The Mahaiwe Celebrates the Arts

Days after the debut of the great American soprano Deborah Voigt as Brünnhilde in Wagner’s “Die Walküre” at the Met, New York Times critic Anthony Tommasini wrote, “I have seldom heard the role sung with such rhythmic accuracy and verbal clarity. From the start, with those go-for-broke cries of ‘Hojotoho,’ she sang every note honestly. She invested energy, feeling and character in every phrase.” Next Saturday, May 21, area music lovers will have the opportunity to witness Voigt in this defining role, singing alongside the powerful baritone Bryn Terfel (as Wotan), when the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington screens “Die Walküre” as part of its “Live in HD” Series. Limited tickets are available (for $25, $23 for seniors, and $18 for students under 13) for this performance, which begins at noon and runs for 5-1/2 hours. (With Wagner, you get the works.) And that’s just for starters. Fresh from her putative triumph, the diva herself will appear in person as the headliner at the Mahaiwe’s Gala on Saturday, May 21, at 8 p.m. Accompanied by pianist Brian Zeger, Voigt will sing an eclectic mix of opera arias, American songbook standards, and Broadway show tunes — all perfectly suited to her rich, soaring soprano voice. Booking a star of this caliber is a coup for the Mahaiwe, which has really come into its own as a multimedia, varied center for culture and entertainment. Mahaiwe executive director Beryl Jolly sees this as more than a performance or a gala; it is “a celebration of a beautiful voice and year-round arts at the Mahaiwe.” It promises to be a “very upbeat evening,” she says. Originally built as a vaudeville theater in 1905, the Mahaiwe became a movie house in 1930 and for many decades thereafter. In 2005, it was reinvented as a performing arts center, and a $9 million renovation was completed the following year. The theater was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. Now, the year-round arts programming includes rock concerts, dance, movies, and more – “something for everyone 12 months a year” says Jolly. The Met “Live in HD” series is in its fifth year at the Mahaiwe, and live feeds from the London National Theater were added three years ago. In June, Brian Bedford’s acclaimed “The Importance of Being Earnest” will be broadcast from Broadway. The Mahaiwe Gala will support the center’s year-round arts programming and allow it to continue to attract world-class talent to the region. Limited show tickets are available at $127 and $67; gala tickets at $500 and up include a post-show reception with the artist at the Castle Street Café. For information and tickets for all these events, call 413-528-0100.For gala tickets, call the development office at 413-644-9040 ext. 106.