Experience Planner
Plan your perfect Chautauqua visit.
To plan your day, week or season at Chautauqua, select the dates of your visit below and choose your interests. Our experience planner will then provide personalized recommendations to make your time with us as rewarding as possible. We hope to see you soon!
Explore the events and destinations listed on our website and click the "star image" to save your favorites and create your Chautauqua itinerary.
Explore events and destinations here. Use the "star" to save your favorites to create your itinerary.
SOLD OUT: Mother’s Day Brunch
Treat mom to a gourmet brunch buffet at the historic Athenaeum Hotel located on the grounds of Chautauqua Institution. Overlooking Chautauqua Lake, guests will be treated to a wide array of breakfast, lunch and dessert specialties.
Adults: $59 plus tax
Children: (5-11) $22.00 plus tax
Children: (4 & under) Free
An Evening with Kai Bird
About the Event
Keynote speaker Kai Bird is a Pulitzer Prize—winning biographer, journalist, and co-author of American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, on which the blockbuster movie Oppenheimer was based. He is the executive director and distinguished lecturer of the Leon Levy Center for Biography at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York City.
His most recent books include The Outlier: The Unfinished Presidency of Jimmy Carter and The Good Spy: The Life and Death of Robert Ames, which was a New York Times best-seller. He chronicled his childhood in the Middle East in his memoir, Crossing Mandelbaum Gate: Coming of Age Between the Arabs and Israelis. He is the author of biographies of John J. McCloy, McGeorge Bundy, and William Bundy. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography in 2006 for American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer (co-authored with Martin J. Sherwin). His work includes critical writings on the Vietnam War, Hiroshima, nuclear weapons, the Cold War, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the CIA.
He won the National Books Critics Circle Award and the Duff Cooper Prize for History and is the recipient of numerous fellowships. He is an elected member of the prestigious Society of American Historians.
Bird’s keynote presentation will include performances of works inspired by the festival’s theme by Cleveland Orchestra musicians and soloists. The event will be livestreamed on The Cleveland Orchestra’s digital home, adella.live (subscription fee applies). It will be available on-demand in June on CHQ Assembly.
*A book signing with Bird will immediately follow the event.
Ticket holders for Mozart’s Magic Flute (May 16, 18, 24, & 26) and Mozart’s Gran Partita (May 23 & 25) qualify for and can claim complimentary tickets for the festival’s keynote event.
Guest Speakers
Kai Bird, speaker
Michael E. Hill, EdD, President of Chautauqua Institution, moderator
About the Performances
Jung-Min Amy Lee, violin
Dashon Burton, bass-baritone
Christina Dahl, piano
Miloš Repický, piano
SARASATE Fantasy on The Magic Flute
JOHN ADAMS “Batter my heart” from Doctor Atomic
@ 12:00 am
CHQ Travels: Beethoven in Vienna with David Levy
During the 18th and 19th centuries, Europe’s promising young musicians flocked to Vienna, producing and performing what would become the masterpieces of the Classical period. Join Chautauqua in Vienna during the 200th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony premiere and explore the life and works of Beethoven in Vienna. On an itinerary curated by Professor David Levy, Beethoven scholar and regular Chautauqua speaker, we will follow in the footsteps of Beethoven to the homes where he composed, the palaces where he performed and the cafés he frequented. Vienna is also a city of great art collections; we will enjoy a visit to Gustav Klimt’s “Frieze” at the Secession Building that was inspired by Beethoven’s composition. There will be tours to the National Archives, a long-standing family-run Music publishers and a tour of the Habsburgs Historic Instruments collection. See where Beethoven sought sanctuary for his many ailments on an excursion to the spa town of Baden bei Wien and we will learn about the current state of music education in the city from Ulrike Sych, Rector of the University for Music and the Performing Arts Vienna, the world’s largest music conservatory. This week-long program in the city of music promises to be a veritable “Ode to Joy” for classical music lovers.
Pricing: $6,890 per person; For a single room add $1,200
Preview Premiere and Reception: Gamelan Dharma Swara
Gamelan Dharma Swara is proud to present at Chautauqua the Preview World Premiere of a new Dharma Swara commission, co-created by Artist-in-Residence Gusti Komin and longtime dance teacher and choreographer Shoko Yamamuro. The traditional welcome piece to open a performance or event is reimagined. Works of this genre — typically in the female style — often focus on notions of reception and invitation alongside purification and blessing; however, this exploratory work will also consider the group’s identity as New Yorkers performing Balinese arts via the lens of expatriate artists.
Following the preview premiere, mingle with fellow attendees and performers at the Strohl Art Center for a reception. Enjoy an assortment of hearty hors d’oeuvres; refreshments will be available for purchase.
