2025The 49th Spoleto Festival USA will take place in Charleston This renowned 17-day performing arts festival features over 120 performances across various genres Opera: The festival will present Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw and Jules Massenet’s Thaïs both performed by the Festival Orchestra and Chorus Theater: Notable productions include the U.S a multimedia performance recounting a historic Arctic expedition which uses puppetry and live-action silhouettes to reimagine Shakespeare’s Macbeth Front Row Series: Outdoor concerts at the College of Charleston Cistern Yard will include artists like Patti Smith Dance: The Limón Dance Company will perform Missa Brevis accompanied by the Festival Chorus and Music from the Sole will present I Didn’t Come to Stay Performances will be held in various historic venues throughout Charleston and College of Charleston Sottile Theatre The festival will commence with an Opening Ceremony on May 23 at Charleston City Hall Click here for more information! the whole nine yards in six one-hour concerts The superstar cellist and MacArthur Fellow started telling us about this project in January 2023 and here’s what we found out: Fragments was going to mix and match the 36 movements of J with 70 shorts from a cohort of 27 living composers Each composer was to deliver two or three self-standing statements adding up to a total of 10 minutes Weilerstein would then curate the bits and bobs into six fixed collages each of which would incorporate an entire Bach suite There’s also a director in the mix (Elkhanah Pulitzer) as well as designers for modular scenic elements and lighting (Seth Reiser) some you won’t—are listed alphabetically by first name running from Alan Fletcher to Chen Yi (guess why) with Johann Sebastian Bach sandwiched between Joan Tower and Joseph Hallman The first Fragments segments—”Wonder,” “Tumult,” “Emergence,” and “Labyrinth”—have been road-tested to good effect Spoleto Festival patrons will be the first to hear “Lament” and the concluding “Radiance.” —Jeanne Malle My life changed in 1979 as I stood on the empty lot that would become Charleston Place Hotel and hollered over my shoulder and hundreds of colorful characters snaked behind me down King Street because I wasn’t even part of the arts community in those days I was not the first person the Office of Cultural Affairs had asked to organize the Piccolo Spoleto parade—just the first one who said yes I recruited my eccentric friend Jules Garvin who lived in a jam-packed costume shop on the corner of King and Calhoun streets Volunteers raided his racks and became an instant circus troupe The jolt of excitement I felt when the parade started marching supercharged me for the rest of my creative life I was shocked by the relative lack of cultural activities But Spoleto and Piccolo changed everything In my subsequent career as the founder and director of the art center Creative Spark we produced the children’s festival in Marion Square where multiple stages of local talent delighted crowds of families In partnership with the Charleston Housing Authority we ran Storefront School for the Arts in several locations wrote and sang under the guidance of local teaching artists This year I will perform again with my eight-hand piano ensemble at the noontime concert series at Circular Church I’ve written about the festivals for local newspapers I’ve also attended countless performances and heard many people tell how it has affected them Madeline Hershenson talks about her 19 years directing the Jewish Choral Society as being about more than the music The choir was composed of people from various religions and musical experiences The diverse repertoire ranged from sacred hymns to show tunes by Jewish composers and their joy and enthusiasm radiated to the audiences Friendships formed across age differences and backgrounds Greg Tavares credits Piccolo Spoleto with changing his life’s trajectory “I would never have moved to Charleston in 1995 if I had not spent the few summers before working at Storefront School for the Arts I was 24 years old when I first came to town I credit Piccolo Spoleto with why I live and work here today.” Along with Brandy Sullivan and Timmy Finch “Local groups like Mary Kay Has a Posse play on the same stage as the national acts we bring in,” Greg said emphasizing the valuable opportunities for local talent Theatre 99 is one of our city’s cultural mainstays appreciates the advantage that having his paintings in marketing and on merchandise has had “My involvement with Piccolo Spoleto has had a tremendous impact on my life and career as an artist This year’s festival will mark my 25th year as an exhibitor in the Piccolo Spoleto Outdoor Art Exhibition Much of my focus throughout the entire year is aimed toward creating new paintings in preparation for my exhibit I’ve met and become good friends with many of the region’s most incredible and prominent creatives and a large part of my business throughout the entire year results from customers and clients I’ve met while exhibiting there.” all of Piccolo’s performances are either free or low-cost and the talent is drawn from the Southeastern region with more than 700 performances in 17 days it’s highly curated and spans the literary As our city fills with the vibrancy of the festivals it’s worth taking a moment to consider how they’ve enriched our cultural landscape broadened our horizons and provided opportunities for creativity to flourish Piccolo Spoleto will be May 23 to June 8, 2025. For a complete schedule, visit https://www.piccolospoleto.com Brought to you by MyLo Agency Isaac Mizrahi will be a part of this year's Spoleto Festival USA Charleston's own Band of Horses will play as part of Spoleto's Front Row Series at the Cistern Yard Chamber music is back at Spoleto this year The Kronos Quartet includes Spoleto's director of chamber music Paul Wiancko (left) "Fragments" featuring renowned cellist Alisa Weilerstein is a multi-year project and will feature two world-premiere shows Trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire will have a four-program residency in three different venues as part of Spoleto 2025 Cécile McLorin Salvant will sing timeless jazz ballads Etienne Charles will embark on a captivating musical journey that explores the rich history and culture of the Gullah Geechee people drawing parallels to his Caribbean heritage The Limon Dance Company will perform featuring the Spoleto Festival USA Chorus "White Box" retells the story of a 1897 gas balloon that disappeared over the North Pole featuring projections of a film roll that was discovered buried in the ice 33 years later "The 4th Witch" is a world premiere by Manual Cinema live-action silhouettes and music to create a haunting reimagining of Shakespeare’s "Macbeth." This will be Spoleto General Director and CEO Mena Mark Hanna's fifth year with the festival Patti Smith is playing as part of Spoleto's Front Row Series Valerie June will perform for Spoleto's Front Row Series MJ Lenderman is part of Spoleto's Front Row Series Lucinda Williams will perform for Spoleto's Front Row Series Corinne Bailey Rae is performing at the Cistern Yard for Spoleto's Front Row Series Mavis Staples is performing for Spoleto's Front Row Series Wilco's Jeff Tweedy is part of this year's Front Row Series The 2025 Spoleto Festival USA lineup includes two world premiere operas a bevy of theater and dance performances as well as nine intimate concerts at the Cistern Yard including Patti Smith Spoleto Festival USA is returning in 2025 with more than 120 shows over 17 days a special cabaret performance from famed fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi and nine intimate concerts as part of the Front Row Series at the College of Charleston's Cistern Yard It will be General Director and CEO Mena Mark Hanna's fourth year in the position and the 49th year of the iconic festival that put Charleston on the map as a destination city for the arts. The dates are locked in for May 23-June 8, and tickets will be on sale beginning at 10 a.m. on Feb. 21 at spoletousa.org or by calling 843-579-3100 the world’s greatest artists have come to Spoleto Festival USA — having spent their lives devoted to perfecting craft and canon — to create something at the very bleeding edge of human expression," penned Hanna in this year's print program which will be sent out to former patrons and passed out to attendees at this year's events "Spoleto is where understanding is nurtured and minds are expanded where we see with new eyes and hear with new ears." It will be a year of "new," particularly with a change to Spoleto's board, which saw an exodus of its members last year and the appointment of seven new members It will also be the recently appointed Director of Chamber Music Paul Wiancko's second year as well as the second year for Spoleto Festival Orchestra Music Director Timothy Myers Wiancko will perform as part of his group The Kronos Quartet in addition to directing the Bank of America Chamber Music Series which includes 32 concerts and 11 distinct programs evening programs will be part of the schedule in addition to daytime performances This year's two operas are "The Turn of the Screw" by Benjamin Britten a chilling chamber opera to be presented at Dock Street Theatre and "Thaïs" by Jules Massenet The Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra and Chorus will be on stage alongside the cast at the Gaillard Center who has been hailed by The New York Times as “a cellist of explosive emotional energy,” will feature six ambitious solo recitals showcasing newly commissioned works from some of today’s most compelling composers paired with Bach’s indelible cello suites premiere of "White Box," a multimedia production about a 1897 gas balloon that went missing over the North Pole with three scientists aboard is revealed through the discovery of a camera and rolls of film that were buried in the ice for 33 years and the story of what happened will be told through theater a family-friendly theatrical production called "Polar Bear and Penguin" also is planned Krishnan's Party" by Indian Ink Theater Company which involves an interacting cooking segment and the high-flying acrobatic troupe Gravity & Other Myths Shakespeare is front and center in two performances: "The 4th Witch" by Manual Cinema will be a shadow puppetry retelling of Shakespeare's "Macbeth," and "All the Devils are Here" is a one-man show by Patrick Page acting out Shakespeare villains at the Sottile Theatre The Limón Dance Company will present choreography set to a choral classic written by Zoltán Kodály while hunkered down in a church basement during World War II and Music From the Sole will showcase a joyful carnival-themed tap that's good for all ages Isaac Mizrahi will present his cabaret "I Know Everyone" at Charleston Music Hall glam and runway magic along with jazz music witty commentary and a "healthy dose of irreverence."  