BASIC Berkshires

Met Opera Live in HD: Beethoven's "Fidelio"
2025-03-15 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230
Following a string of awe-inspiring Live in HD performances, Norwegian soprano Lise Davidsen returns to the Metropolitan Opera as Leonore, the faithful wife who risks everything to save her husband from the clutches of tyranny in Beethoven’s Fidelio. Completing the distinguished cast is British tenor David Butt Philip as the political prisoner Florestan, Polish bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny as the villainous Don Pizarro, veteran German bass René Pape as the jailer Rocco, Chinese soprano Ying Fang and German tenor Magnus Dietrich as the young Marzelline and Jaquino, and Danish bass Stephen Milling as the principled Don Fernando. Susanna Mälkki conducts the March 15 performance, which will be transmitted live from the Met stage to cinemas worldwide.

Paquito D’Rivera Quintet
2025-04-05 20:00 - 23:00 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230
NEA Jazz Master, composer, and reedist Paquito D’Rivera brings to life the eclectic fusion of his extensive travels with unparalleled improvisations, multinational rhythms, and original orchestrations. D’Rivera has won a combined 16 Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards (5 Grammy and 11 Latin Grammys). He is celebrated both for his artistry in Latin jazz and his achievements as a classical composer.

Chanticleer
2025-04-11 20:00 - 22:00 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230
The Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble Chanticleer has been hailed as “the world’s reigning male chorus” by The New Yorker, and is known around the world as “an orchestra of voices” for its wide-ranging repertoire and dazzling virtuosity. Founded in San Francisco in 1978 by singer and musicologist Louis Botto, Chanticleer quickly took its place as one of the most prolific recording and touring ensembles in the world, selling over one million recordings and performing thousands of live concerts to audiences around the world.

Met Opera Live in HD: Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro”
2025-04-26 13:00 - 16:00 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230
On April 26, Mozart’s timeless comedy returns to cinemas worldwide with a live transmission from the Metropolitan Opera. Conductor Joana Mallwitz, in her Met debut, takes the podium to conduct a stellar ensemble cast including American bass-baritone Michael Sumuel as the clever valet Figaro, Ukrainian soprano Olga Kulchynska as the wily maid Susanna, Canadian baritone Joshua Hopkins as the skirt-chasing Count, Italian soprano Federica Lombardi as his anguished wife, and French mezzo-soprano Sun-Ly Pierce as the adolescent page Cherubino.

Cantilena Chamber Choir Sings Ellis Island Diaries
2025-05-04 15:00 - 17:00
The Cantilena Chamber Choir will present its season ending performance on Sunday, May 4th, 2025, at 3:00pm at Trinity Church, 88 Walker St. in Lenox. The special guest for the event is the award- winning youth choir The Spirituals of Boston Arts Academy just before their May 23rd Carnegie Hall debut. Cantilena will be performing Ron Perera’s Golden Door for chorus and orchestra using texts from original Ellis Island diaries, a special presentation in this time of concern for our immigrant friends and neighbors. The program will also include rousing spirituals and a joint performance with both choirs to close the program.

Del McCoury Band
2025-05-10 20:00 - 22:00 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230
Even among the pantheon of music’s finest artists, Del McCoury stands alone. From the nascent sound of bluegrass that charmed hardscrabble hillbilly honkytonks, rural schoolhouse stages, and the crowning glory of the Grand Ole Opry to the present-day culture-buzz of viral videos and digital streams, Del is the living link.Almost unimaginable, McCoury’s sixth decade in a half-century of bluegrass bliss brings new triumphs, new collaborations, and new music.

Madeleine Peyroux & Bettye LaVette
2025-05-16 20:00 - 22:00 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230
Madeleine Peyroux is an American jazz singer and songwriter who began her career as a teenager on the streets of Paris. In every note, Peyroux digs deep, rendering this exquisite work with the disarming grace and gravitas of an artist in peak form.
Bettye LaVette was hailed by The New York Times as “one of the great soul interpreters of her generation.” She is a singer in the tradition of great vocalists who have come before her like Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, and Dinah Washington, to name just a few.

Met Opera Live in HD: Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia”
2025-06-07 13:00 - 15:30 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230
Russian mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina headlines a winning ensemble as the feisty heroine, Rosina, alongside American tenor Jack Swanson, in his Met debut, as her secret beloved, CountAlmaviva. Moldovan baritone Andrey Zhilikhovsky stars as Figaro, the ingenious barber of Seville, with Hungarian bass-8 baritone Peter Kálmán as Dr. Bartolo and Russian bass Alexander Vinogradov as Don Basilio rounding out the principal cast. Giacomo Sagripanti conducts Bartlett Sher’s madcap production.