About Gamelan Dharma Swara
Gamelan Dharma Swara — “a duty of perpetuating sound” — is one of the United States’ leading Balinese music and dance ensembles. From their beginnings at the Indonesian Consulate of New York to the present day, they have been captivating audiences with raucous performances for over 33 years and counting. The group performs a spellbinding blend of iconic traditional pieces paired with bold, contemporary compositions, spanning some 500 years. It has been called “thrilling, mesmerizing and powerful” (New York Times) and “sublime, receiving perhaps the weekend’s most rapturous response” (The New Yorker).
Preview Performance of SOMEWHERE by YY Dance Company
Join us for an exclusive preview performance by YYDC, offering a sneak peek of SOMEWHERE, an evening-length dance piece that marks the second part of Yue Yin’s planned trilogy. The trilogy commenced with NOWHERE, which was previewed at Chautauqua and performed at Chelsea Factory in NYC in 2023. This upcoming work highlights Yue’s unique dance vocabulary and trademarked FoCo Technique, which focuses on generating, guiding, and transforming energy within bodies and space. Witness SOMEWHERE as a work in progress at Chautauqua!
Following the preview performance, join YYDC at the Athenaeum Hotel for a four-course dinner and conversation with Artistic Director and Choreographer Yue Yin. You may purchase a single ticket to the preview or a ticket for the dinner and the preview performance.
Based in NYC, YYDC is a contemporary dance company dedicated to the teaching, production and performance of original choreographic works by founder and artistic director, Yue Yin. Over the past decade, Yin has refined and expanded an original movement vocabulary – FoCo Technique™ – a fusion inspired by the Chinese folk and contemporary dance movement. The company has presented works at dance festivals such as SummerStage, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival Inside Out and New York International Fringe Festival, and at venues such as Hanover International Choreographic competition, BAM Fisher, Joyce SoHo Theater, Peridance Theater, Lincoln Center Rosh Hall, New York Live Arts and many others. Yue Yin is an internationally recognized performer, choreographer and the founder and artistic director. She studied at the prestigious Shanghai Dance Academy and NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts where she received her MFA in 2008.Yue Yin was the recipient of the 2021 Harkness Promise Award. This prestigious award recognizes her innovation in choreography and education. She was the winner of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago 2015 International Commissioning Project, winner of the 2015 BalletX Choreographic Fellowship, and winner of Northwest Dance Project’s 5th Annual Pretty Creatives International Choreographic Competition in 2013. Through these high-profile successes, Yin has received commissions from all three widely-recognized companies as well as other companies and organizations namely Gibney Company, Martha Graham Dance Company, Boston Ballet, Philadelphia Ballet, Limon Dance Company, Alberta Ballet, Balletto Teatro di Torino, Juilliard School for Dance and more.
*Inclement Weather Location: Carnahan-Jackson Dance Studios
Preview Performance of SOMEWHERE, Dinner and Conversation
Join us for an exclusive preview performance by YYDC, offering a glimpse into SOMEWHERE, the next installment of Yue Yin’s planned trilogy following NOWHERE. Previously previewed at Chautauqua and performed in 2023 at Chelsea Factory in NYC, SOMEWHERE showcases Yue’s unique dance style, emphasizing the trademarked FoCo Technique, which focuses on generating, guiding, and transforming energy within bodies and space. Witness the evolution of SOMEWHERE at Chautauqua and engage in a conversation with Artistic Director and Choreographer Yue Yin during the elegant spring meal that follows.
$69: Preview performance and four-course dinner
$69: Dine with a Dancer! Sponsor a dancer to join your table for dinner!
Reservations for Dinner and Conversation close on Wednesday, May 15 at 5 p.m. Reservations for performance only tickets will stay open until day of this event.
Menu:
Bread
Baguette and Olive Ciabatta
Soup
Spring Pea Soup, White Truffle Drizzle, Borage Flower (Vegan)
Salad
Shaved Asparagus & Arugula Salad W/ Watermelon Radish, House Made Ricotta, Toasted Hazelnuts, Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette. (Vegan Option: No Ricotta)
Amuse-Bouche
Sorbet
Entrée
(Choice of one of the following)
Pan Roasted Chicken Thighs, Ramp and Walnut Pistou, Yukon Gold and Leek Gratin, Carrot Puree
6 oz CAB Filet Mignon, Red Wine Demi, Yukon Gold and Leek Gratin, Carrot Puree, Buttermilk Fried Ramps
Fried Polenta Cakes and Seared Wild Mushrooms with Ramp and Walnut Pistou, Carrot Puree (Vegan)
Dessert
(Choice of one of the following)
Strawberry Semifreddo, Rhubarb Compote, Candied Rhubarb Ribbons, Micro Basil
Chef Selected Vegan Option
Based in NYC, YYDC is a contemporary dance company dedicated to the teaching, production and performance of original choreographic works by founder and artistic director, Yue Yin. Over the past decade, Yin has refined and expanded an original movement vocabulary – FoCo Technique™ – a fusion inspired by the Chinese folk and contemporary dance movement. The company has presented works at dance festivals such as SummerStage, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival Inside Out and New York International Fringe Festival, and at venues such as Hanover International Choreographic competition, BAM Fisher, Joyce SoHo Theater, Peridance Theater, Lincoln Center Rosh Hall, New York Live Arts and many others. Yue Yin is an internationally recognized performer, choreographer and the founder and artistic director. She studied at the prestigious Shanghai Dance Academy and NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts where she received her MFA in 2008.Yue Yin was the recipient of the 2021 Harkness Promise Award. This prestigious award recognizes her innovation in choreography and education. She was the winner of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago 2015 International Commissioning Project, winner of the 2015 BalletX Choreographic Fellowship, and winner of Northwest Dance Project’s 5th Annual Pretty Creatives International Choreographic Competition in 2013. Through these high-profile successes, Yin has received commissions from all three widely-recognized companies as well as other companies and organizations namely Gibney Company, Martha Graham Dance Company, Boston Ballet, Philadelphia Ballet, Limon Dance Company, Alberta Ballet, Balletto Teatro di Torino, Juilliard School for Dance and more.
