Clark Art Airs Production of 'Les Contes d'Hoffman'

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WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Metropolitan Opera's broadcast of "Les Contes d'Hoffman" airs at the Clark Art Institute on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 1 pm in the first installment of the 2024–25 season of The Met: Live in HD. 
 
This award-winning series of live, high-definition cinema simulcasts features the full live performance along with backstage interviews and commentary. The Clark broadcasts the opera in its auditorium, located in the Manton Research Center.
 
According to a press release: 
 
Offenbach's fantastical opera stars French tenor Benjamin Bernheim in the title role of the tormented poet. Joining Bernheim is American soprano Erin Morley as Olympia, South African soprano Pretty Yende as Antonia, and French mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine as Giulietta to complete Hoffmann's trio of lovers. Marco Armiliato conducts Bartlett Sher's evocative production, which also features American bass-baritone Christian Van Horn as the Four Villains and Russian mezzo-soprano Vasilisa Berzhanskaya in her company debut as Nicklausse.
 
Tickets $25 ($22 members, $18 students, $5 children 15 and under). Advance registration encouraged; capacity is limited. To purchase tickets, visit clarkart.edu/events or call the box office at 413 458 0524. No refunds.
 
The next Met: Live in HD performance is Grounded on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 1 pm in the Clark's auditorium.

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Williamstown Accepts Williams' $2M Bid for 59 Water St.

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Select Board on Monday voted 4-1 to  accept a revised offer from Williams College to purchase the former town garage site at four times the original upfront offer.
 
The college's original response to the town's request for proposals for 59 Water St. proposed that the school acquire the vacant lot for an upfront purchase price of $500,000 plus 10 years of $50,000 contributions to the Mount Greylock Regional School District.
 
On Monday night, Williams' director of communications presented a revised offer: the original $500,000 purchase price plus an additional $1.5 million contribution to the town, paid in a lump sum at the time of closing.
 
In addition to doubling the effective purchase price ($2 million versus the $1 million over 10 years), the new offer addresses a concern raised by members of the Select Board at its first public consideration of the college's proposal: the fact that $50,000 in 2036 is not the same as $50,000 in 2026.
 
The college's Gina Puc noted that the $500,000 purchase price alone is anywhere from a third more to double the lot's appraised value, depending on which appraisal you look at, a sum she characterized as "reasonable, even generous."
 
"After consideration and listening to the good conversation at the last Select Board meeting, we've decided to revise our offer, so we'll make a one-time payment of $1.5 million to the town at closing," Puc said. "This is in place of the $50,000 payment to the local schools.
 
"We're responding to some of the feedback we heard — one, to really compensate for lost tax revenue on the site for this being converted from what was, potentially, a commercial lot and, in addition, listening to feedback about having this go to the town instead of the schools."
 
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