A Guide to the Summer Evenings at Sarah Lawrence Records
RG 3.4.9

Summary Information

Repository
Sarah Lawrence College Archives
Title
Summer Evenings at Sarah Lawrence Records
ID
RG 3.4.9
Date [bulk]
Bulk, 1978-1985
Date [inclusive]
1974-1990
Extent
2.0 linear feet 1 record carton, 2 document boxes
Language

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Sarah Lawrence College Archives 2008

Sarah Lawrence College Archives
1 Mead Way
Bronxville, NY, 10708
914-395-2480
archives@sarahlawrence.edu

Revision Description

 Finding Aid entered in Archivists' Toolkit by Alayna Barrett June 2014

Conditions Governing Access note

Access to administrative records is restricted for 20 years from the date of creation. Records relating to personnel and individual students may be restricted for 75 years from the date of creation or death of the individual(s) mentioned. All restricted records are labeled as such.

Acquisition Note

Information regarding the acquisition of this collection is unknown.

Processing Information note

Processed in summer 2008 by Sarah Pinard.

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Historical note

During the summer of 1975 Sarah Lawrence College hosted a series of film viewings, poetry readings, and music ensembles as part of the summer programs on campus. These events were run by the Office of Special Programs. Two years later, in 1977, Summer Evenings at Sarah Lawrence was officially established as a series of performances held to utilize and promote the performing arts facilities on campus as well as connect the campus to the broader Westchester community. The series, under its new name, remained under the auspices of the Office of Special Programs until 1979. It was directed by Kenneth Wentworth who also preformed with his wife, Jean Wentworth, during the concert series. Kenneth Wentworth continued to direct the series until its end in 1990.

The series was composed of musical concerts, theatre, dance performances, film viewings and special events. The programs were available to the public, and aimed generally at members of the College’s neighboring communities. In a related series, the College offered afternoon concerts for senior citizens.

During its first year Summer Evenings performances were free of charge. Beginning in the second summer a general admission was charged to all patrons attending most of the concerts in Reisinger Concert Hall, however admission was free to smaller informal events in the Recital Hall as well as performances in the College Pub. Summer Evenings' fourth season included chamber music coaching and multiple highly successful concerts by the Borodin Piano Trio.

The series further established itself in following summers by offering five professional performances of Mozart’s Don Giovanni in connection with a month long opera program that included concerts and lectures with members of the Don Giovanni cast. Summer Evenings also offered a production of Harold Pinter’s play Old Times through the resident company, Green Gate Theatre, under the direction of Charles and Gloria Carshon. The programming was expanded with poetry recitals and film showings. In following years a full production of the opera Cosi Fan Tutte was broadcast from theatre to tape and international groups such as N. Zahle’s Danish Choir, I Musici de Montreal, and The Tokyo String Quartet were hosted on campus. The performances demonstrated the program’s establishment as a source for quality ensemble music in the Westchester County region.

Outside funding and resources in the form of private contributions, matching corporate funding, and grant money were essential to the series from its beginning. Artists frequently performed for discounted rates and volunteered their talents for annual summer fundraising concerts.

Despite these efforts, in 1990 after fifteen seasons Summer Evenings at Sarah Lawrence ended its programming due in part to financial challenges.

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Scope and Contents note

This collection contains records created during the administration of Summer Evenings at Sarah Lawrence. The collection is divided into two series: Administration and Programs. The administrative series houses records in four sub-series. The sub-series are reflective of the organization of the records upon accession. The general administrative records include annual summer budgets, correspondence regarding planning, finance, and contributions, and personal/professional correspondence with Kenneth Wentworth. Also included are promotional flyers, posters, and schedules, fundraising material, artist contracts, and publicity material sent to the college by participating artists. Three of the sub-series comprise material about individual events that were larger in scope than other performances. These include the opera Cosi Fan Tutte performed in 1979, Green Gate Theatre productions, and the Seminar in Viola de Gamba. These sub-series are further divided into correspondence, general administrative records, promotional material, etc.

The records are divided into two series:

Series I. Administration (arranged alphabetically)

Sub-series A. Cosi Fan Tutte

Sub-series B. General

Sub-series C. Green Gate Theatre

Sub-series D. Seminar in Viola da Gamba

Series II. Programs (arranged chronologically)

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Series Description

The Programs series is arranged in chronological order according to the date of the performance as indicated on the program cover. Summers for which the collection is missing programs include 1981 and every summer post-1986 until the conclusion of the program in 1990.

