Tanglewood, Lenox, MA
Summer, 2026
by Shera Cohen
Rehearsal v. Concert
Regular Tanglewood visitors are aware that programs are scheduled every Saturday morning; these are orchestra rehearsals for the next day’s afternoon concert. Take out your calendars, write these dates down, and try to get to Tanglewood at least once this summer. The season is far from over.
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| Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro photo credit: Hilary Scott/BSO photo |
The scheduled conductor and guest soloists take the stage along with the full Boston Symphony Orchestra. There’s only one noticeable change between the two days’ concerts; it’s casual Saturday as everyone wears summer pastels and shorts. The musicians dress-up a bit on Sunday; not suits and LBD but like colors. As for the audience, whatever fits and is cool.
Is the rehearsal the exact program at the next day’s “real concert”? Sometimes, but not often. Some can be 2+ hours of start, stop, over, and over, as the conductor talks to various sections of the orchestra, making suggestions on how to perform with perfection. Anything the BSO does is perfect in my book.
Most times, the rehearsal plays straight through until the end of each piece. Only then are segments extrapolated and rehearsed again. To have such a keen ear, I am amazed by the talents of conductors.
For me, rehearsals are learning experiences in one of the most beautiful settings in this country. Prior to attending, I usually don’t pay attention to who’s performing, which composer, etc. Melding the sounds of classical music with the sights, smells, and touch of Tanglewood as a backdrop, just can’t get better on any Saturday morning.
Saturday Morning Rehearsal
Tanglewood's music director Andris Nelsons was at his podium at precisely 10:30am. Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 in E minor, called "the symphony of triumph over fate" composed in 1888 appeared at the top of the playbill.
Tanglewood's music director Andris Nelsons was at his podium at precisely 10:30am. Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 in E minor, called "the symphony of triumph over fate" composed in 1888 appeared at the top of the playbill.
Tchaikovsky led the premier in St. Petersburg, Russian. At the time, the composer didn't think very highly of his own work, even considering retirement. That malaise quickly changed when he began to work on perhaps one of his most famous and respected pieces, "The Sleeping Beauty".
Certainly, the BSO music was exquisite as always. However, it was guest violin soloist, the adorable 15-year-old Himari from Japan who grabbed all the attention. This little girl (yes, girl) stood front, stage left, next to Nelsons, oftentimes giving the conductor notes on what she felt the orchestra might do as it accompanied her, rather than the reverse. So poised and confident standing in her blue dress, I have never been so impressed by the artistic skills of someone so young yet mature.
Moving ahead a couple of centuries, the BSO rehearsed an unfamiliar work to me by Esa-Pekka Salonen, born in 1958. "Gambit," a shorter piece, was festive and upbeat. This is somewhat crass, but for the most part, my knowledge of composers are those who are no longer with us, although their music lives on forever. Salonen was very much in the present. In fact, I saw him conduct his own music only two days later.
I was quite surprised how much I enjoyed "Gambit". This proves my own mandate: be open to art that is new to you, give it a try at the very least. I wish I could identify the name of the instrument, but my guess is that some sort of ancient woodwind featured prominently in the piece. The sound replicated swishing waves with birds hovering over. And I know that this time, the melody was not the echo of actual birds flying in the shed. The latter is a common occurrence -- one that is unique to Tanglewood and one that I would not want to miss.
A Weekday Rehearsal
Usually, one morning each week (generally on Thursday or Friday), the BSO rehearses the Saturday evening concert. I planned the day accordingly in order to hear Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro," again conducted by Nelsons with James Darrah Black as the Tanglewood Music Center chorus director. This was an ideal "Tanglewood Day" -- a combination of the joy of live opera in Tanglewood's huge shed on a clear and relatively cool morning.
These rehearsals are not ticketed. In other words, they are free, yet visitors are not permitted in the concert tent. I simply sat outside on my own lawn chair. Less than 50 people also sat or spread blankets under trees. Large screen monitors center stage and positioned along the outside periphery of the shed permitted a look at the singers and musicians. Hearing is never a problem, no matter where your seat is.
The opera singers were animated, and although not in costume, acted and interacted with each other as they sang the beautiful and fun Mozart score.
Rehearsals serve as coming attractions or daytime concerts for those who might not be able to attend the "real thing".
