PNC BROADWAY IN LOUISVILLE An Audience-Exclusive Interview with President Leslie Broecker Page 6 LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA Renowned Violinist to Perform in Season Opener Page 10 KENTUCKY OPERA Exciting New Season Kicks Off This Month with La bohème
Special thanks to our premium sponsors whose support lets us provide this publication at no charge to you.
A behind-the-scenes look into Louisville’s performing arts and entertainment during this unprecedented time of reflection and artistic creation. magazine
Page 14 ... and more! SEPTEMBER 2022
SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIENCE FREE!2 SEPTEMBER 2022
20 THE ART SHOW THAT GIVES BACK18 COLUMBUS-BELMONT STATE PARK 6 A DIVERSE HEART-THUMPINGAND SEASON 10 NEW MEETS OLD 14 UNITING A COMMUNITY
TABLE of CONTENTS
SEPTEMBER FEATURES
Audience Magazine is a platform for the arts in Louisville. If you have an article idea or something you think we should cover, ahiggs@theaudiencegroup.comemail
A behind-the-scenes look into Louisville’s performing arts and entertainment during this unprecedented time of reflection and artistic creation.
SALES & MARKETING
© Copyright 2022. The Audience Group, Inc. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.
St. James Court Art Show
To read current and previous Audience playbills and performance guides, go to issuu.com/audience502.
GOT AN ARTICLE IDEA?
The Audience Group, Inc.
G. Douglas Dreisbach
3
PUBLISHER
PNC Broadway in Louisville Kentucky Opera Kentucky Tourism Louisville Orchestra
Audience® Magazine is published by The Audience Group, Inc. 136 St. Matthews Avenue #300 Louisville, KY 40207 502.212.5177 | Audience502.com
On the Cover: Renowned violinist Tessa Lark will perform with the Louisville
MANAGING EDITOR Amy Higgs
Rhonda Mefford
CONTRIBUTORS
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
SeptemberOrchestra16and17,playingher422-year-oldviolin.PhotocourtesyoftheLO.Readmoreonpage6. Stay Connected with Sign up for our e-news and be the first to hear about ticket giveaways, special invites, email news alerts, show previews, reviews and the latest happenings in the performing arts scene in Louisville. CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE SHOWSPECIALGIVEAWAYSTICKETFREE!INVITESPREVIEWS
G. Douglas Dreisbach
Hands on. We are proud to support the arts. syb.com | (502) 582-2571
SEPTEMBER 2022 5
G. Douglas
It might still be 80 degrees outside, but the temperature inside the theater is perfect. Grab your tickets, and we’ll see you there!
Thank you, as always, to our wonderful advertisers for their unwavering support of the arts community. We couldn’t bring you great stories like these each month without them.
You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.
Even though the weather is not cooperating just yet, we’re in the mood for all things fall — that first bowl of chili, a firepit, a mug of apple cider, the crunch of leaves, and pumpkin everything. But as we said in last month’s issue, the true sign of fall is the debut of the new performing arts season. Well, the reviews are in, and it’s off to a fantastic start!
The Audience Group
As the curtain rises,
TIMELESSPublisherDreisbach
Amy ManagingHiggsEditor
In this issue of Audience Magazine, we sat down with two of Louisville’s most influential arts leaders, Broadway’s Leslie Broecker and Kentucky Opera’s Barbara Lynne Jamison. They both shared their excitement about the upcoming performance calendar, and talked about how each of their seasons came together.
After Jagged Little Pill, a premiere that brought the house down, we can’t wait for more! Audiences will be captivated by classics like La bohème and Fiddler on the Roof, and have a helluva good time with new hits like Hadestown. Rounding out the season is a timeless story that’s still relevant in today’s world, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. (We couldn’t resist sharing a bit of Atticus Finch wisdom above.)
Speaking of the intersection of timeless works and modern sensibilities, check out the feature on page 10 about Tessa Lark and her very old/new violin. We’re delighted to see her perform in the Louisville Orchestra’s season-opening concerts. We’re also proud to bring you a preview of one of Louisville’s longest and proudest traditions, the St. James Court Art Show, which will feature performing artists for the first time!
WORKS & MODERN SENSIBILITIES
− Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird”
by G. Douglas Dreisbach AND HEART-THUMPINGSEASON
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH LESLIE BROECKER, PNC BROADWAY IN LOUISVILLE PRESIDENT
AUDIENCE INTERVIEW A DIVERSE
GDD: Just a year ago, you and your team were getting ready for what was probably the biggest season premiere, or comeback, in Louisville theater history with the return of live shows after the pandemic. Looking back, what was that like? How did you and your team navigate it? And what did you learn from it all to apply to future situations?
