Jacob's Pillow

In what has become an annual visit to Tanglewood the Mark Morris Dance Group presented two world premiers "Visitation" and "Empire Garden." They were accompanies by Yo Yo Ma, cello, and Emanuel Ax on "Visitation." The violinist Colin Jacobsen joined them to play Ives for "Empire Garden."

composers, cutting edge dance or perhaps an absorbing evening of great theatre? Take time to indulge your senses and treat yourself to some of the Berkshire's legendary performing arts attractions. They all have great deals for residents and visitors alike. Use our handy Picks and Previews guide to help decide.

Choreographer Marce Cunningham has been honored with the 2009 Jacob's Pillow Dance Awards. The company first performed at the Pillow in 1955 and several times since then. Because of plans recently announced by the 90 year old dancer this week of performances may well be his last for Jacob's Pillow. Cunningham died just after this review was filed.

The company Groupe Emile Dubois from Grenoble,France was founded by Jean-Claude Gallota and Mathilde Altaraz in 1979. They appeared at Jacob's Pillow with a new work "Des Gens qui dansent" during a rare American tour. It makes us rethink our notions of contemporary dance.

Summer's abundance is all around us, and so is the Berkshire's annual bounty of music, theatre and dance choices. Here's another of our detailed guides to help you choose.

Tina Packer, after 32 years as Founding Dirctor of the Lenox based, Shakespeare & Company has stepped down. It was planned that Tony Simotes, now in his first season as Artistic Director, would be handed the reins of debt free company with a $10 million new facility including a second stage, The Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre, and the start on an endowment. Then the economy fell off a cliff.

For Berkshire residents the Saratoga Performing Arts Center is not that far away, and offers a completely different menu of performances to choose from. Their season had just begun when we visited. The New York City Ballet is in residence through July 18.

July is a great time to be in the Berkshires with dozens of must-see events taking place as we approach the height of the season. Making the right choices is challenging. Winnow them down using our capsule descriptions and handy links. There's no easier way to compare, check and choose than this handy guide. Lots of pictures, too.

In recent years the Berkshires has emerged as a major theatre community. With four professional companies and eight stages it's becoming a force in American theatre. And behind the scenes there is another show going on as well. Read all about it.

When Mass MoCA opened a decade ago artists migrated to North Adams attracted by large, cheap loft spaces. For the second season that growing arts community is trying to revitalize the business district through a city wide project known as DownStreet. Artists hope that their commitment and sweat equity will start to pay off.

A capacity audience attended "Mujeres" with Belen Maya and Rocio Molina, which launched the 77th season of the summer long Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival. There is a great tradition of Flamenco at the pillow starting with the first season in 1942 which featured the legendary La Argentina.

Summer Begins with an amazing array of performing arts events to choose from. Both Tanglewood and Jacob's Pillow kick off their busy schedules while the main stages of the Berkshire's four resident professional theatre companies all kick into high gear. Our capsule descriptions and handy links will guide you through the dense array of superb cultural resources. In season world renowned artists perform in the Berkshires.

Imagine the tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet as a ballet set to music by Radiohead. From July 1 through 5 Ballet Maribor will bring this acclaimed production to Jacob's Pillow. The launch of the season will be marked by numerous free events.

It takes a community to make something like the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center succeed, and in Great Barrington this local theatre is a success in every sense of the word. Executive Director Beryl Jolly tells us why.

June is bustin' out all over, and our resident performing arts organizations are pulling out all the stops as the season approaches. Once again we provide our handy guide to upcoming Berkshire events.

When General Electric moved out in the late 1980s, with 10,000 lost jobs, Pittsfield fell on hard times. The recovery started in 2003 when the new Mayor, James M. Ruberto, mandated that arts and culture would be a focus for economic development. Megan Whilden disussed how she joined the team in 2005 and the remarkable progress since then that has reshaped the city as a cultural destination.

Here's your weekly guide to the top events happening in and around the Berkshires with more than a dozen exciting and fascinating offerings for you to choose from.

The Latin jazz pianist Nicki Denner will perform at the Hunter Center of Mass MoCA on Friday, May 1. With the easing of travel restrictions for Americans with family in Cuba this is a call for celebration with a night of music and dance.

Despite a drastic 20% budget cut Kate Maguire, the artistic director and CEO of Berkshire Theatre Festival is excitied about the coming season and the return of Randy Harrison in Ibsen's "Ghosts." During an upbeat interview she stated that "I'm not a director. I love directors. I'm married to one (Eric Hill). I love directing directors and I wanted to build a director's theatre."

For the coming season the ever popular annual appearance by Berkshire native, James Taylor, has been shifted from the Fourth of July weekend to close the season, August 27-30, and anticipate the annual Jazz Festival on Labor Day weekend which falls late this year. The BSO announces that other than lawn tickets the Taylor concerts have sold out.

The $50 million for the arts in the $787 billion stimulus bill has been added to the existing budget of $145 million for the National Endowment for the Arts. But that is small change compared to recent appropriations for the arts of $2 billion by Germany and $4 billion in France. There is a prevailing attitude that goverment support for the arts in the U.S. is an agenda of a "cultural elite" and "liberals." But after the disaster of the eight Bush years "liberal" is no longer a dirty word.

Given the poor economy, artistic director, Nicholas Martin, has reduced the number of Nikos Stage productions from five to three plays and shortened the seaon (July 1 through August 23) by two weeks. By making these cuts he has avoided any compromise of the quality of productions for one of the nation's most renowned theatre companies.

Spending money it can ill afford during a time of financial crisis, Jehudah Reinharz, President of Brandeis University hired Rasky Baerlein Stategic Communications, a PR firm than specializes in crisis management, to draft a carefully worded apology for a rash and irresponsible decision to close the Rose Art Museum and sell its renowned collection.

The world renowned Jacob's Pillow Dance announced a full schedule of performances by 50 companies on three stages. The 77th season in the Berkshires features world/ U.S. premieres and special events including the 90th birthday celebration of choreographer Merce Cunningham.

Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet will offer a world premiere of Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui's "Obro Nova" at Jacob's Pillow from July 8 through 12. It will be a highlight of the dance season in the Berkshires.