Opera Meets Hollywood at Ventfort Hall

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LENOX, Mass. — A closing reception for Prima Music Foundation's last concert of the summer series, where old opera Hollywood takes center stage, is at Ventfort Hall on Thursday, Aug. 29 at 4 pm. 
 
Light refreshments will be served and there will be a cash bar for wine.
 
"Opera Meets Hollywood," will feature tenors David Guzman and Alexander Dedik, alongside soprano Alexandra Lushtak. Elle Gurevich, the foundation's young artist, and the recipient of the George Cuker Award, will also perform with these renowned talents. Accompanied by pianist Anastasia Dedik, the concert will showcase opera arias that have been prominently featured in movies and on screen. This captivating blend of opera and cinema will be narrated by George Michael.
 
Dr. David Guzman has combined a career as a performer and an educator, with his research passion in Latin American music. As a recitalist he dedicates his efforts to the revival and dissemination of forgotten Latin-American Art songs. He is an Assistant Professor of Music in Voice at Boston University since 2020.
 
Alexander Dedik was a prize-winner at both Tchaikovsky's and Glinka's International Competitions in 1970. He was invited to be a leading dramatic tenor at internationally famous opera house Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia. He has since performed at Metropolitan Opera, Boston Opera House, Covent Garden, and Teatro Del Liceu.
 
Alexandra Lushtak, a New York based soprano, is a passionate and captivating singer. She has been lauded for her "tawny-rich tone," vocal agility, and the ability to transport audiences with refined, exquisite musicality.
 
Elle (Gabriel) Gurevich has been a musician for as long as she can remember, singing and staging musical numbers on playmates as a toddler, even before starting piano and dance lessons at 5. Now 15, she has composed a piano suite, a fantasie for four hands, a series of three concert etudes dedicated to her piano teacher, a string quartet, and most recently Saltwater, a contemporary piano jazz piece premiered at Accademia Musicale Chigiana in June 2024.
 
Anastasia Dedik, born in St. Petersburg into a family of distinguished musicians, holds degrees and honors from the St. Petersburg Conservatory, Oberlin Conservatory, and The Juilliard School. Anastasia's transformative experience at Oberlin as a female Russian immigrant inspired the creation of the Prima Music Foundation—a non-profit dedicated to nurturing and showcasing talented pianists.
 
Tickets are $45 general admission. Reservations are required as seats are limited. For reservations visit https://gildedage.org/pages/calendar or call (413) 637-3206. Please note that all tickets are nonrefundable and non-exchangeable. The historical mansion is located at 104 Walker Street in Lenox.
 
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Mary Todd Lincoln Talk at Ventfort Hall

LENOX, Mass. — There will be a talk exploring of one of America's most enigmatic First Ladies, Mary Todd Lincoln, at Ventfort Hall Gilded Age Mansion & Museum on Tuesday, Aug. 27, at 4:00 PM. 
 
Louise Levy, an expert in American history and staff member at Ventfort Hall, will present the second part of her series on Mary Lincoln, focusing on the haunting specters of her life—both literal and metaphorical.
 
According to a press release:
 
In this thought-provoking talk, Levy will delve into Mary Lincoln's troubled past. Haunted by her own past, she also claimed to be haunted by the spirits of her deceased children, and actively sought ways to communicate with them beyond the grave. A specter of her former self after the assassination of her beloved husband, Mary roamed two continents in search of peace and freedom from the rumors that swirled about her sanity.
 
Levy will explore some of the modern theories regarding her mental health, ranging from pernicious anemia to bipolar disorder and also take a look at some of the scandals that surrounded her both during and after her time in the White House including secrets she tried to hide from her husband and her sometimes outrageous behavior that resulted in ruining her own reputation. Mary's lifelong dream of being the wife of the president turned into a nightmare as she survived a war that tore her own family apart. And she still haunts many of us now who struggle to understand the time when a nation went to war with itself, and the reverberations of that war still felt today.
 
Following the talk, attendees will be treated to a Victorian-inspired tea, featuring recipes from Mary Lincoln's own kitchen, as well as other period-appropriate delicacies. Recommended reading material, including The Madness of Mary Lincoln by Jason Emerson, will be available for purchase in the museum gift shop.
 
Levy is a 1990 graduate of Syracuse University with a BA in Art History. She grew up in New Jersey and has made the northwest corner of Connecticut her home for over 30 years. Levy worked as a tour guide at Chesterwood for over a decade and gave specialty talks there on Abraham Lincoln as well as American Art History. She has recently joined the staff at Ventfort Hall. Her talks range from cemetery symbolism to the civil rights movement. She has a lifelong fascination with Abraham Lincoln and loves to read anything she can on him and his life. She likes to spend her spare time either hiking in the woods or visiting museums and historic sites. 
 
Tickets are $40 for members and with advance reservations, $45 on the day of the event, and $22 for students 22 and under. The ticket price includes access to Ventfort Hall from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on the day of the event. Reservations are highly encouraged as seating is limited, with walk-ins accommodated as space allows. For reservations, visit https://gildedage.org/pages/calendar or call (413) 637-3206. Please note that all tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable.
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