While New York City’s major opera houses traditionally go dark for the summer, the Hudson Valley has stepped into the spotlight as an unlikely operatic powerhouse. At Bard College’s Fisher Center, two rarely performed masterpieces have drawn audiences and critics from across the region, establishing the SummerScape festival as a vital force in New York’s cultural landscape.
The season opened with Meyerbeer’s “Le Prophète,” marking its first major U.S. staging since the Metropolitan Opera’s performances of 1977 and ’79. Under Leon Botstein‘s direction, the American Symphony Orchestra and a cast of rising stars brought fresh life to this forgotten grand opera.
Leon Botstein’s Decision To Perform Le Prophete
“There is no composer in the history of classical music and opera whose posthumous career has been so startlingly destroyed as Meyerbeer,” noted Botstein, who collaborated with musicologist Mark Everist to restore an 11-minute overture cut from the original production. This attention to historical detail, combined with director Christian Räth’s contemporary staging, offered audiences a rare glimpse into the grandeur of 19th-century French opera.
Räth’s production resonated with contemporary themes, as he observed, “The piece unfortunately, feels very, very modern and rings a lot of bells for today.” The cast, featuring Robert Watson as Jean, Jennifer Feinstein as Fidès, and Amina Edris as Berthe, brought these parallels to life in the Frank Gehry-designed theater.
The festival culminated with Berlioz’s “La damnation de Faust,” a work that defies traditional categorization. This “Dramatic Legend in Four Parts” showcased the versatility of both the performers and the venue’s acclaimed acoustics. Joshua Blue’s affecting Faust and Alfred Walker’s compelling Mephistopheles led a strong cast, while Sasha Cooke’s “radiant mezzo-soprano” brought depth to the role of Marguerite.
Stefan Egerstrom “made the most of his tavern song about a rat, creating a funny and musically beautiful moment” as Brander, demonstrating the production’s attention to even the smallest roles. The Bard Festival Chorale, under James Bagwell’s direction, proved equally adept at navigating Berlioz’s demanding score.
The success of these productions highlights a significant shift in New York’s cultural geography. While Manhattan’s opera scene largely hibernates during the summer months, Bard’s 900-seat Sosnoff Theater has become an incubator for overlooked masterpieces and fresh interpretations.
The American Symphony Orchestra and Bard
The American Symphony Orchestra’s presence at Bard represents a continuing connection between the city and the Hudson Valley cultural corridor. This relationship has grown increasingly significant as New York’s cultural institutions seek to expand their reach beyond traditional venues and seasons.
Looking ahead to next summer, Bard has announced plans to present Smetana’s rarely performed “Dalibor,” continuing its mission of operatic archaeology. This programming choice reflects the festival’s commitment to works that challenge the conventional opera repertoire while building a distinctive artistic identity for the region.
As the curtain falls on this year’s festival, it’s clear that the Hudson Valley has become more than just a summer retreat for city dwellers seeking cultural entertainment. Through ambitious programming and high-caliber performances, Bard SummerScape has established itself as a serious operatic destination, proving that significant artistic innovations can flourish beyond the confines of Manhattan’s established institutions.