For Immediate Release
May 23, 2024
CLARK ART INSTITUTE PRESENTS OPERA LAFAYETTE
AND ARIANA WEHR IN CONCERT
Williamstown, Massachusetts—On Wednesday, June 26, the Clark Art Institute presents a free classical concert on the career and repertoire of the famous eighteenth-century soprano Minette by musicians of Opera Lafayette and soprano Ariana Wehr. Presented in conjunction with the exhibition Guillaume Lethière, the free concert takes place in the Clark's auditorium, located in the Manton Research Center, at 6 pm.
One of the great stars of theatrical life in colonial Saint-Domingue in the 1780s, the soprano Minette was unlike almost all the actors and actresses of that time in that she was a woman of African descent. The title of Marie Chauvet’s novel about Minette, Dance on the Volcano, aptly suggests the tensions swirling around this contemporary of artist Guillaume Lethière and composer Joseph Bologne, the Chevalier de Saint-George.
Brazilian-American soprano Ariana Wehr joins musicians of Opera Lafayette to present music from the operas of Gluck, Philidor, Grétry, and others (which Minette performed in the years leading up to the Haitian Revolution), as well as music from the Chevalier de Saint-George.
Free. Accessible seats available; for information, call 413 458 0524.
ABOUT THE CLARK
The Clark Art Institute, located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, is one of a small number of institutions globally that is both an art museum and a center for research, critical discussion, and higher education in the visual arts. Opened in 1955, the Clark houses exceptional European and American paintings and sculpture, extensive collections of master prints and drawings, English silver, and early photography. Acting as convener through its Research and Academic Program, the Clark gathers an international community of scholars to participate in a lively program of conferences, colloquia, and workshops on topics of vital importance to the visual arts. The Clark library, consisting of some 300,000 volumes, is one of the nation’s premier art history libraries. The Clark also houses and co-sponsors the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art.
The Clark, which has a three-star rating in the Michelin Green Guide, is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Its 140-acre campus includes miles of hiking and walking trails through woodlands and meadows, providing an exceptional experience of art in nature. Galleries are open 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday through Sunday from September through June, and daily in July and August. Open 10 am to 9 pm on Wednesdays from June 19 through September 25, with free admission from 5 to 9 pm. Admission is free January through March and is $20 from March through December; admission is free year-round for Clark members, all visitors age 21 and under, and students with a valid student ID. Free admission is also available through several programs, including First Sundays Free; a local library pass program; and EBT Card to Culture. For information on these programs and more, visit clarkart.edu or call 413 458 2303.
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