Week Four: July 15–22, 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 Four.
Featured Entertainment and Events
Melissa Etheridge 2023 Tour
July 21
Chanticleer
July 19
La Tragédie de Carmen
See all dates
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
See all dates
Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra: Opera & Pops
July 15
Music School Festival Orchestra with the Chautauqua Opera Company
July 17
Chautauqua Lecture Series
The State of Believing
When we talk about the concept of “belief,” what do we mean? Some of our most deeply held beliefs aren’t just religious ones — they’re philosophical, political, intellectual, emotional. They can take the forms of faith and trust (or lack thereof) in institutions, or in each other. What we believe in private does shape our public identity, but long-held conventions have dictated that we leave our faith at the door of our public lives. How is this changing? What can science, religion, public opinion and politics teach us about the nature of what we believe, and why we believe it? In this week, we confront some of the hardest questions about ourselves, each other, and the world we must live in together.
Author and associate professor of American Religious History at Duke Divinity School Kate Bowler continues the conversation on Tuesday, July 18, with a presentation on the forces — both religious and cultural — that she studies, including the stories we tell ourselves about success, suffering, and whether or not we’re capable of change. On Wednesday, July 19, physicist and string theorist Brian Greene returns to the Amphitheater with an exploration of our state of belief in science, our planet, and our cosmos. To close the week, on Friday, July 21, Mónica Guzmán — Senior Fellow for Public Practice at Braver Angels, America’s largest grassroots organization dedicated to political depolarization — will outline her proposal as to how we may detach ourselves from our own belief to consider others’ with generosity and good faith, and why we must do this work to build a true, shared reality.
Confirmed Lectures
Interfaith Lecture Series
Religious Faith and Everything Else We Believe In
What leads an individual to have a religious or spiritual faith? Can it be taught; how is it caught? How is faith lost? This week’s Interfaith Lecture Series will consider research about how faith is acquired and understood, addressing different dimensions of belief across diverse traditions. Why do people believe what they believe, about God, creation, and one another? How does this develop and change across a lifetime? Join us as we consider the distinctive religious dimension of belief.
Confirmed Lectures
Stay tuned for upcoming announcements.
July 21 @ 2:00 pm Week Four (July 15–22)
Katherine Smith with Kate Bowler
Hall of Philosophy | CHQ Assembly
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.