Newsday, June 2004

Chautauqua Opera

"Opera and the Almighty" is the theme for a season including Verdi's "Stiffelio" (July 9 and 12), Carlisle Floyd's "Susannah" (July 23 and 26), Gounod's "Faust" (Aug. 6 and 9) and "Fiddler on the Roof" (Aug. 20, 22 and 23). All operas are sung in English. Chautauqua is near Lake Erie, seven or more hours by car from the metropolitan area. More information at opera.ciweb.org or 716-357-6286.

Glimmerglass Opera

Combining off-the-beaten-track repertory with superb musical and theatrical values, the Glimmerglass festival (July 1 through Aug. 24) is one of the premier operatic events in the United States. The season comprises Puccini's "La Fanciulla del West," Gilbert & Sullivan's "Patience," Handel's "Imeneo" and Sir Richard Rodney Bennett's "The Mines of Sulphur." Glimmerglass is just north of Cooperstown (home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame), about four-plus hours by car from the Metropolitan area. Information at www.glimmerglass.org or 607-547-2255.

Maverick Concerts

Founded in 1916, "America's oldest continuous summer chamber music series" offers Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon concerts through Labor Day, as well as free Young People's Concerts some Saturday mornings. Repertory ranges from J.S. Bach to modern masters George Perle and Ned Rorem. Performers include the Tokyo String Quartet and pianists Ursula Oppens and Ruth Laredo. The Maverick Concert Hall is in Woodstock, about two hours by car from the metropolitan area. More information at www.maverickconcerts.org or 845-679-8217.

PianoSummer at New Paltz

This piano institute and festival (July 12 through Aug. 6) offers master classes, student recitals and concerts by such keyboard luminaries as Claude Frank and festival artistic director Vladimir Feltsman. Tickets are modestly priced. New Paltz is about 90 miles north of the metropolitan area. More information at http://newpaltzpianosummer.tix.com or 845-257-3880.

Saratoga Performing Arts Festival

This most glamorous of New York arts festivals includes not only classical offerings but also performances by the New York City Ballet and the Freihofer's Jazz Festival. The Lake George Opera performs Donizetti's "L'Elisir d'Amore" (July 2, 6, 8 and 10) and Bernstein's "Candide" (July 3, 7, 9 and 11). August concerts by the Philadelphia Orchestra under Charles Dutoit include Beethoven's Ninth, Mahler's Third and piano soloists Martha Argerich and Jean-Yves Thibaudet, as well as music from the movies led by guest conductor Marvin Hamlisch. Pulitzer Prize winner Ellen Taaffe Zwilich is composer-in-residence at the Saratoga Chamber Music Festival (Aug. 3-22). Saratoga Springs is up to four hours by car from the metropolitan area. More information at www.spac.org and 518-587-3330.