Week Six: July 29–August 5, 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 Six.
Featured Entertainment and Events
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra
July 29
Family Entertainment Series: Bindlestiff Family Cirkus
August 1
Chautauqua Lecture Series
A Life of Literature
Of all art forms, literature enjoys a special sort of permanence and authority, creating canons for generation after generation to study and enjoy — and to interpret, adapt, and make their own. With new technologies, new genres, innovations in form and practice and, above all, evolving sensibilities and tastes, we look at how and why literature can take on new meaning for new readers. Who, and what, gives literature that meaning? In our history, how has literature provided a lens for our past and envisioned our future, or even shaped our future? Steeped in Chautauqua’s 150-year literary tradition, this week we explore the life of literature and how the literature of tomorrow is being shaped today.
NPR’s “Fresh Air” book critic and Georgetown academic Maureen Corrigan opens the week Monday, July 31, with a discussion at the nexus of the classic and the contemporary, tracing literary trends and examining the current state of literature. Long a staple on lists for both the Institution’s CLSC Young Readers program and its Battle of the Books, Newbery-Award winning author Kwame Alexander makes his Chautauqua debut on Wednesday, Aug. 2, sharing how one can have a life of literature at all ages. On Friday, Aug. 4, Kim Stanley Robinson — widely acknowledged as one of the greatest science-fiction writers alive — closes the week with a joint Chautauqua Lecture Series and Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle presentation on his most recent novel, The Ministry of the Future, envisioning how literary visions of the future can help fuel social change.
Confirmed Lectures
Interfaith Lecture Series
Literature and Meaning—Making
Literature nurtures human flourishing, as we make meaning in our contemporary world, both in the reading and interpretation of classical texts and in the development of modern literature. In this week we ask five thinkers to share their journeys through life based on the literary treasures that have both shaped and guided them. Can literature expand our moral imagination and nurture our spiritual vitality? What books have accompanied you through your life? Come prepared to share your own literary journeys.
Confirmed Lectures
Stay tuned for upcoming announcements.
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.