The Springfield Symphony Orchestra has announced its 9-concert 2024-25 season. “A Tapestry of Music” opens Oct. 19 with “New England Reverie,” featuring Mei-Ann Chen on the podium. “Echoes of the Americas” (Nov. 16) explores the music of Latin American and Spanish composers. The annual Holiday Pops takes place Saturday afternoon, Dec. 14. On Jan. 14, the SSO performs Dvorak’s “From the New World,” followed by Byron Stripling conducting the SSO in pop music by Gershwin, Berlin and friends. Maestra Chen returns on Feb. 15, with Bernstein’s “Symphonic Dances from ‘West Side Story.’” The SSO Chorus is featured on the March 15 program, followed by Maestra JoAnn Falletta and a program, “Something New,” on April 19. The SSO performs Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 on the season finale, May 3. For details: www.springfieldsymphony.org.
“Ask for the Moon,” a new musical by former Hartford Stage artistic director Darko Treesnjak, has its world premiere at Goodspeed’s Terris Theatre in Chester, Connecticut, July 19 to Aug. 11. Set sail on the Jewel of the Sea ocean liner with a scheming widow, a vengeful lawyer, and a volatile nurse. Enjoy the vocal stylings of Misha and Grisha, the squabbling Carpathian twins. Get the latest fashion tips from Persimmon De Vol, stylist par excellence. But only venture into the Poseidon Suite at your own peril. … Madness and hilarity abound in a diabolical new musical comedy that is sure to make waves. Tresnjak provides the book and lyrics. Oran Eldor provides the music. The cast includes Jamison Stern (who starred in Goodspeed’s “La Cage Aux Folles” and TheaterWorks’ “The Legend of Georgia McBride”), Luba Mason, Ali Ewoldt, and Alex Dreschke. Darko directs. For details: www.goodspeed.org.
“Iodine,” a new play by Westfield playwright Michelle Joyner, will receive a staged reading July 13-14 at the Adams Theatre. Adapted from the novel by Haydn Kimmel, “Iodine’s” cast features Hero Marguerite (Chester Theatre), Elizabeth Aspenleider (Shakespeare & Company), and other Berkshires-based actors. For details: www.adamstheater.org.
Inbal Segev, the Israeli-American cellist, performs in recital on the Sevenars series on July 28. For details: www.sevenars.org.
“Cabaret” comes to Connecticut Theatre Company in New Britain, July 19 to Aug. 4. Of note is the actor playing Herr Schultz. He’s Marty Kluger, the principal timpanist for the Springfield Symphony Orchestra and Springfield Chamber Players, also known as MOSSO. For details: www.connecticuttheatrecompany.org.
Talamana Trio, who blend Indian and Middle Eastern music with American jazz and folk music, and lyrics from visionary poets, perform on the Pioneer Valley Jazz Shares series at Easthampton Media on July 12. For details: www.jazzshares.org.
“Fragments of Outside,” created and directed by new WAM Theatre artistic director Genée Coreno, will be performed in honor of WAM’s 15th anniversary on Aug. 18 at The Mount, Edith Wharton’s home, in Lenox. “Fragments of Outside” tells the story of June Ashbury, who departs Paradise in the wake of a climate event. The Creative Team includes Malaysian musician Masatora Goya (2022 American Prize in instrumental chamber music), who is providing original compositions; award-winning North Adams-based puppeteer David Lane (founder of the annual Berkshire Lantern Walk whose work was recently seen at Mass MoCA); architectural designer Emily Greco (who collaborated with Coreno on the previous iteration of “Outside,” as well as Coreno’s film “Madge Love”); Costa Rican scenic artist and costume designer Malory R. Grillo (recently graduated with an MFA in costume design from UMass Amherst) and lighting designer and technician Jemma Kepner (returning to The Mount after working on “Nightwood: A Fantastical Journey Through Sound & Light” earlier in this year). For details: www.wamtheatre.org.
“SummerSaults in the Berkshires,” a Circus Arts Conservatory program, will be presented by the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center on July 15 at Town Hall Park in Great Barrington. The performance is free. Rain date: July 16. For details: www.mahaiwe.org.
Classic Lyric Arts, which nurtures emerging professional opera singers and pianists, has concerts scheduled in the area. They perform opera excerpts by Mozart in Great Barrington on July 8-10, at the Adams Theatre on July 12, and Tyringham on July 13. For details: www.classiclyricarts.org.
The Clark Art Institute continues its July Outdoor Concert Series with a performance by Sonny Troupé and Band on July 10. For details: www.clarkart.edu.
The Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival returns to downtown Springfield on July 12-13. For details: springfieldjazzfest.com.
Mark G. Auerbach studied theater at American University and the Yale School of Drama. He has worked for arts organizations nationwide and reported on the arts for print and broadcast. Mark produces and hosts “ArtsBeat,” “Athenaeum Spotlight” and “On the Mark” for WCPC, Channel 15 in Westfield, and WSKB 89.5 FM. His “Arts Beat” column appears Mondays in The Westfield News. He’s a regular contributor to Pioneer Valley Radio and a member of the Berkshire Theatre Critics Association.
