When the weather gets warmer, some people start thinking of higher elevations - like the ski resort Wintergreen which is now hosting a festival of music, art, wine and food.
Wintergreen Performing Arts will offer 232 events in 28 days, including Saturday and Sunday concerts by the Wintergreen Festival Orchestra, conducted by Mei-Ann Chen and Joseph Caballe-Domenech.
There will also be 24 pop-up concerts by 31 young musicians who will play outside Chroma on Charlottesville’s downtown mall -- and in the produce department.
“Last year’s adventure to the IGA in Nellysford was a great success, and so they’ll be returning there among the fruits and vegetables," said Larry Allen Smith, artistic and executive director of Wintergreen.
He says this year’s program will also feature a display of photographs as Les Yeux du Monde in Charlottesville, winetasting and theater:
“The play Art is perfect for this year, because one of the characters buys a painting that’s essentially a white canvas. That’s the premise of the play, and there’s a lot of interaction about what this person sees in the art and why he would spend so much money on it.”
At more than 3,500 feet above sea level, Smith says the air will be about ten degrees cooler than below, and festival visitors are invited to golf, hike or take a special arts walk.
“We have this year a fantastic artist called Karen McCoy and a composer in residents, Robert Carl, and together they’ll be doing something called Sight and Sound Walks. They will be actually doing these walks in advance of everybody and collecting materials and creating some art to listen.”
The festival runs through August 4th, and Smith says some people have actually made plans to stay for the entire program - a few buying houses to be a permanent part of this annual event.
Audio File
Hear Sandy Hausman's full interview with Wintergreen artistic director Larry Allen Smith.
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