The records are divided into two series:

Series I. Administration consists of administrative material relating to the creation and operation of the Summer Evenings at Sarah Lawrence program. In addition to administrative records about specific programming such as Cosi Fan Tutte, The Green Gate Theatre, and the Seminar in Viola da Gamba, this series includes material about the annual programming in general. Budgetary and financial information, a significant amount of correspondence between director Kenneth Wentworth and patrons regarding contributions and their importance to the continuance of the series, as well as promotional flyers and radio announcements, and fundraising material including applications to the New York State Council on the Arts and the Herman Goldman Foundation. The applications for support contain some historical information about the program and its development.

Series I is divided into four sub-series: Sub-series A. Cosi Fan Tutte; Sub-series B. General; Sub-series C. Green Gate Theatre; Sub-series D. Seminar in Viola da Gamba.

Series II. Programs contains programs from concerts between 1975 and 1986. The programs in this collection are not representative of all the performances offered during the fifteen year operation of Summer Evenings. The majority of the programs are final copies of those handed out upon admission to the performances. A small number of performances include program drafts. A select number of the longer performances, including the operas Don Giovanni and Cosi Fan Tutte contain program notes and/or biographical information about the performers and composers. Some folders also contain extra tickets or ticket stubs from the performances. Statistical information such as ticket sales and seating are often noted on the remaining tickets.

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Related Materials

See also

Summer Evenings folder in Box 23 of Photograph Collection for publicity photographs of Summer Evenings artists and photographs of productions of Don Giovanni and Cosi Fan Tutte; Special Programs Collection for additional information about the 1978 Opera Workshop and the Borodin Trio; Music Department Records for additional information about concerts and music performances, as well as administrative material on the Borodin Piano Trio, the Seminar in Viola da Gamba, and the Laurentian String Quartet.

See also photograph collection for artist publicity photos.

Appendix

Photograph Collection – Events – Summer Evenings

Judith Bettina, n.d. The Borodin Trio, 1977-1981, 1983-1984, 1986 I Musici de Montreal, 1985 Gervase DePeyer, 1985 Fine Arts Quartet, 1984 Sarah Lawrence Woodwind Quintet, 1984 A Renaissance Entertainment – Angene Feves, 1979 A Renaissance Entertainment – Ric Abel, 1979 Cosi Fan Tutte, 1979 Don Giovanni, 1978

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Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)

  • Borodin Trio.
  • Green Gate Theatre.
  • Laurentian String Quartet.

Genre(s)

  • Correspondence
  • Programs (documents)

Personal Name(s)

  • Wentworth, Kenneth

Subject(s)

  • Chamber music festivals
  • Music - Instruction and study.
  • Sarah Lawrence College

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Collection Inventory

Inventory titles and locations

Series I. Administration 

Sub-series A. Cosi Fan Tutte 

Title Carton

Cast Biographies 1979 

1

Contracts - Opera Personnel 1979 

PORTIONS RESTRICTED

Portions restricted. See Archivist for further information.

1

Correspondence - General 1978-1979 

1

Finance 1978-1980 

PORTIONS RESTRICTED

Portions restricted. See Archivist for further information.

1

General 1979 

1

Letters of Agreement - Theatre-to-Tape 1979 

1

Sub-series B. General 

Title Carton

Affiliate Artists National Conference 1979 

1

Budget/Finance 1978-1979, 1981, 1983-1986 

PORTIONS RESTRICTED

Portions restricted. See Archivist for further information.

1

Cancelled Programs 1979 

1

Contracts - Artists 1978-1979, 1981-1985 

PORTIONS RESTRICTED

Portions restricted. See Archivist for further information.

1

Correspondence - Contributions 1978, 1981, 1983-1985 

1

Correspondence - Finance 1978-1979, 1983-1987 

PORTIONS RESTRICTED

Portions restricted. See Archivist for further information.