Steve Earle: Solo & Acoustic
2025-06-14 20:00 - 22:30 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230
Steve Earle is one of the most acclaimed singer-songwriters of his generation. A protege of legendary songwriters and a master storyteller in his own right. Earle’s 1988 hit Copperhead Road was made an official state song of Tennessee in 2023, and in 2024, he was invited to become the newest member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Community Day at The Mount
2025-08-10 11:00 - 17:00 | The Mount, Edith Wharton’s Home, 2 Plunkett St, Lenox, MA, 01240, United States
Featuring live music, readings and performances, a resource fair, book exchanges, children’s activities, and food trucks, Community Day at The Mount’s celebrates the vibrant, multicultural diversity of the Berkshires.

Berkshire Opera Festival 10th Anniversary Concert Rebroadcast Event
2025-09-21 14:00 - 16:00 | K111 Theater, Koussevitzky Center, Berkshire Community College, 1350 West Street, Pittsfield, 01201
Join us for a FREE community event!
Back by popular demand! Join BOF for a free screening of our 10th Anniversary Concert! This spectacular concert features world-class artists from previous and upcoming seasons, joined by the BOF Orchestra and Chorus.
For more Information, contact Sarah Prouty, Community Engagement Officer at sprouty@berkshireoperafestival.org.
Berkshire Opera Festival’s 10th Anniversary Concert is made possible in part by the generous support of Brad Clark, Kenneth & Susan Kramer, Onyx Speciality Papers, and Donald Usher.
The BOF 10th Anniversary Concert rebroadcast event is funded in part by a grant from the Pittsfield Cultural Council; a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

Rennie Harris Puremovement American Street Dance Theater: “Nuttin but a Word”
2025-10-18 13:00 - 15:00 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230
Celebrated choreographer Rennie Harris returns to Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center to lay down his three laws of hip-hop—individuality, creativity, innovation. Here to expose the essence of their art form with unmatched subtlety and surprise, the indefatigably disciplined dancers of Rennie Harris Puremovement American Street Dance Theater command the stage with a mixtape of moves from b-boying to Campbell locking to house. Every step tells a story in sync with the rhythm, honoring hip-hop’s roots while raising the bar to new heights. You can try to shout ’em down, but you ain’t said ‘Nuttin’ but a Word.’

Dan Tyminski Band
2025-11-15 20:00 - 22:00 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230
Throughout his 30+ year career, bluegrass artist Dan Tyminski has left his mark in every corner of modern music. His voice famously accompanies George Clooney’s performance of the Stanley Brothers’ classic song, “I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow,” in the film, ‘Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?’ and his vocal collaboration with Swedish DJ Avicii on the song “Hey Brother” was a global smash, having been streamed more than a billion times to date. His diverse solo projects and years of work with Alison Krauss and Union Station have yielded troves of award-winning music.
Dan has been honored with 14 Grammy Awards and is a four-time Male Vocalist of the Year honoree by the International Bluegrass Music Association. He has also recorded instrumental or vocal harmony contributions for projects by Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Joan Osborne, Charlie Daniels, Kenny Chesney, LeAnn Rimes, Rob Thomas, and Charlie Haden, to name a few.

ARKAI
2025-12-06 20:00 - 22:00 | Indigo Room, 20 Castle Street, Great Barrington, 01230
ARKAI is an award-winning electro-acoustic duo that has captivated audiences around the world with their creative imagination and cutting-edge string music. Transforming the beautiful tones of the violin and cello into epic soundscapes that resemble a rock band backed by a cinematic orchestra, ARKAI’s signature sound has led them to hundreds of performances around the world including Grammys On The Hill and Carnegie Hall, opening for Grammy- and Oscar-winning musician Jon Batiste, and NBA playoff shows for the LA Lakers. They’ve also collaborated with celebrity photographer David LaChapelle for Milan Design Week, toured with superstar violinist Lindsey Stirling, and released viral hits with piano sensation Tony Ann.

Met Opera Live in HD: Giordano’s “Andrea Chénier”
2025-12-13 13:00 - 16:00 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230
Giordano’s passionate tragedy stars tenor Piotr Beczała as the virtuous poet who falls victim to the intrigue and violence of the French Revolution. Following their celebrated recent partnership in Giordano’s Fedora in the 2022–23 Live in HD season, Beczała reunites with soprano Sonya Yoncheva as Chénier’s aristocratic lover, Maddalena di Coigny, with baritone Igor Golovatenko as Carlo Gérard, the agent of the Reign of Terror who seals their fates. Met Principal Guest Conductor Daniele Rustioni takes the podium to lead Nicolas Joël’s gripping staging, which will be transmitted live from the Met stage to cinemas on December 13. This live cinema transmission is part of the Met’s award-winning Live in HD series, bringing opera to movie theaters across the globe.

