Autumn brings a rush of anticipation to most of us for one reason or another: a Pavlovian response to school starting even when you’re not a student anymore; eagerness for cooler weather and the splendor of foliage, or for sliding down slopes at breakneck speed . . . Wait! Well before the snow falls, theater curtains around Vermont will rise. And if you like to come in from the great, cold outdoors to the warmth and magic of live performance, our selection of season highlights should make you giddy with glee.
Sure, certain music lovers are probably bummed to discover that the Lane Series has cut its opera offerings in half this year, from two to one: Puccini’s Tosca by Teatro Lirico D’Europa, in March. Faced with the considerable expense of importing large casts and sets, the Lane just said no — once, anyway. But the good news is, that decision freed up the budget for even more . . . other stuff. “It’s a very different Lane Series,” says Manager Natalie Neuert. “There’s much less classical, and a lot more world music.” No word on whether those pesky visa problems are still plaguing artists from beyond our borders.
But not to worry: Fans of big, flamboyant productions can give their regards to Broadway — the Flynn is bringing four nationally touring musicals. Then there’s jaw-dropping dance, from the classical St. Petersburg Ballet to the sexy Argentinian Tango Society to the athletic choreography of Alvin Ailey. As for classical music, the Lane still has plenty on the program: an early-music ensemble, a hip young string quartet and a — gulp — virtuoso oboist, among others. Middlebury College offers even more, and with that acoustically perfect concert hall, who can blame them? Ditto Dartmouth College’s Hopkins Center.
But the schools don’t have to carry the whole load of highbrow fare. The Vermont Symphony repeats its popular Made in Vermont concert series, Capital City Concerts are still, well, capital, and the Vermont Contempo-rary Music Ensemble — which turns 20 this year — appeases edgier tastes with an ambitious schedule.
Most Vermonters apparently haven’t seen a roots-music band they didn’t love, and that explains why regional Americana, traditional Irish/Celtic/ Arcadian, and folk or indigenous sounds from just about everywhere fill this season’s brochures. Talk about globalism . . . in a good way.
At its most fundamental level, live performance is about making person-to-person connections. Sometimes it’s about absorbing differences among languages, cultures, religions, political views and human histories and rising above them. And if that’s not a natural high, we don’t know what is.
So get your tickets now, people: It’s show time.
Pamela Polston
http://www.afterdarkmusicseries.com [1], 388-0216
Barre Opera House
http://www.barreoperahouse.org, 476-8188
Cathedral Church of St. Paul
Burlington, 864-0471
Chandler Center for the Arts
Randolph, Chandler Music Hall,
http://www.chandler-arts.org [2], 728-6464
Flynn Center/FlynnSpace
Burlington, http://www.flynncenter.org [3], 863-5966
Higher Ground Presents
South Burlington, http://www.higherground [4] music.com, 652-0777
Hopkins Center
various venues, Dartmouth College, Hanover, N.H., http://www.hop.dartmouth.edu [5], 603-646-2422
Johnson State College, Dibden Center for the Arts, http://www.johnsonstatecollege.edu [6], 635-1476
Lane Series
various venues, Burlington, http://www.uvm.edu/laneseries [7], 656-4455
Lebanon Opera House
http://www.lebanonoperahouse.org, 603-448-0400
Lost Nation Theater
Montpelier, http://www.lostnationtheater.org [8],
229-0492
Lyric Theatre Company
Burlington, http://www.lyrictheatrevt.org [9]
Middlebury College
various venues, http://www.middlebury.edu [10],
443-6433
Northern Stage
Briggs Opera House, White River Junction,
http://www.northernstage.org [11], 296-7000
Paramount Theatre
Rutland, http://www.paramountvt.org [12], 775-0570
Pentangle Arts
Woodstock, http://www.pentanglearts.org [13], 457-3981
UVM Theatre
Burlington, http://www.uvmtheatre.org [14], 656-2094
Vergennes Opera House
http://www.vergennesoperahouse.org [15], 877-6737
Vermont Contemporary Music Ensemble
http://www.vcme.org [16], 859-9009
Vermont Mozart Festival
http://www.vtmozart.com, 862-7352
Vermont Stage Company
FlynnSpace, Burlington, http://www.vtstage.org [17], 862-1497
Vermont Symphony Orchestra
http://www.vso.org, 800-876-9293, x10
Vermont Youth Orchestra
http://www.vyo.org, 655-503
Weston Playhouse
http://www.westonplayhouse.org, 824-5288