1

Correspondence - Kenneth Wentworth undated, 1977-1978, 1981, 1984-1985, 1990 

1

Correspondence - Planning 1976-1979, 1983, 1985 

1

Council for the Arts in Westchester 1977 

1

The Frick Collection/Concert to Tape 1979 

1

Fundraising 1978 

1

General undated, 1978 

1

June Festival of the Arts 1974 

1

Laurentian Chamber Music for Young People 1979 

1

New York State Council on the Arts 1978-1979 

1

Planning 1977-1978, 1981, 1983-1984 

1

Planning - Tokyo String Quartet 

1

Promotional Material - Artists' 1978-1979, 1981, 1984-1985 

1

Promotional Material 1975-1981 

1

Promotional Material 1982-1990 

1

Publicity 1977-1978, 1983-1985 

1

Student Evaluations 1977 

RESTRICTED

Restricted indefinitely. See Archivist for further information.

1

Sub-series C. Green Gate Theatre 

Title Carton

General 1978-1979 

1

Promotional Material 1978-1979 

1

Sub-series D. Seminar in Viola da Gamba 

Title Carton

Budget/Finance 1985 

1

Correspondence - Applications 1985 

1

Correspondence - General 1985 

1

Facilities/Housing 1985 

1

General 1985 

1

Promotional Material 1985 

1

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Series II. Programs 

Title Box

Sharon Hanjian, Harpist July 15, 1975 

2

Harp Workshop and Master Class July 25, 1975 

2

Pentaphonic Winds June 14, 1976 

2

Jean and Kenneth Wentworth June 16, 1976 

2

Ann Lynn Miller, Pianist June 24, 1976 

2

Mass in b minor, J.S. Bach July 29, 1976 

2

The New Russian Chamber Orchestra June 7, 1977 

2

Thomas Schmidt, Piano June 9, 1977 

2

A Program of French Song June 14, 1977 

2

The New Russian Chamber Orchestra June 21, 1977 

2

Kathleen Bride, Harp June 28, 1977 

2

Michael Rudiakov, cello and Jean Wentworth, piano July 5, 1977 

2

Marie Francoise Baux Harp Recital July 8, 1977 

2

The Borodin Piano Trio July 11, 1977 

2

The Borodin Piano Trio July 12, 1977 

2

The Borodin Piano Trio July 18, 1977 

2

The Borodin Piano Trio July 19, 1977 

2

The B minor Mass - Summer Choral Workshop July 22, 1977 

2

Jean and Kenneth Wentworth July 26, 1977 

2

Film Series June 5, 12, 19, 24, 1978 

2

Force of Darkness, Force of Light June 6, 1978 

2

Paul Sperry, tenor and Margo Garrett, piano June 8, 1978 

2

Walters, Grubb, Burt, McNalley, and Black June 9, 1978 

2

Norell, Hoch, Paul, Parkinson, and Sperry June 10, 1978 

2

Abime des Oiseaux June 13, 1978 

2

Don Giovanni June 16-17, 1978 

2

Mozart Orchestral Concert June 20, 1978 

2

Helen Vanni June 21, 1978 

2

Don Giovanni June 22-24, 1978 

2

Die Winterreise June 27, 1978 

2

Vocal Ensemble and Four Hands June 28, 1978 

2

The Borodin Piano Trio June 29, 1978 

2

Summer Opera Workshop - Scenes Recital June 30, 1978 

2

The Borodin Chamber Players July 1, 1978 

2

Film Festival July 3, 10, 17, 24, 1978 

2

The Borodin Piano Trio July 8, 1978 

2

International Harp Seminar July 9, 1978 

2

N. Zahle's Choir July 10, 1978 

2

A Reading of Poetry - Jane Cooper and Anneliese Wagner July 11, 1978 

2

The Borodin Piano Trio July 13, 1978 

2

The Borodin Piano Trio July 15, 1978 

2

David Glazer, clarinet, Catherine Rowe, soprano, and Jean Wentworth, piano July 18, 1978 

2

Pearl Chertok - The Sarah Lawrence International Harp Seminar July 20, 1978 

2

The Laurentian String Quartet July 21, 1978 

2

The Sarah Lawrence Summer Chorus July 28, 1978 

2

Green Gate Theatre - Old Times July 25-30, 1978 

2

Film Series - Music in the Movies June 11, 18, 25, July 2, 9, 16, 23, 1979 

2

Grant Johanesen, pianist June 12, 1979 

2

Joanna Simon, mezzo-soprano, Paul Sperry, tenor, and Martin Katz, pianist June 14, 1979 