Berkshire Opera Festival's Community Sing-Along
2026-01-10 14:00 - 16:00 | St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 67 East Street, Pittsfield, 01201
Berkshire Opera Festival is excited to invite you to our third annual Community Sing-Along!
​This free, fun-filled event brings everyone together to sing beloved opera choruses by composers like Mozart, Verdi, and Wagner—alongside BOF choristers and members of our wider Berkshire singing community.
​Singers of all experience levels are encouraged to join in. Whether you’re a seasoned vocalist or just love to sing for fun, you’ll fit right in. For ages 13+.
The event is free, but registration is required. We’ll send you the music and helpful details ahead of time—no preparation needed, just come ready to sing and enjoy a joyful afternoon of music-making.

Met Opera Live in HD: Bellini’s “I Puritani”
2026-01-11 13:00 - 16:00 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230
For gorgeous melody, spellbinding coloratura, and virtuoso vocal fireworks, ‘I Puritani’ has few equals. The first new Met production of Bellini’s final masterpiece in nearly 50 years is a striking staging by Charles Edwards, who makes his company directorial debut after many successes as a set designer. The Met has assembled a world-beating quartet of stars, conducted by Marco Armiliato, for the demanding principal roles. Soprano Lisette Oropesa and tenor Lawrence Brownlee are Elvira and Arturo, brought together by love and torn apart by the political rifts of the English Civil War, with baritone Artur Ruciński as Riccardo, betrothed to Elvira against her will, and bass-baritone Christian Van Horn as Elvira’s sympathetic uncle, Giorgio.

Chrissi Poland – Forever Muscle Shoals
2026-02-21 20:00 - 22:00 | Indigo Room, 20 Castle Street, Great Barrington, 01230
With special guest Matt Cusson
Acclaimed vocalist and songwriter Chrissi Poland brings Forever Muscle Shoals to the Indigo Room! Forever Muscle Shoals celebrates the songs and sounds recorded in Muscle Shoals, AL, in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, where soul, blues, rock and country converged to create some of the most important recordings in American music. Deeply inspired by sharing the stage with Muscle Shoals icons like Mavis Staples, Ronnie Wood and more, Chrissi Poland is bringing her vocal power, interpretation and stories to songs from Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Wilson Pickett, Cher, Bob Dylan, and beyond. With the album due out in March 2026, don’t miss the chance to witness Chrissi Poland and this soul-stirring catalogue of music.

Black Violin
2026-02-27 20:00 - 22:00 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230
Step into Black Violin’s Full Circle Tour, where Grammy-nominated duo Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus redefine the possibilities of music by merging classical depth with hip-hop’s pulse. This tour captures the essence of returning to where it all began—transformed and reimagined. Each powerful performance invites audiences to reflect on their own journeys, discovering that even as we evolve, we’re often drawn back to our roots with renewed purpose.

Berkshire Opera Festival's Winterreise
2026-03-07 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-03-07 14:00 - 15:30 | Studio E, Linde Center for Music and Learning, Tanglewood, 3 West Hawthorne Road, Lenox, MA, 01240
A rejected lover. A frozen landscape. A profound loneliness. Hailed as the greatest song cycle ever written, Schubert’s Winterreise follows a wandering protagonist on his quest for comfort on a winter’s night. But this is not merely a trek through snow and ice—it is an intimate odyssey into the depths of the soul. Join internationally acclaimed baritone Jarrett Porter and Artistic Director Brian Garman as they take you on this deeply moving and cathartic journey.
For information on discounted tickets, contact Sarah Prouty at sprouty@berkshireoperafestival.org.
This program is funded in part by a grant from the Lenox Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
Discounted tickets to BOF’s production of Winterreise are generously sponsored by Adrian & Christine Slywotzky.

Better Than Ezra
2026-03-27 19:30 - 21:00 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230
Songs, albums, live performances — some are simply timeless. From their early roots, circa 1988, playing house parties at Louisiana State University, Better Than Ezra have made their mark on the music world in a major way. Yes, the New Orleans quartet, founded by Kevin Griffin (lead vocals, guitar, piano) and Tom Drummond (bass, backing vocals), who unleash hummable melodies, unshakable guitar riffs, and confessional lyrics, have stood the test of time — from 1995’s number one hit “Good” all the way to Taylor Swift’s famous 2010 cover of the Better Than Ezra classic “Breathless.” And they’re still going strong: in May 2024, the band released their long-anticipated tenth studio album “Super Magick” via Round Hill Records. Named one of the “100 Greatest Alternative Artists of All Time” by “Billboard,” with a legacy that includes inspiring a classic “Saturday Night Live” skit, Better Than Ezra spent 2024 on the road touring their headline “Live a Little Tour” in the spring and continuing through the year, recently wrapping their “Legends of the Fall: Tokyo Drift Tour.”