PNCBroadway
7PNC BROADWAY IN LOUISVILLE
We hope you enjoy the interview, and don’t forget to buy your season tickets soon if you haven’t already!
One of the most fun things was to be able to book Waitress... We launched that show when the building caught on fire a couple of years ago. I had re-booked it, and then it was canceled during the pandemic. To be able to bring that show back, it was enormously emotional on so many levels.
Leslie Broecker is President of PNC Broadway in Louisville.
in Louisville is kicking off another exciting season filled with a variety of fan favorites and classic performances, as well as some newer titles, that will all have you on the edge of your seat. We caught up with PNC Broadway in Louisville President, Leslie Broecker, to hear about the upcoming season, live events after the pandemic and more.
Most people don’t know it, but the Louisville Theatrical Association was founded at the Iroquois Amphitheater in 1938, and it was called the Louisville Park Theatrical Association. In those days, they were doing stock productions with local casts, but then they would bring in the likes of Carol Channing and a long list of stars for the performances. They would perform one show at night, while they rehearsed and got ready to go with another show that would follow in the daytime.
I hear there was a water curtain back in those days at the amphitheater. So, instead of having your typical fabric curtain that would come in and out, they would have dancing water with lights. I hope one day maybe they can put that back in, just as a little flashback to LPA.
G. Doug Dreisbach: Can you give us a background of the Louisville Theatrical Association and the relationship with Broadway in Louisville? What were some of the pivotal points of theater here in Louisville over the years and with the Leslieassociation?Broecker:
LPA moved to the Memorial Auditorium in the early 1960s and then to the Brown Theatre after that. Then, the city wanted a big performing arts center, so they built and opened The Kentucky Center in 1983 after the Theatrical Association agreed they would move to one-week productions. This was before they were doing what we would call split weeks, but moving forward they agreed to move to one-weekers. People loved the new theater, and we’ve been doing great ever since.
GDD: So many industries were affected by the pandemic, especially live entertainment. You went from full steam ahead to a complete stop. Sitting here today, do you feel like live entertainment is back to pre-pandemic levels, from an attendance and revenue perspective? And what are some of the triggers that the industry uses to determine if it is back, or if there’s still a lot of room for growth?
SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIENCE FREE!8
LB: Yes, most certainly. I think that’s because we did lots of “know before you go” communication so that people understood how it was going to roll — in the beginning, we encouraged people to come early, so they could adjust and adapt to procedures that none of us had ever expected to deal with. At the first show, maybe it was a little slow, but then, just as with anything, we learned and people got comfortable. I think people were grateful that they were in an environment that felt safe. And The Kentucky Center stepped up, too, with their filtration system and touchless water fountains, and even ionizers in the HVAC system.
LB: In the beginning, so many tickets had been “banked” from prior to COVID. So, a lot of folks came back, not necessarily making a ticket purchase because it was already in their account, and they were just waiting to be used. In the early days, the calculation or the observations were, “How many people are coming? If we sold 20,000 tickets, but only 10,000 people are coming, we have a problem.” And in the very beginning, we were seeing 75% to 80% of people coming back. By the end of the season, what we call the drop count, or how many people showed up versus the number of tickets sold, was closer to the 90% to 95% range. So, we saw that people got more comfortable as remedies to the virus were discovered and distributed.
MARCUSJOANBYPHOTO
LB: We never expected to be gone as long as we were. I’m kind of glad because I don’t know that I could have faced knowing we wouldn’t be in the theater for that long of a period. But as we started to ramp back up and saw the fall of ’21 as being viable and finally real, one of the most fun things was to be able to book Waitress, which has had an interesting journey to get to The Kentucky Center. We launched that show when the building caught on fire a couple of years ago. I had re-booked it, and then it was canceled during the pandemic. To be able to bring that show back, it was enormously emotional on so many levels.
When we did come back, we had all kinds of new protocols in place to make sure we brought the audiences back to the theater safely and with a good, healthy plan to keep them well, as well as all of our backstage folks, who work so close together. I think we did a good job. We had no cancellations. The season came off, frankly, without a hitch.
So, I do think live entertainment is back. You can see that concerts, not just theater, but all forms of entertainment seem to be back on the boards, and tickets are selling great. I think people were thirsty and hungry to get back in and experience the arts live.
