Week Five: July 22–29, 2023
Every summer, over the course of nine weeks, more than 100,000 people visit Chautauqua Institution in search of respite, community and personal growth. And every summer, they find it. See for yourself what makes Chautauqua Institution a destination like no other. Keep scrolling to explore Week Five.
Featured Entertainment and Events
Cécile McLorin Salvant
July 26
The Revivalists and Band of Horses
July 28
The Princess Bride in Concert with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra
July 22
Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra with Alexander Gavrylyuk, piano
July 27
Chautauqua Chamber Music: Dublin Guitar Quartet
July 24
The Probables
July 23
Chautauqua School of Dance with the Music School Festival Orchestra
July 24
Chautauqua Lecture Series
Infrastructure: Building and Maintaining the Physical, Social and Civic Underpinnings of Society
Somewhere along the way, infrastructure became boring — the awe and joy with which a child greets the weekly garbage truck and hours spent on felt playmats of city streets give way to the “unsexy” business of routine maintenance and iterative improvements, of taxes and policy. Yet nothing remains more critical to our public lives than the evolution and safety of these systems. A year and a half after the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we offer a report card on progress toward shoring up, reinvigorating and reinventing the systems and structures that undergird American society, and perhaps rekindle our fascination in the built world around us. We’ll discuss the usual — the planes, trains and automobiles of our youthful fascinations, as well as roads, bridges, utilities and the like — but also ask whether our definition of “infrastructure” needs to be expanded. And what does the infrastructure of the future look like, and which places are leading the way (and how?)?
Co-recipient of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences and New York University Professor of Economics and Law Paul M. Romer opens the Chautauqua Lecture Series’ examination on Monday, July 24, with a presentation titled “Cities: Humanity’s Best Hope for Progress.” On Wednesday, July 26, nuclear engineer and environmentalist Leslie Dewan will share her work at the forefront of the nuclear technology development renaissance, and the potential of nuclear energy infrastructure to power — and even save — the world. On Thursday, July 27, beloved novelist Amor Towles returns to the grounds in a joint Chautauqua Lecture Series and Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle presentation centering his latest, 2021’s The Lincoln Highway, uplifting the legacy of the first transcontinental highway in the United States and its place in both our country’s legacy and its infrastructure.
Confirmed Lectures
Interfaith Lecture Series
Religious and Ethical Infrastructure
Infrastructure is more than bricks and mortar; it includes those organizations, networks, and social foundations that nurture a healthy and vital society. Religious actors and institution have contributed a great deal to the social and ethical infrastructure of our society, but the past 50 years have seen a significant shift in that relationship. Why have religious organizations stopped building social infrastructure? Have our religious institutions failed in this arena? In this week, we explore whether social, religious and civic institutions are able to regenerate in a way that meets the needs of our contemporary world. What remains in place to support ethical decision making, and our civic and cultural institutions, in the absence of a robust religious sector?
Confirmed Lectures
Explore Performing and Visual Arts
The arts can sometimes bridge differences and illuminate perspectives as no other method can. Artistic expressions at Chautauqua — including professional and pre-professional offerings in classical and contemporary music, theater, opera, dance, visual arts and literary arts — aim to inspire, educate, entertain and engage a diverse and growing audience.
Places to Stay
Make the night complete by staying on our historic grounds. From the Athenaeum Hotel to countless private rental properties, Chautauqua offers accommodations for all needs and tastes.
Dining & Shopping
Make your Chautauqua experience memorable! Share a delicious meal at one of our many restaurants. Or take piece of Chautauqua home with you from our unique shops.