Diversity key for Bethel Woods line-up

Two new intimate stages opening

By FRITZ MAYER

BETHEL, NY — A quick scan of the list of events at Bethel Woods this summer shows a heavy reliance on pop and rock, but there are plenty of artists for just about every musical taste. The New York Philharmonic will be back this season, and there will be first-time performances from such pop icons as Cyndi Lauper, The B-52s and Ringo Starr. For the younger generation there will be an appearance by the youthful heartthrob band, the Jonas Brothers.

Given that Bethel Woods in located in the heart of Sullivan County with its aging population, is one genre of music more successful than another in bringing in the ticket buyers? It’s a question that was put to Peter Lane, CEO of the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. Lane said, “We don’t know that yet.” The venue has just two seasons behind it, but he added that in choosing acts for the summer season, “high quality and a diverse line-up are paramount to our success.”

In an interview that touched on a wide range of topics, Lane said the job of booking acts is a collaborative effort involving various departments in the organization. He said, however, it can be complex. “The world of programming is an odd duck. Not every artist is available at the fee that we either can pay or are willing to pay. And it’s always a jigsaw puzzle. If an orchestra or act or entertainment is doing a tour, you want to try to grab them when they’re on tour and in the area,” as opposed to, say, trying to get them to jet in from the West Coast for a date.

Asked if any wooing takes place regarding various acts, Lane said, “Yes, in a general way.” He said word has traveled pretty quickly that the organization has high standards and a high regard for artists, and that has become their reputation. A large part of the credit for that reputation is the participation, since the first year, of the New York Philharmonic. Lane said, “The New York Philharmonic was critical. It will be a cornerstone of our cultural offerings for the foreseeable future.”

Asked if the organization considers such external realities as rising gas prices and the looming recession when planning the season, Lane said, “Every arts organization has to have some relevance to its constituency and its community, whether it’s gas prices or housing issues. Those environmental elements can be impediments to economic growth, so we take those factors into consideration as we put shows together, as we price shows, as we launch new initiatives.”

With a diversity of tastes and pocketbooks in the region, the organization is opening two new performance stages this season that will feature somewhat smaller audiences than the well known Pavilion Stage, which can accommodate 4,500 people in the seats and another 10,500 people on the lawn.

The Terrace Stage, which can accommodate 1,000 audience members, will be the home for a new series called Arts Under the Stars. The series will feature such artists as Eileen Ivers, a Celtic violin player who, according to the Bethel Woods website, has been hailed as “the Jimi Hendrix of the violin” by The New York Times.

The tickets for her performance will be sold general admission for $25 each. A ticket for Cyndi Lauper, by contrast, will range from $26 for a lawn ticket to up to $126 for some of the best seats.

For an even more intimate musical experience, the organization is offering several Music In the Museum performances, which will be presented in the 300-seat indoor Events Gallery at the Museum at Bethel Woods. The museum is scheduled to open on June 2. According to a release, “Planned programming will include folk and chamber music, as well as singer/songwriters and jazz.” One such act is the Turtle Island Quartet, which is billed as “a singular force in the creation of bold, new trends in chamber music for strings.” The tickets for these events will be sold as reserved seats for $40.

For a full listing of the events of the season, go to the organization’s web site at bethelwoodscenter.org.