improvisor and composer Phillip Golub and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and Etienne Charles with Charleston's own Quentin Baxter will perform as part of the Wells Fargo Jazz Series at the Gaillard Also at the Cistern Yard will be nine performances for this year's Front Row Series a popular draw that the festival has amped up by booking some serious star power including several High Water Festival alumni aja monet and Arooj Aftab also are part of this series though their musical showcases will take place at Charleston Music Hall and Dock Street Theatre instead of the Cistern Yard For all of the festival's dates and showtimes, and to get your tickets starting on Feb. 21, visit the website Festival donors will receive pre-sale access by membership level starting Feb and memberships are available for purchase starting at $250 waiting can mean saving for those shows that don't sell out early on including a Locals Weekend in early spring sponsored by The Post and Courier More savings dates will be announced via email at a later time to those who sign up for updates "Our proposition is simple — explore Charleston rejuvenate yourself as we embark on a fantastical idea: a journey through the heights and depths of emotion through the breadth of artistic imagination," Hanna implores in his letter to patrons Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: The first official day of spring is still more than a month away but the city of Charleston is already beginning to blossom as Spoleto Festival USA reveals a colorful lineup of performances for its 49th season “Artists dedicate their lives to honing their craft,” said festival General Director and CEO Mena Mark Hanna in a press release culminates in the creation of work at the very bleeding edge of human expression.” Among the arts expressed; opera, theater, music and dance with more than 120 performances from May 23 to June 8th, including six world premieres as well as two U.S Spoleto Festival USA is producing two of those world premieres including the opera a suspenseful tale of a governess battling supernatural forces It combines the Festival Chorus and Orchestra with soprano Nicole Heaston and baritone Troy Cook The theatrical performance of “White Box” uses film and projection to recount the 1897 expedition of three scientists who disappeared in a gas balloon over the North Pole Their fate remained a mystery until the discovery of a camera decades later Manuel Cinema returns to Spoleto this year with “The 4th Witch” The production uses puppetry and live-action silhouettes to reimagine Shakespeare’s Macbeth Alisa Weilerstein has been praised by The New York Times as “a cellist of explosive emotional energy” as she presents The “Kronos Quartet” will make their Spoleto debut this year at the Charleston Music Hall addressing issues like climate change and social justice through music They’ll be joined for the world premiere of a new piece by Charleston bandleader Charlton Singleton as well as drummer Quentin E The Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra will present several concerts while the Bank of America Chamber Music series celebrates 17 days of music featuring artists like pianist Phillip Golub trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and saxophonist Branford Marsalis Fashion icon Isaac Mizrahi will bring cabaret to Charleston after an annual residency at New York City's Café Carlyle And the College of Charleston’s Cistern Yard will host several intimate concerts including a performance by rocker and punk poet Patti Smith The Limón Dance Company will perform in Charleston as will the tap dance company (WCIV) — Ticket sales for the Spoleto Festival begin Friday as the Lowcountry prepares for the annual spring event shared insights into what attendees can expect this year during his appearance on "Good Morning Charleston." known for its wide array of artistic offerings is a staple of Charleston's cultural calendar Click here to purchase tickets In Friday’s (8/16) Post and Courier (Charleston “It isn’t unusual for a well-established organization to experience some turnover that turmoil has resulted in … staffing change and a significant downsizing of its once large board of directors Mena Mark Hanna was named the new general director and CEO of the storied arts organization in July 2021… nearly all of the nonprofit’s established artistic and business leaders have been replaced… The crisis has come to a slow boil as revelations of a $600,000 deficit came to light said … Spoleto Festival is in good financial shape despite the negative impacts of the pandemic … In 2023 the result of bad weather that forced the cancellation of the finale concert and eroded ticket sales as well as a drop in charitable contributions… The festival features performances by … artists in opera , the award-winning publication of the League of American Orchestras discusses issues critical to the orchestra community and communicates to the American public the value and importance of orchestras and the music they perform Broadway Off-Broadway Off-Off Broadway Cabaret Dance Opera Classical Music Nashville Minneapolis / St. Paul Connecticut Atlanta Chicago Los Angeles WEST END UK Regional Canada Australia / New Zealand Europe Asia Latin America Africa / Middle East TV/Movies Music Tickets are available for purchase beginning February 21 at 10:00am EST Spoleto Festival USA have announced the lineup for its 49th Festival taking place from May 23 to June 8 Charleston's enchanting backdrop sets the stage for more than 120 unforgettable performances Tickets are available for purchase beginning February 21 at 10:00am EST at spoletousa.org or by calling 843.579.3100. Festival donors receive pre-sale access, by membership level, beginning February 12; memberships start at $250 and are available at spoletousa.org or by calling 843.724.1192 Spoleto Festival USA General Director and CEO Mena Mark Hanna says "artists dedicate their lives to honing their craft culminates in the creation of work at the very bleeding edge of human expression The 2025 Festival is a platform for these extraordinary artists mingling with the most adventurous audiences."  Witness the culmination of a musical journey with Alisa Weilerstein’s Fragments Hailed by The New York Times as “a cellist of explosive emotional energy,” Weilerstein presents six ambitious solo recitals showcasing newly commissioned works from today’s most compelling composers paired with Bach’s indelible cello suites This Spoleto Chamber Music series alumna’s visionary project is a “celebration of the really disparate voices in contemporary classical music,” and Spoleto is honored to host the inaugural run of the complete cycle including the world premiere performances of the final two recitals (May 26 May 31 at the College of Charleston’s Sottile Theatre) Two acclaimed companies return to Spoleto with premiere performances presents the world premiere of The 4th Witch a haunting reimagining of Shakespeare’s Macbeth June 8 at College of Charleston’s Emmett Robinson Theatre) the Australian circus troupe renowned for its gravity-defying feats a celebration of dedication and discipline by eight elite acrobats (June 4 and projection to recount the ill-fated 1897 North Pole expedition of three scientists whose fate remained a mystery for decades revealed through a camera and film discovered 33 years later 31 at College of Charleston’s Emmett Robinson Theatre) Dubbed "the villain of Broadway" by Playbill, Tony Award-nominee and GRAMMY Award-winner Patrick Page delves into the twisted motivations and hidden humanity of Shakespeare's greatest villains in his one-man show All The Devils Are Here: How Shakespeare Invented The Villain (June 5 June 8 at College of Charleston's Sottile Theatre) Page illuminates the playwright's evolving conception of evil by exploring more than a dozen of his wicked creations Spoleto is celebrating the remarkable 19-year tenure of Dr. Joe Miller, esteemed Director of Choral Activities at Spoleto Festival USA, as he concludes his role in June 2025. In addition to two marquee choral concerts by the Spoleto Festival USA Chorus at St Miller will conduct the Festival Chorus and Orchestra in a monumental performance of Bach’s Mass in B Minor at the Charleston Gaillard Center on June 7 This grand finale is a fitting tribute to his extraordinary Spoleto tenure and a world premiere piece by the 2025 Suzan D Boyd Composer-in-Residence Mahsa Vahdat highlight this year's program two evening performances will take place at 6:00pm (May 29 & June 4) the famed Kronos Quartet will perform at Spoleto on June 2 at the Charleston Music Hall Renowned innovators who have redefined the string quartet for five decades the quartet’s groundbreaking work addresses pressing global issues like climate change and the human condition with unbounded musical ambition A highlight of the evening is the world premiere of a new piece by Charleston bandleader Charlton Singleton performed by the quartet with drummer Quentin E The Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra will present three concerts under the baton of Music Director Timothy Myers in addition to accompanying other Spoleto performances The May 31 program at the Charleston Gaillard Center features Strauss’ Rosenkavalier Suite the iconic Sibelius violin concerto performed by violinist Alexi Kenney and pieces by two of today's most intriguing composers The June 5 program of Mendelssohn’s Third Symphony begins with the lively and colorful Scherzo by Väinö Raitio and features cellist Inbal Segev performing DANCE a concerto by Anna Clyne written specifically for her Matthew’s Lutheran Church will offer a new intimate experience with works by Arvo Pärt The Festival’s dance offerings include distinct and captivating companies: Limón Dance Company and Music From The Sole The Limón Dance Company (May 31 and June 1 at Festival Hall) will perform two selections from their iconic repertoire including Missa Brevis accompanied by the Festival Chorus and organist Tap dance company Music From The Sole performs their high-energy show I Didn’t Come to Stay (May 23 26 at College of Charleston’s Emmett Robinson Theatre) exploring the cultural roots of tap dance tracing its lineage to other Afro-Diasporic forms Fashion icon and entertainer Isaac Mizrahi brings his signature wit and irreverence to Spoleto with I Know Everybody (June 5 & 7 Mizrahi’s annual residency at the legendary Cafe Carlyle in New York City has become a highly anticipated event Mizrahi has graced the stages of Joe’s Pub and The Regency Ballroom solidifying his reputation as a captivating and sought-after cabaret artist This year, the Front Row series expands to new venues for intimate acts on the rise. Spoken word poet aja monet (June 2) will be accompanied by a jazz band with special guest Vijay Iyer at Dock Street Theatre. Grammy-winning Pakistani composer and vocalist Arooj Aftab will appear at the Charleston Music Hall (May 29). Indian-inspired party band from Brooklyn Red Baraat, fronted by Sunny Jain will take the stage at the Charleston Music Hall (May 27) The Festival is proud to once again offer engaging and entertaining performances perfect for families and audiences of all ages Polar Bear and Penguin offers a charming tale of friendship between two iconic animals in the Festival’s second year presenting North Charleston performances (May 31 & June 1 Rose Maree Myers Theatre at Charleston County School of the Arts) from New Zealand-based Indian Ink Theatre Company and the aromas of delicious cooking fill Mrs Tickets are available for purchase beginning Feb. 21 at 10:00am EST, with prices starting as low as $29. There will also be opportunities to save on select shows by signing up for email updates at https://spoletousa.org/email-signup/ A donor pre-sale is available to all donors with an active membership. To become a donor, contact the development office at 843.724.1192 or visit https://spoletousa.org/support/individual-giving/ For more information about Spoleto Festival USA, visit spoletousa.org.  