I’ve got a full day of travel ahead, so again, I’m afraid I will have to postpone sharing my most favorable impressions of the charming Sing for Hope production of Pauline Viardot’s fairy tale opera “Le dernier sorcier” (“The Last Sorcerer”) that capped the first weekend of this year’s Bard Music Festival, “Berlioz and His World,” with a performance at Bard College’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts last Sunday. I got a good start on it this morning, but I want to make sure to do it justice. So watch for my reminiscences and assessments tomorrow!

As a singer, pianist, collaborator, friend, and confidante, Viardot was a major contributor to the artistic milieu of Berlioz’s time. I can’t wait to write more about her.

In the meantime, all good things must come to an end. Today is the final day of the festival. Program Ten, “Berlioz’s Transformation of the World of Sound,” including works ranging from Berlioz to Steve Reich (!), will be presented at the campus’ Olin Hall at 11:30 this morning (with a pre-concert talk at 11:00).

The festival will conclude with Program Eleven, “Faust and the Spirit of the 19th Century,” featuring Berlioz’s “The Damnation of Faust,” at 3:00 this afternoon (with a pre-concert talk at 2:00). The latter performance will also be available for streaming.

To learn more, visit https://fishercenter.bard.edu/whats-on/programs/bard-music-festival/

Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for my personal ride to the abyss!

Fisher Center at Bard

Delacroix, “Faust and Mephistopheles Galloping through the Night of the Witches’ Sabbath” (1828)