GDD: The upcoming season looks amazing, and we can’t wait for all of the shows. You have covered all of the bases again with hip and fresh to classic and bold. The season kick-off earlier this month was a two-show national launch of Jagged Little Pill, which was great. And then we look forward to Fiddler on the Roof in October, and Pretty Woman comes to Whitney Hall at the beginning of December. And 2023 promises to continue to deliver more exciting performances, with Annie, Ain’t Too Proud, Hadestown, To Kill a Mockingbird, and more. Can you tell us a little bit about the season and the process for determining what shows end up here in Louisville?
Fiddler on the Roof
We all learned, and at the end of the day, we all benefited. I’ll be really happy if I don’t get the flu this winter because of the things The Kentucky Center put in place — much less COVID, right?
GDD: Asking audiences to wear masks, show their vaccination cards and other protocols, it seems that everything went pretty smoothly. Is that accurate from your perspective? Did everything go pretty smooth as far as patron cooperation goes?
LB: The final show that got canceled, that I was yet to book from COVID, was Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. That show has been playing on Broadway to sold-out houses, and it is obvious that everybody knows about the book and the movie. I think to be able to see it onstage will be very timely and intense. It’s an amazing, amazing show.
And then of course Annie and Fiddler on the Roof will be music to your ears. I think it’s really a very diverse season, and there’s absolutely something for everyone.
I am a stickler for the fact that you don’t get goosebumps in the balcony. So, we try to put all of the kids in the orchestra up front, where you get goosebumps, where you can see the sweat rolling down a performer’s face, or people singing, and you can just feel it. That is, to me, at the end of the day, our main purpose. Yes, it’s to entertain, but it’s also to support people who want to come to the theater, as well as become performers or behindthe-scenes workers. We need everybody in all of those facets. So, yes, we sleep well at night because we know we’re taking good care of folks.
Hadestown ERICKSONCHARLESTBYPHOTO
GDD: What shows are you looking forward to the most?
Not everybody is fortunate, and not everyone gets to go to the theater, so it’s our job to be able to find those nooks and crannies of people who may otherwise not be able to go and make sure they get their chance. Our subscribers contribute $10 per season ticket toward this program, and we also work with the Fund for the Arts to generate the revenue to be able to bring schools. This past season, both classes of the Governor’s School for the Arts were able to attend a production, including Hamilton. We work with schools throughout the state, so they can bring their kids, and the school choirs. Sometimes, it’s English programs that attend. Sometimes it’s history classes that are able to come and glean something from these shows.
LB: Goodness gracious, they were Citizens Fidelity when they started with us. I believe we’re coming up on the 30th year with PNC, who is just amazing. Having a local community partner who goes beyond being our title sponsor but looks deeper and wants to also support the community, makes us a perfect pair.
LB: It’s terrific. When you’re a youngster and you get bitten by the theater bug or the music bug or the dancing bug, that’s something that then captures you for life. Those early memories, memories like I had at the Brown Theatre, going to the Kentucky Opera — those are formative.
GDD: None of this happens without the support of your patrons and sponsors, one of the biggest being PNC Bank. How long has PNC been a partner of Broadway in Louisville?
GDD: You and Broadway in Louisville have always been supportive of various programs to expose Broadway to people who may not be able to see shows otherwise, or to get students involved in coming to performances, even the biggest ones. Hamilton was sold out, and you still managed to give away over 100 tickets to various groups and individuals. Can you tell us about some of the programs you are partnering with this year?
The next thing is really looking at what’s available to us on Broadway. What are the most recent hits? I’m a Tony voter, so I get to New York and preview all the shows so we can see what fits with Louisville. So, between the opinions of our stakeholders and what becomes available in the dates that are available to us for The Kentucky Center, those are really the three biggies.
The other one that I’m really excited for is Hadestown. It’s a meshing of two very old fables, and the music is great. It feels like it’s set in a really seedy part of New Orleans and is very steamy. It’s steampunk-ish. I think those are two shows that, one, folks will walk in and not exactly know what they’re getting into and be surprised, and the other one, they will know, and they’ll still walk out of it with their hearts thumping.
For more information and tickets, visit louisville.broadway.com
Within a full season subscription package itself, I’m looking for a little something for everyone. I love a family show. I love a date-night show. I love a mature show, maybe one that is inappropriate for the kids. But if we hit all of those different things, a favorite revival from years gone by, and then the big hit from Broadway right now — when you mesh those together, that’s what makes a really great subscription package.
9PNC BROADWAY IN LOUISVILLE
LB: The important thing is to talk to your audience. We survey our audience members, both season ticket holders as well as single ticket buyers, because we want to know what’s on their radar. What are they hearing about?
