Poetry in the PinesLiterary arts event precedes The Philadelphia Orchestra's performance of David Kim Leads The Four Seasons on August 19

Saratoga Springs, NY (July 28, 2026) – As SPAC celebrates 60 years, the organization continues its year-long exploration of "Seasons," the unifying theme of its 2026 anniversary season, with Poetry in the Pines: Celebrating Seasons on Wednesday, August 19 at 6:15 p.m. Presented as part of SPAC's year-round Literary Arts initiative, the special reading will feature ten published poets sharing original works inspired by the rhythms, transitions, and beauty of the natural world before that evening's Philadelphia Orchestra concert featuring Vivaldi's The Four Seasons and Astor Piazzolla's The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.

Organized by Saratoga Springs Poet Laureate Jay Rogoff as part of his Laureate Poetry Series, the reading will take place on SPAC's Charles R. Wood Stage and is free for ticket holders attending the concert.

“The rhythms of our natural world have long inspired artists across every discipline—from poetry and music to dance and visual art," said Elizabeth Sobol, Chief Executive Officer of Saratoga Performing Arts Center. "As part of our year-round Literary Arts initiative and our celebration of Seasons, we're honored to bring these gifted poets from our community to our campus. Their reflections provide a beautiful prelude to an evening in which the Orchestra brings Vivaldi's and Piazzolla's timeless musical interpretations of the seasons to life."

In addition to Rogoff, the program features several well-known poets from Saratoga, the Capital Region, and the Southern Adirondacks. Participating poets include Joseph Bruchac, Ashley Colley, David Graham, Elaine Handley, Marilyn McCabe, Jordan Smith, Natalya Sukhonos, Nancy White, and Melora Wolff. Together, they have published nearly forty books. The program will also feature SPAC's 2026 Adirondack Trust Company Festival of Young Artists Literary Award recipient, Fatemeh Amiri, a junior at Shaker High School, who will read her prize-winning poem, The Fifth Season.

The seasons provide poets with a never-ending source of imaginative feeling and imagery. Rachel R. Baum cites poetry’s “closer scrutiny” of “the inconvenient (mud tracked onto clean floors, ice storms, hay fever, a bee sting) and the wondrous (the colors of Vermont in October, the silence of a snowfall, the first crocus, the dog sprawled on a sunny patch of lawn).” Natalya Sukhonos attends to “patterns and transitions in nature: the pitter patter of insects in the summer, the mute wonder of snow in winter, the rumbling waters of spring, the melancholy dance of trees in autumn.”

Their works also reflect how the performing arts record the year’s rhythms. Rogoff says his poetry “often dwells on the imaginative interaction of nature, the seasons, and art, interactions we witness at SPAC. In Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, children impersonate fireflies and bugs while real bugs and fireflies flit all around us, so the ballet’s artistry rivals anything we see in nature.”

And of course, the seasons are where we live, as Marilyn McCabe says: “The seasons are for me as water is for fish. I may not be writing about them, per se, but they are my base of operations.”

Through Poetry in the Pines, SPAC continues its commitment to creating experiences that celebrate the connections between music, literature, nature, and community.

The pre-performance reading precedes David Kim Leads The Four Seasons with The Philadelphia Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. Concertmaster and violinist David Kim takes center stage as both leader and soloist featuring a paired performance of two iconic works: Vivaldi’s pastoral The Four Seasons and the SPAC premiere of Piazzolla’s tango-and-jazz-influenced The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires. 

Visit spac.org for details.

Saratoga Performing Arts Center

Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), located in the historic resort town of Saratoga Springs in upstate New York, is one of America’s most prestigious outdoor amphitheaters. Its exquisite setting in a 2,400-acre park preserve surrounded by hiking trails, geysers, and natural mineral springs draws lovers of arts, culture and nature for performances by resident companies New York City Ballet, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Saratoga Jazz Festival, and concerts by Live Nation. SPAC also hosts imaginative programming such as Caffè Lena @ SPAC and initiatives in culinary, literary, healing and visual arts.  

SPAC is a 501c3 charitable organization. Donations and proceeds from fundraising events benefit the Center’s thriving education program, community outreach efforts, and the vibrancy of its programming. For more information visit spac.org.

###