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Josh Cooper

Songs of Britten, Russians featured in Artsongs recital

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This week’s Artsongs recital, held at 4 p.m. today in Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall, will feature songs of famous Russian composers, as well as those of Benjamin Britten, a legendary 20th century British composer. The program will showcase the voices of three Young Artists: bass Heath Sorensen, mezzo Courtney Miller and soprano Kasey King, all new to the Chautauqua Opera Company.

Opera singer Conrad fought racism with song

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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.

Children’s School saddles up for western-themed week

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The kids of Children’s School will participate in various activities related to the “Wild, Wild West” this week. Children will be making all kinds of western-themed crafts, “Wanted” posters, hobbyhorses, sheriff badges and cowboy hats. They also will be learning square dances and a hoedown.

Opera, with an American flavor

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The works of John Adams, Leonard Bernstein, Jonathan Dove, Benjamin Britten and Lee Hoiby, among many others, will be featured in the Opera Highlights concert, held at 8:15 p.m. Saturday in the Amphitheater. The performance will feature eight Apprentice Artists from the opera company’s Young Artists program and members of the CSO, under the baton of Steven Osgood.
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Chautauquan Bestor Cram premieres films

Filmmaker Bestor Cram is no stranger to Chautauqua. “I consider myself the George Washington of Chautauqua,” Cram said, “because I’ve slept in almost every house here given the number of years that I’ve come here.”

One Fine Night

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When internationally acclaimed singer and songwriter Natalie Merchant comes to Chautauqua, it will be a homecoming of sorts. Merchant is a native of nearby Jamestown, N.Y. Her earliest venture into the musical world was with the band 10,000 Maniacs, the members of which also hailed from Jamestown. Merchant told NPR host Scott Simon that some of her prominent memories of Jamestown are the times she snuck into local bars when she was 16 years old to play shows.

Opera singers find new voice with musical theater

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When the average person thinks of American musical theater, the names Rodgers and Hammerstein no doubt come to mind. However, in the Musical Theater Revue, put on by Studio Artists of the Chautauqua Opera Company at 10:30 p.m. tonight and next Tuesday in Elizabeth S. Lenna Hall, Richard Rodgers will be nowhere to be found.
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Singers explore diverse topics in weekly Artsongs

Love, death and the meaning of existence are all themes that will be sung about in this week’s Chautauqua Opera Studio Artists Artsongs recital at 4 p.m. today in the Hall of Christ. Three singers, all Chautauqua first-timers, will be singing: soprano Alize Rozsnyai, baritone Nickoli Strommer and tenor Joshua Baum.

Kids see, touch and taste nature in new ‘sensory garden’

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For Children’s School administrators, a major goal for several years has been to incorporate more outdoor learning for the kids who attend the program. This year, after five years of planning, designing and building, their goal has finally been reached. The final product: the new “sensory garden” in the backyard of the Children’s School, which allows children to experience nature in a whole new way.

Gergen speaks on ethics, leadership

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If anyone is qualified to speak on applied ethics in government, it is David Gergen. A political consultant who has advised the administrations of presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, he has an intimate knowledge of the key ingredients of sound leadership in the political sphere. Among the most important, Gergen said, is a strong ethical grounding.

Children’s School students prepare for annual Fourth of July parade

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Near the beginning of every Chautauqua summer, the sounds of children belting out patriotic tunes fill the air as the highly anticipated Children’s School Independence Day parade marches through the grounds. This year will be no exception. Today at 10 a.m., the children of Children’s School, along with Group 1 and Group 2 from Boys’ and Girls’ Club, will leave the Children’s School building, march down Pratt Avenue, stop at the Colonnade to sing several songs and proceed to the Amphitheater for a bit more singing.

Children’s School introduces youth to Chautauqua experience

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For children who visit Chautauqua, Children’s School may be the beginning of a lifelong love for the Institution, according to Jack Voelker, director of the Department of Recreation and Youth Services. “It really is the entry-level experience of the life of the community, because this is how you start getting to be a part of the Chautauqua experience,” Voelker said. The program, which serves upward of 150 children per week, runs from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday for children ages 3 to 5.
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Opera program seeks new, returning audience this season

Opera programs across the country have been facing struggles in light of the recent economic crisis, and many are seeing drastically lower attendance rates. With the recent closing of several notable companies, like the Baltimore Opera Company, and the gloomy forecast for others, like the New York City Opera, many opera administrators are seeking ways to bring the art form to a new audience, without ostracizing the loyal. Jay Lesenger, Chautauqua Opera Company’s artistic/general director, said this opera company is no exception.