Kevin Cronin, formerly of REO Speedwagon, will be appearing with The Kevin Cronin Band at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center on Friday, September 12. Peace Center has revealed a 10-show lineup for the 2025-2026 Peace Broadway Season, featuring The Outsiders and more! See the full lineup and learn how to purchase tickets. North Charleston Performing Arts Center's Best of Broadway series will welcome back by popular demand DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and more for its 2025-26 season. See the full lineup here! Trustus Theatre, the home for relevant, innovative, and inclusive theatrical works in Columbia, South Carolina, will present Clyde’s by Lynn Nottage, opening on April 18 on the Thigpen Mainstage. function closestickysocial(){document.getElementById("foxsocial").style.display="none";}@media(max-width:1024px){.most-popular,.video-row{display:block;margin-top:25px}}Videos and exclusive discounts on tickets to your favorite shows © 2025 - Copyright Wisdom Digital Media, all rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Copyright 2025 FIM Europe | Terms of use - Privacy statement | The 36th annual Piccolo Spoleto Sand Sculpting Competition will take place Saturday The event is free and open to anyone who would like to show off their sand sculpting skills Competitors can enter in the following divisions: Children (ages 14 and under) Family (at least one adult and one child or young adult) Prizes will be awarded to the top three in each category along with additional judged categories: Most Creative Best Architectural and Best in Show—Overall The first 200 to register are guaranteed a free T-shirt; sizes are subject to availability. Visit www.iop.net for the 2025 online registration form You may also register by stopping by the Isle of Palms Recreation Department or calling 843-886-8294 Spoleto Festival USA announced a $1 million donation from M chair emeritus member of the festival's board of directors (WCIV) — Spoleto Festival USA announced a $1 million donation from M The donation will support three key initiatives: expanding education and community engagement programs advancing the Composer-in-Residence position for the festival’s Chamber Music series who is unwavering in his support for Spoleto This gift is a testament to his and Suzan’s incredible generosity and will add to their lasting legacy on the Festival," said Mena Mark Hanna General Director and CEO of Spoleto Festival USA "Ed is a person of vision and integrity; through his philanthropy and build public value through arts and education." Sellers expressed his commitment to the festival "Spoleto Festival USA is a cultural treasure for Charleston and the entire region I am proud to support this world-class organization and its missions so that it will continue to enrich our lives and serve our community for generations to come." The donation will enable Spoleto to expand its educational offerings by creating a new position The festival's education programs aim to foster creativity and a lifelong appreciation for the arts through various initiatives Part of the gift will fund the Chamber Music series’ Composer-in-Residence position This position allows composers to produce innovative works with leading chamber artists Spoleto will develop a new website with enhanced features to provide a more engaging and user-friendly experience expected to launch ahead of the 50th festival in 2026 Spoleto Festival USA teaching artists went through a week-long training session with a Wolf Trap fellow where they became certified to provide classroom residencies and support teachers (Left to right) Teaching artists Kailey Jones Bailey Mann and Emily Pears received training from a Wolf Trap fellow at a week-long seminar in early November Spoleto teaching artists who will participate in the Wolf Trap program have a background in education and specialize in drama The new programs will focus on professional development for private and public school teachers in 3-K through first grade classrooms Spoleto Festival USA, the Charleston-based international arts festival, has partnered with the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts to bring teaching and learning art programs to early childhood classrooms in the Lowcountry Partner organizations across the country adopt a program of the Virginia-based foundation called Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts to promote and research arts integrated learning in early childhood education The program serves nearly 100,000 children said the partnership is a first for the festival "We are providing early childhood arts education year-round to students in the Lowcountry," he said I am enormously proud that Spoleto is playing a key role in fostering the state’s next generation of artists and audiences." The Post and Courier’s Education Lab focuses on issues and policies that affect South Carolina’s education system. It is supported by donations and grants to the nonprofit Public Service and Investigative Fund. For more information, and to donate, go to https://postandcourierfund.com/ vice president of education at Wolf Trap said the foundation is excited to partner with Spoleto and bring dynamic arts experiences and professional development opportunities to early education communities in the Lowcountry Lowcountry South Carolina Wolf Trap teaching artists will work with teachers and young children in early childhood classrooms to integrate arts disciplines like dance and puppetry into their curriculum," Kouyate-Tate said in a statement Affiliate organizations apply Wolf Trap's approach which consists of training professional performing artists in early childhood development and curriculum The performers then share arts integration strategies — also known as teaching through the arts — with public and private school teachers during classroom residencies Teaching artists interact with students and teachers during the residencies with the goal that the teacher absorbs the knowledge and continues using the strategies through the rest of the school year Spoleto's manager of executive affairs and educational programs In October, Wolf Trap and the South Carolina Children's Theater in Greenville announced a partnership of the same nature the program will deliver arts integration services to early childhood students in Greenville Both partnerships were made possible thanks to the South Carolina Arts Commission Hanna said its support has ben "invaluable" in making Spoleto Festival USA a Wolf Trap affiliate Spoleto's lead producer said the partnership is an exciting opportunity to deepen connections with the local community outside the festival period The program will solidify Spoleto's work and mission to engage with communities and extend the reach of their arts programming to young students "It's a beautiful model of taking a very general but proven program and adapting it to the specific needs of one's community," Keller Tripp said Mann said teachers will be eligible to obtain professional development credits through the program and will have feedback sessions with the teaching artists through the residency's duration She said she and three local teaching artists — who have a background in performance and education and specialize in drama music and movement — went through a week-long training process with a Wolf Trap fellow "We can really serve our community of educators in a sustainable way giving them tools they can keep throughout the rest of their career to reinvigorate their love for teaching and make their lessons more artful and engaging for their students," Mann said News tips/online questions: newstips@postandcourier.com Delivery/subscription questions: subserve@postandcourier.com Spoleto Festival USA's Front Row Series features concerts outdoor in the College of Charleston Cistern Yard general director and CEO of Spoleto Festival USA Gregory was chairwoman of Spoleto Festival USA's Board of Directors until July 2024 The Spoleto Festival USA offices at 14 George St Also known as the Middleton-Pinckney House the building was erected in the late 1700s and became the festival's headquarters in 1980 Former general director Nigel Redden (right) with Spoleto Festival founder Gian Carlo Menotti (center) in 1986 Charleston-based arts and cultural festival copes with a slew of resignations from board members concerned about financial and management issues just three years into the new director's tenure It isn’t unusual for a well-established organization to experience some turnover that turmoil has resulted in a complete staffing change Mena Mark Hanna was named the new general director and CEO of the storied arts organization in July 2021. He replaced Nigel Redden who retired after a long and productive tenure — though one interrupted by controversy and the near collapse of the festival in the early 1990s nearly all of the nonprofit’s established artistic and business leaders have been replaced And in recent months the board has seen an exodus especially since chairwoman Alicia Mullen Gregory was ousted from her leadership position in July It’s possible others will opt not to renew their terms when the board meets in October according to four former members interviewed by The Post and Courier amount to just one of the reasons that drove board members to flee Another factor was the intractable working relationship between Hanna and Gregory that ultimately led to a vote to remove her from her leadership position when she had just three months left in her term That move signaled that a group of “old guard,” non-voting emeriti members wielded too much veto power and was obstructing necessary reform efforts Remaining board members attributed the discord primarily to “a dysfunction in board leadership,” which regrettably caused the situation to spin out of control In a letter sent to the board that The Post and Courier obtained Hellena Tidwell and Robyn Coles — listed their reasons for resigning: based on “flimsy allegations,” could be interpreted as a breach of the board’s fiduciary responsibilities “The steps taken to remove the Board Chair were neither fair nor did they include any type of due process,” the five women continued “When we voiced our opinions based on our experience and expertise we were treated with indifference and sometimes even disdain.” And aggressive lobbying against updating the festival’s bylaws and governing procedures “by a few non-voting board members” seemed to reveal their “outsized influence over the board.” Another significant concern described by former board members was a lapse of accountability The bylaws were modified in the early 1990s when the festival was on the precipice of collapse to allow for a three-person management committee with voting power and no obligation to obtain approvals from the full board A majority vote of that committee is all it takes to pass any motion “Two people can make all the decisions (for the organization),” she said New board chairman Phillip Smith said the bylaws were updated in 2021 and that additional changes would be welcomed if they enabled the festival “to be more efficient and operate better as an institution.” who was chairwoman of the governance committee before she resigned in July An outside attorney was working pro bono with the committee to ensure the bylaws adhered to state requirements and best practices when everything came to a head said the deficit is neither surprising nor unusual Spoleto Festival is in good financial shape despite the negative impacts of the pandemic The nonprofit secured two federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans state support and a foundation loan to help it get through the pandemic the result of bad weather that forced the cancellation of the finale concert and eroded ticket sales as well as a drop in charitable contributions Smith said some of that shortfall was a consequence of the loss of a key staff member — the well-connected development director Julia Forster one of the last holdouts of the former regime because of conflicts with board leadership The combination of a revenue shortfall and higher expenses led to the $600,000 deficit But gains from endowment contributions and government grants helped to keep the budget manageable When the current fiscal year closes at the end of August the nonprofit will record a budget surplus That will be only its third in the last decade The festival’s improved financial position is a result of robust 2024 ticket sales of $3.3 million (the most since 2017) and increases in individual giving corporate sponsorships and government support the festival has about $21 million assets and $2 million in liabilities It’s endowment balance is up to $21.4 million is among the world’s most important multidiscipline arts festivals it features performances by renowned and emerging artists in opera The event was intended to be the American counterpart to founder Gian Carlo Menotti’s Festival dei Due Mondi (Festival of the Two Worlds) This is the second time Spoleto Festival USA has endured a level of organizational strife high enough to cause significant staff and board departures a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer who died in 2007 and Redden famously disagreed