@ 12:00 am
CHQ Travels: The 80th Anniversary of D-Day with Kori Schake
NOTE: THIS TRIP IS SOLD OUT — The 80th-anniversary observance of D-Day is an all too vivid reminder of a time when the fate of Europe hung in the balance and the day was won by months of detailed planning, devotion to duty and bravery in battle by Allied forces in the largest amphibious landing in history. From the Normandy landing beaches, to the fortified cliffs of Pointe du Hoc to the impeccably kept American cemetery above Omaha Beach, we invite you to retrace the first steps in the historic liberation of France. Your cruise along the River Seine aboard the elegant MS Renoir provides an ideal balance: a military history theme including lectures and informal time with your expert; the chance to explore the charming towns of Honfleur and Rouen bookended by iconic Paris as your small ship docks in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower; and the unique opportunity to enhance your educational experience by participating in select lectures or discussions with additional content experts on board.
Main Deck – $5,695 per person; $1,995 single supplement
Upper Deck – $5,995 per person; $2,295 single supplement
Chautauqua Lake Conference
The 2024 Chautauqua Lake Conference will provide an update on important research on Chautauqua Lake. SUNY Fredonia and The Jefferson Project will return this year to share some of their research results and plans for the upcoming summer. We will hear from SUNY Oneonta and North Carolina State University regarding their research on lake vegetation. We are also very excited to welcome several Chautauqua Lake-focused organizations to share some of their lake-focused activities with conference attendees and share how people can best get involved in lake health.
Catholic Mass
Catholic Mass
Martina McBride
Multiple Grammy® nominee Martina McBride has sold over 23 million albums and will open the 150th Anniversary season at Chautauqua on June 22!
With 15 major music awards, 14 Gold Records and nine Platinum honors, Martina McBride has captured the hearts of audiences around the world for more than 25 years. The four-time CMA Female Vocalist of the Year has revolutionized the country music industry, with songs that deliver both melody and message. A legendary force in country music, her career skyrocketed with the release of her second album in 1993, The Way That I Am. With hits, like “My Baby Loves Me,” and “Independence Day,” the album quickly rose to million-seller status in 1995, ushering in a string of platinum albums that 2000s.
One of country music’s biggest stars, Mcbride also saw years of crossover pop success before returning to her country roots in 2005. Soon after, her albums from 2007 to 2016 successively soared to the Top Five slots on the country album chart. Most recently, in 2023, twelve years after the original release of ELEVEN, the album was re-released to include four bonus tracks in ‘ELEVEN (Deluxe)’.
June 23 @ 12:00 am
Melvin Johnson Sculpture Garden 2024 - June 23–August 23
Strohl Art Center Upper Sculpture Garden
@ 12:00 am
Melvin Johnson Sculpture Garden 2024 – June 23–August 23
Melvin Johnson Sculpture Garden 2024 exhibition runs June 23–August 23. Featuring outdoor sculptures by Dan Droz, Carin Mincemoyer, and Lydia Musco.
Episcopal Holy Eucharist
Episcopal Holy Eucharist
June 23 @ 8:30 am Week One (June 22–29)
Song, Prayer, Communion & Meditation
Hurlbut Church sanctuary
Song, Prayer, Communion & Meditation
Episcopal Holy Eucharist
Episcopal Holy Eucharist
June 23 @ 9:00 am Week One (June 22–29)
United Church of Christ Worship Service
Randell Chapel, UCC Headquarters
United Church of Christ Worship Service
United Church of Christ Worship Service
Quaker Worship Service
Quaker Worship Sevice
Unity Service
Unity Service
Christian Science Service
Christian Science Service