GDD: Is there anything else you’d like to add or share with the arts and entertainment enthusiasts of Louisville?
LB: I’m looking for more opportunities like we just had with Jagged Little Pill. To be able to launch a national tour in a facility like The Kentucky Center is really a coup for us. We’re thrilled they were able to take advantage of the tax opportunities that this state offers, so keep your eyes out. Hopefully we’ll be doing that again soon.
LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA OPENS NEW SEASON WITH VIOLINIST TESSA LARK
PERFORMANCE MEETSNEWPREVIEWOLD
by Bill Doolittle
Society of Chicago] asked Lark to perform with... a violin made by Giovanni Paolo Maggini in 1600. (If you’re counting, that makes her “new” violin 422 years old.)
Music director Teddy Abrams has the baton, with the orchestra also performing Igor Stravinsky’s “Symphony in Three Movements.” Abrams will also introduce three composers selected for the symphony’s new Creators Corps (read more about that below).
In every violin, sound produced inside the wooden box body is projected forth through the f-holes, italic f-shaped openings carved into the violin’s spruce top. Like a speaker, if you will. The f-holes of violas, cellos and basses are also italic f-shaped. Guitars have a round hole.
“I almost laughed out loud because the first thing I noticed is how huge the f-holes are,” she recalls. “I tell people you could fit a whole meal inside. ‘Cause the f-holes are so big.”
V
Lark is a vibrant young talent, with a raft of classical credits and an ambitious concert tour schedule. She studied at the New England Conservatory of Music and Juilliard, but also grew up in Richmond, Kentucky, playing with her dad in a gospel-bluegrass group called Narrow Road. So, she was just a hike away from Appalachian mountain music in Eastern Kentucky, and a few miles from formal classical violin study in Cincinnati.
At the completion of a four-year loan of the 1763 Strad, the society asked Lark to perform with an even older instrument, a violin made by Giovanni Paolo Maggini in 1600. (If you’re counting, that makes her “new” violin 422 years old.) Which, she says, plays beautifully — from mountain music to Mozart.
Tessa Lark will perform with the Louisville Orchestra September 16 & 17. Photo by Benjamin Allen.
11LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA
In 2015, Lark was chosen to play an Antonius Stradivarius violin owned by the Stradivari Society of Chicago. In concert performances, she’d occasionally delight classical audiences with fast-bowing encores of old-time fiddling. Now, it’s a special signature.
iolinist Tessa Lark, who plays a violin that’s as old as any you’ll ever see, and is about as up-to-date a musical star as any you’ll find, appears with the Louisville Orchestra in the symphony’s season-opening concerts, September 16 and 17 in Whitney Hall.
When Lark lifts her Maggini to offer a close-up view, even a nonplayer can see the openings are, indeed, larger than usual — though not by much. Maybe the Maggini f-holes appear so large because the f-holes of later violins are kind of tucked into the curves of the instrument’s top.
Is it important?...the[Stradivari
In the century following Maggini, Italian makers — such as Nicolo Amati, Antonio Stradavari, and Giuseppi Guarnari — scaled their f-holes to a size and shape that makers have been following ever since.
But Lark told interviewer Musami Rostad she was astonished when she first laid eyes on her new/old Maggini.
And most wonderful on its lower strings. “It’s got kind of an earthy and sweet sound,” she explains. As opposed, say, to the high-note brilliance of a Strad. “The lower registers of the Maggini are so deep, and it has a breadth that I really love.”
This piece, we understand, captures that same sweep of Americana. One imagines a New Orleans streetcar bell,
The popular “Teddy Talks” series returns in October with “Teddy Talks Schumann.”
the rhythm of a rail car picking up speed, and maybe some smoky blues coming from a club downstairs. All lilting lickettysplit on Lark’s 422-year-old violin.
The inaugural three are Lisa Bielawa, Tyler Taylor and TJ Cole. A previously composed piece by each will be performed by the orchestra on this concert, with new scores they create to be premiered by the symphony in January and March. All along, the Creators will work on orchestra projects in the community.
Another highlight from the traditional repertoire will be February performances of the Strauss Horn Concerto No. 1, by the orchestra’s principal French hornist, Jon Gustely.
“The moment I started playing it, I just loved how it felt to play, how it sounded underneath my ear,” she says.
The following Saturday, September 24, the orchestra launches its Pops series with Broadway singing star Kelli O’Hara joining conductor Bob Bernhardt.
Jazz WyntontrumpeterMarsalis
LOWS SO DEEP, SO BROAD
For online readers LINK HERE to watch the fun conversation between Lark and Rostand about this violin. Near the end, Lark plays a bit of Fritz Kreisler’s version of Dvorak’s “Songs My Mother Taught Me,” and the tone is indeed rich and deep.
