The Chautauquan Daily

Growing up in the segregated south, Barbara Smith Conrad knew firsthand the pain racial discrimination brought. She also knew firsthand the healing power of music. “Music absolutely saved my life,” Conrad said. Conrad grew up in a very musical environment, and singing was her passion. She came to the forefront of national attention in 1957, when she was forcibly removed from the cast of an opera production at the University of Texas.

It was a cold Thursday morning in February. NPR’s Susan Stamberg waited anxiously in front of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. — not an uncommon locale for her, considering her regular art reporting. But this time was different.

The playwright George Bernard Shaw wrote plays to share his message with a large number of people, an idea that seems old-fashioned in the age of new media. But what if Shaw still chose to write plays in the midst of the 21st century? “Is there something about the experience of live theater that actually is capable of creating more effective and profound change than sitting in front of a television or watching a movie? And I think the answer is probably yes,” Ethan McSweeny said.

If you love opera, you’ll love hearing Mikael Eliasen, director of the Curtis Institute of Music Voice Department and Chautauqua Music School voice teacher, explain “Opera — What Is It?” at the Chautauqua Speaks program 9:15 a.m. Thursday at the Chautauqua Women’s Club. If you hate opera, you’ll still love hearing Eliasen explain “Opera — What Is It?”

The Wednesday-night voice concert series continues at 7:30 p.m. tonight in Fletcher Music Hall with a recital that is all about chamber music. This will be the first opportunity for students in the Voice Program, who up until now have performed in these recitals with only piano accompaniment, to enter the ensemble frame of mind. The singers will perform with various chamber groups from the School of Music.

Making art is a struggle. That’s a lesson Lisa Jakab has learned in her two summers as a School of Art student at Chautauqua. Last summer, Jakab’s first at the Institution, she had an inspiration the first day and ran with it. But this summer, she didn’t get so lucky.

Perhaps you’ve seen the houses on the red brick walk replete with huge white banners: “CELEBRATING 93 YEARS: THE INTERNATIONAL ORDER OF THE KING’S DAUGHTERS AND SONS!” and wondered what an international order was or why it necessitates three houses and a chapel on the grounds.

His artwork has transformed some of the most imaginative stories into some of the most visually recognizable books in children’s literature, but author and illustrator Eric Rohmann said you still can’t judge a book by its cover. Rohmann, a Caldecott Medal-winning illustrator whose pictures appear on book covers like Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass, traveled to Chautauqua for the Highlights conference this week. He will visit the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle Young Readers program at 4:15 p.m. today in Room 203 of Turner Community Center. This week’s Young Readers selection is Sparky: The Life and Art of Charles Schulz by Beverly Gherman.

Echoes of weeping, wailing, worrying and lamenting will fill the Amphitheater today. But don’t worry — it will just be the Massey Memorial Organ as organist Jared Jacobsen performs a somber mini-concert at 2 p.m. Jacobsen will play Franz Liszt’s “Variations on Bach’s ‘Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen,’” which translates to “Weeping, Wailing, Worrying, Lamenting,” and Olivier Messiaen’s “Dieu Parmi Nous,” or “God Among Us.”

One hundred years of American entertainment will be featured at 7:30 p.m. tonight in the Amphitheater with the arrival of Circurious to the stage as part of the 2011 Season special Wednesday-night Family Entertainment Series.

At age 10, when most kids pretended to fight fires or dreamed of performing surgeries, Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux decided he wanted to be a dancer.

Susan Stamberg has asked questions since 1972. As the host of such NPR programs as “All Things Considered,” “Morning Edition,” and “Weekend Edition Saturday,” it was her job to pick the brains of her guests. When she comes to Chautauqua, however, it will not be to question but rather to answer.

Stanley Fish, professor of humanities and law at Florida International University, read and analyzed George Herbert’s poem “The Forerunners” during his lecture at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday in the Amphitheater.

In 2003, a flood destroyed Don Kimes’ Washington, D.C., studio. Among his lost possessions were letters from friends, family photographs, his computer files and many of his personal artistic creations.

Steve Johnson and Charity Nuse, founding members of Americana band Big Leg Emma, will play an acoustic show at 9 p.m. tonight at the College Club. Nuse and Johnson met in high school, where they honed their musical skills around campfires. From this friendship, Big Leg Emma formed 10 years ago. The six-member group took a brief hiatus in 2008 but recently reformed and is stronger than ever, Johnson said.

A blue streak of artwork will take over the Strohl Art Center for the next five weeks. “Out of the Blue,” which will have its opening reception from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. today in the Strohl Art Center, features work from eight artists in all different shades of blue. Judy Barie, director of galleries and curator of the show, said this will be Chautauqua’s first monochromatic-themed show.