Mantone. She is also a Kovner Fellowship recipient at the Juilliard School and currently studies with Hung Kuan Chen.
The concert is on Saturday, February 3rd at 2 p.m. in the auditorium at The Clark Art Institute on South Street in Williamstown. Tickets are $10, $8 for members, $7 for students, and $5 for children ages 15 and under. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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Berkshire Theatre Group presents Rev Tor’s Annual Dead of Winter Jam featuring Dead Man’s Waltz and Friends at The Colonial Theatre
Pittsfield— On Saturday, February 3rd at 7:30 p.m., Berkshire Theatre Group presents Rev Tor’s Annual Dead of Winter Jam featuring Dead Man’s Waltz and Friends at The Colonial Theatre.
Hosted by Rev Tor’s Dead Man’s Waltz, this annual mid-winter celebration honors 59 years of Grateful Dead music and includes a slew of special guests. Dead Man’s Waltz is an all-star collective from the Northeast festival scene offering a refreshing twist to the music of The Grateful Dead. While staying true to the spirit of the music, the band members put their own dynamic spin on a vast catalog of beloved songs that are now part of the new American songbook.
The jam is on Saturday, February 3rd at 7:30 p.m. at The Colonial Theatre on South Street. Tickets are $25 in advance and $35 on the day of the show. Patrons are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to be donated to a local food pantry in need. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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The Mason Library presents a screening of the documentary ‘Hello Bookstore’ with Lenox Bookstore owner Matt Tannebaum and film director Adam Zax
Great Barrington— On Saturday, February 3rd from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., The Mason Library presents a screening of the documentary ‘Hello Bookstore’ followed by a Q&A with bookstore owner Matt Tannebaum and film director Adam Zax.
The 2022 film traces the history of the Lenox bookstore and shows how the community rallied to support it through the pandemic. Tannebaum purchased The Bookstore 47 years ago and it has become an iconic example of the perseverance of local, non-chain bookstores, a rarity in these times.
The free screening marks the resumption of the Friends of the GB Libraries First Saturday Documentary Series and includes a pre-screening social hour with free refreshments from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., followed by the 86-minute film and a post-screening Q&A.
The event is on Saturday, February 3rd from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The Mason Library on Main Street in Great Barrington. More information can be found online.
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The Clark Art Institute presents ‘Fun on First Sunday – a tea party’
Williamstown— On Sunday, February 4th from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., The Clark Art Institute presents “Fun on First Sunday – a tea party.”
Take a break from the cold and warm up with a cup of tea at the Clark. Decorate your own teacup, create your own delicious tea blend to take home, and enjoy tea tastings offered by local tea shop Hearts Pace.
Kathy Morris, Marx Director of Collections and Exhibitions and Curator of Decorative Arts, will lead a guided tour at 2 p.m. exploring the unique tea sets, spoons, and pots in the Clark’s expansive collection of decorative arts.
The free event is on Sunday, February 4th from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at The Clark Art Institute on South Street in Williamstown. Admission is free. More information can be found online.
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Christ Trinity Church presents 3rd Annual Broadway Cabaret at Dewey Hall
Sheffield— On Saturday, February 3rd at 7 p.m. and Sunday, February 4th at 2 p.m., Christ Trinity Church presents 3rd Annual Broadway Cabaret at Dewey Hall.
Now celebrating its third year, the cast has grown and is excited about this year’s theme, Broadway Cabaret Goes to the Movies, with music from fabulous Broadway shows that were later turned into movies.
The cast includes veterans of Broadway, the West End, local theater, television, movies, and Sheffield Pride. Performers include Donna Bullock, Jordyn Cormier, Johanne Kesten, William Kinsolving, Joe Kolodziej, Ruby Littman, Julie Osburn, Laura Patinkin, Janelle Sando, Joanna Seaton, Michael Siktberg, Mollie Sosin, Tom Truss, Teak Welch, and Willy Welch, with stage direction by Wendy Welch, musical direction by Donald Sosin, and stage management by Dorothy Maffei.
The performances are on Saturday, February 3rd at 7 p.m. and Sunday, February 4th at 2 p.m. at Dewey Hall on Main Street in Sheffield. Tickets are $30. Tickets and more information can be found online.
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The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center presents a screening of ‘Groundhog Day’
Great Barrington— On Friday, February 2nd at 7 p.m., The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center presents a screening of “Groundhog Day” (1993.)
This comedic favorite stars Bill Murray as Phil Connors, a TV weather reporter caught in a time loop reliving February 2nd every day.
The screening is on Friday, February 2nd at 7 p.m. at The Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center on Castle Street in Great Barrington. Tickets are $8 and $5 for youth ages 12 and under; Card To Culture accepted. Tickets and more information can be found online.
