Finding World Class Arts in the New England Mountains

 

There’s a reasonable chance that tomorrow will be better than today….

Well that may be our new motto…it is both optimistic and affirming.  Let’s say self-fulfilling prophecy..We are so struck by the beauty and culture NE has to offer. We are sitting on a bench by the a tranquil lily pad pond

in the Berkshire Botanical Gardens…the gentle trickling of water drops the trilling of the birds and the

plodding footfalls of the gardeners and visitors like us seek an inspiring  place to contemplate the power of the moment punctuated by the belch of the frog living near by…After leaving the lovely village of Manchester ,VT.  We meandered down the scenic route to Williamstown, Ma. I wonder if you become so accustom to the vistas that you may take them for granted.. the green mountains rise up against the blue sky, while colonial houses and farms dot the roadway. Soon we transition to the Berkshire Moutains and arrive in beautiful Williamstown.

 

This is a gem nestled in the Northwest corner of MA.  With a little practice, you can throw a rock to Vermont , New York while standing in Massachusetts.

We  have come to Williamstown to go to the theater.   The Williamstown Theatre Festival lovingly referred to as WTF ( it is a college town after all ) celebrates the gift of theatre to tell transport you to another place, to understand the human condition, to walk in another’s shoes.   It is world class… if you are able to get there, it is not to be missed….

We arrive having a little time to spare so we take advantage of another gem, the Clark Institute. Affectionally know as “The Clark “, this world class art museum tucked in the quiet corner of Massachusetts  is that wonderful mix of a stunning collection of art, set on a beautiful and contemporary expansive property that has been constructed to be as impressive as the collections inside.Today a special Renoir exhibit is featured. Renoir …the Body the Senses.. lures us in.. ( along with a bus load of senior citizens who gather to get instructions on how to use the audio tour iPads… We are looking pretty hip and happening as we know how these work!..

Pro tip:  Join your local museum and get the bonus of the North American Reciprocal Museum ( NARM) allowing you to visit many, many museums with your card  for FREE!.

Pieces on loan from the Musee d’Orsay in Paris, the National Museum in Washington DC, the Philadelphia Museum of Art among others tell the story of the Renoir’s journey in and out of the impressionist movement.  The community of artists who motivate, challenge and inspire each other are also presented. If you’ve been to our house, you know by the  art work hanging on our wall , we are fans of the French impressionist! While I love Renoir, maybe the most, seeing this exhibit brings an even deeper appreciation.

So on a beauty day such as this the grounds to the Clark steal the show.

We head out to the reflective pool which looks up to a wonderful sweeping landscape.As we eat our museum lunch ( delicious) we are entertained by the cow and calf up on the hill who are soon recaptured and driven back down the long hill to the farm.  We could have sat drinking in the scenery  (and one more IPA) for hours, but the plays the thing…

We arrive in time to walk the main street of Williamstown to the theatre. It is a classic NE college town with a mix of stately and avant grade buildings peppering the street. The people walking along are a mix of theatre students in for the summer, wealthy theater goers, locals and those like us who have made the pilgrimage to this place for an experience.  Wow.. A Raisin in the Sun, is gripping.  When we sat down the very chic older woman next to me whispered she saw this play when it opened on Broadway in 1959… ( before we were born!). . everything about it was captivating. The cast lead by S. Epatha Merkerson ( well known for Law and Order and Chicago Med TV fame) opens her soul and breathes you in… she is mesmerizing. The story, still as relevant today as it was in 1959, leads you to wonder have we come far at all…how race still shadows our humanity. The audience was stunned, silent, sobbing, thunderous applause. We were exhausted and are still thinking about it the next day.

But we are making the most of our moments, so we stopped at the iconic local sandwich shop and added to our picnic supper. Next stop is Tanglewood,

summer home to the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Pearson family favorite picnic event spot.  Tonight we are treated to a tribute to Queen.. with Mark Martel who channels his inner Freddy Mercury.

The repertoire of Queen from Don’t Stop Me Now to Bohemian Rhapsody, to a hillside of young and old belting out We are the Champions on a starry night in the Berkshires, is enough to make you thankful to be alive.

Mark sounds remarkably like Freddy and the swell of the orchestra behind him really added to the experience. The night was warm with a breeze and the stars and planets are clearly seen by the naked eye. 

While we love traveling abroad, there is much to be said for the Berkshires as a destination. We finished the night at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge. (So was the turnpike from Stockbridge to Boston, the Berkshires seemed dream-like on account of the frosting… for you James Taylor fans). The inn was initial built in 1773… you can sit in rocking chair on the lovely front porch.. or travel a few miles down the road to sit on a bench in the Botanical Gardens where minute to minute the light and sounds shift slightly… ah! Beauty abounds.

Day three maybe the best day yet! Can’t wait to see what wonders tomorrow will be.