Of course, the artist pops around on the high strings, too, and it will be interesting to hear how Lark and her violin create the music of the Wynton Marsalis concerto she’ll play on the Whitney Hall stage.
CREATORS CORPS COME TO LOUISVILLE
Also on opening night, Abrams will introduce the Louisville Orchestra’s new Creators Corps — three composers chosen for one-year, full-time salaried residencies in Louisville. Home included.
“This is a very innovative, special and unique program we created right here — and this is the inaugural season,” says Abrams. “The Creators Corps is all about three, full-time composers who will be coming to our city to make music for all of you, for our community. They will be Louisville composers.”
POPULAR SYMPHONIES ON THE CALENDAR
• Friday, September 16, “Coffee Concert” at 11 a.m., Whitney Hall
Info and tickets: louisvilleorchesta.org or 502-584-7777.
SEPTEMBER STARTERS
SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIENCE FREE!12
• Saturday, September 17, “Classic Series” at 7:30 p.m., Whitney Hall
Lark adores her Maggini.
The LO season also includes the “Music Without Borders” series of free concerts programmed at various community venues, and a new series of appearances across the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Here’s the opening concerts’ schedule:
Well, it’s important to violin makers and players. It’s all part of the acoustic magic of the violin. In particular, it’s the remarkable resonance of the thin spruce top into which the sound holes are cut. All those years ago, those early Italian makers got it right.
Marsalis is best known as a fabulous jazz trumpeter. But he is also celebrated as a student and storyteller of American music. Marsalis’ career story takes him from church choir and high school band in the jazz capital of New Orleans to a scholarplayer’s musical residency in Lincoln Center.
Tuning up for its 85th season, the Louisville Orchestra presents free concerts in September: Saturday, September 10, at the Iroquois Amphitheater, and Sunday, September 11, in Shawnee Park.
Highlights of the Louisville Orchestra’s season include several famous symphonies, including Tchaikovsky’s 4th, Bruckner’s 7th and Beethoven’s 5th. For the Beethoven concerts, January 13 and 14, Abrams will not only conduct the Beethoven Symphony No. 5, but play the Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5. A test of stamina, as well as artistry.
Exhibition season sponsored by: Cary Brown and Steven E. Epstein Paul and Deborah Chellgren Arthur J. and Mary Celeste Lerman Charitable Foundation Debra and Ronald Murphy DavFam Art Fund
Claude (French,Monet1840 – 1926) Nymphéas, 1897–1899 Oil on canvas Loan courtesy of Friends of the Speed Art Museum L2022.1
At #yourSpeed for a limited time only.
13LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA
NOW ON VIEW
2035 S. 3rd Street Louisville, KY 40208
by G. Douglas Dreisbach AUDIENCE
UNITINGINTERVIEW A COMMUNITY
KENTUCKY OPERA KICKS OFF EXCITING NEW SEASON
W
With the recent announcement of the upcoming season, that includes four fantastic operas, a new home office and more, we have a lot to catch up on.
G. Douglas Dreisbach: The last time we spoke, you were still getting your bearings in Louisville and wearing a lot of hats. Then the city, and country, went through a lot of turbulence, including a global pandemic, social and civil unrest, and more. How did you navigate through those challenges, and where would you consider the company to be now, versus prior to 2020?
GDD: The upcoming season is fantastic with La bohème in September, Maria de Buenos Aires in November, The Gift of the Magi in December, and Cinderella in February. What is the process of determining what concerts you produce from year to year?
As a regional opera company, we want to make sure that music, dance, theater, and visual arts are combined to serve the purposes we need in our community today. Sometimes that’s to simply bring joy and recreation, sometimes it can be to unite our community, and sometimes to see others’ stories played out on a stage to bring us to a deeper place of understanding and compassion for our neighbors. These things can all contribute to building and benefiting a healthy community when produced with intention.
BLJ: Thanks! We’re very excited about it. Artistic planning is very intentional, actually. I often ask folks, “If you had a brick-andmortar bookstore on the corner and were limited to only three or four titles a year, and you changed them annually, which books would you choose to sell? What would be your criteria for choosing those titles?”
GDD: When we met a few years ago, we talked about your definition of an opera. Can you elaborate on that, and do you feel the message is getting across as to what an opera really is?