over programming and administrative decisions as well as financial management Their combative relationship resulted in a rift with one camp behind Menotti and the other behind Redden That resulted in 19 of 46 board members following him The festival was in dire financial straits and needed a strong leader to right the ship Spoleto Festival had $1.6 million in the bank and its substantial debt was reduced by half Kennedy was notified abruptly last year that he was no longer needed. Last September, Hanna named Tim Myers the festival’s new music director But spirits on the board were high at the beginning of Hanna’s tenure many of us were ‘happy’ to see the board lean into its roles as the strategic body of the organization and the fiduciary body of the organization,” the five former board members wrote in their letter we were rethinking the board committee structure we took as a sign that the board took governance seriously and was up for the task.” Gregory said she joined the board in 2011 because she was fascinated by Charleston’s art scene and impressed by Spoleto Festival’s programming and leadership When she was asked to lead the board a few years ago she knew she’d be chairwoman during a period of significant transition “But I began to realize over the last year that a small group of current and former board members aligned with the CEO was doing things that I think puts the organization in jeopardy,” Gregory said referring to an unanticipated increase in production expenses She rejected the notion that the management committee alone should address the problems arguing that concerns should go to the executive committee first but there was aggressive pushback,” she said “I was caught in middle between those wanting to understand the finances and those telling me I was a titular figurehead and should stay at 50,000 feet.” said the “general dysfunction in board leadership” only worsened over time led first to an effort to negotiate a leadership “transition,” then to the last-resort decision to remove the chairperson “who was not aligned with the direction of the board.” Her philanthropic giving was questioned and criticized She was called “emotional” when sharing some of her concerns “I went to great lengths (to be) very clear in my role as the governance officer that I was focused on governance issues,” she said of allegations that she was overstepping her authority and interfering with the management of the nonprofit She made a point of communicating regularly with colleagues at all levels of the organization especially when she realized that there were differing views about the role of board chairperson “I wanted to foster a shared set of beliefs about the role of governance the role of management and where the intersection points lie where the two bodies come together and should collaborate on institutional matters.” I did set up a task force for budget and for legal but I did so with the explicit affirmation of the executive committee and full board,” she said said that when Gregory was forced out of her position it was the straw that broke the camel’s back “To create this unnecessary turmoil with less than 100 days (left of Gregory’s term) was just remarkable,” Thompson said She hopes Spoleto Festival staff and directors can turn crisis into productive action “I do think Spoleto’s going to survive no matter what there could be a much stronger institution coming out of this.” Hanna deferred questions to Casey Kupper of The Brandon Agency which represents the Spoleto Festival board he denied issuing what some referred to as a her-or-me ultimatum that he brought concerns — shared by other staff members — to the board’s attention Smith said that new members will be added so the organization can operate Spoleto Festival USA lists on its website 10 board officers 17 directors and 15 additional emeriti and honorary members “It’s about getting the right people” who can strengthen the festival’s financial position and improve its governance Spoleto Festival’s 50th year is coming up in 2026 Contact Adam Parker at aparker@postandcourier.com Spoleto Festival USA choral director Joe Miller at the Charleston Gaillard Center May 25 Spoleto Festival USA director of choral activities resident conductor and director of orchestral activities enjoy an evening of food and live music during the Spoleto Festival USA Annual Auction at The Cedar Room at the Cigar Factory on Feb reveals the 2023 festival poster on May 22 director of choral activities at Spoleto Festival USA The event will include special programming that celebrates his contributions and legacy Esteemed choral director Joe Miller of Spoleto Festival USA plans to step down next year will include special programming that celebrates his contributions and legacy Miller's is the last departure of artistic staff associated with the previous regime who oversees jazz programming and who came to the festival in 2016 Mena Mark Hanna was named the new general director and CEO of the storied arts organization in July 2021 and also has expressed a strong artistic vision that embraces current events and difficult issues — an edgier approach that has received good support from the board and some patrons "Joe Miller's impact has been immeasurable,” Hanna said he has created world-class choral music at Spoleto.” becoming music director at Vocal Arts Ensemble Cincinnati It’s a job he has long coveted and helps entrench his homecoming Miller earned master’s and doctorate degrees from Cincinnati's conservatory of music he took the baton from mentor Joseph Flummerfelt becoming head conductor at Westminster Choir College in New Jersey he partnered with Flummerfelt at Spoleto during an extended transition as the older director increasingly relied on his young protégé to take control Miller was in charge of all choral activities The Westminster Choir long served as choir-in-residence at Spoleto recitals and two big choral concerts at church venues each season Miller became much-admired in Charleston and elsewhere for his combination of exactitude and musical sensitivity and for his thoughtful programming and collegial approach A choral concert typically featured music of various styles from various historical periods All of it showcases some of the finest young choral singers in the country delivering acappella arrangements with impeccable finesse under the direction of Miller Westminster Choir College ran into hard times in 2017 when Rider University, facing financial difficulties, announced it was selling the subsidiary to a Chinese for-profit education company partly because of intense pushback from faculty and students but the episode badly eroded the reputation of the choir college In 2020, Miller left for Cincinnati Rider consolidated its Westminster Choir College moving it to the main campus in an effort to cut costs The opera “Omar” made its world premiere in 2022 It featured some of Miller’s choral singers was commissioned and developed when Redden still was in charge; when he retired he left it to Hanna to see it through to the stage It was a triumph — an example of the sort of provocative and substantial work that Hanna likes to champion In September 2023, the festival abruptly dismissed its music director John Kennedy, replacing him with Timothy Myers. Then, over the summer, conflict among the festival’s leadership led 10 people to quit the board in protest of what they alleged was bad management and financial problems the festival announced it had elected seven new members to the board: Wells Fargo banker Julie Caperton Charleston City Councilman Michael Seekings and Los Angeles County Museum of Art COO Diana Vesga “The recent appointments to the Spoleto Festival USA board of directors bring varied experiences and perspectives that will support the festival for years to come,” Hanna said in a statement adding that the new members help restore some of the diversity lost during the recent exodus “The board recognizes the importance of representing the diverse community that Spoleto serves and is taking steps to ensure that the organization remains relevant and vibrant for years to come.” who founded the Vocal Arts Ensemble of Cincinnati and that he was happy to step in as director — though he knew that as a result he would need “to let something else go.” He said he hopes to remain available to Spoleto Festival to aid in any transition and recalled fondly his tenure there as part of the second generation of musical leaders Imagine homework that consists of attending a world premiere opera about the psychological toll experienced by displaced refugee children or listening to Grammy Award–winning female jazz musicians captivate the audience under the oaks in the Cistern Yard Imagine guests artists – including directors curators and producers – visiting the classroom to share tools and secrets of the trade All of this is possible in the College’s unique Spoleto Festival USA Maymester class students get out of the classroom and into festival halls and theatres to immerse themselves in one of the most esteemed festivals across the country the Maymester Spoleto course is offered as a humanities elective Students are required to attend a total of seven live performances ranging from theater and opera to jazz and chamber music What’s important in this class isn’t whether students pursue careers in the arts or data programming What truly matters is that it broadens their horizons and encourages them to appreciate artistic expression in their daily lives—a cornerstone of the College’s enduring dedication to the arts This year’s Spoleto festival runs through June 9, 2024. For more information about the festival visit Spoletousa.org Dance Project perform during the opening event of the 48th Spoleto Festival USA outside Charleston City Hall on May 24 The festival has received a $1 million donation Charleston's most popular interdisciplinary arts festival has received a large donation from one of its former board chairs Charleston's best-known arts festival has received a $1 million donation from one of its former board chairs Spoleto Festival USA received the gift from M chair emeritus of Spoleto's board of directors He made the donation in memory of his late wife a Spoleto and arts devotee who died in December 2023 The money comes after 10 board members resigned in August Seven new board members have since replaced vacant seats the $1 million will fund three organizational initiatives: the expansion of education and community engagement programs led by a new manager of learning and engagement the composer-in-residence position for the festival’s chamber music series and the development of a new website who is unwavering in his support for Spoleto," said Mena Mark Hanna "This gift is a testament to his and Suzan’s incredible generosity and will add to their lasting legacy on the festival Ed is a person of vision and integrity; through his philanthropy engage with a wider audience and build public value through arts and education.” Sellers said Spoleto is a cultural treasure for Charleston and the entire region education and the future of the festival," Sellers said "I am proud to support this world-class organization and its missions so that it will continue to enrich our lives and serve our community for generations to come.” He and his late wife have been longtime Spoleto supporters A faithful attendee of the chamber music series at the Dock Street Theatre Boyd often welcomed the participating musicians and leaders to her home for a meal or to stay in the couple's "Little Yellow House." The series' composer-in-residence position will be named for Boyd and will allow composers to produce innovative new works with some of the leading chamber artists in the country The money will also go toward the creation of a new position for manager of learning and engagement expanding the festival's education programs through a variety of initiatives These include in-person and virtual classroom residencies professional development workshops for teachers A new website with improved features to "offer a more impactful engaging