While Summer hereabouts offers its own particular pleasures, once Autumn arrives, the local cultural scene really shifts into high gear. Since we're leaving in the midst of all these delights, we've had to plan VERY carefully to take in as many as we can prior to our mid-October departure.
Looking ahead (and to assure access), we've even already managed to acquire tickets for the Joffrey Ballet's early December production of the NUTCRACKER at the State Theater in Playhouse Square to be accompanied by the Cleveland Orchestra.
Wetting our appetite for what lies ahead in December, we also attended a marvelous late September orchestra performance of Berlioz' SYMPHONY FANTASTIQUE at Severance Hall on the same program with a Strauss oboe concerto and a wonderfully musical short contemporary piece, Hindemith's KLAMMERMUSIK I.
The previous Saturday we were able to catch a number of excellent local classical guitarists (including our favorite, internationally-known Jason Vieaux whose career we have followed for years) playing at the opening concert of the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society season at the First Unitarian Church here in Shaker Heights.
Even more impressive was a benefit concert held at Plymouth Church last Sunday for an elementary school teacher at Boulevard School (who is hoping to do volunteer work in Nigeria next summer) which featured local neighborhood residents. Among the performers were members of the Cleveland Orchestra, a visiting Armenian performance artist, one of the best church organists in the USA, an outstanding English harpsichordist, a Dutch clarinetist and a professional horn player who just happens to be married to our senior minister! We would have paid lots more than we did to hear such masterful performers, and to think all were Shaker residents made it even more special.
Then this afternoon we laughed our way through a lively sixties-era adaptation of Moliere's THE IMAGINARY INVALID at the Great Lakes Theater Festival; tomorrow it's another matinee, this time of Shakespeare's THE WINTER'S TALE, same place, same theater company.
Along the way, we've also managed to work in several great films: ARBITRAGE (with Richard Gear), THE LADY (an account of Aung San Suu Kyi's political journey), THE KITE (an Indian film) and SHOWER (a Chinese comedy).
And we've visited the newly opened atrium at the Cleveland Museum of Art several times, once in conjunction with a half-day Ecumenical Institute course on the Roman influence on early Christian Art, once for a film and once with Heidi's sister Liz and her husband Steve. This year the Association for Continuing Education's Lecture Day at the Mayfield Country Club focused on Brazil with two excellent lectures and a lively Q and A session following the mid-day luncheon.
We've also found time to hike around Shaker Lakes a couple of times and to wander through the Botanical Garden in University Circle, enjoying at every turn the cool, clear weather and the colors of this very special time of year.
It's difficult to imagine a broader range of excellent culturally enriching opportunities than those we've been able to take advantage of here over these past few weeks.
And, believe me, we'll be happy to get back into the cultural swing of things once we return from our Burma sojourn -- it's one of the best things about living here in Cleveland, which we clearly still consider the Best Location in the Nation!
Looking ahead (and to assure access), we've even already managed to acquire tickets for the Joffrey Ballet's early December production of the NUTCRACKER at the State Theater in Playhouse Square to be accompanied by the Cleveland Orchestra.Wetting our appetite for what lies ahead in December, we also attended a marvelous late September orchestra performance of Berlioz' SYMPHONY FANTASTIQUE at Severance Hall on the same program with a Strauss oboe concerto and a wonderfully musical short contemporary piece, Hindemith's KLAMMERMUSIK I.
The previous Saturday we were able to catch a number of excellent local classical guitarists (including our favorite, internationally-known Jason Vieaux whose career we have followed for years) playing at the opening concert of the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society season at the First Unitarian Church here in Shaker Heights.
Even more impressive was a benefit concert held at Plymouth Church last Sunday for an elementary school teacher at Boulevard School (who is hoping to do volunteer work in Nigeria next summer) which featured local neighborhood residents. Among the performers were members of the Cleveland Orchestra, a visiting Armenian performance artist, one of the best church organists in the USA, an outstanding English harpsichordist, a Dutch clarinetist and a professional horn player who just happens to be married to our senior minister! We would have paid lots more than we did to hear such masterful performers, and to think all were Shaker residents made it even more special.
Then this afternoon we laughed our way through a lively sixties-era adaptation of Moliere's THE IMAGINARY INVALID at the Great Lakes Theater Festival; tomorrow it's another matinee, this time of Shakespeare's THE WINTER'S TALE, same place, same theater company.
Along the way, we've also managed to work in several great films: ARBITRAGE (with Richard Gear), THE LADY (an account of Aung San Suu Kyi's political journey), THE KITE (an Indian film) and SHOWER (a Chinese comedy).
And we've visited the newly opened atrium at the Cleveland Museum of Art several times, once in conjunction with a half-day Ecumenical Institute course on the Roman influence on early Christian Art, once for a film and once with Heidi's sister Liz and her husband Steve. This year the Association for Continuing Education's Lecture Day at the Mayfield Country Club focused on Brazil with two excellent lectures and a lively Q and A session following the mid-day luncheon.
We've also found time to hike around Shaker Lakes a couple of times and to wander through the Botanical Garden in University Circle, enjoying at every turn the cool, clear weather and the colors of this very special time of year.
It's difficult to imagine a broader range of excellent culturally enriching opportunities than those we've been able to take advantage of here over these past few weeks.
And, believe me, we'll be happy to get back into the cultural swing of things once we return from our Burma sojourn -- it's one of the best things about living here in Cleveland, which we clearly still consider the Best Location in the Nation!
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