Events

Presented by the United Arts Appeal of Chautauqua County

General Admission $5

The United Arts Appeal of Chautauqua County (UAA) kicks off its 2012 fund drive with this special variety-style show featuring performances from all eight UAA member organizations.  Each organization presents a 10-minute performance that is an example of the type of events it presents throughout the year:

Chautauqua Music Project, excerpts from Chautauqua Chamber Singers' Twelfth Night

Chautauqua Regional Youth Ballet, excerpts from The Nutcracker

Fredonia Opera House, Kent & Nannette Knappenberger, folk singers, songwriters and Celtic harpist

Infinity Visual & Performing Arts, African Drum Ensemble

Jamestown Concert Association, multimedia presentation of recent performances including the Syracuse Symphony

Lucille Ball Little Theatre of Jamestown, scene from A Few Good Men

Reg Lenna Civic Center, music by Nate Arnone and Jeff Erickson

Western New York Chamber Orchestra, chamber music selections by Beethoven

Kaleidoscope! will be hosted by members of The Unexpected Guests, Chautauqua County's premiere improv comedy troupe.

For tickets, call the Box Office at 716-679-1891.

War Horse

Set against a sweeping canvas of rural England and Europe during the First World War, War Horse begins with the remarkable friendship between a horse and the young man who tames and trains him. When they are forcefully parted, the film follows the extraordinary journey of the horse as he moves through the war, changing and inspiring the lives of all those he meets - British cavalry, German soldiers, and a French farmer and his granddaughter - before the story reaches its emotional climax in the heart of No Man’s Land.  Experience the journey of War Horse - an odyssey of joy and sorrow, passionate friendship and high adventure. 

“Those who say they don’t make 'em like they used to must now fall silent.” ~ Kyle Smith, New York Post. 

“What a gorgeous, breathtaking, epic adventure this is...” ~ Richard Roeper. 

“You may find yourself resisting this sentimental pageant of early-20th-century rural English life, replete with verdant fields, muddy tweeds and damp turnips, but my strong advice is to surrender.” ~ A.O. Scott, NY Times. 

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of war violence, 146 mins.

Deborah Voigt as Brünnhilde in Götterdämmerung

General Admission
$20, ($18 Opera House Members,
$15 Students)

With its cataclysmic climax, the Met's new Ring cycle, directed by Robert Lepage, comes to its resolution.  Deborah Voigt stars as Brünnhilde and Jay Hunter Morris is Siegfried - the star-crossed lovers doomed by fate.  Fabio Luisi conducts.

The production's run time is 6 hours, 24 minutes with two intermissions.

Leonardo da Vinci:  Painter at the Court of Milan

A Satellite-Delivered, High-Definition Presentation

General Admission $10

Leonardo Live offers an unprecedented opportunity for audiences worldwide to experience the once-in-a-lifetime exhibition of the works of Leonardo da Vinci as presented in London's National Gallery exhibition Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan.

The exhibition brings together the largest-ever number of da Vinci's rare surviving paintings and some international loans that have never before traveled.  The exhibition also includes a newly discovered never-before-publicly exhibited painting, the Salvator Mundi. 

This historic exhibition is sold out in London, and due to the fragility of the paintings, the exhibition cannot tour.  Crowds in the U.K. lined up daily at dawn to snatch all available tickets to the gallery presentation; and tickets have been reselling at $700 a peice.

Captured live on the eve of the exhibition opening in London this fall, Leonardo Live provides a high-definition walk through the landmark exhibition and in-depth commentary about featured pieces.

"The show is dazzling, mysterious and disturbing. That there are any paintings to show at all is something of a miracle."  -- The (London) Guardian

"A breathtaking and truly remarkable exhibition ... the graetest of the century." -- London Telegraph

"A wildly popular museum show, captivating the public to a degree no one anticipated." -- New York Times

Leonardo Live from Emily Baron on Vimeo.

A Dangerous Method

On the eve of World War I, Zurich and Vienna are the setting for a dark tale of sexual and intellectual discovery. Drawn from true-life events, A Dangerous Method explores the turbulent relationships between fledgling psychiatrist Carl Jung, his mentor Sigmund Freud and Sabina Spielrein, the beautiful but disturbed young woman who comes between them.  Sensuality, ambition and deceit set the scene for the pivotal moment when Jung, Freud and Sabina come together and split apart, forever changing the face of modern thought. 

“Cronenberg’s film is at once a lucid movie of ideas, a compelling narrative, and a splendidly acted love story.” ~ J. Hoberman, Village Voice. 

“Precise, lucid and thrillingly disciplined, this story is brought to vivid life by the outstanding lead performances of Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortensen and Michael Fassbender.” ~ Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter. 

