Immigration, second-home owners, baby boomers growing older: we can see that our region's demographics are changing. At the same time, our shifting economic base is creating new kinds of jobs for employees with new skill sets. If our communities are to remain strong and vibrant in the years ahead, it's important that we understand who we are and who we're becoming. To mark its 20th anniversary, Berkshire Taconic is sponsoring a public conversation about our changing demographics and the challenges and opportunities they offer.

What will our cities and towns look like 20 years from now? Who will be living here and what jobs will they have? And what can we learn from other communities that have faced similar changes and challenges? The public is invited to join us as we explore these important issues with our national expert and local respondents. Our keynote speaker is Kenneth Johnson, professor of sociology at the University of New Hampshire and author of the study ?Demographic Trends in Small Town and Rural America.?

Our local respondents are: Brooke Mead, co-director, Berkshire Immigrant Center; David Grossman, financial policy analyst;Peter Paden, executive director, Columbia Land Conservancy; and Richard Vinette, executive director, Lee Community Development Corp.

The symosium will be held on Sunday, October 21, 2007, from 4-6 p.m. Berkshire Taconic invites the public to join us after the program for a reception marking our 20th year of service in the community. To make a reservation, please contact Pat Salvi at 800.969.2823 or pat@berkshiretaconic.org. www.berkshiretaconic.org/

Linda Lavin has had a distinguished theater career, earning the Tony, Helen Hayes, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Awards as Best Actress for her starring role in Neil Simon's Broadway Bound. She has received Tony nominations for such diverse roles as Marjorie Taub in Tales of the Allergist's Wife by Charles Busch and Mrs. Van Daan in the 1997 revival of The Diary of Anne Frank as well as Neil Simon's Last of the Red Hot Lovers. She also received two Golden Globe Awards as the star of TV's Alice. The show features Music Director Billy Stritch [Liza Minnelli Live from Radio City Music Hall]. "You'll be sorry if you miss Lavin's bravura Diva performance. She is spectacular!" The New York Post

Suzanne Vega is an American singer/songwriter known for her highly literate lyrics and eclectic folk-inspired music. Suzanne was the first artist on stage at the very first Lilith Fair. Immediately identified for "Tom's Diner" (sampled and re-recorded by at least 25 other musicians including Will Smith, REM and Lil' Kim), as well as "Luka," the song that honored Suzanne as the second woman to win the MTV prize for "Best Female" (beating Cher) Suzanne's career has been a rich and diverse journey. Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls was quoted in a July 2000 AP interview as saying that the group's initial goal was "to get big enough to open for Suzanne Vega." On September 17, 2006, she performed in Central Park as part of a benefit concert for The Save Darfur Coalition. Vega's new album Beauty & Crime is set for release in July 17 2007 on Blue Note Records. Suzanne Vega's website.

About Dan Zanes and Friends "It was one of those rare children's concerts where the grownups clearly had as much fun as their toddlers." - The Boston Herald "Dan Zanes is enriching the field with his dance-party, hootenanny for the 21st century-style live performances...combining uncompromising vocal and instrumental artistry and a muscular pop beat with an all-embracing, down-style that harks back to the days when sing-alongs in the parlor brought families and friends together." -Los Angeles Times "His albums are hip enough for Debbie Harry and Lou Reed to make cameos but accessible enough for the under-ten set to sing along...this is good 'ol fashioned pop music for all ages." - Esquire "The band's frequent live shows create the happiest concert vibe since Woodstock. With a lot less drugs and mud." - New York Magazine "Zanes has released...rootsy, whimsical albums brimming with warmth and musical integrity." - Boston Globe "What makes Dan Zanes and Friends such a treasure is that they exist outside the corporate structure. There's no attempt to cross-promote or create a consumer. All that matters is having fun." - VARIETY "Zanes' performance is refreshing in its uncommercialized sweetness...homey and handmade, the hour-long show has only one agenda: entertaining children." -Variety "The former lead singer of the Del Fuegos has charged to the rescue of beleaguered parents everywhere with his two recordings of classic children's songs and inventive originals. Making music that entertains children without sounding too corny or precious is no easy chore. Thank goodness someone is taking on the task." -The Washington Post "His concerts are as much dance party as sing-along..." -The Los Angeles Times "...[This] rock veteran reinvents children's music, and parents everywhere are thankful." -Nashville Scene

Ailey II is an exceptional company that merges the spirit and energy of the country's best young dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today's most outstanding emerging choreographers. Ailey II began in 1974 as the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble, when Alvin Ailey initiated a workshop composed of the most promising scholarship students from The Ailey School. The original members of Ailey II were handpicked by Mr. Ailey from among that group. The Company, which emphasizes a balance of repertoire, technique and performance, has become one of the most popular dance companies in the United States. "...amid lifts, leaps, spins and arabesques, there was jive, mambo, and merengue." Boston Globe www.alvinailey.org