and user-friendly experience" is expected to launch ahead of the 50th festival in 2026 Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper They are written and edited by the editorial staff which operates separately from the news department Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations Spoleto Festival USA has helped transform Charleston by staging thousands of artistic performances over its almost half century in existence But we do know well how important Spoleto is to Charleston in particular and South Carolina in general Its creation in 1977 has been critical to Charleston's growing stature as both a great place to visit and a wonderful place to live And so we urge Spoleto's new leaders to take a deep breath and work to steady the 48-year-old institution ensuring it retains its artistic standard of excellence as it approaches its 50th anniversary The festival should offer us dramas on stage That has not been the case of late. As The Post and Courier's Adam Parker reported Spoleto has experienced a near-complete staffing change and a significant series of departures from its board of directors volunteers who help raise the money needed to underwrite the festival's operatic Of particular note is the departure of chairwoman Alicia Mullen Gregory who was ousted from her leadership post last month and since has left the organization Five of the other board members who resigned around the same time signed a joint letter expressing concern over how Ms Some have voiced concern about a $600,000 deficit this year — and that concern is certainly legitimate as the festival should strive to balance its books each year — but the festival is in a far stronger financial position today than it was during the early 1990s when a years-long leadership drama led to Mr the eventual departure of festival founder and opera composer Gian Carlo Menotti and the subsequent rehiring of Mr As new board chairman Phillip Smith told Mr the current deficit is not unusual: The festival saw a $1.5 million revenue shortfall last year Smith expects gains from endowment contributions and government grants will keep the budget manageable — and strong ticket sales this year also help the festival has about $21 million in assets mostly its endowment balance and two downtown properties the current dispute does not appear to pose the kind of existential threat to the festival that Spoleto experienced three decades ago with little more than a few old typewriters and used stage sets to its name But board members and staff should not take too much comfort in the festival's current strong financial position because any ongoing discord promises only to deepen the problem and undermine the festival's potential offerings which in turn could jeopardize its long-term health Most arts organizations depend not only on ticket sales but also on philanthropic support And we recognize the challenges inherent in trying to stage the most significant artistic works while minding financial realities This juggling act is something that each new generation of leaders must attempt to master who served 17 years on the board before resigning and told Mr Parker that "to create this unnecessary turmoil with less than 100 days (left of Gregory’s term) was just remarkable” and “I do think Spoleto’s going to survive no matter what All involved in running Spoleto — along with those who soon will be as new board members and all others connected to the festival but not in a position of governance — must pull together toward that shared goal of making the festival a stronger institution What the community should be able to expect is that the board departures and staff turnovers become mere background noise to what the Spoleto Festival USA presents on its stages The ultimate way to prove that those running the festival have smoothed things out will be to present the best-ever festival next year and in 2026 Click here for more opinion content from The Post and Courier Sorry, this product is unavailable. Please choose a different combination. (Photo by William Struhs)Looking down benignly at his Dock Street Theater audience the newly anointed host of Spoleto Festival USA’s chamber music series But he wasn’t exactly speaking to me, since this was already the fifth program in the noonday series — the backbone of Spoleto — that I had attended this year. Nor was he speaking to the “eleven-ers” in the audience who were signed up for the complete set of programs down in Charleston through June 9 He was speaking directly to those in the audience who would only attend one of the concerts And he would go on to ask us all to participate in making the experience special and unforgettable beginning with a Beethoven piano trio that showcased Amy Wang at the keyboard My love affair with Wang’s artistry and demeanor had begun just two hours earlier when she played the Schumann Violin Sonata teamed up with the Slavically expressive Alexi Kenney the Beethoven was merely a satisfying appetizer For Wiancko had cooked up a powerful combo calling upon two living composers that I was barely familiar with Our contribution to the magic would be to withhold our applause between the two pieces It was easy enough to maintain stunned silence after In Damascus Dove’s heartfelt setting of Syrian poet Ali Safar’s grieving (and aggrieved) reaction to a senseless car-bombing in his nation’s war-torn capital The prose poems were achingly and angrily sung by tenor Karim Sulayman perhaps most indelibly after an extended instrumental interlude turbulently delivered by a string quartet that included Kenney “We will be free,” Sulayman sang in Anne-Marie McManus’s ardent translation “of our faces and our souls/ or our faces and our souls will be free of us/ and the happy world won’t have to listen to our clamor anymore/ we who have ruined the peace of this little patch of Earth and angered a sea of joy.” Sulayman was visibly in tears as the lights went down on In Damascus and pianist Pedja Mužijević entered with his iPad and sat down at the Steinway an appropriate coda to a song sequence that began with the children of the Zuhur neighborhood in Damascus who would never wake from their sleep — or survive a bogus “holiday truce” — and ended with the evocation of mothers and loved ones who would always await their return this isn’t the only instance where Sulayman is singing about children caught in the web of brutal war and barbaric terror for his wondrous voice also figures at Spoleto in the world premiere of Ruinous Gods a new opera with exotic music by Layale Chaker and libretto by Lisa Schlesinger Ruinous Gods is a fantastical deep dive into the mind-world of Uppgivenhetssyndrome a rare traumatic response to living in the limbo of displacement It was first observed in children detained in Sweden but the syndrome has now been observed in refugee camps around the world Hopeless children simply go to sleep in reaction to their endlessly unresolved status Encased in a surreal bubble over a grassy bed from scenic designer Joelle Aoun that is how we find our sleeping-beauty protagonist Mezzo-soprano Taylor-Alexis DuPont as her mom is stressing and blaming herself while two doctors unsympathetic researchers hoping to analyze and classify the disease Sulayman is decked out in a feathery all-black outfit as Crow guides all these comatose children from around the globe into a common underworld dreamscape where all are free Is that a spaghetti rainbow dropping down across the Sottile Theatre stage from the fly loft as the imprisoning globule lifts off H’ala or is there an unfathomably large jellyfish floating above Chaker’s music resurfaced in the jazz sector of Spoleto 2024 — at Charleston Music Hall Bigger than Spoleto’s customary hall for chamber jazz (and eccentric modern music) the Emmett Robinson at the College of Charleston the Music Hall was an acoustic revelation and a welcome escape from the Robinson’s clean-room sterility Bonus points for the stars that lit up on the black backdrop more than could ever be seated at the Robinson leading her Sarafand quintet on violin — with an occasional vocal — delved into her two most recent albums Radio Afloat (2024) and Inner Rhyme (2019) Having worked with Daniel Barenboim and his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra Chaker has created a jazz equivalent in Sarafand with Phillip Golub on keyboards John Hadfield on drums and Sam Minaie behind the bass Chaker’s jazz and her Sarafand personnel made subtler political points But this wasn’t the only jazz gig that came loaded with extra cargo Terri Lyne Carrington returned to Cistern Yard for a pointedly themed concert under the moon and the live oaks — with political firebrand diva (and NEA Jazz Master) Dianne Reeves as her special guest Carrington’s cargo was collected into her Grammy-winning album of 2022 the first studio sprouting of her pathfinding songbook collection New Standards: 101 Lead Sheets by Women Composers and — at a high summit where Reeves duetted for the first time with Christie Dashiell — the great Abbey Lincoln and her mesmerizing “Throw It Away.” All these greats joined together again on Allen’s “Unconditional Love,” with Kris Davis on piano and trumpeter Etienne Charles all getting in their licks plus spoken and dance stints from Christiana Hunte Theatre at Spoleto this season is densely messaged The Song of Rome was deeply immersed in issues of immigration and sexism with an overarching interest in the fate of republics barely deeper than its title and a whole lot bawdier Denis O’Hare could be logically expected to follow up that one-man conquest with An Odyssey O’Hare co-wrote A Song of Rome with Lisa Peterson handing over the acting chores to Rachel Christopher and Hadi Tabbal Emperor Augustus’s sister at the dawn of the Roman Empire Sheree’s immigrant Latin tutor — and our overall storyteller — and the poet Virgil during the reign of Augustus So O’Hare is skipping over the rest of Homer to engage with Rome’s great epic knowing full well that Virgil based the first six books of his masterwork on The Odyssey and the last six on The Iliad O’Hare and Peterson discovered during their research for this world premiere that Virgil himself was a refugee forced out of his ancestral home in Northern Italy by Roman avengers of Julius Caesar who got Dad’s estate for their prize Although Virgil’s epic was likely commissioned by Emperor Augustus doubt remains whether The Aeneid is a work of propaganda justifying the Roman Empire as divinely ordained — tracing Octavian’s ancestry back to Aeneas and Venus as meticulously as the New Testament traces Jesus back to King David son of Jesse — or a subversive work by an immigrant genius settling a score (while getting paid handsomely to do it) Octavia and Virgil go back and forth on this point because the Emperor’s sister is both an admirer and a keen reader who is hell-bent on buttressing the legitimacy of Rome while closing off its path back to a glorious Republic While Sheree is learning about the Roman issue that comes up as Virgil delivers more and more manuscript pages to Octavia over the years Sheree must face the issue in American terms when Azem receives a deportation notice Does she instantly jump to his defense and rescue or does she immediately suspect him of criminal activity Meanwhile Sheree is reading The Aeneid differently from Azem and Octavia Why is Octavia left out of literary history if she played such a key role so passive and pathetic while the strong woman Finding this insidious neglect and defamation rampant in literary history and beyond shocking solution that she announces on her podcast She will pour fuel over every single book piled on the Dock Street stage and burn them all killed the vanquished Turnus instead of offering peace Sheree answers us curtly by lighting the flame; it won’t she almost says it aloud — to hell with the immigrants there was a loud boo among all the lusty cheering as the singers took their bows gushing with empathy toward immigrants worldwide Depending on whether you were attuned to John Cameron Mitchell’s Hedwig and the Angry