The Berkshire Opera Festival brings a fully-staged, reimagined version of the classic French opera, Faust, by Gounod, to the Mahaiwe in Great Barrington, Mass., on Saturday at 1pm; Tuesday, August 27, at 7:30pm; and Friday, August 30, at 7:30pm. Faust has remained one of the world’s most popular operas ever since its premiere and is considered Gounod’s masterpiece. Based on Goethe’s play, the story introduces the original “Faustian bargain,” in which old Dr. Faust sells his soul to the devil in order to be young again, only to suffer devastating consequences. (Sat, Aug 24; Tue, Aug 27; Fri, Aug 30)
Two-time Grammy Award-winners Roomful of Teeth have returned to MASS MoCA in North Adams, Mass., for a week-long residency to workshop new music with some of today’s most visionary composers, including Allison Loggins-Hull, Christopher Cerrone, and Mingjia Chen. In the residency’s capstone performance on Saturday at 8pm, the vocal band will present a retrospective performance of the iconic new works that have been born out of 14 years of consecutive summer residencies at MASS MoCA. (Sat, Aug 24)
Tommy Stinson brings his latest band, Cowboys in the Campfire, to the Park Theatre in Hudson, N.Y., on Saturday at 7pm. Chip Roberts and Michael “Chops” LaConte round out the trio. Tommy Stinson is a highly influential musician, best known as a founding member of the Replacements, the greatest American rock band of the 1980s. Stinson also lent his talents to Guns N’ Roses and served a seven-year tenure with Soul Asylum. He also led two essential bands of his own — the aptly named Bash & Pop and Perfect — before convening Cowboys. (Sat, Aug 24)
Karina Canellakis conducts the Boston Symphony Orchestra playing works by Beethoven, Brahms, Chausson, and Ravel at Tanglewood on Saturday at 8pm. Canellakis has become one of the most in-demand conductors of her generation. She is the chief conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and the principal guest conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. (Sat, Aug 24)
Billy Wylder brings its Saharan-influenced art-rock to the Foundry in West Stockbridge, Mass., tonight at 7:30pm. The group, fronted by Avi Salloway, whips up a singular groove- and jam-based style of world-rock that variously recalls Graceland-era Paul Simon, Talking Heads, Vampire Weekend, Beck, and Radiohead. (Thu, Aug 22; Fri, Aug 23)
Also of note:
West Coast Americana singer-songwriter Forest Sun brings his country-influenced folk-rock to Tourists in North Adams, Mass., on Friday at 8pm.
Ashokan’s Summer Hoot music festival brings Tuba Skinny from New Orleans, Lake Street Dive’s Bridget Kearney, the Mammals, Jay Ungar & Molly Mason, and a host of other entertainers to the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, N.Y., today through Sunday.
Wild Minds, a festival of experimental films, takes place this weekend at the Second Ward Foundation in Hudson, N.Y., on Saturday and Sunday at 7:30pm both nights. Filmmakers include Carolee Schneemann, MM Serra, Erica Schreiner, James Autery, and Ben Kukawski. The event is part of the Hudson Eye Festival.
Pianist and toy piano virtuoso Margaret Leng Tan brings her And No Birds Sing: A Requiem for the Earth program to Maverick Concerts in Woodstock, N.Y., on Saturday at 8pm.
Saxophonist Kris Jensen brings New Orleans-influenced jazz to Roeliff Jansen Community Library in Copake N.Y., on Sunday at 3pm.
The world premiere of The Islanders by Carey Crim runs at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, Mass., now through Sunday.
Seth Rogovoy is editor of the Rogovoy Report, available at rogovoyreport.substack.com.
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