Donna Lee Peterson

Berkshire Opera Festival (BOF) invites families to an exciting afternoon of interactive music and storytelling with “Choose Your Own Opera Adventure” on Sunday, March 2 at 2 p.m. This free family concert will be held at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center’s new venue, The Indigo Room, at 20 Castle Street in Great Barrington.

Designed for audiences aged 8 to 14 and their caregivers, this performance puts the audience in charge of the story. Inspired by the classic pasticcio opera—a historical precursor to the modern jukebox musical—this event blends arias from Mozart, Puccini, Bizet, and Donizetti into an original adventure. Through live voting, audience members will determine how the story unfolds, making each performance unique.

Local organization Construct is holding its 18th annual campaign to raise funds for wintertime emergency assistance for fuel, utilities and short-term accommodations for unhoused residents in extreme cold conditions. This year, the Southern Berkshire nonprofit aims to raise $150,000.

“The winter months pose serious challenges for many Berkshire households,” said Jane Ralph, Construct’s executive director. “We’ve already experienced a colder and snowier winter than in recent years. We know people will have to choose between heat and prescription medicines or food – choices no one should make.”