Mass MOCA

Tina Ramirez founded Ballet Hispanico in 1970. She recently stepped down and the new Artistic Director is Eduardo Vilaro. Starting in 1984 this is the fourth appearance of the New York based company at Jacob's Pillow. They will close the Pillow season on Sunday, August 30. This appearance includes the world premiere of "Locked Up Laura" and four other works.

During this rainy and mostly miserable summer the exhibition "Dove/O'Keeffe Circles of Influence" at the Clark Art Institute has provided shelter from the storm. Visitors have flocked to this populat exhibition which ends on September 7.

Summer may seem to be drawing to a close, but you can't tell by the busy schedule in the next few weeks. In fact, more new shows are opening, fresh dance companies are unpacking and the jazz musicians are waiting in the wings for a festive climax to Summer in the Berkshires. To make sure you don't miss anything, here is another handy roundup of the best events for late summer through the big Labor Day weekend.

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.

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.

For 26 years John Barrett has served as the Mayor of North Adams. He is running for yet another two year term. In a meeting with artists of the Eclipse Mill complex he related the epic struggle to salvage a depressed city largely through his personal efforts to help Tom Krens and then Joe Thompson in their plan to transform the abandoned Sprague Electric campus into Mass MoCA. Some $35 million in state revenue was used to renovate the museum which is celebrating its first decade.

Recently Dick Alcombright who opposes the incumbent, John Barrett, met with us to discuss his platform as candidate for Mayor of North Adams. We particulaly focused on the presence of Mass MoCA, MCLA, and an emerging community of artists as a matrix for arts as an economic engine to drive a depressed and recovering city.

Bebe Neuwirth takes to the Mahaiwe stage Saturday for an evening of songs and remembrances, but will she have time to check out the Berkshire antique shops she loves so dearly?

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.

From Thursday, July 16 through Saturday, August 1, Bang on a Can and MASS MoCA (Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art) will present the eighth annual Bang on a Can Summer Music Festival at MASS MoCA. The Festival is dedicated entirely to programming today's most innovative new music and includes public performances, workshops for participants in everything from Balinese music to improvisation, master classes, music business seminars, and more.

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.

As part of the Tenth Anniversary celebrations the artist, Richard Criddle, who has been in charge of installations and fabrication for Mass MoCA gave a power point presentation of some of his most interesting and challenging collaborations with artists. The slide lecture was followed by a guided tour of the museum's efficient workshops. But Criddle's dog Winston had the day off.

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.

During some time in a Maine cottage by the beach we took a day trip to view the Portland Museum of Art's 2009 Biennial. The jurors, Elizabeth Burke, Dan Graham and Denise Markonish selected 17 artists from 970 applicants.

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.

North Adams, and Mass MoCA now celebrating its 10th anniversary, have come a long way from rock bottom when Sprague Electric left town, during the 13 terms of Mayor John Barrett, Jr. For the first time in 26 years Barrett has a tough opponent in Dick Albombright. Some 800 plus turned out for a spaghetti dinner fundraiser last week. It's shaping up to be a tight race.

Julie Seitel, a lighting designer for the Williams College Theatre Department did a fabulous job curating and installing the Second Annual Berkshire Salon. The survey of work by 55 artists launches the season for the North Adams based Eclipse Mill Gallery.

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.

Last year MCLA and the City of North Adams combined to turn vacant downtown stores into the seasonal galleries called Down Street. The programming has been expanded to include 27 museums and galleries. The fun begins on Memorial Day Weekend with the Berkshire Salon at the Eclipse Mill Gallery and the 10th Anniversary Ball at Mass MoCA. Let the games begin.

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.

For the 124th season of the Boston Pops Keith Lockhart performed with guest artists, Maya Beiser, on cello, and the jazz quartet of John Pizzaerlli. While Pizarelli is a frequent peformer with the Pops this was the debut appearance for Beiser whom Lockhart described as the "Queen of Post Modern Cello."

Over a Beer and Burger we learned a lot about the artist, Phil Sellers, who with his wife Gail runs River Hill Pottery in the Eclipse Mill. This year he is chairing the annual North Adams Open Studios slated for October 17 and 18.

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.

During the two hour Patti Smith film at Mass MoCA she mentioned lost loved ones quite often and visited graves of dead poets. Drifting off I thought of my friend Alain Didot who looked like Alain Delon and reminded me of Belmondo in Breathless.