The Hudson Valley: A Cultural Campus

The Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College

Bard College, a liberal arts school just over an hour north of New York City, has become a cultural force in the Hudson Valley. It was intentionally built in an isolated location on over 500 acres of forest so its students wouldn't be distracted by the mass production and overstimulation of an urban environment. Then, the college installed multimillion dollar sculptures, founded a museum with a world-class contemporary art collection, and commissioned Frank Gehry to build a performing arts center which brings lovers of all things highbrow right to its campus. 

Olafur Eliasson   , Parliament of Reality, 2009. 

Each summer, thousands from New York and beyond come to the college for Summerscape; seven weeks of opera, music, theater, dance, film, and cabaret. Each season honors the work of one composer. This year, it's one of the most influential composers of the 20th century Igor Stravinsky. The festival is designed for those looking to delve into the deepest depths of an artist's legacy experiencing the progression and maturation of their style. 

The program includes orchestral concerts by the American Symphony Orchestra, chamber and choral music performances, and panel discussions. The intention is not to glorify an artist's most renowned pieces, but to understand the intricacies of what made his or her body of work so influential. Each Summerscape also includes a film festival which is an extension of the music festival and presents the highlighted composer's influence on the world of motion pictures. This year there's a retrospective of sixteen screenings about the lives of Russian émigrés which brings us into the time and place when Stravinsky was composing. 

If all the film screenings, lectures, performances, and special events aren't enough to fill your day, the rest of Bard is a magical place to explore. There's a large open field which overlooks the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains, a small natural stream and waterfall you can take a dip in during the hot summer months, and well-curated current exhibitions at the Hessel Museum of Art. 

For more information on upcoming performances at Bard click here