The Classical Beat: Tanglewood, Taconic Music, Sevenars Take Center Stage By Stephen Dankner, Special to iBerkshires
03:46PM / Wednesday, July 09, 2025 | |
Tanglewood
Tanglewood enters its second week of classical programming with inspiring concerts in the Shed and in Ozawa Hall. As always, excellence is the watchword: from great early 20th century French vocal and chamber works by Ravel and Faure, to the full Prokofiev "Romeo and Juliet" ballet presented as a theatrical concert performed by Andris Nelsons and the BSO with actors, to both Ravel piano concertos paired with Debussy's "La Mer," Tanglewood hits all the high notes. Wait - there's more: a feast of Sibelius, featuring his soulful Violin Concerto paired with the Fifth Symphony. On Monday evening the brilliant Tanglewood Festival Orchestra performs two additional masterworks by Ravel and will conclude their program with Stravinsky's atavistic "The Rite of Spring."
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Friday, July 11, 6:00 p.m., Prelude Concert, Ozawa Hall: BSO players with Eve Gigliotti, mezzo-soprano performing vocal and chamber music of Ravel and Fauré.
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Friday, July 11, 8:00 p.m. in the Shed: Andris Nelsons leads the BSO and actors in a concert-theatre version of Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet."
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Saturday, July 12, 8:00 p.m. in the Shed: Andris Nelsons directs the
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BSO in a program featuring the two Ravel piano concertos, Seong-Jin Cho, soloist, and Debussy's "La Mer" and "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun."
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On Sunday, July 13, Tanglewood will host its annual Berkshire Day. Tanglewood will offer free tickets (Shed, as available, then lawn) to the 2:30 p.m. concert to residents and property owners of Berkshire County.
The concert features acclaimed conductor Thomas Adès leading the BSO and Pekka Kuusisto in Sibelius' Violin Concerto on a program that also offers Sibelius' Symphony No. 5 and Gabriella Smith's Tumbleweed Contrails.
Tickets may be picked up in person at the Main Gate Box Office during open hours any time this week. Residents must show identification to establish Berkshire County residency or property ownership.
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Sunday, July 13, 2:30 in the Shed: Maestro Esa-Pekka Salonen leads the BSO in an all-Sibelius program: Symphony No. 5 and the Violin Concerto, Pekka Kuusisto, soloist.
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Monday, July 14, 8:00 p.m. in Ozawa Hall: Maestro Esa-Pekka Salonen and Conducting Fellows lead the TMC Orchestra in a program of Ravel and Stravinsky.
For schedules and tickets to all Tanglewood/BSO concerts and for special events call (617) 266-1200. Online: tanglewood.org.
Taconic Music
Based in Manchester, VT., Taconic Music is presently midway into its Ninth Annual Summer Music Festival and Chamber Music Intensive program, which continues until July 16. Here are this week's two upcoming concert events and programs:
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
7:00?PM 9:00?PM
Indigo + Green
Taconic Young Artists perform an evening of classical and contemporary chamber music at the charming and eclectic Indigo+Green shop in the heart of Danby village.
Ticket price per person includes evening of live music, 1 beverage of choice, and light refreshments provided.
Saturday, July 12, 2025;7:30?PM -8:45?PM
Riley Center for the Arts at Burr and Burton Academy
WANG Jie: Memories of that First Summer for solo piano
Drew Petersen, piano
Claude DEBUSSY: Cello Sonata L.135
Tommy Mesa, cello
Drew Petersen, piano
César FRANCK: Piano Quintet in F Minor, op. 14
Heather Braun, violin
Joana Genova, violin
Ariel Rudiakov, viola
Tommy Mesa, cello
Drew Petersen, piano
Mendelssohn, Bartók, Shaw, Dvo?ák
Monday, July 14 at 7pm
Riley Center for the Arts at the Burr and Burton Academy
143 Seminary Avenue, Manchester, Vermont
On Monday, July 14 at 7pm, Taconic Music's young artists return to the stage in the final concert of Taconic's 2025 season. These talented music majors from across the country have wowed audiences in both formal and informal settings since they arrived a few weeks ago. Monday's program will wrap up the season with a flourish.
Felix MENDELSSOHN: String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, op. 13
Cara Wunder, violin
Amina Knapp, violin
Sebastian Saiz-Harrison, viola
Irén Hangen Vázquez, cello
Béla BARTÓK: String Quartet No. 3 in C-sharp Minor, Sz. 85
Bethlehem Kelley, violin
Gisselle Sanchez-Diaz, violin
Waverly Long, viola
Daniel Knapp, cello
Caroline SHAW: Plan & Elevation: The Grounds of Dumbarton Oaks
Gisselle Sanchez-Diaz, violin
Cara Wunder, violin
Sebastian Saiz-Harrison, viola
Irén Hangen Vázquez, cello
Antonín DVO?ÁK: Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Major, op. 81
Amina Knapp, violin
Bethlehem Kelley, violin
Waverly Long, viola
Daniel Knapp, cello
Qiaochuhan Li, piano
Sevenars Concerts
Sevenars Concerts, in South Worthington, presents its opening Concert celebrating the Festival's 57th anniversary season. This exciting program offers masterpieces for piano solo, piano duo, and violin/piano duo, with a special tribute to Maurice Ravel and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor for their 150th anniversaries. Stellar guest artists will be pianist/composer Clifton J. ("Jerry") Noble and violinist Alexis Walls, joining Sevenars family members Rorianne Schrade, Lynelle James, and Christopher James, who will each perform. The program opens with Lynelle James and Rorianne
Schrade performing a specially arranged duo of Coleridge-Taylor. The music continues with Christopher James playing one of Liszt's most exciting of the composer's daunting ”Transcendental Etudes,” ‘Wild Jagd' ("Wild Hunt").
To honor Ravel, there will be his fiendishly demanding "Gaspard de la Nuit," the 'bluesy' Sonata No. 2 for Violin and Piano, and "La Valse." Rorianne Schrade will also join Clifton J. Noble for the finale, Percy Grainger's tribute to George Gershwin, "Porgy and Bess Fantasy."
Date: Sunday, July 13, at 4PM
Location: Sevenars Academy, 15 Ireland Street just off Rte. 112 at Ireland Street, South Worthington, MA.
Phone number: 413-238-5854 (Leave a message for return call)
Why go? Simply stated, what you'll see and hear this week at these three venues is a sampling of the very best within the richness and diversity of classical music programming in our region – all brilliantly performed.
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