Barbara Lynne Jamison: I can’t tell you how grateful we are to have made it through because of this strong and resilient community. Starting back up is difficult; we often plan operas at least two to three years out. But we wanted to be ready and back in the theater as soon as it was safe to do so. We started back with a smaller season, smaller shows this past winter. But this upcoming season — which is our 70th anniversary — is one where we’re looking forward to being back in full swing.
elcome to another Audience Interview brought to you by Kentucky Tourism and the Speed Art Museum. Today, we are excited to catch up with the Kentucky Opera’s General Director & CEO, Barbara Lynne Jamison. She moved to Louisville in 2018 to take the reins of the nationally acclaimed company and has continued to lead it into the next growth phase. The company was originally founded in 1952 by Moritz von Bomhard, and has continued to produce some of the best operas in the country.
15KENTUCKY OPERA
La bohème will run September 23, 25, 27, 29 and October 2 at the Brown Theatre. Photo by Bill Brymer.
BLJ: Well, opera as we know it is credited to a group of humanists, musicians, and poets who met together in the 1500s to utilize this multi-disciplined art form expressly to improve society. Throughout time, art has served many purposes — sometimes just to bring joy and recreation.
GDD: Well, thank you again for your time today. Is there anything you would like to add?
BLJ: Thanks for all your support for the arts in our community, Doug. We’re excited to see you — and everyone else — at Kentucky Opera this fall.
Another scene from La bohème, last performed by the Kentucky Opera in 2013. The story unfolds on a winter night when a chance encounter sends Mimi and Rodolfo into a deep, passionate whirlwind in the heart of Paris. Photo by Bill Brymer.
Subscriptions for the 2022-23 season are on sale now and can be purchased at kyopera.org or by calling (502) 584-4500.
We’ve heard from our surveys that patrons tend to purchase operas that are familiar to them, but there are so many new and wonderful things, we certainly want to place those in the seasons as well. When patrons buy a season package, they’re not only getting the absolute best deal on ticket prices, they get the opportunity to do a bit of an “opera taste test.”
GDD: Once the season is determined, what are the next steps and timing for assigning stage roles, set designs, publishing announcements, and basically the lifeline of the performance from the beginning to when the lights go down?
SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIENCE FREE!16
I love how artistically adventurous our Louisville audiences are! We may not love everything we see, but Kentucky Opera wants to ensure that everyone can appreciate that it was done at a high quality, and these stories were chosen with our own community in mind.
The artistic planning team felt that coming out of two years of lockdown that we needed a season that brought us back together to deliberately celebrate our community. I always love La bohème and was so disappointed that we had to cancel it at the beginning of the pandemic. I have to say that I’m super excited about our tango opera! I think everyone is going to really have a wonderful evening at María
BLJ: I mentioned that two- to three-year timeline. We usually start by looking at the titles we think will offer our new and existing patrons something exciting. Then we secure a stage director and conductor, work on casting, stage and costume design. This all starts far before the announcement. Those who subscribed to the previous season always get to choose their seats as soon as we announce. Once they’ve chosen their seats, we’ll go on sale to the general public. The artists begin rehearsing at the Opera Center about a month before opening, and then... the curtain goes up!
GDD: We can’t wait to kick off the season with you all on September 23 with La bohème. What are some of the different ticket packages and other VIP experiences you are offering this year, and what is the best way to get more information and purchase ticket packages?
BLJ: Our website is KYOpera.org, and it’s the best way to see all the options available.
17KENTUCKY OPERA LA CINDERELLABUENOSMARÍABOHÈMEDEAIRES September 29 - October 2 November 11 & 13 Tango Opera February 24 & 26 THE GIFT OF THE MAGI December 15-22 Tickets & Information 502.584.4500 www.KYOpera.org MarÍa was born “...with a curse in her Sometimesvoice.” friends are the family we Basedchooseonthe Christmas short story by O. ComedyHenryand hijinks with happily ever after 22/23SEASONANNIVERSARY70TH
SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIENCE FREE!18 DESTINATION
Kentucky is home to 45 state parks, including 17 resort parks with restaurants, 30 campgrounds, and 13 golf courses. For more information about Kentucky State Parks, visit parks.ky.gov.
excursion. Don’t miss your chance to explore this hidden gem among the nation’s state parks.
There is much more to do and see within the 160-acre Columbus-Belmont State Park than its size might hint at, but this charming park, perched enviably above the mighty Mississippi River, certainly has some tales to tell. Discover the rich history of the park — not only a certified site on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail and the Kentucky Civil War Heritage Trail, but Columbus-Belmont State Park is also along the Great River Road National Scenic Byway and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Guests of all ages have something to get excited about, including the 38-site river cliff campground, scenic playground, picnic shelters, miniature golf course, and snack/ice cream shop. This dog-friendly park is known for its attention to detail throughout the beautifully landscaped grounds and walking paths.
