During 2016 our signature Speaking
of Shakespeare series at Manhattan's NATIONAL ARTS CLUB featured
scintillating conversations with producer RALPH
ALAN COHEN, who introduced NAC constituents to the American Shakespeare
Center in Virginia; director KARIN
COONROD, who previewed a high-profile Merchant in Venice that marked the 500th
anniversary of the original Ghetto; writers
ALISON GOPNIK of the University of California at Berkeley and her brother
ADAM GOPNIK of the New Yorker,
who talked about the importance of play in early childhood development;
Shakespeare Survey editor PETER
HOLLAND of the University of Notre Dame, who shared trenchant observations
about a number of recent developments; educator PEGGY
O'BRIEN of the Folger Shakespeare Library, who talked about the support
she and her colleagues provide for teachers and students around the nation;
University of London professor KIERNAN
RYAN, who offered a new way of thinking about Shakespeare's "universality";
and director LOUIS SCHEEDER of
NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, who described the kinds of preparation that
are essential for aspiring drama professionals.
Along the way the Guild arranged an informative DC luncheon at the WOMAN'S
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CLUB with executive director DIANA
OWEN of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust in Stratford-upon-Avon.
And
we helped bring several events to Anerica's oldest capital city, a setting
that dates back to the months in 1610 when a visionary playwright was contemplating
a shipwreck that had occurred in our "brave new world" and composing The
Tempest. In January we took part in a LENSIC PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
benefit that featured EVER THE
TWAIN: William Shakespeare in Mark Twain's America, a revel that
Craig Smith described in the Santa Fe New Nexican's Pasatiempo
supplement. It played to an enthusiastic, sold-out house, and photographic
highlights of it were captured
by Steve Rudnick, whose wife LOIS RUDNICK co-wrote the script with JONATHAN
RICHARDS. In February we hosted a dialogue at the NEW MEXICO MUSEUM OF ART
with biographer STEPHEN H. GRANT
about Collecting Shakespeare: The Story of Henry and Emily Folger.
And finally, during an October presentation that served as prelude for the
Tempest we co-produced in August of 2017, we co-sponsored The
Poet's Eye, a medley of Bardic music and verse that helped dedicate
a new feature at the SANTA
FE BOTANICAL GARDEN: a magic circle that evokes such predecessors as
a classical Greek amphitheater, a "Wooden O" like the Bankside Globe, and
the Zia sun symbol that adorns New Mexico's state flag.
Many of these initiatives focused on the FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY, which
commemorated the 400th anniverary of Shakespeare's death with a national
tour of First Folios from its incomparable holdings. For background on this
generous initaitive, which was previewed on NPR by Susan
Stamberg, visit the website of Albuquerque station KUNM,
where you'll find several links of interest, among them one that will permit
you to hear Spencer Beckwith's conversation with MARY KERSHAW, director
of the New Mexico Museum of Art, and Guild president JOHN ANDREWS. On May
10 Mr. Andrews joined the SANTA FE
OPERA GUILD for a program that previewed a special SFO summer presentation
of Charles Gounod's Romeo et Juliette. For background on these
events and on several related offerings, including Thomas Leech's charming
display about "Willy the Kid" at
the historic Governor's Palace, visit KSFR's "Santa
Fe Radio Cafe" and listen to Mary-Charlotte's program for February 17.
And for a leading critic's perspective on an eventful "Shakespeare 400"
Bardathon in La Tierra Encantada, see James Keller's remarks in Pasatiempo.
For details about offerings that have been presented in other seasons, click
on the years that follow: 1998, 1999,
2000, 2001,
2002, 2003,
2004, 2005,
2006, 2007,
2008, 2009,
2010, 2011,
2012, 2013,
2014, 2015,
2017, 2018,
2019, and 2020.
And for information about upcoming programs, visit our Current
Events page.