One of the books I read in early fall was Emily St. John Mandel’s National Book Award shortlisted novel, Station Eleven. It tells story of the world after the catastrophic impact of a global flu. The narrative skips across time, largely following the interlocking narratives of a group of musicians and actors known as The Traveling Symphony. The Symphony makes its way on foot and horses around the shores of the Great Lakes, performing concerts and Shakespearean plays for the small communities that remain “because survival is insufficient”: the words of their motto (drawn from Star Trek: Voyager). While grounded in a catastrophic tragedy, the novel is ultimately and surprisingly hopeful, capturing the power of humanity to create the connections that are at the heart of the humanities.
I’ve been reflecting on that simple message, “Because survival is insufficient,” since finishing Mandel’s book -- a dystopian sci-fi mystery novel that is a cleverly disguised and truly moving endorsement of the transformative qualities of the arts.
As it does every year, MCC is again offering a robust calendar of arts events. The next few weeks offer a testament to the strength of programming at the College:
At noon this Friday, the Sixth Act hosts a reading of Sam Hunter’s play The Whale. Our faculty art exhibit goes up next week in the Mercer Gallery, and writer Douglas Watson comes to MCC beginning November 13 for a stint as a Visiting Scholar. Then, our student production of The Pirates of Penzance takes the stage the week before Thanksgiving, followed in short order by the VaPA Instrumental Concert on December 3 and the Vocal Concert on December 10. In the mood for a festive gathering to lead into the holiday season? Try the 5th Annual Madrigal Feaste on December 12.
In the words of Henri Matisse, “Creativity takes courage,” so I hope you will make time to support your creative, courageous colleagues and our students as they bring these events and more to MCC.
Share your thoughts about the strength of MCC programming and examples of courageous creativity on the blog.
Anne M. Kress
Office of the President
11/05/2014 |