Inch cache or whether you resonated with Amber Martin’s worship of Reba McIntyre redeemed or further cheapened by Martin’s bawdiness Nicks’ “Rhiannon” was the crowd fave — and mine on the night I attended — getting a far more epic performance than you’ll hear on AM radio or an elevator But neither David Bowie nor Midler got much of a rise The diet of ’70s and ’80s hits didn’t draw much of a youth crowd to Festival Hall which was made over to a quasi-cabaret setup Trombone Shorty slayed far more decisively at TD Arena where his outdoor revels with Orleans Avenue were abruptly moved when rain threatened Shorty paraded through the audience at the home of College of Charleston basketball with key members of the band (none of whom were named in Spoleto’s fabled program book) They slashed up the rear aisle of the stadium swung around to the side of the gym and came down along the side Shorty & Orleans reigned over the raining pandemonium The prohibition against photography was washed out to sea in a riptide of glowing cellphones Shorty and his brass perfectly aligned with the rhythm section on the TD stage a few dissenters and defectors also trickled through the aisles accompanied by true believers seeking and returning with beverages The most pathetic sufferer sat right across the aisle from my wife Sue and me elbows on knees with his hands tightly cupped over his ears Maybe he would have fared better in the open air where at least some of the sound could have escaped skyward through the live oaks of Cistern Yard Final week highlights: Bank on it the Bank of America Chamber Music series has four more different programs to offer — and a dozen performances — before Spoleto wraps up on Sunday The Wells Fargo Jazz lineup continues strong Puerto Rican saxophonist Miguel Zenón and Venezuelan pianist Luis Perdomo bring their Grammy-nominated El Arte Del Bolero albums to life at the Dock Street Theatre in a three-day five-performance engagement (June 6-8) while Cuban percussionist extraordinaire Pedrito Martinez lights up Cistern Yard with an Afro-Cuban stewpot of infectious rhythm Upstaged by a visitation from the Charles Lloyd Sky Quartet this past weekend the Spoleto Festival USA Chorus rebounds with a two-performance run of The Heart Starts Singing (June 6-7) sporting another Esmail piece that will feature Wiancko’s cello — and an eclectic mix of works by Tomás Luis de Victoria The Festival Finale of yore is gone this year and alt-country in this year’s Spoleto lineup Grammy Award winner Aiofe O’Donovan (June 7) returns with the SFUSA Orchestra to Sottile Theatre and Jason Isbell (June 8-9) headlines the final weekend with a two-night stint at the Cistern Theatre continued during Spoleto’s second weekend with sharply contrasting shows the wholesome Ugly Duckling from Lightwire Theater and the savagely satirical send-up of the American West from the Danish fit + foxy company in its US premiere A similar dichotomy prevails this week as Australian company Casus Creations takes over Festival Hall with Apricity (June 6-9) a family-friendly mix of aerial and acrobatic astonishment with sprinklings of comic shtick and moody music RuPaul’s Drag Race fans can rejoice greatly as Season 9 champion Sasha Velour deigns to bring her presence to Gaillard Center with The Big Reveal Live Show Is Charleston’s big house big enough for drag’s Queen of Queens The Holy City and Spoleto haven’t been so sensationally desecrated since Taylor Mac ruled the festival SUPPORT OUR WORK: Get better connected and become a member of Queen City Nerve to support local journalism for as little as $5 per month Our community journalism helps inform you through a range of diverse voices Comment *document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "a051597a693f55610bd224bada4f4de2" );document.getElementById("b526024170").setAttribute( "id" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Email: info@qcnerve.com OR (f)(last name)@qcnerve.com The Post and Courier provides a forum for our readers to share their opinions Publication does not imply endorsement by the newspaper; the editorial staff attempts to select a representative sample of letters because we believe it’s important to let our readers see the range of opinions their neighbors submit for publication Yo-Yo Ma and Daniel Phillips perform chamber music during the 1977 Spoleto Festival USA I read with interest Athol Fugard's obituary in The Post and Courier on March 11 His death reminded me of the times he had performed in his plays at Spoleto Festival USA “The Road to Mecca” in 1987 and “The Captain's Tiger” in 1998 I read with interest Athol Fugard's obituary in The Post and Courier on March 11 His death reminded me of the times he performed in his plays at Spoleto Festival USA: “The Road to Mecca” in 1987 and “The Captain's Tiger” in 1998 Many important artists have appeared at the festival over the years, but perhaps none created a tradition as much as Scott Nickrenz who died only a few days after Athol on March 17 in Boston His name will bring back wonderful memories for Charlestonians who attended any of the Spoleto chamber music concerts in the Dock Street Theatre from 1978 to 1993 Scott was never the face of the Chamber Music series — Charles Wadsworth and Scott's wife played that role — but he was definitely one of the geniuses behind it He created a family of musicians ranging from the young violinist Joshua Bell and the pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet to the cellist Yo-Yo Ma all of whom played for Scott in the days before he died at the age of 87 Scott found musicians to play in the series before they became well-known but he also required that they should love exploring chamber music with each other both those experienced in chamber music and first-time attendees could feel the vibrancy of these explorations and how the musicians on stage were communicating with each other through the music I worked with Scott for six years during his time at Spoleto Festival USA and I treasure my memories of those concerts and I still admire him as a great collaborator Numerous Post and Courier editorials have delved into deep-rooted problems within South Carolina's sheriff system, including abuse of authority for personal gain, misappropriation of public funds Weak oversight and enforcement and a failure to push necessary reforms have allowed these problems to persist unchecked The lack of significant sanctions for state employees found guilty of misappropriating public funds is also deeply concerning A similar situation occurred in a Connecticut sheriff's office which was plagued by corruption and scandal for years It took a public referendum in 2000 to abolish the sheriff's office and transfer its primary duties to the Connecticut Judicial Department South Carolina now faces a similar reckoning systemic corruption will continue to undermine public confidence in law enforcement The Connecticut model demonstrates that significant structural change is possible — and perhaps necessary — to restore integrity to the system South Carolina citizens deserve law enforcement leadership that upholds the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct The alternative is the continued erosion of trust in institutions meant to serve and protect Isn’t it ironic that the 2025 version of anti-Trump protests has dubbed itself “Hands Off!” while advocating for a huge bloated federal government whose tentacles are entwined with seemingly every aspect of our lives Let’s support the Trump administration's efforts to shrink the federal government and return control to the states and Backlash caused S.C. House Republicans to delay moving forward on the income tax relief proposal last week Lawmakers say the state's high income tax rate "has left the state uncompetitive in its bid to attract corporate headquarters and other high-wage industries." Maybe they should consider other reasons South Carolina is uncompetitive antipathy for unions or anti-DEI legislation Perhaps the Legislature should take time during this delay to rethink its ultimate goal A scene from Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski Spoleto Festival USA has announced the addition of the critically acclaimed play This compelling theatrical experience will join the Festival's diverse lineup of opera In Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski Academy Award-nominee David Strathairn delivers a powerful portrayal of Jan Karski a reluctant hero who defied unimaginable odds to expose the horrors of the Holocaust infiltrating the Warsaw ghetto and witnessing the atrocities of a death camp Karski carried the first eyewitness accounts of war-torn Poland to the West Strathairn masterfully captures the complexity of this self-described "insignificant little man" whose extraordinary courage and unwavering moral compass continue to resonate and challenge the world today Four performances will take place at the College of Charleston’s Sottile Theatre from June 5 to 8 "We are honored to bring this important and moving work to Charleston for the 2025 Festival," said Spoleto Festival USA General Director and CEO Mena Mark Hanna "Jan Karski's story is a vital reminder of the power of individual conscience and the enduring importance of bearing witness This play offers a profound experience that aligns with Spoleto's commitment to presenting meaningful and impactful works.” Additionally, the venue for Indian Ink Theater Company’s performance of Mrs Krishnan's Party has changed to The Riviera; an iconic revitalized Art Deco theater in the heart of Charleston's downtown area This family-friendly performance blends theater music and culinary delights into a truly unforgettable experience Five performances will take place at The Riviera from June 6-8 Tickets for all performances are now on sale at spoletousa.org or by calling the box office at (843) 579-3100 #SpoletoFestivalUSA #RememberThisTheLessonofJanKarski #CharlestonTheater #CharlestonEvents #MrsKrinansInvitation #DavidStrathairn #MountPleasantNews Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker GUY ROBERTSON is co-director and curator of Mahler & LeWitt Studios, based in London and Spoleto. Home Paul Wiancko has been an integral part of the Spoleto Festival USA Chamber Music Series for the past several years sharing his talents as both a featured performer and composer-in-residence the cellist who joined the boundary-breaking Kronos Quartet just last year is stepping into his first season as Spoleto Festival’s Director of Chamber Music Wiancko is the one who puts it all together—coordinating over 20 world class musicians coming to Charleston’s Dock Street Theatre for 11 unique programs But as Wiancko told Sonatas and Soundscapes host Bradley Fuller the musical magic that happens at Dock Street isn’t about imposing his vision as much as it is putting perspectives and voices into dialogue with each other—in letting musical worlds collide but this season is the first with you as director of the festival's chamber music series you've been the composer-in-residence—how important would you say your previous Spoleto experience has been when it comes to informing your approach for this director role I cannot imagine stepping into this role without having been actually both a composer and a performer at Spoleto before There are just many moving parts and in the context of other festivals that I participate in It requires a lot of hard work which is balanced out by really satisfying experiences and a deeply collaborative effort But it requires a certain type of musician everyone at Spoleto needs to work really hard [laughter] to put on 33 concerts over the course of two and a half weeks You put together two performances a day and then you rehearse afterwards to find people who are really incredible and virtuosic and artistically have something important to say—and at the same time are willing to give that sort of time—I kind of understand what a big deal that is and I'm really really proud of the roster that we have this season because they’re all full of exactly those types of people: