Prima Music Foundation and Ventfort Hall Present 'A Night of Opera'

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LENOX, Mass. — Audiences are invited to experience an evening of vocal and piano masterpieces featuring baritone Gocha Abuladze and concert pianist Anastasia Dedik on Aug. 27, 2026 at Ventfort Hall.

The recital will showcase some of the most beloved arias from the operatic repertoire alongside celebrated solo piano works by Anastasia Dedik. The program traces music through the Romantic era, highlighting timeless expressions of love, longing, heroism, and passion.


About Pianist Anastasia Dedik

Dr. Anastasia Dedik is an internationally acclaimed pianist and pedagogue recognized for her commanding artistry, deep musical insight, and exceptional dedication to mentoring young musicians. Equally active as a soloist, chamber musician, and collaborative pianist, she is known for inspiring artistic growth while upholding the highest standards of pianistic excellence.

Praised for her "flawless and memorable" performances and her "authentically Russian pianism," Anastasia brings to her teaching a strong emphasis on refined sound production, stylistic integrity, score-based interpretation, and the cultivation of an individual artistic voice.

As a soloist, Anastasia has appeared at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and the Great Philharmonic Hall in Saint Petersburg. She has performed with orchestras such as the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, the Saint Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra, and the NYCA Symphony Orchestra, with broadcasts on RAI TV and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Anastasia is also the co-founder of the award-winning Prima Trio, together with distinguished clarinetist Boris Allakhverdyan, Principal Clarinetist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and cellist Gulia Gurevich, DMA. The Prima Trio performed more than 300 concerts across 23 states and released the album PRIMA.

A laureate of numerous international competitions, including the Bösendorfer and Yamaha USASU International Piano Competition and the San Jose International Piano Competition, Anastasia brings valuable insight into performance preparation, competition strategy, and artistic development.

Deeply committed to education, Anastasia is the Founder and Artistic Director of Prima Music Foundation and the Artistic Director of the Prima Music Summer Piano Camp and Concerto Competition in the Berkshires. Through mentorship, scholarships, and performance opportunities, she has guided students who now perform regularly at Carnegie Hall and other major venues.

Originally from Saint Petersburg, Anastasia studied on full talent scholarships at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, Oberlin Conservatory, and The Juilliard School. In May 2026, she earned her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, graduating Summa Cum Laude. She is also the Founder and CEO of Prima Music Academy in New York City and serves on the faculty of the Berkshire Music School.

With an active international career across the United States and Europe, Dr. Anastasia Dedik is devoted to shaping the next generation of pianists through inspired teaching, thoughtful mentorship, and a profound respect for musical tradition.

About Bariotone Gocha Abuladze

Gocha Abuladze is a Georgian baritone who has performed 27 leading operatic roles at some of Europe’s most prestigious theaters, including Arena di Verona, Teatro Regio di Parma, Teatro Giuseppe Verdi in Busseto, Grange Park Opera in London, and Teatro Filarmonico di Verona. A winner of more than ten international vocal competitions, including the prestigious Magda Olivero Competition in Milan and the Ettore Bastianini Special Prize for Best Baritone, he has collaborated with distinguished artists such as Franco Zeffirelli, Leo Nucci, Daniel Oren, Ferruccio Furlanetto, and Hugo de Ana.

Abuladze studied at the Tbilisi State Conservatoire and continued his vocal training in Italy with legendary artists including Montserrat Caballé, William Matteuzzi, Lella Cuberli, Vazha Chachava, and Nodar Andguladze. Since his American debut at Carnegie Hall in 2019, he has continued a successful concert career in the United States, highlighted by his 2022 Carnegie Hall benefit concert and his 2025 debut at New York City’s historic Temple Emanu-El with Metropolitan Opera pianist Bryan Wagorn.

Tickets are $45. Members receive a discount code for $5 off all ticket prices. Reservations are strongly encouraged as seats are limited. Walk-ins accommodated as space allows. For reservations visit GILDEDAGE.ORG or call (413) 637-3206.
Note that all tickets are nonrefundable and non-exchangeable.

The historical mansion is located at 104 Walker St. in Lenox. Ventfort Hall Gilded Age Mansion & Museum is a historical house museum open to the public and in active restoration.

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Josh Billings Athletes Can Support Local Non-Profits

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. - A new fundraising initiative is giving participants in  one of the Berkshires’ most recognized community traditions a simple way to support local  nonprofits.
 
Launched this year by the Josh Billings RunAground and Mill Town Foundation, the Finish Line Fund allows participating teams to select a Berkshire-based nonprofit and invite friends, family members, colleagues, and others to support the organization through a  team fundraising page.
 
With time still remaining before the Sept. 20 event, participating teams already have raised more than $16,000 for local nonprofits.
 
“The Finish Line Fund is about expanding participation in local philanthropy,” said Andy Wrba, Program Director at Mill Town Foundation. “You don’t need to make a large gift to have an impact. When hundreds of people contribute $10 or $20 to organizations they care about, those individual gifts can add up to something significant. We want to make local  giving accessible, personal, and connected to an event people are already excited to be part of.”
 
Rather than directing all fundraising to a single beneficiary, the Finish Line Fund places the  choice in the hands of participants. Teams select a Berkshire nonprofit that is meaningful to them and use their own networks and personal stories to build support for the organization.  Donations made through each team’s fundraising page go directly to its selected nonprofit.
 
The initiative reflects a peer-to-peer approach to philanthropy in which individuals become  ambassadors for the organizations and causes they value. In addition to raising funds, the  program is designed to introduce more people to Berkshire nonprofits, expand their networks of supporters, and encourage community members to see themselves as active participants in local giving.
 
To encourage broad participation, Mill Town Foundation will also contribute an additional $500 to the nonprofit represented by each of the five teams that attracts the greatest number of individual donors. The incentive is based on the number of unique supporters – not the total amount raised – reinforcing the message that gifts of every size matter.
 
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