A friend recently posed this question: “Can the arts be considered the antidote to pop culture drivel?”

What?! I have to think this was meant to be provocative and it certainly worked on me. I’m a cultural omnivore. I love Golijov and the Talking Heads, TV, movies, art. I recently went from a live concert of modern classical music to a live concert by the Rolling Stones and loved them both. Each in their way, elevated me—and bonded me to those who shared the experience.

Surely we can meet each form on their own terms and judge accordingly.

Surely within every form there is much to love and much drivel as well.

Our job as presenters is to find and curate the best possible examples from a broad range of live performing arts. I can say with absolute certainty that we have never worked harder to do so than with this season. We struggled with schedules and venue availability, worked with other organizations here and across the state. We worked hard and I’m really grateful to Paul Krecji, Doug Braddock and especially Barb Hameister who went through all the highs and lows, and dramas of putting this season together. We think we’ve come up with a jewel—we’ve honed and cut it just for you.