2

An Evening with Virgil Thomson June 16, 1979 

2

A Mozart Evening - The Festival Orchestra June 19, 1979 

2

Cosi Fan Tutte June 21-23, 1979 

2

The Festival Orchestra - Mozart June 25, 1979 

2

The Festival Orchestra and Guest Artists - All Mozart Program June 26, 1979 

2

Cosi Fan Tutte June 27-July 1, 1979 

2

The Borodin Trio - All Beethoven Program June 30, 1979 

2

The Laurentian String Quartet July 3, 1979 

2

The Borodin Chamber Players July 5, 1979 

3

The Borodin Trio - All Beethoven Program July 7, 1979 

3

Sioned Williams, harpist - A Program of Harp Music July 9, 1979 

3

The Laurentian String Quartet July 10, 1979 

3

The Borodin Trio - All Beethoven Program July 12, 1979 

3

A Renaissance Entertainment July 13-14, 1979 

3

The Interior Castle July 17-18, 20-21, 1979 

3

The Borodin Trio - All Beethoven Program July 19, 1979 

3

International Harp Seminar July 20, 1979 

3

Elizabeth Keen Dance Company July 24-26, 1979 

3

Trio in E flat and Pierrot Lunaire July 28, 1979 

3

James Joyce's Women July 29-31, August 1-4, 1979 

3

The Edlina-Dubinsky Duo - All Beethoven Program July 14, 1980 

3

The Borodin Trio July 15, 1980 

3

L'Histoire du Soldat and Peirrot Lunaire July 16, 1980 

3

The Borodin Trio July 17, 1980 

3

Music for a While July 22, 1980 

3

The Turovsky Duo July 23, 1980 

3

The Borodin Trio July 24, 1980 

3

The Laurentian String Quartet July 25, 1980 

3

The Borodin Trio July 26, 1980 

3

A Festival of Chamber Music - Beethoven and Brahms June 25, 1981 

3

The Laurentian String Quartet June 27, 1981 

3

The Tokyo String Quartet June 28, 1981 

3

A Festival of Chamber Music - The Borodin Trio - Beethoven and Brahms June 30, 1981 

3

A Festival of Chamber Music - The Borodin Trio - Beethoven and Brahms July 2, 1981 

3

A Festival of Chamber Music - The Borodin Trio - Beethoven and Brahms July 3, 1981 

3

A Festival of Chamber Music - The Borodin Trio - Beethoven and Brahms July 5, 1981 

3

A Chamber Music Festivel - "Romantic" March 31, 1982 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Caecilian Chamber Ensemble June 18, 1983 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Emerson String Quartet June 19, 1983 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Daniel String Quartet June 23, 1983 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Laurentian Quartet and Katherine Rowe June 25, 1983 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Daniel String Quartet June 26, 1983 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Dubinsky Duo June 30, 1983 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Dubinsky Duo July 1, 1983 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Dubinsky Duo July 2, 1983 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Borodin Trio July 3, 1983 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Dubinksy Duo and the Laurentian String Quartet with guests June 9, 1984 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Caecilian Chamber Ensemble June 10, 1984 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Laurentian String Quartet & Cham-Ber Huang June 14, 1984 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - Music for a While June 17, 1984 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Borodin Trio and Friends June 20, 1984 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Fine Arts Quartet June 21, 1984 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Fine Arts Quartet and The Laurentian String Quartet June 23, 1984 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - Meet the Budget Marathon June 24, 1984 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Tokyo String Quartet June 13, 1985 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Tokyo String Quartet June 15, 1985 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Laurentian String Quartet June 16, 1985 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - All-Schubert Program June 20, 1985 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Laurentian String Quartet June 22, 1985 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - New York Consort of Viols June 23, 1985 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Daniel String Quartet June 25, 1985 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - I Musici de Montreal June 29, 1985 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - I Musici de Montreal June 30, 1985 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Sarah Lawrence Wind Quintet June 14, 1986 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Borodin Trio June 19, 1986 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - Festival Orchestra and the Borodin Trio June 21, 1986 

3

A Chamber Music Festival - The Laurentian String Quartet and Sarah Lawrence Wind Quintet June 28, 1986 

3

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