really hard-working this year's series offers a balance of those absolute classics alongside contemporary works and many that might fit somewhere in between Schumann Piano Quartet (one of my personal favorites) and I think what may be the signature work of the series if I had to pick one: the Schubert String Quintet in C Major aka the Cello Quintet not only as a cellist but as someone who's stepping into this long-running series That was one of the very first pieces that I performed with the Saint Lawrence String Quartet That piece was sort of the way I got to know them better as human beings and sort of became friends during the process of rehearsing the Schubert Quintet And I also know that that piece was an integral part of the tradition of Spoleto chamber music before (former artistic director) Geoff Nuttall took over And this year we are having the three—Owen and Chris—from the Saint Lawrence quartet back once more as our sort of spiritual ensemble-in-residence So I thought it would be really beautiful to do the Schubert Quintet one more time FULLER: Certainly a lot of familiar names not only in the composers list but again you know: names that those who have gone to the series for a long time will recognize from the past such as those members of the Saint Lawrence String Quartet the Spoleto Chamber Music Series has a tradition as well of not being strictly traditional—being full of innovation and there’s always some firsts to talk about I think with each season a new composer-in-residence who’s a big name in contemporary music: Reena Esmail Congratulations on getting to give the world premiere of her string quartet very proud to have gotten Reena to be the composer-in-residence for my first summer as director Reena is just off the charts in her understanding of music now and just what she's after as a composer is so beautiful—to marry the worlds of Western classical music and Indian classical music She is an Indian American composer living in Los Angeles Her musical language just resonates so deeply with me and with what I want to do at Spoleto which is use different musical languages to inform each other; have different artists present who will inform each other And I think that the programming does reflect that But Reena especially—if you're not familiar with her music Give yourself a primer before coming down to the festival There's a deep knowledge of Western classical music and harmony in her writing and there's also something deeply deeply personal that I have never heard before in my life that only Reena can write really excited just to have her and her music as a part of the festival this year and the fact that Reena will be with us for several programs to present her own work it's amazing because we've been able to share Reena's music across the festival The orchestra will also be doing a fantastic piece of hers as well as the choir which does have a piece of hers on the program with solo cello parts which I will be joining for—as if we're not busy enough just on the chamber series FULLER: And she's one of several contemporary composers I was glancing at this year's program—of all the 11 programs—and I think there was only one without a work by at least one currently-living composer And even on that program there's some Henry Cowell and George Crumb (who passed away not too long ago) featured in this musical mashup from Pedja Muzijevic putting those two in dialogue with CPE Bach I think we could almost count that one as well So did it feel like a kind of cornerstone of your mission as director to make sure that there was at least one contemporary piece on each program I have to be honest: sometimes I had to make sure there was at least one old piece on each program [laughter] that's just kind of how my brain works and my musical taste follows who started playing cello when he was five years old Bach and Beethoven and Mozart and all those guys are a serious part of who I am as a musician over the decades I have collected and added on to who I consider as a musician and an artist and the things that I love And that's the same road that sort of led me to the Kronos Quartet—just to be able to appreciate as wide range of music as possible has simply made my life better So it has really nothing to do with proving anything or fitting a formula or making sure “Get your daily dose of,” you know “take your new music vitamin pill” or anything like that All of the artists who will be on the series I have chosen because they each come with a sort of universe of their own—their life and the expertise and the specialties that they have developed over the course of their life—has been a really important factor in terms of what they're bringing to Spoleto at least from my sort of curatorial vantage points And so every artist brings with them this universe of experience in music and expertise and that has really informed where these programs go as well Ian Rosenbaum—the percussionist—he's a fantastic person But he also brings with him a whole ocean of musical repertoire that he has commissioned Music that was written by composers that are friends of his He just is such a wellspring of important music So a lot of the pieces that he will be performing are things that are the music that he's bringing with him So we worked closely together to program those things And that sort of goes for all of the artists It's not just picking and choosing—it's not just me picking and choosing the music that we play It's getting all of these musical universes down to Charleston at once and seeing what happens it sounds like there's a lot of excitement in the air and that you are just channeling this into your first year as Director of the Spoleto Festival USA Chamber Music Series Thanks so much for sharing all about it today and all best for 2024 Spoleto Festival USA's Bank of America Chamber Music Series runs through June 9th, featuring 11 programs performed three times each. More information about those programs and other festival offerings can be found at spoletousa.org Spoleto Festival USA is a financial supporter of South Carolina Public Radio (WCIV) — The 48th Spoleto Festival USA begins in Charleston Friday afternoon Watch News 4's coverage of the opening ceremony below: musicians under the curation of director Paul Wiancko will present programs spanning canonical classics and new works for the Bank of America Chamber Music The opera Ruinous Gods will be held at 7 p.m. featuring a score that combines Arabic maqam and Western classic music Grammy-winning Americana/roots/string band Old Crow Medicine Show will perform at 9 p.m Spoleto Festival USA kicked off the 2024 season with exciting performances and a whole lot of fanfare Jason Isbell played under the Cistern Yard oaks on June 8 and 9 as part of the 2024 Spoleto Festival USA The offices and meeting spaces in the Theodore S Stern Student Center have all been vacated in preparation for the student center’s complete renovation its affluent residents built upon the city’s reclaimed landfill block upon block of charming and stately houses Union shelling from the water and east reduced Charleston’s downtown to rubble Union armies from the south and west chose not to burn down its neighborhoods These stand today as a unique testament to the charm and gentility of life possible in the thriving antebellum economy the Spoleto Festival USA has been one of Charleston’s signature events it has become an event of more than local significance The city has built upon the Spoleto Festival USA by hosting its own Piccolo Spoleto Festival in parallel a highlight of which is the large and highly popular outdoor art exhibit held in Marion Square Mix in Charleston’s thriving downtown culture and a long list of fine food establishments (including Hyman’s Seafood rated the #2 seafood restaurant in the world) There’s a lot of fun featured in Spoleto’s Charleston line-up this year: performances by international circus company Casus Creations by “internationally celebrated” drag performer Sasha Velour by “internationally renowned” cabaret star Amber Martin with John Cameron Mitchell Looming among these like moralists at a love-in are a few productions with a dour dark side: Dark Noon a “searing” South African theater piece about the United States unmasking our nation’s history of “violence of course); Shakespeare’s tragedy of adolescent lovers run afoul of their rich and powerful families set to music by Prokofiev; and Ruinous Gods suitably subtitled “Suites for Sleeping Children.” was in Charleston to see and hear the last two Romeo and Juliet Suite was danced/screened at Gaillard Center Charleston’s largest performing arts venue Ruinous Gods was staged at the older Sottile Theatre Sergey Prokofiev’s ballet Romeo and Juliet was composed in the spring and summer of 1935 during the early years of his return to the Soviet Union a time when he was eager to write pieces like Peter and the Wolf and Lt pieces that could be enjoyed immediately by ordinary workers He had reason in 1935 to expect that his new ballet would be produced in St but this hope was dashed when Soviet bureaucrats pronounced the work “undanceable.” In response extracted two seven-movement orchestral suites from the two-and-one-half-hour ballet His hope was to let the music from his seventh ballet find its audience and thereby stimulate productions of his full ballet he also extracted a ten-movement suite for piano from the ballet orchestral six-movement suite lasting about 20 minutes By then the ballet itself had been produced to great acclaim and awarded the Stalin Prize Benjamin Millepied danced with the New York City Ballet for the last nine seasons as their principal dancer (1995–2011) he came to even wider notice when he choreographed Natalie Portman’s part in the movie Black Swan—and later married her he assembled and choreographed an abridged version of Romeo and Juliet for them Spoleto’s advertising refers to this production as Romeo and Juliet Suite abridged to reduce its original 2 1/2-hour length by about an hour it’s understandable that his production also incorporates cinema because it “allows that kind of magic where violence can look more real and passion can seem more real.” The Gaillard Center was packed on Sunday evening Awaiting the beginning of the ballet and lacking any program to peruse (the Festival was unable to provide one) the audience could gaze at a nearly bare stage above which a large movie screen was suspended As the first seductive strains of Prokofiev’s score met their ears then off it into camera/screen space to reveal two key things about this production The first reveal: the suspended screen would be used entirely for real-time visuals sometimes mimicking the top-down shots Busby Berkeley used in film in the 1930s and June Taylor used on TV in the 1950s sometimes presenting whole scenes staged in the wings and even entirely outside the theater building The second reveal: Romeo and Juliet would not be Shakespeare’s adolescents but two muscular Both dancers were superb in their solos and pas de deux and in the long scenes where the two lay together sensually caressing each other in close-up camera shots there seemed little need to suspend disbelief ponytailed Mercutio and clean-cut Tybalt—danced by Shu Kinouchi and Lorrin Brubaker respectively—were the sole secondary characters featured danced splendidly in their solo and ensemble scenes and both glowered at each other convincingly throughout the production If the choice of bearded Juliet reminded your reviewer a bit of Brecht and Weill’s 1933 ballet Die sieben Todsünden the portrayal of Friar Laurence by three nubile damsels did so even more strongly Other influences (and possible influences) in Millepied’s choreography include Classical ballets gestures associated specifically with Russian twentieth-century choreographers No doubt other homages passed by your reviewer unnoticed The audience responded to all this with a genuinely fervent and sustained standing ovation all the more moving for being motivated neither by hoped-for encores nor by a stampede out of some collective