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Berkshires Feature
Berkshires FeatureTanglewood Music Festival News and Notes -- Summer 2015
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Season Overview
The 2015 Tanglewood marks the inaugural season of BSO Music Director Andris Nelsons and the 75th Anniversary of the Tanglewood Music Center. To celebrate, the season launcher was a grand July 3rd all-American program. (See Curtainup's feature Tanglewood Music Festival's All American Concert with John Douglas Thompson Thrilling Narration for Copeland's "Lincoln Portrait" ).Concerts during the season to be led by Andris Nelson: pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, violinist Renaud Capuçon, and cellist Gautier Capuçon in Beethoven's Triple Concerto (8/1); a program with Dean's Dramatis personae featuring trumpet star Håkan Hardenberger and Strauss' Don Quixote with Yo-Yo Ma (8/2); Mahler's Symphony No. 8 with the TMC Orchestra, alumni of the TMC, and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus (8/8); Christian Tetzlaff in Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto (8/14) and soprano Kristine Opolais in a program of Barber, Boito, Puccini, Verdi, and Strauss (8/15). . . . . feedback to Berkshire residents attending the Friday night concert may also attend the 6 p.m. prelude concert in Ozawa Hall with a variety of artists and programs. If the weather looks threatening, you can still be protected from the elements with a lawn ticket if you arrive in time to nab a spot on the green benches along the rear of the shed. An alternative for the budget minded is to buy the least expensive Shed ticket. These are very popular so buying them at the beginning of the season is advisable. Note too: That the Festival has moved into the digital age and all performances now feature large screens so that sitting at the very rear of the shed or the lawn section in back of the shed offers terrific visual access to the performance.
Saturday morning Rehearsals
If you can't make the Friday prelude-plus-concert, go over to the Tanglewood Shed at 10:30 on a Saturday morning. Earlier is even better since there's often a lecture before the rehearsals. The musicians will be wearing t-shirts and loafers, the conductor interrupts the playing periodically, and people tend to wander in and out at will. If you like your concerts in a very informal atmosphere, these open rehearsals may be just your musical brew. Best of all, there are no reserved seats and admission is the same as for a lawn ticket.The Best Concert Deal of the Season: The Saturday Afternoon Student Orchestra Concerts (BUTI) at Ozawa Hall
The BUTI concerts by the high school aged student musicians are among this reporter's own favorite top quality and best price deals . Full orchestra performances are on Saturday afternoons at 2:30 p.m. and feature outstanding donductors.There's something about sitting in Ozawa Hall with the afternoon sun streaming in and this young musicians making music that is indescribably enchanting.
The three key not-to-be-missed concerts for this season: July 18, August 1 and 15.
Miscellaneous Free and Fun Stuff
Free Tours: The Boston Symphony Association of Volunteers offers free tours of the campus through August 19th Tuesdays, Saturdays at 1:30, Wednesdays at 10:30 am. Sundays at 12:30pm tours are for ticket holders only. No reservations needed but you can call 413-637-5393 or email bsav!bsoorg for more information.Tanglewood on Parade. This is Tanglewood's own marathon with all day musical activities for the entire family, culminating in an 8:30 p.m. concert ending in the traditional Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture followed by fireworks. This year's Tanglewood on Parade is on Tuesday August 4th. The Festival is usually> blessed with good weather for the thousands of music lovers to enjoy their picnics.
Free Music Appreciation Series. BSO 101 at Tanglewood: Listening Up Close with Director of Program Publications Marc Mandel and members of the BSO offers a series of free, lunchtime sessions about a single work to be played that weekend via discussion and recorded examples. No prior training needed to enjoy and appreciate. Add a careful reading of the programs published each week and regular concert goers who collect and read them is guaranteed to be a Class A classical music aficionado.
Talks and Walks. If you happen If you happen to be in Lenox on a Thursday morning, one of the nicest things you can do is to sit in on a rehearsal of one of the weekend programs. Pack a sandwich and grab a seat on one of the green benches at the side of the Shed (free). At twelve, walk over to the Hawthorne Tent (near Seiji Ozawa Hall) for the Talks and Walks which are hosted by the Tanglewood Association of the Boston beginning at 1 pm. (There is a charge for admission and locals reserve seats well in advance)
Of course this is just a sampling of what's on offer. For complete details about everything happening at the beautiful Festival grouns it's best to check out the Festival's web site: http://www.bso.org/brands/tanglewood/general-info.aspx
Fun Home -CD
The King and I -CD
American in Paris -CD