Tanglewood

For Berkshire residents the Saratoga Performing Arts Center is not that far away, and offers a completely different menu of performances to choose from. Their season had just begun when we visited. The New York City Ballet is in residence through July 18.

When Igor Stavinsky's ballet "Le Sacre du Printemps," with choreography by Vaslav Nijinski, premiered in Paris with the Ballets Russes on May 29, 1913 it provoked a riot. A light attendance for James Levine conducting at Tanglewood indicates that after almost a century it is still a hard sell. Judging by a standing ovation and encore it was clear that much of the audience had come to hear violinist Christian Tarzlaff perform Brahms.

Miraculously Diana Krall transformed a packed Shed and several thousand on the Lawn at Tanglewood into the most intimate cabaret. With sizzling jazz piano, a scorching quartet and torchy lyrics. Krall took time to chat about her husband, Elvis Costello, twin boys, and getting hugs from the Obamas during a recent visit to the White House. Ending with fireworks.

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.

Coming into the second week of the Tanglewood season we greatly anticipate James Levine conducting Wagner's "Die Meistersinger" on July 11. Later he will conduct Mozart's "Don Giovanni." There is always so much going on that there is no time t take a breath during the dense season. On the occasion night off or when we have to be somewhere else friends invariably tell us what we have missed. So get our your calendar and start planning ahead. The wonderful Tanglewood season always seems to go by in a blur. Between now and the Labor Day Jazz Festival, pack a basket, spread the blanket, open the wine and enjoy a glorious night under the stars.

Last night was the official launch of the Tanglewood season with James Levine conducting an all Tchaikovsky program. There will also be Tchaikovsky tonight in the Fourth of July celebration on the Esplanade in Boston conducted by Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops. Tonight, there will also be fireworks following the performance in Lenox of Diana Krall. The summer music season has been launched full blast.

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.

In recent years the Berkshires has emerged as a major theatre community. With four professional companies and eight stages it's becoming a force in American theatre. And behind the scenes there is another show going on as well. Read all about it.

The Tanglewood Music Festival kicks into high gear this week. The official gala opening of the season will be marked by James Levine conducting an all Tchaikovsky program on Friday, July 3. Followed by the traditional fireworks pop star Diana Krall appears on the Fourth of July. And on Sunday afternoon there will be a different kind of pyrotechnics when Levine leads the orchestra in Stravinsky's magnificent and visceral "Rites of Spring."

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.

In addition to working on a Tanglewood production of the opera "Don Giovanni" this summer the North Adams based artist and lighting designer, Julie Seitel, is also creating a series of light sculptures she refers to with the theatrical term "Practicals." They will be seen in a group show "Illuminati: Working in Light" which she is curating for the Eclipse Mill Gallery. She is a graduate of Williams College where she works for its 62 Center.

The Main Stage season for Barrington Stage Company in Pittsfield always starts with a musical. Artistic director, Julianne Boyd, has produced a winner in the old chestnut and certain hit the 1945 "Carousel" by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Be still dear heart.

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.

To mark the launch of the 2009 Tanglewood Season the BSO is organizing a 150 mile cross state relay run starting at Symphony Hall on June 29 and ending at the Lenox campus, hopefully, a day later in time for the first rehearsal on July 1. Literally the season will be off and running.

Yo Yo Ma advances cultural diffusion with his extraordinary mix of East and West The Silk Road Ensemble performed at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center.

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.

The annual Memorial Day concert the New York PHilharmonic performs in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, honors the dead and inaugurates its free summer concert program.

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.

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.

At Carnegie Hall in New York, the State Orchestra of Berlin under Daniel Barenboim performed Gustav Mahler's 7th Symphony and the Wayfarer songs, with Thomas Hampson. This was part of the larger series in which all the Mahler symphonies have been performed in order. It wasn't hard to see why this doesn't happen often as the work requires at least 80 musicians.

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."

The BSO and Tanglewood are making you an offer you cannot refuse. The season long Grass Pass offers admission to most events. The 45/45 combines two lawn tickets with two tickets to the Clark Art Institute. There are also hotel/ back stage and ticket offers. Check it out.

The complete Beethoven Symphonies will be among the 15 programs that James Levine will lead during the 2009-2010 season of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In addition to Mahler, Mendelssohn, Mozart and Renee Flemming performing the Four Last Songs of Strauss there will be premieres by Carter, Harbison, Leiberson and John Williams.

Despite a drastic 20% budget cut Kate Maguire, the artistic director and CEO of Berkshire Theatre Festival is excitied about the coming season and the return of Randy Harrison in Ibsen's "Ghosts." During an upbeat interview she stated that "I'm not a director. I love directors. I'm married to one (Eric Hill). I love directing directors and I wanted to build a director's theatre."

Stuart Chase, the director of the 106 year old Berkshire Mueum in Pittsfield discusses the recently completed $10 million renovation that was "on time and within budget." He also deaccessioned three paintings by the Russian, Grigoriev, that added $7 million for future acquisitions. Not bad during these hard times.