Juanito Pascual Trio
2026-04-11 20:00 - 21:30 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230
Juanito Pascual has been called “one of the hottest flamenco guitarists in recent years,” (NPR) and is best known for his creative and masterful blending of flamenco with jazz, rock, and world influences. He has performed on five continents and collaborated with Grammy-winning artists including Jorge Pardo (Paco de Lucia Sextet, Chick Corea), flamenco maestro Antonio Rey, and jazz great John Patitucci, among many others. His trio features virtuoso bassist Brad Barrett and the multitalented maestro Jose Moreno on percussion and vocals. Be prepared for a night of soulful melodies, hypnotic rhythms and the fire, elegance and virtuosity of these three acclaimed artists.

Berkshire Opera Festival's Free Family Concert: Once Upon an Opera
2026-04-12 14:00 - 15:00 | Indigo Room, 20 Castle Street, Great Barrington, 01230
Back by popular demand! Berkshire Opera Festival’s Free Family Concert returns with a lively mix of opera favorites and instantly recognizable melodies. This fun, one-hour interactive performance invites kids and adults to experience live opera up close—perfect for a memorable family outing. This unforgettable afternoon of music is free and open to all ages, but you’ll want to reserve your seats today as seating is limited. Once Upon an Opera is recommended for children of all ages with accompanying caregivers.
Event Details:
Sunday, April 12 at 2:00 PM
Indigo Room, Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center
20 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA
Duration: 1 hour (no intermission)
Free (reservations encouraged)
Register here:
https://www.berkshireoperafestival.org/onceuponanopera

Michael Feinstein – Big Band Broadway with the Carnegie Hall Ensemble
2026-05-01 20:00 - 22:00 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230
Broadway never sounds better than when it swings. With the greatest contemporary jazz musicians, Michael Feinstein swings the songbook into the 21st Century.
Featuring music from quintessential shows such as ‘Cabaret,’ ‘Hello Dolly,’ and ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ to ‘Into the Woods,’ and ‘Chicago,’ Big Band Broadway delivers modern and classic showtunes with the timeless tradition of Carnegie Hall in a way that only Michael Feinstein can do.

Berkshire Opera Festival Presents: Flower and Hawk
2026-05-02 14:00 - 15:00 | Ventfort Hall, 104 Walker Street, Lenox, MA
Event Details:
Saturday, May 2 at 2:00 PM
Ventfort Hall Mansion & Gilded Age Museum
104 Walker Street, Lenox, MA
Duration: 50 minutes (no intermission)
$30 General Admission | $15 Students | Free for eligible Card to Culture participants
Tickets:
https://www.eleoonline.net/Pages/WebForms/Mobile/ShowFormMobile.aspx?id=9e3f5ca6-2063-40c4-a9a6-dfc3168a7b6b&linkto=928&mc_cid=8c61d15434&mc_eid=0ac850c819
Step into the riveting world of Eleanor of Aquitaine—queen of two nations, mother of kings, and one of the Middle Ages’ most powerful women. In Flower and Hawk, she relives the triumphs and betrayals of her extraordinary life from her imprisonment in Salisbury Tower in this gripping monodrama by celebrated American composer Carlisle Floyd.
Starring soprano Ashley Marie Robillard, accompanied by pianist Grant Loehnig, this special presentation also marks the centennial of Carlisle Floyd, offering a moving tribute to one of America’s most influential opera composers.
Following the performance, audience members are invited to stay for a post-show chat and Q&A with the artists over light refreshments—an intimate opportunity to explore the work and its connections to Berkshire Opera Festival.

Railroad Earth
2026-05-09 20:00 - 21:30 | Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, 14 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA, 01230
For over two decades, Railroad Earth has captivated audiences with gleefully unpredictable live shows and eloquent and elevated studio output. The group introduced its signature sound on 2001’s ‘The Black Bear Sessions.’ Between selling out hallowed venues such as Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO, they’ve been responsible for launching signature festivals Hangtown Music Festival in Placerville, CA and Hillberry: The Harvest Moon Festival in Eureka Springs, AR. Sought after by legends, the John Denver Estate tapped them to put lyrics penned by the late John Denver to music on the 2019 vinyl EP, ‘Railroad Earth: The John Denver Letters.’