Scenic Mississippi River charm combined with rich Civil War history
Located just 20 miles south of Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site, 28 miles north of Tennessee’s Discovery Park of America, and less than an hour from downtown Paducah, Ky., ColumbusBelmont State Park offers a peaceful camping destination or a full day’s worth of activity for your next Western Kentucky
COLUMBUS-BELMONTSPOTLIGHT STATE PARK
Smit hsonian A
Gallop through time at the Kentucky Horse Park’s InternationalMuseumoftheHorse
liate The INTERNATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE HORSE at the Kentucky Horse Park is dedicated to the history of the horse and its unique relationship with humans through time. With over 60,000 square feet to enjoy, the Museum’s permanent exhibitions highlight the history of the horse from ancient time to the many popular sporting events we participate in today. Plan your visit at KyHorsePark.com
One of the top priorities is neighborhood philanthropy and preservation, but several other organizations benefit from the art show, including: the Asia Institute Crane House; Cabbage Patch Settlement House; Cochran Elementary School; Conrad Caldwell House Museum; Actors Theater of Louisville; Filson Historical Society; Garvin Gate Blues Festival; Kentucky Shakespeare Festival; Kling Center; Old Louisville Neighborhood Council; Presentation Academy; and SpringFest.
SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIENCE FREE!20 EVENTS WE
What originally began as a way to fund the neighborhood fountain’s restoration has grown to help so many more in the Louisville area. All eyes are on the art during the first weekend in October. As a result, the show generates a boost for artists, nonprofits, schools, churches and more.
The St. James Court Art Show
INTEGRATING THE PERFORMING ARTS
SUPPORTING FUTURE ARTISTS
Branching out to the performing arts world, the St. James Court Art Show is partnering with Fund for the Arts, the Trager Family Jewish Community Center Centerstage, and Kentucky Shakespeare. The different forms of art will come together as performers sashay their way through the art show.
Kentucky’s favorite autumn tradition, the St. James Court Art Show, is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 art shows in the nation. Annually attracting about 600 artists and more than 250,000 visitors to Old Louisville, people come from near and far to purchase one-of-a-kind handcrafted art directly from the artists who created them. What most people don’t know is the positive impact the St. James Court Art Show has on the community.
“The St. James Court Art Show is more than just a show, and we couldn’t be more thrilled about our new community partnerships this year,” says Executive Director Howard Rosenberg. “We are a show with 17 fine art mediums, and adding performing art that promotes our talented community performers just made sense.”
66th Annual
THELOVEART SHOW THAT GIVES BACK
The University of Louisville hosts the competition and Gallery Showing, offering high school students a chance at a scholarship to attend the university and to show their talents to a multitude of people. Each student submits at least four pieces for their portfolio, and they can be a combination of 2-D, mixed media, and 3-D works.
Beyond the financial support the St. James Court Art Show provides, the show’s community partnerships continue to expand by collaborating with several other art and community organizations to bring something new this year.
| September 30 - October 2, 2022
Each year, visitors to St. James Court Art Show are not only supporting the participating artists but also the next generation of artists. This year, $45,000 in scholarships will be awarded to area high school students. Several individual scholarships are as much as $15,000. This is the 50th year since the first scholarship was awarded by the St. James Court Association, and the program continues to grow to help young adults achieve their goals in the arts.
Here’s one example of how the art show supports local organizations: When you pay to park at Cochran Elementary School, Dupont Manual High School, Youth Performing Arts School, Noe Middle School, or the Louisville Woman’s Club, your money is directly benefiting that school or nonprofit.
This programming offers a unique chance to relearn this context of Louisville modern art by hearing from artists who shaped, or were directly shaped by, the Gallery Enterprises and the midcentury Black art scene in Louisville.
“As a native Kentuckian and having grown up in and around the St. James Court Art Show, I have always had a soft spot in my heart for this magical place,” says Mark D. Bird, the artist commissioned for the show’s print series, “A Sense of Place; a collection of fine art prints.”
This weekend of programming is made possible thanks to the St. James Court Art Show and the oral history project, “Painting a Legacy,” supported by the Kentucky Oral History Commission, Oral History Center at the University of Louisville, and the Center for Advanced Study in the Visual Arts, National Gallery of Art.