For over 20 years, the amazing performances of The Shangri-La Chinese Acrobats have flawlessly interpreted the precision and grace of an artform honed by years of training and discipline. Their multi-faceted and multi-cultural production features dazzling acrobatic displays, formidable feats of daring and balance, explosive Kung Fu, brilliant costumes, and even a touch of Chinese comedy. "The evening is a splash of color, motion, and sound. I couldn't believe that two hours could pass that quickly, or be that much fun." Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts www.iaipresentations.com

Back by popular request, the virtuosi of the Berkshire Bach Ensemble, directed by harpsichordist Kenneth Cooper, return with their "irrepressible" versions of The Brandenburg Concerti of Johann Sebastian Bach. Known for a zesty and captivating style, the Berkshire Bach Ensemble always delivers these great works with its inimitable passion and vitality. Come and savor this classic concert and join in a festive evening as the Berkshire Bach Society ushers in the New Year in Style!

Set in the late 1800's, the Albany Berkshire Ballet's Nutcracker tells the story of a young girl named Clara and the magical dream she has one Christmas Eve. A magical tour through time and space takes Clara from winter to spring in a single night. Under the direction of Madeline Cantarella Culpo, The Nutcracker, with its beautiful sets and scenery, is sure to please audiences of all ages. A true holiday classic.

Daniel Stern, Paul Reiser, Kevin Bacon, Mickey Rourke & Ellen Barkin For more info on Diner

Beatlemania Again - The World's Premier Beatles Stage Show. This incredible performance features three stages in Beatles history, beginning with the first act, Meet The Beatles which showcases the group when they took the world by storm. The second act, Sgt. Pepper, covers the next phase in Beatles history featuring many great hits and incredible costuming. From there, the show transcends into the Get Back era, from 1968 to the band's breakup in 1970. This show is an entertaining and authentic journey through the history of the world's greatest band! Learn more at the beatlemania Again website!

This Production is PG-13 (teens +) Magic is one of the most engaging performances, involving the audience like no other art form. Magic has the power to make people believe the unbelievable, to tell an impossible story that unfolds before their eyes. The illusion touches them on many levels, and lets them live in a world, if only for one night, where magic is real. Immediately drawing the audience into a state of suspended disbelief, Nick Felix grabs the imagination through mind-boggling illusions. The performance as a whole reaches the audience on an emotional level that goes beyond the normal "magic show." More info on Nick Felix Magic Productions.

"LIVE IN HD" & "ENCORE PRESENTATIONS" DECEMBER 2007 - MAY 2008


SUBSCRIPTION SERIES:
$161 Adult/ $147 Senior / $112 Student (8 for the price of 7)

FULL SCHEDULE BELOW:

1PM: December 15, 2007 - Live! -
Gounod's Romeo et Juliette, starring Anna Netrebko, conducted by Placido Domingo. Running Time: 3 hours, 5 minutes. 1 intermission. Sung in French.

1PM: January 1, 2008 - Live! -
Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, a dark and amusing new production, will be shown as a special New Year's Day event. Running Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes. 1 intermission. Sung in English.

1:30 PM: January 12,2008 - Live! -
Verdi's Macbeth, a new production by Adrian Noble. Running Time: 2 hours, 50 minutes, 1 intermission. Sung in Italian.

1PM: March 1,2008
ENCORE PRESENTATION of Puccini's Manon Lescaut, starring the riveting Karita Mattila. Running Time: 3 hours, 16 minutes. 3 intermissions. Sung in Italian.

12:30 PM: March 22, 2008 - Live! -
Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, starring the world's preeminent Wagnerian singers, Deborah Voigt and Ben Heppner. Running Time: 5 hours. 2 Intermissions. Sung in German.

1:30 PM: March 29, 2008
ENCORE PRESENTATION of Britten's Peter Grimes, a new production from Tony Award-winning director John Doyle. Running Time: 3 hours, 13 minutes. 2 intermissions. Sung in English.

1:30 PM: April 5, 2008 - Live! -
Puccini's La Boheme, a timeless classic starring the mesmerizing Angela Gheorghiu. Running Time: 2 hours, 55 minutes. 2 intermissions. Sung in Italian.

1:30 PM: May 10, 2008
ENCORE PRESENTATION of Donizetti's La Fille du Regiment, a new production starring Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Florez that critics in London have called "the operatic show of the season." Running Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes. 1 intermission. Sung in French.

Visit www.metopera.org/hdlive for more information.
More information on The Met!