Hudson Hall 2017 opening season
Hudson — Hudson Hall at the historic Hudson Opera House today announced the first full season of programming since reopening the 1855 building following major restoration. The season runs from July to December and features performances, exhibitions, readings, artist talks and free community workshops. Season highlights include choreographer Adam H. Weinert’s Monument, a new multimedia work from the acclaimed string quartet Ethel, LightField Festival of Photography and Multimedia Art, and the Hudson debut of Brooklyn Raga Massive. Hudson Hall’s opening season celebrates the return of New York State’s oldest surviving theater to public use for the first time in over 55 years with exhibitions, workshops, performances and events that highlight Hudson’s vibrant artistic community, including an ambitious new staging of Virgil Thompson and Gertrude Stein’s The Mother of Us All. This rarely performed opera is based on Susan B. Anthony, who spoke twice at the Hudson Opera House. Conceived by the visionary young stage director and Hudson resident, R. B. Schlather, the production stars mezzo soprano Michaela Martens and a vocal and instrumental ensemble of over 30 Hudson Valley residents. More than just a theatrical performance, The Mother of Us All will be a major community event. The historic ground floor spaces of Hudson Hall will be activated to become a festival-like hub of experimental salons, spectacles and public gatherings led by some of the region’s best minds, makers and musicians.
In keeping with the theme of homecoming, this season sees the return of artists whose work first took shape during residencies at Hudson Hall, before and during restoration. On July 21, Hudson-based choreographer Adam H. Weinert brings home his critically acclaimed dance piece, Monument, developed during his residency in the pre-restored theater in 2014. Renowned New York City string quartet Ethel (Artists in Residence in 2016) also return in September to stage their fully realized multimedia work, Circus: Wandering City, in advance of the world premiere at the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida, kicking off a two-year world tour.
In August, LightField Festival returns to Hudson Hall with Just The Facts, an exhibition of photography and multimedia art, while local favorite Hudson Jazzworks energizes the music community once again with their annual workshop concert.
Other season highlights include the wildly popular, forward-thinking music collective, Brooklyn Raga Massive, who perform Terry Riley’s minimalist masterpiece, In C. For those who wish to stretch their body as well as their mind the next morning, Ruthie Fraser will be joined by Eric Fraser and members of Brooklyn Raga Massive for a special Sound Nidra yoga workshop in the historic upstairs performance hall.
For further information on our events, programs or workshops, please visit hudsonhall.org or call (518) 822-1438.
Unless otherwise noted, tickets and reservations for free events can be made online at hudsonhall.org or by calling (518) 822-1438.