“A fiercely thoughtful film, a movie of ideas that understands how powerful ideas can be.” ~ Dana Stevens.

Rated R for sexual content and brief language, 99 mins.

Angela Meade as Ernani

General Admission
$20, ($18 Opera House Members,
$15 Students) 

Seamus Kennedy

General Admission $15
($13 Opera House Members)
Folk in Fredonia Music Series

Seamus Kennedy is an Irish singer, songwriter, musician, comedian, author and all-around entertainer.  He has a huge repertoire that includes traditional Irish music, classic Country & Western, American standards, Scottish ballads, and kids' shows (entertainment for "the wee ones").

Originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, has been entertaining audiences all over the United States for almost four decades.  An accomplished guitarist with a ready wit and a vast store of songs, he travels from Alaska to Florida, Maryland to California, performing for audiences that range from popes and presidents to bartenders and bricklayers, from college students to kindergarteners.

In concert or at a festival, in pub or club, in colleges or high schools, Kennedy has the repertoire and the ability to make folks forget their cares for a while, to relax and enjoy themselves.  He encourages the crowd to sing along to silly lyrics and daft ditties or act out the choruses of children's songs.  When he plays a lively Irish jig or reel, Kennedy often will coax someone to jump up and dance to the music, much to the delight - and often amazement - of their friends.  His audience participation songs and tongue-twisters have amused the ablest of participants and the nimblest of tongues.

His endless supply of rib-tickling jokes, stories and one-liners can leave an audience breathless from laughing so hard.  Many a crowd has gone home from one of his shows giggling to one another, "do you remember the one about ...?"

But the Irish have their serious side too, and when Kennedy performs one of the more somber ballads such as Tommy Sands'  "There Were Roses" or Pete St. John's "Dublin in the Rare Old Times," you can hear a pin drop as the words sink in.  That moment of silence before the applause can raise goosebumps. 

Kennedy's greatest musical influences have been the Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem, the Dubliners' Luke Kelly and the Irish Rovers, so it is no surprise to find many of the songs they made famous, such as "The Wild Colonial Boy," "The Wild Rover," or "The Black Velvet Band," in his performance.

His strong interactive entertainment skills and his relationship with his audiences have helped him create an exceptionally loyal fan base everywhere he goes.  He truly is one of Ireland's most popular exports!

Joining Kennedy will be Opera House favorites, Clann Na Cara Irish Dance.  Clann Na Cara was established as a western New York Irish dance school in 2006 by four National and World Champion medalists.  Prior to receiving their dance teacher certifications, all four founders were regular performers at the Opera House during St. Patrick's Day celebration events.  In addition, each has led dancers in performances with such notable artists as The Chieftans, Cherish the Ladies and Natalie MacMaster.  The students at Clann Na Cara range in age from 4 to 21 and include numerous Preliminary and Championship dancers. 

General Admission
$10, ($8 Students)

With the dramatic rise in popularity of acappella-based television shows such as The Sing-Off, the Opera House is pleased to present Acappella Explosion!, a special evening featuring five high-energy acappella singing groups from SUNY Fredonia ... The Guerrillas, Much More Chill, Premium Blend, The Riveters and Some Like it Hot.

The all-male group The Guerrillas, was formed in the fall of 2008 and has performed on college campuses throughout New York state.  This past summer, the group was chosen to compete in a nationally televised singing contest called "America Sings."  The group ultimately finished fifth in the competition, which aired on the Gospel Music Channel (GMC) and featured thousands of hopefuls from a variety of musical genres.  The show was hosted by Drew Lachey, a member of the 1990s pop music sensation 98 Degrees and a former “Dancing with the Stars” winner.  Call-in votes from the nationwide viewing audience determined the contest outcome.

Founded in 2000, Much More Chill is the oldest all-male acappella group on campus.  In 2009, Much More Chill and Some Like it Hot, the oldest all-female acappella group on campus, opened for alternative rock singer-songwriter Ben Folds in concert with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra at Kleinhans Music Hall, in Buffalo.  Each performed acappella versions of Folds' songs in addition to their own selections.

Premium Blend is the only coed acappella group on campus.  It was formed in 2005.  The all-female group The Riveters is the newest acappella group, formed just this year.

Each of the five groups will perform a 15- to 20-minute set of songs. 

Acappella music originally was defined as music "in the manner of the chapel," but has come to mean singing without instrumental sound.  Many modern acappella groups utilize their voices, not only for singing, but also to provide a beat and background music without instruments.

Anna Netrebko in Manon

General Admission
$20, ($18 Opera House Members,
$15 Students)

Anna Netrebko's dazzling portrayal of the tragic heroine in Laurent Pelly's new production travels to the Met from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.  Piotr Beczala and Paulo Szot also star, with the Met's Principal Guest Conductor Fabio Luisi on the podium.

