PUTNEY-Yellow Barn enters the second half of its summer festival this week with performances on Thursday through Saturday (July 25–27), and a Saturday morning masterclass with Laurence Lesser (July 27).
Returning to the Big Barn stage this summer are violinist Anthony Marwood, clarinetist Alan Kay, cellist John Myerscough, and violist Krzysztof Chorzelski, plus newcomers cellist Luise Buchberger and violist Pauline Sachse.
Thursday's free performance is the second in Yellow Barn's new side-by-side concerts. At Yellow Barn, musicians have their own loft for concerts, but on Thursdays a portion sit among audience members on the floor, and in turn, a portion of audience members share the loft side-by-side with musicians, giving everyone an opportunity to listen from a different perspective, with different listening companions.
Thursday's concert brings Haydn's string quartet in E-flat major led by Buchberger, principal cellist of London's Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment; the return of Yellow Barn violinist Marwood; and a rare semi-staged performance of Poulenc's "La Voix Humaine (The Human Voice)" with soprano Melissa Wimbish, who last year earned her place in Yellow Barn history for her portrayal of the presumed daughter of Harriet Tubman in Hilda Paredes's chamber opera Harriet.
Friday's concert includes Bartòk's Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, including faculty percussionist Eduardo Leandro; Oliver Knussen's "Hums and Songs of Winnie-the-Pooh"; and South American composer Heitor Villa-Lobos's "Il Bove (The Bull)" with soprano Lucy Shelton and cellist Myerscough.
Closing the weekend on Saturday are Shostakovich's Piano Quintet in G minor and the second in Buchberger's project, Mozart's String Quintet in E-flat major.
In advance of the concert, Yellow Barn Artistic Director Seth Knopp will lead the third "Patio Noise" pre-concert conversation of the season with guests Buchberger and baritone William Sharp. Taking place on the Big Barn patio at 6:45 p.m., these popular talks give audience members an opportunity to ask questions and delve deeper into Yellow Barn programs.
Yellow Barn concerts take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Big Barn. Programs are approximately two hours in length, with complimentary ice cream and blueberries during intermission. The 75-seat Big Barn is fully accessible, with comfortable seating and air conditioning. For tickets and more information, visit yellowbarn.org, or call 802-387-6637.
This Arts item was submitted to The Commons.