Music, drama and museums
From blues to Beethoven and from slapstick to Shakespeare, music and drama are well represented on Bend’s cultural calendar.Concerts
The Cascade Festival of Music, founded in 1982, lays claim to status as the largest cultural music event in Bend and Central Oregon. While evenings of pops and world music programs remain an important part of the festival, a renewed emphasis on classical music has been credited with the festival’s current
success under artistic director Murry Sidlin, who has held that post for the past 12 years. Sidlin is retiring after the 2008 festival and will be replaced by famed conductor James DePreist. The organization presents musical events throughout the year, including Christmas holiday season performances of The Nutcracker with the Central Oregon School of Ballet. Normally staged in Bend’s Drake Park, the 2008 Festival will take place Aug. 23-30 in the Bend High School auditorium. It is expected to return to the big tent in the park in 2009.Founded in 1967 as part of the expanding Central Oregon Community College Fine Arts Department, the Central Oregon Symphony Orchestra is another major player in the local fine arts scene. Autumn, winter and spring concerts take place in the 1,400-seat Bend High School auditorium. Michael Gesne has been musical director and conductor since 1996.
Vocal performances are the specialty of the Obsidian Opera, organized in 1997 to provide educational and performing opportunities for artists, students and the community at large. Productions range from full-length operas and one-act comedies to scenes incorporating repertoire written by opera masters and composers of Broadway musicals. Performances are held at the Tower Theater in downtown Bend.
While based in Sunriver, the Sunriver Music Festival presents Fireside Performances in the Sunriver Resort Great Hall and the Summer Festival in the Tower Theater. Fireside programs are staged from November through May and stress a variety of musical styles including jazz and classical. The Summer Festival is in August.
The open-air Les Schwab Amphitheater in Bend’s Old Mill District has earned its popularity as a venue for big-name popular acts. The Wells Fargo Summer Concert series in 2007 booked Chris Isaak, Alison Krauss and Union Station, Willie Nelson and Family, Pink Martini, The Doobie Brothers, The Fray, Diana Krall, Blind Boys of Alabama, The Shins, Korn, Black Crowes, and Kenny Rogers in July through September.
Theater
Dramatic groups in Bend include the Cascades Theatrical Company and 2nd Street Theater.
Founded 29 years ago, the volunteer-based Cascades company is presenting seven full-length productions in its 2007-2008 season, including the group’s first full-length Shakespearian play and a musical at the Tower Theater. Other performances are at CTC’s theater at 148 NW Greenwood Ave.
The 2nd Street Theater marks its seventh year with a 2007-2008 season of theatrical productions. The private repertory company produces seven shows annually in its theater at 220 NE Lafayette Ave. in Bend. A Young Actors Repertory Company offers workshops and production of plays for children and young adults. A Theater Education Program offers professional theater training and related seminars for adults and youths.
Museums
The High Desert Museum, located just south of Bend on Highway 97, opened in 1982 and has grown to become a cultural institution of national prominence. It is dedicated to broadening the understanding of the region’s wildlife, culture, art and natural resources. Through exhibits, wildlife and living history, the museum creates learning experiences to help audiences discover their connection to the past, their role in the present and their responsibility to the future, according to the museum’s mission statement.
A quarter-mile trail extends from the museum’s 53,000-sq ft main building to 32,000 sq ft of outdoor exhibits and animal habitats. The Donald M. Kerr Birds of Prey Center is home to a number of raptors that are introduced to visitors, along with indigenous mammals and reptiles, through interpretive daily programs. The birds have been rescued after injuries and are unable to return to the wild. Thomas the river otter and Ochoco the captivity-born wildcat are also museum residents. Permanent and traveling exhibits indoors illustrate early-day western living while the Desertarium displays living examples of desert creatures.
The Des Chutes Historical Center in Bend and the A.R. Bowman Memorial Museum in Prineville present a variety of exhibits depicting pioneer life in Central Oregon.
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