Sarah Battle from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., is also partnering with the art show to develop a series of lectures about the influence of local African American artists on the arts in Louisville in the ’50s and ’60s. Battle is working with Fari Nzinga and Toya Northington of the Speed Museum to create programming recentering the legacy of the Gallery Enterprises to ground the history of the Louisville art scene during the years bookending the first St. James Court Art Shows.
“As a senior artist now, and with innate curiosity, I wanted to know why artists return to this show, year after year,” Bird continues. ”So, I went about seeking answers. I asked artists from Kentucky and artists from across the U.S., ‘Why do you come to St. James?’ The answers were always the same: ‘We come here because this beautiful place nurtures our souls as artists.’ It doesn’t get any clearer than that. This stunningly beautiful place is unlike any other across the nation and certainly unlike any other as a venue for an art show.”
“The same year Malcolm Bird and the St. James Court Association debuted the first St. James Court Art Show, the art collective, Gallery Enterprises, formed across town,” says Battle. “The Gallery Enterprises included emerging luminaries Sam Gilliam, Bob Thompson, Robert Douglas, G. Caliman Coxe, and Kenneth Victor Young. Between 1957 and 1961, the collective offered artists of color the opportunity to exhibit their art in Louisville. The collective's influence has not been properly acknowledged, and consequently, over time, the narrative on this period in American art has overlooked their contributions.”
A SENSE OF HISTORY
This year marks the 66th year of the St. James Court Art Show, which makes it one of the longest-running art shows of its kind in the country. Many of the artists and visitors travel from all over the country to participate and attend. For Kentucky artists, the historic show has created a sense of place where they can return year after year to share their passions with other art enthusiasts. Each section of the show averages about 10 to 40 Kentucky native artists ranging in mediums and artistic style.
The third edition of Bird’s series will tell the historic preservation success story of the iconic St. James Court Fountain, when neighbors came together as guardians of the past and preservers of the future. The Old Louisville Neighborhood has always been community-driven, and the dedication to keeping art alive is what attracts artists and visitors alike.
Make plans to attend the 2022 St. James Court Art Show from Friday, September 30, through Sunday, October 2. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Visit stjamescourtartshow.com for more information.
SEPTEMBER 2022 21
65 YEARS OF TRADITION & OVER 600 ARTISTS SET IN BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC OLD LOUISVILLE
Audience is your connection to the performing arts and entertainment in Louisville. Below are some of the events we are looking forward to in the coming months and we hope you enjoy them all!
Kelly Ripa: Live Wire w/ special guest Justin Sylvester 2PM, The Kentucky 14kentuckyperformingarts.orgCenter
Teddy Talks Schumann 7:30PM, The Kentucky Center Louisville15louisvilleorchestra.orgOrchestra
For more of our preferred arts and entertainment recommendations, visit Audience502.com/audience-events
OCTOBER
Judah & The Lion –Happy Again Tour 8PM, Old 9kentuckyperformingarts.orgParistownForester’sHall
My Morning Jacket 7PM, KFC YUM! Louisville30productionsimple.comCenterOrchestra
15-18
Anjelah Johnson-ReyesWho Do I Think I Am? Tour 8PM, The Brown PNC18-23kentuckyperformingarts.orgTheatreBroadwayinLouisville
26 Marcus Mumford 8PM, The Brown 27kentuckyperformingarts.orgTheatre
La bohéme Brown kyoperaTheatre.org
EVENTS CALENDAR
Southern Soul Music Festival 4PM, The Kentucky 22-25kentuckyperformingarts.orgCenter
Fiddler on the Roof The Kentucky kentuckyperformingarts.orgCenter
Straight No ChaserThe 25th CelebrationAnniversary
Louder Than Life Highland Festival Grounds at the Kentucky Expo KentuckySept.louderthanlifefestival.orgCenter23-Oct.2Opera
5
An Evening with Lindsey Buckingham 7:30PM, The Brown 29kentuckyperformingarts.orgTheatre
Disney in Concert: Magical Music from the Movies 3PM, The Kentucky louisvilleorchestra.orgCenter
Bourbon & Beyond Highland Festival Grounds at Kentucky Expo 17BourbonandBeyond.comCenter
SEPTEMBER
Ani DiFranco 8PM, Headliners Music Hall Louisville15productionsimple.comOrchestra
SEPTEMBER 2022 23
7:30PM, The Kentucky 27kentuckyperformingarts.orgCenter
Petty Nicks — The Iconic Tribute to Tom Petty & Stevie Nicks 8PM, Bomhard OpeningLouisville17kentuckyperformingarts.orgTheaterOrchestraNight Swing, Swagger & Sway 7:30PM, The Kentucky Center 18louisvilleorchestra.org
