Jamie Larson reports from Annandale-on-Hudson. The Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College is world class and its SummerScape seasonal offerings are some of the best and most fun of the whole year. So what better time to celebrate and support the wonderful institution than the SummerScape Gala on Saturday, July 14 hosted at the historic Montgomery Place mansion. The event also honored artists, neighbors, owners of the Hotel Tivoli and “creators of beauty in the world,” Helen and Brice Marden. If that doesn’t sound like enough of a high-end happening, the evening featured a dinner by Twisted Soul, a live auction and a performance by none other than Patti Smith with Lenny Kaye.

Helen and Brice Marden [photo by Susan Magnano].
Patti Smith and Lenny Kaye (Photo by Susan Magnano).
Schandra Singh, Vance Trimble, Rachel Mauro and Littal Melrik.
Actress, director, president and founder of Stockade Works and co-founder of Storyhorse Documentary Theater Mary Stuart Masterson with actor, director, writer and co-founder ofStoryhorse Jeremy Davidson, director Allen Coulter and deputy director/senior scientist for the Natural Resources Defense Council Kim Knowlton.
The elegant and historic Montgomery Place was a regal setting for the affair.
A spectacular view of the Hudson River from the lawn of Montgomery Place.
Jim Friedlich, artist Melisa Stern and Bard Classics Professor James Romm.
Producers Caleb Hammons and Nunally Kersh with Thaddeus Strassberger, director of the Anton Rubinstein opera “Demon,” running through Aug. 5 at SummerScape.
Bard Music Festival Associate Director Raissa St. Pierrel, Huck Hill, Carlos Gonzalez andKathy Stewart.
Mark McDonald, Helen Bodian,Dwayne Resnik, Harris Lydon and Kate Lydon.
Gary Newman, Tom Sellar and Anthony Napoli, with the artistic director for theater and dance at the Fisher Center, Gideon Lester.
Stefano Ferrari, Margret Hartigan and Mark McIntyre.
Susan and Rodger Kennedy.

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Jamie Larson
Jamie Larson
After a decade of writing for RI (along with many other publications and organizations) Jamie took over as editor in 2025. He has a masters in journalism from NYU, a wonderful wife, two kids and a Carolina dog named Zelda.
Rare Calvin and Hobbes Illustrations and the Art of Revolution Shape NRM 2026 Schedule
New Tavern Sign (Colonial Sign Painter), 1936. Illustration for The Saturday Evening Post, February 22, 1936. pp. 18-19. Oil on canvas. Private collection. ©1936 SEPS: Curtis Licensing, Indianapolis, IN. All rights reserved, Illustration from, The Indispensible Calvin and Hobbes. © Bill Watterson
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Rare Calvin and Hobbes Illustrations and the Art of Revolution Shape NRM 2026 Schedule

By Jamie Larson •