Chopin Serenades The Austen Riggs Centennial Celebration
A reception, awards ceremony and musical performance came in the middle of a conference on the mental health crisis in America.
Actor, director and producer Sam Waterston and Lisa Raskin, president of the board of directors
Luminaries from the worlds of theater and television, politics, psychology and music convened on Saturday, Sept. 21 as the renowned Austen Riggs Center celebrated one hundred years of “lives reclaimed.” Staff, board members, conference attendees and supporters of the psychiatric hospital (located in Stockbridge, Mass.) gathered at the Linde Center on the Tanglewood grounds where the evening began with a cocktail reception. A program of awards followed, hosted by actor, director and producer Sam Waterston, who served on the Riggs board for 18 years. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) received one of the Four Freedoms of Mental Health Awards, which he acknowledged in video remarks. The award also was given in person to Carol Gilligan, PhD, the American feminist, psychologist and author of many books (she’s also a recent Berkshires transplant). Finally, apropos to the location and evening’s concentration of mental health professionals, psychiatrist Richard Kogan gave a talk about the expression and power of resilience of composer and pianist Frederic Chopin. Dr. Kogan proceeded to captivate the audience as he stunningly performed selections from Chopin’s opus.
Written by
Matteline deVries-Dilling, founder of Lite Brite Neon, one of the evening's honoree of this year's Upstate Benefit adresses the gala from the Caboose's caboose.
- Karen Pearson. Courtesy Art Omi.
Olana senior vice president and landscape curatorMark Prezorski, president Sean Sawyer, The evenings honoree Kristin Gamble and New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
- Oxygen House Photo
