Richard B Fisher Center

Perfect summer festival location and venue.  Beautiful grounds, ample parking, lots of pre-opera activity outside.  The opera was affordable, beautiful and the playing and singing was of a high quality.

After stepping foot into the theater for the first time yesterday for a middle school choral and band concert(they were hosting for the first time(even though the high school has gone there for concerts over the last few years)), I was astounded at the rich sound I received even as far back as I was(farthest row back in middle balcony).  Without any microphones, the performance was as loud and crisp as if I was sitting in the front row beneath.  I know I have something to look forward to over the next few years of performances, I know this concert was definitely a stepping stone milestone from the original performance location of the group.  Maybe it was the height of the ceiling in the room, or that there was additional side balconies(but I was well satisfied with the experience).(I definitely felt as if I was sitting through an opera).

The New Yorker magazine had it right on when it called this  "[possibly] the best small concert hall in the United States."

Built with 62 Million dolars and an out of-this-world design by famed Architect Frank Gehry, This theater, sitting on the beautiful bucolic Bard College Campus, attracts Broadway caliber shows, with better then broad way sound and visuals at off off off off off off off off Broadway prices. Well worth the trip from Boston (3 hours) or New York City (2 hours).

Walking in from outside, the building kind of looks like one of the monsters Godzilla used to fight with (Mechagodzilla  <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DkqglVJO0Dcg&s=23b953e29559e3ebaf1e8b601253b962796637ead4a711263ae188562a6b6dbb" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/w…</a> ) and you think to your self  "Hmm... I would have gone more Mothra with it." But upon entering the main foyer you realize you have just walked into a ginormously wonderful work of Modern Art! The interior has just the right balance of Abstract Minimalism and Classical Intimacy. And everything shines brilliantly; lighting up your day. Because of the genius of its design, the main theater, which comfortably seats 900, feels like a much smaller theater! Like you are watching a private show at Bill Gate's mansion (which, incidentally, I only gave 3 stars to...sorry Bill! Please don't shut off my computer...again) rather then sitting with 899 other people. Impressed as you are by all of this, you will be truly dazzled when the show begins. Every seat has a perfect view of the stage. The state-of-the-art lighting brings out the colors and contrasts of the movements on stage like nothing you have ever seen (literally). And then there is the sound quality: AMAZING! Like a massage for your ears! Major Kudos goes out to Yasuhisa Toyota who designed the acoustics: it is the best in America! You will think your eyes and hearing has magically improved (until the drive back home when you go the wrong way down a one way street...again!)

And then the prices! I saw the world famous American Ballet Theater (see <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.abt.org%2Fdefault.aspx&s=ef4c65ae48064d4ebaae8d3522fa516bc0e63e9915a0cc6d6d7c8904c9ad1dea" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.abt.org/defau…</a>) perform here for $45!!! Thats like having dinner and dessert at the fanciest restaurant in Boston for a five dollars. Such a steal you almost feel guilty afterwords!

And added bonus: during the intermission you can stroll around the Bard College campus (ranked one of the most beautiful campuses in all North America) with its rolling lush green fields and 19th Century Hudson River Mansions (just like Newport RI) BUT BE WARNED: Bard College students like to walk around completely naked! And (hence the warning part) Most of them really don't have the bodies to pull it off. When did college students get so fat??? During my College days we used to do tons of cardio before walking around naked. Kids today have no standards anymore!!! :(

But the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts sets the highest of standards! So you should come here. (Unless you have low standards. Then this place is not for you.)