Chautauqua Institution
The Chautauqua
Institution is a not-for-profit, 750-acre educational center beside Chautauqua
Lake in southwestern New York State, where approximately 7,500 persons are in
residence on any day during a nine- week season, and a total of over 142,000
attend scheduled public events. Over 8,000 students enroll annually in the Chautauqua
Summer Schools that offer courses in art, music, dance, theater, writing skills
and a wide variety of special interests. The Chautauqua Institution has established
itself as a national forum for open discussion of public issues, international
relations, literature and science. Approximately 100 lecturers appear at Chautauqua
during a season. Music is very important at Chautauqua. A symphony orchestra
season became part of the regular program in 1920. The Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra,
founded in 1929, now performs thrice weekly with leading soloists in the 5,000-seat
Amphitheater, Chautauqua's program center. Popular entertainers perform other
evenings. The Chautauqua Ballet Company also appears in the Amphitheater, sometimes
with guest artists, while the Chautauqua Conservatory Theater presents its season
in Bratton Theater. The Chautauqua Opera Company, also founded in 1929, performs
in English in Norton Hall.