The production's run time is 4 hours, 8 minutes with two intermissions.

Special Project Support for the Live at the Met Series is provided by Dr. James M. & Marcia Merrins

Natalie Dessay is Violetta in La Traviata

General Admission
$20, ($18 Opera House Members,
$15 Students)

Natalie Dessay will put on the red dress in Willy Decker's stunning production, in her first Violetta at the Met.  Matthew Polenzani sings Alfredo, Dmitri Hvorostovsky is Germont, and Principal Guest Conductor Fabio Luisi is on the podium.

The production's run time is 3 hours, 7 minutes with one intermission.

Special Project Support for the Live at the Met Series is provided by Dr. James M. & Marcia Merrins

General Admission $15 ($13 Opera House members)

The Rolling Roots Revue is a troupe of musicians and recording artists for the Wepecket Island Records label.  All are musicians in their own right and tour independently; but once a year, several come together to tour the nation, performing in concert halls, churches, houses, libraries, taverns and coffeehouses for three weeks or so.

Members of the Rolling Roots troupe hop on and off the "train," but the company maintains a corps of at least four and as many as nine performers who gleefully spread the word and song of America's history.  They have toured extensively in the Midwest, the Atlantic Seaboard and the Deep South, and soon will be expanding their reach into the Pacific Northwest.

Artists included in this year's tour who may be performing at the Opera House include: singer/songwriter Andru Bemis; multi-instrumentalist/blues musician Sherman Lee Dillon; singer/dulcimer player (& SUNY Fredonia Alum) Dale Robin Goodman; banjoist/singer Hilary Hawke; Piedmont blues guitarist Mike Higgins; stride pianist "Ragtime" Jack Radcliffe; and the Red Hen String Band.

Rolling Roots Revue concerts conclude with an invitation to join in an onstage jam session and sing-around. So those who attend the shows don't just see a good concert, they participate in one!

"As you return home ... (after a) Rolling Roots Revue, you cannot help but feel as though you have kept a small treasure that will stay with you always: a genuine appreciation of the truly unique and expansive roots of the music that has helped to forge our country and an awe toward those who have been the creators of such timeless traditions."  – Ed Dugan, Steve's Backstage Pass (Taunton, MA)

Featuring Dan Berggren, Dan Duggan and Peggy Lynn

General Admission $15 ($13 Opera House members)

Dan, Dan & Peggy, three award-winning solo musicians (and Opera House favorites), have joined forces to create the dynamic trio Jamcrackers, named in honor of the Adirondack river drivers who broke up log jams.  "These loggers worked hard to find solutions and to get things rolling on a job that couldn't be done alone," says Peggy, speaking on behalf of the group.  "Dan, Dan and I feel the same way about our music."

These good friends and accomplished musicians bring a rare blend of humor, history and musical spirit to their performances.  Award-winning educator and songwriter Dan Berggren has deep roots in the Adirondacks.  His music, which reflects the spirit and the hard-working people of that region, has traveled around the world from Central Africa to Transylvania.  Author and environmental activist Bill McKibben says Dan's music "is the sound of the Adirondacks, as much as the water lapping against the granite shore of the lake or the loon echoing in the sunset or the wind tossing the spruce tops."

Berggren is the recipient of both the President's Award for Excellence in Teaching and the New York State Outdoor Education Association Art & Literature Award.   His own record label, Sleeping Giant Records, has released 14 recordings featuring his music, including one Jamcrackers album, Ten Miles to Saturday Night.

National Hammered Dulcimer Champion Dan Duggan is known from Maine to California for his wizardry on the hammered dulcimer, flat-picking guitar and keyboards.  His dulcimer talent is spotlighted on Paul Simon's Grammy-nominated album "You're the One."  Duggan has recorded four collections of original compositions as well as three albums of traditional holiday music.  His CD of original songs for children, "The Pieces of Our Life," received a Parent's Choice Approval Award.

Peggy Lynn, better known as the "First Lady of Adirondack Music," writes and performs songs about the women and natural beauty of the North Country; and her bluesy alto voice melts every audience that hears it.  Named 1996 Adirondack Woman of the Year, she coauthored, with Sandra Weber, the book Breaking Trail: Remarkable Women of the Adirondacks.  In 2005, she and Dan Berggren both received the Adirondack Mountain Club's Education Award.  Recognized nationwide for her soulful songwriting and extraordinary vocal versatility, her work has been featured at the famous Bluebird Cafe in Nashville.

"A Jamcrackers performance is genuine and contagious," noted one recent reviewer.  "The trio's diverse blend of folk and blues, ballads and gospel and dance tunes sparks a rare chemistry and guarantees a good time."