closet Millepied and his ensemble had created a truly engaging transcending any possible reactionary prejudice Dance Project has previously performed this version of the Romeo and Juliet ballet in several cities over the years the four Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra performances under Timothy Myers are claimed to have been the first ever with live orchestral accompaniment Myers paced the more dramatic music briskly compared to many European performances of the score and the music may have lost a measure of menace thereby But your reviewer quite liked Myers’s way with score and to hear the Festival Orchestra’s finish you might think these (mostly) young musicians had been playing together for years instead of days After the performances/screenings at Spoleto Festival USA Dance Project are immediately taking their production to Sydney Lisa Schlesinger is a playwright who works in Iowa and takes particular interest in abused populations For the last dozen years or so she has been working on her Iphigenia Project multi-disciplinary series of theater pieces many adapted from Euripides’ Iphigenia plays and all focused on the refugee diaspora though it is not adapted from Euripedes but rather is (loosely) based on the story of Demeter and Persephone Key elements of the Demeter/Persephone story echoed in Ruinous Gods include a strong mother/daughter relationship and abusive treatment of girls by patriarchal figures If you happen to know this Demeter/Persephone story you can appreciate the way its elements are echoed in some of the scenes and spoken lines of the theater piece but this knowledge is by no means necessary to appreciate its story the plot of which the author describes as follows: Schlesinger’s Iphigenia Project have used film billed by Spoleto Festival USA as an opera limits itself to music and dance (of the type found in French Baroque opéra-ballets) and so on are important elements of the production As a aside it may be worth noting that Ruinous Gods is not the first attempt to adapt this Greek myth to modern sensibilities Its premier follows exactly ninety years after that of another multimedia theater piece given at the Sottile Theatre at College of Charleston Once again the Festival management did not feel the need to produce a program that would prepare the audience for the work they had come to see Here follows a brief account of what they saw three-fifths of the work’s duration are shaped by slow-moving meditative typically presented through a collaboration between a 12-person chorus and a soloist character but always it is a victim of circumstance—that is a character mired in the sort of desperate straits so awful that none of us has the power to overcome them individually An example would be a child in Tokyo during the 1945 US napalm fire-bombing when 100,000 mothers What makes this theater piece about victims ritualistic is the author’s focus on repetitive phrases and short declarative sentences; what makes this ritual piece theatrical is the author’s success in conveying the existential angst of its character-victims During the first three-fifths of the production their experiential voices come through loud and clear the audience is given a dramatic break in the form of a contrasting make fun of Jeff Bezos for wanting to enlarge his perspective on the planet by seeing Earth from orbit to increase the effectiveness of this satire the scene pretends that Jeff Bezos wants to live on the moon in order to escape the consequences of Western culture on Earth Your reviewer cannot help but feel that this criticism seems to lack any meaningful awareness of the enormous difference between the cost of resources for maintaining an aggressive US military presence in scores of nations (up until this point the script’s chief ethical/political complaint) and the cost of going to the moon—much less of going just once into Earth orbit this formerly existential theater piece quickly becomes a diatribe against the audience attending to it the horrors experienced by the victims her characters represent could not occur without the indifference of the very people who are paying to see this theater piece (Your reviewer agrees that indifference is detrimental to effective political discourse.) People such as her audience members actually eat wearing suits and ties while victims in the world are suffering though it must be said that audience suits and ties were in short supply during the particular matinee your reviewer attended suits and ties were far outnumbered by attractive dresses including the one the playwright herself wore on stage as she took her bows.) Curtain call for “Ruinous Gods,” Spoleto Festival USA At least one audience member took umbrage at the author’s criticism or at its tone and exited the theater during the long sermon At the end of the theater piece two other audience members booed loudly as the final scene faded out The rest of the audience took it all in stride and chose to applaud the performers warmly during their curtain calls it wasn’t like Lindsay Graham had been burned in effigy on stage though there were moments when this seemed a possibility Layale Chaker is a Lebanese violinist and composer who founded Sarafand a group that plays semi-improvisatory music in Arabic modes at venues such as European jazz festivals In 2019 Sarafand released the album “Inner Rhyme,” pieces from which can be heard on YouTube Chaker wrote the initial version of Ruinous Gods for an ensemble rather like Sarafand with a handful of added strings A quick glance at the Spoleto Festival USA pit on Monday showed that the opera’s instrumental group has since expanded to around 29 players Arabic maqam could be heard frequently behind the numbers’ melodies and harmonies but the influence of European 20th- and 21st-century classical scores was equally present so that sopranos seem to sing with two different and unrelated voices It might also be said that while the strings are handled expertly Not post-Rimsky color; Mozart color would be quite enough Chaker could become a real presence among contemporary composers of classical music and rock music on various keyboards and stringed instruments He obtained a degree in musicology and has written about music from whence he travels to concerts throughout the Southland 30 were admitted to the second phase of the competition: a social final held on April 15 as it coincides with the birth of Gaius Cilnius Maecenas an emblematic figure of support for the arts in antiquity took place on Art Bonus’s official social channels and featured the 30 projects that received the most votes in the previous phase divided into two categories of 15 finalists each The numbers tell a story of success: 35,100 likes in a single day for a total of 106,189 total preferences expressed The winning project for the cultural heritage section concerns a work of great historical and artistic significance The restored curtain of the Teatro Nuovo Gian Carlo Menotti is a 19th-century masterpiece created in 1861 by painter Francesco Coghetti The work depicts the famous scene of Hannibal’s defeat under the walls of the city of Spoleto the curtain is now once again an integral part of Spoleto’s cultural heritage The result achieved represents a collective victory made possible by the generosity of Art Bonus patrons and the strong cohesion of the local community civic realities and citizens supported the initiative with a wide participation in the vote the winning project conveys a highly relevant message Derby is a theater production by AMA Calabria that addresses crucial issues such as the circular economy and environmental sustainability Aimed especially at the younger generation the show invites young people to rediscover the value of respect for the planet through the immediate and engaging language of theater The success achieved testifies to the public’s attention to environmental issues but also to the solidity of the Association which for nearly fifty years has been a point of reference in cultural promotion The wide consensus received is the result of the credibility built up over the years and AMA Calabria’s ability to offer concrete opportunities to young artists and those working in the performing arts The Art Bonus Competition does not provide cash prizes but awards a symbolic recognition to the top three finishers in each category A new feature introduced for the 2025 edition is the Special Prize which will be awarded during the public awards ceremony to the institution that has distinguished itself in fundraising not only for the economic result achieved but also for the good practices adopted in the process The goal is to enhance the effectiveness with which the Art Bonus tax measure is used fostering an increasingly mature and transparent culture of donation In the Goods and Places of Culture ranking behind the City of Spoleto were the City of Turin with the project Feeding on Culture 2023 (5,455 votes) and the City of Naples with the restoration of the organ of the Church of San Gregorio Armeno (4,401 votes) This is followed by major projects promoted by institutions such as the Carrara Academy the National Archaeological Museum in Naples and the National Archaeological Museum in Arezzo The Live Entertainment category also saw strong participation the Fondazione Teatro di San Carlo of Naples took the podium with its initiative dedicated to bringing young people closer to opera (3,414 votes) and the Orchestra Regionale Filarmonia Veneta with its music project 2023 (3,249 votes) Also appearing in the rankings are entities such as the Teatro Regio di Parma the Fondazione per la Cultura di Torino with the Mito SettembreMusica festival which will star in 2023 with a concert conducted by Maestro Riccardo Muti the competition is part of the broader strategy to promote the Art Bonus tool This is a tax measure introduced in 2014 to incentivize private donations to culture Through a tax credit equal to 65 percent of the amount donated the Art Bonus allows citizens and businesses to support interventions to protect and enhance public cultural heritage 2025 confirm the measure’s wide success: 1 billion 76 million euros in total disbursements Numbers that testify to the effectiveness of a cultural policy that focuses on active citizen participation and public-private cooperation “The participation and involvement of so many citizens in the Art Bonus competition,” said Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli “is proof of the positive value that this norm has not only for the support of cultural goods and activities but also for the knowledge of our nation’s cultural heritage The two winning projects demonstrate the importance of integration with the territory and the longevity of institutions capable of evolving over time through innovation in cultural offerings Art bonus is a form of widespread patronage that MiC is enthusiastic about a broad identity awareness has emerged and a willingness to pass it on to future generations I hope that the use of this institution will grow more and more.” (WCIV) — The 48th Spoleto festival is back and ready to paint the city of Charleston Many even say it’s how they are officially starting their summer season READ MORE: "48th Spoleto Festival USA begins in Charleston with opening ceremony; musical acts follow." the Spoleto festival is a time of celebration "I just love the local talent," Kid said "I love the liveliness that it brings to the city She says the talent is what brings her back year after year "There's just fabulous events all over the city," Kid said there are artists there down there in the tent I'm looking forward to just trying to do it all." The Spoleto Festival is a world-renowned event It welcomes first-timers that come from thousands of miles away "We are from Germany," said Hanna Schultz "Every fall we also have a jazz festival." Shultz says her excitement is only growing and we went to the Gibbs Museum for instance and I enjoyed that very much," Shultz said "I'm looking forward to this show where they have in this garden where they exhibit art."